Power Connection for Oven I moved to a new house in the Netherlands. I have a oven-induction stove combi which has a 4 pin plug, but I do not have any socket for that in this house. What are my options if I need to make a new one (also, how to do it)? Can I somehow make that kind of connection using mutiple normal power sockets?

Thanks!

I have a oven-induction stove combi ...

The Netherlands uses a 16A Type F Socket which can supply up to 3.68 kW of power.

An oven + induction stove normally need more power than that. For example, some are rated at 12 kW with a 32A fuse (meaning you cant have every element running at full power all at the same time).

In the UK an oven and hob would be on a dedicated 32A circuit permanently hard-wired by an electrician with no plug or socket. This is not regarded as a portable appliance.

Check the manual supplied with the item and find out how much current or how much power it actually needs.

Ideally you should consult an electrician.

In the UK, for example, you need to carry out "diversity" calculations for the circuit which take into account the likelihood of various types of loads being used concurrently.

  ... which has a 4 pin plug

Posting a photo of that plug would have helped readers better understand what you need help with.

The only European 4-pin power plug I know of is the IEC 60309 400V, 16A 4-pin three-phase plug. However that is an industrial plug used for three-phase motors. You'd never find one attached to an oven + hob combination intended for use in a home.

If it is a USA NEMA 14-50 plug, it may be intended for a split-phase 60Hz supply which is not available in Europe (outside US military bases).

If so you'd need to ask the manufacturer if the appliance can be used on the type of electrical supply available to you (probably a 230V single phase 50 Hz but possibly a three-phase 50 Hz system)

I believe some US ovens use 240V for the heating elements and 120V to drive the control circuitry. Your most economical solution for anything of that sort that cost less than $1000 is to take it to the nearest recycling centre, then go and buy a 230V single-phase replacement.

  this is the model I have

The manual for the Indesit I6VV2A(W)/UK Cooker contains these instructions:

So the cooker is not supplied with a cable and plug. It should be hardwired to am electrical circuit that matches the rating plate. I expect it needs a 230V 32A dedicated circuit with a two-pole isolation switch accessible on the wall near to it. In the UK it would be connected through a Fixed Connection Unit (FCU) not using a plug. Things may be different in the Netherlands so I would suggest consulting an alectrician.

You cannot separate the hob from the oven or disable the hob in this Indesit 16VVA2.

  Can I somehow make that kind of connection using mutiple normal power sockets?

No. Absolutely not.


One portable air conditioner - want to use it in two rooms I have a Kenmore portable air conditioner model - 408.72012.  this particular model can be housed on the outside of the building and the A/C air is vented into the inside space (normally through a window).  Almost the opposite of what you normally do with a portable A/C unit.

I have an office right next to my LR and want to pump the A/C into my LR sometimes and other times into my office.  Because I did not have a window to have my A/C Air come into my office through a hole we cut and placed and  fit a flexible dryer vent pipe (the white floppy accordion style)through the wall and on the inside of my office I have the dryer vent cover with flaps (like you would normally see on the outside.  This prevents and critters from getting in.

I am trying to figure out how to split the out flowing A/C air though a "dual Y pipe of some type to flow into my office when I want it in there and my LR when I want it in there.

IS there any such  thing as a U pipe that is not rigid that I could use for this and also some how block them when I want it to flow in only one side or the other?

While this is rigid, it is better for connecting flex pipe.


Mobile home shocking (actually it is a nearby chain link fence) My son has a mobile home which is an older home. All of the sockets are three prong and all are grounded.

His son went out to close the gate and was shocked. Dad does it and nothing happened. Last night his son closed the gate and again was shocked. Dad checks it and notices as the gate latch drops it sparks. He lifts it again and as he lowers it there is again sparks.

He thinks it may be a problem in his mobile home.

This morning (with the main pulled and sub breaker off) we ran a continuity check for the neutral and the ground coming from the sub panel to the main. Both show continuity, which makes it appear that both are good (we did disconnect them from the sub panel and tested each one separately). We also checked the ground from main to ground and it is fine. All lugs are tight and ground from sub to frame of trailer is good. One fence post does touch the home. No breakers are tripping and no lights brighter than others everything appears normal other than the spark and shock at fence.

What other steps can we take to isolate the problem other than turning off one breaker at a time and testing?

We have considered that the problem may be coming from another home as the back chain link fences are tied to corners from one to the other.

I am fairly good with electricity but age is catching up and am forgeting a lot of troubleshooting ideas.

Thanks for the answers and the offers of help
 I had to give up
Our number three son  came running and was able to isolate and find the problem.

He found that even though the ground lug looked good and actually showed good when testing it was actually broken.
The bolt that pushes aganist the ground rod was broken completely into.
 They purchased a new ground clamp and installed it.
  He then ran test again and had 0 volts on the metal side of the house and 6 volts on the frame. This was way better than the 97 volts that was on the side.

He then took the ground lug  back off cleaned the ground rod and the ground wire and reinstalled.

After a second test he had 2 volts on the frame which they believe is a couple of bad outlets
  They are changing them out today . I am concerned about 2 volts but using a Fluke meter may be static volts or something
  Just a good lesson that proves putting good eyes on equipment can be better than testing and taking for granted it is good
 He found the problem by two means.
One was actually looking at the ground and associated parts and  second actually taking apart to make sure he was getting a good ground at the start


Insulating slab garage door I have flat slab garage door that I want to insulate. I saw many videos online and they suggest using garage door insulation kits. However in all the videos I saw the garage doors has the groove that can hold/support the insulating sheet.

The problem I have is that my garage door is old flat/slab style which does not have groove that runs along the hinges horizontally.

Any suggestions on what I can use to insulate the door and how?

I would use 1" or 2" rigid foam. You can glue it, but I would glue and use small bolts and fender washers on both sides of the door to keep the bolts from pulling through. #8 screws or carriage bolts should both work. Carriage bolts would look better. I would use locking nuts also. The foam's R-value is not as high as I would like.

Perhaps another alternative is spray foam--but I am unsure how that will work on the door seams.


Electrical arc problem I just changed a switch in my house and after I pushed it back in the box it arced and the breaker did not trip, so I rewired it. Now, the light is not getting any power but everything else on that circuit works.

Could there be a break in the wire somewhere in the wall?

The breaker didn't trip because it didn't need to.  A bad connection failed first.

Either in that junction box, or in the junction box before (next closer to the breaker box), you're going to find a scorched and arced wire on a screw or (far more likely) in a backstab.  This is why we don't like backstabs.

Arc fault breakers will protect you from fires starting from arcing backstabs.


Trying to find 5.5" surface mount doorbell button I really like my doorbell and the plastic push button is broken thus not working. It came with the home when we bought the house from the builder. Now it's hard to find builder materials. It's 5.5" height and 1.2" width. Kinda antique brass gold type finish. I did lots of googling but not able to find. Picture is attached if anyone can help me find this price. I appreciate it.

Thanks

Remove the unit and look for manufacturer's marks on the back side. That would be the only chance to finde an exact replacement.

I would probably buy a cheap doorbell button unit and remove the switch assembly for use in your nice housing. You may need to improvise or alter a bit to make it work.


How do I realign copper water pipes after cutting? I cut a 1/2" copper pipe to insert a tee fitting a which will eventually go to a Pex line for an outdoor tap.  The copper pipe was vertical, and when I completed the cut I found that the pipe was actually under tension.  The top half of the pipe moved, and now the pipes are not exactly in a straight line.  I can still position the two halves in a fitting, but each pipe wants to force the fitting in a different direction.  Let's say the bottom one is basically plumb but the top half wants to rest at about 10 degrees from vertical.  I hesitate to solder it in this position.  Can I still get a good seal when I have to force the pipes to work with the fitting?

I can't change either pipe -- they are close to the main shutoff valve.  I also don't want to introduce a pressure drop for the whole house by replacing the section with Pex.  (Really wish the house had 3/4" pipes.)  I was able to patch it up with Sharkbite for now.  Sharkbite is more tolerant of the pipes not being plumb than an inflexible copper fitting.

Should I try to bend the top pipe to force it to be vertically?  Is there a safe way to do this copper?  Or maybe I would be better off cutting the top pipe in a second place and soldering another fitting to get a better match?

The safest way to bend a copper pipe is to use a pipe bending spring. They come in sizes to fit the diameter your pipe so you'll need two - one for each type of pipe. The spring stops the pipe kinking by supplying support to the inner part of the bend.

Simply slide the spring up the pipe, bend it and then work the spring out.


One switch control two light (one light or both light ON) I have a two paper lanterns (exactly I have 5 but lets say 2) used as bed lamps and decorative lights. The problem is that turning all of them ON is too bright for sleeping. But for decoration as well as lighting up the room, I want all of them to be turned ON. Is there any way for me to use just one switch (1, 2, 3 gangs, ways, whatever) to switching between 1 light ON and all of lights ON.

Thanks!

Changing the switch itself involves changing the wiring, and depending on how the room is setup and wired (which you may not fully know until you start opening walls) could be quite a fair amount of work. It's also a bit strange to have multiple switches controlling multiple plugs, so it's not really something that would appeal to future owners (and in fact, may be looked at as a negative).

I'd instead skip all that, and go with "smart" bulbs. There are a number of products on the market (specific product recommendations are something we don't do here) depending on what you're looking for.

Some are simple on/off, some can control bulb color/brightness, and some have "scene" capability (where you press a single button to set all lights to a preset brightness and/or color).

Bluetooth / Smartphone controlled

There are many that are smartphone-controlled. Personally I think this is of very limited use -- touching a switch on the wall as I leave/enter the room is more convenient than getting my phone out of my pocket, unlocking it, finding the light control app, waiting for it to load, then adjusting the light.

The benefit is they're very cheap -- there are 100's of "brands" of a couple dozen distinct models available from China.

I do have some of these in my office at work. I use the app to adjust the color every now and then, but mostly I just use the switch on the lamp they're in to turn them on or off (and it's only me that uses them).

