Can I connect the ground pin of the wall socket to neutral? I have leaking currents issues in my apartment. There are some appliances in the apartment that don't have a problem with a wall socket that doesn't have a ground; like, TV, mobile charger, laptop charger, water heater, clothes washer, electric oven and router.

But there are other appliances that have a problem and need grounding to get rid of these leaking currents in the apartment which are; the PC rig power supply and my dish washer, but what is the reason of getting electric shock in my apartment ! I don't know.

The dish washer most the time shock me when I touch its internal metal surface, and my PC power supply is under the stress of leaking currents all the time ! Every time I touch the edges of the case I get an electric shock.

I thought the power supply is faulty, and I bought a new one and the same problem ! Then I learned that power supply need the ground but why exactly, I don't know.

======================================================================

Now it come to the configuration of electrical installation in my country. We now in modern cities, have 3-ph, star connection to the main panel of each apartment. Between each phase is 391V and any phase with neutral is 220V.

I think the neutral is also connected to the earth because in the main panel there's a big black wire that's going down with the 3-ph cables too. But I'm not sure if it's really going to a REAL ground of the building.

========================================================================

OK guys I have some new stuff I found inside the apartment :)

Today I did a trick that my colleagues told me to do.

Which is to connect the power strip and measure the voltages between L-GND and N-GND, and the results are interesting !

Without a power strip, that if I connect the DMM to the wall outlet directly then I won't find any voltages between L-GND and N-GND. But when I connect the power strip I find that L-GND gives 103V and N-GND 85V !! Why that ??

There are the photos I took this evening.

I did 2 tests with the DMM. 1 is using only one DMM probe and the other is floating 2 using both DMM probes.

First floating test:

This is live because it gives 23V

This is of course is neutral

Voltage from L-GND and N-GND on the power strip:

This should be L-GND because it's higher voltage of 103V

This is N-GND

This is the power strip from inside:

UPDATE - OCTOBER 26th 2019.

The OP has now connected the neutral to ground at the power socket.
This is against all advice from all people commenting.
He is completely ignoring the advice supplied by everyone.
He is wasting their time.

People who do what this guy has done this will kill themselves and their friends.

Don't be like this guy.

_____________________________________

Doing what you suggest may be fatal.
Dying will mean you do not have the problem any more but is not the best solution.
Ground and Neutral are NOT identical in functionality and need to be isolated from each other in use (despite being connected at the switchboard).

  There are some appliances in the apartment that don't have a problem with a wall socket that doesn't have a ground; ... But there are other appliances that have a problem and need grounding to get rid of these leaking currents

If, as you appear to be saying, the problem occurs with only some appliances only when a power outlet without ground is used then the correct solution is to use outlets which DO have a correct ground connection.

The reason that the problem exists is probably due to noise reduction capacitors in the input circuitry to the appliances concerned. There are two "Y" capacitors connected between ground and Phase & Neutral. When the ground lead is correctly connected the two capacitors 'carry noise currents to ground'. But, when the ground connection is floating the two capacitors form a voltage divider between phase and neutral, with the appliance chassis ground at the midpoint between the two capacitors - forming a high impedance connection at about half supply voltage. This then causes electric shocks between the appliance body at about Vmains/2 and a user connecting between boy and ground (via shoes or hands or ...) will feel a shock. This is usually unpleasant but nowhere near as severe as a full mains to ground shock. If the shock you feel is more a highly unpleasant bite than a muscle spasming grabbing blow then you are probably experiencing a Y capacitor shock.
Use a grounded outlet!


replacing older switches/outlets. House wired 12/2. Breakers with 2 small sw for 15a service. What switches/outlets to use? house wired with 12/2.  Uses breakers with two small switches I assume for 15a service.  Trying to replace sw/outlets with modern units.  Old units took the 12ga wire for push in connections, are there modern units that will do the same?  All I can find are units that only take 14ga.

Why would you even want that?  Push-in (we call them "backstab") connections are notoriously unreliable.  They are the direct cause of most "some of the outlets on the circuit went dead" type problems.  Those result in a great deal of wheel-spinning for the novice DIY homeowner, as well as a lengthy "bug hunt", since it's a 50/50 chance whether it failed at the last good outlet, or the first bad one.   It can take a homeowner a day of tail-chasing just to realize that.
The backstabs rated for multiple sizes of wire (#12 and #14) are even more unreliable, which is why UL revoked their listings.  There is no such thing as a receptacle that takes #12 backstabs.  The remaining backstabs on the market are #14 only.
If you're back-wiring because the wires are too short, that's a Code violation. Wires must come out 3" beyond the surface of the wall and be at least 6" of free length inside the box.  You'd need to pull more cable in from inside the wall, if there's slack; otherwise move the box, replace the cable or extend it with an in-wall splice.
Needless to say, wire length is precious, and you should release or simply twist out the wires out of the old backstabs, NOT snip them off.
If you are not comfortable using the side screws, then step up from the 60 cent outlets to the $2.50 outlets, which provide a scheme many call "screw-and-clamp".  This allows the screw to be also used as a clamp mechanism to allow back-wiring up to 2 wires under each screw.  GFCI receps also provide this.


Install a Wi Fi thermostat Trying to install a WiFi thermostat. I have the unused blue wire which I believe is the common wire. It is unused both and the furnace level as well as on my current thermostat. However there is already a white wire in the COM: connection at the furnace. So I have no open terminal.

]2

There's nothing wrong with adding another wire to the COM terminal at your furnace.
Just use the spare blue wire there along with the existing white wire from the other cable.


Does drywall surrounding breaker panel pose fire risk? My breaker panel for my house is covered partially by drywall. We are located in maryland but this house is built in the 80s so I’m guessing code back then was not super strict about this. The basement wall was originally drywall And then partially bricked over for a fireplace near it. The drywall covers part of the panel such that the panel cover screws over the drywall. I am thinking this could be a fire concern. I have attached the pic.
Contemplating using my oscillating cutter to Carefully trim out the remaining pieces of drywall so the cover sits directly on the panel but not sure if worth doing if not an issue. Also considering potentially having panel replaced to include latest Afci/gfci protection but not sure if that’s really worth it since I haven’t had many issues.

**Updated remove drywall

Wire nutted the two lose wires that went to old 40amp breaker.

You're going to need to unmount this box and move it forward slightly, because there's no other way out of this situation
The root cause of your issues is that the drywall was inserted as an (improper) "shim" to work around the fact that your breaker panel was mounted too deeply into the wall.  You see, not only does the current situation violate NEC 312.4 due to the hole in the top left by the missing drywall, but most plug-on breakers rely on the cover at least somewhat to prevent breakers from "tipping" out as Harper illustrates (the friction of the jaws on the stab also helps retain the breaker, but putting forces on that isn't good for the electrical contact surface there).  Furthermore, whacking a replacement surface mount cover on the box is no good because that causes the finish surface of the wall to infringe on the NEC 110.26(A) clear working space of the panel, even if you were OK with living with the finish issues a surface mounted enclosure poses when mounted in a finished wall.
So, you'll need to have your electric utility kill power at your meter to let you adjust how this panel's mounted; fortunately, most power companies can do that for free these days as long as you call within normal business hours, thanks to the rise of smart meters.  Once the power's off, you can then remove the existing mounting screws, slide ½" plywood shims behind the panel, then screw the panel back in through the shims so that it sits flush with the finish wall.  With that out of the way, you can mount the flush cover back to the box and have it mostly corrected, although there is merit to patching the hole above the box once you have it moved forward to the correct depth.


Can voltage fluctuation cause heater thermostat to flare up? As the title says can voltage fluctuation cause thermostats to flare up?
I noticed light (led bulbs) would randomly flicker (but its not consistent)
It happens at most twice a day, or once every few days
As per my research, this can be caused by noise in electricity or voltage fluctuation
I know this can shorten the life of LED bulb and can also damage other electrical devices
can this also damage electric thermostats and cause them to flare up?
I am bit super paranoid, that this could happen, and troubleshooting voltage issue seem
like a very hard problem
long story short, unless the electrician see the problem happen in front of him, they cant do much, and as I said the light blinking happens at most twice a day, or once every few days
so the chance that the electrician will see it happen, or be able to measure it during his visit is very small
I am not super worried about changing LED bulbs every two years, instead of ten
I am more worried, it would cause serious damage to more critical devices, specifically thermostats, and wonder how can I protect myself
I need to add, that the current thermostats are only one year old
And we changed them because the old one did just that flare up (i.e. raise temp to the max, then reset), but the old thermostats, were very old, so its unclear if they were damaged because of voltage fluctuation or because they were old
The other thing I noticed is my LED bulbs not reaching near the 10 years claim ( and the random  blinking )

Yes voltage surges can cause problems with electronic thermostats and other devices.
A whole house surge protector is the best protection for surges on the grid.
I live in Oregon and we have lumber mills in my area (many of them) having customers that were on the same sub station as a mill I had customers that regularly saw what you are seeing and had everything from tv failures to refrigerators failing much more than often.
I installed a surge suppresser in one home similar to the one I had put in my home.
This did not last so we went with a much larger one.
Several years later because the unit had lasted and no more damaged electronics all the neighborhoods had me install suppressors a few did it them selves.
I started recommending the largest whole house surge suppressor that they could afford. One neighborhood every single home installed and almost totally eliminated the problem for years (I moved away but still hear from old customers now and then)
Why get the largest you can afford? If having damage due to surges the devices use MOV’s metal oxide varistors. These dump the excess voltage to ground and if large enough will last for many years but some folks only purchased small-mid sized units and these units degrade when they take a hit larger than there wattage. So the they needed to upsize. If you don’t have a lot of damage a mid sized one may do it.
If voltage spikes are routine and happen daily you may not have a lumber mill but you may have an industrial plant or building with elevators that cause line surges. On the same sub station causing spikes and a surge suppressor at your main panel is the best way to protect your electronics for the entire home from surges.
If you get a surge suppressor make sure it has built in monitoring usually 2 led lights that show the system is functional. (They the suppressors can fail and this means that failure saved equipment in the house).
When installing this kind of equipment I check the torque on all breakers (especially on aluminum wire) do this or ask your electrician to do it only takes a few minutes to verify all the small breakers then adjust the torque for the large breakers and check them (in some cases it can reduce power issues in your home).


