Lawn Mower (probably) Electrical Problem This is a ~2013 Troy Bilt Horse tractor.

I need some advice on how to troubleshoot my mower starting.  It cut out right when I was mowing, and had cut out intermittently for a few days before that.  It would never actually stall, just start to kind of like I had raised up the seat and grounded the dead-man switch.

Now, I have done the following:

Checked the gas and the fuel line past the filter, and there's gas flowing.
Verified the mower turns over, and verified 2 of the safety switches:
1 If the brake is on, it turns over.  If the brake is off, it does not.  I take this to mean the brake safety switch is working

2 If the PTO is dis-engaged, it turns over.  If it is engaged, it does not.  I take this to mean the PTO switch is functioning

3 Verified that the seat switch is hooked up, and it appears to work mechanically.  I'm not sure that this is not the problem - maybe a short in the wire?

Mower turns over OK, it just won't start now.  The first maybe 5 times I tried it sounded like it was going to start then died.  Now it just turns over with no change to the noise or cadence of the motor.

What should I do to test the shorted wire?  I have removed the mower cover and can see some of the wiring harness.  I also have the spark plug and magneto accessible.

Any suggestions as to what to do?  I can't inspect the seat switch wire 100% because it goes through the body of the mower.  What's likely the problem?

Thanks.

So, I found what it was.  The plug was OK, and I laid it on the engine block and cranked the mower to verify a spark.  It had a spark so I figured it was fuel.

I took off the air filter cover and the 2 bolts that hold the air filter housing on the carb and removed the housing.  On the float bowl of the carb there was a wire coming off and going to a jumper that was not connected.  The other end of the jumper went to ground.  When I hooked this back up (i.e. re-connected the wire via the jumpers), it worked like new.

I have no idea what that is, maybe something that helps atomize the fuel, or a fuel pump relay?

Dunno, but it was electrical, just not a safety switch like I thought.


How can I paint over a bitumen floor? I have a terrace that has been recently covered with a bitumen based product (This one, if you can read german). My problem is that is black and it get's very warm during the day, making it uncomfortable. It also gives a bad chemical smell when it gets very warm. I would like to paint it brighter, but don't know with what. Is there any paint that can hold on top of bitumen? What other options would I have to cover it? I live in an area where it rains and gets below freezing in the winter.

It seems similar enough to "blacktop" (asphalt, tarmacadam, etc...) to apply the advice given in this greenhouse manual (page 7) - basically to dust with portland cement (get white rather than gray, if you can find it) and then sprinkle/mist with water. Certainly the product linked appears to be congruent with common driveway blacktop sealer. I have only read the advice in question, not tried it.

Tennis court toppings should also work, I believe, and are commonly available in green, blue, or red - and possibly many other colors.


What is the typical vertical angle field of view for a PIR motion sensing light switch? PIR (passive infrared) motion sensing light switches advertise the arc for which they detect motion, but that is only the horizontal arc. I can't find information on the vertical angle for their field of view. This can be important for a bathroom frequented by small children. Is there a typical angle they all have, or is there somewhere this is specified?

I have an one I'm testing right now that has a very narrow vertical arc, so I'm wondering if they're all like that or just this specific product.

While it varies by the sensor, we can look at a good representative unit to get an idea

You are right that different sensors will be somewhat different with regard to their view angles, both in the horizontal and vertical planes.  A good sensor should provide numbers, or better yet, a diagram that specifies their viewing area in both axes though; this should either be given in a specification sheet/document, or provided by some sort of applications literature.  (There is a specification in NEMA WD-7 that governs this, and commercial-grade sensors such as a Lutron Maestro or a Legrand Wattstopper will comply with it, but there's no telling when it comes to random stuff on big-box shelves...)

For example, the diagram below, reproduced from page 59 of the Lutron Occupancy/Vacancy Sensor Design and Application Guide, provides an application-level specification for both horizontal and vertical sensor coverage for the Maestro PIR sensors at a given sensor installation height, provided the sensor has an unobstructed line of sight to the motion source.


Can I branch off my main service, just past the meter base? Can you branch off your main electrical service line to 3 beaker panels?  1 for the house, 1 for a shed and 1 for a shop.  The house has a 200 amp breaker panel, the shed now has a sub panel powered off a 40 amp breaker from the main house panel. I want to replace the sub panel in the shed with its own breaker panel. The new shop will need an 100 amp breaker panel.  Can this be done using polaris lugs to branch off the main service line and wire to the 3 locations I need.

Yes.
You can buy a meter disconnect all in one like this one.
I personally would not buy the Leviton  but this is just an example.
You just need to pull a permit and order a disconnect from the city.
Just check with your local authorities that you won't need to upgrade to a 320 amp service.
As far as 2020 code goes you'll need a sticker that says emergency disconnect since this meter has a main breaker.


Water Heater Cold Intake Pipe always drips from drain valve The cold intake pipe for my water heater has a drain valve with plastic tubing leading to my basement drain. This tubing always has a constant flow of dripping water; basically, my water heater's cold intake drain valve is ALWAYS dripping. I've NEVER seen it not drip.

Is this normal? I ask because my sump pump goes off like clockwork every 3 hours and I'm beginning to think its due to this dripping. I thought we had a water table underneath our house because unplugging the sump pump for days at a time doesn't cause it to overflow.

Ben Welborn is correct.  Sediment or mineral is keeping the drain valve from seating properly if everything is closed inside especially the hot and your cold inlet valve works you could change out the valve without draining the heater. But I'm assuming since there is a sump that this is down inside a basement. Drain and replace use a 3/4 di electric nipple with a. 3/4" ball valve or pvc and remedy this problem for good


What's the easiest way to carry 4x8 sheets of 70-lbs drywall by yourself? This past weekend, I had some help carrying eight 4x8 sheets of type X drywall up a flight of stairs.  It was not easy.  I know the sheets couldn't have weighed more than 80 lbs, but it felt like they weighed a ton.  I need to get more up the same flight, but won't have help this time and I am not keen to paying a few hundred bucks to have it done.

Some research has lead me to the Gorilla Gripper and PanelHandle.  I've read that the Gorilla Gripper can damage drywall.  Haven't found much else about the PanelHandle.  However, the demos I've seen on YouTube show them using it to carry sheets of plywood.

I ended up getting a hand-held panel carrier from Lowe's last week thinking it would help.  It goes under the sheet and you lift it with your right hand and hold the top of the sheet with your left (or the other way around).  It turned out not to help at all.

I really like the Gorilla Gripper provided that it doesn't damage drywall.

The way the GG would damage the drywall is by putting too much torque pressure on a single spot while you're lifting, since the GG is naturally going to want to twist the panel at the point it grips, given the way you have to hold it.

You probably can protect the drywall by using a foot long or so piece of 1/2" thick wood (like a strip of plywood cut to 3" x 12") putting it on the far side of the panel as you clamp with the GG.  That way the wood will absorb the torque pressure and distribute it more evenly along the drywall making it less likely to snap at the pressure point.


Simple rail & hooks solution to attach a bin to the inside of a cupboard I want to attach our bin (trash can, for the US readers), which is basically a plastic rectangle, to the inside of the door of one of the cupboards in our kitchen.  The bin will need to be removed for cleaning, so I can't attach it directly - it needs to hang on something.

So, I'll permanently attach some hooks to the side of the bin, and permanently attach something for these hooks to hook onto, on the inside of the cupboard door, such as a rail or some brackets or something similar (or perhaps vice versa).

I'd like the hooks to be thin, so as to not have (or minimise) the gap between the door and the bin, but still strong so that they don't bend over time, so probably steel.

I'd have thought that these hooks and brackets would be easy to source but I'm having trouble finding them on DIY stores' websites, which are returning coathooks and the like.

Is there a name for what i'm looking for, which would help me find it?

Almost all plastic trash bins have a turned over lip around the top. Why not make a French cleat slightly narrower than the width of the bin and hang the bin by its lip on the cleat?

A French cleat is a long narrow board whose front edge is higher than its back edge. A mating board with the reverse configuration is then hung on it. In this case, the bin lip is the mating piece.

You could use a small rotating clip, such as a plastic mirror clip, to keep the bin from bouncing off the cleat. Just don't tighten the retaining screw too much.


How to overwinter a roof during construction? I am building a new detached garage, and the forecast this weekend is just warm enough that I plan to get my trusses and roof sheathing up.

My sheathing is 5/8" plywood (not OSB). It's a single car garage, 12' by 20'.

However, the weather won't be above 40F / 4C until the spring, so I won't be able to shingle for some time.

How should I protect the bare roof sheathing to best survive the winter?

I am in Wisconsin, USA, so expecting lots of wind, snow, and frigid cold.

These are the options I am thinking of - are there better alternatives?

Install tar paper underlayment and ice dam only
Install underlayment / ice dam and spread a tarp or plastic over the whole thing
Tarp over the bare sheathing

If anything just a tarp over the sheathing. The snow and wind will ruin the tarpaper.
I have had A outbuilding sit through the winter after getting started and having to have knee replacement surgery, in fact it sat for well over 6 months with nothing covering it and was fine once roofed,
I did allow a week of warm dry weather prior to roofing to allow the wood to dry out that was 2 years ago and it is fine.
I would have preferred to have a tarp but the way things happened there was no chance to get back up there but is fine today.


Can I reduce temperature in one room on my hot water furnace based system? We have a hot water baseboard furnace heating system. It all works well except for that one room gets way too hot if we are to keep temperature in all the other rooms.
This particular room is the only bedroom on that floor and is the first on the hot water circuit for as well. The room is also the only bedroom on the floor and when the heat kicks in early in the morning that bedroom turns too hot very quickly. Since it's a bedroom keeping the door open is not an option. Keeping the window open is of course possible, but I do not think the occupant wants that due to traffic noise. He also works nights and sleeps part of the day which makes this even harder.
Is there any way to limit heating output for that one room without affecting the rest of the floor without open windows or door?