Wireless control

There are a lot of bulbs that are controllable via wireless. Some are IR (with a remote that needs line-of-sight), others are RF (no line-of-sight), and you can also get Wifi and Wifi/RF hybrids.

Nice thing about these is you can get a remote switch that can be mounted to the wall, and have multiple switches if you want. You can leave the existing switch in the room controlling overall on/off (though if turned off, you can't turn lights on from the remote), just not use it at all, or replace it with a blank faceplate.

Plug-in systems

There are also a number of ways to remotely control power to the lamps, so you use the existing bulbs.

"Smart home" systems

These can range from wireless remote-based products (some of which also have smartphone controls), to actually replacing your existing switch with a keypad. Some of these product lines are quite extensive, offering a mix of plug-in modules, bulbs, controllable outlets, replacement switches/dimmers (which can be controlled remotely as well as control other devices), wall-mount keypads, handheld remotes, motion sensors and smart-phone interfaces.

These types of systems can be a bit overkill for a single room, but if you ever want to get into full-house automation/control it is a good starting point.


Can paint expiration guidelines be applied to paint primer as well? I have a can of British Paints PREP 4in1 primer that is four years and four months old. I was trying to determine if it is still good to use but the only information I found on the web is the expiry information for paints. Can the expiration guidelines for paint also be applied to primers?

Yes, paint and primer are similar in that respect.  You run the risk of having the primer not perform as designed when it's this old.

Why take the risk for your project?  In return for saving a small amount of money today your entire project could be messed up and you'll be left with having to remove all the primer and paint and redoing the whole thing.


Grounding light switch to electrical box? I've been replacing a few light switch in the house.  Ran into a small snag.  Old house, so there isn't a ground wire in the box for the switch, just the line and load wires.  I've connected the new light switch ground wire to the metal box that is holding it, by attaching it to one of the screws that connects to the box.

Is it good enough or shoddy work? Should I still run a ground wire to the box to do it right?  I'm not an electrician just a DIYer.

You can add a ground wire to the box from the panel that feeds it if you want to.
If there is conduit it is using the conduit as the ground.
With older homes you are not required to update the wiring in this case add a ground wire if the box is not connected to ground I almost never suggest lighting be updated to add grounds but regularly do suggest receptacles have GFCI protection added and or a ground wire added (the ability to add a separate ground is somewhat new in the past this was not code compliant)
So it is up to you.


What is this orange clip my ground wire is connected to? I am trying to replace a dome light with a nice small ceiling fan. When disassembling the old light, I notice an odd orange/clear clip connecting the lights ground to the house. What is this called, and how can I get it off? Can I reuse it, or do I need to cut the wires and get a new one?
The other wires were twisted together with one of the plastic twisty thing (bonus points if you can tell me the name of that twisty thing). I have a few extras, can I just use it to splice the new ground wire to the house?
Basically, what do I do here?

Notice that from the ceiling two copper wires are coming down and hooked in, and a very small (bottom left of black) is going from the light to the clip.

That is a in-sure push-in wire connector.  It's spring-loaded.  To remove it, pull while twisting.  The full spec sheets on them are at http://www.idealindustries.com/prodDetail.do?prodId=in-sure&div=0&l1=push-in , and DIY.SE did a blog entry on them as well at http://diy.blogoverflow.com/2012/01/tool-review-ideal-in-sure-push-in-wire-connectors/


Wiring question from EMT to opposite side of wall I have 3 THHN wires in EMT conduit surface mounted to one side of a wall, and I want to connect this to existing NM-B that runs to an box and outlet in the other side of the wall.
I plan on using a junction box to make the transition from THHN to NM-B. How do I make the connections from EMT to j-box? Can I simply use a knockout in the back of the j-box to have the NM-B make its exit and use the j-box as the cover for the hole into the wall?

Keep in mind that everything has to be rated for the location;  the boxes, fittings, conduit, wire, all have to be rated for the location in which they are being used.  The question doesn't say this is an outside or wet location, so this answer presumes it's a dry location.
To connect EMT to a box through a knockout, you use a connector.  If the conduit is attached snug to the wall with one-hole straps

you have a small challenge - the knockout in the box won't be quite snug to the wall.  If you have the tool and are adept bending conduit, you can bend a small zig and zag into the conduit so it enters the box square, but that's probably not the case.  So you'll want an offset connector, also called a box offset, which has that zig zag built in, so things mate up square.

If you use hangers to attach the EMT to the wall

they do not hold the conduit tight to the wall, and will not require an offset - things will meet square with a plain straight connector.

Hangers do make things simple, but they cost more than one hole straps, the attachment is not quite as strong, and they have sharp edges and bits that tend to catch on things, and one hole straps look a little nicer.
The NM cable that you're going to fish in the wall must be clamped where it enters the boxes.  You can use a fitting like this one to clamp NM cable in a knockout in the back of the surface mount box:

You'll want to drill the wall a little bigger than the outside diameter of that button so the box sets flush on the wall.


2 Thermostats one furnace Is there a way to have one zone at a time calling for heat? i have 2 zones an one furnace temp is house ok if one stat calls for heat but when they both it takes forever to heat house

Is there a way to have one zone at a time calling for heat?

yes

maybe with a newer style boiler controller like a hydrostat 3250 or definitely with a zone control such as Taco SR503-4 Switching Relay

at first thought you could wire one of the zones as the domestic hot water priority on the boiler controller provided it has a priority zone connection, which is typically where your boiler heats an indirect hot water tank (for your shower and all your faucets) in addition to heating zones... so whenever the device on the DHW priority calls for heat it gets priority and all the other heat zones if they were calling for heat have to wait for whatever is on that priority zone stops calling for heat.  You would just choose whichever zone of your two would be the priority, and if you have a domestic hot water indirect tank then put that on a different regular zone connection.

A zone control like the TACO I mentioned can do it

  Taco Switching Relays combine clearly labeled PC board layouts with advanced features that allow for total system customization. Whether using basic priority switching or the advanced features of the -EXP controls, the job is made easy

you can read hydrostat hydrolevel manual here to understand its capabilities: https://hydrolevel.com/fuel-smart-hydrostat-3200-plus3250-plus/


How can I make a room feel bigger than it is? I've cleaned to make space for organizing the spot and adding shelves and I have still not felt the space is bigger than it is.

Ways to make a room feel big (not a complete list):

Cover one wall with mirrors - this may be extreme but it is effective. Even framed mirrors make a room feel larger.
Increase the amount of light in the room
Paint your walls a light color
Reduce the amount of furniture/stuff in the room
On wood or tile floors use an area rug that is smaller than normal
Pull the furniture away from the wall
Leave your windows uncovered

Hopefully one or more of these suggestions will help.


What size wire needed for 100a subpanel 120ft away from house sub panel? Biggest amp draw will be a window A/C unit, and a pool pump What size SER wire needed for 100a subpanel 120ft away from house sub panel? Biggest amp draw will be a window A/C unit, and a pool pump. Other than that, just a few LED lights and outlets...detached shop/shed.

You want 3 1AWG Al XHHW-2s here with an 8AWG ground

Since we are running a feeder here (and a 100A one at that), we can use the 75°C column in the ampacity tables, which gives us a 1AWG aluminum wire for 100A.  However, SER cable is the wrong type of thing to use here; instead, we want individual 1AWG aluminum wires, preferably with XHHW-2 insulation as that withstands the rigors of outdoor use the best; with this, we can use an 8AWG copper ground wire, either bare or THHN insulated, your pick.

Go big or go home!

You will want a 100 or 125A, 24 or 30 space (note I said space, not "circuit", as double-stuff breakers aren't nearly as useful as they seem), main breaker panel at the shed, or a larger one if you can get it, for that matter.  It is not an issue if the panel's main breaker is larger than the feeder breaker in the main panel, by the way, as all the main breaker is in this case is a convenient way to get a shutoff switch at the shed.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC

One other thing you will need to do with this installation is use an inch-pound torque wrench to torque all loadcenter and circuit breaker lugs in what you are installing to their marked tightening torques.  This is required by 110.14(D) in the 2017 NEC, and is a good idea anyway even if your AHJ has not adopted the 2017 edition of the Code yet, lest your electrical system get a case of the loose lugnuts!


Can I split the feed to a duplex 20 amp receptacle from different capacity circuits? Is it possible to split-feed a 20 Amp receptacle with one receptacle using 15amp and the other 20amp circuits?

No, you can't feed a split receptacle from circuits with differently-sized breakers. Here's why:
You can, but you have to meet certain conditions:

The National Electrical Code now requires that the two hot wires in a split receptacle must be connected to a double-pole circuit breaker, so that when the breaker is shut off, the action will automatically disconnect both receptacles. That way, the outlet will be safe to work on.
source: The Spruce

To my knowledge, handle-tied double breakers with different current ratings don't exist. However, as ThreePhaseEeel points out, you may be able to find UL listed handle-ties for your breaker brand. This would require that they be mounted adjacent. Or you could reduce the 20A circuit to 15 Amps and use the same wire.


What could cause bubbling toilet when the shower or sink is running? One of the two toilets in my rental house is bubbling when the shower or sink in that master bath area are on. In the past, about 6 months ago, I have had plumbers and rotoruter out and they could find no blockage in the line. Before I spend more money on an out of state house, could someone please tell me if they have suggestions?

It sounds like the toilet, shower and sink share a vent. This is pretty normal; no plumber in his right mind would run separate vented stacks for each drain in the house. The drains are instead tied into one vent stack, and then stacks are combined as they flow into the main sanitary drain. However, the shower or sink may be upstream of the toilet, and are pushing air in front of water which might be finding relief by bubbling up the toilet's drain. The plumbing can still pass code, but the intent of the applicable plumbing code is to prevent a drain being too far from its vent, which causes air to get trapped "downstream" of water in the line, resulting in problems like this (and slow drains).

