Drilling a hole in a toilet tank I need to change or replace the left-hand flush to a right-hand flush, due to ADA. The toilet is about 15 years old and was manufactured in Turkey. I've pretty much have given up on locating a replacement tank. Drilling a hole and repositioning the lever seems to be the least expensive route. I believe I would need a diamond drill bit or hole saw. Plan B would be to replace the toilet. Any guidance?

If I was going to do a high-risk drill job like this (and I would try it before I'd pay for a new tank), here's what I'd do:

Pad the tank with towels, foam, or whatever you have on hand to dampen vibration. That's what will shatter the porcelain. Use some squeeze clamps or stuff the tank full and snug to apply pressure against the tank wall.
Use a carbide masonry drill bit with a high-rate hammerdrill. I mean what you find in a cordless drill, and not a dedicated industrial hammerdrill. The smaller and faster the hammer action, the less likely you are to shatter the tank. Start with a small bit and work up: Maybe 3/16" initially, and 1/6" increments.
Use a sharp hardened punch to chip the surface where you intend to drill. Even a hammerdrill will walk away once you apply pressure. That will be frustrating and damaging to nearby objects.
Spin fast, press slow. Use your drill's highest speed, but press very lightly. The smaller the bites, the better.  The outward pressure of the bit when enlarging a hole is a concern, so go even easier after the first hole.
Watch for heat. I don't expect a lot of heat with this method, but if it gets very hot you'll possibly scorch the finish. You could also melt the bit or wreck its temper.
Back off even more as you get through to the inner face of the tank wall. If you're pressing too hard you'll blow out the back side. Brace your hands and make sure the drill doesn't plunge through after penetration.

More information from a previous question

That's all I got. I'm not an expert with ultra-hard materials, but I've done my share of experimenting with tile, countertops, etc. Good luck.


Replacing cast iron hot water floor standing radiator with wall mounted type How does one size the replacement radiator to approximate the old radiator output, or should I just do a heating btu calculation from the room dimensions?

For the heat output of the standing cast iron radiator you need to show the name, height, # of sections, # of tubes in each section, then look on a chart for the equivalent sq ft and multiply that # by 240 btu/sq ft


Why is my lighting circuit tripping the breaker? I have several MR16 2 pin style light bulbs in my kitchen - The other day the trip switch for the light bulbs tripped when turning these bulbs on - I went and flipped the trip switch and tried again to the same result.  This happened three times, the same number of times as the number of MR16 lights.  Now the trip switch doesn't trip but also none of these bulbs turn on, and replacing the bulbs with new ones doesn't work.  I don't know much (anything) about lighting, these bulbs were in my house when I moved in, and was wondering if anyone could help me work out why this is happening and what I can do to fix it.

Somewhere in your light circuit there was a short circuit that caused the breaker to trip. By repeatedly trying to reset the breaker, the point at which the fault occurred finally blew itself apart. Now instead of having a short circuit you have an open circuit. Proper troubleshooting will allow you to find the problem's location, but explaining this procedure is somewhat challenging in this forum.


Electric water heater boils? Our Kenmore electric water heater is about 5 yrs old.
First it just stopped heating. I tried to play with the upper thermostat and found out that if you decrease the temperature setting to the minimum, it starts working (can hear the hissing sound inside). However after half an hour it started spewing very hot water out of the pressure valve.
I figured something's wrong with the top thermostat and replaced it with the new one. Same thing. Looks like it never turns off the top heating element. What else can I do to find the problem?
Thanks.

Update: Checked both thermostats again, seem to be working properly, first upper element heats, then lower one. Reduced the setting on both thermostats to the minimum and now everything seems to be ok, except the water is not as hot as I'd like it to be. I wonder if I should replace the lower thermostat as well, just to be on the safe side. Can it be that the lower thermostat never turns off on medium temperature setting and causes overheating?

A new thermostat won't help when the temperature sensor itself is dead or corroded.
What most likely happened is that you turned the thermostat so low that whatever signal was coming from the broken sensor triggered the thermostat to turn on.  But since that signal never changed, the thermostat never "knew" that the setpoint had been reached, so the water continued to heat well past the safety limit.
This is bad for a couple reasons:  there should be a high-temp safety cutoff somewhere (I can't vouch for your particular unit) which, if it exists, is also failing.


Entrance cable size for a 800’ distance to feed a 100 amp breaker box What cable size do I need to feed a 100 amp breaker box  that is approximately 800 ft from the meter disconnect source with a 3% maximum loss? Thank You

Throwing aluminum at the problem is bad for your wallet
The problem with runs of this length is that simply throwing aluminum at your problem adds up fast (don't even bother with copper for this).  In particular, you're looking at parallel sets of 250 or 350kcmil Al if you are bent on making this run at 240V within your voltage drop criteria; even doing it as cheaply as possible by using paired URD triplex with a single 3/0 neutral + 3/0 EGC in 3" PVC, you're still looking at upwards of $6k, and that's fudging things a bit with the 250kcmil Al to get a voltage drop of 3.3%.
Interpreting your criteria strictly, with paralleled 350kcmil pairs for the hot legs and a single 4/0 neutral with the other 4/0 used as the EGC, puts us well over $7k at the time of this writing, and it only gets worse from there if you need to control voltage drop on the neutral over this length.  From this, we can conclude that something has to give, whether it be your voltage drop criterion, your wallet, or something else.
Transformers to the rescue!
The good news is there is something else that can give, and that is the voltage you make this run at.  Nothing in the NEC prohibits you from wielding the reason Tesla won the war of the currents to your advantage by installing a pair of distribution transformers, one at the main disconnect and the other at your load.  While the transformer pair alone will set you back $2k + another ~$200 in shipping and handling (which is understandable, given that a 25kVA single phase transformer tips the scales at almost 300lbs by itself), the savings on wire you get makes the investment more than worthwhile.
In particular, with a 100A load, 3% drop on the wires, and an 800' run, it's possible to step the voltage up to 480V with the aforementioned transformers for the run, allowing you to use a single 2/0 triplex cable in 2" PVC conduit.  This puts you out a mere $2k for the wires and conduit in the long run; you'll need appropriate wiring methods for main-panel-to-transformer and transformer-to-load, as well as a 60A, 600V rated, Class RK5 time-delay fuse and matching fuseblock to protect the long run itself, but none of those are a major setback cost-wise. (You could use liquidtight flexible conduit or type SE cable for the the 240V runs, and the fuse and fuseblock mentioned will set you back about $50 while living quietly at the bottom of the meter-box transformer's wiring compartment.)
Transformer wiring notes
First off, if you're not comfortable wiring up 480V yourself, there is nothing wrong with calling in an electrician for this work; anybody well-versed in commercial or industrial work should be able to handle wiring this up without an issue.  Nonetheless, if you want to know more about how this is wired once the conductors are in the ground, read on.
We start at the meter-box transformer, where the 240V hots connect to X1 and X4, while X2 and X3 are jumpered together, and the grounding wire from the meter-main connects to a case grounding lug on the transformer.  The fuse block then gets bolted into the bottom of the transformer's wiring compartment; once this is done, H2 and H3 are jumpered together, and H1 is jumpered to one fuseblock terminal.  The outgoing wires (taped brown/grey to avoid confusion with 240V wiring!) are then landed on the open fuseblock terminal and H4, while the striped wire in the outgoing triplex lands on the transformer's other grounding lug.  Finally, a stacked lug on H4 is used to connect the system bonding jumper to a third grounding lug on the transformer case, thus grounding the transformer's secondary side via the combination EGC/GEC running up to the meter-disconnect and its ground rods.
We then move onto the load-end transformer.  Here, H2 is jumpered to H3 again, with the incoming wires landing on H1 and H4, and the striped wire landing on a transformer grounding lug, of course.  However, we wire the secondary for 120/240V split-phase, with X1 and X4 connecting to the outgoing hot legs, and X2 and X3 connecting to each other, the outgoing neutral wire, and a system bonding jumper to the other transformer grounding lug.  (This seemingly redundant bonding jumper is permitted by Exception 2 to NEC 250.30(A)(1) provided you don't have any other metal paths between the transformer and the load's distribution panel.)
Finally, we land the incoming secondary wires from the load-end transformer on the main terminals of the load's distribution panel.  Given the situation you're in, you'll want to use a 100A main breaker panel (you can get larger busses, but you need the main to be 100A in this case) for this job.  Note that you'll need to make sure this panel has its bonding strap or screw fitted, as well, as we're bringing hot/hot/neutral up from the transformer to the panel in this case.
If you'd rather bring 4 wires up from the transformer to your load, though, that is possible, but requires you to decide whether your system bonding jumper for your load lives in the transformer enclosure or in the distribution panel.  You can even have the transformer live inside instead of outside as I have been presuming in the above discussion, but that requires you to use a 4-wire connection between said transformer and the load's distribution panel.


TV mounting bracket does not fit the stud locations - how can I overcome that? I would like to mount my 32" LCD TV to a wall using a swivelling bracket that I bought. The wall it needs to go to is plasterboard so I need to mount it on the studs. However, I've got a problem - the studs are too far apart for the brackets mounting layout.
How can I overcome that?

I am thinking that maybe I can piece together a wooden frame to go between the studs and the TV bracket so that the frame is attached to the studs and the bracket is mounted onto the frame. Could that work? Obviously, I'll have to consider the combined weight on the contraption including the TV itself.

Or better just put it on a stand?

A swiveling or articulating TV mount will tend to want to pull itself out of the wall when swiveled or extended, more than a flush-mount bracket would. Therefore, this situation calls for a bit of over-building to ensure safety, and to put up with the additional stresses of moving the bracket around.

You will need the following:

A sheet of 3/4 inch plywood, cut as wide as the gap between the studs, plus at least 3.5 inches. It should be at least 50% taller than the mounting bracket. Hardware stores sell cut pieces of plywood that are 2 foot by 4 foot, so this is an easy choice as it requires only one cut if you don't mine the plywood being a bit over-sized.
6 qty of 3.5 or 4 inch lag bolts, or a box of 4 inch deck screws.
6 or more 1 inch bolts as fat as possible that fit through the mounting slots on the bracket, plus matching t-nuts and washers.