Most hot water baseboards have a "flap" which can be used to regulate the heat output so the system can be balanced, since there are often long runs serving multiple rooms.
The flap can be opened for maximum airflow and heat delivery, or closed to minimize airflow and heat delivery. If there is no flap, or that is inadequate to resolve the problem, you can block the airflow by other means, such as placing towels to block the airflow (on a hot water or steam system only, where there is no risk of fire from blocking the radiator.)


Remove rotten mail post I have to remove the rotten mail post and install a new one.
The post was broken. I have to take it out first.

The difficult thing is that the concrete around the post root. It's deep and hard. I bought chisel and drill bit for concrete. But it is too tough. After two days it still no lucky.

Hiring a handyman is still not my first choice. Any idea to crush the concrete?

The tool of choice here is a jackhammer.  Today's electric ones will do the job nicely.  You should be able to rent one and a portable generator to power it from a local tool rental shop.  They should be able to fix you up with the correct tool for the job.


Are some brands of shower valves compatible with others? I just finished all of our shower tile work in our new basement bathroom. Upon doing so, the wife informed me she would like to change the color scheme eyeroll.
We have our shower valve already installed. While I did install a 12"x12" access panel behind the valve, I'd rather not have to use that. We currently have an American Standard valve installed. It's near impossible to find an American Standard trim kit in matte black.
My question is, are there certain brands that are compatible with others? I picked up another entire "Tuscany" tub/shower combo not thinking it wouldn't be compatible. What gives? Any advice? TIA!

I have sort of done this with an American Standard shower valve. There's three parts that need to be adapted. The trim ring is the easiest. Get a piece of aluminum plate, 1/8" is a good size and cut a circle large enough so it fits over the shower valve. Cut the outside so it fits in the hole in the wall. Match it up with the correct plate for the valve and mark it where the mounting screws are. Drill holes in that location just large enough so the mounting screws will go through. Now get the right length/thread screws and mount this plate to the valve. Now take your new trim ring and line it up and and mark where the screws hit the plate you fabricated. Drill and tap the plate you fabricated for the mounting screws for the new trim ring. Your new trim ring will fasten to this mounting plate.
As far as the trim tube that can be held in place by the trim ring. You should be able to silicone the trim tube to the trim ring which should hold it.
As far as the handle that's where you'll probably have some trouble. You'll need to go online and look at installation instructions to see if there's any that have the same mounting method, my guess is you'll strike out on this part.
Easiest thing to do is to look for a universal black shower trim kit. It should come with all the adapters.


What does the low pressure light on my Rinnai tankless water heater mean? We have a Rinnai tankless water heater in the basement. Our housemate has a bathroom in the basement. About once a week, the water turns cold during her showers or when she uses the sink. We have no problems at all upstairs, not even filling the bathtub. She recently told us the low water pressure light comes on on the water heater whenever this happens. I don't understand- if the flow is too slow then it should just not come on at all.

I just changed her shower head from 2.5gpm to 1.5gpm and tightened the valve for hot water to the sink a bit. I'm hoping this takes care of it but I'm also hoping to understand better.

I know this sounds like a long shot but I'd suggest looking into your PRV, it may be going out.


Resource comparing power consumption of different water heaters? I am looking for a website the compares the "real-world" energy consumption of different electric tankless water heaters under different conditions. Any ideas?

You have qualified your question to just Electric On-Demand water heater.  Most energy efficient is not necessary the same as lowest cost when evaluating different energy source.
I do not believe you will find a source that meets the “"real-world" energy consumption of different electric tankless water heaters under different conditions.  Any ideas?”.
Mainly because it is costing the manufacturers enough just to test under the specific guidelines required by the DOE.  Using the DOE energy consumption guide for all appliances sold in the US will provide you the relative ranking of all the  tankless water heater.  This
list of electric tankless water heaters provides a list of 115 models sold or previously sold in the US.
From this listing you can make a list of what features you considered most important, i.e., operating cost, recovery, on-demand rate.


Driveway crack repair work failed over the winter, how can I make it last? I live in the Northeast, and we have lots of hard winters. My driveway had many cracks with most under ¼ inch in width, but a few larger. So last summer, I cleaned those cracks with jets of water, let them dry and filled them in with patch fillers. Some I got from Home Depot (Latex-ite 1 Gal. 2X Premium Blacktop Crack Filler). I also got a little bucket of trowel patch filler from Walmart for the bigger cracks. Anyway, I applied all these per their instructions early last summer. A couple weeks after that I then sealed my driveway with a product from Home Depot: (4.75-Gal. Ultra Shield Driveway Filler Sealer), again per the product's instructions, and with two coats.

A harsh northeast winter later, I have been dismayed to see most of my cracks are back to their state where they were before I patched anything. A few repairs that were done in the shade seemed to fair better. Yea we had 75” of snow or so that I only used a shovel to clean up with, no salt etc.

Anyway, do you have any recommendations for how I can do this right?

Update,  here are some pictures:

Option A: keep doing what you did, and expect it to fail every
winter; be pleasantly surprised if it does not some years.
Option B: tear up the driveway and put a proper base under it. The
lack of a proper base is almost certainly why it self-destructs in
winter.

If you can stand the annual work, Option A can be done for MANY years before you begin to touch the price of Option B.

"A proper base" will depend in part on the underlying soil (a good deal of which may need to be removed and replaced with compacted rock and gravel) but is generally a firm, well drained foundation.

If you're really independent-minded there is also Option C: tear up the surface and change to gravel/rocks rather than a hard-surface driveway - takes some annual raking, but immune to cracks for the most part.

Edit, Add:
Depending both on the existing grade and soil type, you might get some benefit from digging a French drain (drain pipe under rocks) down both sides of the driveway to help keep water from going under it sideways, and help remove any water that does get into it, at less cost than the full dig up and replace the whole surface. If you have porous soils (sandy, gravelly) this will help a lot, if you have clay it will be of more limited benefit.


Corner post for flush beam deck I'm replacing my deck. I would like to use a flush beam (same level as joists) at the edge opposite the ledger  because I plan to put a roof over it and I can put the roof posts right on top of the posts holding up the deck, which will be at the edge. My question is how should I handle the corner notching? Both the beam and the joists on the sides will be doubled 2x10's. If I notch the post in both directions there will be hardly any post left. See the first picture. This is what was done in the past and the beam was simple nailed to the post. I plan on bolting them, like in the second picture of a non corner post.

Old corner post:

ri

A new post which is how I plan on doing it in the future:

I'd suggest a 2 piece corner connector like a Simpson Strong-Tie LCE4. Link. This will transfer your load to the post below. The same connector could be used for your roof-bearing post. Or you could move the roof post in a tiny bit and use an AC connector (same link).

I'd also add some diagonal bracing from your posts for a little bit of added security.

Alternately, if you could live with the post being 3" in from the corner, you could run full length right to the roof by carriage bolting the ledgers to the outsides of the post. (This will require a bit of fiddling with the deck boards, but it strikes me as a more elegant solution.)


Is this my light fixtures ground wire? Is the exposed wire (the one in the photo without the screw) in the photo below my ligting fixtures ground wire and should it be connected to the screw shown?

Edit:

I added another photo: It looks like there is a wire in the background connected to the plate with the colored screw. It looks like the loose copper wire is connected to it.

(Edited 100% based on new photo-for previous answer see edit history)

Grounding here is a bit of a mess at the moment.

While that loosely goosey twisted together mess might work as grounding it isn’t good permanently and would not pass inspection.—The ground splice must be secured with a listed wirenut.  (Over time in a closed up box expansion/contraction and oxidation can change how well things work with the “as-is” splice.)

The bare copper wire coming into the box with the black and white wire is the house ground.  It needs to be connected to everything.  Everything consists of...

The silver fixture braid.
The copper braid (I can’t tell where it comes from).
The green ground screw on the yoke (pictured in pic#1)
The box itself (currently using a ground clip.

How to fix:

First obtain a green ground wire nut, and some bare copper ground wire (pull a piece out of a scrap of NM-B wire.

Next turn off the power, and unconnected it all.

Using both braids and 2 extra pigtails cut from the bare ground wire and the house ground wire, twist it all together and green wirenut it.  (You likely don’t have enough house ground to extend it thru the hole in the green wirenut, so in this example we won’t use that).  This means 5 ground wires will be contained in the wirenut.

Now we have 2 pigtails coming from the splice, connect one to the green screw in pic 1, connect the other to the metal ceiling box—you have two options: either use the existing grounding clip, or even better if the box has a green screw or a place for one then use that.  (Clips were invented for speed install, they take 2 seconds, the screw takes 5 seconds but is better.)

Always wrap wires tightly around the ground screw clockwise and tighten.  Tight on all of these connections is important, over time simple twisted connections may oxidize and be less conductive.

The green ground screw in pic 1 that you questioned is not meant to be a point to connect fixture ground.  It is meant as means to connect ground to the yoke and canopy.  The purpose of this screw is often mid-construed, and has been as shown now—it’s NOT to supply ground to the fixture, instead it allows you to connect ground to the yoke and canopy.

It was once considered acceptable to allow the screws connecting the box to the yoke to supply the ground.  That is no longer acceptable unless the yoke has a retainer/grounding clamp to better connect the box screws and is label self-grounding, yours is not.


Overflow line tied with Condensate Line had a house inspection done and the inspector told that Irregular materials were used, I am attaching a pic.    how much work is it to repair it?  is it a easy fix?
Thank you

I'll try to break down what the inspector is describing.  Keep in mind that these inspection reports will show "defects" that are simply things that do not meet certain recommendations they look for.  They may not be up to code, etc.  The problem with some inspection reports is all defects are called out in the same way.  One defect can be seriously dangerous while another on is merely an annoyance.  Understanding why it is considered a defect is the most important thing.

