How can I tell hot from neutral on the power cord of an evaporative cooler? I have an Essick 4700 CFM cooler, where the power cord was cut and had a custom 3-prong attached, to trim the cable length. I detached the prong when winterizing, not realizing that this cable doesn't use the standard white/black color-coding for hot/neutral (they're both wrapped in beige, though the ground wire is colored green underneath). How can I ensure I don't wire this backwards when re-connecting the 3-prong plug?
Inside the control box, the live wires appear to connect to "COM", and "A", and the latter appears to be part of the "FAN" grouping. (The "COM" also has a second wire protruding from the same port, which travels to the fan motor.)

If you don’t have a meter trace the wires back at the fan if they do not connect to the case it won’t matter many (most) motors the wiring goes directly to the windings and only the case is grounded with the green wire.
So if no connections other than to the windings a single phase ac motor won’t matter, if it happened to be DC the fan would spin backwards if not properly connected but that should not hurt the motor, power down and switch them if the fan spins the wrong way.


Toilet straight water supply line stuck The water supply line is stuck and the nut is removed. It turns with some force but won't detach from the bottom of the tank

That supply line should be disconnected at the shutoff valve as well and should then be fairly easy to bend and remove. The plastic nut at the base of the tank can then be removed to change out the fill valve.
You'll want to replace that supply line with a flexible line just a little longer than the distance from the shutoff valve to the base of the tank. If your shutoff valve is old and squirrely you might want to replace that as well with a ball and valve 1/4 turn.
Edit
Usually there's enough play up and down to remove the fixed supply line but some I've had to bend a little to remove. You'll probably want to replace it anyway.


Voltage between neutral and ground in receptacle I have 10 outlets on the circuit. The first two check out fine. The rest show 120V between hot an d neutral and hot and ground. But they show 57V between neutral and ground. I unhooked the hot to a receptacle and still got 57V between neutral and ground? Any answers?

The 56V is just a nonsense figure you are getting because you have a high impedance voltmeter, and it doesn't know what to do with what it's seeing.  This is the sign of a wire that is entirely disconnected from anything.

It's not attached at the panel side (because of a defect), and it's not attached to hot via any loads, because you have removed them.

If you plug in a load and turn it on, then the neutral should start behaving more predictably.  This will also correct for the error produced by your meter.


What type of connector is this, and how do I remove it? Home DIYer here.
What type of connector is this, and how do I remove it?

That right there is a crimp connector.  Few ways to remove one, mostly you want to avoid damaging wire and losing length.  It's a compressed ring.
First thing I'd try is side cutters.  Cut between the wires and once one side of the ring is removed you should be able to bend it out of the way.  That one looks particularly easy to cut this way.
If side cutters don't work, I'd evaluate whether I can afford to lose wire length.  If it's not an issue, cut the wires where they enter the crimp.  If it is an issue, I'd use a rotary tool with a thin disc to make the necessary cuts with minimal risk.  If you put any significant gouge in the copper, it should be cut back to the gouge so you're only using good wire.


Replace duplex switch with swith/outlet? Swith will control ceiling fan w/ lamp I’m replacing this damaged duplex switch with this switch/outlet:
Old duplex switch:

New switch/outlet combination:
As you can see from the old wiring, the blue and red wires are connected to one side of the switch, the black wire is connected to the other side, and the white wire is not connected to anything.
I don’t trust whoever did this installation, so I go to the experts.
Can a switch/outlet replace a duplex switch? If so, how do I wire this switch/outlet correctly?
I’ll be installing a ceiling fan with a lamp. I’m including pics of the wires from the fan, and pics from the wires in the ceiling.
Fan

Ceiling wiring

This isn't terribly hard now that we know what it is we want here
The good news is that you look to have all the necessary wires in place, save for a grounding pigtail to the back of the box since this is a conduit job and your switch-receptacle lacks self-grounding clips.  The bad news is it'll require a bit of pigtailing to wire this up, so you'll need a wirenut suitable for 3 12AWG wires and a couple of short (3-6") lengths of black 12AWG stranded THHN.
First off, we prepare the box by using the 10-32 screw on our grounding pigtail to attach it to the 10-32 tapped hole in the back of the box; if there is no such hole, then you can drive a Garvin GSST into the back of the box and use that to attach your grounding pigtail.
We then can move onto preparing the switch-receptacle; one of the black pigtails is attached to COM, while the other is attached to L1.  Once that's done, we can start wiring up the receptacle.  The grounding pigtail goes to one of the grounding terminals on the device, while the white wire gets untaped and connected to a neutral terminal on the receptacle part.  One of the black pigtails from the switch section goes into one of the line terminals on the receptacle portion, while the black wire from the wall goes into the other line terminal on the receptacle end.  Finally, the other black pigtail gets nutted with the red and blue wires from the wall.
Once all that's done, you can button up the box, turn the breaker back on, and enjoy your new switch-outlet!


Is there anything I can do to make it easier to remove plugs from receptacles? Is there anything I can do to make it easier to pull plug ins out of the wall sockets?  All of the wall sockets in the kitchen make it very difficult to pull the plug in out of the wall receptacle.  The toaster, the coffee maker, the can opener, the microwave, etc., are all difficult to pull out of the wall sockets in the kitchen.

This will depend in part on where you are in the world. Sockets in the UK can be very tight when new, but if you open them up you can often loosen the metal contacts so they don't grip the plug as tightly. I would imagine sockets in other countries will also have similar adjustments possible.

Make sure you turn off current at the breaker/fuse box first!

In general, though, I wouldn't advise doing this as it does increase the risk that you will get a bad electrical connection, which could lead to arcing and fire. This is still a low risk, so don't panic, but in general repeated plugging-in and removal will loosen and weaken the socket over time.

I do not unplug appliances in my kitchen, but just turn them off with the switches, which are designed for repeated use.


How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing need to be using an elevated post base anchor? I'm building a pergola over a paver patio. The pergola will dimension 11'x 11.5' on center of post with 6x6 posts (4 posts), tied together with sandwiched 2x12 beams. I've laid out footer locations and am about to dig for 8" sonotube forms. The footings will be set 2.5" below finished grade and I'll use Simpson Strong Tie Elevated Post Base anchors (EPB66) so that I can lay pavers on top of the footing, with the pergola post resting on the anchor base at the finished grade of the patio. My question is weather or not an 8" dia. footing is truly sufficient. The Strong Tie spec notes a minimum 4" offset from center of anchor pin to edge of concrete, so it would seem that 8" diameter footings would meet the spec. The footings will be close to the edge of a surrounding retaining wall, so I'd like to avoid a larger diameter that would require augering closer to the wall.

(FYI - This is in Central Ohio, so the footers will be 3' deep, heavy clay soils. Occasional heavy snow in winter. I plan to trellis vining plants up and over).

Note: There was a similar question addressed on this forum a year or so ago and an answer suggested using 12" footers, but my situation may be slightly different due to use of the elevated anchor.
How wide does a 6x6 concrete post footing needs to be?

Well...I had to live and learn. I used 12 inch sonotubes with the same anchor and cheap cement (the fence post kind that was recommended to me)  and 6 x6 posts, which turned out to be a bad idea. 2 of the 4 cement piers cracked part way down where the achor ties were. My solution was to build 21 inch squares around the base about 12 inches down and past the broken areas and leave the rest of the existing footing intact with the more expensive extra strong cement surrounding the existing pier that goes 3 ft down. Hopefully this holds up well..but I am a DIY person so there is trial and error on my end. Get quaility cement and do a wide base to limit lateral breakage IMO. Of course I dont think there would have been and issue if I had not used cheap post hole cement. I am just glad I discovered the issue before the structure became wobbly.


Are all of these wirings code-acceptable for 3-way switching overhead lights? So, i have a single switch by the garage door controlling the overhead lights like so:

and i would like to add a switch by the other door (shown) and wire it for 3-way control of the lights.

I'm pretty sure wiring power-switch-switch-lamp (with 14/3+G between the switches to accommodate 2 travelers) is okay (right?), like so:

but is it also okay to run a hot out to a 3-way switch and bring both travelers back in the same 13/3+G cable, then route along to the other switch and then to the lamp, like so?

If so, what about doing that with both switches, like so?

Michael Karas is correct the 2011 NEC added the requirement for a neutral at all switch locations IF they are inaccessible after installation. If your garage has open framing and will not be drywalled then you don't have to do this.

However, it is always better to have the neutral at the switch for future use. You may want to install a switch with an occupancy sensor or add a receptacle next to the switch. If you don't have a neutral the occupancy sensor has to trickle current on the ground and that is what the NEC is trying to eliminate.

If you stick with your second drawing (first one with the 2 three ways) then you will have the neutral available at all locations. Less boxes less splices = simpler installation.

Wire is cheap compared to a simpler installation and less headaches.


Is there any way to replace drill batteries? We have a great (Porter and Cable) cordless drill but the batteries are no longer commercially available. Amazon has a listing but it's been sold out for the last five years. Do we have any other recourse? I'm kind of loathe to throw out a perfectly good drill, but to complete any project we have to charge both batteries completely. It would be nice if one battery would last just a touch longer.

Sorry to disagree with KeithS, however there are many companies that rebuild NiCad battery packs. I'm not saying it is a great deal financially, however most common brands can be rebuilt. NiCad packs, for example, are made of several 1.5Vdc cells. the cells themselves are usually pretty uniform in size, however can differ in quality. Putting more in series makes for higher voltages, putting more in parallel gives higher AH ratings.  Beware of super discounters, look for a company that offers a good warranty and replacement policy.  An example: http://www.freedombatteryrebuilds.com  not endorsing them, just an example of re-builders.


How should I deal with sediment in my water lines? Whole-house filter? I've had on-and-off problems with sediment in my water lines due to really old city infrastructure. It has clogged the inner workings of the dishwasher, blocked shower heads and faucets, etc. Although the city periodically flushes the lines (or perhaps because they do), particulate still makes its way into my pipes.