I suggest you pre-paint the plywood to match the wall or the bracket. Either will minimize the appearance of the plywood.

Center the bracket on the plywood and mark the holes. Drill holes big enough for the t-nuts and install them on the back side. Hang the plywood on the wall and mount it with the lag bolts or the deck screws. If you are using lag bolts, make sure to pre-drill the studs before installing the lag bolts. Since I can install a screw with one hand, I often use 2 deck screws to initially hang the plywood on the wall, then drill and install the lag bolts.

If you use only deck screws, try to find ones marked with a shear force rating and over build by a factor of 2-4. Or just install at least 6 or more per stud to be safe.


three prong adaptor caught on fire I have been using a three prong adaptor on my microwave.  The adaptor caught on fire when the microwave was not being used, though I had used it approx. 5 minutes earlier.  There's no sign of damage behind the cover plate, and a lamp works when plugged in.  The microwave plug is slightly melted along one edge, next to the old adaptor but otherwise looks OK.  What should I check before just plugging back in with a new adaptor?

The proper solution is to replace the outlet with a 3 prong GFCI one, and label it "No Equipment Ground".

You are allowed to replace an ungrounded outlet with a GFCI.

Then just plug your microwave in.

Or run new wire and ground it properly, but that is a much bigger job.


Should I unplug the timer on the water heater when shutting off water to the house? If I shut the water off to the house, do I need to unplug the timer on the water heater?

I wouldn't bother unless you're going to have your water turned off for a couple days.  In that case, turn off the water heater itself.  You'll have a hard time using any hot water with the main turned off, so it is mainly a consideration of whether or not it's worth it to keep the water in the tank hot over the period you won't be using it.


Shower mixing valve right next to outlet boxes? I am rebuilding a leaky shower, and now that I have the wall taken out, I’m noticing that the shower valve is right next to two outlet boxes. That just looks like it’s too close. Is that okay, or is that a disaster waiting to happen?

While as others suggested that there 'should' be no free-standing water in that area and therefore you 'should' be fine, mixing valve gaskets leak and cold water pipes can get surrounded with condensation.

If your wall is still open, and you're handy enough to replace a shower, I'd move those electrical outlets or in the least put in a GFCI breaker.


Automatic turn off of water pump as water tank overflows (Manual turn on is needed) I want to design a system that automatically turns off a water pump when the water tank is full.
Some background and details:
1- The pump is connected to main water supply.
2- The pump should turn on with a switch (manual input) and it should stop when water tank overflows.
3- It should not turn on automatically as the water level goes down.
4- The main water supply is irregular. Therefore, I prefer to have a manual turn on.

Can some one please suggest a circuit/design to achieve this?

What you ask is out there, in the form of residential effluence treatment (septic).

It utilizes float switches and a small analog or digital controller that automates exactly what your looking for.

Research "septic pump tank design". You're looking for a system with 3 or 4 float switches installed. Parts for these systems are available all over the world.


Garage Drywall Thicker Than 5/8? I'm in Chicago, and I cut some holes in my garage to put in some 220V outlets.
I took a sample of my drywall to my local hardware store, and the sample drywall is bigger than 5/8 type X.
Garage was done by a subdivision builder so it can't be too exotic.
Anyone have any ideas what it could be?  3/4?

3/4" drywall is getting more common (not common just more) in my area in garages.   Here is an example.
I can see this being a new standard because of fire ratings.   I did an apartment building a few years back and there were a few areas where I had to use this - including hvac room and elevator backing.   I have never "had" to use it in residential but could definitely seeing a builder do this for garages, especially garages that are nestled inside two story houses.


Water heater not filled with water before being turned onto hot setting I had a new water heater installed by a local plumber. He installed my tank but did not fill it with water before lighting pilot/turning to hot.  He left before thoroughly verifying I had hot water!

It was 20-30 min before we discovered the problem and I filled heater with water. A neighbor helped me fix - he replaced - the T-P valve which leaked after filling tank with water. Is this tank most likely ruined?

Inside of a gas water heater there is a plate on the bottom and a flue tube for the flames / hot gasses to run up and heat the water. By having the flame on with no water, all that happened was that the plate and flue tube get very hot, likely red hot. It's highly unlikely they were damaged permanently though, there are safety cutoffs that would have turned off the gas way before that happens.

As to the T-P valve, when you finally turned on the hot water, it likely immediately flashed into steam. A hot water heater tank is NOT a steam vessel, hence the T-P valve. the T-P valve is SUPPOSED to open and vent the steam, so it was actually doing exactly what it was designed for. Once it had cooled down it would have probably re-sealed, but changing it out is not a problem. It's doubtful that Sears would pay for it without having first given it a chance to cool and seal though.

Dents on the outside of a hot water heater would be strictly cosmetic. The dent you can see is just on the "skin" of sheet metal that is covering the insulation inside, between the actual tank and that cosmetic skin. I usually buy the dented ones to get the discount.

Don't call that plumber again though, that was a bonehead move on his part...


Fact-check on metal roof quote by roofing company I hope this is an appropriate place to ask this question. We've just bought our first house and it is in need of a new roof, so I'm shopping around for quotes. Metal roofs seem like something we'd be interested in for their "cool roof" (thermal) effect and their longevity. I asked one of the roofing companies whether or not they install metal roofs and if so, how much that would run for compared to composite shingles, and I got this response:

  Metal roofing is extremely fragile and is susceptible to leakage only after a few years, we do not install any metal roofing anymore as a result.

This seems to contradict everything I've read so far about metal roofs. For full context, I was specifically asking about CertainTeed Presidio Metal Roofing, so maybe their answer was about that specific product instead of metal roofs in general? Regardless, I am a bit perplexed about how to reconcile all that I've learned about metal roofs vs this statement by a company that does nothing but install roofs. The roofing company was highly recommended by several of our neighbors who recently had their roofs redone (with composite shingles).

Are metal roofs a bad decision? Are metal roofs via Presidio Metal Roofing a bad decision? We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so snow is not a concern for us; wind, rain, and fire are probably the three biggest threats to our new roof as I understand it.

Metal roofs are not fragile, that's complete baloney.

The gold standard for long lasting roofing are standing seam copper, slate or quality tile. Standing seam steel won't last quite as many decades, but it's good.  All of these have high up front cost, but will save money over the long term.  Composition roofs must be thrown in a landfill every few decades.  Yes, metal can dent with heavy hail, but a few dents is not failure by any stretch.  And if you're in a fire prone area... metal is really hard to beat.

ArrowLine Slate Roofing is a good product for a slate look steel.

A lot of roofers only install composition shingles, it's all they know.

If you go with true rock based slate, check out http://www.slateroofers.org/

Re-roofing is also a chance to get an energy and building performance evaluation done.  There's a lot of detail on venting and deck top insulation that can be fixed as part of roofing job  --- saving energy and cost and increasing comfort for the life of the building.


Ideas for how to hide an 8ft sewer vent pole in backyard I have a sewer vent pole in my backyard (about 8 feet tall) and I'm looking for ideas on how to best hide it. I haven't seen any fake rocks etc that would be large enough to cover or hide it so I've been thinking maybe plant something near or on it or maybe build something around it. I've included a picture (I've temporarily stacked rocks on top of the manhole area), any ideas or help would be greatly appreciated!]1

There a few ideas out there. Not sure what your exactly looking for.

Best I could come up with is...

Hide the sewer vent post with a custom built wooden or metal slip-over post with a solar light. (Light post) Although you would probably have to add a vent.

Finish it off with a wooden planter box over the man-hole.


C wire and smart thermostat I'd like to install an ecobee3 thermostat, but I'm not entirely sure about my wiring. The current thermostat seems to only have a W and RC wire coming into it.

There is also what appears to be a blue wire buried in the wall, but I haven't tested to see if it's a live C wire. I've had an HVAC person out here before, and he told me we didn't have a C wire, so presumably this is something else.

On my furnace, I have two Honeywell R845A boxes, and also an RA832A box. Not sure if this is standard or not, or what exactly it means. I'm hoping it means running a C wire from the furnace, if I need to run it, will be easy.

I also have a weird bundle of wires above one of the two R845As, as follows:

There seems to also be a green wire merged here, about which I'm not sure at all what it does since it doesn't seem to come out of wall upstairs.

My question is: can anyone estimate how difficult/expensive it would be to convert this to a unit that could support a thermostat like the ecobee3 or Nest that need a C wire? (I know some of these power steal and don't need a C wire per se, but I'd rather go the most reliable route here.)

Many thanks in advance for any insights.

EDIT: Opened up the transformer box, and the blue wire is indeed there. But it is snipped off/not connected. Is it just a matter of stripping the wire, connecting an extension, and hooking it up? What do I connect it to? And what sort of wire should I use for the connection? (Picture below.)

I don't know if you ever got this worked out or not, but I'm in the same boat.  Bought an Ecobee3 and I have the RA832A relay.  It doesn't appear as though it has any sort of C wire capability.

Awhile back before I bought the unit or knew what my boiler was using in any sort of detail I reached out to Ecobee and this is what they said (I was planning to merge the boiler and AC into one thermostat as they are two separate now).

They said:

  The boiler would use Rh and W. The AC would use Rc C G and Y

On their support site they have an article talking about what you can do if you don't have a C wire and one of the options was use a transformer and isolation relay.


Is there a way to change the webbing on this picnic chair? This picnic chair has lasted many years but now the webbing is fraying.

I do not see a way to change the webbing.

Is there a way to change the webbing?  (How?)

Thanks.

Looks like you can:

https://www.patioslingsite.com/products-page/chair-replacement-slings/replacement-chair-sling-1pc/

On your chairs, seems like there are caps at the tops and bottoms of the sides that you can probably slide the old sling off.