You basically have two issues.  The first is that the A/C condensate drain is tied into the temperature and pressure relief overflow for the water heater.  Imagine the pressure and temperature in the heater rises to a dangerous level and the valve activates.  That's going to force scalding hot water to flood your air conditioner because they are both connected.  The A/C housing will leak and the PVC pipe will not stand up to the temperature or pressure for long.  This is not the way it should be done.  The A/C condensate drain should flow into a nearby drain pipe.  It's common for it to tie into a bathroom sink drain or similar.

The second issue is a little less clear, but we can assume it's related to the first.  The inspector is saying that there is not a proper overflow drain to the outside for the water heater.  This could be because the overflow doesn't run all the way outside, but since the condensate drains there it probably does drain outside or into the sewer.  He probably means the overflow drain isn't functional because of how its tied into the A/C.

So, if you have a gas water heater, and you don't have access to a proper drain, you can get a special gas valve like the Watts 210-5.  This is a temperature sensitive valve that will cut off the gas supply to the water heater if it gets too hot.  The idea is that cutting off the gas stops the dangerous heating of water without it getting to the point of blowing water out of the TPR valve that doesn't have a proper drain.

The Watts valve seems to be pretty expensive - online prices range from $250 to $400.  On top of that you will need some additional gas piping, and if someone else is installing it, you could be in the $800 neighborhood pretty quickly.  Also if the water heater is old then any time you mess around with the pipe fittings going into the tank, you have a chance of doing irreparable damage if they are corroded (have to replace the water heater).

If the copper overflow pipe does go outside, then rerouting the PVC A/C condensate drain could be cheaper.


What style of bench is this? I saw this bench on Pinterest, I want to research around for plans on how to build it but I'm not sure what style or type of bench it is. Does anyone know?

For convenience, below is the actual image.

I googled "3 plank bench" and came up with some images of the same style you have pictured


Ceiling fan + dimmable lights + old wiring? I want to have my cake and eat it too. Is there any way to accomplish this?

I have an old ceiling light circuit. There is a switch going to a (broken) fan on the ceiling, with lights in it. Since the fan is broken (I'm not sure how, it predates my living here), and I wanted dimmable lights, I disconnected the fan motor in the fan/light assembly and installed a dimmer in the light switch.

However, summer is coming and I'd like a functional ceiling fan. I expect to have to replace the entire fan/light unit with a working one, and to have to replace the dimmer with a normal switch so as not to fry the fan. Is there any way for me to get both dimmable lights and a ceiling fan on one circuit? I'm okay with paying a little extra for some remote-control gizmo or something to control the dimming, if there exists a device like that.

I'm renting, so any modifications I make that aren't strictly positive (e.g. a working ceiling fan instead of a broken one) should be reversible.

Note: Depending on location and other factors (e.g., your lease) you may not be allowed to make any electrical system changes in a rented apartment. So any changes recommended by me or anyone else should be considered as "maybe I can do them myself or maybe I have to pay an electrician to do it".

Traditionally, a ceiling fan + light could be controlled one of two ways:

Two switches, with two switched hot wires. One switched hot would control the fan, one would control the lights and they would share a neutral. Putting a dimmer switch on the lighting only switch would work just fine, because it would control only the lights and not the fan. Based on your description (including "disconnected the fan motor"), I don't think you have this configuration.
One switch, with pull chains for the light and fan. This sounds like what you have. You can't use a dimmer in this configuration because whenever you dim lights you would cause big problems for the fan motor, as controlling speed of a fan requires a different kind of control than a normal dimmer.

There are two solutions:

Smart Switch - Get a smart switch that has a switch module with two switches, one including a dimmer, and with a remote box that connects to the fan/light. A smart switch can control multiple devices all over a single wire. If you want the option to connect "anything", that is the way to do it. But fortunately, new fans anticipate these requirements, so...
New Fan/Light with Remote - For example, picked at random Hunter Channing 54 in. LED Indoor Easy Install Brushed Nickel Ceiling Fan with HunterExpress feature set and checking the installation guide:

Remote controls fan speed and light dimming
Includes single-switch instructions on page 6 of the installation guide

Bottom line: Get a fan/light that includes a remote and single-switch instructions and you're all set.


Skim coating textured walls We have plaster textured walls through out our entire house that are in good condition, but are just ugly.  Is it ok to skim coat or is drywall a better solution.  We are first timers doing our own home improvement so any advice is appreciated.

I've done this on one room- taking a knock-down texture and skim coating it to make it smooth.

The downside is that you then are able to see every wave, bump, and bobble that the drywall installers didn't bother fixing because they knew it would be hidden by texture. ;)

I was able to get by with one coat and one sanding, but I was also applying a textured paint, so I might have had to do a second coat, otherwise.


How much to grout around receptacle box? At the tiled wall, when we grout the tiles, should we leave it out around the receptacle box?

You want to fill in all the grout lines under the cover plate. Don't worry about that last tile edge next to the outlet box and don't fill in all the space around the box. If the distance between the face of the box and the finished wall is greater than 1/4"  then box extenders are needed. Enjoy your new kitchen.


Do I have enough amperage in my service? I'm renovating a small house and want to install an electric tankless water heater to save space. A local store offers one that requires 2 50-amp breakers; the house has 200-amp service. The house also has:

an oven (40 amp breaker)
maybe a stackable washer/dryer unit (30 amp)
heat pump (2 ton - not yet installed, I'm guessing needs 25 amp breaker)

Will the 200-amp service be enough to handle all this?

You're getting very close to the limit. You're up to 170 Amps without the kitchen appliances and recreational devices. The tankless water heater is a large load, takes about 4 times the load of a regular tank heater.


Can sheet vinyl flooring be reused? Can vinyl sheet be reused?

If it has been fitted without adhesive I think obviously yes.

But what if you have used glue, if you pull the sheet up will the cushion or sheet be ripped/damaged such that you cannot reuse it?

I personally have never seen vinyl pulled up, after being glued down, come up in a usable condition.

Even it it does not rip or tear i find the backing material separates and stays with the glue on the floor.


Hydronic kickspace heater on same zone as cast iron radiators? Small older home that has in-wall cast iron radiators throughout the house in a single zone. Hot water not steam. When the kitchen was remodeled years ago the cast iron radiator was removed because it would have been behind the new fridge location. The idea was that it would be moved to a different location but years later it's still on the todo list.

I have been exploring other options but it seems like the easiest most cost effective thing to do would be to add a kickspace hydronic heater under one of the kitchen cabinets.

Is it okay to mix the kickspace heater on the same single zone as the cast iron radiators?

Some additional info if it factors in... The smallest kickspace heater I can find is almost twice the BTU needed for that room. The 1st floor where the kitchen is is all open and generally colder than upstairs.

The main heating pipe is 1" copper tubing I believe or there abouts. For each cast iron radiator there's a venturi T fitting on the supply and return 1/2" copper piping. I was going to plumb the kickspace heater into the existing supply and return pipes that go to the old radiator which is removed and capped off.

You can mix a kick-space heater with cast iron radiators in the same zone but it is not recommended. My choice would be a "Beacon Morris". It comes in 3 models (sizes), and It has a built in thermostat that allows the fan to run when the water temperature is above 110 degrees F. The best installation would be with a monoflo tee on both the supply and return lines, however one on the supply will still work. I am guessing that the systems pump runs all the time and is controlled by a reverse acting control that turns the pump on when the water temp. is above about 110 degrees F. You may desire to add a thermostat to control the fan's heater to stop heat over-runs. For best results I have also installed Danfoss radiator valves on each radiator to control the heat in each room.


Is this the proper procedure for attaching a mosaic to the wall? When I began this mosaic project, it was suggested, because the tiles and stone chips were different thicknesses, I lightly glue the tiles, upside down, to brown craft paper. the mosaic is complete, upside down and reversed. I was told that at this point, I should grout from behind and attach stucco mesh to the back of the mosaic. When this is dry, I can use the thin set and attach to the wall. I am nervous about this and wonder if this is the correct way to proceed. Help?

I've never done or heard of this, but most of my small tile work has been with presheeted tiles

I did read about a mosaic system where the layout was done face up and a mesh was attached, and the tile was thin-setted and afterwards grouted.

I've also seen a TOH segment where the mosaic was attached to a thin cement board (1/4"), grouted and then the whole assembly thinsetted in place.

For me, grouting from the back would mean that you couldn't know or change the amount of grout that was pushing around the mosaic.  Normally, cleaning the tile of extra grout would be done in 20 to 30 minutes, before it is set solidly.

This method would let the front face be flat and the variations hidden in the back.

What would you glue the tiles with?  I assume some type of water soluble glue...

Found a tutorial here this is similar to your method, called the indirect method.  Do the reverse attachment to paper, install the tile on the wall (floor?), let dry and THEN grout.  This makes more sense to me and overcomes what I see as a potential problem area, not being able to control the grout removal.


Floor prep to laying luxury vinyl planks over ceramic tile My basement has flooded twice due to sump pump failure (has been repaired, an electrical issue).  The glued down carpet was removed, and underneath was found ceramic tile which are now covered with old glue, and has grout that has chipped away in spots.   I'd like to replace with waterproof vinyl floating planks. It's a 33x15' room.
 I have had three differing opinions by contractors on how to prep the floor:  1. Take out all tile and start over  ($$$) ; 2.  Regrout low spots and lay planks;  3.  Just lay the planks, no prep needed.  Any thoughts?  Pictures included.

The best solution is to do it properly; remove the ceramic tiles, patch/level the floor underneath, and then install the vinyl as per manufacturer's instructions.

If you lay the vinyl over the floor as is, the peaks and valleys from the old glue and grout lines will transfer through the thin vinyl. It likely won`t be significant, but noticeable if a person was looking for it.

