How to check thermostat is working? This is the wiring of my Honeywell T8411R. I noticed my room was not warming up. I moved the switch to Em.Heat and still no warm air blowing in ducts. I would like to test if my thermostat is sending signals. How do I do that with the given wiring configuration? My fan is working. How do I first test with Emergency Heat? I have split system.

With that thermostat it would be easier to tell if the air handler and heat pump are working rather than the thermostat.  The thermostat doesn’t send a signal it closes switches just like a few automatic light switches. So you just need to see if the switches are closing. With that thermostat it may be a little difficult especially if it is not battery powered.
To test the air handler connect a jumper wire to the R terminal and to the G terminal. That will turn on the fan. To test the emergency heat connect a second jumper from R to W2. This would turn on the emergency heat. Remove the jumper from W2 and place it on Y/W1 to turn on the compressor.  Placing a third jumper between R and B will energize the reversing valve and cycle between heat and coil. Whatever you do, do notjump anything to C or at best you will blow a fuse and at worst let the smoke out of several components.  If all that works but does not work after reconnecting the thermostat it is most likely a thermostat problem.
If the thermostat is battery powered you could use an ohm meter to tell is each switch is closing or not. Each one of those pins on the bottom go to a terminal. Find which terminal they go to using an ohm meter. Then insert test leads into the corresponding holes in the thermostat and do the same as above except instead of different pieces turning on your ohm meter will go from OL to 0


How to complete this circuit I got some decorative multi color led wire. It is broken at one place now. I need to connect the wire to complete the circuit. I am new to this and I am trying to learn. I tried twisting the wire so it would touch. But it didn't make the light to work. I tried twisting with aluminum foil also. It didn't work either. Please let me know how to connect these wires and whether these lights are of any specific types of led. What wire is this? Lead?

Small colored wires like this have an enamel coating that insulates the wire so that it does not short out to other wires or metal objects/surfaces. It is this coating that is making it so that you cannot just twist the wires together to complete the circuit.

The conventional way to rejoin wires of this ilk is to twist and solder. But first it will be necessary to very carefully scrape enamel coating off the surface of the wire using a sharp utility knife blade or safety razor blade.


Ground to neutral bus/connector on receptacle I'm replacing an old/aged receptacle. Incoming hot wired to hot on receptacle. Neutral had been previously connected but snipped off and wire is loose in box (copper end more or less insulated). Incoming ground is wired to ground on receptacle and then jumpered into the neutral connector on the receptacle. It appears it was originally wired as I would have thought appropriately but then later altered. The original wiring is mid-70s vintage. There are no other conductors in the box so it's not in series with anything (at least visibly in the box).

I suspect this wiring has been in place for decades without issue but this feels like a hazard. Can't think why it has been altered in this way. My thought would be to pull this and wire new receptacle in traditional manner.

Any reason anybody can think of why I shouldn't proceed with traditional wiring on new receptacle?

Cheers.

No, but if you do make SURE the wiring is correct and the neutral is valid. Personally I'd trace the cable back to the previous device and ensure the integrity of the neutral.

I suspect someone may have done a serious and dangerous hack job wiring that receptacle because of a problem with the neutral.


How do I fill the hole caused by removing a door plate on a metal door jamb? I recently got new doors and need to move the door plate on a metal door jamb. I was hoping someone had the know how on how to fill the hole that will now be on the door jamb from where the previous door plate was.

The usual approach is to attach a cover plate.


What should I do about water dripping into my smoke detector from the attic after a heavy rain? I live in the Midwest of the United States, and we not-too-rarely get a large amount of rain coming down at one time both in the spring and sometimes in the fall. Last night was no different (aside from random earthquakes..) than usual, but after I went to bed, my smoke alarm went off. I quickly determined that there was in fact no fire, so I went to take the smoke alarm off of its mounting and when I removed it, I found that there was a decent amount of water in the smoke detector. If I had to guess I'd say about 50 mL. So not a huge amount, but enough to set it off.

I left it off for a time, and did not notice any more water coming from the opening in the ceiling (which is a recess where the detector and power wiring sits, not fully open to the attic (just where the wires come in, as far as I know. I didn't examine it terribly closely), even though it was still raining fairly hard (though not nearly as hard as it had been).

This morning, I went to have a look around the attic to see if I could see anywhere it was leaking (it is still misting outside, but not raining any longer), but I was unable to detect any wet spots in the roof.

What should my next step be? The roof (and indeed the house) is 1 year old, so I would hope that it hasn't sprung a leak, but I can't think of how else water would have gotten into the smoke detector. I also suspect paying someone to go and try to find a leak is going to be fairly expensive as well.

The detector itself appears to be working. If I test it, and it functions, should I still replace it because of potential water damage?

Update

Here is a picture of the socket in question, and there is indeed cool air coming from it. I'm not totally convinced it is just condensation, elsewise this would have happened last year during the winter, I would think, but am unsure.

I left it off for a time, and did not notice any more water coming from the opening in the ceiling

I'll bet there's cold air from the attic coming through that hole, mixing with warm air in the living areas in your house and causing condensation to build up in the smoke detector.

You should seal that hole (a) to prevent cold air from moving down, and (b) to prevent any smoky air (should you be unfortunate enough to have any) from being pulled up through it (a process known as the Stack Effect , which can reduce the effectiveness of smoke detectors.


Can I save these bathroom walls? I'm tackling a DIY renovation of my bathroom. I'm gonna replace everything (tub, fixtures, vanity, mirror, etc). I cut out some of the wall and got the tub removed. There's some minor mildew and mold when I pulled out the wall but I can fix that easily.
The issue I have is that the previous owner had one of those plastic/fiberglass shower surroundings that was merely glued to the wall and he also had some board trim glued to the wall also. I tried to remove it as carefully as I can but the outer paper of the drywall(?) peeled off with the trim and surrounding exposing that internal gypsum(?)/crumbling thing inside.
Can these walls be saved? Is there any way I can smooth them out so I can repaint them or lay tile when I'm ready to finish?
I was thinking of using joint compound to cover all that exposed area and the glue but I'm open to any suggestion. Here's some pictures below to see what I'm talking about.

Why would you even try to save this mess?
New drywall (which could be proper water-resistant drywall) would be much faster than extensive repairs to a suspect substrate, and result in a better substrate for whatever you do next than patching that mess.
If you intend to tile, replace with cementboard/backerboard (at least in the tub/wet areas.) Far superior, at slightly increased cost.


Is there a voltage drop test that ensure that electrical wiring in house is safe? In another question I asked what is the checklist to install power outlet by inserting into nearby lamp's electrical wiring. I plan to use this outlet for USB camera and occasional car charging.

I just realized that my car allows to set how many Amps it would pull from mains to charge the battery; and then it also reports voltage it sees after pulling that many Amps. Almost perfect load tester. So I installed temporary outlet to test few things before I actually cut holes in the wall.

As can be seen below, while charging the car at max power, the voltage dropped from 120V to 107V. Which equates to 13V voltage drop. And car pulled 9 Amps (presumably a safety feature built in the car to prevent house wirong overload).

So my questions are:

is such voltage drop normal? Does this mean that wiring that goes from circuit breaker box to electrical outlet via attics (I estimate ~15 to 25 meters of wiring) have to dissipate 13V*12Amps=156Watts of waste heat? Is there a general rule on what is and isn't acceptable?
should I go in attics and check wire gauges and connections (this is old house and wiring was done by someone else)? What I am afraid of is a possibility that someone who has worked on wiring before me may have undersized the wires and they could melt if someone plugs in a dumber device that tries to pull more than ~1KW (like pressure washer).

Here is how voltage drop looked for different charging rates:

@5A voltage was 113V
@6A voltage was 111V
@7A voltage was 110V
@8A voltage was 109V
@9A voltage was 107V

Your math all checks out.  You can calculate the actual resistance (sounds like in excess of 1.0 ohms) and/or you can go to a "voltage drop calculator" and compare the voltage drop you should get given your length, vs what you're actually getting.

Certainly, 150 watts cannot be attributed to wire drop alone.  Heat is being made somewhere.  If you inspect the circuit after it's run at spec for awhile, you would find the problem area to be notably warm.   At 9A nothing should be warm.  Unless the wiring is much longer than you think, it is certainly a bad splice. Backstabs are the usual culprit, but so can be limp wristed wire nuts.

The dead giveaway of bad wire-nut work is when the nuts are taped on; the person has found that they won't hold together by themselves, they think that is normal for wire nuts, and they think tape is the cure.  Actually, the refusing to hold together indicates they are also making poor electrical connection, and that means arcing faults will develop inside the nut.

You may want to consider fitting an arc-fault breaker on this circuit. That is your best bet to improving safety given these symptoms.


Can I use a busbar as a ground in my travel trailer? I need to ground my inverter and a few other items from my fuse box. Can I use a single busbar, mounted to the floor, as a ground. If not, can you offer suggestions?

You can use a bus bar, yes.

But you should never assume that the entire trailer is bonded together in such a way that you can use any of it separately as a connection to the bus bar.

Think of how many pieces it takes to build the trailer.  Screws rust and aluminum reacts to the oxygen in the atmosphere to produce resistance.  That's the last thing you want in a ground system.

So if you use a bus bar, be sure that your "things" are grounded directly to it, and that you have a good thick copper wire connection between the bus bar and the service entrance.


Do I need anything over the wall board around wood trimmed garage door openings? I am replacing all the wood trim around my garage door openings. The trim butts to vinyl siding with j-channel. The siding at the top of the doors had no flashing or trim cap and that is where the water got in. I am installing flashing above the door trim. The wall itself only has chip board (I guess it is really called OSB) behind the siding. Should I install some sort of tarpaper or plastic behind the siding a few inches along the top and sides of the opening before putting up the new wood trim? Seems like another disaster waiting to happen with just bare chip board behind the siding. I pulled out a bunch of soggy chip board where the leak occurred at the top. The chip board had soaked up the water like a sponge! North facing wall which gets snow and ice in winter. Moss growing in J-channel above door due to lingering moisture.