It's probably worth posting the brand here if you really want to replace them.

Good luck!


Can you put a whole house fan in an attic if you live in it? We live in the top two floors of an old brownstone in NYC.  It gets CRAZY hot on our top floor, which is really the attic of the house, but where we have our three bedrooms and one bath.  It's also poorly insulated.  The front two rooms have dormer windows and the back bedroom and bathroom have only skylights.  There is also one window on one side of the house (the wall on the other side is against neighboring building's wall).

We are very low on cash or I would install a mini-split system.  Researching whole house fans, they seem like a great option for us, but I can't figure out how we could do this if we live in our attic.  Also our stairwells from 2nd to 3rd and 3rd to 4th floors are pretty open.

The ground floor and 2nd floor of the building have separate studio apartments; we have our door on the 2nd floor landing, so the landing is also part of our living space.

I hope someone has an idea, I can't find anything about this on the web!

I love whole house fans , have now installed them in 4 houses and 2 garages. As noted they can only reduce temperature to the outside temperature. But that works well with a night temperature below 70F and a day temp above 80F , running an hour or so in the morning. Ideally you need to install it in a gable for your situation. You may want an insulating foam panel to put over the louvers when the fan is not on as louvers leak air. I recommend a belt drive as the direct drive turn the fan faster making significantly more noise. As noted , windows need to be opened to let air in,; window adjustment also lets you focus the cooling.


Does there exist a battery-powered, programmable, millivolt thermostat? I'd like to replace a mechanical millivolt (2-wire) thermostat for my propane space heater stove with a programmable one.  I'd like to do this to ensure that the space heater doesn't heat overnight, which amounts to nontrivial propane and hence $$$ savings during winter time.
However, I can't seem to find thermostats that are at the same time battery powered, programmable and suitable for 2-wire millivolt setups.  You semingly have either nonprogrammable 2-wires, or powered programmable ones, or smart ones that don't do millivolt.
Are there such thermostats for sale at all?
Here's why I need this:

Battery powered: since I don't want to contort to give it a 24V supply.
Programmable: so I don't need to remember to set the temperature manually. Doesn't need to be smart, doesn't need to connect to anything.  I just need the ability to set a schedule.
Millivolt: because the stove uses the millivolt thermostat circuit.

Yes Honeywell makes 2 wire battery controlled thermostats, some that look just like the old round ones of the past.
I have a newer one on my pellet stove when the stove doesn't kick into high when below the set point I know the battery is dead.


Sealing gap between house and driveway So I have a driveway that is made of concrete sections that mates up to the edge of my house which is brick with a cinder block basement wall. The prior owner sealed the gap between the two with cheap sealer which is starting to wear away. So I believe my best option is to take a heat gun, remove all the current sealer and then re-seal the gap with something new.

My question for the community is if it is better to seal the gap with actual cement or with more of a sealer type product? The criteria for "better" is longevity and not letting water in the gap.  I do live in a state that gets a decent amount of snow so there is expansion / contraction to worry about. If the choice is a sealer type product, which material choice will hold up the longest? I am not looking for product recommendations, I am looking for material recommendations.

For raw holding power, sustained flexibility, and general toughness, it's hard to beat modern urethane caulks. Here's a good example (not an endorsement).

Note that urethane in any form (varnish, caulk, spray foam, household glue) is extremely sticky and will instantly ruin clothing and surfaces if it makes contact. It'll also grab skin and hang tight until it wears away.

Also, I don't think a heat gun is the right approach to removing your existing caulk unless it's a thin, soft layer. You'll have a hard time getting enough heat into the bead and surrounding concrete to soften it all the way through. Probably better to just scrape it away.


How can I speed up the rate at which putty dries? We're (slowly) renovating the sash windows in our house and the current window is causing problems. What should have been a quick job (especially at this time of year!) has turned into a marathon because the putty won't dry.

We had to replace a couple of panes of glass (one was cracked and we broke another when using a heat gun to remove the paint) so we knew it would take a little while. On a previous window the putty took over three weeks to dry enough to paint partly because (as we thought) there was too much oil. So this time we rolled the putty on newspaper first to try to remove the excess oil. It seemed to work, but after two weeks the putty is still soft to the touch.

We've tried standing the windows next to a radiator but all that seemed to do was make it softer (which was obviously going to happen in hindsight).

So given that we don't want to reputty the windows what can we do to speed up the drying process.

We've had to seal off the room and cover the window as best we can in the meantime.

I've found this advice on DoItYourself.com which doesn't really help as it says use other materials!

The answers to this post on DIY-Forums are confusing at best and possibly contradictory as one recommends exposing the putty to moisture(!) to speed the drying process.

Heat will make the putty softer, which is why you can heat it up to remove it.  Putty pretty much stays soft for years.  Initially, it doesn't really dry out so much as oxidize which forms a skin on it.

If you absolutely must paint it right away, you'll probably has to use one of the latex based glazing compounds. If you want to use a traditional one, paint it as soon as it forms enough of a skin that the paint will stick to it.  Also, I think you probably should be using oil based paints, but check the instructions on the putty.

If you let use know specifically which putty you are using, that might help get better answers.


Why is my new refrigerator hot on the sides? Today I received my new French door Hisense refrigerator, and I plugged in after cleaned up and it is very hot side to side (both side) is it normal to be hot first time?

The condensing coils in some refrigerators is under the skin of the unit. The heat is transferred to the living space. The harder the fridge is working the warmer to hot depending on how hard the system is working or trying to cool the interior food space.


How can power drawn from one outlet cause another outlet to burn up? I had accidentally overloaded a circuit when I plugged something into an outlet but it caused another outlet in the same circuit (which had some, but not much power being drawn through it) to burn up. Fortunately, the circuit breaker tripped and nothing bad happened, but I'm wondering why this could have happened so I can prevent it form happening again.

Note: I'm assuming you are in North America.

Most likely, the power passed through the "bad" outlet on its way to the outlet you overloaded. A standard US outlet (pair) has two screws each for the hot and neutral, as well as two "back-stab" holes for each. It is not uncommon to connect the wires coming from the breaker box to one pair and the wires going to the next outlet to another, rather than joining the wires and running "pigtails" (short wires) to the intermediate outlet.

If  one of the connections is not making good contact, the resistance will generate heat under the heavy load and this can damage the outlet. Most likely, the back-stabs were used, which are known to come loose.

(Side note: the reason there are two sets of connections is to allow isolating each of the two outlets, for example, if you wanted only one outlet switched. There are metal tabs on both sides of the assembly connecting the top to the bottom. These can be broken off. If you are examining an outlet and either or both tabs has been removed, then something else may be happening with that outlet.)

[Excuse the poor drawing]

Using back-stabs with power passing through the outlet. This is to be avoided.

Using side screws with power passing through the outlet. This is better.

You can also avoid running the power through the outlets by using wirenuts and pigtails to the screws on the outlet. This avoids running the power through the outlet to the next and is marginally better than the previous.

If I were you, I'd check (or hire someone to check) each outlet in your home. Look for signs of damage from heat and replace any such outlets. Also, if the back-stabs were used, change to use the side screws instead or use wirenuts with pigtails to the side screws.

If you do replace any outlets, check if either of the metal tabs has been removed. If so, make sure to break off the same tabs on the new outlet and don’t change the wiring unless you understand how it works.

Also check the tightness of any screws already in use.


Was my shed repaired properly? There was a leak in our utility shed area about 8' x 6'. The construction of the shed is plywood with stucco covering. The handyman that repaired the rotten wood installed plywood over the rotten wood between the 2x4 inside the shed, and caulked all the seams on the plywood walls and under the roof. Is this an acceptable way to repair the problem? Will the mold and mildew go away, or will the 2x4's continue to rot?

The mold and mildew won't "go away" but if it gets no more moisture, it will die off and not cause any further damage.

However, in my book it is NEVER acceptable to just cover up the damage to make it look good.  That's the lazy I don't give a ** way of doing things.


Can I have two different types of water heater in the same house? I currently have an indirect fired 55 galon water tank. The house is pretty big and the former owner had a second, power vented water heater on the other side of the house. It seems he also had the two water heaters working the whole house Can I use a tankless water heater for the second water heater? Do I need to cut off the flow so the each heater only sends hot water to certain fixtures?

Three Phase Eel's comment is valid.  Look at redoing the whole system.  If you have natural gas in your area look at hooking up to it.

The rest of this is off topic to your original question, but I think relates enough to TPE's comment to be worth posting.

Gotchas:  Heating units were often oversized for the building.  My contractor sold me a 90,000 BTU/hr boiler that rarely runs more than 2 minutes in 15 even in mid winter.  I have since realized that I could heat my house with a demand water heater.

Sanity check for boiler operation:

Measure it's current duty cycle.  This takes a lot of patience, or you can put something like a kill-a-watt meter on it.  Usually heating appliaces are hard wired, so you would have to modify it to use a plug for the Kill-a-watt.
(If you find that it draws 300 watts for the blower, then it uses .3 kWh per hour of operation.  If it uses 1.2 kWh per day, then it it ran 3 hours.  3/24 = 12.5% duty cycle)
Now find the difference between the temp you want inside (70), and the average temp outside this week.  Suppose that is 25 degrees.
Look up what your coldest expected temp in winter is.  Easiest way is to look up your plant hardiness zone, then look up the temperature definition for that zone.  Suppose it's zone 3 which once in 10 years gets -40.
Currently it takes a 12.5% duty cycle to keep your house 25 degrees warmer than outside.
In your worst reasonable winter it's 70 - -40 = 110 = 4.4 times your current difference.  So your present unit should have been running 4.4 times 3 hours or 13.2 hours on the worst weather you are likely to have.

That would mean that your previous unit was oversized by almost a factor of 2.

It's probably worse than that.  In cold weather we are better about closing doors and windows.

So by doing this you can 'right size' your replacement unit.