How to determine level of rust inside air compressor chamber(s)? I've had my Makita MAC2400 about 8 years now, used it mostly indoors for remodeling and some in my shed for auto repairs. I've never drained condensed water from the inside until a friend showed me this video about how rust can make them explode. I had about 1-2 oz of rusty water come out when I drained it.

How can I determine the firmness and reliability of my air compressor with regard to the rust inside its air chambers?

You should send it out for a hydro test. They fill it with water to 1.5x service pressure to test it. You could do it yourself... remove all attachments, rig a pressure gauge on there, fill it with water all the way, pump it up with a grease gun. I've never done it at home before but there is ample instruction on the web.


How to fix rotten wood hole near sink? I’ve got a nasty hole near the sink.
I guess the water gets out after dish washing underneath and rots the wood.
Is there a way to fix this without having to replace the whole vinyl?
I can probably find the paint color but not sure how to fill up the hole. Much appreciate any help.

That bench is beyond economical repair, or practical, repair.
If all the rotten wood were cut out the hole would probably be three times larger.
As a band-aid get a scrap of Formica sheet (or similar kitchen laminate) and fix it to the surface with duct tape.  the tape may need to be renewed every week.


How to get rid of 4-5cu yards of topsoil/sod/dirt I'm going to be digging up the top 6-8 inches of an 18 square yard plot (41"x48') of lawn grass (easement strip between sidewalk and road).  The 3-4cuyd volume will probably load as 4-5cuyd. There is no place on the property to place it.  It needs to go.  It has a high clay content.

I could make 8-10 15mi round trips to a business that will take it for $20 per pickup truck load, which would be a lot of extra brute somethingoranother. I like digging with a shovel, but not the hauling and unloading etc.

What are the options to avoid pickup trucking it away myself, but still claim to be king of the neighborhood el cheapos??

It's easy access. Are there tiny excavators that could it, with that and the hauling for essentially the same price as getting hauled?

Post it for FREE on Craigslist.

People are always looking for fill for various reasons.


Z-Wave Dimmer Wiring in 3-Way Configuration I have an existing dimmer and a toggle switch configured in 3-way configuration.

The toggle switch has a single 12/4 attached.

The dimmer has 2 12/3s (I guess).  Both of the grounds are wired to a common ground.  One of the 12/3s has the black wired to the dimmer and the white wired to common neutral.  The second has a white and a red wire wired to the two red wires coming out of the dimmer.

I'm a little befuddled by the configuration.  It seems like maybe the red/white pair are the travelers for the remote toggle switch, but I'm confused by the black wire coming out of the remote switch's 12/4.

It seems like maybe that's going to load (it's a light fixture).  But, if that's going to load, what's going on with the other 12/3 in the dimmer box?

If any of that makes sense to you, is there a ZWave dimmer I can put here?

Thanks!!

EDIT

I may be describing the wires incorrectly.  In my count, I'm including ground.

Well, I did a fair amount of investigating so I'll answer my own question here in case someone else comes across it in a search.

I have two switches.  A primary switch with a dimmer and a secondary switch.  The secondary switch has line, ground, and 2 travelers.  The primary switch has 2 travelers and load.

That's why the secondary switch has only one wire group coming in and the primary has 2.  One 12/2 is for the load and the other 12/2 has the travelers.

As for the ZWave switch for this configuration, there are myriad options.  I did get a ZWave dimmer in there repurposing one of the travelers to get line into the dimmer box from the secondary box.

This, unfortunately, precludes putting the secondary switch in.

Most ZWave secondary remotes I've seen require a neutral line which I don't have in the secondary box.

There are some ZWave remotes that don't require a neutral but they're often powered by a small trickle of current that can cause LEDs to light dimly or for fluorescent ballasts to flicker and be damaged.

I have a plan for how to update this wiring so that I can get both switches to operate again and I'll update this answer if I come up with something.


Check if propane gas tank is almost empty? We have a 100-lb propane gas tank that we use for our gas stove.

We never know if the tank's almost empty, and I always wonder if we're changing it too soon.

Is there an accessory that I can add to the line that will let me know how much gas is left?

Thanks.

Yes there is, but it's not added to the feed line. It's an astonishingly simple device. It's a liquid crystal thermometer mounted on a magnetic strip. You apply the strip (after it's been flattened out from the packaging) to the tank in a vertical orientation.

Pour boiling hot water (is that redundant?) over the tank area around the strip. This causes the propane in the tank to vaporize in that area, cooling the liquid down and warming the gas. The thermal capacities of the strip change color and the line between the two colors shows the level.

I've used it a few times, although my color-blindness required another set of eyes to determine the correct level.

Since then, I've purchased a Flir-One which also presents temperature differences by color change. No need for the strip, just the hot water on the tank and the level is clearly indicated on the screen.

The magnetic strip is orders of magnitude less expensive than a Flir-One, but far less entertaining.

The image above shows my tanks. The left one having been doused with hot water, the right one in progress.


What is the purpose of this Y shaped bit? I have bought a bits set and there is this bit:

It is a Y shaped bit, and there is a groove on the inside of the branches. The angle is approximatively 90˚ (a little more).

It's a bit for screwing in eye bolts, or hooks.

Attach the bit to your driver handle or power driver.
Fit the eye bolt into the groove.
Screw the bolt in/out, without hurting your fingers.

The list of bits in this set, lists it as a "Y-shape hook driver".


Main water line replacement pipe Hello,

I am currently working on running a new water system from the city water to my house. I have several concerns:

Is PEX with sand a good method of running water from city to house? Will it withstand water pressure and not burst?

Which side is the homeowners responsibility? Or rather, which side am I changing the pipe on? If I cut the wrong side, we know amiss things happen. More information is described in the above image.

Also, given a 5/8" meter, what pipe size would be used for connecting the pipe from meter to house?

I probably shouldn't be asking more than 1 question in one thread, but the answer as to which side the homeowner is responsible is probably the most important.

Thanks in advance

I have not seen a minimum code for size on the customer side, with that said most homes do have a minimum of 3/4" pipe with 1" being common on longer distances.

All of the properties I have owned the customer was responsible after the meter. In 1 town I did have to replace the meter, the meter had to be purchased from the city.

I would go with 1" to reduce any pressure drop to the home. I would check with the city or water district to make sure there are no restrictions or requirements you may be unaware of. I have seen PVC, copper, and galvanized pipe used to connect to city water systems.

Since you did not say anything about the age of your home it was common in years past to use incoming water line as the grounding electrode. If you replace the line with non metallic please check your grounding electrode system. I have found several homes that had their supplies updated with PVC that removed the ground and did create a hazard but 2 new ground rods needed to be added to these houses to make the electrical system safe again.


Electrical outlet on a dimmer switch? I live in an older house and have some outlets in our kitchen that don't make sense to me. We have one outlet that is tied to a dimmer switch on the opposite side of the room. I can detect that the outlet is hot using my voltage detector (when the dimmer switch is all the way on), but it pulses. I get about 6-7 beeps, then it skips one, beeps 6-7 more times, skips, continue. My GFCI tester shows an open hot. The outlet doesn't work.

I'm not very experienced with electrical work but this sounds highly unusual to me. Where should I start with fixing the issue?

Outlets are not supposed to be dimmed!

While this might seem like a good idea if you wanted to plug in a table lamp that lacked its own dimmer, it creates a dangerous situation since outlets can accommodate any device with a plug, and some devices, such as many motors, react very badly to the output of a dimmer. It is forbidden under 404.14(E):

  General use dimmer switches shall be used only to control permanently installed incandescent luminaires unless listed for the control of other loads and installed accordingly.

The other load dimmers are for fluorescent, LED or CLF fixtures. Dimmers are not listed for standard outlets.

The first thing I would do is replace the dimmer with a standard switch. (Done with power from the breaker turned off.) I would also check the outlet to see if it appears to be wired correctly -- black wire to brass, white wire to silver, green/bare to ground. Restore power and check the outlet again.

Supplement
Also see the answer by @ThreePhaseEel that explains specialized outlets that can be dimmed, and the associated code.


How to block wind between rooms I am living in an old (renovated) flat which size 25 m2 in Riga.
However, there is the wind feeling all the time.
There is very bad isolation in the corridor.
In my apartment, there is no isolating door between two rooms.

This apartment is not my apartment so I am not going to invest much to it.

What is a good way to decrease to amount of windy feeling in the apartment?
Some Chinese curtains or something isolating material in front of the window?

I know around here there is a kind of temporary transparent caulking that can be put around windows and such to prevent air flow. In the winter, it prevents cold air to come in, and in the summer it can be put around window air conditioning units to prevent warm air from coming in and cool air from going out.

This type of caulking is easy to remove at the end of the season.

Last year we used plastic film taped around the windows to prevent air from coming in. This year we'll try that caulk, which worked very well during the summer.

If air is coming from under your main door, you could try and put a towel when the door is closed, or a carpet, even.

(The goal here is to prevent air from even coming into your apartment.)


Getting new drywall panels aligned to older ones on a wall I'm in a 1970 house where the drywall was both nailed and glued to the studs. Whenever I have to replace a panel that runs up against an existing one I have the problem that the extra glue depth, plus the age and years of paint on the old panels, means that the new panel is maybe 2 or 3mm less deep than the old one. Attempting to feather this out seems crazy. Putting something like liquid nails down the back seems wacky as it would require a ton of glue to eventually dry out to 3mm thick and I'm sure all I'd end up with is a lot of popped screw heads over time. Shims maybe... Or do I just resign myself to having to skim 3mm of compound on every board? That feels like too much to be the right solution.