Because this is a rental property (I now live about 700 miles away), I'm looking for a solution that would require little intervention once in place (changing filters periodically is fine - I just don't want my tenants to have to constantly clear the sediment traps on faucets or have to worry about appliances that don't have any traps/filtration of their own).

So is a whole-house water filter my best bet? Are there other options I might not be aware of?

Edit: Talked to a plumber, who pointed out the possibility that I may have severely corroded galvanized supply lines after the meter and into the house (which I do). If that were the case, placing a filter before a run of oxidizing steel probably isn't going to do much. It could also be both (the city and my side of the meter).

Oh my goodness. This is the city's problem. Unbelievable that you are getting so much sediment OR there is a busted line getting lots of clay and iron particles to clog you up. Have you done a flow test? Hopefully before you purchased your home. Keep changing your filters and if this is truly on city water, you HAVE to start whining loudly!! Or get someone to find out if there is a break in your line to your home. That would be my suspicion. City water usually does NOT have that much sediment. Now if you are on a well, an entire different story and landlord needs to fix! – stormy 1 min ago


How do I fit a “pocket door”? What are the fitting options including using a preformed kit etc?

got to this site, hopefully can help you out.
http://video.bobvila.com/m/21319451/installing-a-pocket-door.htm


Damp proofing/tanking a basement The plaster on one wall of my basement has blown and come away from the wall. I've stripped it all off which leaves a layer of concrete painted with bitumen.  What's the best method for sealing off more water coming in? When I started to strip back the bitumen layer I hit a pebble!! It appears that there is not brickwork down there instead perhaps the foundation? The wall also has a custom built stair case running up it which complicates things further.

Sealing basements so water doesn't come in starts from the outside using curtain drains to lower the water table. For bitumen or any other wall sealer to work effectively, it's applied to the outside of the wall.


Low water pressure anytime we run 2 things at once We are on well water and if we run  any 2 things at once we have almost no pressure. Problem is getting worse as time goes on.

Maybe the pump is failing.  Or, if "pressure" (or more likely, flow) seems fine with one tap on, but not with two, it's possible your pump is fine but there is a partial blockage in the pipes that limits flow. It could be debris or an air bubble.  You'll need to do some testing to figure out what the problem is.


How can I reduce the humidity in my home? Moisture inside my home fills up moisture bucket within a month, and the furniture and anything on the ground has green mildew/mold growing.

When the humidity is high the tile floors on the screened porch are completely water logged (I mean not just a little condensation, the floor looks like it is flooded).

Black mold is growing on the ceiling of the bathroom despite the window being open for ventilation.

If your house is too humid, it's because too much moisture is entering it. To fix that, you need to find the source of the moisture and reduce or eliminate it.

There are lots of places the moisture could be coming from. Humid air might entering your house from your crawlspace or basement (especially if you get water pooling after heavy rains), leaks in your roof, or leaky pipes are all common causes.


How to replace bathroom lights The previous lights in my bathroom were "Hollywood" style. I'd like to replace it with a more traditional/modern vanity light.  Question is, there doesn't appear to be an outlet/gang box like I'm used to. If I take this plate off, how would I mount the new fixture?

It doesn't appear that they used a junction box.  It seems the romex is entering this fixture through that clamp on the right of that lamp socket.  If you remove the several screws holding this plate to the wall, there is probably a hole in the drywall where the cable is.   If there was a j-box it should have been behind those cutouts in the center.

So, if that's the case, you can buy an old work j-box, and cut and fit it yourself.  Then mount your new fixture to that.

An old work j-box looks like this and mounts to the drywall.  https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-1-Gang-14-cu-in-Old-Work-PVC-Electrical-Outlet-Box-B114RB/1004040271

How to install


Interior walls - why skim coat with joint compound? Roughly put, my understanding of the history of interior walls is:

In olden days, plaster.  Good/bad/indifferent - not everything was 3-coat.  Good work took time. $$$
Drywall.  Faster, cheaper.  Largely supplanted plaster, ex in Europe and Boston.  $
Then, skim coat.  With joint compound. $$?

Apparently, skim coat looks better than straight drywall?  If so, is that because the (taped & coated) joints are hard to hide?

Bonus question: if you're going to skim anyway, why not use veneer plaster, either over blueboard or over drywall plus a bonder?  Am I wrong in thinking that plaster is much easier to trowel?

(Full disclosure: I'm going to do some drywall, for the first time.  I have done some veneer plastering.  I found the results more that adequate, and didn't think it was impossibly difficult - mostly, it set faster than I wanted.  But, I'm far from a pro.)

I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing with "skim coat", but it's just a higher level of drywall finishing for improved sheen management.

  Level 1: This level means that your drywall joint tape has been
  embedded in joint compound, and nothing more.

  Level 2: This next level means that you have skimmed a thin coat of
  joint compound over the tape and covered the drywall screw holes. You
  can stop at this level if you intend to cover with tile.

  Level 3: For this stage, you apply a coat of joint compound to the
  tape and screws. Walls that will receive a heavy texture, such as
  knockdown texture, can end at this level. It would be pointless to
  progress beyond this level, since texturing is rougher than level 3.

  Level 4: This is the classic drywall finish.

  Here, you apply another coat of joint compound to the tape and screws
  and sand the dried compound.

  Level 5: The highest possible level of drywall finishing involves
  applying a skim coat, if applicable.
  ...
  The two instances when you need a level 5 coating: the finish will be glossy and/or light will be coming from an angle low enough to highlight bumps and depressions.

https://www.thespruce.com/the-five-levels-of-drywall-finishing-4120152

Modern joint compounds are used for their ease of application, relatively quick drying, and light weight. I'm not familiar with the application of plaster over drywall in modern scenarios. My 1950s home did have plaster over drywall, but that's a much more involved process than simply skimming wallboard.


What's causing every light on a single breaker to dim and turn off randomly? I have a commercial space with recessed ceiling lighting. There's 3 lights in the front, 4 down the hall, and one in the bathroom (all on one breaker). Randomly throughout the day, they'll dim/flicker and sometimes even turn off for hours at a time. We've had 2 electricians look at it with no success.

The first electrician said he tightened wires in a few of the fixtures in the front, which helped for a while, but ultimately the problem came back the next day.

The second electrician checked our panel and ended up following it to the bathroom fixture, where he said the wires were loose in a junction box. He tightened those up and the problem was fixed for a bit, but the issue soon returned.

I'm reluctant to keep paying them to come back and keep looking (for what could be for hours) and still not fixing it again. Is there a chance that this problem is caused by loose wires in every fixture? Or is there something weird going on here?

Ok I figured I would give this a shot. First I like Harpers suggestion. It's important to know if they are all doing this at the same time or randomly. Second what type of light bulb are you using? Incandescent, fluorescent, or LED. This is important to understand if the problem is consistent with the lamp.

Finally, except for the dimming, you are describing what happens to recessed cans when the integral thermocouple begins to weaken in recessed cans. These are installed in all commercial cans to protect from overheating. If you disassemble the can trim you will be able to see it mounted on the side of the can assembly. The only way I know to repair it is to contact the original manufacture and replace the assembly.

Hope this helps, good luck.


Removing or leveling an old iron pipe embedded in concrete patio I have an old concrete patio in the back of my house. This patio has until recently been covered by a small deck, but for several reasons I've decided to replace the deck with synthetic outdoor flooring material that can go on top of the concrete, sitting on top of plastic grid stand-offs. Unfortunately it requires is that the underlying stratum be reasonably smooth.

Having removed the old deck, I've discovered that the concrete has an old iron pipe embedded within it, as can be seen in the attached picture. The pipe is clearly disused - one end of it is open to the elements. I suspect that there used to be, or still is, a heating oil tank under the patio, as is common in my part of the world, and the pipe connected to it. I have no idea what would compel someone to just pour a concrete pad and ignore the pipe (never mind decommissioning the oil tank itself), but there it is. The pipe is quite substantial - the metal is some 1/4 inch thick, and the part above ground is about 18 inches long.

The pipe presents a challenge to my plan of laying down the plastic flooring onto the patio, since it protrudes about an inch and a half at highest, and will surely interfere. I am trying to figure out a way to get rid of the metal, that does not involve busting out the concrete and pouring it anew.

My best idea so far has been to fit a cut-off disk into my angle grinder and cut around the "water line" of the concrete around the pipe. I tried it out and it was a failure - the metal is thick enough that my 4.5" grinder and thick-ish cut off wheel just get bogged down. I plan to try again with a thin cut-off wheel, but I am not super-optimistic. I've also considered renting out a big concrete saw and cutting out the area containing the pipe - however I don't think it would be a good idea to use the saw to cut through the pipe itself given its thickness, and given that I can't see where the pipe is under the concrete, that could involve taking out a substantial part of the patio to be safe, which would also interfere with my plans.

Are there any other options I could consider here? I am willing to borrow or rent tools to accomplish this safely (and hopefully quickly).

Thanks!

Option 1(clean finish):Rough cut the iron, bar the concrete, and pour a top layer of grout or thicker layer of concrete.

Option 2 (rough finish, what you're doing): Rough cut with rip saw and finish with grinder.

Option 3 (rough finish, completely removes visible pipe): Clear adequate space around the pipe below the concrete for a cast iron pipe cutter

You're going about it the right way.

Option 2 details: Depending on your comfort with a rip saw, you may want to start with a masonry grinding wheel to smooth ~4" of the concrete around the iron to minimize risk of kicking against exposed stones (aggregate).

Using a medium gauge cutting blade(https://www.lowes.ca/reciprocating-saw-blades/lenox-es-2017-14-tpi-lazerreg-metal-cutting-reciprocating-saw-blade-5-pack_g2347551.html?searchTerm=lenox-lazer) trim off all that you can comfortably trim, follow up with a cut off wheel (https://www.amazon.com/Walter-ZIP-Cutoff-Wheel-Pack/dp/B00NFHM9E0)

From the 18" that you mentioned, this should take around an hour with out breaks. You'll need roughly two discs and two blades.

Option 1 is significantly more expensive and time consuming.