This still is a terrible way to do things, as even if you size it perfectly to your worst case, it's underused most of the time.  The best system I've seen for this was a school that had 5 small gas boilers.  Each was about 200,000 BTU/hr.  Each one had an 'on' point 2 degrees differerent.  So one boiler would turn on at a temp of 140F and off at 150.  The next would turn on at 138 and turn off at 152.  The third would be at 136 and 154.  During most of the year boilers 2 and 3 would sit there.  #1 would carry the load.

The other two were set up similarly for domestic hot water, but at lower temps.

They were also set up on quick connects.  If we had trouble with a unit, we could disconnect it in about 10 minutes, put it in a pickup, drive it to town, and they could fix it, without our paying $120/hour for their time driving.


bathroom venting plan review I'm putting in a basement bathroom and working through the drain layout.  There is a slab already poured so I want to get it right before busting up the concrete.  It will be inspected, basically following UPC code (Oregon).  This is my first time doing drains and I'm seeking feedback on the plan.

Can you please look at my plan and let me know any problems you see?  Please pick this apart.  Sorry if this is not a specific enough question.  Thanks.

EDIT:

I reworked this a little bit more, and most importantly talked with the inspector.  I learned in my city they now allow Air Admittance Valves (aka AAV, studor valve, or cheater valve) so the long vent pipe isn't necessary.  I just have to have a louvered cover over it on the wall so it could 1) be replaced if it ever fails and 2) draw air into the drain.

Also per the answer below I couldn't have the shower join the drain pipe before the wet vent so that is solved with this second plan.

The particular backwater valve linked in the answer had some specific installation instructions regarding the 2 foot rule.  Thats not in the code anywhere and the inspector I talked to hadn't known of the 2 foot rule, and just said get the valve that doesn't have that in the instructions (since instructions must be followed per the code).  I picked up a backwater valve without any mention of the rule but still allowed 2 feet of a straight shot into the valve anyway in this redesign.

I'll amend this post if I have any problem with the inspection, but so far so good.

NEW PLAN:

IANA plumber, but I just did similar work in my basement.

A few possible issues I see:

1) Many backwater valves require a certain length of straight, undisrupted pipe flowing into it to ensure smooth flow of water over the valve.  In my case it required roughly 2 feet on the upstream side.  Not the immediate 90 you have.
 "No branch take-offs may be made closer than 2 feet upstream of backwater valve to insure the smooth (laminar) flow of effluent over the gate of the valve." (from http://www.backwater-valves.com/Backwater-Valve-Installation-Sticker.asp )

2) In my area, at least, any section of drain that is on a toilet cannot also be used for a wet vent of another fixture.  My first inspection failed on this point.  So by that requirement, your shower doesn't have an adequate vent.  If you connected the lavatory drain to the shower line before the toilet, it should be ok.

3) Maybe it's just an assumed detail omitted from your drawing but washing machines need a P-trap and a stand pipe (above the washing machine overflow level).

And as an aside, think about your future self having to frame all of this when you are running your above-slab pipes. :)


How do I remove the T shaped metal device that is holding my fluorescent ballast cover on? I'm trying to take the cover off of my fluorescent fixture, but I can't seem to figure out this fastener. I've tried rotating it to no effect.

Turn it 90 degrees and it will release same with the one at the other end if it has one.


How can I mount a security camera on the outside of the house? I'm tasked with mounting a security camera on the outside of the house and I'm not sure what would be the right way to do this. There are two basic problems: how to mount the thing and how to run the power cable (the camera is using a low-voltage power adapter). The way I see it, my options are as follows:

Use outdoors power outlet. This might be the easiest option (there is an outlet nearby) but it's not ideal: not only the cable would be hanging outdoors, but it is also too short to reach the outlet, so I'll end up with an ugly contraption of a power adapter and an extension cord - all dangling outside open to the elements.
Drill the wall (the house is "typical" wooden frame with insulation and vinyl siding). I've never drilled the outside walls, so I'd appreciate some advice here. Obviously, I'd like to avoid messing up the wall interior and thermal insulation of the house by doing it wrong.
Run it through the soffit/under the roof - no idea if it's feasible at all.
Run it between the door and door frame - again the concerns are shorting the cable and messing with thermal insulation by leaving some gap.

The other question is specifically about mounting the camera to the outside wall. What would be the right way to attach it to the vinyl siding. Is it something that would require drilling through the wall or there is a way to do it in a less invasive manner?

Outdoor Power - Do not power the camera using an outdoor outlet. You have all the problems you listed and you make the system more susceptible to tampering (an intruder can simply unplug the camera and blind the system).

Powering the camera - Let's begin by checking if the camera and its power supply is rated for outdoor use. The exposure to moisture, and to a lesser degree extreme temperature, makes many indoor units unsuitable. The connection of the power supply to the camera needs to be water resistant. If it is not, you need to consider a different camera unit.

In general, outdoor power lines need special cable or a metal or plastic pipe to protect the cable. The power to the unit is apparently low voltage, so it may not need the same level of protection as it would if it were 120 volts.

You will need to bring the wire through the wall (or through a soffit) at some point. You want to drill through an area that DOES NOT contain framing. You will go through siding, sheathing, probably insulation, and then finish material, probably drywall.

The main issue is sealing the entry holes from water and air infiltration.  This can be done on the outside using a good outdoor caulk.

On the inside, you can use a low voltage junction box to protect the wire and then route it to an outlet. The best approach might be to run the wire to a double box, low voltage on one side and line voltage on the other.

You could then have the wire exit the front of the low voltage side and have the transformer plug into the line voltage side.

Mounting Camera - Most modern cameras (at least those without heavy housings or motor mounts) are fairly light, just a few pounds, if that.  They can be screwed into the sheaving of the wall, which is located beneath the vinyl siding.  You need to drill through the siding and into the sheathing and then screw the base to the sheathing. As you are mounting, you can seal the screw holes and even the base of the camera with outdoor caulk.

If the camera is heavy, you should screw the camera to a framing member (stud). These are found at corners, regularly spaced horizontally (usually every 16 inches from a corner), and near the roof and floor line of each level. You can use a stud finder to locate them.


Can I replace this switch with a dimmer? I recently moved into a new rental. It is older construction but was completely remodeled. I did some some older wiring in the basement but the functional wiring seems to be new and modern code/procedure.

This switch doesn't make sense. The hot (black) comes from a nearby outlet. It then has the white connected and going to the ceiling light. However the other wires in each pair are capped.

The wire on the top of the box looks to be much older and wrapped in insulation. No ground either.

Can I just wire the dimmer (Levity IllumaTech IPL06) into this the same way?

Is this a "will it work?" question or a "is it safe?" question, or a "is it to code?" question?

I'll answer the first one and the last one...
1) yes, if the bulb you have is dimmer compatible and it worked before you opened up this switch box...then yes, it should still work after you put in the dimmer
2) is it safe?... I choose not to answer this question on the grounds that nobody knows what sort of heinous things previous owners might have done.
3) is it to code?  obviously not.

Probably what you're looking at is a situation where...
1) the black wire going up to the light broke somewhere back in the dark backward and abysm of time
2) the path from that light to the switch  was somehow convoluted in a way that made it difficult to replace the wire
3) at that time somebody decided it was easier to change the way the light was wired rather than put in a new wire from light to switch.  So they ran a new wire to the light and used its "neutral" at the light. The white wire was re-purposed to provide the "hot" via the switch. (conveniently, electrons are colorblind.)
4) either at the same time or some other time, somebody ran a newer power wire to the switch.  Since the light was getting its neutral from elsewhere, and since the black wire to the light was broken, they used just the new black wire as hot lead to switch and white wire from there to light.

My primary concern here would be "why is the black wire to the light broken"?  Since the white and black wires travel together, what breaks one of them often does some damage to the other one.  Did somebody drive a nail or screw through the cable and sever the black and only damage the white?  Did some settling of the building damage the whole cable and only the black was completely severed?  Was it just a poorly manufactured cable?  When the black went, did it arc and make some heat which probably damaged the white as well?

Long story short, this is obviously not an ideal situation.  A couple of possible solutions present:
1) Admit to your landlord that you poked around at the wiring and discovered some things that have you worried for your safety...ask him nicely to pay an electrician to fix it properly.
2) Look into an alternative means of switching the light on and off and permanently remove this wall switch (and its wiring) from the equation.  There are old-timey solutions like a pull chain switch on the light, or newer solutions surrounding the ever evolving spectrum of "home automation" that would give you other ways to turn the light on and off. (note, these both assume that the "new" cable presently providing neutral connection at the light can be set up to provide always on hot and neutral directly to the light -- might not be true, they could have "stolen" neutral connection from some other ceiling light.)


Cleaning grout under caulk line (between tile and tub) before re-caulking? I have a 1.5 year old condo and I recently pulled the old caulk job the builder put in, and found they grouted between the tub and tiles and just caulked over it. The grout is discoloured in places (blue, orange, dark) so I figure it's mold I have to kill first.

But should I remove the some of grout here first? Or can I leave the grout (after removing mold) and just caulk over it again?

There's a razor thin line between the group and the tub already, and the build's caulk job never adhered to the tub at parts, allowing moisture in.

I have some pics of lines here (little pieces of old caulking remain):
https://imgur.com/a/WoRx4

There isn't anything wrong with grouting between tub and tile given that you do it right.  I fill up tub full of water (weight) and grout.  I feel grout is just easier to deal with.  My grout has lasted 6-7 years now in one bathroom without any sort of cracking or separation.  If there was separation I would caulk it.

It does get mildew and mold and I probably spray it with cleaner once every 4-5 months.   That is about it.

From what I can tell from your pictures, that doesn't seem like grout.  And if it was grouted it was done very poorly.  That looks like a mastic or even a white thinset to me.  And then caulked over.  It also looks like too big of an area to caulk.  I would suggest trying to break out some of that area and then going over it with grout.  (Also it looks like crappy caulk.  I would use silicone here)


Wobbly desk with IKEA tabletop and IKEA legs I seem to have an issue with the table top and legs I have purchased from IKEA.  For reference, the table top I purchased is here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50106773/ and the legs I purchased are here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30177912/

The tabletop came with predrilled holes for legs like the SJUNNE and putting them on was pretty easy.  I noticed however that the table wobbles whenever I type or even just bump it which is pretty annoying.  I want this thing to be solid.