Patching the grout lines as is may not allow proper adhesion due to the excess glue.  The patch could come loose, crumbling and/or shifting, and cause a lump in the floor.  The glue and any loose material would need to be removed prior to patching the grout lines.  Depending on the amount of patching required, this may be just as much work as removing the tile.

Side Note:  You mentioned that the vinyl planks you`ve picked are waterproof.  While the planks themselves do not absorb water, the final floor will likely not be waterproof.  If you were to have another flood of the basement, water will seep through the seams in the planks and along the edges.  The floor would have to be removed in order to remove that moisture.


How do I protect the walls next to a 24 foot tall red brick fireplace when painting it? What is the easiest and best way to paint a very tall brick fireplace?  It is 24 feet tall old Chicago (red) style brick.  I would like to use a sprayer but am afraid of the over spray when spraying up on the high area.  I have a very good and long ladder (and a very able bodied husband), although it really scares me to have him up that high! Any advice would be great.

It makes me die a little inside when people paint over raw red brick....

That said, you tape and paper the walls where they meet the brick. Then you plastic from the paper as far out as you think you might overspray. You may even want to form a "curtain" out of the plastic to keep the brick in a make-shift paint booth.

It is just as you would mask any other wall, though you will likely need to touch-up the seam where the brick meets the treated wall, it shouldn't be too bad.


Heat shielding paper under radiator cover? What am I looking at here with this paper-ish material on the underside of all my radiator covers? They are pretty old covers, but I don't believe they are as old as the house (1923).

Is this... dare I say ... asbestos?!

Also, if it is, is there a newer product for this application? (my initial googling didnt come up with much but automative radiator wraps)

Yes, I believe there is a strong possibility that is asbestos.  Please get it tested and, if confirmed, professionally abated.

I believe there are some fiberglass-based products that would be a good choice today.


What submersible adhesive is watertight and durable? I am creating an overflow pipe for a rain barrel. Will be creating my own 3D-printed "flange" connector. Half of it will be submerged. Its "flaps" need to be glued to the interior wall of the rain barrel. What kind of adhesive would I use for this? It needs to be impermeable to water (water-resistant) and not degrade over time in the water. As an adhesive, it needs to be strong enough to withstand some accidental bumps of the overflow hose which will be connected to the connector.
Thanks!

I would think a marine grade epoxy should do the trick for you. It would definitely be waterproof and it's made to hold up under the stresses of a moving boat, and to hold up to salt water which is much harsher than the fresh water in your rain barrel


Up to code kitchen receptacles I have to install Two 15amp square D receptacles in a kitchen here in northeast Pennsylvania. I need these to be up to code because of an inspection. If this is incorrect please let me know.
I plan on running off the breaker a 15 amp 12/2 wire to a steel junction box in the basement below the kitchen. From that box I will run one THHN wire to the left one to the right of my cabinets. I will use wiremold from the floor up to about 36 inches high? And put my gfci receptacle boxes. I'll secure the wiremold to the wall.
Will this be up to code?  If not kindly explain.
(I cannot run it behind the lath and plaster and don't think in the floor would work in a kitchen)

As noted by some others in comments: Before you do this work, consider exactly what you need. If this is "inspector said do this", then you should be fine. If this is "I heard that to pass inspection I will need...", make sure to consider all of:

2 dedicated kitchen 20A small appliance circuits (not 1 but 2, not 15A but 20A, dedicated to kitchen and certain other areas, not shared with lighting, etc.)
GFCI can be at the receptacles (always works, often easiest) but does not have to be there - it can be at the breaker, or in between. Plus only one GFCI needed per circuit, even if there are many receptacles on the circuit, provided everything is wired properly.
Generally speaking, there should be a receptacle within 2 linear feet of the counter (so if > 4 feet, one every 4 feet). There are some exceptions (around sinks, stove, etc.) but that is the basic rule.

1 - I assume "one THHN wire" really means "one set of THHN wires, including hot/neutral/ground". Note that ground is not needed if you are using metal conduit, but is needed in other wiring methods such as wiremold.
2 - For kitchen countertop receptacles, the circuit must be 20A according to code. That means 12 AWG wire (which you already specified, so that's good) and 15A or 20A receptacles, as long as you have at least 2 receptacles on the circuit (so that's OK too). Based on your description, you just need to use a 20A breaker instead of a 15A breaker.
3 - Running behind lath & plaster (in conduit or using non-metallic cable if that is permitted in your area) vs. running through wiremold is an aesthetic issue but code is fine with either method. You are correct that floor receptacles can't be used here. It isn't that you can't have floor receptacles in a kitchen, but rather that they don't satisfy the requirement for small appliance circuits, which is presumably what you are trying to resolve here.


How to remove/prevent mold from forming in bathroom I just bought a rental property and one of the tenants bathrooms seems to have a mold issue. In the shower, around the toilet, and around the perimeter of the room there seems to be mold/dirt build up. I've added pictures below for context.

There is a fan in the center of the room and the motor was replaced in it a few months back, however, I have not verified how well it actually ventilates. The walls are made of a plastic paneling made to look like ceramic tiles.

My current explanation for the problem is either the fan is not ventilating enough or the material used within the shower and walls is not moisture resistant, however, I'm inexperienced in this area, so I'm not sure how much a fan will help with mold and the material seems like it should be moisture resistant.

As for the dirt/mold in the perimeter of the room and around the toilet, I have no idea how that would form.

First thing you want to do is verify that the fan is working. If there is an attic, you need to get up there and check the venting to the outside. If no attic, then remove the fan so you can stick your head up there and see what's going on with the vents. Poor ventilation is a major cause of mold and mildew. All my bathroom vents have 60 minute timer switches.

Next, mix 1 part bleach and two parts water in a spray bottle and spray down the whole bathroom. I don't usually use bleach, I use vinegar because it soaks into porous materials and bleach doesn't. In this case I'd use the bleach: spray, scrub, wipe down, spray, scrub, wipe down. Once everything is clean, wipe the floor down with vinegar. It will soak into the grout and prevent the return of mold.
Keep in mind that the walls are probably not made of that plastic. The plastic is a wall covering and there could be mold behind it. If any of the plastic is loose, pull it out and check for mold behind it.

Last but not least, think about replacing all the caulk in the bathroom. Good luck.


Small Clearance Square Bit I'm trying to take apart an old bed frame. The fasteners are square head bolts, but they're tucked away with only 1/2" of clearance to access them.

I can't find square head bits shorter than an inch, so I've got no idea how it was put together in the first place.

Is there such a tool out there?

I can barely make it out, but it looks like a pin-and-slot arrangement. Bump the rail with your palm away from the camera. The bracket that's retained by the screw should slide off the pin we see deeper in. If it doesn't budge, use a mallet or a hammer and block of wood.


How to pass large cable bundle through drywall? I’m moving all my network equipment to a central location inside a closet. I will mount the switch on the wall, and have about 14 Cat6 cables passing through the interior wall and going in different directions.  What's the best way to do this?  I have seen passthrough wall plates like this, but I don't like that they allow airflow and a potential entry for mice or other critters.

I have also seen recessed boxes like this with a punchdown patch bay, but this doesn't actually get the wires into the closet.

For smaller installations like in each room, I would use keystone plates like this.  So I could mount four of these right next to each other.  Is that the best approach?

There exists a putty called "duct seal compound" which you can pack into the opening of a pass-through plate to seal the opening. I couldn't say whether it is rodent-resistant (few things are) but it may get the job done for you.


How to fill cracks when building wood furniture? This is my first thing here, and I'm still an amateur at DIY.

I'm building a raised bed for my daughter.

I'm using wood.

Right now I'm trying to find out what is the best material to fill in imperfections on the wood, and the places of the joins, and even the grain of the wood itself.

My final goal is to use a enamel paint to make "feel" smooth.

Good for you for tackling this project.  If you're an amateur and this is your first project, then don't try to be perfect because you will be beating yourself up for no reason.

If you are going to paint the finished project, then the looks don't matter so much.  You can buy wood filler that will fill any gaps and grain.  Force it into any gaps or cracks with a putty knife, and then sand smooth afterwards.   If needed, start with a coarse grain sandpaper (otherwise start with medium) and then progress to fine.   Wood filler can create fine dust, so use a dust mask while sanding.   For panels, I would recommend using MDF as it has a very smooth surface for painting.  Cutting MDF creates a LOT of dust, so always use a mask and remember that it's better to do this outside or with a dust collection system.


Why did the fill valve in my toilet pop up? The fill valve in one of my toilets popped up with enough force that it lifted the toilet cover up and nearly off the toilet. Anyone heard of this happening, and any ideas what might have caused it? I pushed it down and it clicked, and now everything works again (see picture).
My best and only guess is that it has something to do with in-tank toilet cleaner thing that was in there (we moved in recently, I didn't know it was there). Maybe it was floating around free and got caught on something? I'm not sure, this all happened when I wasn't in the room.
Bottom line is I'm probably going to replace the fill valve, I'm just wondering if anyone has any insight into what might have happened.

These fill valves are adjustable in height for various toilets
Ther is a simple way to lock it at the appropriate  height this video will help


Is there a maximum length requirement for 3/4" liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit type-B? My application is for installing a hot tub outdoors and I'm reading varying answers online, so thought I'd ask here to confirm.

You can install Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit (LFNC) in lengths longer than 6' (1.8m), but only if it is securely fastened at intervals less than 3' (900 mm), and within 12" (300 mm) of boxes and fittings.

Update.
Turns out that if you're following NEC 2011, 680.42(A)(1) limits you to 6' of LFNC for hot tubs. The 2014 version of the code, seems to have removed that restriction.