I would put some flashing there. I was just doing some work on my back door and while it leads directly to the house not the garage. There was some flashing that went under the siding and over the trim. (For the horizontal piece) You're right OSB does soak up water pretty well. Once wet it doesn't stay together very well either.


48" fluorescent light fixture with two bulbs, but only one side works. . Can that be fixed? I have a fluorescent light fixture that's over 20 years old.  Light failed so I bought two new 48" bulbs.  Only one of the new bulbs light.  New bulbs both work.  There is no visible starter.  Power must be getting to the unit, since one bulb lights up.
How do we fix this?

Remove the metal cover from the fixture. There's a black ballast inside that is probably causing your problem. Take some pictures of the wiring and then disconnect all the wires going to the ballast, after turning off the power. Bring the ballast to a home store or electric supply store for a replacement. Then just re install it. A bit of friendly advise: just buy a new fixture as it will probably be cheaper than buying the ballast.


Can I direct wire a light with a fused plug? I would like to add lighting to a built-in bookshelf. Is it possible to cut the plug off of the wires (shown here)  and join them in a junction box with a line coming from the switch? I would like to use four of these lights with LED bulbs, so the load will be tiny. It seems like it "should" work, but that's what everyone says just before they burn their house down. I don't know if it makes a difference, but the plugs have fuses. What do you think?

You need to learn the marvelous world of low voltage LED strips

Seriously.  You get a common 12 volt UL-listed power supply, and a small junction box to splice, and the world is your oyster.

The strips price out at about $7 for 16 feet no kidding.  Not $7/foot, more like 43 cents a foot.

Since you're working entirely in low voltage, you're at basically nil risk of shocking anyone or setting anything on fire.  The installation rules are also VERY relaxed, and there's no problem doing what you want the way you plan to.

Which you cannot do with 120V stuff, by the way.


3-way light circuit to an outbuilding with a disconnect US, Southern CA, NEC 2017
I'm hoping to run power from a house to a new backyard shed and I'd like to be able to control the lights from both the shed and the house, but I'm not sure if I'd run afoul of the circuit-limitations for an outbuilding. For this use case adding a subpanel at the shed isn't an option, and both circuits are 120v. Hardwired solutions (no wireless switches) preferred.
Questions

Is there an acceptable method to control a light at an outbuilding using a 3-way circuit, with one switch inside the outbuilding, and one at the feed point?
Since there needs to be a disconnect means at the outbuilding, what could be used to satisfy this requirement?

You're allowed to run a switch spur back to the main building
The good news is that you are permitted by NEC 225.30 to run a 3-way switch spur (two travelers and a hot or switched-hot) back to the main building from the outbuilding, although that takes up the single circuit the Code allows you to run back in this situation.  I would run it in a separate conduit, though, to avoid hitting derates due to having more than three current-carrying conductors in a single conduit if you decide to pull a feeder through the main conduit to the outbuilding.
As to that disconnecting means
While you could use an ordinary or key-operated lightswitch as the outbuilding disconnect for a single branch circuit, I tend to prefer non-fused pullout disconnects of the type commonly used for air conditioner disconnecting service for this job.  They can handle both single-circuit and multi-wire branch circuit situations, are weatherproof (NEMA 3R) by default, and quite inexpensive for what you get.  They're also distinctive in that you won't mix them up for a lightswitch when you're working in the shed!
If you really want a diagram...
If you really want a diagram of this all, I edited the diagram from your deleted question to depict what I'm talking about, as shown below.  Note that the travelers and switched-hot all pass through the disconnect without being switched by it, since they are powered from an always-hot feed that's already subject to that disconnect.  Note also that especially with an AC disconnect, you'll need to be careful to land your equipment ground on the disconnect's bonded, while your feeder neutral does not stop at the disconnect at all; instead, it is simply spliced or pulled through.


Is a double 2x4 beam adequate for a 64" opening? I am opening my dining room and I don't want to compromise the structural integrity.  The previous entryway was supported by two 2"x8".  The new entryway is supported by two 2"x4".  The new support is spread across nearly the entire wall.  The columns are supported by 3" wedge anchors.  Is this ready for drywall?  How likely is it that an inspector will approve it?  The current opening is 5'4".  Thank you.

It depends what is above the doorway. A big header like that is somewhat unusual. Is there a beam or something heavy, like a bathtub, above the doorway on the next level?

In general, you can't eyeball something like this. You have to do a bunch of calculations to figure it out. If the new header is not rigid enough, what will happen is that it will bow over time and the ceiling plaster could crack.

Inspectors are not expert structural engineers, and even if they were, as I said, you can't just eyeball it. Without making specific calculations there is no way to tell how stable a structural member is. Usually plans get approved ahead of time, that is when the structural approval is given. The on-site inspection is just to verify that what is built is the same thing as what is on the plans.

So, to answer your question: it will get approved if it matches the renovation plan and the renovation plan was approved.

Usually when framing is altered a structural engineer signs off on the plans and the city simply assumes it is sound if a registered engineer signs it.


Advice on hanging gymnastic rings in garage rafters? I have ordered this metal bracket for hanging gymnastic rings in my garage to add to my home gym ( https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-ring-hanger ). My garage does not have a second story above it, only the roof.

On it's own, the bracket will span 2 of my rafters and it appears many mount it directly to the rafters or joists without a stringer. However I'm likely going to mount a 2x4 or 2x6 stringer across 4 different rafters (it's a drywalled ceiling), to double down since I'll be hanging on these as will my kids. For what it's worth, I weigh about 170lbs.

I would like a gut check and any feedback on the following approach:

Cut a 2x to span 4 of the rafters
Use stud finder to mark off the rafters
Mark and predrill for lag screws
Mount the 2x to the outermost rafters with 6'' 3/8 stainless steel
lags (advice on smaller or shorter?)
Mount the ring hanger bracket inthe center of the 2x with the same
6'' 3/8 stainless steel lags, this time going through the bracket,
the 2x, and into the rafter
Victory?

I would appreciate any feedback or help in making sure I get a very strong and secure mount for this ring hanger. I received some feedback on Reddit that this may significantly weaken the rafters that got me concerned?

Thanks!

Thanks for the contribution from others in answers and comments. At the suggestion of @DMoore, I'm going to answer my own question.

After the feedback here and reading more, I've made the decision to not try to tackle this project and will be searching for other means to hang rings (a high wall mounted pull up bar or a tall squat rack) since I'm not comfortable enough in either my knowledge or skills and don't want to unnecessarily or dangerously weaken my rafters.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback and help.


Options for covering an in-wall safe removal? I recently removed an in-wall safe which fit neatly between two 16"-on-center studs. But now I'm left with a big hole in the wall where the safe once was.

Since the hole is behind a closet door, I'd rather not invest the time in patching/sanding/repainting the drywall to restore the original condition. But I also don't want to leave a gaping hole for whomever buys my house someday.

I was hoping there was some sort of panel or insert that could cover this up, but look "finished" enough so that it didn't seem like I just threw a chunk of plywood over it.

Any suggestions?

Just put a piece of drywall in and give it a first coat of mud and tape.  Seriously this is 10 minutes and no mess.  Big box sells little kits for $10 or less for stuff like this.  Then when you get around to selling no one will really mind a little patchwork to do in closet.


Is it a problem that a pipe in basement slopes upwards slightly for 9 feet? A plumber I hired to rough in new plumbing installed the 3 inch pipe in the basement.

The pipe slopes downward nicely at the required pitch as it leaves the house.

There is a small section (a 9 foot run) where the pipe actually slopes up very slightly as seen on a bubble level.

Is this sure to fail?

The plumber said everything will be fine.

Is there a chance everything is fine?

Thanks!

There is no reason any sewer pipe should slope upward. Gravity is what it is.


Drywall anchor won't hold I have a baby gate on the top of the stair. The dry wall anchors used held up for a couple of months, but now it came out loose.
What type of anchor do I need to use for this?

What you are using are the most basic drywall anchors available.  They're inexpensive and included in many products because of that, but they aren't good for much, and wouldn't be up to the task of holding something a toddler will be climbing on (you know they will...)

Look for products that spread out or lock into place when they enter the wall.  The name of the product might have the word "toggle" or "lock" or "twist".  There are several brands.  Here is one random example:

For the strongest hold (and also a larger hole that must be drilled in the wall) Toggle bolts are hard to beat.  I use them as a last resort because I've had great luck with plastic anchors and the hole these leave is large.  Of course for something as important as a stair gate, it might be worth it.


How do I lay "click system" laminate flooring across an opening? I want to lay laminate flooring throughout my apartment as one big continuous floor. Normally you start laying a row against a wall and then create a new row and click it into the previous row. This click mechanism only works correctly in one direction. The following (simple) image shows the situation (the yellow represents a wall)

How do I lay the planks in the area marked as A since the "click system" doesn't work in that direction?

First of all, I disagree with your orientation.  But, it is your choice, and I'll respect that.

You may want to read this: http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2012/09/installing-laminateengineered-wood-floating-floors/

Pay close attention to the pre-measuring, so that you avoid having a 1 inch board running along either wall.

The idea is that you never want to rip a board to less than half it's width.  If you end up with a half - board gap along either wall, then you should really be using a 3/4 board gap along BOTH walls (That is, convert the final 1.5 board widths to two 3/4 board widths at start and finish, or whatever fraction works for your measurement.)

It's going to be particularly tricky in this case, because you have 4 different measurements to deal with (three rooms + opening).  However, it is an important step. It's going to be some tough geometry to strike the right compromises.  You might find it easier to work in Board Widths rather than inches.  Just be careful with the conversions!

Don't be afraid to notch the board so that it slips around the wall if required. Again, see the blog post for measuring tips.

Once you've figured out the measuring, proceed as The Evil Greebo suggests.  However, you're going to want to start against the wall that will leave you the smallest amount of floor to slide around to make it connect up.  This material has to be aligned exactly for it to snap together.  From your drawing (which may not be to scale) I'd start at the right side.