Do not coat the entire face of the drywall with compound to make it thicker. That is really hard to get right and will only serve to frustrate you. The way I see it, there are three options here that I would consider in your situation.

If I have to replace drywall in a room, replace all of the drywall. This is a bit of extra work, but the end result will be really good. Plus, it provides an opportunity to inspect wiring, plumbing, insulation, etc. that is covered by the drywall and repair anything else that needs it in the process. You can also make improvements such as adding outlets or switches.
Shims behind the drywall, which you already mentioned. This is probably the easiest way to get a consistent wall. I would attach the shims to the studs first. Maybe use a table saw to make some thin furring strips which you can glue horizontally across the studs before lifting the drywall into position.
Feather out the edges. The new drywall panels will be slightly inset from the originals, but at least there will not be any hard edges. As long as you are not painting with semigloss and the lighting is kind it should not be noticeable unless you already know to look for it.


Cutting off electrical supply to replace consumer unit I have a 1946-built semidetached house in the UK, which has a standard 10-way consumer unit installed. Now, after having a new extension built, I need to replace it with another CU (10-way isn't enough any more; plus the old one doesn't satisfy changed regulations).  I'm confident enough to do the job - and then have it inspected by the qualified electrician. Yet, for obvious reasons, I need to cut off power supply to the CU.

The picture below shows the entry point.  The large red/black wires at the top are the ones going to the meter - and then from there to the CU. Is there anything on this entry point that I can use to cut off power supply?  Or do I need to contact the power company?

That is the supply fuse you cannot touch that. It is under the control of the Distribution Network Operator (DNO). It is a legal offence to touch it and it will have steel twist tags on it that have a stamped number on it which is recorded with the DNO so they know if it has been tampered. However after it should be the supply meters and then it should go to an isolator. You are supposed to turn off the isolators and and you can modify the installation after that point. However changing a CU is notifiable work in the U.K it is not something you are supposed to do yourself without being a competent Electrician.


How to install rubber paver around edges of synthetic grass area? I have a 15x20 synthetic grass area and I want to put something "soft" around the edges for the kid. My plan is to use rubber paver:

Like the 16x16 from Lowe's:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/Rubberific-Brown-Square-Rubber-Paver-Common-16-in-x-16-in-Actual-16-in-x-16-in/3715056

The questions I have are:

How to secure / bolt each of the paver down so they don't move? They are quite light and people kicking around will push them. Plus, one edge is the synthetic grass which is very soft by itself.
Should I put the rubber paver on the crushed rocks minus (1/2" or 5/8" as same as what underneath synthetic grass)? Or this kind of rubber paver should be on top of hard surface like concrete or another paver (either concrete or stone)?

Thanks.

UPDATE 1

I just installed the synthetic grasses and they look like this

It is very low to the rocks. Here is the top down. I nail the edges of the grasses by 10" nails so they won't move.

I see that they are not very thick (one inch), but perhaps they are still heavy enough (5.4 lbs each). If you dig the dirt out, so that the top of the paver is level with the soil, then the paver should be held in place by the edge of the soil. Sand between them will help keep them from moving. There are also paver edge retstraints that you can buy/use:


Do I have to turn off the main water supply to replace tub/shower faucets & screws? My enclosed shower/tub combo hot water knob just spins & won't turn the water on...I popped the front cover open to tighten the screw only to find that it is stripped (my son had being turning it on/off like this for some time but failed to tell me!) Can I just change out the stripped screw & knob with new ones without turning off the main water supply? I've got the needed materials, I just have no access to the back of the shower  & not sure if I remove the stripped screw & faucet without turning water off first, will it spray a fountain of water into my face or will it be ok ? Thank you for any help or advice. I'm pretty handy with most home repairs, just haven't done too much plumbing by myself & have nobody to ask.

Every shower handle and regulator is a bit different.

See the picture below which is just an example:

If you are really just replacing the handle - which is really items 1-4 (and sometimes 5-6 or sometimes 5-6 don't exist) - then no you do not need to turn off the water.  But just by the nature of doing this you are probably going to move the stem and get sprayed with water off and on, or just on if I am doing it.

As every manufacturer is a little different there are various reasons why handles get loose.  This example shows a more gears/bushing connection, some manufacturers use a specific shape (square/rectangle/hex) to connect the handle.

The reason why I not this is sometimes 5-6 is stripped and the handle is fine.  And sometimes 5-6 is really part of the main regulator and as soon as you start moving them water starts coming out of 8.  So if you are sure you are just putting on the handle you do not need to turn off the water.  But once you start touching other things turn off the water and turn on the faucet at the lowest point in your house (this will help drain the lines so you don't get a half gallon of kickback in your walls).

As a side note: Turning off the water for your house should be a simple process of turning a valve.  You should not be scared to do this and this is good practice as you might need to turn it off in an emergency situation.  All adults living at a house should be OK with turning on/off the water and power to house.  Also the bathroom or shower could have its own shutoff valve.  For a shower this would usually be the floor below and sometimes (not often) under the sink.


electricity no power in 3 outlets located in my living room I have 3 outlets that are not working. When I use a meter and it reads red to the left and yellow far right? I checked the circuit breaker and it's not tripped? I don't have a GFCI outlet, just standard outlets. When I plug my lamp in I get no power or anything. I still have all power in the entire rest of the house. I continue to switch breakers off and on in the panel still nothing happens. Can anyone tell me what is wrong?

It is most likely a bad connection in a receptacle somewhere in the circuit. The problem is almost certainly in the first dead receptacle or the last working one if the circuit is wired in a typical modern fashion (wired one to the next).

I have no idea what you mean by "i use a meter and it reads red to the left and yellow far right?", but you need to check for voltage to the circuit neutral. It is also possible for the hot (live) side to be connected, but the neutral to be open, which will give you a live reading but the circuit itself will still show as dead.


Is this outlet wired for 240 volts? I wired an outside outlet plug on my back porch and ran it off my breaker box, used a 20 amp breaker, used 14/2 wire, hooked the white and black wires to the outlet plug and cut the ground wire off short (the guy at Home Depot told me to do it that way).

I used a double 20 amp breaker and wired white on top and black on bottom and ground to the strip with all the screws in it, which in that same strip it does have a ground connected to it from a 240 RV outlet, all within the breaker panel. So would that be considered having it wired for 240? The breaker does not trip, just keeps blowing bulbs.

I tried the plug with some Christmas lights and they came on fine, but then I plugged in a lamp and it immediately blows the bulb. I tried 3 more bulbs and the same results, does the ground wire have to be connected too? or should I use a 15 amp breaker instead of the 20? or is my wire I'm using too small of a gauge? Help!

First off. With a 20 ampere breaker, you must use at least 12 AWG copper conductors. The 14 AWG you used is to small, and should be replaced.

Second. By connecting the wires to a double pole breaker, you've indeed created a 240 volt circuit.  If that was your intention, you should have installed a NEMA 6-20 receptacle. This would have prevented you from plugging 120 volt loads into the receptacle, as the prongs would not have fit. If this was not your intention, you should rewire the circuit using a single pole breaker.

Third. You should not have cut the grounding conductor short. You should have connected it to the grounding screw on the receptacle, and to the box if it is metal.

Lastly. It sounds like you don't know much about electrical work, and should likely contact a local licensed Electrician.


How do you encapsulate vinyl asbestos tiles and black mastic in a home basement? My basement contains VAT and black mastic (where missing tiles used to be). I want to encapsulate the tiles and mastic and install a floating floor. Do I need to use a self-leveling product over the black mastic? What product can be used to seal the tiles? Thank you.

I would fill any voids where there are missing tiles. If you want to paint the tiles that encapsulates it but the underlayment foam for the floating floor will be enough to do the same. If you do not use a underlayment foam the flooring will wear through paint and even some less expensive epoxy paints so a quality underlayment helps in the long run to decouple cold, moisture from the slab.


Correct order of operations for caulking + sealing bathroom tile? Around my bathtub I have tile, and the old latex caulk where the tub and tile meet is cracked so I've removed all the caulk and am ready to put new silicone caulk down. However, I would also like to seal the all of tile using the 511 Impregnator sealant.

My question; Should I caulk around the tub first and let cure, and then do the sealant? Or the other way around?

Tub meets tile

Tile meets floor. Ok to caulk over stuck grout? Should I re-grout this area instead?

Those answers are all wrong, I've been a general contractor for thirty years and have had to repair other "experts" work on a regular basis.

seal tile first.
clean very well with acetone or lacquer thinner and let dry
tape off both tub and sealed tile with blue tape so your completed job looks nice.
fill the entire void with polyurethane such as sidewinder to completely fill void(do not grout there the movement of the tub WILL crack the grout).
wipe it down with your finger dipped in paint thinner then pull tape and discard and wipe one more time with your finger to lay edges flat.


Understanding Fence Code for New Fence I'm planning to build a privacy fence around our property. I want it to be as tall as the local code allows. I'm having trouble understanding the code for out lot.
Does the plan above follow code?
Since it is a corner lot does fence on the side near the side road have to be 6 ft?
What layout would be code?
Thanks for all the help!

You don't say where you are located but based on my experience and looking at your code, I would say you have problems with the fence in your drawing. Your fence exceeds 4 feet where it extends beyond the front of both houses on either side. To be sure, you should show your plan to your local building department (you probably need to do that anyway to obtain a building permit). They are the ones you need to convince.


How to repair my fuse panel I want to replace a block in my fuse panel that broke when I pulled a fuse holder out. I have placed my method alongside a pic of the panel. I am wondering if this seems reasonable to do or if I am missing something I may have to remove also. There is no wiring connected to that block at all. Thanks


Need a gas cooker but have no gas supply I am not sure about the terminology, i.e if it's called an electric cooker, burner, stove or something else.  So I'll just refer to it as a electric or gas cooker to simplify things.