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods
Article 356 Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit: Type LFNC
356.10 Uses Permitted. LFNC shall be permitted to be used in exposed or concealed locations for the following purposes:
(5) Type LFNC-B shall be permitted to be installed in lengths longer than 1.8 m (6 ft) where secured in accordance with 356.30.
356.30 Securing and Supporting. Type LFNC-B shall be securely fastened and supported in accordance with one of the following:
(1) Where installed in lengths exceeding 1.8 m (6 ft), the conduit shall be securely fastened at intervals not exceeding 900 mm (3 ft) and within 300 mm (12 in.) on each side of every outlet box, junction box, cabinet, or fitting.
National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 6 Special Equipment
Article 680 Swimming Pools, Fountains and Similar Installations
680.42 Outdoor Installations. A spa or hot tub installed outdoors shall comply with the provisions of Parts I and II of this article, except as permitted in 680.42(A) and (B), that would otherwise apply to pools installed outdoors.
(A) Flexible Connections. Listed packaged spa or hot tub equipment assemblies or self-contained spas or hot tubs utilizing a factory-installed or assembled control panel or panelboard shall be permitted to use flexible connections as covered in 680.42(A)(1) and (A)(2).
(1) Flexible Conduit. Liquidtight flexible metal conduit or liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted.

National Electrical Code 2011
Chapter 6 Special Equipment
Article 680 Swimming Pools, Fountains and Similar Installations
680.42 Outdoor Installations.
(A) Flexible Connections.
(1) Flexible Conduit. Liquidtight flexible metal conduit or liquidtight flexible nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted in lengths of not more than 1.8 m (6 ft) external to the spa or hot tub enclosure in addition to the length needed within the enclosure to make the electrical connection.


Hot Tub Disconnect Location I have a concrete slab which can fit a hot tub approximately at a distance of 8 feet from the main breaker panel (located outside on my porch).  I assume that I will still need a separate disconnect for the hot tub (minimum of 5 ft from the tub).  Can I just pop the disconnect box (with GFCI breaker and 120V outlet) directly next to the main breaker box and then run my #6 cables from there to the hot tub (~20 ft total)? Or does the disconnect need to be separated from the main for some reason?  Thanks!

-Phil

The pertinent parts of Article 680 I have quoted here:

  680.12 Maintenance Disconnecting Means
  One or more means to simultaneously disconnect all un-grounded conductors shall be provided for all utilization equipment other than lighting. Each means shall be readily accessible and within sight from its equipment and shall be located at least 1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the inside walls of a pool, spa, or hot tub unless separated from the open water by a permanently installed barrier that provides a 1.5 m (5 ft) reach path or greater. This horizontal distance is to be measured from the water’s edge along the shortest path required to reach the disconnect.

  680 Part IV. Spas and Hot Tubs 680.40 General
  Electrical installations at spas and hot tubs shall comply with the provisions of Part I and Part IV of this article.

680.40 refers to Part I and the requirement for a disconnect is in Part I (630.12).

This commentary is from the 2011 NEC Handbook:

  A readily accessible disconnecting means is required to be located within sight of pool, spa, and hot tub equipment in order to provide service personnel with the ability to safely disconnect power while servicing equipment such as motors, heaters, and control panels. Underwater luminaires are not subject to this requirement. The proximity of the disconnecting means to the pool must be not less than 5 ft unless the disconnecting means is separated from the water by a permanent barrier.

Notice here it says unless the disconnect is separated from the water by a "permanent barrier". If you have a permanent barrier such as a partition between the tub and the disconnect it can be closer than 5 feet. Otherwise 5' is your minimum distance.

So, you were reading the code correctly you need a disconnect in-sight of the spa and mounting next to the main panel will work just fine. Or using a breaker in the panel will work as you and Speedy Petey were discussing.


Installing light fixture in Toronto ON condo I am trying to install a light fixture in my Toronto condo (newly built) and to my surprise found these wires. I’m pretty sure white is neutral and green is ground. What is current? And what is the other wire for?
TIA

The novice's rule of wiring is "Not all wires in the box were put there just for your project".  Lots of wires have lots of jobs to do. They don't all relate to your project.  Leave them alone unless you really, really know what you are doing. Otherwise you will break the other jobs.
In particular, if wires are already bundled together, they are not "one for  you and a bunch of spares".  There are no spares (with rare exception). They are all doing other jobs.  You can add to them, but do not separate them.
Green is ground.
White is neutral.
If you want the light to turn on and off with the switch, attach its hot wire to the single wire courteously marked "LIGHT" by the original installer.
If you want something else to happen, attach the lamp's hot wire to the yellow bundle. I suspect that will make the light run 24x7, but I don't actually know.


Cooking stove is causing a short circuit, how do I diagnose it further? There was a problem that caused my circuit breaker to reset over and over again. I isolated this problem to my cooking stove.

It was connected to the main so that it could generate a spark to ignite the natural gas.

I have disconnected it from the main and anyone has seen a problem like this before? How do I investigate further regarding why it is causing a short circuit?

Thanks

Visually inspect the igniters. If if you see any cracks in them or burned wires, that's almost certainly the fault to fix.

If you don't see anything wrong with the igniters, check with an ohmmeter if there's short between line and ground on the input plug of of stove. It's not clear to me from your description of the problem if the breaker disconnects when you push the spark/lightning button or all the time... but try to repeat the scenario with the ohmmeter. If there's a fault to ground somewhere, it's almost certainly from a wire with burnt insulation... somewhere inside the stove; you'll have to trace/inspect all the wires.


Stainless steel type and gauge for pizza oven I'm building a stainless steel pizza oven having an inner and an outer dome.

I'm going to build it using a type of steel called "304" but my question is regarding the gauge (thickness): I don't want the sheet steel to get bent or deformed because of the high temperature.

How should I proceed?

I build a lot of pizza ovens each year, steel and stainless.
I use 11 to 14 gauge(.120" to .075") in steel and always 16 gauge in stainless 304.

Warping occurs on the front panel where is the door opening, mostly the top part, just and iron angle inside where you doubt it could warp.  If the sheet is rounded or bent, it add strength to it so it never warps at the dome.  Hope it can help.


Hot surface indicator light stays on On my GE oven, the hot cooktop indicator light has begun staying on all the time.  I know that the thermostat for each burner is an integral part of the burner, so I will check each burner for continuity to isolate which one has a bad thermostat.  Since the burners all still work, and I am the only one who uses the stove, is there really any reason to replace the burner just to eliminate the false positive warning light?

If it is really a false positive - i.e., the light is incorrectly showing something on, but all burners cycle on/off correctly, then I see no real concern.

If one of the burners is not working at all - i.e., you turn it on, the light goes on, but the burner does not actually warm up, then this is also not a significant problem as you just can't make use of that burner until you fix it.

However, if you have a situation where the light is on due to a burner turning on and not cycling but STAYING on then this is a real safety concern as you could forget and turn on that burner and forget about it for a little while and end up with your house burning down.

Simple enough to test. One burner at a time, put a pot of water on. Turn the burner on medium and watch it for a while. If it cycles normally, great. If a burner stays on -- gets red hot -- and never cycles off, then you have a serious problem that needs to be fixed. If I found this problem and it only affected one burner, I would remove the knob for that burner to prevent someone (including myself) from accidentally turning on that burner until it is repaired.


Purpose of Fill Valve Tube Going into Overflow Drain I can easily understand the purpose of the overflow tube itself, but why is the little black hose that comes from the fill valve placed down into the overflow tube?  On my toilet, there is a strong stream of water that comes from the black hose, and it seems like going right into the overflow tube is a complete waste of water.

I know I must be missing something obvious, but I can't see it.

That tube provides water to refill the bowl. Without it, you'd only refill the tank.


Is my Milwaukee drill defective? I have a Milwaukee M12 Fuel hammer drill I purchased in July. Last week I was drilling holes through studs with a brand new 5/8” auger bit and the drill was constantly stopping due to overload protection. I was not putting a ton of force into the drill, trying to let it do the work. I’ve tried multiple batteries and both produced same result.

Is this normal for an M12 Fuel drill to stall out when drilling studs? Or is there a problem with my drill?

What size battery do you have? When using large bits the drill draws a high amperage the smaller batteries just cannot sustain a heavy load. For example a 1 amp hour drill may be able to drill an inch but jump to a 4 amp hour or larger and it may not over heat and shutdown at all, I found this especially true with my battery band saw, trying to cut 2" pipe my small batteries just could not keep up but the big ones made cut after cut with no problems.


Do plugged in chargers always use up energy? I always make sure that all chargers with no device attached (mostly laptop and phone chargers) are unplugged so that they don't use up electricity. I guess it used to be a reasonable approach. I was wondering if it sill holds with modern devices. In other words: do plugged in chargers use up electricity even without any device attached?

This is one of those questions without any clear answer.
One person will say they measured the draw, and came up with .05 watts per device, which adds up to  something like 5-6 cents over a year.  Someone else will come around and say "But my device charger gets WARM, I measured it at 5 watts, so that means it'll cost $5 per device, times 10 chargers, that's $50!!!!
Both of these made up people aren't wrong, but neither are really right either.  In this case the phrase "Your Mileage May Vary" is really quite applicable.
So I'd say the short answer is "it depends".  Phantom draw has gotten considerably better over the years as the charger industry has gotten better at this.  There's actually an initiative to reduce standby power called the One Watt Initiative that aims to reduce standby power of appliances (and apparently chargers) to less than 1 watt by 2005, and .5 watts by 2013.
In other words, if you have some old chargers, you may want to look into replacing them with something newer.  If you have newer ones, they might not be as much of an issue.  But unless you either measure the usage yourself or lookup the specifications of standby power usage, it's not possible to generalize since the power usage varies by factors of 10 or maybe even 100.