The design of the toilet may have something to do with it. Toilets, like other drains, have U-bends; for a toilet this has the dual purpose of keeping water in the bowl, and also keeping sewer gases from pushing out into the room (similar to J-traps on sink'shower drains). However, "low-flow" toilets which use 1.6GPF or less are often designed with a shallower U-bend, so that it doesn't take as much water flow to induce the siphon that makes the contents of the bowl go away. Depending on other aspects of the design, like the relative order of the sink, toilet and shower in the drain line, water pushing past the tee to the toilet may be enough to force some air through the toilet's U-bend.

You may also have some issues with tee junctions in the plumbing. Specifically, I'm thinking of a tee joint being installed backwards. Drain tees are not true T-shapes; the perpendicular end instead curves into the straight section. The curve should direct water from the tee joint "downstream" towards the main stack, but if installed backwards it will force drain water (and air) towards "upstream" drains before gravity then pulls it back down the main line. This causes a backwash that slows drains, and yes it can force air in the drain lines past traps like the toilet U-bend. If the bathroom was ever renovated and the plumbing changed, and the work was not inspected (or the inspector missed the problem), this is plausible.


Mustee 3060L shower pan I am installing a Mustee 3060L acrylic shower pan in my basement bathroom. This will be installed on concrete.
I am having a challenging time figuring out how exactly go go about installing this. The "manual" says use silicone between the pan flange and the studs to eliminate squeaking. It also suggests using a thinset mortar if the pan is not level. No marks or pre-drilled holes on flange.
Is the mortar necessary if the pan is completely level.
How should I go about fastening it to the studs, if at all?

Thinset isn't necessary but works. Masonry mortar works just fine too but I'm a long time user of Structolite to set shower bases and yes it's necessary for a strong base. It gives you a solid feel to the pan. If you were on level plywood many do without but it doesn't have the same solid feel. I personally like to drill holes in the flange and use stainless screws to attach to at least two studs.


Is it safe to use a portable microwave in a confined shelfspace? I have an 900 watt emerson microwave that looks similar to this one:

It weighs about 30 pounds and the outside dimensions are about 19" (W) x 16" (D) x 12" (H).

We normally have it sitting on the kitchen counter space but my significant other would like it put in a more discrete location and suggested moving it to a semi-permanent location in the cupboard shelf.

I'm reasonably certain that it'll fit in the shelf and am confident that the shelf could hold the weight (and any heavy items we cook) but I'm concerned about ventilation.  The manual says:

  Ventilation: Do not block air vents. If they are blocked during
  operation, the oven may overheat and eventually cause oven failure.
  For proper ventilation, keep three inches of space between the oven’s
  top, sides, rear and the area where the unit is to be installed.

The shelf would have that 3" breather room but not much more.  Does that sound OK? Am I worrying over nothing? Is there anything else I need to be conscious of here?

Microwave ovens do not generate heat themselves, but cause the food itself to heat up. As such there is not a lot of heat output from the unit, but there is expanding air as the food warms the air in the chamber.

Reputable manufacturers are fairly conservative about their venting requirements. If you meet those requirements, you should be OK.

Another consideration is clearance for the door swing and for moving dishes in and out of the unit. Make sure that its positioning does not cause you to be handling a hot dish at an awkward angle. Also high shelves are a bit risky since you would be handling hot food at head and face level. A singed hand pulled back could lead to a bad scalding.

Finally, you need to be sure that there is an outlet nearby of the proper amperage. A 900 watt microwave draws about 8 amps. A line with a number of other heavy duty appliances on it may pop circuit breakers.


How do I tell which drill kit will be useful and suit best for DIY requirements? I believe Skil's drill kit works best for electrical and masonry requirements and a smart hand tool kit from Skil for almost all plumbing related issues.

These two products make a good combination to do things yourself without relying on professionals for many issues. But an average middle-class guy may hesitate to spend extra on the Hand Tool Kit and worth purchasing as it is very expensive.

One can buy Bosch's 13 mm drill kit (www.amzn.to/1UhdWRE) which has everything, but its drill capacity is lower than Skil's (I don't know why although the chuck size is the same) and almost double the rate of Skil's.

Could anybody help preparing a toolset that covers everything for DYI needs?

Alternatives that cover everything for DYI needs

There is no such thing. Whatever you buy now, you will miss something at some point in your DIY life. It may be less obvious than it looks.

My recent example: I was running a conduit in my garage, and was fixing the clips to the wall with screws. The bits that come with my electric screw driver turned out to be too short and the holder for them too thick to reach the screw cap inside the clips. So I used what you would call a duplicate from my hand-tool set. If the hand-tool bits also were too short/thick, I'd have to buy a set of longer bits. And it's OK.

Even if you do compose a complete set, you will probably miss something at some point in the future because your demand will grow power-/comfort-/functionality-wise.

So it's a good idea to buy what seems to cover all your needs today, and be prepared to spend a little extra if and when you need it. It will not be expensive, unless you will need something very special. But you are guaranteed to not spend unnecessary money on what you may never need by building a "complete" set now.

I've chosen Skil's drill kit and thinking about purchasing a hand tool kit.

What you've found looks very good to me. I have some limited experience with a Skil corded drill/screwdriver, and it was good. Quality/price-wise it's close to the optimum.

You definitely need some hand-tools, and your combined choice looks fine. One thing you'll miss with the Skil set is the water level present in the Bosch set, but it's not worthy paying for the whole Bosch set; just buy it separately. I discovered that my water level (60 cm) is sometimes too short and often too long, so you'll probably need a few of them anyway.

What your set is missing

Obviously we can spot already now what your set does not include (e.g. for electricity, plumbing, masonry work), but it doesn't mean it's bad. It depends a lot on what work you're going to do, so buy those things once you need them.

One thing you may want to consider soon is a vise. But wait till you need it, since they come in very different sizes, and you cannot buy one for all cases.

Also, get some personal protection items, at the very least glasses and gloves. I didn't use them for years, recently started using them and I love this change.


Does covering a mattress with sheets prevent dust mites and their allergens? Does covering a mattress with sheets prevent dust mites and their allergens?

The answer is no, normal sheets(no matter the thread count)  will not keep dust mites and pollen from entering your mattress and box spring. It is possible a mattress can increase it's weight due to these two processes.

So I will assume this question to mean HOW can you cover the mattress to prevent.......

Well, for one I never take the mattress out of its original bag. It's air proof, so that covers everything else, plus it's free. I believe what you want is a vinyl plastic mattress cover. It will keep out EVERYTHING, so you're set. However any pre-existing mite colonies in the mattress will continue to eat the dust in the mattress until they die... however once you put it on, you will be separated from them hence forth.


Garbage disposal reset Testing with non contact voltage detector I get intermitent positve where flexible conduit enters garbage disposal even with breaker off.  Is it a false positve or is th switch bad? Reset triped while in use

It may be a phantom voltage, that you are seeing, many disposal units have a Allen key you can turn to make sure things are free if it turns + the reset on the disposal motor is set and the breaker is reset if it still won't start check the wiring at the switch. Disposals pull a large starting current and if back stabs were used it may have burned one of the stabs if you pull the switch out and it starts working get a new switch before it burns the wire off.


Dishwasher not getting hot water I'm trying to find out if this is a Bosch dishwasher problem or plumbing problem before making call to right repair shop.

My dishwasher does not have heating coil.

We moved dishwasher from left of kitchen sink to right of kitchen sink. Almost mirror, but I think water line could be longer by a feet or two.

Hot water connection is still same existing connection that we used before moving the dishwasher. Kitchen faucets get hot water. Dishwasher gets lukewarm water. I have experimented this starting dishwasher, let it do cycle for few minutes so that water is filled and then opening it to check the temperature inside multiple times. Water heater kicks in, but looks like dishwasher does not get enough hot water. At least its not as hot as kitchen faucets. Flex plumbing gets warm, but not hot as copper pipe it's connected to. Don't know if it has insulation that prevents it getting hot.

We have tried running kitchen faucet so that cold water is drained. No luck. Dishwasher water temperature always feels like luke warm.

Other pointers I have noticed is dishwasher has a "sanitized" indicator that turns on only if receives water at certain temperature. It does not turn on anymore. Counter top used to get warm earlier after usage, but no more. Cleaning quality after the cycle is questionable.

No other hot water issues anywhere in the house.

Could it be because of couple of feet of extra long flex plumbing?

I would not expect just a couple of feet to make a difference even with 3/4” plumbing. It may have been that your sanitized light was just on the edge so you never noticed it and now with a couple extra feet it is below the min temp.
I would consider re plumbing with a smaller line the flow for the dishwasher is tiny even a 3/8 line would have sufficient volume for a dishwasher and the water entering the dishwasher would get hot faster and not be an issue.
 The other option would be to add a point of use tankless water heater some of these are quite small and will fit behind the dishwasher (I have installed them for the same reason) when replumbing would have been more expensive than the small tankless and the new circuit.
Even though I am an electrician I prefer the plumbing option as it is 1 less thing to go wrong as the tankless units have a shorter life than copper plumbing. ( I know the light load of the dishwasher extends the life on the units as I installed 5 in a small tract of homes, one had an additional bar sink that one has been replaced but to my knowledge the other 4 have not been replaced).


Failed LED corn bulbs in bathroom In a basement bathroom, I installed three LED corn bulbs. They're the type sold on eBay direct from a manufacturer and have rows of LED's arranged in rows like a corn cob. I appreciate being able to buy these discounted energy saving bulbs, but they sometimes fail mysteriously. they're the same style, but from different manufacturers.

The three installed downstairs stopped shining brightly, and now glow only dimly when I turn on the power. After turning off the power, all three glow for a few seconds before fading out. The three outlets work fine for an incandescent bulb, so the outlet doesn't seem to be a problem. The basement switch is standard and not a dimmer dial or slide.