-Start by deciding whether you'll use grout (minimizes the profile[depth]) or concrete, if you're using grout there are specifics that need to be considered, if you're using concrete, it's straight forward, minimum 2" pour.

-After you've decided which (or any other local option) you're going to use, use a rip saw, (or as another has suggested, a torch) to clear the pipe from the surface, leaving it partially exposed doesn't matter, as long as you can have it completely enveloped by the concrete.

-Depending on the state of the slab, and your weather, you'll want rebar spaced at around 16" square from each other, figure out how much you'll need based off what you're expecting to add (min 4"), purchase re-bar and structural epoxy or grout.

-Mark off and drill the holes based off of what you're inset is (min 3") again at 16" square (more or less based off your weather)

-Pressure wash the surface, and clean out the holes from all dust, and sitting water

-Set the re-bar in to the holes with the grout or structural epoxy while waiting for the compound to cure/set...

-Frame off the slab for the pouring of the concrete and making sure it's moist but no sitting water (if it's grout, there can be sitting water for concrete) and finally perform your pour.

There isn't any more guidance that I can provide for this option, it can vary wildly based on what your local weather, building materials, expectations of quality, and more.

Option 3 can vary depending on the thickness of the slab, it can be time consuming, and requires renting of any tools you don't already have (SDS, SDS bits, cast iron pipe cutter). Again I can edit and provide more details.


Can I remove the GFCI protection from a final outlet in a series of three GFCI protected outlets? My refrigerator is plugged into an outlet that is on the end of a series of three GFCI protected outlets that uses the first outlet to protect all three. The refrigerator manual says it should not be plugged into a GFCI outlet. Can I remove the GFCI protection from that last outlet?

Yes, it can be done.

The way it currently is:  On the GFCI, power comes into the line terminals.  There are two load terminals which let you use the GFCI's protection on downstream outlets.  That is exactly how your downstream outlets are connected.

What to do:  defeat this protection by moving the downstream outlets' wires to the line terminals.  Except you can't put 2 wires on one terminal screw, and don't use backstabs, so pigtail this connection.

Ok, now the middle and refrigerator outlets are not protected.  The law requires the middle outlet be protected.  You'll need to buy another GFCI outlet and hook it up in same fashion so the refrigerator outlet is still not protected.

Lastly I would look at the refrigerator's outlet.  Where is it?  If it's a duplex outlet (the usual 2 outlets) in an accessible location, that's a problem, because it will be tempting for someone to use the other outlet.  They could get a real shock when they discover it's not GFCI protected.

It might be possible to get a fancydancy split GFCI that only protects one outlet.   But rather than fool around with that, I'd just get a single outlet for that location, so there's simply not room for anything but the fridge.


Can I use a Leviton MS302-DS switch as a 3-way switch? I have a harbor freight dust collector and want to have 2 switches in different locations of my garage to be able to turn it on from either location. I have 2 Leviton MS302-DS switches that are motor rated. Is there a way to use these switches as 3-way switches? I have included the wiring diagram below. The website for the switch is https://www.leviton.com/en/products/ms302-ds

No. That is a Double-Pole, Single-throw (DPST) which switch both hots on a 240 volt load.
For 3-way, you need Single-Pole, Double-Throw (SPDT) switches for 120 volts or Double-Pole, Double-Throw (DPDT) switches for 240 volts.
I have no idea how easily you can find motor-rated DPDT switches. One other solution is to use DP, normally open relay, motor rated, with a 120 volt coil. And power it through standard 3-way switches.


Water Supply pressure What size supply pipe must be used from a 5000 litre water tank to supply 4 bars of pressure to a house that is 20m below and 300m away from the tank?

It's a trick question, you can never get 4 bar of pressure with only a 20 m head.

The pressure due to a vertical column of liquid is equal to the density x height of the column x the acceleration due to gravity (little g = 9.8 m/s2).

Your height is 20m

Density of water is 1000 kg/m3

g = 9.8

So, pressure is 196,000 Pascals

100,000 Pascal per bar, so you have 1.96 bar as the max pressure you could get, independent of flow rate or pipe size.


Using this aluminum L shape for stairs I m doing a laminate floor(first time) from the room onto staircase.

Now I m thinking about the transition from bedroom level to first stair and how much am I going to go with laminate.

I can get a laminate stairs ending that matches the laminate color but its going to take weeks before they custom make it.

What are my other options?

Is this a viable option?

I would take yellow pine route a bullnose have home depot scan the flooring being used and stain it it works nice. If u don't have that capability have a guy do it for u it will take about hour to mill it then u stain and clear it.


Why do utility companies sometimes offer incentives for having equipment that uses less of their product? Originally asked as a follow up question, and lost in the controversy of Why would it matter whether a front-loading washer is upstairs? (They will only give me a free FRONT-loader if it's on the first or basement floors...)

Why they would only offer it in this way has been speculated about; how it is economically viable for the power company to do this at all, isn't.

The power and gas companies in my area have offered similar rebates and incentives that I would think to be counter-intuitive to their business. Why would the power company offer an incentive for having equipment that would use less power?

My less than educated guess is that it's a 'government thing' or they're somehow trying to deal with demand spikes. But the latter wouldn't explain why the gas company would give you a rebate for upgrading to a HE furnace or a programmable thermostat.

The utility company wants to reduce PEAK demand -- it is much cheaper to ensure that power demand never goes above X than to build a new power plant.  Furthermore, balancing the peaks and valleys of demand means that they can generally use cheaper power sources (nuclear/hydro) and avoid the expensive gas/oil fired plants.

A washing machine has a giant heater in it, and a front-loader uses less water and thus less heat to heat it up.  Hence the utility no longer has to plan for so much more peak demand...


Size of outlet on my hot water valve for dishwasher supply I'm trying to figure out how to hook my hot water supply up to my new bosch 500 dishwasher. I have this hose, which does fit the dishwasher:
And attached are images of the hot water shutoff valve under the sink that was hooked up to an old dishwasher and removed by someone else. I have no idea what fitting to get to make these fit, the supply hose I have is too small, can I can't tell what size this outlet is or what combination of parts I need.
I am thinking it might need a compression nut + pipe that then goes into the angle it came with, with another compression nut... but I could be wrong. Please help! It's a somewhat old valve, the house was built in 1989, I would prefer not to have to replace it if I can help it. Or maybe I need a different supply hose?

Edit: I think this is actually the valve that this one is, the other 2 above it are smaller and appear to be the 3/8" variety,  but I think the one below it is just an older version of this:
https://www.brasscraft.com/product/12-in-nom-comp-x-12-in-o-d-comp-7/

I was going to guess the valve outlet is 1/2" compression (if threads are very close together). If not, the it's 1/2" pipe thread. There are no supply lines for 1/2" compression at hardware stores these days. If it is pipe thread, then you're in luck and a different hose can be substituted. Otherwise you'll have to replace the valve. I recommend getting a 1/4 turn valve. They last longer and are more durable, easier and quicker to turn off.
To make your life easiest, I strongly recommend replacing the valve. You will need a 1/4-turn, 1/2-inch pipe inlet and get a 3/8 compression outlet. Most faucets and dishwasher hoses will use 3/8".
Btw, the above brass adapter will not work on your valves if the outlet on the valve is 1/2" compression. You'll have to find a 1/2" female compression yo s 3/8 female compression, which is basically a hose, not an Adapter. You won't find this as an adapter at the hardware store.


Fridgidaire Gallery Powers off for several hours and sometimes days I have a Fridgidaire Gallery Model: FGHN2866PF0.

The issue I have is that the fridge powers off for hours at a time and sometimes days at a time. No cooling, no lights in fridge. Only the door control panel stays alive.

The inner door control panel stays lit with the codes OF OF on the Fridge  and freezer temperature readings.

I've changed the main board 3 times. and the control panel as well.
Each time the problem returns after 1 month.

I don't know what else may be causing the issue. It's not the home breaker popping, because the display stay lit.

When the fridge comes back to life, the high temperature alarms go off, the ice maker begins to make ice, the compressor comes on, the lights come on.

What could be wrong?

Well, I finally solved the issue.
There was a pinch ground wire from the power cord. The ground was pinched between the frame and housing.
I also found 2 ground wires that were grounded to the compressor. These wires were screwed to the compressor mounting frame, but there was a piece of green tape between the metal and the eye loops of the grounds. Basically, the grounds were not grounded.

Since un-pinching the power line ground wire and removing the tape to allow the other 2 grounds to have a good ground, fridge is working non-stop for 30 days now.
Regards,


Adding a new "knockout" to side of main electrical panel I'm planning on running a 6/3 feeder cable from my main panel to the garage for a small 50A subpanel and am unsure of how to plumb the new cable to the main panel. All of the knockouts are on the bottom of the box, and I want to run some conduit from the panel to the attic along the exterior wall. Rather than adding a couple of elbows in order to run the conduit from the attic to the knockout on the bottom of the box, can I drill a new hole in the side of the panel, near the top for the 1" conduit? I imagine I would need to use an LB here and at the attic entrance?

Here's what I am thinking:

Go out the bottom, otherwise the hole or any flaw in the conduit will bring water, rust and failure into your box.

Use two conduit bodies to make your 180 degree turn.  You can do this pretty tight to the box surface if you really want to.  Do not strap the conduit to the box, strap it to the wall.

Use THWN-2 wire in the cable. This is rated for outdoor wet locations like this location.  Use stranded, you sure don't want to pig-wrestle solid #6 (least of all 4 of them in a cable!)... and stranded will make the bends easily and pull decently.  If you don't want to buy 4 colors of wire, buy white - shuck it for ground and put tape on it for hot.

Why white, by the way?  Because of the rules applicable to re-marking wires smaller than 4 AWG.  You cannot re-mark any color of wire to be ground, it must be green, green/yellow, or bare.  You cannot re-mark any colored wire to be neutral - it must be natively white or gray.  You can re-mark a white or gray to be a hot, that is the only re-marking allowed (it's intended for switch loops).  Admittedly, shucking a stranded wire for ground may not work - but they sell single bare solid ground wire at modest cost.