We don't have a gas supply to our house in the UK as we have moved to a more remote location.  We did have a gas supply in our old house and are finding the electric cooker in the new house extremely slow.  So I started looking into bottled gas, but I am not sure which direction to go in as I have so many options.

For example, do I get propane, butane, or something else?  Which kind of pipe will I need, what kind of regulator will I need? What kind of cooker will I need?

So far I have seen the following, but am not sure if these are safe for internal use and also I am not sure if these are the most economical options.  1 of my requirements is that I need a nice strong hot flame to I can get cooking done quicker.

Gas cooker

Regulator

Pipe with clips

Gas

In rural locations in the US, propane is often used as a fuel for cooking and heating. The gas is stored in an outdoor tank and piped into the house. Propane burns hotter than methane ("natural gas"). Therefore you may need a special stove to use propane, and if you want to hook up appliances such as a water heater or clothes dryer, you will definitely need models designed for propane.

Piping for gas is a high-stakes job: if you mess it up the odds of it killing or hurting you are significant. Your local law almost certainly requires that only licensed professionals work on gas lines for this reason. With propane, there may also be special ventilation or safety system requirements. So for all these reasons you should start by calling some vendors/installers and asking for proposals from them. You want to figure out whatever is common in your area, and do that -- sticking with whatever's common will make it easier to shop around for fuel deliveries and repairs, and doing something unusual or amateur around gas lines is a sure way to scare off potential buyers if you ever sell your house. In fact, if your system wasn't installed professionally and passed government inspection, I'd be surprised if anyone would even sell you fuel.

So although this is the DIY stackexchange, some jobs are really only for professionals. Get recommendations from neighbors and call around.


How should I connect these beams to the posts? I am making a freestanding 13' x 13' covered patio. the posts in the 4 corners will be  6" x 6" x 8 to 9 feet tall. I am looking for connection ideas on the beams that connect on top of the  6" x 6" posts. I will be using either  6" x 10" or 4" x 10" beams. I know Simpson strong ties has a ECCLQ-SDS bracket that will connect two beams at the top of each post, but I am just looking for other ideas that might be nicer, as strong as, cheaper and different than Simpson Strong tie.

If you want to avoid the steel braces and have an attractive, complete wood look that is also strong, there are a few ways. A combination of strongbacks on the outside faces of the posts and cornice braces from the post to under the beams would look great and stabilize the beams.

The strongbacks are short 2X4 pieces, perhaps champhered, top and bottom,  that would screw into the post and also the beam on the outside parameter. Two are required for each post. The beams should be cut at 45 degree miter angles or notched to fit together and lay on top of the posts.  The cornice braces typically are triangles or 45 degree braces that mount to the sides of the posts and the bottom of the beams. Again, two per post are required. You can then screw some timber ties or long lags down through the beams from the top into the posts.

you can fancy up the cuts on the strongbacks and braces to enhance the style.  The combination of beams sitting on top of the posts with side and bottom support is extremely strong.


How can I put a new connector on an RF cable? I bought a house not long ago, and the coax cable from the antenna that comes through the wall looks like it's been chewed or mangled somehow. It's missing the connector too.

I'm thinking about how I'll want to use this to get TV into this room. So I'll need to put a new end on. How do I do that?

You'd be looking for a coax compression tool. Something along these lines...


What to best use to build an artificial wall in my house? trying to build a wall in my new rented house to separate one big room into two smaller ones. Any recommendations on what to use and on how to build this?

Given that it's a rental, I'm assuming this is intended to be a temporary structure. I'd look at using some sort of storage as a wall. The Ikea Expedit shelves work well as room dividers, if you're only looking to divide the space.


Electric wire fishing So I've started finishing my basement.  First thing is to put LED recessed lights in.  I'm going to string 4-6 LEDs together......problem is the ceiling is fixed and I don't feel like tearing the whole thing down to do the wire.  My basement is made up of two sections....both 13x30.  So picture two giant rectangular rooms side by side, separated by a cinder block wall.  One side has a finished ceiling, one does not.  So basically I have to somehow string the wire from the one side, to the unfinished side, go a coupe, feet, and head back to where the next light will be.

I can't crawl from one side to the other and grab the wiring.  What's the best way?  Get one of those fish poles from Lowes?

If the joists are going the right way, yes get some poles. If they're not, you're cutting open the ceiling anyway.

I live where you have to use EMT conduit so I would ultimately get more use out of a flexible fish tape, and I could make it hop down a ceiling cavity well enough for this purpose, but if you live in plastic land you might get more use out of a set of poles and find them to be ideal.


How can I use a 240 volt circuit for 240v and 120v appliance as per code? I have a double wall oven (40 amps) on a separate circuit and want to replace with single wall oven (20 amps) and wall microwave (120v, 2000 watt). How can I use the 240v feed to supply the wall oven (240v) and microwave (120v)? Is this code compliant. The reason for asking is that a new wire is difficult to lay in existing home.

If the microwave is going to be plugged in to a receptacle, which almost all are, then the following articles apply:

406.4 General Installation Requirements.  Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article 210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).
(A) Grounding Type.  Except as provided in 406.4(D) [this refers to replacing old two prong receptacles and doesn't apply to your case], receptacles installed on 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits shall be of the grounding type. Grounding-type receptacles shall be installed only on circuits of the voltage class and current for which they are rated, except as provided in Table 210.21(B)(2) and Table 210.21(B)(3).

This is a crude recreation of the Table, notice 40 amp circuits require 40 amp receptacles.

Table 210.21(B)(3) Receptacle Ratings for Various Size Circuits
Circuit Rating (Amperes) : Receptacle Rating (Amperes)
15 : Not over 15
20 : 15 or 20
30 : 30
40 : 40 or 50
50 : 50

This means a receptacle on a 40 amp circuit has to be rated 40 or 50 amps.
If your microwave is hard-wired, then there is an exception to allow taps on a 50 amp circuit but not on anything smaller so this exception does not apply to your 40 amp circuit.

210.19(A)(3) Exception No. 1: Conductors tapped from a 50-ampere branch circuit supplying electric ranges, wall-mounted electric ovens, and counter-mounted electric cooking units shall have an ampacity of not less than 20 amperes and shall be sufficient for the load to be served. These tap conductors include any conductors that are a part of the leads supplied with the appliance that are smaller than the branch-circuit conductors. The taps shall not be longer than necessary for servicing the appliance. [This means the microwave would have to be hard-wired with minimum #12 wire.]

So, after reading through these articles, my opinion is that you will need to run a separate circuit for the microwave. And as long as you are doing it, you should make it a 20 amp circuit to allow for a higher powered microwave. In this case, doing the difficult thing is the safer and Code compliant thing.
Good luck!


What is the best way to semi-permanently seal and waterproof a pipe containing two cables? So I have an outdoor water fountain and there are two cables that go from inside the water fountain through a 1" PVC pipe to a dry junction box outside.  The cables are for a submersible DC pump for the water fountain and for lighting.

Inside the dry junction box is an AC/DC adaptor for the pump and a high voltage to low voltage AC transformer for the lights, both of which shouldn't get wet.  Unfortunately the junction box is below the water level of the fountain, so any leak in the pipe will be problematic.

I did a test run with one cable and a conical shaped rubber stopper which I drilled a hole in to run the single cable.  I also applied some silicone to the outside of the stopped and the hole running through it.  I used one stopper on each end of the pipe (so inside the fountain submerged and also in the junction box).  This worked fine.

However, trying to use the same solution with two cables didn't work well at all.  The rubber stubbed didn't really "close" or compress around the two cables well.  Especially since they are slightly different shapes and sizes.  One is round and the other is flat.

So can anyone suggest a good, reliable solution, that would be semi-permanent?  That is my other concern: I want something 100% reliable but I don't want a 100% permanent solution.  I could just fill the whole pipe with a waterproof epoxy, if I wanted to take things to an extreme, but I'm worried about some future where I might need to do some repairs and maintenance and I might need to remove or replace the cables.

I thought about using just silicone, but I'm not sure it would resist the water pressure - remember that the pipe is below the water level of the fountain, so there would be a significant amount of downward force on whatever sealing method I use.  That's why I liked the conical rubber stoppers.  The downward force just just wedges the stopper further into the pipe and increases the strength of the seal.

Are there, perhaps, rubber stoppers that would work with two different-sized cables?

I also thought about some kind of putty.  Would plumber's putty do the trick?  Or is there another kind of putty that would be better suited?

I also thought about something like a sprayable waterproof rubber or something?  For example, I have used sprayable plasti-dip before and that dries like into a custom rubber coating.  Is there perhaps a similar product that would spray out a little thicker and with more volume, almost like an expanding rubber foam, that would then dry into basically a custom, "perfect-fit" rubber stopper that I could later remove or cut through without much difficulty?

Or perhaps you have some other idea that is even better?

fit a tee to the pipe so that each cable can be separately sealed,

Ideally use the parts designed to do this job, conduit and waterproof cable glands, not "pipe" and "stoppers"

fitting a downward facing tee part way along the conduit will prevent any drips that get through the seal from reaching the electrical box.


How do I interpret the power supply specs for an electric convection oven? I bought an electric convection oven. The manual says the NEMA 14-30 plug should be connected to:

  120/240 Volt, 20 Amp, 60 Hz power supply or 120/208 Volt, 20 Amp, 60 Hz power supply.

I understand the amps and AC frequency, but I'm unsure about the volts. Does it mean the oven will work on either a regular 120 volt circuit or a 240 volt circuit? Or does this mean I need a tandem breaker to make a 240 volt circuit?

It's referring to the electrical service supplying the house. Most homes in the US are supplied by a single phase service, which is often described as a 120/240 Volt system. If your house is supplied by a three phase system, it could be a 120/208 Volt system.

In both these cases you'll be able to install the equipment you have.