Has anyone else had corn bulbs break as a group like this? I'd like to install new ones, but don't want them to meet the same problem as these three.
My guesses:

glitchy switch transmitted partial voltage while being switched on too slowly
humidity from shower damaged inner circuits? Other LED's survived outdoors for years
recent wind storm downed power lines, voltage spike damaged LED's

Cheap LED bulbs use a capacitor dropper circuit to step down the AC mains voltage to something more suitable for running LEDs -- the dropper capacitor used in them is often not a fully mains-rated type and thus vulnerable to being damaged by surges and spikes -- the resulting damage causes a loss of capacitance and would explain why your LED bulbs only glow dimly.


What to do with baseboard for this basement with concrete box? This is in my basement and I plan to install wood flooring.
But this is what in the bottom of the wall:

It is like a box 2x2.

Previously I had baseboard on top of the concrete box running along the wall. BUT it was ugly.

Does anyone have a better idea what to do or cover this?

Maybe I can just paint it as same as the wall and run some 1x2 on top??!

UPDATE 1

The wall looks like this:

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Some tile would look good. You can attach the tile easily with some Power Grab or other construction adhesive. Once the tile dries you can grout it and then seal it.


Can I add 8 more lights to a circuit? I have a recessed light (75w) in one corner of my room (on 15 amps breaker) and I am thinking of the extending the input to this light circuitry to fill the room with 9 more bulbs.

I plan to arrange the lights in 3x3 form with 3 lights in series (of 3 sets).

Is this safe (fire hazards)? Does this violate any codes?
Is the power enough? Do the lights glow with same intensity?

Incandescent lightbulbs won't work very well when conected in series using normal mains voltages. At best they will illuminate dimly.

If your current single 75w lightbulb is on a dedicated 15A circuit, that would be surprising. Perhaps it shares a circuit with one or more wall sockets.

For safe/reliable operation you have to be sure that the total load on that circuit does not exceed 15A. So you need to sum the currents that are likely to be concurrently drawn by each of the parallel loads.

You must also connect your new light-fittings using wire of the construction and gauge specified by local codes (you didnt say if you live in Dhaka, Melbourne or Aberdeen). Connection methods and enclosures (junction boxes) also vary by region.

Using LED lightbulbs will enable you to provide your desired higher light output (lumens) without increasing the power used (watts) or, equivalently, current drawn (amps).

Unless you are happy to spend enough time to learn all this, you might be better off hiring an electrician, it might not be expensive if you do the decorative work, making holes for fittings and cable runs, making good and repainting.


Identify and exterminate bug Please help me identify and exterminate this insect:

Looks like a silverfish which are a common pest.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverfish
https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/occasional-invaders/silverfish/


what failure can cause a new fridge *fan* to run all the time? We recently bought a "beverage center fridge": http://imgur.com/a/rI8Gt

It is brand new. It has been running for a week. It is nice and cold and the condensor seems to be operating as normal: on and off (it is not constantly on). However, the fans under the unit that blow across the condensor never shut off and they are loud. My kitchen sounds like a wind tunnel. My understanding is that these fans should only be on when the condensor turns on.

So my question is, what can cause this failure? This is brand new (no dust or dirtiness), and the condensor is operating on/off as normal, so I didn't think it was the thermostat. So what part can be broken that triggers these fans to be on all the time?

I could live with the noise of these fans if they were on a small portion of the time when the condensor is on, however I'm returning it if this is "by design".

EDIT: model: https://www.wayfair.com/Maxx-Ice-3-Cu.-Ft.-Indoor-Refrigerator-MAXX1010.html

Manual: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ps7on4qvs1dnz1u/73491f5e-38d0-4412-9a89-32b7ad05d5d1.pdf?dl=0

The manual has a wiring diagram but I'm not an electrician and don't know what to make of it. Here's a pic of that diagram: http://imgur.com/a/V9yTE

what can cause this failure?

The unit has two fans, a "condenser fan" and an "evaporator fan"

The condenser fan should come on only when the temperature drops below the temperature set by the thermostat.

It looks like it is designed for an "evaporator fan" to be running continuously when the door is shut

Power goes to the lamp (presumably when the door is open) or to the evaporator fan (when the door is closed).

So the answer depends on whether what you are hearing is the evaporator fan or the condenser fan.

Either way, it is a new unit and either faulty or not suited for your intended purpose - so I'd take it back for a refund.


Energy Consumption Per Month of Freezer So, I am for the first time buying a freezer yet I am confused about the energy consumption.

On the website, it has this sticker:

I cannot work out if it means:

"This appliance will consume 168kw per year"

or

"If used for a whole year, this appliance will consume 168kw per hour which would (168*24)*365 = 1471680kw."

P.S Apologies if this is not the right place to post this. I have no idea where to look for help.

It means that the appliance will consume 168 kWh of energy in one year. 1 kWh (kilowatt-hour) is a measure of energy and is equivalent to the energy used by a device drawing 1 kW of power for 1 hour, which is equal to 3.6 MJ.

Here in the US, electricity rates range from about $0.10 to $0.40 per kWh, so one could expect to pay somewhere between $20 and $70 to operate that freezer over the course of one year. You can get a similar estimate using your own rate.


Wall of 2 switched outlets not working I noticed two switched outlets on one wall were not working. (I am assuming the outlets are switched because the receptacles both have their tabs removed and I have located a switch on the wall that does 'nothing'). The bottom half of the outlets are working fine in both cases.

Now the wiring I encountered is confusing and I will try to represent it as clear as possible and get some suggestions before I attempt any other work.

Outlet 1 has 2 4-wire cables coming into the box. The 2 black wires are each individually connected to the copper side. The 2 red wires are connected to the top silver screws and the 2 white wires are connected to the bottom silver screws. Ground wire in place. The tab is broken on the silver connector side. Using a Fluke VoltAlert both black and red wires are ringing hot regardless of switch position.

Outlet 2 has 1 4-wire cable and 1 3-wire cable coming into the box. The 2 black wires are connected to the bottom copper screw. 1 red wire is connected to the top copper screw. The 2 white wires are individually connected to the silver screws. Ground wire in place. Rings hot on black wires only regardless of switch position. Tab is removed between copper screws.

Now the switch itself has one black wire at the top screw and one red wire connected to the bottom screw. Black is always hot while red is hot only in 'on' position.

Where do I start? Thx.

Some general rules.

Black and red wires shouldn't be going to neutral terminals. Silver is neutral.
In general, the tabs on the neutral (silver) side shouldn't be broken unless the upper and lower portions of the socket are being fed from different circuits.
Cable that has black/white/ground is called 2 wire (as in 14/2; the ground is not counted), and black/white/red/ground is called 3 wire (e.g. 12/3)

It sounds as if line power is coming into outlet box 2, the black/white cable. You can confirm that by turning off the power, disconnecting the black wire and leaving it clear of the outlets and other wires, then turning on the power and carefully checking to see if it is hot. Then turn the power back off before proceeding.

I would start with new outlets with tabs intact. (They are cheap). Break off the tabs on the brass side only on each.

Box 2: Connect the black hot (from the 2 wire cable) to the black from the three wire cable and to a pigtail (a short piece of black wire) with a wire nut or a push in connector. Connect the pigtail to the lower brass terminal. Connect the red wire to the upper brass terminal. Connect the two white wires to the silver terminals (the tab on the silver side should be intact).

Box 1: Connect both black wires from the three wire cables and a black pigtail with a wire nut or connector. Attach the black pigtail to the lower brass terminal. Connect the two red wires and a red pigtail with a nut or connector. Attach the other end of the pigtail to the upper brass terminal of the outlet. Attach the two white wires to the two silver terminals. (Tab intact.)

Switch box: Leave this as is, but cap the white wire if it is not already.

In all boxes, attach all of the ground wires and attach the ground to the outlet ground screw.

The lower halves of each outlet should now be always hot and the upper halves switched.


Hissing noise coming from the lights in my bedroom I have a ballast in my bedroom with three 60 watt led lights in it. The switch they are connected to is a brand new Lutron dimmer specifically made to work with led lights. The hissing is constant even when the lights are not dimmed, but it seems to get slightly louder when dimmed. I switched out the old dimmer to the Lutron in hopes it would stop. Their use to be a ceiling fan connected here. So I've come to the conclusion that there is just way to much power running to the lights hence the sound. Does this sound accurate? How would i reduce the power running to it to test my hypothesis?

You have two options, get rid of the dimmer or try different LED bulbs.  All LED bulbs hiss when on a dimmer, some bulbs hiss much louder that others.  A led compatible dimmer will help reduce the amount of hiss but it will never get rid of it.

Here is an article that compares a couple of different led bulbs and dimmer switches.  It looks at the quality of light and the amount of buzz each bulb makes with different types of dimmers.  http://www.cnet.com/news/which-led-light-bulbs-are-best-for-dimming/


schlage deadbolt key just spins back and forth I have a deadbolt where you sometimes can't open it, the key turns a quarter turn but doesn't seem to "move the deadbolt" as it were.  Or sometimes the key can't even turn at all.  It doesn't "spin forever"

Turns out it was either the key (a copy of a copy) was going bad, or else the deadbolt needed to be slightly adjusted to open and close more easily without catching as much.  Or that you needed to "pull on the knob" while twisting to ease up on tension.  Some combination of those three, my hunch is it was the key needed replacing.

If it just spins "forever" I'm told that's either a detached or broken "tailpiece" (the little rod that goes out from the key into the middle).  If it's just broken you may be able to replace it.  I asked a local keyshop they said they had generic that "might" work for like $3 for the part.  Google it "deadbolt tailpiece" for videos etc.


Dehumidifier produces 100 g of water every day. No effect on relative humidity First, my calculations. Let's assume a sealed 5x3x2 meters room and ambient temperature of 20 C. Volume is 30 cubic meters. According to this table, at 100% relative humidity there would be 17 g of water vapor per cubic meter or 510 g in the whole room. Henceforth a 10% drop in relative humidity should require about 50 g of water to be removed from the air.
The problem is that I'm getting about 100 g of water from my dehumidifier every day and (according to the psychrometer I have) the room is still at 70-80% relative humidity like it was before I installed the dehumidifier. Psychrometer works well outdoors and there's no reason to suspect it. The room has no sources of water vapor, save for myself and a cup of cold water. The door is closed most of the time.
Am I wrong at math? Missing some other important aspect? Any ideas how to help the situation in general?