What I've learned/tried:

I've done a lot of research on the issue and I've learned a few different things.  Some people have used "L" brackets to attach the table to the wall to make it sturdy.  While this might work, I don't want to really do that.

Other people have actually put sand in the legs to keep the desk weighted down.

However, this didn't really seem to be the problem with my table so I took a different approach.

When inspecting the legs I noticed that it was the leg screwed into the base that would wobble. For reference take a look at page 3 to see how this leg is assembled: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/assembly_instructions/sjunne-leg__AA-846721-2_pub.pdf

You see, the leg itself is screwed into a sort of base to make it one piece and then you screw that whole piece into the table.  It seemed as though the leg that went into the base would wobble.

So on the base I put masking tape all around where the leg was screwed into and hammered in the leg to make sure it would be secure and not wobble around.  This has reduced the wobble a little bit but not completely.

I even tried putting washers on the screws to make the table more secure as well.  I am not sure if this has helped.

My table is on carpet, not a solid floor.  I am not sure if this makes a difference or not.

The questions I have are:

Is there anything I can do to reduce the wobble of my desk
completely??
Is the wobble something I can't avoid with a structure like this??
I've seen some Trusses that IKEA sells, but they don't screw into the desk which lead me to believe I will have the same problem: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10118971/ ... Will this be better to reduce wobbling?

As it appears the 'wobble' is between the metal leg, the metal bracket, and the bolts provided, I'd say this wobble is due to IKEA's ahem rather wide tolerance specifications.

In other words, sometimes you just get wobble when it comes to IKEA products. :)

I'd suggest using something to solidify the connection between the leg and the plates. JB Weld would be a possible option. Mix it up and put a generous amount between the leg and bracket, then tighten up the bolts. Let it set up for about 24 hours and you should now have solid material between the two parts to shim the wobble away.


How much extra wire should I have in my electrical panel? Question:

What are some rules of thumb for leaving extra wire within an electrical panel (if any) and routing the extra wire (e.g. create a single loop from the extra wire) to maintain balance between considering potential future wiring needs and also keeping the panel from turning into a complete rats' nest. I am looking for recommendations on additional wiring methods for the wire that feeds the panel as well as the wire that feeds the branch circuits.

Also, with the answers, I am looking for additional reasons why you might need to have extra wire in a circuit panel. For example, I can see leaving some extra wire in the electrical panel for the branch circuits so that you have potential to rework the positions of the circuit breakers in the future without having to run new wire. The only reason I can think of for having extra wire for the main lines feeding the panel is in case I wish to swap out for a different panel in the future which would require the main lugs/breaker in a different spot.

Specifics for My Situation:

I have one 200 A main panel (3/0 AWG wire feeding the panel, spaces for 40 breakers) feeding two other 100 A subpanels (2 AWG feeding these panels) which then feed branch circuits for receptacles (6 AWG to 12 AWG wire feed these circuits). The 200 A panel has spaces for 40 single breakers (~40 inches tall) and the 100 A panels have spaces for 30 single breakers (~30 inches tall) -- I presently plan to have lots of unused breaker space in each panel. I mention this because I figure the size of the panel might also influence the amount of extra wire desired (e.g. in the future, you might want to move a circuit from the top of the panel to the bottom) and the amount of extra wire that the box can accommodate (e.g. if all 40 breakers are used, it doesn't seem like there would be a clean way to leave much extra wire at all).

Leave just enough "extra" wire to route the wire along the edge of the board so it looks clean like the image below. Otherwise, do not bother leaving extra wire. You can splice more wire within the panel if you need to move things around later. Leaving a lot of additional coiled wire to try to account for the future could result in excess heat build-up and potentially an electrical fire. Note: Some excess wire is harmless, but if the panel begins to look like a mess of coiled wires, then you are likely creating the following situations the NEC tries to protect against in several areas of code (though not necessarily specific to the panels) to make sure the wire will not exceed the heat rating of its insulation at the expected current load:

Current running through a wire generates heat and relies on air to carry that heat away from the conductor. Therefore, the NEC protects against too many current-carrying conductors in close proximity for other areas of wiring:

  310.15(B)(3)(a)  More Than Three Current-Carrying Conductors in a Raceway or Cable. Where the number of current-carrying conductors in a raceway or cable exceeds three, or where single conductors or multiconductor cables are installed without maintaining spacing for a continuous length longer than 600 mm (24 in.) and are not installed in raceways, the allowable ampacity of each conductor shall be reduced as shown in Table 310.15(B)(3)(a). Each current-carrying conductor of a paralleled set of conductors shall be counted as a current-carrying conductor.

  314.16 Number of Conductors in Outlet, Device, and
  Junction Boxes, and Conduit Bodies. Boxes and conduit
  bodies shall be of sufficient size to provide free space for
  all enclosed conductors. In no case shall the volume of the
  box, as calculated in 314.16(A), be less than the fill calculation
  as calculated in 314.16(B). The minimum volume for
  conduit bodies shall be as calculated in 314.16(C).

When wire is coiled or there are more than one conductor, there is potential to induce additional currents in the wires due to the additional electromagnetic fields not otherwise present with a single conductor. The NEC protects against this related to ferrous metal enclosures and raceways:

  300.20(A) Conductors Grouped Together. Where conductors carrying alternating current are installed in ferrous metal enclosures or ferrous metal raceways, they shall be arranged so as to avoid heating the surrounding ferrous metal by induction. To accomplish this, all phase conductors and, where used, the grounded conductor and all equipment
  grounding conductors shall be grouped together.

  Exception No. 1: Equipment grounding conductors for certain existing installations shall be permitted to be installed separate from their associated circuit conductors where run in accordance with the provisions of 250.130(C).

  Exception No. 2: A single conductor shall be permitted to be installed in a ferromagnetic enclosure and used for skineffect heating in accordance with the provisions of 426.42 and 427.47.

  Image obtained from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EEUU%28GE%29BreakerpanelInnards.jpg


Proper way to run and fish electrical wire in Canada? This is my first DIY electrical project, so I am looking for some advise about the proper way to run the following 3 new circuits that I'll need for a basement kitchen that I am building:

I am currently reading the "Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1" in preparation for this DIY electrical work, but it creates a lot of questions that I am hoping someone with experience can help me with.

Most of my ceilings in the basement is drop-ceiling, covering exposed joists above. All the existing wiring is stapled to the bottom face of the joists, which according to CEC is not allowed anymore, so I cannot do it that way, correct? I am basing this on Rule 12-514-b:

Cables shall not be run on or across the lower faces of basement
joists, unless suitably protected from mechanical damage.

So I guess that means that my only option is to drill holes through all the joist and run the cables that way. This creates 2 questions:

Q1) What do I do when joists have HVAC ducts taking up the space between the joists that I need to cross? I know that cables require a minimum separation of 25mm from heating ducts, so what are my options? What kind of "mechanical protection" do I need to use, if I do need to staple to the bottom of the joist?

Q2) I have one 3-wire circuit and two 2-wire circuits to run. Can they all be run in the same hole? I can't find any info in the code about how many NMD90 wires are allowed in one joist hole...

Next, there's the question of how to run the wire over the part of the ceiling that is not accessible to me. There's a dry-walled, dropped section of the ceiling running along the entire length of the basement, and that I need to cross before I can get from the panel to the side of the house where the drop-ceiling is. What are my options for crossing that space, considering that I cannot support the cable every 1.5m as per Rule 12-510-1-a, without completely opening up the ceiling?

I found this rule about fishing wire:

== 12-520 Fished cable installation ==

Where the cable is used in concealed wiring and it is impracticable to
provide the supports required by Rule 12-510, and where metal sheeting
or cladding, metal joists, metal top or bottom plates, or metal studs
are not used, the cable shall be permitted to be fished.

So my last question is:

Q3) Did I understand correctly that I can simply fish the wire over the obstruction w/o any sort of conduit? What if that space contains metal HVAC ducts? Do I need to use some sort of conduit then? Is NMD90 wire even allowed to be run through conduits? What are my options?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Another option is run EMT conduit across the bottom of joists.   EMT can be used in one of two modes:

as a simple protective shield for the Romex style cables.  In this case, contemplate larger conduit diameters such as 3/4" for a single cable or 1-1/4" to 1-1/2" for multiple cables. The "conduit fill rules" require fairly large pipe when flat Romex is involved, because it can't be counted on to lay flat.  In this case you do not need steel boxes at the end of the conduit run, but the end of the run needs to be protected.
as the Conduit Wiring Method, requiring steel junction boxes at both ends.  In this case you can pull cables through large conduit as above, but instead, may make a splice inside the junction boxes to wires more appropriate to the Conduit wiring method.

The EMT Conduit Wiring Method is a great way to wire, when you are able to do it.  You don't need a ground wire (the EMT is the ground) and you can run individual THHN type wires, which also can be stranded wire, for much better handling and flexibility.  It allows you to carry as many as 4 circuits inside a 1/2" pipe.

In any case, if several circuits are running together in a conduit pipe or simply bundled together for 600cm or farther, assure there are no more than 3 circuits together.   However 4 circuits is allowed if all of them are #12 (20A) or smaller.

If you ever envision having 3 or more circuits, make the steel boxes at the end of the conduit run be 4-11/16 (120mm) boxes that are 55mm deep.  That provides enohgh space for up to 4 circuits worth of splices.


AC Condenser Fan Won't Spin and Overheats But Can Be Kickstarted Symptoms: AC kicks on, but blows warm air

Found issues: AC kicks on and AC condenser appears to turn on (makes noise), but the fan won't spin. A few seconds later, the condenser fan motor overheats (almost too hot to touch), then the reset switch is flipped. If I kickstart the fan, it'll run, but the motor will eventually overheat under 15 minutes and also flips the reset switch.