NEMA 14 devices are four wire grounding devices. Which means they'll require two ungrounded "hot" conductors (X,Y), one grounded "neutral" conductor (W), and one grounding conductor (G). When installed on a single phase 120/240 volt circuit, NEMA 14 devices can supply 120 and/or 240 volt loads. A NEMA 14-30 device is designed to supply 30 ampere equipment.

The circuit will require a 30 ampere double pole breaker, and four at least 10 AWG copper conductors. You'll connect one ungrounded "hot" conductor to each of the X and Y terminals. The grounded "neutral" conductor goes to the W terminal. And the grounding conductor connects to the G terminal.


Grounding metal electrical boxes I would like confirmation on the following:  Is any metal box automatically grounded if it is supplied by an armored cable (without a ground wire) that is properly connected to the box and back to the panel?  If a metal box downstream on the same circuit is only supplied by Romex, I believe to ground that box I must pigtail the ground wires to a lug on the box - correct?

Armored cable without a ground connected to a metal box is not a proper ground. The Romex downstream would have it's ground connected to a lug or screw to the metal box but it still wouldn't be properly grounded because of the armored cable. Voltage testers would show a ground but it wouldn't be a proper ground.


Patching small-medium drywall hole with wall cutout As pictured below, I have a 4" x 6" rectangular hole in my drywall, which I cut using a jab saw. I plan to patch with the original drywall piece that I cutout, with a couple of furring strips behind. (They are 0.75" x 1.5".)

Questions:

Do I need to use drywall tape, or could I get away with just using the drywall mud?
Will I need the standard 3 coats of mud? And the wider knives? (I only have a 2" now.)
How do I avoid bumps from the patch (i.e. tape & drywall mud raised on the wall)?
What would happen if I just used the furring strips, and filled the gaps with spackle?
Anything else I should be asking?

You are on the right track.

Do I need to use drywall tape, or could I get away with just using the drywall mud? Use tape. It bridges gaps and reduces cracking.
Will I need the standard 3 coats of mud? And the wider knives? (I only have a 2" now.) Maybe. Try 2. See how it looks. I would get at least a 4" knife though.
How do I avoid bumps from the patch (i.e. tape & drywall mud raised on the wall)? Care. Slightly bevel the edges of the insert and the existing wallboard before tape and mud. Sand between coats. If there is a lump, remove it before you let it set. Mostly, practice.
What would happen if I just used the furring strips, and filled the gaps with spackle? Don't. The texture will never be the same. And a spackled hole that size will shrink and expand at a different rate than the surrounding wallboard, leading to cracks. Your current approach is a good one.
Anything else I should be asking? Sounds like you are on track. Patience is the key. Let the surface build slowly and dry in between. Damp sanding of mud is often most effective. Don't forget to prime the new mud.


Screw specification for ceiling electric box Is there a standard size screw for electric boxes in ceilings?   Box is 25 years old and I am installing a new fan.

UPDATE: a fan was removed from these boxes, however, the contractor did not keep the screws

Device (switch) boxes are 6-32. Junction boxes like that one are 8-32. Ground screws are 10-32.

Also, you could buy a ceiling hugger style fan instead of a stem mounted one, and fasten it directly to the ceiling with toggle bolts or similar fasteners, instead of just the box, since that box is most likely not rated for a fan.

Good luck and stay safe!


Can nonworking half of light set be removed? I have a set of regular Christmas lights, and one half of the set doesn't work.

Can the half that doesn't work be removed and somehow join or solder the two remaining wire ends?

The last working lightbulb has two wires going in, and only one wire going out. There's a third wire, but it goes past the lightbulb.

In a way, this is kind of like asking, "Doctor, I got a sliver in my finger, what do I do" to which he replies, "get into the office immediately, we need to amputate at the shoulder or higher"

I'm just kidding :)

But YES, you can, however, you really should skip the operation. Pulling the sliver or repairing the fault is more economical, but time consuming. Light sets are so inexpensive today its often worth it to buy a new set.

I tend to keep a few laying around that I can use for spare bulbs. Many bulbs nowadays can blow and still allow the set to work, but this isn't entirely perfect. A bad bulb, or a poorly seated bulb, or a broken bulb lead, or a lead not centered well, or a wire pulled out of the socket is usually the culprit. You can bulb swap unknown bulbs 1 at a time with a single socket you know is working.

While you can rewire a set, you'd now have to tape it, and also ensure you arent increasing the voltage so much that you overpower the remaining bulbs and blow them too. 100 light sets are usually using bulbs for 100 light sets. Turn that into a 50 or 25, and the voltage goes up.

Not worth messing with,and if it is, its more useful to keep the set intact.

The 3 wire part is leading the hot and neutral to another section of the lights, so if it is a 100 set, it is already 50 and 50 :)

Decide if you want the outlet, measure it from end to end with an ohmmeter, and cut and repair the last socket with the outlet if being used, re measure everything before plugging it in, and be sure to keep hot hot, and neutral neutral.

Dont both attempting it if you arent able to do this.


Help identify these items attached to mains water just after the stopcock my brother has asked if I can help sort out some plumbing issues, he has a stopcock where the mains water enters the house, conveniently easy access directly under the sink, he has sent me a photo of the setup.

The trouble is that the stopcock wont shut off properly, very hard to turn and when it wont go any further there is still water coming through to the taps, so I am planning on replacing the stopcock (I know this should be in another question but if anyone knows a way of fixing it then that would be helpful).

As I am planning on replacing it I would like to know what the two items are? that are circled in the photo. If they are not required I'm planing on removing them and tidying up some of the pipe work unless they are required.

I may ask a post another question unless it can be answered here, but there does not seem to be much room at the bottom if the stopcock where it connects to the blue plastic water mains pipe, what would be the best method for making the connection to the stopcock

There's some funky plumbing going on there to be sure...

Of the circled devices, #1 looks like a filter of some sort, but that's a nasty way to align the cartridge in terms of having to replace it. But it also appears to have a seal tag on it, as in something official? You might be able to get an answer from the water company on that one.

Circle #2 looks like the pressure regulator valve. It keeps the higher pressure of the utility lines from damaging your internal plumbing and fixtures.

If you can shut the water off at the street, you can remove the stem from that main valve and just replace the washer, seat and packing.


Bathroom exhaust vent into crawlspace It is acceptable to vent a bathroom exhaust fan into a crawlspace?
The crawlspace in question is uninsulated, has a dirt floor, and varies in height between 5' and 7'.
The vent would enter roughly in the middle of about 1000 sq ft or floor area.
The furnace and water heater (both gas) are located fairly close.

No, at least not under the international residential code (IRC):

M1501.1 Outdoor Discharge
The air removed by every mechanical exhaust system shall be discharged to
the outdoors in accordance with Section M1506.3. Air shall not be
exhausted into an attic, soffit, ridge vent or crawl space.

And more specifically:

M1507.2 Recirculation of Air
Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilet rooms shall not be recirculated within a residence or to another dwelling unit and shall be exhausted directly to the outdoors. Exhaust air from bathrooms and toilet rooms shall not discharge into an attic, crawl space or other areas inside the building.

The reasoning is simple: the exhausted air is likely to contain a lot of moisture, and will therefore result in mold growth in your crawlspace. Your local codes may differ depending on where you live, but it's still not a good idea.


This range fan drips water I have this model range fan from NuTone.

Condensation from steam (say when boiling water) forms on the underside of the unit and retaining bar that holds motor that drips back down onto the range. It's nasty and I have to wipe it down before it gets into the food (which is pretty much the entire time).

The fan is ducted outside through a long (> 20') flex pipe like this:

Here is a picture of the water condensed on the retaining bar (the mesh filter cover is removed so you can see what is going on).

It slides down this bar to the metal cover where it accumulates and then drips back to the range (or into the pot).  The scrunched up paper towels are there to soak up the water before it drips back down.  I have to change these regularly.

Typical boil during homebrewing..in fact this is the boil that caused dripping in photo above.

The damper is not closed. The duct has no blockage.  The exhaust coming out of the duct is strong.  It does this year round, hot outside, cold outside, a/c on heat on in house.  Dry weather/humid weather.

Do I just need a better fan?

More than 20 feet of flex pipe is a problem - 20 feet of flex pipe, uninsulated, sloped so it drains back into the fan is a huge problem.

Flex pipe has VERY high resistance to airflow compared with smooth duct. It should be avoided, or if its absolutely unavoidable it should only be used for very short sections where regular fittings will not work. I don't recall for sure but I believe that the stuff is normally forbidden on a range vent since it cannot be cleaned very well, and grease buildup is an issue. If the "flex pipe" in question is dryer vent hose it's VERY not suitable for range hood venting.

Long duct runs from fans venting moisture should be avoided, and if they cannot be avoided, the duct should turn to slope consistently towards the exit as soon as possible so that condensate runs out the exhaust. You may also need to increase the size of the duct to lower resistance.

Ducts carrying moisture should be insulated to reduce the condensation of moisture inside the duct.

Sure, you can slap a bigger fan on, but without solving the rest of your issues it may not help much.


What is purpose of end hinge on garage door? What is purpose of end hinges that is mounted on 4 section garage doors? This one is from a Pella garage door and mounts on side above where the rollers are mounted. The door uses 6 of these. -3 on each side of the door.

They connect the sections together so the entire door moves when opening or closing it.

3 on each side means each except the bottom one is connected to the one below.


How do I cover one side of a two-sided fireplace with bricks? EDIT: 1/21/13

We hired a professional mason to convert the two-sided fireplace into a single-sided fireplace.

We ended up interviewing about 5 people and getting bids from all of them.  The guy we picked was by far the most knowledgeable.  All of the others wanted to build a flat back wall (firebox).  Only the gentleman we chose proposed something different, that being a Rumford Fireplace.

We are happy.

</edit>

We have a 2-sided fireplace (open on both sides) which divides our living room and sun room.

The fireplace was built in 1925.  We recently had the fireplace inspected and the inspector said everything looks good and it's OK to use.