Your wiggle room is the width of the baseboards and quarter round you're going to use to finish the job.  You need a 1/4 inch gap from all the walls, and a typical baseboard + 1/4 round can cover up to 3/4 of an inch. (But do a recon at the Home Depot and actually measure this stuff so you know what errors you can cover up)


2 wire lamp cord - which one is live? I'm replacing a feed-through switch on an IKEA (Canada) floor lamp. Its using an SPT 2 cable (photo attached). Both wires have the same insulation color and both are copper. Neither is ribbed (as far as I can tell to the best of my ability). However, one side has inscription embossed while the other is completely smooth.

In this case, how can I identify Live and does it matter in a 2 wire setup? I am using a Leviton 5410.

Edit: I stand corrected. I have found the ribbed side, it is the wire without the inscription. Therefore is this the neutral?

That's probably an extra-low-voltage DC adapter outputting something like 12V DC.

The word "live" is generally only used for AC 120V or 240V

For low voltage DC the terms are "positive" and "negative". Which is which is sometimes marked on the connector. Alternatively there may be a rib or line marked on one side of the wire. I think that usually marks the positive. If the connector is a typical barrel-plug, they are most often centre-positive - but you can't be sure without testing.

I'd just check with a multimeter to work out polarity. A typical multimeter set to a DC voltage range will show a positive number if the red lead is connected to the positive conductor and a negative number if the red lead is connected to the negative conductor.


A/C freezing damaged air handler blower? While I was moving, I left my front door open for at least two hours. As a result, my coils froze up outside and inside the return and the inside handler. The vents were not putting out any air and it was getting warm in the house; that's when I knew something was wrong. I immediately turned everything off.

It took 2 1/2 days to totally defrost then I turned my unit back on. Everything is running fine now although my filter was a little dirty.

My a/c man thinks I need a new blower that cost $750. If it's working again why would I need a new one?

Yeah, I am also agree with Ed Beal. how can your AC technician suggest you a new blower! a regular servicing of your unit may be the good solution for you, just clean your ac properly and you will be experience better cooling...


Wiring a four wire gfci with a ground wire My gfci tripped last night. My line side wires up but the load side trips the gfci. My voltage tester says theres current in the black load line but to the touch there's nothing, What gives?

First you need to make sure the breaker for the circuit you are working on is turned off. If you are using a voltage tester and are properly trained test the circuit at the outlet to verify 120 vac. Next turn the breaker off and retest. Make sure the breaker stays off while you are working on the outlet. Other people in the house can make an honest mistake so you need to take precautions. You now should read no voltage or something low 12-16 volts depending on the quality of your tester. Next check your tester on a outlet that still has power and read 120 vac. This process will verify your tester is working properly and you will not get hurt or worse! It sounds like you have two black and two white wires along with the ground wires. Separate the wires so they stick out of the box straight and are paired up. Make sure no one goes near the exposed wires. Turn the breaker you turned off back on and check each pair testing the black to white so you can identify the feed. After you have tested both sets of wires and found the feed turn power back off and repeat the testing process. Make sure someone does not turn the breaker on when you are working on the exposed wires. To install the GFCI the black and white wires you had voltage on connect to the side marked line. Good tight connections are very important. Next connect the black and white that had no power to the load side of the GFCI outlet provided GFCI protection is required down stream. Turn power back on, test for power, push the trip button, verify no power, push the reset and test for good power, finally test the trip on the outlet every 30 days to insure safe operation.

Regards
John J Deery
Master Electrician


How can I safely connect cable in a service panel? I'm planning to install a 240v 30 amp circuit breaker in the open slots on the bottom left hand side of the panel. I need to punch a hole at the top of the box as the 10/3 NM will be going into the attic. How do I safely punch a hole in the knockout and run the 10/3 NM cable without touching the live main cables? Can I use a punchout on the top right side instead and wind it down the right side then over to the left, then up to the breaker?

Stay away from the metal parts above the main breaker. They are hot always.

If you haven't turned off the main breaker, also stay away from the bolts and buses right below it, and the buses down the middle that the breakers clip into will also be hot.

It helps to use gloves if you can get PPE in this day and age.

Note the way the last guy runted off all the wires so they can barely reach where they're going right now. Don't do that. Make each of your hot and neutral wires long enough to reach any breaker location in the panel, so you have freedom to move things around later, which you may well because your panel is full. Neutrals also need to reach the breaker in case you add AFCI/GFCI/??CI later. To make it "neat", run your wire along the edge, overshoot past your breaker then double back and pull in the way they have.


How can I tighten my shower head holder so that it doesn't slip and let the shower head drop out I'm struggling to fix a shower head holder that seems to have loosened so that it no longer reliably cradles the shower head when the shower is not in use. What tends to happen now is that the shower head drops out of the holder when the shower is turned off. It seems the sudden drop in pressure leads to the holder failing to support the weight of the shower head. I think it's a ratchet inside the holder (see image below), and when the shower is shut off instead of holding the shower head in place it slips all the way round (making a quick succession of clicks). I'd be really grateful for any advice on how to deal with this problem please. Have tried tightening the screw that holds the shower head together, but to no avail. Thanks! - Siôn

From the last picture, it really looks like there used to be two "fingers" that engaged the ratchet mechanism.  One seems to be broken, which would also account for it no longer having the strength to hold the head in place.

If you're like me, you set this to the angle you like and never adjust it after that.  I would put some adhesive in the round channel outside of the ratchet ring and screw the parts back together, set the desired angle, and allow it to dry.

If you wanted it to be adjustable, you could fill that same channel with a small amount of rubbery adhesive (like a silicone sealant or shower caulking - something that doesn't get hard when it dries) and let it dry before putting the two sides together.  You just want a little rubbery adhesive in the groove to provide friction when the two pieces are screwed together.

Once it is dry, you can set it to the correct angle and tighten the screw to keep it in place.  If you needed to adjust it later, you might have to loosen the screw, but at least it's adjustable.


Removing detergent smell from clay/earthen pot I used detergent to clean a newly bought clay pot. Kept water in it for around 5 hours, To my surprise I am now drinking perfume :(.

How do I now remove this strong detergent smell. I tried coating it's internal surface with lemon juice over night. Washed it 10times. But no avail. Is there a way I can get rid of the smell?

Put it in the oven? Low setting for an hour or so might work.


new construction wiring a mid-line receptacle to a switch how do you wire a mid-receptacle to a switch? I have 3 receptacles running with a switch to the mid receptacle.

Normally the receptacle will be wired as in Fig. 1.  To control the receptacle with a switch, you should wire it as in Fig. 2.

Grounding conductors not shown

Notice that the switch is interrupting the "hot" wire.  Also notice that the white wire leading to the switch is simply capped off.  This is because code may now require that a neutral be present at switch locations. If this is not required for your installation, you can use two wire cable instead. If you use two wire cable, make sure you reidentify the white wire by marking it at both ends with black tape or marker.


Is it possible to connect an inline filter to a hot water dispenser? I plan to install an under-counter hot water dispenser and want to pre-filter the water.  I found this product that already includes a pre-filter, but the cartridges appear to be proprietary and overpriced.

I'm wondering if it's possible to install a generic inline pre-filter in front of a standard hot water dispenser.  Specifically, I'd like a filter that removes chlorine, or at least its smell and taste.  Could there be problems with insufficient water pressure or other problems I'm not aware of?

You want to get an activated carbon filter (see this answer for an overview of how it works).

You'll probably want to look at a standard 10" filter housing and a matching carbon filter, both of which are readily available online and in retail everywhere, including the big box stores.

This can go under your sink or elsewhere upstream. There are clear models available, though these are really only useful for a sediment filter, and even then monitoring the pressure drop across the filter(s) is a better way.

Be sure to install an upstream shut-off nearby (if there's not one already) so you can turn it off to change the filter. And pro-tip: if you're installing under the sink or other confined location, dry fit it and ensure you'll have enough room to replace the cartridge.

For activated carbon, all you can really do is monitor for taste, and/or change it on a schedule (off the top of my head, at least every 6 months seems reasonable, but check what the manufacturer recommends). The filters are actually rated based on flow rate and the total volume they can handle.

You can also put the filter upstream of more than just the hot water dispenser (eg, include your kitchen sink cold water as well), and depending on your plumbing and space this might be easier or make more sense. Just be aware of the flow rate (gpm) rating, and total volume. I'd guess for most uses serving the kitchen cold tap only, a 10" filter would still be fine for this but you do have the option to go to 20" if you need more volume/flow and have the space.


How can I safely open, wire & close this E27 lamp holder? How can I safely open, wire & close this E27 lamp holder? I’m afraid without a proper guide I’ll end up breaking it or damaging the external or internals.

Update: Thanks to you I got it open (health issues) and I’m wondering what kind of connectors these are and how I am to bind the wires to them? Before I click  pop and close it again.
Ps: I stripped the wires a bit at the end after posting this. I’m wondering where they go & how they will remain bound / locked inside. Please don’t tell me these have to be soldered. This mechanism has got to have some secret that I don’t know.

Slide a flat-bladed screwdriver into a rectangular hole in the back (rounded) end. Pry the inner (deepest) end of the locking tab outward gently while applying pressure to separate the bulb socket from the back cover at the joint that jogs its way around the middle. If you're not able to release the tab from the back, use a knife point from the outside, prying the tip of the tab outward.
When it releases slightly, do the same on the other side to fully release the back cover. You may want to slip a folded paper or other tool in the gap after you release the first tab to maintain separation.
Slide the wires through the back cover ports, make the connections, and snap the cover back on, making sure that both tabs engage.

Image source


Why does my 2 bulb fixture have 40 volts going to it when a bulb is removed? When second bulb is removed in the fixture in the off position, the remaining bulb lights dim (fixture switch still off) and the socket that is bulb less reads 40 volts, when replacing the bulb both lights go off. 3way seems to work fine with 2 bulbs in. Any help would be appreciated.

Any time I see a strange voltage like 40 volts, I immediately suspect a broken wire or a bad terminal. Since installing and removing one of the bulbs seems to cause a problem, I would start by removing that fixture and inspecting it and the nearby wiring for faults.