Using calculations for a "sealed" room isn't going to work unless you've actually sealed the room. (Do not actually seal the room.) Otherwise, moisture will seep into the room around the door, plus whenever you open the door, as well as various other pathways.
A person generates (according to the Internet) 50-90 grams of water vapor an hour, so the dehumidifier isn't even keeping up with your output.
Now, the dehumidifier should be doing more than it is, especially at that level of humidity. You should be able to get numbers for your dehumidifier that tell how much water it can remove from the air at a given humidity level. It probably needs some cleaning or repair.


Is it ok to splice wall sheathing partway up a wall? I am building a workshop and I have 7 vertical feet to sheathe to reach the tip of the roof.  I have 4x8 sheets but they're too heavy for me to lift to the top by myself.  I'm considering cutting them in half so it would be one 4 foot section and then a 3 foot section on top of that.  Are there any severe disadvantages to doing this?

It's very common to need to splice wall sheathing in the open, but you usually need to float blocking to secure the joint.

Cut a pile of 2x4 blocks at 22-1/4" (slightly less than the 22-1/2" that you'd see in a perfect world). Work along the wall and staple (or nail or screw) them in place to the existing sheathing, then continue upward.

Rather than cutting your sheets in half, though, see if you can tilt them into place at full height. It may help to drive some 16d nails halfway in under the bottom wall plate to act as temporary supports (I don't like to see sheathing lap onto concrete--technically it shouldn't be in contact). Or hire a neighborhood kid to lend some muscle. You'll save a ton of work.


Bending horizontal bars of Iron fence We have a metal fence in front of the house and it has very strong iron rods both vertically and horizontally.
The issue is with the horizontal iron rod as its bend and also its vending on the other side is broken, so its sticking out on one side.
I tried to bend it with hand but its too strong and doesn't move. When I hit it with hammer I am not able to hit it from behind due to the mesh behind, ( the bend side is on the back), so if I hit it from the front the whole rod vibrates and its not helpful. See the below pics for clear details.
Any suggestions would be great, thanks

The easiest way to straighten he metal pipe is to heat it with a Mapp gas torch. Apply the flame to the crimped pipe end until it begins to glow orange.
Slowly and steadily push the free end back into position. You may have to push the pipe past it's final position so as to compensate for it springing back slighly.


Electrical outlets in my bathrooms don't have power Four bathrooms in my house three of them the plugs don't work but the lights do the only GFCI in my house is in the kitchen I already tripped that to see if that was why they weren't working did not help.

Check for tripped breakers in panel and all outside receptacles for tripped GFI's.


Can I replace a junction box with a piece of conduit if I rewire the circuit completely? I have a bathroom where the fixture was moved. Can I remove an old junction box if I use conduit joiners to splice in a piece of conduit ? I plan on rewiring the  fixture from the switch after.

@Aaron, what you propose is fine.

Remember, splices inside conduit are not allowed, so your plan to remove the j-box, extend the conduit, and pull new wire is perfect.


Adding electrical service to detached garage Please let me know if this sounds correct-

Sub panel fed from 80amp breaker in main building 200amp load center.
Roughly 75' of 1" PVC conduit from existing load panel, under existing timber deck, underground for ~6', stub up outside building, wall penetration to interior main lug load center with 6 branch circuits (1 240V outlet, 4 120V outlets/lighting)

1" PVC Sch 40 Conduit fill-
3x #4 THHN (Hot, Hot, Neutral)
1x #8 THHN (Ground, bonded to main structure load panel ground and ground rod at outbuilding)

Neutral and ground to be isolated in all new wiring.

Thanks for any comments!

I'm not entirely sure what you mean by "neutral and ground to be isolated" but it's my understanding that they should always be connected so that there is zero potential between them.

My understanding is also that only connection between neutral and ground should be at the main panel.  If you connect the neutral to the ground in a second location (the garage) then you'll create a "ground loop".

I'm not an electrician and it's been about 10 years since I read the electrical code so I could be mis-remembering.


How to test voltage between neutral and ground I'm not an electrician.  Per, https://www.apc.com/us/en/faqs/FA158817/, I want to test the outlets in a room for the following:

  Overloaded neutral wire (>5 Volts AC measured between Neutral and Ground).
  Reversed polarity (hot and neutral wires are reversed).
  Missing ground wire. (Note: this also includes using a 3 prong to 2 prong adapter)

I've found simple plug-in devices on Amazon that I'm confident can test for #2 and #3, but what sort of tool do I need for #1, to measure the voltage between Neutral and Ground?

A simple multimeter can help you verify all three, as well as many other voltage related troubleshooting.  It's a real must have for... anyone really.

To measure between neutral and ground, you will set the meter to AC voltage, 200V range, and stick one probe into the neutral slot of the socket (the wider slot for USA standard sockets, on the left if the ground hole is on the bottom) and one probe into the ground slot (the D shaped hole).


How do RH/RC/R and Y/W relate for HVAC? I have the following notes for HVAC (that I've compiled from reading through here):

Thermostat wiring:
  C       low voltage power wire that brings power from heating/cooling equipment to thermostat
  RC      controls the cooling (at the transformer) has 24V
  RH      controls the heating (at the transformer) has 24V
  G       comes from relay that turns on fan
  W       comes from relay that turns on heating system (at the relay)
  O/B     controls if heat-pump is in heating/cooling mode
  Y       comes from relay that turns on cooling system (at the relay)

I am programming my own thermostat; so I'm a bit confused how RH/RC/R and W/Y work together.

My thoughts are that RH/RC/R has a "live" 24V signal that gets sent to the thermostat and the thermostat uses the 24V to "switch" W/Y correct?

If what I say is true then a custom thermostat just has to send 24V down W/Y to turn on/off the heating/cooling? So for all intents and purposes I could ignore RC/RH/R?

If I am wrong (I probably am) please do explain how RH/RC/R wires are related to the W/Y.

Thanks!

I'll use this gif from my other answer, to try and describe how the system works. I'll focus only on the heating side, just to keep things simple.

When the thermostat is not calling for heat, the circuit is open and electricity cannot flow. Once the temperature in the room drops below the set point, the switch in the thermostat closes. When the switch is closed, electricity can flow through the control circuit.

Electricity flows from one side of the transformer, out to the thermostat on the R wire. It flows through the switch in the thermostat, and back out along the W wire. It then flows through the coil of the heating relay, and back to the other side of the transformer (C). When electricity flows through the relay coil, it moves the switch in the relay from the normally closed (NC) contact, to the normally open (NO) contact. When this happens, the furnace is signaled to turn on.

As you can see in the above animation, when the thermostat contact is open, electricity does not flow in the control circuit.  Once the thermostat closes, the heating relay is pulled closed signalling the furnace to turn on.

At the most basic level, a thermostat is just a switch. So it's not "sending" 24V, it's completing a circuit.


Problem plugging surge protected power strip into gfci outlet? In my science classroom all outlets on the lab benches are gfci protected--that's great. I plug in multiple computers into some of these outlets and use power strips to do this, but it seems there might be a problem occasionally with this.

It seems that there might be a negative interaction between the surge-protected power strips and the gfci e.g. excessive tripping of gfci or even wearing out of the gfci. The electrician told our head custodian that it wasn't good to use surge-protected strips with gfci and I'm wondering if this is the problem and if so is there some way to mitigate it. But, maybe it's just a bad strip, maybe these old computers' power supply?

Edit: Before posting this question I spent ~30 minutes searching E-SE site for any information on possible interaction between these two components, to no avail. These 2 components are commonly used in residential and commercial electrical power distribution systems, yes? Ideally, the answer will provide specific technical knowledge on the design/functioning of these 2 components and explanatory/theoretical knowledge explaining why they might interact negatively.

HOWEVER, my question assumed 'generic' designs of surge protection circuits in inexpensive power strips and also generic designs of gfci. Perhaps this is a bad assumption?

If either the power strips or connected equipment have capacitors between the power conductors and ground, there would be some current to ground through the capacitors. If there are MOVs between power and ground, there could also be some leakage through those. Deterioration of insulation can also result in small intermittent leakage currents to ground before the insulation actually fails and trips the GFI or breaker every time the faulty device is plugged in.


How should under cabinet lighting wires be placed on the wall? I just finished demolishing my kitchen. I noticed that the under-cabinet lighting cables are poking out the wall right at the bottom edge of the wall cabinets. To the untrained eye, this looks like a ugly hack job. How should they be anchored to the wall to follow regulation and also not just fall back inside the wall? I feel like if I put a standard plate there, it'll be visible behind the lighting. Usually under-cabinet lighting is very thin.

Here is what I would do - install a junction / receptacle box in the wall - run your wires through it - install a strain relief wire Tie on the wires to keep them from exiting the receptacle box or use the built in relief. That will keep your wires from falling back into the wall.I would then place my piece of dry wall over that receptacle box to make it look nice again - so all I have is my wires sticking out.

You could manage to hide the wires by coming through your cabinet just above the bottom seam of the cabinet and then immediately out the bottom to your under cabinet lights. or a simple notch in the bottom cabinet lip to feed your lights.

Those wires being as they are and also in the wall like that - perhaps even go to one of those switches are PROBABLY 120VAC - PROBABLY..


What could be causing the delay in the start up of my air conditioner? I have an air conditioner that is probably 15 years old now.  The problem is when I turn it on after it has been off for a long period of time (several hours) it takes a long time for the outdoor unit (compressor?) to start running.