One side had a wall of tempered glass attached to a metal frame.  On the other side was nothing.  I bought a glass fireplace door and installed it myself.

Last night we were having a fire and the tempered glass exploded (I know).

So I'm now thinking about doing the following project:

Remove the metal frame that is screwed into the back wall
Put up a solid brick wall on the back, thereby closing off that side and making it a 1-sided fireplace.
?

I am asking a question here because

I have no experience with masonry
I don't know whether this is a good idea from a safety perspective, although the risk seems pretty low since brick won't burn.
It seems like double-sided fireplaces are relatively rare, so there I couldn't find a lot of information out there on this topic.

I'm a hacker and pretty confident in my abilities to read and follow instructions.  The lack of masonry experience bothers me, but we're probably going to paint over the resulting brick wall, so it doesn't have to look perfect.  Anyone think I will be able to do this project successfully?  Can you provide me with a masonry howto or any tips?

EDIT:  We have had the chimney and fireplace inspected by an off-duty fireman.  He says that in its current condition, it is safe to use.  My question, narrowed in light of that fact, is

What kind of materials (brick, stone, etc) and mortar should I use to provide maximum heat and fire resistance?
Any tips on where to get started as a completely green mason?

Did the transparent glass "back wall" explode because you added the front side glass doors and as a result the temperature in the fire box area went way up???

You need to consider carefully the airflow and draw requirements of the fireplace and the chimney that vents it out through the roof. Changing the design can really change the temperatures of the internal space!!

I would think that if you were to block off the far side with bricks that you may need to line the inside of the brick with special heat resistant fire bricks. Regular bricks could get extra hot and shatter too.

If you really need to have the front side glass doors make sure that there is a part of the design that permits the proper amount of air flow in around the sides of the door assembly for the chimney draw to work correctly.


TriangleTube Smart 30 digital thermostat I have a TriangleTube Smart 30 indirect water heater which unfortunately only comes with an analog (red top blue dial) thermostat. I would really love to find a way to get a digital thermostat on it so I can set it to a certain temperature instead of "partially red". Anyone have the same experience or any ideas?

Depending on your boiler, you can at least see the DHW called temperature on your boiler display. I have the Smart 30 water heater coupled with a Triangle Tube Prestige Solo boiler, and on its display, under the various info items, I can see the DHW temperature. I'm guessing that will be the closest you can get with this specific setup.


How do I seal a vapor barrier on my basement walls if I have none from the floor above? I am redoing my basement and was wondering how to seal the wall vapor barrier if there is no existing vapor barrier from the floor above. Or is it better off not using vapor barrier ?  I am from Manitoba and it is very humid and I don't want to have anything rot because of the moisture being trapped.

Vapor barriers tend to be one of the most hotly debated topics in home building. I redid a basement in MN a few years ago and ultimately went with Building Science Corporation's recommendation which would apply to your climate as well. See this answer for details: https://diy.stackexchange.com/a/8644/1209

Summary: Do not use a vapor barrier. Instead use EPS or XPS foam for your insulation which will act as a vapor retarder, but not trap moisture like a barrier would.


What is the formula used to determine blower fan size given total air volume and system BTU capacity? I've completed a Manual J calculation for a new house and determined the BTU requirements for heating and cooling (35,352 and 15,772 respectively). In attempting to determine the turnover rate and blower size, I'm finding two unsatisfactory answers. The first is, "just use 400 CFM per ton". This is a rule of thumb and many sources say it's not super accurate. The other answer is "buy several hundred dollars worth of books and become a rocket scientist because there are too many variables to understand".

I don't buy either of these, since the optimal air flow rate over a heating or cooling coil of a certain size should be easily determined by a simple formula. You probably just need the BTU value of the heating/cooling element, the volume of the air being heated/cooled and perhaps a constant or two.

What is the proper formula used to determine blower fan size given total air volume and system BTU capacity?

Unless your house is very small or extremely energy efficient I think you should read the book again and recalculate the size of the heat loss and heat gain. The 400 CFM/ton of A/C is accurate enough for me. Sizing a furnace is not rocket science and is not an exact science since there are too many variables. Years ago when I was still doing this work (before retirement) furnaces were sized on their input or output and the size of the drive required. Do not try to be too exact unless you know "exactly" how the house was built and can guarantee that it was built to those specifications. As far as the "proper formula" used I have no idea, it never had to be perfect.


Collapsing wooden basement walkout The issue:

We bought a house, built around 1985, but it has this extremely poorly built walkout from the basement.

It looks like the builder's "solution" for drainage was a bent piece of tin fastened to the parging.

The tin was under about 4 inches of soil. I dug it out, and lifted it up to see what was underneath. Makes for a fantastic mouse house apparently.

Now, none of this is inherently a problem by itself, but the issue becomes apparent when one looks inside:

The wall has already collapsed in about a foot and a half, and I'm not confident it has stopped.

Besides the mice and the soil, it's obvious the wood by itself is not keeping the water out:

There appears to be a drain in the middle of the floor - I have no idea if it works or where it goes. As the basement isn't underwater, I presume it's draining somewhere.

The questions:

How do we stop the wall from caving in and making all of this a lot worse? Is making sure no water is draining into that corner the only thing we can do easily?
This is conceptually a neat feature, is there any fixing it? It seems like the only real option is to excavate all around it, gut the whole thing, and start again. Anyone have any insights?

you are going to have to dig it all out, and then rebuild it properly.  you could shore it with steel plates, but it will cost you more to have the system built and then installed than it will to just do it over in concrete.


How do I fix gutter nails that are coming out? Many houses in my neighborhood are about 5 years old and are experiencing similar problems with their gutters.  The nails holding them up are pulling out little by little.  A couple homeowners had their's fall off.  I took a look at mine and saw a few nails sticking out.  What's the correct way to fix this?

Just hammer them back in and hope for the best?
Fill hole with adhesive (Liquid Nails?) and hammer back in?
Hammer in a different kind of nail?

If the nails are loose and pull out easily, just pounding them back in won't help much.

The best way to fix any kind of nail/screw hole where the screw or nail won't grip any more is like this:

Remove the screw/nail.
Take some toothpicks and dip them in wood glue (e.g. tightbond).
Stuff as many toothpicks into the hole as you can, snapping them off flush with the hole.
Put the nail/screw back in (while the glue is still wet).

I find myself doing this most for loose door hinges, but it works for pretty much anything.  Once the glue dries, the result is better than new.


how do I level the floor in a sunk in living room My home has a step down living room.  It has carpet on it, but i want to make the floor level with the rest of the house it is about 2.5 inches step down.  People keep tripping.  I then either want to put new carpeting in or tile floor.

Install a new plywood subfloor elevated on sleepers to match the existing adjacent floor surfaces.

A sleeper is a piece of dimensional lumber (such as a framing stud) ripped to the desired thickness.


How to repair/waterproof Arch Top Windows We have this Arch Top Windows on top of our double pain windows. I noticed that the black seal (not sure what it exactly is) is coming out. What are my options to repair it. I am worried that will impact the integrity of the window due to leaks, water proofing etc?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You.
Regards
Sid

That looks like it's the seal between the two panes of glass in a thermal pane window.  If that's the case, then the main concern would be getting moisture in between the panes that would cloud the glass.
There is no repair for a seal like that that I know of.  A glass shop may be able to make you a new thermal pane insert that fits into the frame.  Or try to contact the window manufacturer.
Note that my daughter has had windows like that in her house for almost 10 years now.  They have not clouded up and there is no evidence of moisture between the pans of glass.  And no indication of any other sort of leaks.


Anchors in a solid plaster wall I was going to hang a heavy whiteboard on my plaster walls using molly bolts, but when I went to drill the holes, the drill bit never broke through - it penetrated (exactly) 2" into the wall before hitting something hard and stopping. So molly bolts and wing anchors are out. Is there anything that will work in this case?

I estimate that the whiteboard weighs about 60 pounds, and it has 6 mount points.

Do you know what stopped your drill? If it's brick then use a masonry bit and a hammer drill to make a hole. Then use masonry anchors in the brick.


Lightswitch zapping me This single lightswitch zaps every time it is touched. Including twice in a 30 second period when touched by different people. It is not the screws, but the switch itself.
The zap is powerful enough that it goes through pliers with plastidipped handles.

Other things in the building are a little zappy; computers and whatnot. The outlets appear grounded.

Most likely static electric discharge as Harper says.  The switch is grounded.  The computer case is grounded.  Walking around on carpet in the winter is a great way to build up a static charge.  When touching some metal at a lower charge a spark will occur.

The wall switch is at 120V in the US.  A static electric discharge can be 20,000V.

"... zaps every time it is touched"  Have one person touch it 10 times in 10 seconds.  Only the initial shock and nothing the other 9 times means it is static discharge.  A second person touches it and they got shocked the first time.


Help recognize / how to remove and reinstall this window We have a double hung window with a dual-track piece on both sides. The lower sash can no longer stay open as its spring coil on the right has fallen detached.

I've watched quite a few YouTube videos on window removal and have a basic idea. However, I didn't find one with the precise mechanism for my window so I wanted to pick the brains of the experts out here. Is the small wood piece the window stop that I have to remove before I can slide out the track?

EDIT: It looks like that the window was the original one installed in 1990, Eagle Flat Clad. I can't seem to find replacement parts for it. Is it possible to keep the window by getting a new jamb liner?