Why can't some light bulbs be used with timers? I've seen the answer to questions asking why some bulbs can't be used with dimmers [1][2], and that makes sense, but why can't some light bulbs be used with timers? Aren't most timers equivalent to an on/off switch, or do they somehow leak current like a dimmer? I've thrown caution to the wind and tried such bulbs in a lamp attached to a timer and it works fine, and lasts as long as the same bulb in a non-timer controlled lamp.

Timers come in two varieties:

Timers with a neutral wire.  These are connected between the hot and neutral wires of the circuit, parallel to the load.  They're powered like any other device, and work by switching the hot (and possibly neutral) wires of the controlled circuit.  These timers can control any device, but require a location with access to both the hot and neutral wires.
Timers without a neutral wire.  These are connected in series with the load, and work by restricting the current through the hot wire of the controlled circuit.  Because they use the load as part of their own power circuit, they can only control resistive loads (essentially, light bulbs and some electric heaters), but can be installed anywhere (in particular, as a drop-in replacement for a light switch where only the hot wire passes through the switch box).

LED and fluorescent bulbs (and motors, and...) don't work properly with the second type of timer, either because they require a sufficient current to let any electricity flow, or because too low a current will damage them.


Heat an outdoor water tank to 10°C? (with an electric heater) I have a stock tank full of water in a unheated greenhouse.

The greenhouse is located east of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where the temperatures occasionally go down to -25degC in winter.

I would like to continuously heat the water in the tank to around 10°C.

It would be acceptable if the temperature of the water occasionally dipped to approx. 5°C.
It would also be acceptable if the temperature of the water rose occasionally (or continually) up to approx. 30°C.

I would prefer to use electricity to heat the water for these reasons:

I assume maintaining a constant-ish temperature would be easiest with an electric heater.
Low risk of fire.
No risk of carbon monoxide or gas leak.
Generally easy. Plug it in, and go to the pub.

How can I heat the stock tank of water electrically?

Search for a "tankside heater adjustable thermostat" like this one

https://www.miller-mfg.com/product/71502.html

may be suitable.


Do I need to feed a subpanel with a breaker, or can I use subfeed lugs? I am feeding a subpanel from a main panel, and the subpanel will have a main breaker installed. Do I need to feed the subpanel from a breaker in the main panel, or can I use subfeed lugs?

I understand from this question that my subpanel on a different building needs to have a "main" breaker, so the feeder will have a breaker at the load side regardless. The question is whether or not I need it on the line side or if subfeed lugs are appropriate.

If the wire size from the sub panel is the size that the main breaker in the panel being fed from you don't have to have the breaker but this means if you have a 200 a main breaker in that panel the wire ampacity will need to be that large. Most subs are smaller and it saves $ to install a breaker and feed the sub with smaller wire. Not sure about the comment on not electrocute the line man, is this for a generator or photovoltaic system? I don't see that in the question.

Edit to clarify from comment.
A 125 amp main panel with a 125 amp main braker can direct feed anything larger than 125 A with 2/0 since 2/0 at 75 column is rated for 175a. The run between panels in my area need to be in Ridgid metal conduit because I was replacing the original panel. Some AHJ will limit the distance the panels can be seperated if this is the case. I have done this several times when preparing to replace the original panels (60 & 100 amp to 200) In one case the AHJ did require a 125 amp breaker in the sub, until the service was replaced I thought this was silly because the main breaker in the main panel is still the limiting factor. I did use large enough pipe so when I was ready to convert the service I just had to pull new feeder wire to the meter base so power to the house was only off for a few minutes. Green tag and final prior to meter connection since everything else was already run.


Bathroom fan venting to attic gable screen I've read many of the other questions about venting thru gable, but this seems slightly different. I discovered my upstairs bathroom fan is venting to the gable vent. Not ideal, I know, but may be ok enough in this situation. The wind and snow blows 99% of the time from opposite side of attic through this gable, so no moisture or precipitation is coming back in the attic there. It's rigid duct from fan to close to gable vent, then transitions to cheaper flexible duct for the final inches to gable screen. From the pic, you can see the rigid duct is angled down, then the flexible duct rises up several inches. It appears the flexible have separated a little from the rigid, so I'll have to go in and tape that.

Wouldn't vented steam cool and collect in that dip?

Should I cut the flexible ducting back so it meets the screen in the bottom
corner, not 1/3 of the way up?

Should I raise the rigid with something so the angle points
a few degrees upward instead of downward, allowing the hot air to rise up and
out naturally?

Or should I just cut a roof vent above the fan to vent it out there?
The roof above attic is hit hard with wind and lots of snow, so the gable venting may be better in this situation.

I would raise the rigid just so it's not going down into the insulation and then refit the flexible straight to the gable screen. There's a very little chance of any moisture accumulating anywhere in the duck run. If any did, it would evaporate quickly like the water does under your fridge. I would stay away from cutting a hole in your roof. The venting you have now should be totally sufficient. Putting a countdown timer on the vent, if separately switched, is always a good idea because you can run the vent for a longer period of time and don't have to remember to turn it off.


Is it code to have a concrete floor in a bedroom? For some reason I recall that it is Ohio Building code that a bedroom must have a floor finish material other than subfloor. So if you are in a Slab on Grade (SOG) condo, does the code require you to have a floor finish other than the exposed concrete?

A concrete floor is not necessarily a sub-floor, it is may be considered a finished floor material. From Ground floor construction: "A ground-level floor can be an earthen floor made of soil, or be solid ground floors made of concrete slab.   Ground level slab floors are uncommon in northern latitudes where freezing provides significant structural problems, except in heated interior spaces such as basements or for outdoor unheated structures such as a gazebo or shed where unitary temperatures are not creating pockets of troublesome meltwaters. Ground-level slab floors are prepared for pouring by grading the site, which usually also involves removing topsoil and other organic materials well away from the slab site. Once the site has reached a suitable firm inorganic base material that is graded further so that it is flat and level, and then topped by spreading a layer-cake of force dispersing sand and gravel. Deeper channels may be dug, especially the slab ends and across the slab width at regular intervals in which a continuous run of rebar is bent and wired to sit at two heights within forming a sub-slab 'concrete girder'. Above the targeted bottom height (coplanar with the compacted sand and gravel topping) a separate grid of rebar or welded wire mesh is usually added to reinforce the concrete, and will be tied to the under slab 'girder' rebar at intervals. The under slab cast girders are used especially if it the slab be used structurally, i.e., to support part of the building."

From the Subfloor construction section: "Floors may be built on beams or joists or use structures like prefabricated hollow core slabs. The subfloor builds on those and attaches by various means particular to the support structure but the support and subfloor together always provides the strength of a floor one can sense underfoot. Nowadays, subfloors are generally made from at least two layers of moisture resistant ('AC' grade, one side finished and sanded flat) plywood or composite sheeting, jointly also termed Underlayments on floor joists of 2x8, 2x10, or 2x12's (dimensional lumber) spaced generally on 16-inch (40.6 cm) centers, in the United States and Canada."

Concrete slabs "may" be used as a sub-floor, but they also are of adequate quality to be considered a finished floor.

To really answer your specific question, you could check out the 1,244 page Ohio Building Code yourself.

I searched through it and see no specific provision saying that concrete is unsatisfactory as a finished floor... The only subfloor requirements I saw had to do with fire resistance, load bearing capabilities, and they all appeared to be related to wooden subfloors from my brief look over.


Could mice be escaping traps because the traps are being reused? We've caught 6 or so mice using the classic snap traps. Being frugal, we tried washing and re-using the traps. We're getting mixed results.

The mice are clearly nibbling the food (peanut butter, cheese) and escaping the traps. The only thing we can identify that is different is trap re-use. Or is there something else going on?

Note: We are and will remain a no-cats home.

It's unlikely to be a major issue with reused traps. Just check that there's not a little rust or something developed that is causing them to stick.

You could try a square of chocolate as the bait. If you heat the pin on the trigger platform, you can push the chocolate on and it's stuck there. That makes it harder for the mice to get away with the bait.


How do I widen an existing asphalt driveway with crushed gravel? I've got an existing asphalt driveway that's around 20 feet long.  It's in fair shape.  I want to widen it by about 5 feet.  The ground is level, I'm in the soggy Willamette Valley, Oregon so frost isn't a big concern.  And the plan is to have it used for occasional parking.

Is laying down 6" of 3/4 minus gravel sufficient?  Should I use larger gravel?

Is there anything special that needs to be done at the junction of the gravel and asphalt?

3/4 minus (21AA in US Midwest) is perfect for this
application.

Hope you have some college kids around, that's nearly 2 cubic yards!

I would overdig another 6" to be able to place an edging to retain the gravel and make a clean edge.

Place the gravel in 2" "lifts" (lay down 2") and then compact with a plate vibrator.  Repeat twice. Enjoy!

6"  compacted will be quite solid and stable.

Update

This edging can be backfilled with dirt to grow grass.  Just place it when you are 2 1/2" from the top.  Its usually staked with landscape nails every 2 ft, but I'd do it every foot.  I know you're not using pavers, but this will retain the edge of the gravel.  You don't have to do anything with the asphalt edge, unless it is rolled over unevenly, in which case you can cut it with a masonary blade in a circular saw.


French doors are falling apart and don't close I have a pair of french doors in my place not much unlike these

The seams at the top of the door are coming apart and now they overlap when they shut and you have to open them both a bit, line them up, then close them together. If I push on the door toward the hinge - pretty much pushing the doors back together - they work for a few times.

Am I able to glue them back together? What's the best way to solve this problem?

Without seeing the doors, this is speculation, but I'd probably want to pin the joints with approximately 12" long 5/8" dowels epoxied in. This assumes that the door is solid wood, not particle core with a veneer skin.

remove doors
square and clamp
drill 2 holes per joint from the stiles with long auger bit. The adventure here is that if you stray off center, you've destroyed your door.
epoxy in dowels, trim, apply protective finish.