Using conduit with THHN May I run THHN above ground under a house unprotected or is a conduit required for this? The wires consist of 3 4AWG wires with an 8AWG ground going from a 60A breaker at the (100A) service to a newly built garage via underground wiring from the garage in 1.25" schedule 40 PVC and then under the house, which is raised on piers.

Any time you are running bare conductors in a dwelling unit that are not part of a cable system such as NM or MC, then they must be run in a conduit. Once you get to the exterior of the unit you could transition to a Direct burial cable such as UF or you could continue in a conduit system.  The most common under ground conduit would be PVC and it could also be used under the house.

good luck

Special note: Most conductor insulation is multi rated but a straight THHN rating is not rated for wet locations it should also be labeled as THWN to be approved for buried circuits.


How do I troubleshoot a dishwasher that runs normally until wash cycle begins, then doesn't wash? My dishwasher stopped working correctly a couple of weeks ago.  After loading dishes and starting it, it successfully fills with water, rinses the dishes, drains, and then switches to the actual "wash" cycle.

When in "wash" the soap door opens, however water does not circulate and the spray arms remain stationary.  At the end of the cycle it transitions to "dry", at which point it resumes normal operation (however there is undisolved soap still in the tray as well as grime on the dishes.

It seems that all components work, except in the wash portion of the cycle.  I've verified water enters the unit and rinses successfully; so I presume the issue is likely in the controller.  How can I verify this, and what else may be broken?

My dishwasher was stopping similarly and it turned out that there wasn't enough water pressure. Simply opening the water valve feeding the dishwasher resolved the problem.

It doesn't sound like this is your problem, but it's a very simple thing to check that the valve is fully open, and it might help someone reading this page in the future.


AC Condensate Line Location - Outside vs Inside I'm installing a few mini-split AC units in my house, and I'm trying to determine the best place to run the condensate line. Right now it's either between running it outside with the line set and tray cable, or sending it down to the basement and running it into the slop sink.  Running it outside along with the line set is the easiest solution, but I'm worried about insects, enticed by the water and damp environment, climbing inside the line and either making a nest or coming inside the house.  Is this a valid concern?  Is there anything I could do to prevent that?  Anything I need to consider when placing the condensate line?

This is a gravity drain.

Draining into sinks is not ideal. You have the plumbing in an inconvenient location and it tends to accumulate mildew. Outside is probably better.

One approach to dealing with the insect thing is a bell outlet with screening. Simply increase the size of the pipe dramatically at the outlet and install insect screening however is convenient.


New Thermostat Won't Engage Plinth Heating in Kitchen Island I have two plinth heaters on either side of my kitchen island. Since the rest of the house is hydronic, I presume that these are hydronic (there is a zone valve at the boiler) with electric fans because they have fan speed switches and not much heat comes out unless these are on.

I have just tried to replace the existing thermostat with a Honeywell RTH2300. I barely use this zone so I went with something easy. However even though the wires are hooked up the same way (G Y W Rh Rc) and set the temp to engage, nothing happens. The fans don't even turn on. The thermostat looks like it is engaged but the fans don't come on. One unique thing I have never seen before is that this thermostat has a switch that says gas/oil and electric. My system fits both descriptions (ie I have a gas run boiler but I have a G wire to allow the thermostat to call the fans when it calls for heat).

I have tried both switch settings with no results. Could this thermostat not be compatible with this heat zone?

Stupid me. The fan has a delay of a few minutes after the thermostat calls for heat. I set it to gas and called for heat and waited 10 or so minutes and the fan came on.


Grounding a Ballast for wood enclosure when there is no metal? I have a big 6'x4'x3' enclosure (glass and wood) for my Tegu monitor. The external magnetic ballast for my fluorescent light broke and I would like to replace it with an electronic ballast. The external magnetic ballast plugged into an outlet, was not grounded, and did not require a ground. The electronic instant start ballast I would like to purchase requires a ground, but my fixture has no metal hood or any metal at all. If I attach the ground wire from 12/3 electrical wire, coming from an outlet, to the ballast metal housing with a screw, would that provide a proper ground? I would have a 15A 125V ground plug on the end so I can plug it into the wall. The electronic ballast would not be mounted and would be external to the fixture due to heat. Thank you!

Edit: I went ahead and purchased an extension cord and electric instant-start ballast. I hooked everything up but the light won't come on. I tried 3 different new bulbs and ran continuity checks with the wires and internal connection points. I'm not sure why it's not working. Here are some connection pics. Thanks.

Edit: Everything works perfectly now. I did not know that electronic ballasts do not use a starter even after all of my research. I clipped and capped the ends where the starter was connected and the light worked perfectly.

Get a programmed-start ballast.

Cheap ballasts also misuse ground to manipulate capacitive effects between the fluorescent tube and the metal enclosure.  Note huge assumption about fixture design.

Programmed-start ballasts preheat the fluorescent lamp filaments (in the ends of the tubes) until conditions are ideal to strike the arc in the manner Tesla intended.  It results in a 0.5 to 3 second startup delay (depending on ambient temperature) but is very easy on the tube, and avoids the capacitive trick.

Heat will be minimal on any modern ballast. In a fluorescent, the heat comes from the tubes.

You may want to think about LED lighting and do an end-run around all these problems.

You can't use NM cable as cordage.  If you want cordage, buy cordage.  They often sell it with a socket premolded onto the end, marketed as an "extension cord".  Make sure the writing on the side of the cord is legal for cordage, then SNIP!


Proper repair of a burnt conductor in a main panel What are compliant methods of repairing conductors with damaged insulation? Screw to conductor contact discovered when turning power back on after remodel. An irrigation company punched a screw through the panel and directly into a conductor. The conductor is exposed with blacking.

This is easy enough if a branch circuit.
Turn the breaker off (I hope it’s not the main service conductors).
Cut the wire where the damage is & strip off the insulation, if the wire is long enough use a wire nut and reconnect the wires together. This is legal in the service panel and code compliant.
If the wire is now too short, a new piece that is the same gauge will be needed to be spliced, usually with a wire nut to the breaker.
If it is the service conductors it just got a lot harder. The power may need to be shutdown by the power company, service conductors rarely have extra wire for a repair so the wire may need to be replaced back to a point it can be spliced, possibly in the panel with a split bolt or Polaris type connector. I would suggest Polaris for DIY since they just need to be torqued, while split bolts require taping and usually 2/3 types of expensive tape and I rarely see DIY do this correctly. Once the repair is complete turn the power back on.
Note usually when a screw causes a short the wire is damaged. This is why we cut it and splice it back together. Covering with tape hides the fact that the wire can no longer safely carry the rated load.


Whirlpool electric dryer works on 120 but not 240 I am trying to fix my dryer but I have run into a problem I can't find the answer to.  I checked all the fuses with my multi meter and everything seems to be working.  Before I rewired a slot in my circuit breaker box for 240 volt slot I had to run my dryer on a 120 slot.  It worked and it would dry the clothes but take a lot longer to dry.   I rewired and installed a 240 volt plug right next to my 120 volt.  Now that I have my 240 volt plug no heat goes to the dryer. I checked and each side of the 3 slot outlet has 120 volts.  The plug going to my dryer also shows each side of the plug has `120 going to the dryer.  I also tried it with another wire and another outlet to see if that was the issue of why the 240 wasn't working.  When I plug the dryer back into the 120 volt outlet it works again but will not heat up as much as it should.  I am not sure why it is working on the 120 but not the 240.

**Update
I have changed it to a 4 wire 4 socket outlet and plug.  I am still only getting 120 from hot to neutral but not 240 from hot to hot. Here are some images of my setup.

***Update
I Measured the voltage on the screws near the factory installed as Nate asked.  When I did the the two screws next to factory installed it gave me nothing but when I did one screw at a time with the top neutral line coming in I got 120 Volts on each one.  Does that mean I am only getting 120 volts to the box?  I also noticed this on my meter that it says 120V 2W.  I wasn't sure if that meant 120 for each wire or the 2 wires equal 120V

You can't use a 3-wire socket

You're not allowed to use a 3-pin socket anymore (been outlawed since the 1990s). You need to use a NEMA 14-30 cord/plug and socket.  There is a procedure for changing this on the dryer that involves removing a jumper between neutral and ground.

If you insist on using a 3-wire connection to a dryer, you need to put it on a GFCI breaker.  Those cost about $80.  I recommend a 4-wire connection.

Use of /2 cable (2 conductors + ground) is not allowed

You need /3 cable (3 conductors).  Dryers need neutral.  And you cannot use the bare wire in the cable as a neutral; that can only be used for safety ground.  That's because neutral handles current under normal conditions, and that bare wire is not safe to use that way.

Once you have /3 + ground cable, how to hook up the NEMA 14-30 connector is obvious.

Your cable must be 10 AWG not 12

If you are retasking a 120V circuit to be a dryer circuit, it is surely 14 AWG or 12 AWG.  Those wires are too small to support the heavy current draw of an electric dryer.

Your breaker must be a 2-pole not a duplex

... and it will not fit in one slot (space).

Fair chance you have a "duplex" or "double-stuff" breaker, with two handles. The breaker fits in one space. The dead giveaway is that the handles throw independently from each other, which means it is absolutely inappropriate for a dryer.    Dryers need a breaker with common throw on the handles, and also a feature called "common trip" which assures both sides trip at once.

Further, dryers need a 240V breaker.  By definition, a 240V breaker must span across two "spaces", or it wouldn't have 240V!


Do I have room to add a 50 amp breaker? I need to add a 50 amp breaker, is there room in this box? (I will be hiring an electrician to do the work). Thanks!

When you define "50A" breaker it is really necessary to specify if it is for a 110VAC circuit or for a 220VAC circuit. Common usages for a 50A breaker is for a 220VAC circuit to support:

Electric kitchen range / oven
Electric water heater
RV hookup
Electric car charging port

With that said the 220VAC/50A breaker would be a two pole unit similar to the existing 30A breakers that have the connected (bridged handle) across the two poles.