Other details: AC condenser fan spins by hand (long screw driver) fairly freely.

From what it looks like, it's either the condenser motor and/or the capacitor. My question is how do I properly diagnose which it is?

Before you begin, make sure to pull out/turn off the serviceman switch, and/or turn off the breaker, to remove power to the unit. Once you open the unit, you'll want to discharge the capacitor(s). A charged capacitor can store enough energy to kill you, so you want to make sure you discharge them.
Test the motor
To check the motor, you're going to want to check the resistance of the coils in the motor.  To do this, you'll need a multimeter set to measure resistance in Ohms. You'll also have to identify the wires, which will depend on the unit you're working on.  Use the schematic printed inside the unit, or in the manufacturer's documentation, to determine which wires are which. You'll want to determine which wires connect to the Common, Run, and Start motor terminals.
Once you know which wires go where, you'll measure the resistance as follows:

Common -> Start
Common -> Run
Start -> Run

If you sum the value measured between Common and Run, with the value measured between Common and Start. You should end up with a value right around what you measured between Start and Run. If the values are way off, the motor is bad. If any of the readings are infinity (open), it means the coil is broken and the motor is bad.
NOTES:

Depending on the motor, there may be multiple speeds. If so, you'll have to measure them as well, to determine if those coils are good.

Test the capacitor
When checking the capacitor, the first thing to do is a visual inspection. If the capacitor is bulging, or has released the magic goo. Then the capacitor is bad, and needs to be replaced.
Make note of all the wires connected to the capacitor, then disconnect them. Then set your meter to measure capacitance in microfarads (uF). Touch one meter lead to the terminal marked C (common), and the other to the terminal marked FAN.  Hold the leads on the terminals until the meter settles, then take note of the reading.  With one lead still on C, put the other lead on HERM. Again, wait for the meter to settle, and note the reading.
Compare the readings you took, to the values printed on the side of the capacitor.  The measured values should be within the tolerances printed on the capacitor, otherwise the capacitor needs to be replaced.


lighting rail of two light fixture one turn on faintly the other not at all i have a fixture with 2 bulbs one of the lamps goes on very faint the other does not go on at all I checked connections put in new bulbs 48'

My psychic powers (required for deciphering your question) suggest that you have a two-tube 48 inch (not foot) florescent fixture.

Sounds like you need to replace the ballast. They don't live forever.


Does a longer immersion heater last longer? I have a titanium immersion element in my water tank. It sounds as if it's on it's way out and I'm looking to replace it with another titanium one. How long should it be?

Currently I'm using an 11", but I've seen 14" ones. They are both BEAB approved 2.25 BSP thread and either would fit the size of my tank. They're both 3kW, and there is only a few pounds extra for the longer one. It mounts horizontally.

My thought is that a 14" element will run cooler per unit length. Might it therefore last longer as thermal effects will be less? Am I right, or does experience prove otherwise?

The lower watt density on the longer element will reduce the thermal stress on the heater as long as it will fit. Having a lower watt density should equate to longer life with all other things being equal. Make sure your anode is in good shape when replacing the element for maximum life of the element and the tank. Added:Your heater life may be short because the anode has eroded away. Usually they are attached on the top of the tank a rod that is made out of metal designed to be consumed instead of the tank, heater, and plumbing being erroded. The anode should be checked every few years, I find they usually last ~3 years and many are gone in 5 years. Check the anode and probably replace much cheaper than a new heater, and you just might find your heat rods lasting twice as long or longer.


how do you replace a pool pump where PVC installation is coupling to coupling? I want to replace my pool pump, and my pool system installers built a system where there is no room for one to make a splice.  There is not one section of pipe exposed greater than 3/4" where I would try to splice cut and extend. It looks to me like I will have to rebuild the entire plumbing section from the ground up, valves and all.

Is there a way to do this and save the valves?  I might have enough on the outlet of the pump, but there is no hope on the suction side.

You have to cut the pipe. When re-installing you should put in unions instead of just couplings so that removing the pump is possible without disturbing the system, as the original installers should have.

Since your piping is pretty tight you will need to do some re-piping.

Here's an example:


Remove hard amber glue from tile and bathtub? I'm not sure what kind of glue this is. It's an amber color and it's very rigid, like hard plastic.

I've tried Goo Gone, which didn't do anything.

I was able to chip away at it with a putty knife, but it's slow work and I'm afraid of damaging the tile/bathtub.

Any suggestions ?

It looks like an Epoxy adhesive. Chipping away is okay if your careful. But, try a single sided razor blade. A lot of the time you get right under it & almost peel it off. You can also lightly hammer these types of razor blades. Holding it with gloves or with pliers.

You'll also want the razor blade to actually scrape or peel any residue away after the bulk is off. I'm not sure if nail polish remover, turpentine, minerals spirits or acetone would do much in the bulk removal, but any of those would be great for the final clean up.


Garage door torsion spring size My Garage door has two torsion springs for a 7'X 16' door.  The springs are two different sizes.  How do I know which size to replace it with?

Yes, the spring sizes are based upon the weight of the door. And sometimes a particular door can require two different size of springs. Door spring sizing and engineering is a very sophisticated science.  Your best bet is to have a pro come and replace the spring for you. (replacing an overhead door spring is a dangerous proposition.)

  ⚠Warning — Adjusting garage door springs can be extremely dangerous. The spring can move suddenly, causing serious injuries. Before you touch your own springs, learn how to release the tension safely.

If you feel like you are up to the task then first relieve the tension on the unbroken spring.  Remove the broken spring. Take it to a door shop and replace it like for like.  Install new spring and tension to specs. (The number of turns is based upon the height of the door.) (Tensioning with two different sized springs on one door is particularly tricky.)


Do I need a neutral on the other end of a three-way switch? I'm looking at adding a three-way switch to a room. I'll probably drop the hot and neutral into Box #1, but 12/2/2 (hot, 2x travelers and a neutral) is fairly esoteric cable (nobody locally sells it by the foot) and it's pricey.

I got to thinking about it some, and was wondering if I need a neutral in Box #2 at all if Box #1 is covered. If not, I can easily buy 12/3 and just call it good.

No, you do not need to extend the neutral to all locations in a multiway setup

NEC 404.2(C) governs the provisioning of neutral at switch boxes (irrelevant parts snipped, emphasis mine):

  (C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. The grounded
  circuit conductor for the controlled lighting circuit shall be
  installed at the location where switches control lighting loads
  that are supplied by a grounded general-purpose branch circuit
  serving bathrooms, hallways, stairways, or rooms suitable for
  human habitation or occupancy as defined in the applicable
  building code. Where multiple switch locations control the
  same lighting load such that the entire floor area of the room
  or space is visible from the single or combined switch locations,
  the grounded circuit conductor shall only be required at one
  location.

The emphasized sentence applies to basically all multi-way setups you will run into in a house: it would be very strange indeed if you could not see what you are doing with the light from at least one controlling switch location.

Furthermore, the way multiway smart switches work only requires more conductors than fit in a /3 cable at the location of the "master" switch; a /3 is sufficient to connect the remotes to the master in all systems I have seen.


what's the difference between "silicone sealant" and "mastic/MS-polymer sealant" MS polymer (or "mastic") look like silicone. It also comes in a tube, looks the same when it's liquid. Here are the difference I found with silicone caulk:

it's looks a bit less flexible when cured (looks like hard rubbery plastic).
it's more expensive (3x) but it doesn't dry at all like silicone (I sealed it with the provided cap, and used it several (very hot) weeks later without any problem).
It's much more pleasant to use:
it's odorless (no solvent, it cures with [water from the] air)
it doesn't stick on fingers like silicone (wiping the finger with tissue is enough to get rid of it).
it takes much more time to cure (depending of the quantity you use, you can easily work with it during 10-30 minutes: for several cm3 I was wondering if it'll ever cure).
I have seen on this video that unlike silicone, mastic has a non-staining property: it doesn't contain "oil", which could trap some dust and dirty its support.

But what are the other differences? Do both contain silicone? For what would you use one, but not the other?

(Chemistry based answers are also welcomed: I hesitated to post it in the stack chemistry)

I found some information about it:

What is it exactly?

Look at this YT video (though missing in my opinion 2 great advantages: 1) much easier to work with than silicon (doesn't stick or dry too quickly), 2) huge lifespan once opened (it's hard to keep silicon for long time) ).

  MS Polymer™ is a water- and solvent-free, clear, odourless solution
  and liquid at room temperature. It has low volatility and a low Tg.
  When it comes into contact with a catalyst and water, a crosslinked
  matrix is formed, providing good heat and chemical resistance.

  MS Polymer stands for “modified silicone”, although it is not entirely
  silicone-based. It has a polyether backbone with reactive silyl
  functionality (telechelic).There are 2 kinds: a dimethoxysilyl (DMS)
  with 2 reactive groups (each side) on it and a trimethoxysilyl (TMS)
  with 3 reactive groups on it, making it a faster curing system than
  the DMS type. The TMS polymer is a newer version which creates a more
  strongly crosslinked matrix during curing in order to make harder and
  stronger material.

  The biggest difference with products common in the PSA and tapes world
  is that crosslinking occurs through moisture-curing. So by addition of
  a catalyst and subsequent contact with water, MS Polymer™ will start
  crosslinking and form a matrix structure. Besides the functionality,
  which can be altered by using either DMS or more reactive TMS, the
  polyether backbone can also be tuned by varying molecular-weight and
  branching. The polymer is telechelic, having 2 ends, but also a
  single-end version can be used as a kind of plasticiser. The product
  range includes a high-strength grade, meaning that the functional
  groups are even denser, creating even harder or higher-strength
  material. A mixture of polymers can be used to make many different
  kinds of products.

What can you do with it?

This add another adventage to the list above:

  It's an adhesive.