Can a poor application of driveway sealer be corrected? Our contractor put one very thick coat of sealer down instead of applying it in multiple thin coats. It looks like patchwork and very unsightly. Is there any way to correct this?

A photo would help identify other ways of fixing the problem and identify what kind of sealer was used.

But in general as it has been applied to thick the only way to fix it is sand it down (or chisel it away if possible) until it is nice and smooth. If any deep scratches happen during the removal process you should fill it with something that will bond to either the driveway or the left over sealer.

You will then have to re apply it in the correct way.

Trying to apply more on top of the already badly applied could be an option but I would not recomend it and could be more difficult than trying to flatten /remove it.

Be sure to use some sort of industrial sanders or get some other profesionals in and the sue the other company for bad workmanship


What tool should I use to remove a screw from cramped spaces? I don't tackle many DIY projects.  But when I do, the most frustrating thing is knowing that I'm doing things inefficiently.  I watch a YouTube video where the guy says it should take 5 minutes to disassemble.  2 hours later, I'm using my fingers to try and unscrew a bolt because I don't know how he did it in 5 minutes.

I'm there now.  I don't know what to Google to help me either.

I'm working on my garage door opener and I need to remove a 5/16 screw from inside of the opener.  I have no idea what tool to use.  I'd normally use a socket wrench for this but it won't fit in such a small opening.  I'm trying to take off the bolt that is circled in the picture below.

Any ideas?  I know this is probably a simple question but it's driving me nuts.

Assuming you are okay with the nut falling once removed, you could try an offset ratchet wrench similar to these

There are a wide variety of types, styles and price points.

 Images and links for reference only. Not an endorsement of any goods or sources.


choices besides UF-B wet damp location not inside conduit I have a situation where 2" PVC provides a conduit from basement to attic via outside of the house.  As such if that classifies as a wet or damp location and NM-B wire cannot be used in that section of conduit, then what choice is there currently other than UF-B ?

Just one run needed for 240 volt 3-wire (red/black/neutral/ground) either 12 gauge or 10-gauge, currently on 20 amp breaker, do not foresee need to ever go above 30 amp need, this is for AC air handler in attic.

The conduit is 2", and wish to keep the ends of conduit open so runs of RG-6 coax or CAT-6 cabling can be done to reach attic then down to second floor rooms.  Only the one run of 12/3 or 10/3 is needed from basement up to attic through exterior 2" conduit to reach AC air handler in attic.  Only possible space issue is at one 2" LB conduit body.

From exit of top of load center to entrance of 2" conduit in basement ceiling the wire would not be in conduit.  And in attic from conduit exit to Jbox on AC unit wire would not be in conduit

You use individual wires in conduit, not a cable

Pulling cable through conduit is a miserable job -- NM and UF cables use solid wire, making them awful stiff, and the jacket just makes them stiffer and harder to pull still, especially around bends.  Instead, you want to take some single wires rated for wet location service (you can get THHN/THWN-2 dual-rated single conductors basically anywhere building supplies are sold) and pull an appropriate bundle of those through your conduit instead of a cable.

This will make your pull easier then and there because said bundle's less stiff and snag-prone due to not having a jacket; furthermore, you can get stranded THHN/THWN-2 wire in most places, which will make your pull easier still as stranded wire beats solid wire of equal size on flexibility, every time.  Just do not ever try to get away with shucking the jacket off a cable to get at the wires inside -- wires inside cables are not marked for use outside the cable jacket!

At the ends of the conduit, you'd put a box and transition to a cable wiring method there

With individual wires in conduit, the conduit run needs to be complete between boxes.  So, this simply means you need a suitable box at each end of the run, mounted indoors, that you can make splices in to transition between NM and wires-in-conduit.

Run another conduit for the networking wires

You can't put network or coax cables in the same conduit as power wires -- this is governed by 800.133(A) and 820.133(A), not 300.3(C).


Outdoor extension cord that can be left unplugged? My wife needs to plug her truck in every night (she's a vet, and the drugs need to be refrigerated). Right now she just leaves the extension cord she uses on the ground during the day, which is obviously not waterproof.

Is there a product to make this situation safer? I'm thinking like a cord with a cover on the end, which you can close when the cord is not in use.

When I was in a colder climate and needed to plug my car into a block heater at night, i installed an outside outlet with a water proof cover and put an external rated gfci outlet in it.

That way, the extension cord could get plugged into a water proof outletand if it were to short against ground, the gfci would trip. I hung the other end of the extension cord when not in use so that the plug pointed down towards the ground so it would let get ice or snow in it.

Surprisingly, the outlet never did trip over many winters. Snow isn’t conductive and pure rainwater isn’t either, but if there was a short to ground you had the gfci watching your back. You could also put a switch on the  outlet — either a waterproof one outside or a switch inside, so that you could shut off power when you wanted to.

In any case, my experience was in a cold clime. You may want more protection in a wet climate. Or your wife might want to look at self enclosed battery systems or generators to maintain power to her equipment. GFCIs can trip and your wife would lose refrigeration to her truck if she doesn’t have battery backup.


How can I attach pony wall to surface of platform and will it be strong enough against lateral forces? I have a loft area to which I want to add a pony wall for safety. My plan is to drywall its inside and outside faces, all the way down across the beam. Can I built it on the surface of the platform safely? I would prefer to avoid attaching the posts to the front of the beam because it would make drywalling more difficult, and I want to use the posts located at the corner as an anchor for some storage that should all appear flush. The beam is 5 1/8" wide so putting it inside the beam, against a joist, leaves too large a distance on the outside edge.

Here are some researched suggestions:

Built pony wall and lag-bolt the corner post through an angle bracket, down through the pony wall's bottom plate and into the beam.
Can I lag-bolt 4x4 posts to a 2x4 bottom plate from the bottom, which is then lag bolted through the subfloor and into the beam?
Extend plywood down the pony-wall onto the beam to provide strength across the entire face without adding too much thickness.
Use a thicker wall - perhaps cabinets - so there is more depth to anchor down.

Any other ideas?

I'd build the wall in such a way that the entire thing acts as a post:

Use 3-1/2" or 4" construction screws instead of nails at all joints
Use construction adhesive at all joints
Use screws and adhesive to mount the bottom plate to the floor framing

This configuration will be as stiff and strong as it would be if you used occasional steel bracing. Any right angles or other wall connections will enhance strength.


How to bypass a switch that controls lights, keep outlet live 24/7? How to bypass a switch that controls lights, keep outlet live 24/7?

I have a small office in the basement I need to alter wiring on so I can work from home.
There's a wall switch that controls two overhead lights and (at least) one outlet.

Computers+ will need to remain running even when I'm not in the office and lights are off.

I've rewired a condo w help of a super handy-friend & done many small wiring projects around the house without issue, but I could use some advice before moving forward.

Simply put: I'm looking to retain power to the outlet even when the lights are off.
Can anyone offer advice/guidance/tips on this?
I've now added images below! Think I'll at least have get a new switch & outlet.

Thanks!

You'll need to do one of these:

Bypass the switch by linking the two hots and use other means to control your lighting (smart bulbs, local switching).
Pull a new cable from a constant-hot source to that outlet, and cap off the existing wires.


Less-than-common home wiring systems? I am wondering if those wiring would be useful in a home environment:

Low-voltage DC wiring (isolated from mains,) for example a DC 12V system, in addition to the mains power.
Optical fiber instead of Ethernet cables for networking.

Lots of modern electronics run on low-voltage DC power (so. Many. Wall. Warts) so why not set a LVDC power distribution system up common for the entire home? Mains to 12V DC isolated power supplies are fairly common now with higher than 95% efficiency, and switch-mode DC-DC converters stepping the voltage down to 5V (USB powered gear) are highly efficient too, reaching 98% in cases. Home area are small enough for the I2R loss to be negligible.

Fiber optics networking is interference-proof (not susceptible to any EMI) and future-proof (capable of up to 100Gbps Ethernet using the same fiber as used in older standards) while used server-grade optical fiber gear are fairly cheap. Optical fiber can run along mains in the same piping as there is no conductor in optical fibers. There are also wall panel style optical fiber to Ethernet cable bridges (most of which requires the aforementioned LVDC system or fiber-mains colocation to work)

Sure.  Low voltage systems have a lot of versatility.  You can put a battery on them, so they stay up when the power fails.  You can add solar panels, so they stay up in long outages. Many routers and DSL/cable modems actually want 12VDC (the network stays up because the central office has batteries/generators).  It's easy to charge phones and tablets from 12VDC.  LED lighting is not a problem at either 12VDC or 24VDC (light strips and "bulbs" intended for RVs.)

For heat, furnace controls can be managed either by switch-mode synthesizing 24VAC or finding components happy to run on 24VDC, including smart thermostats.  Or Empire-style furnaces don't need any electricity at all, and this can be a backup furnace, with a plan to close off parts of the house it can't heat.  A refrigerator could be modified so its 120VAC inverter only runs when there's a cooling call.  A simple gas stove/oven doesn't need electricity either.  You could make a home fully functional in power outages, complete with internet and media streaming.

That pretty much describes my next house.

However, as you may know, NEC prohibits low voltage wiring in the same conduits and boxes as 120/240V unless the boxes are subdivided with approved dividers. Non-conductive fiber-optic is OK.  Also you are not allowed to hang "other stuff" on the outside of 120/240V power conduit, raceways, busways etc.


How to mount powerboards with strange holes? Wondering how to mount these powerboards, with this illogical mount hole design.

As seen in the picture, each of the keyholes are facing in a different directions. This makes mounting extremely tedious, and almost impossible to get straight. You can’t treat it like a regular powerboard with the keyholes facing the same way, where you just put the screws in the wall, put the powerboard on the wall, and then slot it in place. You can’t ‘slot’ it normally because you need to slot it in two different directions at once.

For some reason, Australia seems to love this design, with most of my powerboards having this!

Any idea why manufacturers go with this design, over having the keyholes face the same way? Any idea how to efficiently attach them?

Orienting the keyways in different directions makes it less likely that an accidental nudge in any direction will disengage all the keyways at once.