It appears plausible that such dual pole breaker would fit in the two remaining spots in the lower left corner of the panel. I say plausible because there is some question about just how the panel's bus bus bars are configured considering the existing placement of the two pairs of 30A breakers on the left side that have bridged handles. You may want to have the electrician come out to give a bid on the work and its ultimate feasibility before you commit to the work.


Are PEX required for shower mixers? From my understanding it is normal to mount a PEX like this one in the wall.

And that it is not legal to have hidden connections in the wall.

Question

Why are PEX so often used (required)?

Is it because it is not possible (or legal?) to mount the shower mixer directly on the steal pipes?

Pex fixtures are becoming increasingly popular, but solid brass mixing valves are still the norm for most manufacturers.  Many plumbers use conversion fittings on brass valves to connect to pex tubing in situations where using all copper tubing would be  much more difficult and time consuming.

Unlike electrical connections, there are no code rules I am aware of that disallows unions or connections to be made in a closed wall. Whenever possible however, an access door or panel is installed behind bath/shower plumbing.(usually in a closet) When access is possible, shut off valves are also installed for both the hot and cold water feeds.


What's the best technique for applying adhesive to the underside of ceiling joists? If applying adhesive while drywalling ceilings, is there a tip to applying to the underside of joists so that it doesn't drip all over the place? Also, are there places that sell applicator tips to go on the liquid nails tubes, or is there a good technique with the gun/tube that anyone's learned that keeps it on the wood, and not on you and the floor? Also, what kind of adhesive is preferred among installers?

Not much to it, really. I glued and screwed ~1000 square feet of type X to 3" strapping and I don't think any "dripped off."

Standard "cut tube at an angle and hold gun at an angle so the stuff smooshes out and sticks" technique. Pretty much the same as any construction adhesive.

If you are getting a round bead that falls off you are doing it wrong - the applied bead should be about 3 times wider than it is thick, as a guesstimate. The short end of the cut tip should be in contact with the surface as you dispense, the long/pointy end should be slightly off the surface, and speed of movement and dispensing are adjusted to maintain the correct bead shape.


is this bathroom mold a health hazard? Its all over the ceiling. Its really black spots everywhere and its because the awning windows (hinged at bottom) dont provide enough ventialition. The paint is cracking and pealing, i think its supposed to be water-resistant but no use. This is the third time this happened after redoing the ceiling.

Though this doesn't seem to be much of a problem at the moment, it can get really bad if you don't take care of it. First, I suggest you clean it with normal soap and warm water, and then there are stronger liquids (or other sorts of detergents) you can use, but I think normal soap will do the trick (unless you'll repaint it later, then use strong detergents). But, this doesn't mean that this won't happen again. So you'll need to remove the moisture problem. Firstly, if possible, check if there are any water pipes inside the ceiling. If there are then make sure they're not leaking. Second, try to install a better ventilation system in your bathroom (i.e. air ventilator). Make sure you open doors and windows regularly or keep them always open.


Can I fill the upper void in an I-beam laid on its side as a seawall with concrete? We have a steel seawall that is capped by a steel H-beam approx 2ft wide with a "lip" on each side of about 4 inches deep.  The metal is approx 1/2in thick.  We would like to fill the beam level with concrete to make a walkway.  We are concerned about rainwater getting under the concrete and freeze/thaw issues.  The beam does not have any drain holes and is basically level -- drilling drain holes is possible but difficult due to thickness of beam.  Can we just pour concrete to fill?  Do we need to drill drain holes? Should we coat the beam with something before concrete?  Should we utilize foam spacers along the "lip" and seal them after concrete hardens?

With a concrete thickness of only about 100mm, it is not easy to get it right — that is pretty close to the limit of what is reasonably possible. Some points to consider:

The concrete recipe is critical, and you should hire professionals for this by buying the fresh concrete ready to pour directly into the form. Assuming that's sea water (containing lots of chlorides), the concrete will extremely exposed to freeze/thaw issues and the mix needs to be exactly right. This aspect is not diy-territory in my opinion.
Drain holes won't do anything until after the concrete is heavily cracked. Don't bother drilling those.
As for coating, you probably won't have to do anything. The optimal steel surface for cast-in steel items is usually no coating at all, so you shouldn't add anything. Whether the existing paint job is suitable for being in contact with fresh concrete is hard to tell, but that is unlikely to be a problem.
You will need to reinforce the concrete to limit the cracking. Cracks will allow water and chlorides to penetrate into the concrete, which is what will eventually cause the damage. You can't avoid cracks entirely, but with appropriate reinforcement, you can ensure that the cracks will be small enough to not a problem. The appropriate amount of reinforcement will depend on the exact concrete recipe, so hire an engineer to do the calculation. As an approximate guide, I suggest 12mm bars per 200mm in both directions (must be welded fabric) with a minimum cover of 40mm. The requirements to the concrete cover on the rebars is what makes this thickness problematic. And a minimum cover of 60mm would be a better choice. The cracks will primarily come from shrinkage and thermal movements in the concrete during the hardening phase.
You should give the upper face a small slope to the side, so water can run off. 1:20 will be excellent but even 1:50 will increase the lifetime dramatically.
It might be better to extend the concrete off the sides of the beam, so the steel and concrete joint doesn't meet on the upper face, as that will expose the joint to water. If you don't do that, I suggest placing 20mm by 20mm spacers at the top of the concrete/steel interface, and later fill that joint with a bitumen based joint sealant. This is in order to prevent water from seeping down along the interface between the two materials.
Ideally, you would ensure that the concrete isn't able to slide along the very smooth steel surface (from shrinkage and thermal movements). The standard method would be welding headed shear studs onto the steel beam, but with a thickness of only 100mm, that isn't really possible. Any small steel items welded onto the beam will help, though, for example small 20mm by 20mm by 20mm steel cubes spaced regularly. You should expect to have to remove the coating on the steel locally before welding, as otherwise you may get various toxic fumes.


Can I drill smaller holes in granite? Can I drill smaller holes in granite? I want to install aluminum shelves on a vertical backsplash behind the stove. I will need to drill 7 holes for screws and or mollies. If I can ascertain the studs I can use screws.  Would there be an advantage of drilling a smaller hole in granite say 1/8" to 1/4"?  Meaning less stress and risk of fracture?  Could I use carbide or do I need diamond tip?  I do have scrap to practice on.

For best results, when it comes to drilling into stone, always use diamond drill bits. Don't let the term diamond scare you away from buying one. They're readily available from such vendors as Amazon for much less than you might think, a 5 piece 5/32” – ½” is $8 there. As another user here posted, DO NOT use the hammer drill setting on your drill. Easy does it, with a water spray bottle if you can't continuously run water at the drill site. As for mollys, I think you'll get the best results using something like a Powers mini dropin internally threaded expansion anchor. They take a machine thread screw that you can cut to whatever length you might need.


Fire escape stairs leads right up to my window, how can I increase security? I recently moved into a 3rd floor apartment in a relatively upscale, low-crime neighborhood in Boston. The only problem is that there is a fire escape that leads right up to my window. As a result, I am keeping the window locked at all times, but I am still disturbed by the fact that a person could walk up three flights of stairs, starting from the back alley, and have access to my window.

If I understand correctly, fire escapes usually dangle off at the very bottom so that someone can drop off, but no one can climb onto it. Either that, or access to the fire escape is restricted by a locked gate or something.

I recently emailed the landlord, asking if I could install one of those gratings on my window that open from the side (allowing me to use the fire escape if necessary) but prevents someone from say breaking my window from the outside), but he said that the fire escape complies with all regulations and they can't do anything about it. Am I out of luck? Should I just continue with just a locked window? I know I'm being a little paranoid, but this issues is literally kinda keeping me up at night.

Since making modifications is out of the question, you might want to consider a portable alarm system.  These are designed for apartments and most have glass break sensors you can add to the window.


How to flatten a plywood subfloor for tile? I've got a 5/8" plywood subfloor in my bathroom. I'm prepping to install 1/4" Hardiebacker on top of that so I can install 12x24" marble tiles. In checking for flatness, I noticed there is a 1/2" drop just in front of the bathtub over a run of about 12-16".

I'm planning to use a bed of thinset under the Hardiebacker, but I also know I can't make up 1/2" that way which will mean the floor tiles won't be flat.

Can I use 1/2" and then 1/4" shims of excess Hardiebacker under there in with the thinset and make up the remaining 1/8-1/16" when setting the tiles?

I'm concerned about leveling compound under there and being able to screw through it after it's set without cracking it and causing other issues.

Not sure the best way to get this subfloor flat so I can move on.

EDIT 3/16 @ 8:44am
Photos from the basement where plywood and joists are. Photo 1, you can see the tub drain and joists where the tub would end and the dip occurs. Photo 2 is just to the right showing the same joists further over. It looks like the tub is sitting on top of the plywood, which is 23/32 according to the label underneath. I wonder if the weight along with a crowning joise is the issue.

EDIT 5/6 @ 6:30pm
For those that might find this later. I ended up paying the contractor doing my master bathroom to finish this space out. I pulled up the shims I had put down and he put down a mesh, used spray foam to seal the outside edges and holes and then he put down some self leveling compound instead of the backer board. He said this would be stronger and we wouldn't need the backer board since the leveling compound is like a mortar/concrete base.

Yes, your plan sounds perfectly fine, initially. But, that deep of a divot for such a small area is concerning to me. I'd take the plywood up or drill an inspection hole in the ceiling below to see what's going on.

To me it sounds like it could be 1 of 3 things:

1- The plywood is cracked & therefore compromised, so it should be cut-out & replaced in that area. But, it would be very obviously bouncy or spongy.

2- A joist was installed incorrectly & is sagging down. But, the sag area is way too small.

3- The joist could be a cracked, which will only crack your new tile immediately or eventually. This may or may not reflect upon the ceiling below.

It's just very uncommon in newer construction to have such an odd deflection without a physical problem being the cause. Otherwise, fill & level at your own peril.


Toilet leaking at mounting bolts when flushed I have replaced two wax rings and I still get an ounce of water up from the Johnny bolt on the right side.

I replaced the flange, had to chisel out an old rotten cast iron flange, inserted a plastic flange with triple gaskets to seal. Tried a few different wax/ring combinations and at last  , it still leaks a little when flushed.