  MS Polymer™ is mainly utilised in the adhesives and sealants world
  where it is a more common technology. (In contrast, silicone is not
  actually an adhesive, its adhesive qualities tend to break down much
  sooner than those of an actual adhesive *.) Its applications
  include sealants and adhesives for construction, automotive and DIY,
  such as waterproofing, glazing and insulating.

  The polymer is also fairly to very compatible with many rubbers,
  acrylics, resins and additives. In other words, it is very compatible
  with many components currently used in PSAs to make a tape.

Some important questions remains:

is it as resistant than silicone ? (which can bear impressive amount of heat)
does it have the same lifespan?

source

If it wasn't more expensive than silicone, I would personaly use it instead since it's much better to use.


How can I change chair straw backing? I have this chair with a straw backing. I would like to change the straw on my own since the places that do this work charge over $200.

Is this something I can do on my own? If so, how can I search for information.

I tried searching online, but didn't find anything useful. I'm pretty sure I'm not using the correct terminology; for starters I don't t hink it's called "straw backing".

Thanks.

The chair in the photo is indeed webbed cane. It features the most common (and traditional) installation method - the cane is woven in a sheet and held onto the chair by a spline pressed in a groove. The pane may be on a removable frame but sometimes the frames are integral to the structure of the chair. The pale wood strip around the perimeter of the cane webbing is the spline - there is a groove machined around the frame that the spline is pressed into, holding the webbing in place.

To replace it, you'll need a new piece of webbing and a new spline, and some plain wood glue. The job goes easier if you have an old screwdriver or chisel the same width as the spline (or you can buy a purpose-made tool) to clean out the channel. You'll also want a narrow wood wedge with the tip blunted in order to seat the cane and the new spline.

Start by removing the old cane and spline. This can be helped by heating the spline with a hair dryer. Wet down with hot water if you know it won't harm the chair's finish. Look along the spline to see where the splice is (where the two ends of the reed meet). Using your narrow screwdriver or dull chisel, pry up the end of the spline and pull it out of the groove. Pull out all the remnants of the old webbing and use your screwdriver/chisel to clean any old glue or bits of spline or webbing out of the groove.

Check the groove carefully. If there are bits of old material in it, you will have trouble seating the spline. If the edges have become sharp, it can cut the new webbing.

Soak the new webbing in hot water while you're working on the spline. Soak the new spline too. Once the old spline is out and the chair is clean, place the webbing over the chair (make sure you've got the smoother side up - the cane strips are oriented so that the rough cut sides will all face the same direction) and use your wood wedge to press the webbing down into the groove. First, seat a few inches at the top of the panel. Then, pull the webbing towards the bottom of the panel (enough to flatten it out but not enough to stretch it at all) and seat a few inches at the bottom. Then, do the left and right sides. Once the webbing is pressed into the groove in 4 places, it will essentially hold itself in position - you can work around the perimeter with your wedge and press it in to the groove.

With the webbing pressed into place around the whole perimeter, run a small bead of wood glue around the groove - you only need enough to tack the spline in place, the strength comes from the friction fit of the material. Then, set the spline into the groove - when you're all the way around the perimeter, trim it to length. With the spline placed into the groove, use a mallet in combination with the wood wedge to drive it home - you want the spline to bottom out in the groove. The action of driving the spline to the bottom of the groove is what will pull the webbing taut - this step is where the tension in the panel comes from.

With the spline fully seated, trim off the excess webbing along the spline (can be done by running a razor knife along the spline), wipe up any glue squeeze out with a damp cloth, and you're done. Be sure to let the webbing dry fully before putting the chair back into use - if you apply pressure to the still-damp panel, it will stretch and become loose.

Although the process sounds complicated, once you've replaced a few panels it becomes second nature. If your first panel takes you an hour, your third or fourth might only take 10 or 15 minutes.


Exterior air conditioning pipe insulation I live in the Southern California desert and am doing some renovations to my house. Our AC line runs on the roof from the center of the house 25' to the west side and down the wall to where the exterior unit sits. The insulation on the line is badly deteriorated black foam that has been painted white in some areas and has reflective silver foil tape on others. Which "finish" (plain black foam, white flexible paint, or reflective foil tape) is best where 110-115 degree days are common?

Thanks!

Gloss white paint reflects most heat.
a clean slick surface that does not hold dirt is best. Silver/aluminum reflects more BUT white re-emits most of the radiation it absorbs and silver does not . Acrylic white is not so good;great resistance to UV but it chalks more so the surface becomes dull/dirty.  I read this 40 yr ago in research for oil storage tankage, no hope of finding the reference. But when I see painted oil tanks today ,they are white so apparently the physics has not changed.


Can I hide a transformer in a metal box in my cabinet? I put LED lights under my cabinets.  I ran the wires into the cabinet where I put a 4 in metal box. Was going to put the small unit and wires inside the box but noticed the transformer gets real warm. Maybe I bought the wrong product?  It's  a 60W 12v by lightech.

From what I can find on the model you cited here.
It is a sealed unit meant for halogen fixtures so it would normally be mounted inside a light fixture or other enclosure anyway.

Therefore, I don't think you need to worry about heat. But if you are OCD you could epoxy it to the metal cover of the 4" box and the cover would act as a heat sink and radiate away some of the heat.

Good luck!


Gas fire place main burner stays on low flame I have a gas fire place.  The pilot light stays on and the main burner comes on, but the flame is not even close to what it was when it was first put in. What is wrong?

Sounds to me like a simple case of a blocked jet. Depending on your competencies with gas appliances either get someone to service it or you can do it yourself.

For the latter, locate and remove the jet for that burner, normally located closer to the know than the burner itself. Using a proper jet cleaning wire clean the jet by pushing the wire into the jet from the outlet end, so that any crud is forced backwards, rather than through the jet.

While you have it apart, check the inside of the burner pipe and remove any scale that has built up, which could come loose and reclog your jet.

Of course if you can get hold of a replacement jet you may find it worthwhile simply replacing the clogged one.


Whirlpool gas dryer diagnostics My Whirlpool gas dryer stopped working efficiently recently. Peering into the burner hole shows clearly that it is sparking when the dryer starts, but doesn't seem to reignite later on. I checked the thermostats, solenoids, and fuses in the front and back with an ohm meter and they are all closed. I also cleaned out the vent pipe, and the blower as well. Still not working well.

Does anyone have a recommendation for next steps?

I changed the ignitor and that resolved the issue.

I took it out, and the side of the ignitor facing the gas was dull,. The other side sparkled, like the new one I got. I wonder if I could have just flipped it over exposing the sparkled side to the gas -- the design was symmetrical. I considered it, but had already purchased the replacement.


How do I build a scratch-resistant computer desk for filming? I currently have a desk that takes quite a bit of room and scratches very easily since its painted wood. As it is, my room isn't that big to begin with. I want to build a floating desk (Wall mounted) where I can build my electrical projects and looks beautiful on video since ill be recording my projects to make tutorials. I've never build a desk so I am not very sure where to start. I will probably be building it in a corner so the desk curves. I want to avoid a wooden tabletop because many of the things i will be working with tend to scratch the surface. I have my desktop screen mounted on the wall to save room already. Ill probably put the tower in the middle under the desk. What materials should I buy to mount the desk? Also what can I use to help prevent the top of the desk from being scratched?

Look up DIY concrete countertops. Pretty easy and strong. You can find someone to weld a desk for you that will look modern for next to nothing out of square tubing.


Does an actual dimmer switch exist? I'm looking for a dimmer switch. Not a knob I can turn, an actual on/off switch.
I want to have dim lights for the bathroom, but rather than a knob just a switch that turns them on dim or off. And then another switch that turns them on full.
Does such a thing exist? I'm in the UK so needs to be compatible with UK wiring.

You're making it harder than it is. You're going to laugh when you realize.
It's common to have fixtures that take multiple bulbs
In the fixture wiring, they typically give separate access to each light's "live" wire.
So simplicity itself. Run power to the switch, then run 3-core wire from switch to light.  Now you can use the standard UK connection block to wire it so each bulb is controlled by a different switch.
Now, put a tiny bulb in one socket and a big bulb in the other.


Do I need to paint my house siding under my deck I have cedar siding on my Seattle home. I am repainting the house now and am wondering if I need to paint the siding that is below the deck level. My deck boards are pretty close together with about a cm gap between boards and the boards come flush and parallel to the side of the house. My deck is about 2 feet off the ground. Do I need to remove a few deck boards to paint the space under the deck? Any articles to support your answer would be great.

Cedar siding, while naturally rot-resistant, depends on a good sealer applied periodically to maintain its surface integrity and appearance. Whether you need to paint depends on the age of the existing finish, the conditions it's subjected to, and other factors not addressed in your post.

The bottom line is that you may extend the life of the siding by refreshing its sealer. Whether that's worth the effort is a judgement call.


Proper way to wire a sub panel to an attached garage? I am planning to install a new sub panel in my garage. My concern is following proper procedure/code. I contacted the local building code office and confirmed that they follow the 2014 NEC.

My main panel is located in an interior room approximately 40 feet from where I would like to install a 70 amp sub panel. For the 70 amp sub panel, I would run 3 4 gauge conductors (2 hot, 1 neutral) and 1 6 gauge ground (all wires THHN/THWN). Since they are individual wires, I would have to use conduit, so I was planning to use between 1" and 1.5" sch. 40 PVC conduit from the main panel all the way to the sub panel.

Since the main panel is in a finished area, my only thought is to cut the drywall beneath it and feed the wires from the panel through the floor and into the crawl space.

I am planning to use between 1" and 1.5" sch. 40 PVC for the 30 ft run in the crawl space where the crawl space ends at a wall which has a utility closet on the other side located in my garage.

Drilling through this wall would put me into the utility closet in my garage between my gas water heater and a utility sink. My thought was to continue with the conduit 7 ft vertically, then turn and run approximately 4 ft horizontally (and over the utility sink), turn a corner and proceed another 6 ft horizontally until I arrive where I would like the panel to be which would require 1 last turn down and into the panel.