Just above the sash, in the 2nd pic, can you push that track in (towards the window frame)? If so, follow along, if not skip down to "Continue Here".
If so, you simply push both tracks in and pull the top of the sash out. This will allow you to tip the window horizontally into the room. Use this feature to wash the outside glass.
There will be some sort of mechanism holding the bottom of the sash into the track. Usually this is disengaged by lifting one side of the sash, allowing it to slide up, while holding the other side of the sash in place. This will disengage these lower clips allowing you to completely remove the sash from the opening. Take a look now to ensure you understand how the mechanism latches into place. Maybe even take a couple of pics so you don't forget. Are there moving pieces?  If so, how are they arranged immediately upon removal?  They'll likely move at some point during your work and you'll need to know how to put them back so you can reattach the sash later. Trust me on this - you'll save yourself frustration later. Don't ask how I know these things... :/
In order to completely remove the track, you'll want to first remove both sashes (top and bottom). Since these look like replacement windows in the original opening, it's possible that the tracks are simply screwed in place and once you've got the sashes out of the way you'll be able to unscrew them. If they don't unscrew then...
Continue Here
You'll need to remove the stop. That is the piece of wood you see on the inside of the house right next to the track.
Using a sharp (new) utility knife, carefully slice the paint between the stop and the window trim (to prevent the removal process from pulling up extra paint). Then gently work a stiff putty knife or other thin pry bar into that slight gap. If you have to pry, I'd suggest a scrap piece of wood under whatever you're prying with to prevent the metal from digging into the wood and leaving a gouge that you'll later have to patch up.
Once you've got the stops out of the way, you should be able to figure out how to remove the tracks.
I'm not sure if you'll be able to reattach the springs (the one in the pic looks like it's attached and stretched slightly, maybe it's the one on the other side that isn't). If the spring is broken, you'd have to replace it.
If a replacement is necessary... I'm not sure. You don't seem to know who manufactured the windows - maybe there is identifying info on the back of the track. Contact them to see if there's a warranty (our windows, replaced last summer come with a warranty that's transferable to the next owner), or if you can buy replacements parts or whole tracks. You'll probably need to supply them with the dimensions of the sash, as the springs are balanced against the weight of the window.
If there are no manufacturer marks on the tracks (unlikely, I'd think), you'll probably have to contact a window company to see if they can help you out. You may be able to get a "generic" replacement, or you might find someone with the knowledge to identify the manufacturer based on the track and attachment mechanism design.
In any case, it may take anywhere from a day to a few weeks to get replacement parts, so be prepared to replace the sashes while you're waiting. Reassemble in the opposite order of disassembly. If you have to pry the stop off, nail it back in, but leave the nails proud so it's easy to pull them when your replacement parts come in. You don't want to have to go through all that work of prying it off a second time!


Does flooring need to be done before built-in wardrobes? I am just preparing to purchase a house that needs renovations done. If we can afford both we would like to redo the flooring to timber and also have built-in wardrobes installed. If we cannot do both we are considering just doing the wardrobes first and then flooring one or two years later. Is it possible to do it in that order? Or would we need to have the flooring done first and then the wardrobes installed on top of them?

I would recommend that any new walls, including those for built-in closets/wardrobes be done before the final finish flooring goes down.
You would want to build on the subfloor, nailing the sole plate of the wall down to the subfloor (preferably into joists below, if at all possible), and not having to worry about trying to cut through finish flooring in 10 or 20 years when you (or someone else) want to redo the floors again.


What to do about a switch without neutral, in MA, USA? I'm upgrading switches in my older (1978) home, putting smart switches in. I have found many "interesting" wiring situations, some I have remedied, some I have just left as-is.

Recently I opened a junction box with a single pole switch, controlling accent lighting above my kitchen cabinets. I was surprised to see a single 12-2 cable feeding the box. The black wire is hot, and the white wire is the load, with the bare ground protecting the switch.

What should be done here? Luckily, I'm able to add a smart dimmer because my brand (Lutron Caseta) doesn't need a neutral.

Is this wiring safe? I believe so. Up to code in Massachusetts? There's got to be a white wire connected to a black or red, somewhere else in the house (I haven't found out where yet) to make this work.

What needs to be done, here? Do I need to label the white wire?

First, stop by the store and look at all the different combinations of  colors you can get 14/2 cable in.  There's black/white, and, um, let's see... No, that's it, just black/white.

There's also a rule that says all conductors must be in the same cable or conduit. So if you are using a cable wiring system, you can't run 2 cables for the same leg of a circuit (e.g. to get the colors you want).

So clearly, if you are going to use a cable wiring method...

You are stuck with the colors that come in cable

And you have to accomplish all your wiring in those colors.  That said, there are  rules about wire colors and  cateories of wire.

Grounds are always Green, yellow-green or bare, and vice versa. No substitutions.
Neutrals can only be white or gray.
Hots can be any other color.
If a cable doesn't need any neutral wires, its white/gray can be re-marked to be a hot.  That is the only remarking allowed.  In conduit, use the right colors.
Other than that, you can't change a wire's category with marking, unless it's very large feeder.
Marking a wire within its category is OK.

There's an answer to this, however: colored tape. To start with, most people have black.  But nothing keeps you from getting a $4 five-pack of colored tape, and color-coding each wire to correspond with its function.   I'm a big fan of red for switched-hot, blue for "alt" switched-hot, yellow for travelers, etc.

When marking wires, mark both ends of the wire.  Otherwise it will get very confusing later.

Recent Code changes

There are several recent Code changes that affect switch loops.

In a switch loop without a neutral, white must be the always-hot.  That way it is easier to use a non-contact tester to detect that it's not a neutral.
A white wire re-tasked to be a hot must now be marked a hot color.  Previously, the rule was that the marking was not necessary if the usage was obvious.
In cable installations, actual neutral must now be included in the cable, unless the cable can be easily refit. E.G. if you have attic access to the lamp and down the wall to the switch.  In conduit, actual neutral is not required because it can be easily fished.

It sounds like your switch loop predates these recent Code changes.  That is fine; that means the work is grandfathered.  You can update it if you please to.

However, I very strongly urge people not to proceed with home electrical work "armed with only a little Google knowledge".  First, you need a well-rounded basic knowledge of electrical, otherwise you will constantly be finding things that are new to you, and that interacts very badly with "judging the last guy to be a moron".  For instance, I had to "learn cold" what an MWBC was and why that isn't wrong, and only later did I have enough knowledge to realize 3 hots on an MWBC actually was wrong.

The best place to get well-rounded knowledge is honestly a book on home electrical, and the best place to tire-kick for a good one is the library. Find one you like, devour it. Use Google or us to fill in the details. Just watch out for obsolete books.


Water heater in close with wall ajoining breaker panel? I have an electric breaker panel in the bedroom closet.

On the other side of this wall is a hall closet.

I want to move my hot water heater into this closet however the contractor says that it's not good to have a water heater share a wall with a breaker box in case something happens.  He recommends demo ing the closet drywall and re building it out with hardi backer to protect the breaker box.

I can find nothing in code that says this is necessary and can't really see any likely circumstance the water heater might damage the breaker box.

Question is this against code and/or is it a bad idea?

I live in California in a single family home.

Thanks!

The circumstance is a persistent pinhole leak that sprays the wall wet for an extended period of time until the drywall becomes saturated and crumbles.  And most people say "I would spot that immediately", but having seen a few water-heater leaks, real world, most people don't for weeks.  And then take more time dealing with it.

Also, you would know it was urgent, but the next occupant may not.

Remember the scene in Breaking Bad where he ignores the leaky hot water heater until the floor rots out?

Honestly, I would use two strategies:

mount the hot water heater below the service panel.  You don't want water near your service panel, but water doesn't flow uphill.
build a hardback false wall set on spacers several inches (like 3-1/2") out from the wall, so there's an intermediate gap.   The false wall would stop short of the floor, put a drip pan under it.  Water sprayed onto the false wall can only run down to its bottom then drip into the pan.    (make sure the spacers stop before the bottom of the false wall so streams don't detour onto the spacers).


How can I wire my bath fan to have automatic humidity control and manual switching? I bought a bathroom vent fan with humidity sensor but no light. It unexpectedly arrived with 4 wires: ground, black, white, and blue. I only have 12-2 cable in the bathroom and no extra switch. This is a bugger of a space to run another wire and I am not inclined to do so for this.

I believe the blue wire is to run on automatic mode to sense humidity while the others are for manual operation. How do I wire it to existing 12-2 cable so that the humidity sensor is always on and the switch turns the fan on manually when I want to run it for other purposes (odors)?

Option 1: smart switches

In this case you locate and obtain a "smart switch" transmitter/receiver combo, where the transmitter sits in a wired switch location and the receiver sits up in the fan housing.  The switch and receiver must communicate wirelessly.

Then you re-task the black wire in your switch run to be always hot for all of these loads: the smart switch, the reciever, and the automatic humdity sensor.

Option 2: you are lucky and the power goes to the fan first

It sounds like you don't... But if the power comes initially to the fan housing (2 Romex's there and only one in the switch box) then the fan housing already contains everything you need.  The supply gives ground, neutral and always-hot.  The switch loop provides your switched-hot.  You are all set.

(Though I don't think you'd be here if that was the case).

Option 3: You don't.

Aside from the smart-switch method I described, you are out of luck.  You cannot bring always-hot and also switched-hot using a single black wire.  White must be neutral and bare must be ground.  Cheating ground in some way is a recipe for disaster in a bathroom.  Even a GFCI does not make this safe.


OK to cut double top plate to clear exhaust duct? I am installing a exhaust fan duct in my 1st floor kitchen. I had planned to go under 2nd story joists/above kitchen cabinet, thru the wall. Unfortunately, the desired location on the wall would split--half above and half below the soffitt line.

I can either try to go up 3" or down 3". To go up 3" will require cutting the double top plate. I should mention the wall is 2x6 construction and the exhaust is at the corner of the exterior wall (load bearing). To go down 3", will require cutting 6" holes in the kitchen cabinet top/shelves and installing 2 elbows--one down into the cabinet, then one to return to a horizontal path and then thru the wall. Hate the idea of hacking cabinets and losing that storage space, but cutting the double top plate scares me--structurally speaking.

Advice?

Do not cut the double top plate.

A double top plate acts as part of a giant horizontal beam that resists wind and seismic loading. Cutting the top plate is the same as notching a regular beam holding a floor up.