The best way to find the proper screw locations for devices like these, and indeed for any keyway mounted devices, is to place a short screw in each keyway, pushed all the way into the narrow end of the slot, and then press or tap the device against the wall in the desired location. The sharp screw points will mark the wall, indicating the proper position for the pilot holes and mounting screws.


Does wifi have any effect on one's health? Does wifi have any effect on health in home?

Compared to holding a mobile phone against your head, the exposure levels are very low.

So, even if non-ionizing radiation is found to be a health concern in the future (current studies show no reason for concern), wifi isn't going to be the primary source of exposure for most people.

If you are concerned, locate your router somewhere other than directly next to a desk.

Some router configuration software also allows you to set the transmit power level, so you can lower the power levels to a place where you still get acceptable bandwidth in the areas of the house where you use wifi.


Why does my toilet randomly start running? Sometimes my toilet starts running for a few seconds at a time, like it's just finishing filling up the tank.

Usually this happens when the bathtub is being drained, or when I turn on the facets in the sink, but I think it also happens sometimes when no water is being used anywhere else.

As far as I can tell the flapper in the tank is working fine, and I don't see any leaks anywhere.

The typical toilet tank will have a flapper which seals the water in the tank. When you flush the toilet, the flapper is lifted and water is allowed to move from the tank into the bowl. Once a set amount of water has exited the tank, the flapper falls back down and re-seals the tank.

The most common issue with toilets randomly flushing is that the flapper has become brittle or sediment has formed on the flapper/tank which prevents the flapper making a complete seal. This will allow water to slowly drip from the tank into the bowl. If enough water is permitted to leak out of the tank, the filling mechanism will be triggered and the tank will refill. If enough water enters the toilet bowl, the self-siphonage will be triggered and the bowl will drain into the sewage system.

Here's a picture of a typical assembly:


How far should the well for a temperature gauge extend into a 3/4" pipe? I have a 1/2" well insert for a temperature gauge. I'm connecting it to a 3/4" pipe thought a tee fitting. I've noticed that when it's inserted the well obstructs quite a bit of the inside of the fitting. Not just on the sides but between the bottom of the well and the wall of the pipe.
My concern is that the well will obstruct the flow of water to a significant degree.
What kind of clearance should exist when using an insert type temperature gage in a 3/4" pipe?

I guess it depends on what you consider significant, a half inch pipe is pretty small and depending on the rate of flow I imagine it could be an issue.
But you can have your cake and eat it too - you can install a gauge without the well.  There are external sensors made to attach to the exterior of the pipe like this thermistor

This one is $12 and much less work to install.


Does it take long time to turn AC unit around? I am wondering if it can take a full day of work to turn around AC unit like in this post .

Must my new air conditioning unit be 3 feet from the wall (or positioned backward)?

You probably can't do it yourself, but an HVAC technician likely could. Moving the unit likely requires:

Evacuating the refrigerant
Reconfigure (and potentially rerun) the line sets.
Reconfigure (and potentially rerun) electrical.
Physically moving the unit.
Charging the system back up with refrigerant.

You could probably do number 4, and maybe number 2 & 3 if you have plumbing and electrical skills. It's doubtful that you have the tools and training required to do numbers 1 and 5.

Also, see my updated answer to that question, that explains why you might not want to rotate the unit.


Where should this seal ring from a syphon go? I'm from Europe and I do not know if you in the US have the same system concerning washing basin plumbing.
Today the water of our washing basin did not go away.
So I took my pipe wrench and opened the syphon in order to clean it.
Inside my syphon there is a plastic tube, I pulled it out and pulled all the mud out of the syphon with a tooth brush.
This was not the first time I did this. But this time I suddenly had a seal ring in my hand and I did not know where to put it.
Because I did not know (and still don't know) where to put the seal ring in the syphon I left it away and put all things together. But now the syphon leaks.
This is the only seal ring I recognized, it is a plastic, non-flat ring with a diameter of 4.5 centimeters.
Does anybody has an idea where to put this seal ring?

I'm not sure due to different terminology but I think you're referring what we call where I live a p-trap. If so, the washer is most likely the slip-joint washer as seen in this photo:

There is one where the tailpiece connects the trap as well as one where the elbow connects to the trap's outlet. This second joint will always have to hold water as the trap remains filled past this point.

If this is not what you are referring to, a picture would help.


What requirements should I look for in an air compressor to clear irrigation lines? I'm considering purchasing an air compressor to blow out my own sprinklers each winter. (vs paying to have someone else do it) I watched the tech do it last year, and it seemed pretty straightforward. But:

What specs (CFM/PSI) are needed to have a suitable compressor for this task?
I've never owned a compressor before - what else are they convenient for that I might take into consideration when purchasing one? (I assume they can be used for topping off air pressure in my car tires.)

CFM - cubic feet per minute - is what rushes through the pipes and carries out droplets of water. PSI - pounds per square inch - is what turns ordinary sprinkler heads into high-flying air powered rockets. No kidding.

How do the big pros do the job??

In my part of the USA the contractors use towable air compressors to sprinkler blow-out. I own two of these and rent them out each fall. Mine are in the 175 CFM class -- they're the type you'd see a road crew using to power a jackhammer for instance. Although these compressors can produce over 100 PSI I prefer to turn it down to about 60 PSI. With a relatively high-flow source like this I can easily blow out a quarter acre residential sprinkler system in 20-30 minutes, including putting the air hoses away.

OK, I'm not gonna buy nor rent a towable. It's fine if the job takes me longer.

There's a tradeoff between compressor size and job speed. Before I had these compressors I used my electric compressor, an upright unit with a 60 gallon tank and 240 volt motor. I don't recall its CFM spec, but after the tank de-pressurized the compressor pump could move enough air continuously to get the job done at least halfway. I'd go through every sprinkler zone twice to make sure I'd evacuated the water thoroughly. The job took an hour or more.

My brother used to use his portable compressor to do the same. It was big as portables go, maybe 15 gallon tank at the most. Sprinkler blow-out usually took him a couple hours because he'd have to blow off each zone several times and it took several minutes for the air compressor to recover after each shot of air. The biggest difference between his and mine is not actually the size of the pump, though -- it's the size of the air tank. Because my tank stored more air it could push more water further with each cycle. The towables get the job done so fast with no tank at all: their pumps move so much air instantly that a tank isn't needed.

Can I set the air pressure at max?

People are often set the regulator at a higher pressure. This can help an undersized compressor get the job done by packing more air into the sprinkler main line, acting as if the compressor itself had a larger tank. This does increase the risk of damage to the system however. Valves open with more force, zone piping takes more shock when the valve pops open... and yes, sometimes sprinkler heads really do get launched into the air. Most of the time there's no damage, though, so many people accept that risk.

Finally, a recommendation!

If the property you're going to winterize is not very big, say under a quarter acre, then there's less volume of pipe to be evacuated. If you don't mind spending half a Saturday doing the job, that's good too. I'd suggest you'll want something with at least an 8-10 gallon tank since that stored air is what gets the job done. 15-30 gallons tank volume would be much nicer. The CFM of the pump just controls how long you'll have to wait before there's enough air to blow it off again.

One thing you can do to expand tank capacity is to get a portable air tank (or a broken compressor). This may be more economical than buying a compressor with a larger tank, especially since it sounds like you may not use it heavily.


Led light - trip breaker I tried to install an LED light in our pantry to replace an incandescent bulb. It is not hooked to a normal light switch but to a push button on/off with the door open and closing! The breaker remains tripped.
I don’t know what I’m doing wrong!

It looks like you have a white jumper wire connecting the wirenut that joins the white wires with the wirenut that joins the black wires. Assuming that power comes in via one of the black wires, this jumper is allowing power to flow directly to the neutral wires without any load, causing a short circuit. Without further information it is difficult to say how this should be wired, but I can say with some certainty that you should remove that white jumper.


Is it safe to remove this wall transformer? I bought a house a bit ago and it came with this plugged into one of the walls. I'd like to remove it as I don't know what it does or if I need it and when thunder strikes the thing makes a noise like it's exploding which scares me. Can I remove this without issue and can I cut the cables?

1 - Figure out what fuse/breaker controls that set of outlets and turn it off. That is always the official advice before removing an outlet cover, but especially important here as you don't know what you will find.

2 - Remove the outlet cover. If the wires go out of the junction box separately from the regular AC power cable then you should be able to simply cut off the wires from the adapter and push the ends of the wires outside the junction box. That way you will not have any loose wires hanging around 120V waiting to get accidentally energized and zap something on the other end.

3 - If you find that the wires from the adapter are exiting the junction box together with the regular AC power cable then do NOT cut the wires (yet). You will need to find the other end and, ideally, remove the entire cable so that there are no loose wires next to regular AC power cables. Alternatively, you could put wire nuts on the ends of the wire after cutting off the adapter.

Whether or not it is allowed by code (I suspect not), I have seen this type of connection many times. It is never a good idea to run low voltage wiring (telephone, alarm, network, security camera, etc.) parallel to (or in the same conduit as) AC line voltage wiring. Most of the time I have just seen the alarm installers cheat a little and the wire exits the box (or even goes around the box behind the cover plate, not actually "through" the box) and it is easy enough to disconnect the wires.


Are these studs intended to hold a drywall ceiling, or just for foam insulation? I just bought a house and the basement looks like this:

I was wondering what those "studs" across the main floor joists are for? Are they intended to just hold acoustic foam perhaps? They're too thin to actually hold drywall panels, right? Or can I hang drywall there after all?

It's not called "bridging," it's called "strapping."  It is intended for drywall or some other ceiling material.

It doesn't look to be well-fastened, by the way.

You DO want to hang drywall from those strips instead of the joists.  They help to even out the inconsistencies of the bottom of the joists, also making it easier to orient the long edge of the drywall perpendicular to the joists.


carpentry/ beam question i just recently open a wall in my basement but there is a post on the center of the wall that Im contemplating on removing. So, my idea was to apply a steel plate to the side of the beam and some adjustable post on each side of the beam, ill take any input on this thanks

When contemplating removing structural supports where removal improperly might destroy your house, the only sensible path is to hire an engineer to assess what a suitable structurally sound replacement for the support you want to remove is.