The outdoor unit has a large fan in the middle with cooling coils around the perimeter and cooling fins.  It had been running just fine up until three summers ago.  Two winters ago, my heater went out and I had it replaced.  The following summer (last summer) I went to turn on the air conditioner for the first time and it took so long (30 minutes) to come on that I thought it was broken or not wired up or a fuse blew.  I checked all the obvious things like the set temp was below the room temp. (72 < 90).  The wall unit has a red light that glows when either the heater or air conditioner unit is operating.  I figured the heating & cooling guys forgot to hook something up.  Having a bit of electrical know-how, I went and checked the outside fuses and other things and could see the outdoor unit had voltage going to the outdoor unit.

Just today, first time turning on the air conditioner for the year and same behavior.  Here is the interesting thing though.  Once the unit kicks on, it cycles normally.  I can hear a small click (relay closing) on the inside thermostat unit each time the termostat cycles on/off.  I can then hear the outside unit kick on within a few seconds of hearing that click (normal).

On mild days, I turn the air conditioner off and it may be off for a day or two but then turning it on for the first time, I can hear the thermostat click but the outdoor unit takes 30 minutes on average to come on for the first time.

I don't have a schematic for the unit but I can't imagine an outdoor relay taking that long to engage if it's a relay problem.  Also the outdoor unit has this blanket around the motor.  I tried removing it when this problem first began but the unit seems sealed up.

The guys that put in my new furnace insist they did nothing that would have caused this but want $85 to come look at it.

Anyone recognize this behavior?

There is probably an old capacitor in the electronics which dried out over the time and now takes a long time to gain the necessary power load. If you are familiar with electronics you can check yourself for capacitors which looks bloated or otherwise funny and replace them.


My brother was shocked plugging in an HDMI cable, what could be the cause? Recently--like last week--we got Direct TV installed in our home on a Tuesday.  On that Thursday my brother went to plug an HDMI cable into the TV so that he could play the PS3. There was a big ball of orange light, a bang sound, and his fingers received burns. The TV and game system were in use for three months prior to the installation of the Direct TV equipment.  What would have caused the jolt to come out of the TV from plugging in an HDMI cable? Not only did it burn my brother, but we believe it fried the TV as well.

If he received burns, it doesn't sound like static electricity. Another common source of sparks is the so called Y-filtering capacitors in ungrounded power supplies, but I've never heard of them causing burns, just a mild tingle.

It sounds more like he ended up shorting mains phase to ground or neutral. Which would most likely mean that one of your safety ground wires is actually connected to mains power, an installation mistake that is very dangerous. I suggest you get an electrician to check it out as soon as possible, and avoid touching the equipment in the meanwhile.


How can I repair kitchen counters that are disintegrating? We have a pretty standard 90s style laminate kitchen counter top.  There are cabinets and a dishwasher underneath, and the counter overhangs them by about a half inch.  The bottom of the overhang is not covered by laminate and has exposed stuff that looks like particle board.  Some of this is right over the dishwasher vent, and the steam is getting soaked up and the counter is starting to disintegrate.  It also soaks up random drips off the counter top edge.  We tried scraping off loose material and then covering the exposed area with white duct tape (see photo), but it didn't stick very well.  Any advice on how we could fix this?

If this is the only area that's being damaged then you could try screwing some stainless steel sheeting beneath it to act as a heat and steam shield from the dishwasher.

You'll need to make sure that the very edge of the steel is not exposed so make sure it doesn't protrude out.  And you may need to put some epoxy or similar right to the edge to stop the steam penetrating the wood at that spot.  Then sand it all round to make it nice and smooth.  It might work, short of replacing the benchtop with something more sturdy.


Bathroom flooded by condo upstairs. Can there be mold on the drywall between the floors? Upstairs condo neighbor had an ongoing leak for about two weeks in their bathroom. Not sure what was leaking, but they replaced toilet ring and shower faucets and since then the leak has stopped. This has caused the this damage to my ceiling:

There are only spots visible on the ceiling, but no signs of mold. Can there be mold growing in the ceiling drywall between the floors? Is it a concern? Does the drywall need to be cut out or is it sufficient to remud damaged area, sand and paint?

If it was a toilet ring, you can be sure that it gradually started leaking longer than two weeks beforehand. It takes sometimes weeks before a slow leak accumulates enough water and softens the gypsum board enough to leak down to the ceiling below. There may very well be mould above in the ceiling space. This should be investigated asap and the appropriate authorities contacted (insurance company, condo committee, etc.) so that you are not ultimately left with the mitigation costs when it is clearly the neighbour's fault. Mould can be a health hazard. You want to be sure that there is none in the ceiling space. Good luck..


Going from GFCI to non GFCI Breaker A new home has GFCI breaker on a dedicated outlet for the refrigerator. Since the manufacturer recommends Non GFCI circuit I want to swapping it out. I've added new circuits before in the main box but never converted from GFCI to non GFCI. Can someone please guide me with the wiring?

The refrigerator is not within 6 ft to a sink or water outlet (besides ice maker line)

First off, have you considered that the fridge manufacturer might be silly and lazy in not making their appliance GFCI-compatible? Although the shock risk from a properly grounded fridge is low, I'd consider returning the fridge for one that doesn't have this caveat in the manual.

That aside, this is not much different from any other breaker changeout.

Before doing this, I'd ask the power company to kill the power to your house while you work on it (modern smart meters can be disconnected remotely, even) -- that way, you don't have to worry about working around live parts at all.  I'm mildly paranoid about live parts though; if you're not that way, you can simply turn the main breaker off and avoid the main breaker supply lugs while you're working, as they'll still be quite hot.

Also, the new code (2017) requires the use of torque tools to torque terminal screws to specification (this avoids loose or overtightened connections, both of which can fail over time) -- there should be a torque spec on the panel's labeling, and you can pick up a cheap torque screwdriver for oh, $50 or so at one of the big box stores.

Once everything's dead and you can safely pull the deadfront, remove the GFCI breaker from the busbar, tag the hot and neutral wires, and disconnect the hot and neutral wires for the circuit from it -- you'll have to unscrew the terminals to do this.  You can then remove the neutral pigtail on the breaker from the neutral bar and land the tagged neutral in its place.  Take the new regular breaker and install it in the open slot left behind by the GFCI breaker, then attach the tagged hot to the new breaker and plug it onto the busbar (again, you need to torque the terminal screw to spec here).  Put the deadfront back on, and have the power company turn the power back on.

BTW: a non-GFCI breaker here is Code-legal as 210.8 point 6 only requires GFCI protection for kitchen countertop receptacles.  A dedicated fridge circuit's receptacle serves no countertops, so it does not require GFCI protection.


How do I fit a joist in this small space? This is a follow on question from here:

Floor joists connection to eaves

Since this question, I have been told I need 8" joists for my span and I have exposed my eaves area to see what space I've got.

Not much.  From the face of the brick (internally) to touching the felt going out, just over 3".  From the inner face of the brick to touching the felt going up, just over 3".  I basically have a triangular space with 3" depth and height.

From what I can guess, this doesn't seem like enough space to try and fit an 8" joist into.  If  I cut the joist to fit that gap I believe I simply wouldn't have enough material in play to resist shearing stresses.

What I am after is something like a reverse joist hanger.  Hangers hook onto a receiving entity and hold the joist in a cup.

What I need is something like a joist splice as shown here:

http://www.joist-repair.co.uk/

But that instead of connecting two joists, simply connects on the end of a joist and extends outwards.  I've drawn what I'd like to try and find:

My theory being that a steel bracket occupying the small space will have much better strength than the joist with little material.  So basically, it's some form of extension bracket.

Is there any such device or other way to solve this issue without affecting changes to the eaves area of the roof?

There is a simple answer to this.  Cut the angle matching the roof on the ceiling joist, slide it in on top of your wall and attach it to the side of the rafter. Then attach them together with small lags or carriage bolts. If you look at your picture the 8" joist will be in contact with the rafter well beyond your walls.  The rafters will help carry the weight of the floor joists through the rafters down to the walls.

Don't worry about the rafters, you will be applying the weight soo close to the wall it will not put more stress on your rafters.

Construction adhesive would be a good idea too.  Your Lag spacing may vary depending on the thickness of your rafter.  Keep lags 2" from all edges and 3" from each other.  Pre drill all the holes you don't want to risk splitting your rafter. Lags should be 3/8" or less.  There is also of high strength screws/ lags that are smaller but just as strong as a standard lags that would work good.


How do I force a tight globe-valve water shutoff to fully close? I tried to close off the water valve (a multi-twist globe-valve) leading to my back-yard water supply (the shutoff valve is inside the house) but it will not twist fully shut.  Is it safe to give the screw a shot of WD-40 to loosen up the valve?  Will that help?

Note: the valve is not leaking so I don't want to replace it.  I am just trying to shut off the water supply for the winter.

Any valve that refuses to fully shut off won't be improved by tightening the handle further.

The usual problem with a Globe Valve is that the rubber valve seal has aged and cracked, needing replacement. This means you have to shut the water off upstream of the valve and remove the body cartridge so the rubber seal can be changed out.

Some valves have a globe shape, but get misidentified by that shape because they actually are Gate Valves which have a vertical wedge shaped metal gate that gets pushed down into a tapered slot. These fail because sediment accumulates in the slot on the downwards side and the gate no longer can be pushed fully home so the taper seals. This requires the water to be turned off upstream so you can take the top off the valve, extract the gate and grub the sediment out using a piece of welding rod so it will flush out when you reassemble the valve.

I've gone over to using quarter turn ball valves when I have to go to this much trouble. They are better than Globe Valves because the opening is the same size as the inner diameter of the pipe when the valve is full open, the water doesn't have to turn 90 degrees to flow through a restriction as it does in a Globe valve and while the gate valve has the same lack of restriction as the ball, the ball valve has no slot for rust, sand and sediment to accumulate in while it spends most its life wide open.


York furnace not firing up correctly I have a York TG9S080B12MP11A up-flow configured natural gas furnace. We have had the furnace since 2007. I am having an issue where the furnace is not starting correctly.