Does my plan seem ok, or have I missed a part somewhere?

When wires get this large, using copper is just throwing money away.  2AWG aluminum is a very appropriate choice for this application.  Whatever ooga-booga you may have heard about aluminum, never applied to the large conductors like this, and doesn't apply to the new AA-8000 alloys.

How about EMT steel conduit?  Use that, and you don't need to pull a ground wire.  The EMT is the ground.  (Not only that, it's ground for any other circuit that needs to be grounded back to that panel, in case you are retrofitting grounds in an older home).

If possible, I would use 2" conduit.  I know the tables say 1.5" is adequate, but this assumes you have an electrician's truck chock full of pulling tools and I'm guessing you don't.  The more oversize you go, the easier the pull, and the less likely you'll need to hire the guy with the truck.  And guess what, he won't work with you unless you hire him for the whole job.  I managed to hire one just for the pull, but he was a friend of my family, and even he needed to delay the job a day so he could buy another tool he didn't have.  Anything you can do to ease the pull is a good idea.

Watch the bends.  Every bend makes the pull much harder.  When I lay conduit, I allow myself only one 90 degree bend between accessible points (Code allows 4, but you'd need a power winch and a bunch of lube to pull 3x#2AL around 4 of them! Yikes!)  Whenever you use a junction box or conduit body at a 90 degree bend, that replaces the bend with an accessible point!  Quite a bargain!  It also makes the turn sharper and neater.   If it were me, on a big one like this, I'd put an access point at every single 90... which would make the pull easy, and could make it workable with smaller pipe.  I still wouldn't go smaller than 1-1/2".

Food for thought (i.e. where to use a junction box instead of a conduit body), you can have up to 4 circuits in a single conduit.  (literally, 9 conductors, but grounds don't count, and neither do neutrals on split-phase 120/240 circuits and MWBCs, so you've only used 2 of 9.)


Connect Sonoff and physical switch with a lamp I want to connect smart Sonoff switch to lamp with physical on-off switch

I want these all scenarios to work:

when physical switch is off, I can turn the lamp on/off via sonoff switch
when physical switch is on, I can turn the lamp on/off via sonoff switch
when sonoff switch is on, I can turn the lamp off by physical switch

Can anyone tell me how to connect it?

You really can't do it that way. Your wall switch physically cuts the power off so that means the wifi switch isn't on anymore. What you could do is rewire the switch to remove the physical component (in other words the device would always be hot) and replace it with a compatible wifi switch like this one.

The catch here is you'll almost certainly need a neutral in the light switch box. Make sure you have one or you'll be re-running wire to that box to make this work.


Hanging curtain rods - metal stud above window? I live in a new construction and want to install curtain rods above my full height balcony door and windows.  I’d like to hang them half an inch above the window but my stud finder has a metal mode and seems to be identifying metal.  Is this a metal stud frame around the window?  Is it okay to drill or screw in?

If you are only 1/2" above the opening and there is a drywall return, you are probably detecting a drywall corner bead:

It is ok to drill a pilot hole through it and send a screw right through into the wood framework.


12' sliding door frame shimmed up against header and sagging at point where shimmed I have a sliding door with glass panels on each side, spanning a width of 12 feet.  The door has been sagging in the middle. It slides easily at the edge (when open), but drags near the center. I tore off the siding and flashing above the frame outside and found 2 1-inch wide shims between the header and the door frame right in the center of the door (shims lying on top of each other filling the approximate 1/4 inch gap)
It looks like the pinch in the slide is exactly at this point.  To my eyes, it seems that the header is putting its weight on those shims, pushing down on the frame.
A few questions:

Can I remove those shims? I cannot imagine that the 12' header was suppose to be supported by either the shims or the frame, so I think that I can do so safely.

Those shims are pinched pretty good... how do I remove them?  I could reach a saw blade in and just chip them out I suppose...

Should I be worried about the sag?  The house is 32 years old and with those shims any sag would be immediately felt by the door frame, so I can confirm the sag isn't that much since the door can still open and close.

Thanks very much for any help!  This is outside my normal DIY home repairs and experience, so any advice would be appreciated!

Without a full mental picture, here are my initial suggestions...
Can I remove those shims?
Probably. Head jamb anchor points are sometimes needed to prevent horizontal (in-out) movement in the frame, but if you have mounting flanges or something else on the door to do that they aren't needed. Most doors I've installed have been done without head jamb shims for just this reason.
How do I remove them?
A reciprocating saw (Sawzall) will cut the nails or screws and leave a bit more space to remove them. A flatbar as a lever can also relieve pressure.
Should I be worried about the sag?
You haven't told us what the header is, nor how much sag you're seeing. Chances are it has sagged all it's going to sag, unless the header was drastically undersized. Do you see evidence of sag above the header? If that's substantial and growing you should get an expert on site.


How do I know if my subfloor is fire retardant or preservative-treated? I'm getting ready to install COREtec Pro Plus LVP over a wooden subfloor in my 1985 second floor condo.  The installation instructions state that "Resilient flooring is not recommended directly over fire-retardant treated plywood or preservative treated plywood."  How do I know whether my floor falls into one of those categories?  It appears to be 3/4 tongue-and-groove plywood, and there are spots where it just looks like bare plywood, but there's a misty light beige over most of it, which is generally heavier closer to the walls, so I suspect it may simply be primer or something that was sprayed on the walls?  Any insights are appreciated, thanks!!

The concern is probably that adhesives won't bond to treated plywood, or maybe that color will leach out and stain the new flooring. You're right that you're seeing paint overspray on your subfloor. It looks like standard raw BC plywood.
Single-family residential subfloors are rarely treated, in my experience. This may not be true in some high population density communities with more rigid fire codes.
Fire-rated plywood is going to have that mentioned in a stamp on the bottom. There may not be a good way to determine whether it is from above. If you can find access to the underside from a basement ceiling you can probably see it.
Plywood treated for rot resistance is almost always green, and it's not readily available in tongue-and-groove configuration.


How to start a generator from a relay My goal is to turn on an electric generator remotely. I have a SMS (text message) controlled circuit board that has 7 relays. I can control each relay independently.  I want to send a text to essentially turn this generator that has a keyed, electric starter on it.

So, the first text should close a relay that allows energy to flow (ie. key in 'run' position). Second text will close a relay that initiates the starter for a few seconds (ie key to the 'start' position). The last text would interrupt the energy flow (ie key in off position) to stop the generator.

My question is: What wires do I need to use to allow energy flow ('run') and what wires to I need to use to initiate the starter ('start')? I have looked at the physical wiring and also the diagram but cannot figure it out. Before I do something that may harm things, I thought I'd post.

Below is the wiring diagram:

According to the schematic.

The unit is OFF, when IG and B are connected. To start the unit, connect ST and BAT. Once it's running, none of the contacts should be connected.

You're going to want to find a way to monitor the engine, so you know when it's running and can stop cranking the starter. You'll likely want to crank the starter in shortish intervals, rather than simply cranking until the engine starts.  You'll want a way to stop cranking the starter after x number of tries, so you don't keep cranking an engine that won't start. You'll also need a lockout mechanism, so that the device cannot start the generator when somebody is working on it or the system.

As for connecting to the homes electrical system. You're going to want to use properly installed transfer equipment. And you're going to want to make sure the installation is code compliant.

Finally... If you're going to be working on projects like this, you're going to want to learn how to read schematics.  It makes me slightly nervous that you're asking this question.


Light switch position in the room I'm trying to place a light switch in a sensible place in a new room being built as part of an extension.  I know that according to the building regulations, the switch must be at least 300 mm from any corner of a room. But what is "a corner?"

My room isn't rectangular shape and door opens essentially against the wall - see the diagram to get the general idea. I'd like to position the switch where red dot is. Yet it would be only about 80 mm from the end of that short wall. Is that allowed?  If not, the only other option is to position it on the wall at the bottom of the diagram, beyond the width of the door, but that's very inconvenient, frankly.

So, it is allowed to put the switch on the left of the door in this case? And, by the way, what's the reasoning behind the 300 mm rule?

This is in the UK.

EDIT: Reading the Part M, it seems that I may be OK, as the document specifically states a minimum of 300mm (measured horizontally) from an inside corner.  As in my case you could argue that it's not an inside corner, it may be allowed.  Yet, I'd like somebody more familiar with this to confirm.

That is not an "inside corner" so it looks to be allowed.

A switch at the point of the red dot seems to make the most sense and would be, in my opinion, where someone would "look" for it in the dark, etc.


How should I wire a ceiling fan remote where one switch is used to control the fixture? Ceiling has red, black, white, and ground wire.  Remote box has black and white wires on top (to ceiling) and black, white, and blue wires on the bottom (to fan). The fan has black, white, blue, and ground wire.  The blue wire is for the light.  The instructions that came with the fan tell you to connect all the same color wires, but never addresses the red wire. I called the company and they said to connect the red wire to the blue wires. This works except that in order for the fan to work, the light has to be on. The remote will control the fan speeds, but will not control the light as it should.

Hot wires are any color but white, gray or green.  Code isn't specific as to which.  Since there's only 1 switch and not 2, surely the red/black are a) always-hot, and b) switched-hot.   We don't know which is which - there's no standard.
Normally you shouldn't experiment, but in this case, it's alright.
Turn the breaker off. Hook up ground.  Hook up neutral.
Now, the blue wire on the fan is actually for the light.  Hook that to either red or black from the ceiling, and cap the other one off.  See what that does.  Then hook it to the other one and see what that does.  Results will be:

Is the light always-on?  That wire is always-hot.
Is the light controlled by the switch?  That wire is switched-hot, and leave this connected because that is what you actually want.

Now, on the fan control module, there's a blue wire you won't use. Cap that off.  Also cap off the control module's bottom white wire, since you can't use it.
After that it's downhill; the only thing is you'll be adding the box's top white wire to the neutrals.