All out of options,  any ideas?

It could be that you have a small crack on the bottom of the toilet that's letting water seep past the wax ring, you have a leak from the tank, or the wax ring is not sealing properly.  Also check to see that it is vented properly and that you don't have anything trapped in the drain


Raise Stepdown Living Room I am needing to raise my sunken living room 7" to be flush with existing floor. All the outlets and windows are fine as is and the cieling is vaulted so that isnt an issue. Right now there is a crawlspace below and the existing floor is just on joists. Becuase of this I dont think concrete is the answer. I was thinking of running new joists on top of the existing and just then adding insulation between and 3/4 TG subfloor. My questions are:

Since the new joists need to be 6.25" with 3/4" sub to get my 7" to level should I just use hangers and 2X6's or use a 2X6 fured out with 1X2's?
If fured, put them on the top or bottom?
If fured, Should I glue and nail the joists?
If fured, Should the go parallel or perpendicular to existing joists (image shows current joist direction)?

I would get 2x8 boards and rip them to 6.25. It's the simplest and cheapest solution, and probably also the strongest.

If you go parallel, then you have to make sure that the new joists are directly on top of the old joists - otherwise, they're only being supported by the subfloor. But if you put them perpendicular, you can put them anywhere you want, and I'm guessing that the whole setup will be stronger overall, since the load on each upper joist will be distributed among multiple lower joists. So perpendicular is the way I would go.


How far from the water intakes and drain do the receptacles for a stackable washer/dryer have to be and does code require a GFI? How far from the water intakes & drain do the receptacles for a stackable washer/Electric dryer need to be and does code require a GFI?

The 2017 NEC does not specify minimum separation. In a dwelling unit 125v receptacles in laundry areas require GFCI protection. In other than dwelling units laundry areas are not specified, but within 6' of a sink 150v to ground or less single phase receptacles 50A or less and 3 phase receptacles 100A or less also requires GFCI protection. (Each leg of a 240v circuit is less than 150v to ground.)


Where can I find warming mats to prevent ice on access ramps? I am looking for a warming mat or similar item to put on a handicapped ramp when there is ice or snow expected. My father is heavy, the wheelchair is difficult for me to push and particularly during bad weather when he needs to go to doctors.  I can't do the work myself, but hope there is a place online that someone knows of where I can purchase a mat along the ramp to warm so ice doesn't form.

A good search term is "snow melting mat". That turns up multiple products that look suitable. In the meantime, using some salt on the ramp may help, as would adding anti-slip tape to the ramp if not already present.


Steel wool around a gas pipe There's a crawl space in my basement where the gas pipe to the stove goes through a hole in the ceiling. I think it might be a big enough hole for a mouse to get through so I'd like to stuff some steel wool in there, which has worked for me against mice before.

My concern is whether having steel wool against a gas pipe is anything to worry about. First, I'm in the US and am only assuming that pipe is steel, so I would think it's OK to do that but is there a reason I shouldn't?

The area is under cover, to the ground, but not insulated. Is rust of the wool a worry?

By gas pipe, you mean the gasline--not the actual chimney, right? If so, that is likely steel pipe. It COULD be copper, but you'd be able to tell if that's the case. If it's a steel pipe, stainless steel wool should be fine to plug it.


How can I use a pre-installed A/C unit for heat? I just bought a house with a relatively two-year old A/C unit (installed 2018) and a natural gas furnace connected to central air. I'm interested in using the A/C unit as to heat the air in lieu of natural gas, but there are a few questions I'm stuck on before I can proceed.

How can I know if it has a heat pump? (i.e., if the heat pump in the A/C unit can be reverse to heat the house?)
If it has a heat pump, what do I need to do other than hooking it up to the thermostat?
If it doesn't have a heat pump, can I make it into one with a retrofit?

I'm hoping for a generic answer to benefit the community, since specific versions of this question have already been asked. But if it helps, I live in Dallas, Texas.

A/C: American Standard 4A7A6048J1000AA
Furnace: American Standard AUD1C080A9H41BC
Coil: 4TXCC009DS3HCAA
Thermostat: Nest (formerly an ACONT624AS42DA)

Update: I hope I didn't leave the impression that I'm set on using a heat pump instead of a furnace. Naturally, the question that goes side-by-side with this is, how can I project the relative costs of using the A/C as a heat pump versus a natural gas furnace. I figured that question would be more appropriate for a different thread.

In theory, yes, you could repurpose an A/C unit to be a heat pump but that's not a good choice.  In order to switch between A/C mode and heating mode, you would have to re-plumb the lines every time you switched between heating and cooling or fashion some sort of reversing valve mechanism of your own design to accommodate this.  The American Standard 4A7A6048J1000AA is NOT going to have a heating mode since this installation also has a gas furnace and the extra cost to put in a heat pump where it's not needed is just wasted money.  Retrofitting is going to be a complete custom job and you're pretty much on your own doing something like this.

Not only that but it's going to be extraordinarily inefficient since the unit is designed as an A/C not as a reversible heat pump system.

The best choice, in my opinion, is to use your installation as designed, the A/C unit for cooling and the gas powered furnace for heating.  Gas heating, especially in TX, is going to be significantly less expensive for heating and electric powered heating.

If you are set on eliminating the need for gas, the best approach is to replace the A/C unit with a heat pump system that would efficiently perform both heating and cooling.


Foil tape failure in HVAC unit On a recent trip up into my attic, I found out that the air conditioner was blowing cold air into the attic. In several places at the AC unit, the foil tape had become unsealed. In the interest of not cooling another room, I plan on re-taping it, but I have the following concerns:

Does the tape failure indicate a possible failure/fault in the system that should be investigated?
Is there any surface preparation that I need to do to make sure the tape stays stuck long-term?

On the plus side, the people who did your ductwork made an attempt to seal it! On the minus side, they used tape instead of mastic. Tape can come off, as you've discovered. If you really want to do an A+ job, seal those joints with a generous application of mastic. It's basically a sort of putty-like substance intended for duct sealing.


How do I identify support beams? I'd like to remodel a couple rooms in our home, but am unsure how to identify support beams when the time comes. Are there any easily-identifiable things I should look for to keep my house from crashing to the ground?

If in doubt, don't. It might be worth paying a structural engineer to take a look and let you know if it's safe to remove a wall. Depending on the layout and age of the house, it may not be possible to know without doing some destruction down to the studs to see for sure.


Do I need to sand my new pressure-treated deck before staining it? I just got a deck built and pre treated wood was used. Do I need to sand it before I stain it? I live in San Antonio, Texas

Jeff's comment pretty much answers the question in its entirety:

  [Pressure-treated] wood would not need to be stained for a few years. A cedar or redwood deck would also not need to be stained. Any other wood species and you would need to stain it. As far as sanding, I would only sand it if it is extremely rough. You might not want a totally smooth surface, once stained it could make it awful slippery when wet.

A note on this in addition to: presuming you mean pressure treated like Jeff says, you actually do NOT WANT and SHOULD NOT stain it. At least for a gooooooood long time.

New wood needs time to dry. The wood comes from a factory still dripping wet. Staining it would be a waste and nearly useless. As the wood dries the fibers will begin to show and the grain will present. Right now, if it is recently built, it is going to be wet. The grain will be wet too. Sanding it wont be valuable and will cost time and money.

Now, if the boards are surface dry and are splintered or rougher than you like, feel free to sand it. Follow guides for the grit to use on a floor (eg, 110). But even after this, do yourself a favor and dont stain it.


What is this mystery component My father and I have been re-wiring our home's telephone lines, and in doing so, we found these components attached to loose wires.

They are both labelled "3M". One says "C22" and the other says "B27".

I think they might be end caps for the wires, but we've never seen anything similar. Does anyone know what they are?

They are used to splice (unstripped) wires together. They contain a small piece of metal that joins the wires when the colored part is compressed, as well as some containing a gel that insulates the wires from the elements making them suitable for outdoors use.


How to extend a 2x6 joist to accommodate a hanger board for stairs? I live in an antique home with 2x6 ceiling joists. The stairs are being rebuilt and  the current hanger board for the stringers will not work. So I have attached a picture of the current setup and one of my idea to extend the joist down using a 2x12 and strong ties securing it to two adjacent 4x4 posts. Please let me know your thoughts on the strength of this design. Or any improvements or different ways to extend it down.

There is only about 2 inches behind the joist and posts to accommodate anything do to a finished room and basement stairway. This is why I've taken a minimalist approach.

I am going to assume the opening for the stairs is on the far side of the picture.

I'd skip the ties and use 2x12 hangers on the posts.  If you have this area open you might want to tie the 2x6 joists to the 4x4 posts using ties for seismic/wind though.

Why does the current board not work?


Determining maximum total current able to be drawn through household electrical panel Find below a picture of our USA house's electrical panel (There is a box enclosing the panel that for the time being can only be removed enough to get an angled look/shot of the panel, not straight on, sorry).

Adding up the amperages on all the breakers (even the double pole ones, which I presume are to get 240v at the amperage written on one of the two cream coloured plastic ?paddles?) comes to 450A (700A if both numbers on each double pole breaker are inserted into the calc). Just the single pole breakers adds up to a more expected (to me, given the house was built in the 70's) 200A.

Further complicating the self-determination of total allowable amperage of the feed into this panel is the top two banks of breakers have "Main Disconnects" next to them, but some are instead labeled with high amperage appliances (the rest aren't labeled (?any longer?) as to what they control power to). Lastly, there doesn't appear to be a ?easily accessible? main breaker to definitively determine amperage of our service.

Can anyone help with the question of total amperage able to be drawn through the panel with installed breakers, and/or if needed, debunk some of my assumptions?

TLDR: Ask the power company what size your service is.  There may also be evidence on the meter or meter pan.

This is a classic "Rule of Six" panel

Where's the main breaker?  Electrical service to houses used to be 60A.  As it got bigger, there was a problem - large breakers like 100A or 200A were very expensive. A compromise was struck where the "main breaker" could be up to six smaller breakers.  That's what you see in the upper part of this panel.