When I power up the blower motor starts up
If I activate the thermostat (I'm using Nest) the indicator light will blink 3 orange pulses.

Now if I turn off the thermostat, unplug one of the cross connectors between the two pressure switches, turn on the thermostat. The fan turns on, and if I reconnect the cross connector the furnace will sit for about 5 seconds with the blower and the fan running. Then the igniters will start to glow and then the gas will kick on.

The furnace will then run until it comes to temperature and then the furnace will shut down but the blower will stay on.

Last year I replaced the switches, the control board. Last week I replaced the condensate pan (original clear model had cracks in it), the blower motor, put in new switches.

Any ideas?

To the OP, please edit your question and add answers to the questions asked by @PhilippNagel and more answers can be given that are more helpful and less guesswork.

If everything you have replaced is still good, was replaced properly, then you've limited yourself to replacing more parts (shot gunning) which it seems you have been doing all along and wasting money. Ideally what you would do is test the parts, read furnace error codes, and troubleshoot the fault.

You may have a dirty/clogged heat exchanger, since you've mentioned it can be tricked into running until it gets up to temp. I literally just had my Heat Exchanger replaced under warranty today (irony), and my unit was installed in 2010. I just called the installers the previous owner used and they were wonderful. Didn't cost me much and my furnace is working again.

I suggest you do the same unless you have the tools and know how to troubleshoot instead of replacing parts repeatedly.


How to remove the knobs from this faucet Any suggestions for how to remove the knobs so that I can replace the cartridges (Lasco S-180-1NL 4001)? There are no screws. I am able to loosen the knob from the counter top by unscrewing from underneath the sink, which allows me to raise the knob up a bit so that I can unscrew the silver disk you see in the photo that is below the gold part of the knob, but I don't get further than that. The knob stays attached to the fixture and I can't get to the cartridge. Thank you]1

The top is either a pop top or screw on and I've found some diagrams detailing the breakdown but if you know the exact manufacturer and model then it's likely on their site (but that's an easy solution and finding the manufacturer's stamp isn't always easy ... not everyone is like Kohler and brands it up front, a lot of knock offs that want to look like a competitor and therefore hide or don't even attach their "brand" on the product).

So, to solve the problem ... look for a small tab or notch on the chrome top (as small as the notch on your cell phone to pry it apart) and use the same type of hard nylon prying tools to pop the top off.  If it's a screw on then a strap wrench might be of use although there's not much to grab onto.  Using the nylon or protected screwdriver, gently pry up from the sides under the chrome top to see if you have any "give" (muscle it and you'll bend the chrome, be gentle and be patient).  If you need to make your own protective rubber coated tools, the paint section of your local Home Depot, Lowes, etc. has a plastic coating meant for handles ... use it on the other end to safety coat a screw driver for example.

I found a site with similar products at https://www.plumbingsupply.com/images/valley-bathroom-faucet-y28428-chrome-pol-brass.jpg so giving them a call will likely yield you and answer directly from them, especially since they sell repair parts too and that means they have people that know how to take it apart and identify your product.  They don't display their contact phone number but they are located in Chico, CA and here's their contact page: https://www.plumbingsupply.com/cgi-bin/feedback.pl?t=contact


How can I repair this gas leak on my new range? Teflon tape isn't working I'm trying to install this GE gas range, so I attached everything and tightened all the nuts. Unfortunately, there's gas leaking at the base of the stove (where the flare connects to the stove).

I first tried without teflon tape at the base, and then I wrapped the flare with some teflon tape, but the leak is still there.

What else can I do? The flare fitting going to the gas range is 1/2".

Stop, turn off the gas, ventilate the house, and hire a pro.

If you applied teflon tape to a flare fitting, you are NOT the person to be installing your gas range. You fundamentally don't understand what you are doing, and doing this wrong can blow up your house. That tends to impair the "learn from your mistakes" method of learning. This is not the place to be "figuring it out as you do it the first time."

Removing the teflon tape from the flares won't magically make you competent to safely complete the job correctly, so my advice is let a pro who knows what they are doing do it.


How do I clean this grey stain from my bathtub? Below is an image of my bathtub, which has this grey stain. I just moved in and it was already there so I don't know what caused it.

Is this possible to clean?
If it is possible, what do I use? (I would prefer a link to a product on Amazon if possible)
What caused it?
Is this preventable?

When I moved into my apartment last year it was disgusting the tub was worse than your pic. I sprayed with clorox and used comet and after a few time of cleaning it looked beautiful...just a bit of elbow grease!  good luck


Insulating attic ceiling and looking for synthetic t&g ceiling boards We have a 3/4 upper floor room that is in desperate need of a complete overhaul.

The current ceiling consists of 2x4 ceiling rafters with a foam vent and perhaps 2.5" of foam insulation, then the drywall. Needless to say, in the summer it can get unbearably hot without AC and in the winter, cold (though given our snow here in MN, winter cold is less of an issue than the summer heat).

I'm ripping out carpet and fixture and everything for a remodel and figured now is the time to try and help with the insulation a bit. As always, I'm trying to do it on a budget as well. ;)

My thoughts/questions:

1) tear down the drywall, apply more foam insulation on the under-side, then re-finish. I actually stumbled upon a tutorial of exactly that:

http://www.hammerzone.com/archives/energy/insulation/ceiling_sloped/rigid_foam.htm

Thoughts about that? Any pros/cons I may be missing?

If I do go that route, I'd like to minimize the space I eat up, but still provide insulation of value. Would 3/4" suffice? I was going to go with XPS. Should I also get foil faced boards? If so, which way would they face? (I'm thinking 'up' to reflect summer heat).

2) I dread hauling sheetrock back up into this space. It's big, heavy, and we have an extremely narrow stair case (not to mention our house is 12 steps above the sidewalk). When I finished our basement, I used synthetic boards for all my trim. This is the PVC foam boards that are pre-finished. They are easy to cut and extremely light. Plus, they are prefinished.

An added bonus for the basement is that they are moisture proof (the main reason I chose them. An added bonus for the attic (I think) is that (in theory) they'd provide another layer of insulation. Is that a valid theory?

Either way, anyone aware of some nice(ish) looking tounge and groove synthetic ceiling boards? I found one that was a fake cypress wood finish. I'd really prefer white. Whether is has a woodgrain texture or not is less of an issue.

UPDATE (couple more questions...)

3) Even if I find the foam-board paneling, it may be quite expensive. I'm also thinking about using pine planks (the T&G boards with a v-groove down the center to make it appear as two boards). That'd be cheaper. Anyone use that before? Pros/cons? How well would it take paint?

The most important thing to know is you still need air movement in the cold space. So air moving from soffets into air vents etc.  This will stop mold. Then because of the overwhelming exposure, you will need lots of insulation. Check your local building codes. Where I'm from, it's something like R-28 with vapor barrier, and then whatever type of drywall.

Secondly, if you're making this a habitable zone, you need to have a way to heat/cool this space as it's now part of your dwelling.


Should I use thinset or silicone to reattach shower tiles? My tiled shower needs to be repaired only where the walls meet the floor. While preparing for this by taking out the old grout, two small pieces of floor tile came out. Each piece that came loose is a corner piece (triangles - 2" x 2" by 2" - other tiles are 4" x 4"). Do I need to use thinset or can I use the same silicone I'll be using for the rest of the project?

If you are going to regrout the pieces that came off, you should use thinset.

If you are going to grout with silicone, you could affix the loose tiles with silicone.  I don't like silicone for use in wet areas, once moisture gets behind it, the area never dries out.  With grout/thinset, moisture can escape.  Sealing grout is like using a moisture blocking/vapor permeable housewrap over your sheathing.


How to repair an OPEN FOUNDATION home? My house built 1970, is built on 6X6 piers. The four Piers along the back of the house are okay but the next row of four piers are slightly settled lower and the front three piers are considerably lower by at least six inches from the back of the home. The grade on the property slopes as well in the same direction. And one side of the front of the home is lower on the left then it is on the right.
Each pier is concreted into the ground and has two unmilled 2x10’s bolted to each side of the piers, which the floor joists are set on. The 2x10’s run from back of house to the front.
How can I level the home so I can renovate the interior of the home?  The floor noticeably slopes inside the house as well.

Depends what you have to work with, pier/post wise.

Also depends how much "fix" you want given that the foundation is moving, unless it was just poorly built at the start.

If you have enough extra post above where the rough 2x10's are bolted in, you support, unbolt, level (slowly....) then drill and rebolt.

If not, you can do the same, but lower all to match the lowest one, trimming off the post tops if they don't have room to move up.

Alternatively, you could probably "sister" the piers/posts so that you could raise the 2x10's

If you actually want to address the inadequate footings, you have to support the house, then remove and rebuild the footings and piers. Which is quite a bit more work...


How can I make an exterior door? I have a solid wood entry door installed by the previous owner of the house. However, it doesn't match the mid-century style of the house and it doesn't have any windows; making the front entryway very dark. I would like to go back to the style of the home without breaking the bank.

I'm interested in a simple flush slab door in solid wood with a few narrow windows (lites). Like the door in the picture. I've looked at a few manufactures that make doors like this but the quotes I've got are all $1400-1700 range. This is quite a bit more than I was hoping to spend.

I was wondering if there is a DIY solution. I'm going to be painting the door so I don't need a beautiful stain grade finish. Can I get a 1 3/4" thick plywood sheet cut to size, install hinges, bore holes for the handles and cut out squares to install the glass lites? If 1 3/4" plywood doesn't exist can I laminate two or three sheets of thinner together with screws and/or glue? The door is under a carport and we live in a relatively mild climate but it will be subjected to some rain/freezing so I wan't something that will survive.

It is of course possible for an individual to make a door that provides a normal level of performance. The probability that a person without knack for or reasonable experience performing finish carpentry is, however, rather low.