This isn't rocket science, but it's high risk. You might consider new doors, as they aren't terribly expensive.


Is it safe to run an electrical cable through an insulated exterior wall? I have a Nest outdoor security camera that I want to place on the outside of my house and I would like to drill through the insulated wall and plug it into an outlet which is directly on the other side of that wall. Would it be safe to do this? Is it safe to run an electrical wire through a wall with insulation in it or is there a better way to do this? I don't want this to become a fire hazard if I go this route.

Difficult to imagine a problem. I did this for my sprinkler (low voltage) power supply. When I put 110 V wire through the wall, I usually use conduit, but I must have skipped the conduit once. The house has 5 exterior receptacles put in by a professional electrician, none with conduit (conduit is not generally required in TX)


Above ground pool surface question I purchased a 15' x 48" above ground Bestway steel frame (Bestway Steel Pro Max). I'm looking at the instructions, which say "Do not assemble with pool legs on soft lawn. If you must assemble the pool on a soft surface, timber boards (not included) must be placed under the feet of the vertical support rods for even weight distribution."

What in the world is a "soft lawn"? I was planning on putting it on a sparse lawn (it's very shaded, so grass doesn't grow very well there). I have a thick tarp to help with evening the ground. My current issue is with gumballs from a gumball tree that I'm clearing as best I can. But it is earth: some small sticks, stones, dirt, grass, etc. And since it's not concrete or timber, is it "soft"?

The concern the manufacturer is apparently trying to address is stability. Given the weight of that quantity of water the posts (or worse yet, some of them) may sink into a soft lawn possibly causing one side of the pool to collapse. This is even more likely if the pool base isn't completely level.
Given the surface conditions you describe I can't see that as a high risk but you have to determine that since you are the one on site. It's another case of the manufacturer playing CYA.
Having said that, it's not a big deal to put a piece of 2x6 under each post just to be certain.   I think more important is getting the area as level as possible before you fill it.


What is the purpose of these removable "collars" on ceramic light fixtures This fixture happens to be plastic, but all my ceiling juntion box mounted 600w rated light fixtures have a removable collar. I don't see the point in this extra part. Is there some sort of shade I can install? I assume if you had a heavy bulb that you'd just use an E39 size socket instead of the E26 socket.

It looks like the metal screw socket would be touchable without the plastic ring in place. When the bulb is lit, I believe that would be hot (energized).

Since they may use the same base for different size screw fittings, the ring is possibly designed to protect from shock hazard but being a separate component allows the base to accommodate various sized sockets.

The specific scenario I can think of when this would be important is when screwing in a new bulb to replace a dead one. The circuit could unknowingly be on (since the bulb is dead), and you could get a shock when the bulb made the circuit.


Looking for guidance with leaky foundation I bought a house which needs a tonne of work. I am looking for some guidance of how best to fix and repair leaks as well as clean up and seal the basement in the house. For some reason there is a hole which may have been created by someone, and I cannot tell if the water is coming from under the foundation, or simply through the walls. After using the sump pump the water slowly fills up the hole again, however it does not overflow unless its raining. There is also a well on this property to provide water. A few images are provided. Thank you

The solution is simple, likely just not easy.
Find the source of the water and eliminate it.  For basements the usual sources are rainwater not being drained away from the foundation walls, or groundwater.
With rainwater, your best bet is to ensure that all of your gutters and downspouts are in correct working order and that the downspouts drain in such a way that the water is carried away from the structure and can safely drain off your property.
Groundwater is more difficult and to fix it properly you need to address the basement drainage and sealing from OUTSIDE.  Chances are this property either doesn't have a perimeter drain or it's failed and the walls are not properly waterproofed.  The usual solution is to excavate around the outside down to the footings and install a perimeter drain and then apply an appropriate sealing system on the outside that allows water to drain to the bottom and also prevents and infiltration into the basement.
The final part is a properly installed sump pit and pump to take care of anything that makes it past the first two lines of defense and also takes care of any groundwater that is coming from under the foundation.
There are no shortcuts if you want this done properly.  From the looks of this the problem has been going on for a long time, perhaps since the property was built.


How do I know if a firewall and mortar contain asbestos? I want to remove a rock wall behind my pellet stove that was put in in 1980.

I have already removed some of the rock and cement that holds the rocks together where the pellet stove is sitting.  Then I wet swiffered it all and put everything in bags outside and put all clothes in washer and took a shower.  But I did not put on a mask or anything.

I do remember when my mother and I put this wall and pedestal up in 1980, my dad first installed some kind of backerboard?? that was a grey color that we attached the rock and cement to.  This is what I am wondering if it might have asbestos in.  I have pictures somewhere of us putting up the rocks and we did wear the simple white masks that people will wear when they paint or something because it was a dirty job (we added a black powder coloring to the cement mortar).

I think the backerboard could be removed in two entire pieces once the rocks and mortar are pulled down and hopefully the board wouldn't have to be sawed or anything. Everything that I have read says that the asbestos "stuff" was still being used in the "early 80's".  This doesn't help me much.  It is an easy enough job that someone would not have to be hired and this is why I am questioning the asbestos issue.  Also, is there a chance of asbestos being in the mortar in 1980?  Because I could even have someone pull down the rocks and mortar if there would be no asbestos in the mortar, and then hire someone to come in and pull down the backerboard if there was a possibility of asbestos in it.  Right? Or am I looking at this incorrectly?

If I am instructed to have the mortar and backerboard tested, how do I go about doing this?  Where do I go and does this mean I have to saw a chunk out of the 5X8 piece of backerboard or take one entire piece in to be tested? If I have to take the entire piece in to be tested, do I need to have someone take it who is an asbestos expert?

To test for asbestos, you take small parts of the material and take it to (or ship it to) a testing lab. Most major metropolitan areas will have testing labs.
Remember that Asbestos is only really dangerous in high quantities, and even then, only in it's 'friable' state (meaning easily turned to dust).
If you're demo-ing a small part of your own house, odds are slim that any harm will come to you. But it wouldn't hurt to take precautions, of course. I'd suggest getting a proper mask (one rated for asbestos), a HEPA filter for your dust collection vac and wet everything down as much as you can before and during the demo process.
UPDATE:
Some of these other answers are a bit overly dramatic, IMHO. Asbestos isn't universally deadly. In fact, in many cases where you might find and remove it in a home, the actual danger to you is minimal--especially if you practice even the most rudimentary safety precautions (keep the material wet, use a HEPA filter on the shop vac, etc.)
Of course, everyone has to do their own research and come to their own conclusions. But to balance the FUD a bit, here's a bit of quoted information from this site:
http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infsisters/infasbestos.html

Asbestos a not a single, easily categorized substance such as carbon monoxide or radon.  It occurs in a number of different forms and the risks posed by them vary considerably... from minimal to severe. Crocidolite and amosite asbestos, known as amphibole asbestos, are the most dangerous forms.  Their fibers cling tenaciously to lung tissue while resisting the body's natural self-cleaning processes.  This long term irritation to body tissue can lead to disease and death. Fortunately, these forms of asbestos have been banned for years though some may still exist in older homes.
Chrysotile asbestos, a less toxic form, comprises over 90% of all the asbestos used in the US.   This form of asbestos is not nearly as persistent in lung tissue and low level intermittent exposure is not considered to be a health risk to a healthy person.
In fact, both OSHA and the EPA concur that asbestos is not dangerous unless airborne.
Even if airborne, many studies of asbestos workers indicate that it takes more than a casual exposure to asbestos dust to cause disease... even over periods as long as 15 to 30 years!  Asbestos doesn't "radiate" danger and its mere existence in low levels in your environment is not automatically cause for alarm.

Just my opinion, but I think the stress caused by irrational asbestos fears would cause more health problems than any actual low-level exposure by a DIYer. ;)


Prevent cupping and splitting of wet PT deck boards? Building a deck now in hot South Carolina. I purchased #1 premium deck boards very nice appearance no knots etc..
The boards are very wet and even though I was sure to put them in the bark up position some are cupping because of the high heat of the summer sun. I think the rapid drying conditions are causing this.
Is there a recommendation for slowing the initial drying phase?

I am going to stain the deck but everything I’ve read says not to do so for months or even a year after install.

Ideally a person would hold off using freshly treated lumber and let it dry out in a controlled stable environment. At this point, after installation, I think I would try to keep it out of direct sunlight. If at all possible, put up some sort of a sunscreen to prevent the rapid drying of the surface. You might even go so far as to lay down a lightweight, fast drying carpeting while the wood dries out.

If it's drying out that quickly, I see no reason why you wouldn't go ahead and apply a good quality penetrating sealer. The wood will continue to dry out from below and the edges over time, but at a slower, less damaging rate.


How to remove Delta Bathrub Handle? I am at my breaking point on how to take this shower handle off. Its a delta and I need to replace some o-rings in it to stop my leaking faucet. I dont seem to see a set screw anywhere on this thing at all. I took off the backing plate to still find nothing. How do i take this thing off so i can access the inside?? Thanks in advanced for any help at all! Its a Delta, Monitor, and it says 13/14 Multichoice on it!

Using a flat plastic tool (like a putty knife), pop off the small cap at the end of the lever (handle). Then use an Allen wrench or well-fitting screwdriver, as appropriate, to loosen the attachment screw, which may act as a set screw for the lever base.


I want to replace two switches controlling one track with one The track has four lights on it. Two lights are controlled seperatly by two switches running to the same track. I am upgrading to LED, and want to only use one switch for the track. Can I simply cap and tape off the extra black and white wires, and ignore the extra switch, or will this cause some other problem, like power continuing through the wires.