Otherwise, leave the post in place.


How do I prevent ice dams from forming on the eaves of an addition? I added an addition several years age and now have eaves that form ice dams   I understand that ventilating the attic may help but that is not an option. I have tried heated wires on the lower edge of the shingles but they are not durable and very short life.

I am looking for ways to do something from the exterior side of the roof and considering galvanized or aluminum flashing at the lower 18" of the shingles.
Any thoughts or ideas?

The way to prevent ice damning is to prevent the snow on the roof from melting in the first place and that means adequate insulation and venting in the attic. If the insulation of your home is not adequate then warm air from the living space fills your attic and melts the snow on the roof, the melted water then run down the roof where it freezes over the eves because the eves are not warmed from below.

Ice-and-water barrier or heat cables do not address the reason for the ice damning in the first place. Ice-and-water barrier will minimize damage that can be caused by the ice and the heat cable can melt the ice ( or prevent it from becoming so thick it does cause damage.

You have to prevent the melting, anything else does not fix the problem.


How to remove a stuck Sharkbite connector from a PEX tube? I have a Sharkbite stopper that I put on the end of a 1/2" PEX tube, and now I'd like to remove it. I've used both the official orange plastic removal tool and an adjustable wrench, and my fingers are sore from pressing on it trying to get it to budge. Any other options short of cutting it off at this point?

Try pushing the pipe in a bit, before pulling it out.  Sometimes the barbs dig into the pipe, so the release ring can't disengage them. Pushing the pipe in, may allow the release to completely disengage the barbs.

Use the tool to compress the release ring.
Push the tubing deeper into the fitting, while keeping pressure on the release tool.
Pull the tubing out of the fitting.

During step 2, you might feel the release ring move slightly closer to the fitting. This is a good sign that the barbs are fully retracted, and the pipe is ready for retraction. If you don't feel the release move, don't worry, it might just be too slight for your sore fingers to feel.

Alternatively, try reversing steps 1 and 2. Push the tube deeper into the fitting, then use the release tool to operate the release mechanism.


What is the 2-inch layer of masonry under my bathroom tile? My house is 1 story, but I have a basement so all the floors on the main level are "upstairs" and have a wooden subfloor. I ripped out the vanity in a bathroom I'm working on and starting taking out the tile. I had a bit of trouble because the vanity had to be lifted almost 2" to come out which I thought was odd. It looks like there is some type of poured in "concrete" like material above the wooden subfloor and the tile. Any idea what this is? Can I just pour in more where the vanity was to level it out?

This floor has been floated, a very common and traditional method for preparing surfaces for tile. To "float" is to apply a cement and sand mix similar to concrete but without rocks, gravel or coarse sand. A 2" thick float is not uncommon at all.

It is often applied using a "dry pack" method wherein only enough water is mixed to ensure proper set but wet enough to pack, shape, feather, and blend.

Do not use pre-mixed bagged concrete mix. If you do not want to mix your own, use pre-bagged mortar mix and "dry pack" the area. I guess you could then use a thin layer of floor leveling compound to flatten, smooth, and blend the damaged areas and seams.


smeg refrigerator not cooling My smeg refrigerator (SIL 566 H) is not cooling. The lower freezer is frozen and filling with ice, and the upper part is warm. After disonnecting the refrigerator for a few hours to let the ice melt, it starts working again for some days/weeks, and then gets warm again, while beeping and flashing a red !sr led.
This has been going on for some years, getting worse lately.
I've tried to find blockages or stuck fans, but couldn't find any. I also took down the inside panels and I can feel cool air flowing from the air tunnel, but it feels not cold enough.
Do I have to call a technician, or is there anything else I can try by myself?

It sounds like the defrost cycle is not working. Ice builds up on the evaporator and eventually blocks the air flow to the refer section. Defrost is set to occur usually once or twice a day. Most common failures are the defrost timer or the defrost heater. Sometimes though, it is the defrost termination sensor that is found strapped to the refrigerant return line. If you can locate the timer, check that the timer motor is turning . Some timers can be advanced with a flat blade screwdriver in order to start the defrost cycle.

The heater will be found embedded in the fins of the evaporator coil. (good luck trying to replace the heater) When the defrost is working you should be able to see some of the water from the melted ice. The water drains from the evaporator into a catch pan located under the unit where it evaporates. Squido


What PVC pipe can withstand hot water, sunlight and be used for drinking water? What type of PVC pipe would be able to do that?

CPVC with a coat of paint on the outside to protect from sunlight. Of course, a non-PVC pipe might suit your actual needs better, depending on your actual needs.


Weird problem with kitchen sink water flow I've had this problem for years and have learned to live with it, but today I got an idea to ask it here.

My kitchen sink has a problem where the water flows away from it slower than it flows into it. The first idea is, naturally, a clog, but I can swear that there is none. Checked the tubes myself. Also when the stream from the faucet hits the hole directly, it flows away mostly fine. However when it hits the edge of the hole, or doesn't hit at all, after a little while water will start gathering.

When it does, there is also a workaround - place your hand (or the plug) tightly over the hole, and the remove it upwards in a quick motion. In essence, you act like a little plunger and suck a bit of water back from the hole. After doing this once, the flow increases dramatically. A full sink empties in, like 10-20 seconds, with a loud, sucking noise. After it's empty, the water starts gathering again.

A long time a go I made some pictures to show in a local forum, but didn't get any satisfactory answers.

Any ideas?

P.S. It'd be nice if someone could correct my terminology; DIY is not my area of expertise.

I suspect you are getting an air bubble in the drain.  I've seen the same effect in a bathroom sink with the stopper that can be lifted out.  When it runs slow, lifting the stopper up results in a quick bubble followed by the water rushing out.


Make stairs that don't require a handrail Looking at some building codes and it seems that if I do 3 steps and then a 3 foot landing, then another 3 steps and another 3 foot landing, repeating this pattern I don't need any railing. Is this correct or am I missing something?

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

This is to replace a dirt path with something that's easier to walk on.
12 feet of run with a 3 foot rise if using 6" high stairs with a 12" run tread is what I calculated.

Yes, 4 or fewer risers do not require a handrail. (See ICC R311.7.7) and must be 36” wide minimum.

Risers cannot exceed 8” and treads cannot be less than 9”. (See ICC R311.7.4)

Also, the largest riser cannot be more than 3/8” different than the smallest in the same run. (See ICC R311.7.41)

There has been some discussion in the past (between Building Officials) as to whether or not a landscape stair must comply with the Building Code. The Code defines a “stairway” as “either interior or exterior” but goes on to say “within or attached to a building, porch or deck”. (See ICC R202.1)

Likewise, steep sidewalks do not need to meet the requirements of ramps with handrails, landings, etc.

I think you can do what you want (or feel comfortable doing), but you might ask your local Building Department.


How to best to install vinyl floor around the base of banister? I am planning to install a vinyl floor in a large portion of the main floor of my home. What baffles me is how to best install the vinyl when it covers the floor around the large banisters going upstairs. Currently, the tired and damaged wood floor goes right up against the wood banister. I understand that vinyl floor requires an expansion gap.

Should I under cut and slide the vinyl under?
Should I leave an expansion gap and use quarter round?
Should I use several small and precisely cut shoe molding?

Design notes:

Honey oak banister will be painted white
Carpet will be installed on the stairs

Newel posts aren't usually undercut. I would fit your flooring around it and install base shoe, mitered at the corners.


Ms Rack for batteries I want to use 4 rectangular hollow ms pipes 40*25*2 mm. 25 mm vertical use. All 4 pipes will be equally spaced between a width of 490 mm. The length of pipes is 1390 mm, with these 4 pipes resting on similar rectangular pipes at both ends. They will be bolted with 2 nut bolts at both end each.Total load will be 300 kgs resting on a length of 1310 mm.4 vertical square hollow ms pipes are provided. 40*2 mm. Height from floor is 135 mm
Will this structure hold weight and not sag at any point.

It will sag. This is known as "deflection", and is known for various materials and cross-sections, including your steel pipes.

https://www.engineering.com/calculators/beams.htm

Scroll down to "Hollow rectangular beams" and enter your numbers. Unfortunately, this calculator is in inches, but it's easy enough to convert.

Your 300kg mass would cause a deflection of 17.25" or 438mm, but that is based on a single 300kg mass placed on a single tube. In reality, your load will be spread out more, right? If it is evenly spread over all 4 of your pipes, then one pipe has to carry 300kg/4 = 75kg, which would result in 1/4 of that deflection, or about  4.3" or 110mm.

These are just estimates, as the specific material and how you load your shelf will make a difference.

To improve on (reduce) the deflection, you have the following basic options:

Reduce the total load.
Add more tubes. This would distribute the load more. Divide your total load by the number of pipes for an "ideal" estimate assuming perfect distribution, as I did above.
Stronger material (thicker tubes).
Shorter span. If you can move your end supports in towards the center, or add a center support, your effective span length is reduced.


How would I, or how much would it cost, to remove this stone pond? New homeowner here.  This is in my backyard.  It is overgrown and non-functional in any way.  I'm honestly not 100% sure what it was, but I assume it was a pond.

The back of the pond is joined with mortar or cement or something.  I was wondering how someone would remove it.  Would a sledgehammer break through it, or would a jackhammer be required?

There are stones all around the area from it.  I've just been throwing them in the pond for the time being, so that the mess is confined to one place.  An image of it is below (sorry for not mowing before taking the photo, lol).

This is called a grotto, it's essentially a shrine to the Virgin Mary.  Since it is not a structure designed to support anything more than the rocks and contain the water, the concrete is most likely just an inche or two thick and easily busted up with a sledge hammer.

The statue has value to a Catholic, you might want to put an add in Craig's List and offer the rocks and statue free to anyone for busting it up and hauling it away.