Having it in the corner of your house is good, but I wouldn’t do it until a professional could check it out.

Btw, the Code requires continuous double top plates lapped at the corners and lapped a minimum of 48” elsewhere with a minimum of 8- 16d into each side. of the joint. (See ICC 2308.5.3.2.)


can this hollow wall anchor be removed? Can these type of hollow wall anchors be removed?

manufacturer details

Yes and no. It can be removed but not without doing some damage to your drywall.

The trick is to get the nut at the rear to go back again. To do that you need to get under the front flange and be able to hold it and the screw-head together while you screw it back.

Once it's free enough to get some sort of substantial plate behind the flange you can remove the screw almost as far as it comes and hammer it back in. It should them pull out with a little bit of persuasion.

However, since you will ultimately end up having to repair the wall anyway, it's simpler just to push it through. Use your screwdriver as a centre-punch and hammer the screwdriver till the anchor falls inside the wall. If it is really  stubborn, do not be tempted to just hit it harder. Cut or drill some small holes around it.


How should I repair a cracked trough roof beam? My garage has a 17' 2x8 ridge beam. The roof is a V, lowest in the center, with 2x4 rafters nailed to the sides of this ridge piece.

At some point the roof drain clogged, the roof turned into a swimming pool, and this ridge board/beam cracked/tore in the middle. (As I understand it, this failure means that it is a "beam"--a load-bearing piece?) Someone "fixed" it by propping the ridge up with a 4x6 post wedged under the damaged point.

I'd like to replace the post with a more permanent fix. I assume some kind of sistering/bracing would be the standard approach? It would not be extremely hard to put a full-length sister of the same size next to it, sitting on added jack studs. But if that approach is overkill, it would be nice to not have to wrestle with shortening all of the rafters on one side and removing all of those metal joist hangers.

EDIT: tweaked wording and added pics. The bottom one is an attempt to show the damage to the wood. There is a similar "tear" in the top half of the beam on the other side of it--sort of a mirror image.

The right way to fix this is to have a local engineer size a LVL (laminated veneer lumber) beam for you (solid wood lumber won't meet modern standards for a span that long). It'll likely be taller than your current beam. You'll need to temporarily support all the rafters with a framed wall on each side, using double top plates. Keep them a few feet away from the beam to allow room to work. Remove the existing beam, the posts supporting it, and all metal hangers.

The new beam will likely be 2" thicker than the current one--LVL beams are often 1-3/4" thick per member, and they're usually doubled in cases like this. This will require trimming of the rafters on one or both sides.

Slide the new beam into place and support it a few feet from each end with temporary posts. Fit new posts using adequate lumber. Double 2x4s may be enough, but ask the engineer. Install the same hangers if they're appropriate, or use new ones.

Alternatively, you may be able to install your new beam directly below the existing beam. Of course, this dramatically reduces headroom. I expect a new beam to be sized at around 12" high.


Non-traditional control for three hole bathroom faucet I don't like having to control hot water and cold water flow separately.
I want to be able to change temperature (while maintaing flow) without having to coordinate two handles, or change flow (while maintaining temperature). A single handle bathroom faucet is sufficient for me. I don't know whether there exists designs where one handle controls hot/cold mix while the other handle controls water flow. If such a design exists, that would work for me as well. There could also be other designs that I would enjoy using.

However, I can't replace my current bathroom faucet with a single handle faucet because my counter top has 3 holes (8 inches apart from left handle to right handle).

What are my options for a replacement bathroom faucet?

An Escutcheon or Deck Plate can cover the outer 2 holes, allowing you to use any 1-hole faucet you like. The downside is that they can be quite large, and the selection at 8 inches isn't that great. Example product.
(Whether this would fit with your preferred style is a different question.)

You could also have a 1-hole faucet, put a soap dispenser in one of the holes, and a simple cover over the third. That would be less than ideal, but so would an escutcheon, and it might work better for you.


What can I do about outlets with no ground and reversed polarity? My relative's house is very old (built in 1920s or 1930s) and has several 2-prong outlets with no ground.  The screw in the center is not grounded either.

I would like to be able to use modern equipment (requiring 3-prong outlets) safely.  What should I do?

Edit: Would an isolation transformer help?

Well the most obvious and always recommended answer is to upgrade the old electrical wiring. Very old wires can have insulation falling off or crumbling if you try to start working with it. For a very old installation that may also involve replacing the electrical distribution box (panel) as well.

Now with that said there is not anything inherently unsafe with a two wire system as long as common sense is used. That common sense has to include:

Not using electrical appliances when the user could be providing an alternate path to GND for the AC electrical power. I.E. do not stand in a full bathtub and drop a plugged in hair dryer into the tub).
Use double insulated electrical tools if at all possible.
Do not use electrical appliances that have frayed power cords.
Replacing the two wire outlets with a GFCI that can trip if the  hot wire current is not equal to the neutral wire current. GFCIs used in this configuration need to be labeled as not providing a safety GND connection.
Consider testing the existing wiring (or get an electrician to do it) to see if the old neutral wiring creates a voltage drop of more than a couple of volts when circuits are loaded. If higher voltages are seen then use of bare metal appliances such as a desktop computer chassis may expose you to the voltage drop of the existing wiring. If this is the case the only real solution for safety is to get rewiring done.

For the outlet with the reversed polarity the first thing that should be done is to replace it with one wired to the correct polarity. Another thing to look at is to replace outlets with the newer style where the slot for the neutral prong is larger than the hot wire prong.


Insulate garage ceiling I want to insulate the ceiling of my garage, to make the family room above it warmer. The problem is that the garage has a finished ceiling (no exposed beams), so how to I affix the insulation to the ceiling? It doesn't need to be pretty. Thanks.

Option A - Blow it in (if there's no insulation in place between ceiling and floor now.) Drill holes, stuff in hoses (or hire a professional insulation-blowing company who may be better at it that you will be - it's somewhat tricky.)
Option B - rip it open, insulate, re-cover. Consider adding radiant floor heat tubing first.
Option C - add sheet insulation, and more drywall over that. You do NOT want exposed plastic insulation on the ceiling of a garage that's below living space - that would constitute a huge fire hazard.


What are the code requirements for crossing a buried LPG line with an electric line? Trenching for 1" Non-Metallic Liquidtight Conduit Type LFNC-B with 18" cover (10-3 W/G UF wire installed, 240V with 30A breaker) to serve a well.  Just bumped into LPG line crossing conduit's path at same 18" depth.  What is code requirement here?  Can I still bury conduit here and if so, how far away from the LPG line must it be?

Could concrete be used to safely separate the lines-if so, how?

Do not have an alternate route for the electric line that would not cross LPG line.

FYI: The local propane company requires that I maintain a 12" vertical separation with my electric line, so it must dip to 32"+, supplying 12" of separation under the crossing LPG pipe; in No. Calif.


Is there a tool to model rigging Say I want to hang a shelf to the ceiling:  Given that points A,B,C,D are fixed on the ceiling, and points a,b,c,d are fixed connection points on the shelf.

1) Is it possible to control pan and tilt (yaw and pitch) of the shelf by the lengths of the ropes Aa,Bb,Cc,Dd ?

2) If possible, what's the best tool to model/calculate it?

3) If already modeled, how can I check if the shelf is stable against lateral forces.

If the suspension ropes aren't vertical, then you're making a (3D) trapezoid linkage, and changing the tension balance between the ropes (which will happen whenever you move the shelf contents around) will change both the horizontal position and the tilt of the suspended shelf.

Assuming you don't want the shelf contents spilling off, you should have each of the suspension ropes be vertical, which will make the shelf position and orientation independent of the load. However, @RedGrittyBrick is right: you'll need some sort of lateral support to keep the shelf from rocking back and forth; either cross-bracing, or horizontal bracing to nearby fixed points.


What's causing the rumbling sound when my furnace kicks on? I have a new, 3-year old, high-efficiency furnace in my home.  Last year it started making a slight whining noise that was audible during the very first stage, before the blower motor started.  No problems.  Some weeks ago I started to hear a rumbling noise when the furnace kicks on--again, first stage, it's not the blower.  The rumbling sounds a bit like the noise my fridge fan makes when its a little off balance.  What might be causing this?

I'd have a look at your draft inducer motor.  Do a Google image search for "Furnace draft inducer" to see what it looks like.  I has the same kind of impeller as your main blower but on a smaller scale.  You may have some debris in there.


How to fix a stripped metal nut hole on a refrigerator? I have a new beautiful Samsung refrigerator. Black Stainless. The Door handle screw holes are stripped. We can only screw in the handle mounts about halfway. It seems to be aluminum or metal. Would you suggest I just drill out the threads and use JB weld?

Thanks so much

Take the bolt to the hardware store, figure out the thread size by screwing it into nuts until you find one that fits. Then go over to the aisle with taps and dies and buy a tap that matches that thread size.

You'll want to screw that tap into the hole until you meet resistance.

At the point where you find resistance, you'll want to use a wrench to slowly keep threading the tap into the hole for 2 or 3 turns. This should clean up the bad threads up by re-cutting the metal. Remove the tap and try to thread your handle in again. If it still does not go in all the way, try to tap another 2-3 turns, but be cautious of threading too deep - you may start cutting away at the insulation inside of the refrigerator.

This process is called "thread chasing," if you'd like to do some more research on the topic.


Why do pleated blinds have to be 2 centimeters wider than the windows they are covering? I recently bought pleated blinds and just now realized that they are not wide enough. The instruction says they have to be at least 2 centimeters wider than the window (on each side) they are covering. They are missing 3 centimeters on each side.

What is the reason for that requirement?

The mounting system can be seen here:

Mounting system part 1:

Mounting system part 2:

It's probably not a requirement. It's probably so that less light is shooting past the blind through the gap between it and the window frame.

If it is a requirement it probably has to do with the mounting system, which we have no information about.