To perform to a normal level, a door needs to fit within a tight tolerance and maintain dimensional stability without twisting or warping. Typically, doors which are not manufactured in a factory are fabricated in a professional carpenter's workshop. It's not really a do it yourselfer's project given the standard to that appears in the photograph.

As an alternative, a used doors from local building recyclers are a reasonable option if a person is patient and diligent. Modifying an existing used door is another option that requires less specialized knowledge.


How do I use a Stanley IntelliSensor to locate the joists/crosspieces in my ceiling? Six months ago I posted a question about fixing a circular light fitting to my plasterboard ceiling and thank you to bib for a really detailed answer. Returning to the problem I have borrowed the above sensor but it seems to beep randomly so have not been able to find the wood behind the plasterboard. Does anyone know how these wretched things work?

From the Stanley IntelliSensor™ Stud Sensor instruction manual.

  Calibration:

  Hold the IntelliSensor™ Stud Sensor flat against the surface, making firm contact.
  Locate the activation switch on the right-hand side of the unit – press and hold in. The red LEDs will briefly flash and the green LED “Power” light will go on and remain on. Keep holding the activation switch during all of the following procedures.

  Note: While calibrating, the IntelliSensor™ Stud Sensor must not be placed directly over a stud, dense material such as metal, or over a wet or newly painted area, or it will not properly calibrate. Move to a different location and try again

  Usage:

  Slide the IntelliSensor™ unit slowly across the surface in a straight line.
  As it moves  closer to the stud, red LEDs will go on. When it detects the stud edge, the top LED will go on and an audio tone will sound.

  Use the handy pencil hole marker on the IntelliSensor™ unit to mark the stud edge.
  Double check stud location by coming from  the opposite direction. Make additional markings.  The midpoint of the two marks indicates the stud center.

  Cautions on Operating:

  The proximity of electrical wiring or pipes to the surface of the wall may cause the IntelliSensor™ unit to detect them as studs. You should always use caution when nailing, cutting or drilling in walls, ceilings and floors that may contain these items. Always remember that studs or joists are normally spaced 16 inches or 24 inches apart  and are 1-1/2 inches in width. To avoid surprises  be aware that anything closer together or of a  different width may not be a stud, joist or fire break.

  Surface Differences

  Wallpaper

  There will be no difference in the function of the IntelliSensor™ Stud Sensor on  surfaces covered with wallpaper or fabric unless the coverings used contain metallic foil or fibers.

  Plaster and Lath

  Unless lath and plaster  construction is excessively thick, there will  be no problem with proper functioning of the IntelliSensor™ unit.

  Ceilings

  When dealing with a rough surface such as a sprayed ceiling, utilize a piece  of cardboard when scanning the surface.  Run through the calibration technique described earlier with the piece of cardboard too, to assure best performance of the unit. Also, it is particularly important in this application to remember to keep your free hand away from the unit.

  Specifications

  Utilizing the procedure of scanning and marking from two sides, the IntelliSensor™ unit will find  the stud center within 1/8" accuracy for wood and 1/4" accuracy for metal.

  When measuring a wood stud under 3/4" drywall, it is recommended the IntelliSensorTM to be used at 35-55% relative humidity.


Gas line to appliance seized cannot disconnect I have a gas line to a gas range I'm trying to take off. The nuts are very tight. In the photo there are 2 nuts. It looks like the upper one is attached to the gas hose (the flexible hose). Using a very long wrench I'm able to loosen the top nut. But, strangely the hose also spins with the top nut. I expected the top nut to spin freely from the hose. So, loosing the top puts a kink into the gas hose. I'm afraid that the kink will push pressure on the hose and cause a gas leak. What should I do keep spinning the nut with a wrench without destroying the gas hose?

That top nut is the one to undo, it is not connected to the hose but just stuck to it.

You will need to hold the hose and free the nut.

If you do damage the hose you will have to replace it.


Should I extend existing 12/3 circuits with 12/2 for wiring attic? As part of finishing my attic (insulation, drywall, etc.), I'm going to add receptacles and recessed ceiling fixtures. Currently, there are two 12/3 cables up there that are capped off, run by a previous electrician. These run down to the main panel to two 20A breakers labelled "Attic spare 1" and "Attic spare 2". If memory serves (I'm not home at the moment), each one is connected to a single-pole breaker, so I'm assuming the red wire is capped off in the box. I'll check this when I get home.

Regardless, my question is the following: for each 12/3 cable in the attic, should I extend it via a junction box using 12/2 cable? In other words, 12/3 going in (red wire capped off) and then 12/2 coming out? I have no need for split-wire receptacles or 3-way switches, so does it make more sense to just run 12/2 from the junction boxes? Or is there some reason that I should continue to use 12/3 throughout the room, to all the receptacles and fixtures? I don't have any 12/3 or 12/2 on hand so I want to know which I should plan to buy. Thanks.

You can run 12-2 from the box to the other locations. If a double breaker one with a single handle or handle tied is installed you could use the red wire for a 2nd 120V circuit using the same ground and neutral. This is legal and called a multiwire branch circuit. This could provide up to 4 circuits if both "spares are 12-3. Capping the red is a fine way to do it if you only need the 2 circuits and want to run 12-2.


range hood confusion I am making some changes in a somewhat older kitchen.  Part of this is replacing the stove with a 30" dual fuel (LP) range but keeping the existing 300 CFM fan.  I was all set to buy a professional stove-either Wolf or Miele but I have been told my hood will not work.  The existing hood is a under the cabinet range hood that vents to the outside.  The duct is 3 1/4 x 10"...the opening butts up against the roof line-(it is a A frame home) so it is difficult to change it without major work.  Is it true I could have problems?  Note this is a second home and not much cooking is done there on a regular basis and even when it is all 4 or 5 burners (depending on the stove) would seldom be used at the same time.  I appreciate any info.

Clarification on the question may change this, but I took a look at the Wolf "Ventilation Guide" on their site, and it does recommend their PRO hoods for the dual fuel ranges.  The 36" model calls for a 900CFM hood, but for the introduction to the page it says:

  Ventilation performance is measured in cubic feet per
  minute, or CFM. The chart below provides CFM suggestions specific to the Wolf cooking appliance and ventilation
  system used.

Now the use of the word suggestions tells me that these are not hard requirements.  Another section of the manual has this to say:

  The appropriate airflow capacity is determined by the
  cooking space and cooking style. ... Greater exhaust capacity is required to handle the moisture
  generated by boiling large pots of water or the grease and
  smoke from grilling or frying. Cooking with high heat or
  cooking aromatic foods may require additional CFM and
  increasing the capture area...

That shows that they can't possibly give you a hard requirement because the variables are all usage related and also depend on the space the range is going to be set in.

These luxury brands also live on customer experience, so if anything they are going to pad any requirements to make sure they meet expectations.  You don't want someone spending $15,000 on a stove to complain to their friends when the boiling spaghetti pot steams up the kitchen.

So, I say get the best hood that you can, but if you're not going to do much cooking, 300CFM will be fine.  If you do end up hosting a party and the stove goes into overdrive, you might get more odor or moisture than you would like.


Any Experience with LED grab rails? My first post here. I came across these new type of grab rails at Bunnings (Australia) which come fitted with a sound-activated LED light.
This will be for my in-laws who are old and I think it makes a lot of sense to have these LEDs fitted into the bar. But never heard of this company before and cannot see any online reviews either.
They seem to be the only company offering this product in the market.
Here is the link to the LED grab rails - LED Grab Rails

Batteries Not Included
Actually, maybe batteries are included, I actually don't know. But I do know it is battery powered.
That is very, very good from a safety standpoint - electricity and water don't mix, so any mains-powered device in a bathroom has to be built properly, and installed properly, to be safe. Battery powered devices (or at least, devices like this powered by AA batteries) are pretty safe.
However, as crazy as it sounds, that may be really bad from a usefulness standpoint. Specifically, the batteries will wear out. I would guess they will last somewhere between a week and a couple of months. Once they wear out, they will need to be replaced, probably several times a year.
Do you think your in-laws will change the batteries? If they will, great. If they won't, then you have overpaid for a grab bar to get a temporary gimmick.
A more expensive (because you'll need professional installation - my understanding is that in Australia homeowners can't do much electrical work themselves) solution is a ceiling light with a motion sensor. These are quite common in public bathrooms, but there is no reason you couldn't have one in a residential bathroom. Then if one of your in-laws wanders into the bathroom in the middle of the night, they will get the full bathroom light instead of (essentially) a small flashlight.


Dremel doesn't power on: brushes? I have a mid-2000s Dremel 400XPR that I've used over the years for a variety of projects. A couple days ago I tried to use it and found that it doesn't power on. I read through the manual, tried a few different (working) outlets but still nothing.

Is it worth replacing the carbon brushes or is that unlikely to fix it?

Photos at: https://imgur.com/a/qpqKOj4

My experience is that the brushes sometimes become stuck in their channels so that they no longer contact the commutator.

Remove the brushes (if the spring pops off, pull gently with tweezers).
Clean the channel with a cotton swab.
Put a single drop of lubricant on the brushes.
Reinsert, keeping the curve of the brush so it conforms to the curve of the armature.

That often fixes the issue until the brushes are worn down.


How Can Wind Chimes Be Mounted On The Second Story? I have some Japanese cast iron chimes (Small, they fit in the palm of your hand and are about 0.5kg)

Can these be mounted against the vinyl siding outside my room on the second story of my house?

How would I do this? (I've done roofing work before, so I know all the usual safety warnings about ladders, heights, etc)

Open window of your room.
Remove screen.
Lean out (carefully) and screw eyebolt to bottom of window frame.  Something like this.

Bottom of window frame because A: easier and B: chime will not hit window in strong wind.

Attach chime to eyebolt with carabiner, or chain, or something else appropriate for a site exposed to weather.

If the chime annoys you or your new roommate or you want to swap it out for better chime, or you need to clean it out, it will be easy to get to without ladder or going on roof.