There won't be any "extra" wires if you do the job correctly.  Currently (I'm guessing), each switch has a hot input and the switched output black wire which goes to the lights.  The white neutrals are all tied together somewhere.  What you need to do is cap off the hot lead to the switch you're removing (make sure this capped dead-end wire remains inside the box) and move the output wire from that switch over to the output post on the remaining switch. If you're just going to leave the dead switch in-place, then you're done.
If your concern was about leaving that switch "live," then certainly you should not do that (cap the hot lead as I wrote above)


Safety when modifying old electrical work I have a relatively old house, built in the 1950s. I am slowly updating it to have smart switches etc., but the existing electrical wiring is fairly haphazard. Just yesterday I replaced a dimmer switch and found that the white wire pigtail in the box was in fact hooked up to hot, not neutral. Fortunately when I turned on the circuit it tripped the GFCI before doing any damage but I wonder if there's a better way to avoid this in the future.

Currently I just turn off the circuit at the breaker and verify there's nothing live in the box with a non-contact tester (and then an insulated screwdriver, just to be sure). Should I be pulling the wires out, switching the circuit back on, and then testing each wire individually with a multimeter (sometimes the nc tester gives false positives) before doing any work? And if I do find a wire incorrectly colored, is there a good way to label it as such?

Also, what would have happened if the switch I talked about above hadn't tripped the GFCI? When I turned the circuit back on, would the breaker immediately switch it off, or would there be a fire hazard?

North American view, since OP is there.

Wires in electrical wiring are NOT color coded

Your mistake there was assuming white meant neutral.   The simple fact is that electrical wiring is not color coded.  That's because cables are manufactured with only one set of colors - black and white for /2 cable or black, white and red for /3.  No matter what function the wire has, it must "make do" with the colors available in standard cable.

Any colors you want, as long as you want black, white and maybe red.

There are only 2 color rules.

Grounds are always and only, green, yellow-green or bare.  Those colors can only be ground.
Neutrals can only be white or mid-gray, but that only applies if this cable has a neutral.  If this cable doesn't need a neutral, white can be a hot.  You're supposed to mark it with paint or tape, but previously you could skip it if the usage was "obvious". (to an electrician, heh).

This last one is what bit you.

Smart switches have special needs

You should have opened up your switch and investigated the wires that were available to you, before you bought the switch.  If you only see 2 wires (besides ground), they must be always-hot and switched-hot, because a switch can't work without those two.

If your location doesn't have neutral, don't buy a smart switch that needs it.

If your location doesn't have ground, ditto.

You may hear things that tempt you to use ground for neutral or vice versa.  Don't. Neutral is not ground.

There are smart switches that require neither neutral nor ground.  They may require at least one of the bulbs to be compatible LED, incandescent, or a capacitor-resistor bypass added.

There are also other ways to work around the problem, such as smart switches that put a switching module up in the ceiling rose, then the wall switch effectively becomes a "remote" for the module.


Is this plastic pipe connecting city water to the main line dangerous? I bought a whole house water filter to hook up to the main water line. The plumber who came in said that he won't be able to install it because the pipe that comes from the ground hooked up to the copper pipe is plastic.

He says that this plastic is usually not used for that kind of water pressure for the main line and can burst at any time. If he starts cutting the pipe above it to hook up the water filter, there is a potential that the plastic could break/leak due to all the shaking etc. He has asked me to contact the builder/home inspector (as it shouldn't have passed the home inspection like that? ) and take care of this first.

Picture is below. The black color pipe is the one in question. Has anyone seen plastic pipes come up from the ground like that to the main line? Will it burst?

Update - new pics and details

Close up pictures on request. I looked the pipe closely. It is written 1 1/2" 0.1 / Plastic. (above the first ring at the bottom, you can see it in the second pic).
House is built in 1993.

Though it may seem odd, it is possible the plumber knows what he's talking about.  If this is a Polybutylene pipe, it could indeed be brittle and fail if it's jostled during the installation of the filter.
It's impossible to tell from the picture what type of pipe that is, but based on the plumbers concern I'd guess it is Polybutylene.
Polybutylene
Polybutylene was used in pipes between about 1980-1994/5, and was commonly used as supply line in the 80's.  It was found (in some cases) to react with oxidants in the water supply, which caused the pipe to become brittle and fail. To my knowledge, this type of piping is no longer used. Though if the house was built; or there was supply line work done, during the 80's, it's likely this is Polybutylene pipe.
High Density Polyethylene
Don't confuse Polybutylene pipe with Polyethylene pipe.  High-density polyethylene is commonly used as water supply line today, and is stable and safe to use.
Cross-linked polyethylene
Cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) is not typically used as an underground supply line, as it can sometimes react with minerals in the soil.  Where PEX is used underground, it's typically encased in sand (or other non-reactive materials) to prevent negative reactions. Because of this it's often more expensive to bury PEX, so other materials are used instead.
How can I tell what it is?
The only way to be sure what type of pipe this is, is to look for markings on the pipe itself.  Polybutylene will be marked PB####, Polyethylene will be marked PE####, Cross-linked polyethylene will be marked PEX-x (where x = A, B, or C).


How to get building materials to a difficult to access site? What methods are available (in the UK) to get building supplies (listed below) to a site at the end of a steep (1 in 2.25 in parts) grass track. Given that a lorry or van would have a near zero chance of traversing the track in its current state, as the grass is far too slippery.

I will access the property day to day by quad-bike with large  shallow tread tyres to prevent the track turning into a mud slide. As this domestic only access will mean at most a couple of trips a day, the track shouldn't get churned up. However repeated trips in quick succession with vehicles carrying heavy building materials would quickly damaged the grass track. I would like to keep the grass track at all costs, so laying down a concrete or aggregate surface is not a popular option with me.

The project is a renovation. The building that is on site is in relatively good repair (awaiting structural survey) and only internal work will be required (fingers crossed).

The property is 520 metres (±15 metres), as the crow flies, from the nearest public road. From the road there is an overall vertical drop of 35 metres (±2 metres). Any zip wire would have to cross a valley which at its deepest would be 60 metres (±2 metres) below the height of the zip wire. Such a zip wire passes over the land of a landowner who is happy to have a zip wire flying overhead but not with any structure on the ground that interrupts their grazing animals. (Added this detail in response to A. I. Breveleri's greatly appreciated answer.)

I would be grateful if you could provide these 3 things: A description of the solution, An order of magnitude cost, Any other information or experience you feel is relevant.

The building supplies will likely include:

Windows [I am most nervous of this]
Small timbers, for floor support
Breeze blocks
Concrete (in it's liquid form) for flooring
White goods
A kitchen (Not pre-assembled obviously! However funny for everyone watching that would be.)
Doors
Carpets

The building supplies will not include:

Bricks or stone for external stonework (there is a building on site already)
Roof tiles/slates (the roof on the building is in a good state of repair)

The (possibly crackpot) ideas that I have had are:

Cover the track in a temporary road surface, which would provide grip and hopefully prevent the grass from being damaged.
A zip wire of sorts with a bucket or other container to hold materials.(There is line of sight between a public highway and the property)

I suggest a temporary wooden track and a heavy cart, with a winch at one end and a pulley at the other.

You'll need to make about 525 to 530 meters of temporary track.

Build the track to accommodate the width of the cart wheels. This picture is only a suggestion; you should make the track out of material that can be re-used in your renovation if possible.

You'll need about 1050 meters of rope.

Build the track from the road end, and use the cart to transport track material to the unfinished end. Once the track is laid, the first load over it should be the winch. Depending on its design, the winch might be able to pull itself up the slope to the site.

The winch can be rented, probably at the same place where you get the cement mixer. They may be able to rent you the rope too.


Can two 12/2 cables be used to wire a 240 electric Fireplace? . Servicing an electric Fireplace seeing if it's wired correctly

Sure, if it's actually 240V and not 240/120 split-phase.  Difference is, the latter needs a neutral to power loads internal to the machine which need 120V.  The former does not.

240/120 example: an electric oven with an oven light, where the light is a common off-the-shelf 120V incandescent.   To make this oven pure-240V would require the owner to find oddball 240V bulbs, or have an internal transformer to knock down 240 to 120 for the bulb.

240V example: hot water heater or baseboard heater.  They simply do not need 120V for anything.

All conductors must be in the same physical cable.

For a straight 240V service on a 20A circuit, 12/2 is fine.   There's one small gotcha: 12/2 is only made with black and white conductors.  Thus the white conductor needs to be painted or taped a band of color, to indicate that it is a "hot".  Previously, the law did not require this if the usage was "obvious", and as a result, many electricans fell into the habit of not ever marking anything.


Understanding how to read bevel cuts in woodworking plan? I'm new to woodworking and I have started a project that requires some bevel cuts. I'm having difficulty understanding and visualizing what it means to make cuts like "10 degrees off square, short point to long point" or something like, "short point to short point measurement, both ends cut at 10 degrees off square" or "10 degree angle, longest point measurement."

What does it mean to cut X degrees off square? Or, cutting something to short point to long point?

Hope this helps

The easiest way to find/cut the angle is with a speed square.
Here is how to use the speed square to layout an angle:
How to Set an Angle with a Speed Square


Do I have to do anything different to use compression fittings on chrome pipe? I have a radiator sitting on a concrete floor in my bathroom. I'm connecting it up to the central heating with chrome pipes and chrome compression fittings - the piping is all visible above floor due to concrete so I wanted it chrome.

I'm having problems with the compression fittings, they tend to leak. I've been tightening them up gradually over the weeks and despite being really careful just managed to crimp a pipe.

I've not had problems with compression joints before this, both copper and plastic work fine. I think it's the chrome plating. Are there any tips for improving the fittings?

Looking on the web, I see that if you are soldering chrome fittings you have to sand off the chrome at the ends - do you think this would help with compression fitting too?

When I was installing radiators we used brass olives that had a one sided chamfer instead of a chamfer on both sides as per normal olives.

Also using nylon olives with a boiler is usually a bad idea as they might not be able to take the heat.