Need a new range but only have 30 amps I live in a very old Victorian condo building. All units still have fuse boxes, not circuit breakers. My range died and I need to replace it. All modern ranges require a minimum of 40 amps, but the fuse box only has 30 amps (x 2) going to the range. So, I need to upgrade to a circuit breaker, right? HOWEVER, there are 15 units in this building, and everyone has an oven and everyone only has 30 amps maximum. How is this possible? Thank you.

It's possible because a range has it's electrical requirements calculated based on a certain usage pattern that might not be realistic.  They might require 40A, because if you turn on the oven and all the elements, it's going to draw 40A.  But, no one really does that.  You might use the oven and one element, or no oven and two elements...

That's the answer of "how is it possible that my neighbors are doing this".  The range will work.  Heck, if you only use one thing at a time then I bet you could make it work on a 20A circuit.  The circuit breaker or fuse protects the wiring in the walls, so if you use more than 30A, the fuse should blow, and there should be no danger.  The problem is, that's a lot of shoulds and you're working with very old wiring.

So, as with most electrical "rules", it comes down to safety and liability.  Sure, you can install a 40A range and it will probably work fine - right up until it doesn't.  If a fire starts in the condo walls, is it your fault because you installed the wrong range?  Will insurance cover the damage if it was an improperly installed appliance?  Would someone die?  At the very least, it would void the warranty of the new range.

The point is that you can do a lot of "illegal" stuff with wiring, and it will work just fine.  It might never cause a problem and work great forever, but there are edge cases that he electrical codes guard against.  The codes tell you how to be as safe as possible.

To sum up, and answer your question, I think that using a 40A range on a 30A circuit is low risk with normal range usage, but all bets are off if you have people over and they start turning on more burners than normal.  You should upgrade the wiring to be safe.  Or... just repair the old range.


Why do we need multiple coatings of polyurethane? I just finished my first wood-working project ever, and applied the first layer of polyurethane last night.  This morning, it looks beautiful.  So I have a few questions:

Do I need a second (or more) coat?  What do I gain by doing it (or lose by not)?  Also, why do I need to sand between coatings?

The sanding of coats in-between is to give the new coat something to adhere to. It roughs up the surface just enough to give it a bit of grip.

Multiple coats is the same as anything else. Multiple coats makes the coating thicker, stronger and more lustrous.

Cars have multiple coats of paint to protect the body; you paint your walls with multiple coats to ensure even coverage; you poly furniture with multiple coats to ensure durability.

Don't sand to much. Use a very fine grit and just rub over it. The grit should feel like loose leaf paper. You'll have white dust when your done. Make sure to wipe the piece very well with a soft cloth before applying the next coat.


Remove plastic bag logo How do I remove the plastic bag a logo that was in bedded in my leather car seats. My car is brand new and I can't get it out. I tried rubbing alcohol,  now Polish remover. Please help

Try different solvents on the bag to see what removes the ink. The try an effective solvent on an inconspicuous bit of upholstery to see if it damages it.

You might need to make a paste of the solvent and an absorbent material, such as diatomaceous earth (used in swimming pool filters), to keep the solvent in place and to wick away the stain.

Look online for other tips on leather cleaning, e.g. Bob Vila's site.


What does a novice DIY'er need to know before building a wall higher than 8' (14.5' feet to be exact)? I came upon this question, but it is regarding industrial space:

How do you frame a wall more than 8-10 feet tall?

Therefore, I am asking a new question that pertains to my residential situation.

The skinny:  I want to frame a massive wall along my staircase.  In the pic below, that whole area is going to be a new wall with exception to the doorway which is marked and obviously the entry way to the kitchen will still be open.  I know that your typical wood stud frame is about 8' tall, so I don't know if I need to stack two frames or create 14.5'-tall frame.  Don't laugh at me if that sounds utterly ridiculous.  Remember, I am a novice DIY'er with ambitions.

So, before I decide to have contractors come out and provide estimates, I am wondering if this could be a DIY job.  Therefore, what caveats do I need to be aware of before attempting this myself?  What tools/materials should I have at my disposal?

It seems like I am going to have to build it along the existing staircase wall.  If so, does the bottom plate need be fixed to the floor?  Could I fasten the new frame to the existing wall?  The ceiling is vaulted at probably a 45-degree angle, so how would the top plate need to be fastened to the beams along the ceiling?

The right way to do this is to deconstruct the side and top of the stairway wall - remove the drywall, the stair railing, and the top plate for that wall, and then add additional studs.

Your two choices are balloon framing that runs all the way to the ceiling and platform framing that is two separate walls stacked on top of each other. For platform framing, you would need to tie the top/bottom plates to the left and right walls so it would not move. Balloon framing would avoid this, so that would be my choice. Make sure to put proper fire blocking in. The stairs may be hung on the current wall, so you will want to make sure you don't mess up the current wall's structure. You can do this by sistering the new studs next to the old ones.

This is a pretty straightforward thing to do.

I would not recommend adding a full wall next to the existing wall; you would have to modify the floor covering and extend any utilities out to the surface of the new wall.


What should I consider when cutting a dryer vent hole? Our dryer has been taking forever to dry loads so, this morning, I disassembled the vent pipe and scrubbed out all the lint. However, before reassembling the vent, I had an idea.

The current vent run starts at the dryer near floor level, makes a 90 degree turn, runs up 7 vertical feet, makes another 90 degree turn, across 2.5 horizontal feet, 90 degree turn, 20 horizontal feet and exits the side wall of the house. If I ran the vent to the opposite wall, I could shorten this to 90 degree turn, 7 vertical feet, 90 degree turn, 5 horizontal feet, out.

Is this likely to be signifcantly better? Anything I need to check before cutting the new vent hole? Any ideas why this wouldn't have been done the first time?

Details: Below is a photo of the portion of wall I plan to cut through, and a photo of the corresponding exterior wall. I haven't figured out exactly where the cut will emerge yet, but I think it should be near the top of the lowest board, near where the wood siding starts. The vent is 4" cylindrical metal tubing. The dryer is an old Kenmore; the previous owner told us he bought it used in 1995. Finally, my apologies if this posts twice; I seem to be having some confusion about the openID log on.

In general, the shorter the vent, the better, so moving the dryer next to the basement wall would be the optimal solution.  If you can't do that, then moving the vent as you said would be a lot better than your current set-up.

This article covers the whole topic in a lot of detail, see especially the sections on why to keep the length as short as possible:

Dryer Vent Hose Length Considerations
Dryer Vent Hose Lengths: Keep it Short

Running the vent to the new location shouldn't be a problem; my preferred tool for cutting the hole would be a hole saw, but they can be expensive.  Looking at your photographs, it seems like don't have any plumbing or electrical stuff to complicate the job.


Can I extend cloth cable with romex? I have a house from 1960s. I need to extend a cloth covered wire (contains hot, neutral and ground wire). Can it be safely done with a romex 12/2? This is for a light bulb.

So I just wire the respective wires together (hot-hot, neutral-neutral, ground-ground) with wirenut and that's it? This will be in my attic so I'm not sure if I should leave connecting wires exposed like this and in contact with insulation. Electric tape the wires/wire items too?

If the wire is copper, you can mount an electrical box in the attic and use wire nuts to join the old and new same gauge wiring. If you are joining old aluminum wiring to new copper wiring, call an electrician so you don't burn your house down. :)


How do I identify the speaker setup for these ten in-home speakers? I inherited a rat's nest of speaker wires (USA), where each of the 10 cables (8 are purple, 1 is gray, 1 is blue) contains 4 wires: black, white, red and green.

There are five rooms with 2 speakers each, embedded inside the walls.  I have yet to be able to access the wires behind any, or even open the shells encasing them.

These all come out of the same part of the wall and were hooked up to a basic home audio switch system that has been removed.

I am used to more modern speaker wire, but I am not replacing the speaker wire (today).

How do I identify which wire goes to which speaker, and how they are hooked up?  A friend suggested using a nine-volt battery and listening for static.  How should I proceed if I do that?

Regarding the photo of the nest:

3 cables (2 purple, 1 gray) are severed at the stump (far right)
2 purple cables are white/black twisted and red/green twisted (top left)
2 cables (purple and blue) have untwisted wires
2 purple cables (bottom left) have wires meeting each other, combined: red to red, white to white, and black to green, black to green.
1 cable seems unnecessarily patched into another cable through some odd yellow inserts (bottom)

I'd try a AA battery first to reduce the current going through the speaker, but it should still be audible.

You'll need a helper to stand by one of the speakers and listen for static or a clicking noise.

Just take one cable coming out of the wall, and short each combination of wires across the battery in turn until you hear a click or static at the speaker:

Black + Red
Black + White
Black + Green
White + Red
White + Green
Red + Green

The first one will be tricky until you know the color combinations to use -- you'll have to try all combinations on each wire from the wall until your helper hears it at the speaker. More than one helper makes it easier by listening to more than one speaker at a time.

Since one of your cables has white/black + red/green twisted, it's likely that these are the pairs.

It sounds like more than one speaker runs per cable so one speaker in the room might use white/black, the other speaker uses red/green.


how do i improve the temperature of my sons room? i have a house in new york and i have insulation with paper backing in the attic. My room which has the thermostat is always 4 degrees warmer than his room which is situated over the living room can i just temporarily put 6 mil plastic in the attic over my sons room to keep the heat in until i can afford to double the insulation in the attic?

What is your heating method? Most are somewhat adjustable, though this may not be obvious if you don't know what to look for (i.e. baseboard hot water generally has a flap that can be open, partially closed, or fully closed on the top section of the baseboard, which affects heat delivery.)

If you turn up the heat delivery in the room that is colder, and/or close it down in the room that is warmer, the room temperatures should become closer.

Not sure where you are going with the plastic - 6 mil plastic is not an effective insulator. If you have attic access and can't afford to "double the insulation" go buy what you can afford (6 mil plastic costs money - spend that money on insulation instead) and put it over his room, if that is feasible. If money is really tight you may be able to get help with insulation from a heating assistance program or by asking for leftover insulation (most people who do an insulation project end up with some) on craigslist.

Another alternative would be to swap rooms (so you take the colder one if you are concerned about your son being too cold) and throw on some extra blankets.