They are not paralleled!   Each of the breakers serves a different load.

This panel, like many "Rule of Six" panels, has its own built-in subpanel - that's what you see in spaces 17-28.  The subpanel area is fed by one of the six breakers in the "Rule of Six" area.  This feeds all other loads in the house.

(Space 15-16 are not spaces, the lids are renovable but there are no busbars behind them.)

Your loads

What is in the upper area?   Probably, based on labeling,

space 1,3 50A ??????
space 5,7 50A air conditioner (a little large? Maybe a heat pump with aux heat?)
space 9,11 50A the subpanel below
space 2,4 40A range/oven
space 6,8 30A ?? likely an electric dryer
space 10,12 30A water heater

You notice this adds up to 250A -- there's no such service size.  You also notice the subpanel breakers add up to way, way more than 50A, so you can see it's normal to oversubscribe breakers on a service.   Actually, breakers are there to protect wires and appliances. Wire size (e.g. 12 AWG) decides breaker size (e.g. 20A).

What size is my service?

As far as the subpanel area, your service is 50A, but hold that thought.

As far as the capacity of the "Rule of Six" area, you'd need to consult with your power company or look for evidence at your meter or your meter base.

EDIT: You could also pop off the panel cover and inspect (carefully, from a respectful distance) the fat wires landing on the main lugs at the top of your panel. Look for a size number right before the letters "AWG".  Expect 2, 1, 0, 00, 000, 0000, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, 4/0 (these are the same as 0 thru 0000).  Or right before the letters "MCM" or "KCMIL" expect 250, 300, 350, 400 or 500.  Those wires come from your meter and will inform the size of your service, as these are the wires that will burn your house down if you overload them.

EDIT: Your other limiting factor is the capacity of the panel. Search it for marks as to its maximum capacity in amps, typically 100, 125, 150, 200 or 225.  Exceeding this is out of the question.

Keep in mind you only have 5 breakers in the "Rule of Six" area and you are full.  You can get CH breakers up to 100A ($50) or  125A ($110) in the normal shape (which would force you to abandon one large appliance)...  or 150+ amps in "beast mode" packaging, where the breaker is 4 spaces wide (eliminating two large appliances, ouch).

The problem with the "Rule of Six" design is there is no main breaker to keep you honest, so nothing really keeps you from putting in six large things and overloading the circuit and burning those wires.  That's why Rule of Six was outlawed.   You can't buy a panel like that today, and you shouldn't continue this one in service any longer than you have to.   Dismantle it lovingly, and offer it up on eBay. It'll save someone's bacon.  But only sell it to a licensed electrician.

Get a better panel and make this a "Rule of One" panel

If it was my house, I would add an additional sub-panel quite near this one, and move all my loads to it.  Then I would fit one of those big CH breakers in the "Rule of Six" area and have it only power that subpanel.  Put blanking plates over every other space in the old panel, and you now have reduced it to a giant main breaker only.

EDIT: Alternately 2 or 3 subpanels, as I would not be inclined to pay the big bucks for the 150A jumbo breaker.

I am very picky about panel brands. CH is a fine type (other than this one being "Rule of Six"), and I would even consider CH for my new subpanel.  Reuse all your breakers!

It needn't be done in one sitting.  Find a period when you can do without enough loads out of the Rule of Six area to make room for the new breaker (like A/C in winter).  Once you wire up the new panel, at that point both panels are live, and you can move the other loads at your leisure, one per Saturday or whatever works for you.


Should the smooth side or the rough side of a urethane bandsaw tire go against the wheel? I am replacing bandsaw tires. I bought urethane replacement tires. There is a smooth side and a rough side. The manufacturers directions are clear on every step except for this point. The old tires have been on the bandsaw for AT LEAST 25 years and are made of rubber, those two differences make me leery of simply mirroring the current setup.

Does the smooth side or the rough side of the tire go against the bandsaw wheel?

If it matters the wheel is made of aluminum, the wheel itself has a crown, and the wheel has a lip on the edge to hold the tire on.

I actually have the same question. I recently bought
Blue Max bandsaw tires and out of the package
the rough side was out. Also on a YouTube video
where Blue Max tires were being installed it looked
like the smooth side was against the wheel.
It is my guess that with Blue Max at least the rough
side is out.
Hope this helps.


Light to turn on for every second switching I have a very modifiable simple fixture with two E14 sockets. I want to modify the wiring of one so that it only gets current when the switch is turned on an even number of times. I will put a strong LED bulb in this socket, and a weaker in the other.

Is there a simple, inexpensive and small way to achieve this?

Dimmable switches and dimmable LEDs are very expensive here.
I cannot replace the wiring between the switch and the fixture without serious masonry, this is a 50 years old concrete house. The fixture is not even grounded.

Quick answer - no. At least none that I am aware of. You would need a logic loop that would keep track of the number of attempts.

Closest inexpensive method would be to purchase a three way lamp switch which would be off- on lamp1 - on lamp1 and lamp2-off.

Other than that good luck.


what type of wire is this? The cable that feeds the range in my kitchen has the following written on the insulation "Aluminum-B Type SE Cable Type RH CDRS 6 AL-3 CDRS 300 Volts to ground".  The pic below shows the inside of the range receptacle. What type of cable is it (and is it up to code)? Thanks much.

It's effectively a SE Style U cable, even though they didn't call it that back in the day...

From the information and photo given, we can tell that this is a Type SE (Service Entrance) cable with two type RH insulated 6AWG aluminum conductors, a 6AWG concentric bare neutral or grounding conductor, and a cloth jacket.  Modern cables with this construction would be marked as Style U for an Unarmored type of cable (vs. Style R for a tape Reinforced cable construction, often with four wires instead of three), but your cable apparently predates that marking requirement.

...and it's no longer Code for more reasons than one

While this cable was legal to use at the time it was installed, it no longer meets NEC requirements for a range branch circuit for multiple reasons.  First off, a new installation would require a four-wire (hot, hot, neutral, ground) branch circuit for the range, in order to avoid the shock hazard an open branch neutral poses in a 3-wire range or dryer circuit where the appliance basically "bootlegs" its grounding path from the neutral.

Furthermore, the cable appears to predate the introduction of AA-8000 aluminum alloy conductors, which means that it's made from AA-1350 aka EC aluminum, which is no longer legal for SE Style U cables.  However, a SE cable that does not have a Style marking, while no longer listable by UL, is permitted to be made from AA-1350 as the relevant Code section (NEC 310.106(B)) only applies to SE cables marked as Style U or Style R.

The simplest and most broadly applicable fix for this, provided you can get a 50A GFCI breaker for your panel and have the space available there to install it, would be to replace the existing NEMA 10-50R with an Al/Cu, 75°C rated NEMA 14-50R wired H-H-N with the ground left unconnected, mark the faceplate for the receptacle with "GFCI Protected" and "No Equipment Ground" as per NEC 406.4(D)(2)(c), replace the existing 50A breaker for the range with the correct 50A GFCI breaker for your panel, and convert the range to use a 4-wire cord and plug as per the manufacturer's instructions.  This, at least, will provide GFCI protection to the range to address the shock hazard otherwise posed by not having the range's frame grounded.  You'll need to make sure that all the terminal screws are torqued to the labeled specification torque for that device with an inch-pound torque screwdriver, too, since AA-1350 cable is rather finicky about terminations; a good wire brushing of the wires and a light coat of a listed termination (anti-oxidant, no-al-ox) compound before terminating them would not hurt at all, either.


Bubbles and craters in polyurethane This is the first time I've done anything like this before. I used a part a and VB a part b type resin. After mixing I applied it to the wood surface. I was told all I had to do is gently blow the bubbles out. Well, that didn't work. The more I blew the more bubbles appeared. So now I let it dry completely and am trying to sand all the bubbles out. My question is, am I supposed to completely sand the entire bubble away, crater and all?? Also, after sanding I cannot completely remove all the dust fom the surface and from inside the craters. Please help.

I use a vacuum pot to pull the bubbles out prior to using 2 part, you may need to sand most of the material off and add another coat. Most bubbles especially on a warm day do not disipate and many that have Not worked with 2 part over brush, when I first used 2 part I had the same problem. I sanded it back down then used a cheap vacuum sealer to pull the bubbles out. After that I poured the mix on and was careful not to brush hard and when it starts getting stiff (setting up) left it and I have found this method to be the best. Using mineral spirits with gloves and a rag helps but I could see voids if not totally clean, tough to do.


I have a 135' run to my boat lift I have to run 135'power cord from my cabin to my boat lift and my 2 boat battery chargers will also run off this.  I was told to make my own cord using 10/3 SJOOW wire so I don't have an issue with voltage drop.  This is on a 15 amp 125 V GFCI outdoor outlet so I need a standard male plug.  My question is I can't seem to find a male end that will handle the larger 10/3 wire.  I see all kinds that will handle 12/3 but nothing larger.  Any suggestions.

For a temporary cord cap you are probably going to have to use an industrial grade cord cap. Leviton -  black & white lists #10 AWG with cord sizes up to .700" (strain relief insert removed for the larger size). Part #'s 5269-C & 5266-C. This is not an endorsement I just happen to have some on the shelf. Be prepared for a bit of sticker shock compared to non Specification / industrial grade cord caps. Hubble also makes one almost exactly the same. These are the 2 brands I normally use.


How to calculate what wattage transformer to use for LED light strip I am looking to purchase some LED light strips, and I have seen these:

7.5 Watt RGB LED Tape

They are 7.5w, and have 150 LED lights over a span of 5m and the website states that they are 12V. But I am not sure what transformer/driver to use for these lights. The QA section, below the product description mention:

" To work out what transformer you require this is quite simple. You take the amount of LED tape you have in metres and x this by the wattage of the LED tape you have, again per metre.
For example 7m of 4.8w LED tape: 7 x 4.8w = 33.6w Therefore you would require a 60w transformer. "

So for 5 meter of 7.5watts the calculation is 5 x 7.5 = 37.5W
The website has power transformers, but at 100W and 150W, and when I rang them they were out of stock and the prices for the transformers were about 3 times what I can see on ebay.