Edit: since you have forced air heat, partially close the vent or vents supplying the warmer room with the thermostat. If there are not built-in louvers to do this, place a book or board over part of the vent, or tape something over part of it if it's a wall vent. This should reduce the rate of heat delivery to that room, so the system wll run a little longer to heat it up to the setpoint on the thermostat, and by doing that, the other room will become warmer relative to the room with the thermostat. You could also have a HVAC professional adjust this deeper in the duct system - but in general we as end-users lacking certain tools and information the HVAC pro has should not start adjusting dampers (in the ducts) willy-nilly (it's fine to open any louvers (on the vent) in the son's room and close them in your room, or to block vents in your room - "opening up" a system too much can burn out the main fan motor (this is a counterintuitive but important point - blocking of vents reduces the load on the central fan - opening them up too much can overload it.)

In general, what you are describing is a system with poorly balanced heat delivery, which a good HVAC technician should be a be able to correct. But you can do a lot of it yourself by closing down or partially blocking vents in all the "too warm" rooms until the "too cold" rooms are warmer.


Is Teflon thread tape easily removable? I bought a couple of water timers for my sprinklers and they are leaking.  I was wondering if I could put Teflon tape on them and this winter be able to remove the timer to be reused next year.

Thank you.

Teflon tape is easy to remove, but probably won't help in your situation. Garden hoses don't seal via the threads meshing together. They seal via a washer on the female connector. A pack of rubber hose washers is pretty cheap - I'd replace them and see if it helps.


When is a separate vent not needed? I was of the understanding that every trap needs a vent and that all the vents for all the traps tie into the vent portion of the main stack which vents through the roof.

I came across this diagram in a plumbing book and am confused why the laundry sink in the basement doesn't have its own vent? Instead, unlike the other fixtures in the image, it seems to rely on the vent portion of the main stack for its venting needs. What allows it to do this?

(uploading image isn't working right now, I'll try again later)

It could be that you have a single stack vent system:

  The Single Stack Vent System was introduced into the IPC in the 2012 Edition and is based
  on a drainage stack system in the City of Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Plumbing Code which
  has been used successfully in many multi-story and high-rise buildings for over 100 years.

https://wabo.memberclicks.net/assets/pdfs/Plumbing_Venting_Brochure_2018.pdf (pages 17-19)


What's happened to this light fixture? I have a summer house outside in the United Kingdom and yesterday I noticed that one of the internal lights had stopped working.

I assumed a blown bulb since the other lights still worked.

Today I've gone to change the bulb and removed the light fixture and found it as pictured.

These lights are probably nearly 15 years old. What's happened here?

To me it looks like a fire at some stage, however it was working up until around 2 weeks ago and I'm not sure how long it has been like this.

I will get an electrician either way since I have no idea however I'm just wondering what's happened?

Since the bulb was mounted under the wiring, over the years the heat from the bulb has baked the insulation on the wires.

It may have been overbulbed (new word, I called it) meaning a 100 watt instead of a 60 or 75 watt. This would generate more heat than it was designed for and cause the fixture to fail.

Good luck!


What is the name of the hardware used to build this dinner console table? What is the name of the hardware used to build this dinner console table?
If you are aware of a similar design I would really appreciate some links. I am looking for a dinner table that has to be "almost invisible" when not in use.

They're called table slides or extension slides.  They generally come in 2 versions - one for pedestal type tables (sometimes called equalizer slides) and one for traditionally legged tables.

As far as the design goes, you're pretty much limited to your imagination and woodworking ability. Just build it like you would any other extending table, but with the fixed table top only long enough to accommodate the hardware.


Why won't my lights light up, even though there's power to the lights? I have new construction, one switch with power to it. From the switch I ran the wire to the first light(4 total) from the first light I ran wire to two different lights and then from one light of the second lights to the final light. I have power at all light fixture but they will not light up. Is my problem that I connected two lights to the first light where the power from the switch comes. All the lights are connected with black to black, white to white and ground to ground. The switch was wired: black from power to switch and black from wire from switch to first ligh connected to switch, both whites are connected but not to switch, grounds are to switch. Is my problem that I did not run the lights one to the next and then the next? Maybe I shouldn't have ran wire from the first light to two lights??? Please help I would have thought this would be simple as I've done 2 way switches with four lights, no problem.

It was a bad switch; it's all good now. It was the last thing I checked.


Installing a relay to control duct fans! I want to install a 24v/110 relay to control the two duct fans that I installed in my ducts. The idea is that the fans will come on when the blower comes on. To test this, I ran an 18/2 thermostat wire, and connected the red wire to the G thermostat terminal(green terminal) in the furnace and the white wire to the C/Common terminal(blue terminal)in the furnace. On the other side of the relay(the load side) I connected a box fan. The problem I’m having is that the box fan runs when the igniter turns on and turns off when the igniter turns off. It does not stay on with the blower being on to cool the furnace and to push the hot air out to the vents. Any suggestions? Thanks!!
PS: The box fan seems to stay on in the fan-only and AC mode, but not in heat mode.

Your G terminal isn't meant for that
On gas furnaces, the G terminal is basically an "override" input to allow the end user to turn the fan on without a call for heat or cooling.  As a result, your results with your current fan relay aren't totally surprising; in fact, it shouldn't turn on at all unless you set the fan switch on your thermostat to ON.
But, your goal is still achievable
However, you can still get where you want to go.  You'll simply need a different relay with a 120VAC capable coil (a RIBU1C mounted to a junction box will work just fine for this) instead of your current, 24VAC-coiled fan relay.  The coil of said relay connects to the EAC-H and EAC-N terminals on your furnace's control board using crimp-on female quick-disconnect terminals, and the contacts switch the fan on and off just like you are doing with your existing relay.  Note that you'll need to use mains-rated wiring methods for the connection from the furnace to this relay; a piece of 14-2 AC or MC that uses stranded wire is your best bet, or you can use 3 14AWG THHNs (or 2, in a metal conduit) in your choice of conduit flavors if that's your preference.


How to wire a 2 bulb ceiling light to two different circuit breakers We live in a 2 unit townhouse that had a flush mount ceiling light in the shared hallway. Each bulb was controlled by a switch in each flat. When we turned on our light switch one bulb lit up, when the other flat turned on their switch on the other bulb lit up. If both switches are on both bulbs lit up. Each flat has their own breaker box and each bulb was wired to their respective switch and breaker box. When our ex-tenant was here they took it upon themselves to change the fixture and now nothing works. We would like to know what type of light to buy and how to wire it to get the same results we originally had.

Any fixture with separate leads for each bulb socket exposed in the housing should do. In many cases they pairs of leads are connected together in such a way that you can clip off the ends to separate the wires. While such modification may void warranties and UL listing, it's not inherently unsafe.


My new dishwasher is smelling like sewer I bought a Kitchenaid KDFE104D to replace an older Kitchenaid dishwasher. I never had any issues with the older dishwasher but eventually it died. I bought this one since I had a good experience with Kitchenaid.

First couple months all was fine but then dishwasher developed a disgusting egg smell. After research I found out that this was sulphur smell coming from sewer system.

I live in Boston area and my house is built in 1940. It has a septic system. I do not have a garbage disposal and I am extremely clean.

Here is what I tried:

Cleaned the sink, poured baking soda+ vinegar+hot water multiple times
I checked dishwasher filter, it is clean
I ran the dishwasher empty in very hot water with baking soda
I added baking soda and vinegar to loads
I tried smaller loads
I wash in extra long and extra hot cycle
I always rinse before i put dishes
I rewashed multiple times to get rid of the smell
I keep the DW door open and if it is smelling put baking soda and spray with vinegar
I remove dishes immediately after they are washed

So far nothing worked! Sometimes dishes don't smell immediately but when I use them I can smell them.

Often times dishwasher is smelling like sewer when it is empty so I am sure it is not because of dirty dishes.

It is so so so frustrating. I have no idea what else to do. Any other ideas?

Here is the under-sink plumbing:

I added more pictures of the sink side:

https://ibb.co/df6bTJ

https://ibb.co/fqekNd

https://ibb.co/itNuFy

https://ibb.co/fY1bTJ

From the description, this sounds like one of my favorite topics - dishwasher air gaps/high loops. However, from the picture it looks like the dishwasher drain hose goes up high. But since I can't see it come down, and since I know that if it is NOT installed correctly you are likely to have a problem, here goes:

The dishwasher drain normally requires an air gap. Traditionally, this would be a hose up to a corner of the sink into a little plastic/metal gadget referred to as the air gap. This would literally provide an air gap as the water would come out of the hose and through the air back down into another hose which would connect to the disposal or to the sink trap. Many recent (now on the order of at least 20 years, but not sure how long) models allow for a high loop configuration. In this setup, the hose loops up as high as possible - preferably up to just underneath the counter - and then loops back down to output into the disposal or the sink trap. This effectively provides an air gap as the water can only come back up through the high loop and back into the dishwasher if the sink were to fill up to the same height, which would hopefully be an extremely rare event. Even in such a case, the water would still not backflow into the water main (which would be a real safety issue) unless the water input to the dishwasher were open at the same time (i.e., dishwasher starting a cycle). So it is safe & effective and approved in many, but not all, areas.

There are two likely problems related to the high loop/air gap:

1 - The dishwasher hose is not mounted high enough - either installed incorrectly or was installed correctly but fell down. In this case any time the sink fills up even a little bit, or the disposal clogs a little so that it can't drain as fast as the dishwasher is trying to send out the waste water, dirty water can flow backwards into the dishwasher. Even if you can't see dirty water, this can cause quite a stink.

2 - The end of the dishwasher hose is going into the drain pipe after the trap. In this case, despite having the high hose, which provides an air gap to prevent backflow, sewer gas could go back through the hose to the dishwasher because it would not be blocked by the water in the trap.

If you can't figure this out, see if you can (a) get a picture of the highest point of the hose so we can see how high it is relative to the sink and (b) a picture of the hose where it attaches to the drain pipes. One or both of those may already be in the pictures you posted, but I can't tell because of the shadows.