Firstly, can I use a transformer that is producing 40W which is just above the 37.5W that I need, instead of a 150W transformer that they sell and claim is compatible for this LED strip?

Here is one transformer, that looks equivalent to the one they sell, at a relatively affordable price:

This gives me 12v x 12.5A = 150W, but I can see a 15V x 10A, which also gives 150W. Which of these is suitable for me (as they both produce the same wattage, but have different Volts/Amps), and what do the different Amps and Volts mean?

Yes, you can use a 40w transformer to power your 37.5w load. However, given the quality of these small power supplies, running at 90%+ all the time will cause heat and premature failure probably.

You will need to drive the LEDs at 12v. Running them at 15-18v (or anything over 12!) is a bad idea for the life of the LED.  You will need to put a resistor on an 18v supply to bring it down.  I'd recommend simply getting the 150w 12v supply.  Wattage/amperage is different than volts, where you can use a higher powered power supply and the connected lights will only draw what they need (example: running a 12v 50w light bulb from a 12v power supply rated at 150w is fine. Running a 6v 50w bulb on the same power supply is not fine).


Can I use indoor Romex in buried outdoor conduit? Or should I use outdoor Romex? I heard that outdoor Romex doesn't need conduit as you are just supposed to bury it.

Edit:
Ack, I should have mentioned I have existing conduit that I want to pull the wire through. It currently has individual wires like user14408 has indicated and it looks shady. That's why I was thinking of replacing it with NM-B or UF cable.

What you're calling outdoor Romex is actually called type UF (underground feeder) cable, it resembles Romex, but it's not. UF cable is THHN conductors plus a ground encased completely in PVC. Romex is a brand name for non-metallic paper bonded cable (NM-B, as printed on the jacket) with a PVC jacket. This is why type UF is suitable for burying and wet locations (or dry) where NM-B cable is suitable only for very specific dry locations.

It's rather common to protect or shield Romex with PVC in locations where (wet or not) it might be harmed by objects or people, but if you're going to be running high voltage (120 V+) outdoor lighting or receptacles it's a much better idea to just use UF, or PVC conduit and pull the THHN conductors through it as you need.

For this project you'll want to:

Have someone show you how to strip UF cable, it takes a bit of skill to do it and not damage the THHN insulation when removing the PVC casing (or your fingers in the process)
Call a utility locating service before you dig to bury the cable, it's got to go at least 18 inches in the ground depending on your location
Perhaps hire someone to trench for you if you've got long runs, or intend to just bury PVC conduit and pull your own conductors.

When using UF, please  take my advice on getting someone to show you how to strip it, the folks at your local electrical supply or home center will probably be more than happy to show you. Your hands and fingers will thank you. Almost every time I was called to troubleshoot a tripping buried circuit it was because the UF cable wasn't stripped properly, and was shorting due to it.


Gluing pvc quarter round in the shower corner I had my shower done and the tile work is very ugly in corners.
Wondering if gluing PVC finished quarter round with clear silicone would work in the long run?
Anyone had any experience with it? Any suggestions?

I'm guessing the "ugliness" is wide enough that a good bead of white caulk, which you'd expect in a shower corner, won't solve the problem. in that case, this will work fine and is something I've done before. One suggestion would be to use some  dabs of fast drying epoxy to secure it in place and then clear silicone caulk both sides of the corner trim, and the top and bottom. The reason for this is if you just use caulk you'll be holding the corner in place until the caulk hardens to prevent the corner from separating from the wall..... that will take a while. You might be able to tape it in place temporarily but that sometimes doesn't work. Good luck.


What would be the most economical way to run wire for a driveway light? I want to run electrical power through my woods to end of driveway. There will be no driving or walking over this area of 300', but I do have squirrels, deer and other "critters" that might chew. What do I need to use, that would be the most economical? The wire will be hooked up to a GFI in my garage.

Your two choices if you want normal AC power out there are:

Direct burial cable. Figure something like $0.50/foot for 12 gauge cable, though it's possible that you will need to buy a roll of 500' instead of just 300' since 250' or 500' are standard lengths. If you do this, you will need to make sure that it is buried 24", and I highly recommend putting a bright plastic tape at 12" so anybody who digs will hit that before the cable. You will need to use conduit to protect the cable where it comes up to the surface.
Wire in conduit. PVC conduit is the simplest, and you are talking around $50 in conduit. You would then need three wires; two insulated for hot and neutral and a bare one for ground. Something like $0.10/foot for each 12 gauge wire these days. You will also need at a couple of intermediate boxes; you can probably pull cable through 100' of conduit at once if it's mostly straight, but 300' is stretching it, so you'd pull in sections. If you do this, pull all 3 conductors at once and use cable lube to make them pull easier. Pro tip: tie a piece of paper to a string, stuff it in the conduit, and then use your shop vac to pull it to the other end. This gets you the pull string simply and easily. PVC conduit doesn't have to be buried as deep (18" IIRC).

In either case, you are probably going to want to rent a trencher to get that deep.

Now, to figure out the size of the wire you need, and to do that, we need to know the resistance of the wire you might use. Looking at the AWG gauge table, we see the following values:

14 gauge copper has a resistance of 2.5 ohms per 1000'
12 gauge copper has a resistance of 1.6 ohms per 1000'
10 gauge copper has a resistance of 1.0 ohms per 1000'

You only have 600' of wire, so multiple each of those values by 0.6, to get

14 gauge - 1.5 ohms
12 gauge - 1.0 ohms
10 gauge - 0.6 ohms

We can now calculate how much voltage we will lose for your 300' run at each of the gauges I listed. This is where things get a little hazy; electrical code does not mandate a maximum voltage drop, it's more a matter of what the equipment on the other end can tolerate. Lights may get dimmer and motors can work to hard and die if there is too much voltage drop.

Code does recommend that you don't exceed a 5% voltage drop, so I'll use that for calculations. 5% of 120 volts is 6 volts, and using ohms law (in this case, current = voltage / resistance), we get the maximum current we could pull and stay at 5% voltage loss:

14 gauge = 6 / 1.5 = 4.0 amps
12 gauge = 6 / 1.0 = 6.0 amps
10 gauge = 6 / 0.6 = 10.0 amps

Multiplying by 120 volts gives us wattages:

14 gauge = 480 watts
12 gauge = 720 watts
10 gauge = 1200 watts

So, if you need 480 watts or less, you would be fine running 14 gauge wire, and so on for the other gauges I list. If you need more than 1200 watts, you're going to need to go with a bigger wire, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to buy 300' of 8 gauge cable; it will be pricey.

If you are going with lighting at the other end, I highly recommend looking at LEDs. Not only do you get a lot of light per watt, most LEDs should retain brightness even with a 5% voltage drop.

If you are going to all this trouble, I recommend putting a standard outlet in a waterproof box out there. You won't be able to pull too much power through it, but it could be very handy. I'd also think about whether you would want anything else out there (intercom? video? other sensors?) - if so, it's much easier to put extra cables in the trench you are going to dig.

Hope that helps.


Kitchen Sink Spray Gun Inquiry I have had a kitchen spray gun in the past and now I am trying to install one again but am having difficulty. I stopped for sometime and used a soap dispenser in its place. I also replaced the kitchen faucet itself some time ago and left the house/country for a few years.

At any rate, now I don't see the push and plug to push the end of the spray gun nozzle into. Do I need to purchase a push and plug piece (if that exists) or will I have to get an entire new faucet in order to use the spray gun attachment?

Thanks.
Fee

If the faucet set currently installed in the sink is sprayer compatible, it should have a third tube coming out of the faucet body/mixing valve. Also note, unless there is a sprayer shut off valve or a fitting that automatically stops any flow to the sprayer when the mating plug is not connected, it would shoot a hard stream of water out anytime the water was turned on. My guess is that there is no sprayer feed in the set you have installed now.  If you put a pic of the bottom of the set from under the sink, we would know for sure.


How are homes typically wired for cable service distribution and what can I do so that each of my home's outlets works? I've recently moved and the new home has cable outlets in several of the rooms.  Cable service was recently installed and works for one line entering the home, but not for any of the home's existing cable outlets.  I'd like to connect the cable in such a way that each of the home's cable outlets (living room, bedroom, etc) will have service.

How are homes typically wired for cable service distribution and what can I do so that each of my home's outlets works?

Cable service is generally provided to the house using RG-6 or RG-7 coaxial cable, and is distributed around the house using the same type cable. Some older installations used RG-58 or 59 (not as good, but may still work). This is the cable that should be leading to each of the cable outlets in your house.

The service from the initial cable coming into the house is divided by splitters.

Note that there is an in and out side to the splitters.

There are multiple tap splitters of you nee more than two lines. However, signal begins to drop as you split more lines, either through a multitap splitter or multiple splitters. At some point, the signal may drop to an unacceptable level (picture breakup or total loss). If you are going to need multple lines, you may need an amplifier/signal booster.

It is likely that the cables are still in the walls from the cable outlets in your house. You need to find out where they go (probably either basement or attic) and see where they are disconnected.  The splitters and the connecting cable runs may have been removed.

You can run new lines using cables from home centers or electronic stores. They come with and without connectors. If you need to cut a line or use a line without connectors, there are a number of ways to attach the connectors using either crimp connectors and a crimping tool (good connection, inexpensive and not hard to master)

or screw on connectors (less reliable).

You can try to reconnect the existing lines using as few splitters as you can get away with and see if the signals are acceptable. If not, get an amplifier/signal booster and place near the inlet line. It does require A/C power but it uses a simple plug in transformer.

NOTE: In some locales, the cable company assumes responsibility for all wiring and may be willing to reconnect the outlets for no charge or a limited amount.  Additionally, they sometimes assume responsibilty for signal strength and they will provide a signal booster if needed. In other jurisdicitons (or other companies), all interior wiring is the responsibility of the home owner.

Also, all of the above assumes that you have a copper feed, not a fiberoptic feed. If you have the latter, this is a much different system, and wiring is generally only handled by professional installers from the cable provider.