Is it bad to have a circuit breaker on both ends of a feeder? My main service panel only has a single breaker connected to a feeder wire which goes to my subpanel. I'd like a main disconnect closer to my subpanel so I don't have to go all the way to my main service panel if I need to do work inside my panel. Unfortunately, 100A+ disconnect switches are pretty pricey and a less expensive solution is a breaker for my subpanel.

Is it a bad idea to have a breaker on the load side of a feeder that is already protected by a breaker on the line side?

The breaker in the main panel is the ruling breaker, as it protects the wiring between panels.  A "main breaker" in the subpanel cannot protect that wiring, so it serves only as a shutoff switch, AFCI or GFCI if equipped. ** Therefore it doesn't matter if the subpanel breaker is larger than the main panel breaker.  There is nothing wrong with this and it is often mandatory.

If you want a shutoff switch (or master GFCI or AFCI) in the subpanel, select a subpanel which does that, i.e. a "main breaker" panel rather than a "main lug" panel.  Main breakers make affordable shutoff switches.

Note that such a shutoff switch is mandatory when the subpanel is in a different building.

What if you have a main-lug panel?  Can you just install a regular breaker of usefully large size, and backfeed the breaker?  Not quite.  Anytime you backfeed a breaker, it must be bolted down.  (you can imagine how that rule got written.) You will need to either

already have a panel type where breakers bolt down (Siemens, QOB, Pushmatic)
bolt down the breaker using a listed method (which presumes the panel provides the right bolt-downs, and a breaker with the right holes/brackets)
add an external shut-off switch
swap the panel out for a main-breaker panel
or if legal, do without a "main" breaker.

Edit: Here's an interesting listed method for Siemens snap-in panels to bolt a breaker down. This gen/utility interlock bolts directly to the breakers, and locks them together in a way they can't rotate to snap out -- thus satisfying boltdown.  In your case, you're only after that, so the other breaker position is wasted.  Do not use Siemens breakers on anything but a Siemens panel ***. I hear they'll snap in, but at wrong clamp tension etc.

** Hypothetically if you provided a 100A feed on #1AL wire to a 60A subpanel, the 100A in the main breaker would protect the wire, and the 60A "main breaker" in the subpanel would protect the subpanel.  But that installation would violate diy.se's advice of "get a really big panel".  Also the 60A wouldn't necessarily trip first.

*** Siemens does make breakers specifically designed to go in a QO panel. (why??) Those are for QO panels only, don't even use them in Siemens panels.


Optimal Breaker Configuration for Split Phase Mains Power Originally asked here on EE SE

First, let me preface this by saying this is entirely theoretical. I don't plan to install anything myself, and I'll contract a licensed electrician to do any of this work, so please don't feel the need to post warnings, disclaimers, or otherwise explain the dangers of mains electricity.

Given that, I have learned that my utility company provides 240V to the meter at my house. There is a breaker box immediately downstream of the meter, and it services 100A at 120V (so it becomes split-phase at some point). After a bit of conduit, I have my current breaker panel, with its circuits going off into the house.

Assuming that I am correct in that there is a center-tapped transformer stepping the meter voltage down to 120V from 240V and, therefore, provides two phases (we'll call them "Phase 1" and "Phase 2"), this means I have 240V, Phase 1 120V, and Phase 2 120V available to me, even though I am only using Phase 1 120V.

I want to have three total breaker panels, one for each Phase 1 and 2, and 240V, but there is also that 100A breaker immediately following the meter to deal with.

My question is, what is the best way (schematically) to install 300A (I can get up to 320 from the meter without an upgrade) of breaker to protect all three circuits?

My current thought is that I would need a 300A breaker on the Phase 1 hot wire and a 300A on the Phase 2 hot wire. Is this correct, or is there a simpler/better way to arrange this?

This is not 2-phase, it is split-phase.  Think through how that works.

Imagine if you will, two 100A transformers separately service two completely separate 120V systems.

What's the capacity of these together?  200A @ 120V, obviously.  So now let's bridge them together so we have 240V end to end.

What's the capacity of these together?   Still the same 200A@120V, obviously, since all we've done is bridge them.  But what's its capacity @240V?

Now here's the 100-amp question.  Do these capacities share or stack?  Or does one take away from the other?   If the upper transformer is supplying 120V at 70 amps, how much 240V can it also supply without exceeding limits of the transformer?

Think it through.

In practice

Now in practice, those two transformers are constructed on a single frame.  But they are indeed separate secondaries, just like the diagram shows.  They can be wired with the secondaries in parallel, in which case 200A@120V is what you get.

And, in practice, you'll notice that in the following drawing, the transformer is up on a pole and shared by several houses.  The only way they'll sell it to you is 240/120 split-phase.

Now, you asked how you hook up 3 subpanels of 240V, 120 leg A, and 120 leg B, respectively.   Assuming we're dealing with a 100A main supply, you can do this:

Mind you, this is exactly what you asked for, not what would be commonly done.  Because of that choice, you wouldn't be able to support MWBCs or split-phase appliances (NEMA 10 or 14) out of the sub-panels.  That may not matter if you don't have any split-phase loads, e.g. split-phase appliances are not sold in the Philippines since half the island has Euro style 240-only power.   There may be other reasons for wanting to do this, e.g. putting whole-panel GFCI or AFCI on the sub-panel, sub-metering for tenants, a central shut-off for all electric heaters, switching part of household load onto a small generator or 120V solar, etc.

As you gathered from the earlier exercise, you cannot load all 3 panels to 100A.  Either 100A panel can be loaded to 100 - (240A panel load).

You want 300A

Right off the bat, the power company's pole line from transformer to meter must be able to handle 300A, and that's not what they usually install, because they're not in the business of filling the sky with useless aluminum, and pulling another power drop is not that expensive for the rare customer who needs it.

Depending on your panel, upgrading to 300A is not as simple as swapping your main breaker for a 300A one.  Very few service panels are listed for 300A.  The chance of you having one is remote.

Typically, in this case, power companies feed two main panels from a single meter, and so you could slap a common 200A or 225A panel right next to your existing 100A panel without having to rewire it.  However in that case you would not be able to feed 300A to each of three subpanels.

Getting split-phase out of the above

As drawn, you can't get split-phase out of any of the sub-panels because they are not 120/240 panels.  That would require a fourth feed wire.

That's because hots, neutral and ground must source out of the same panel.  You cannot feed out of 120V "A" and steal a hot from 120V "B".  (we actually had a landlord ask to do that, to force tenants to split the cost of a water heater).   You cannot feed out of the 240V panel and steal a neutral or use ground as neutral.

In that case, you'd either feed the split-phase load out of the main panel, or  add the fourth wire and reconfigure any of the panels to 120/240 service.  As a practical thing they probably started as 120/240 panels anyway, since straight 120 or straight 240 panels are rare.


How can I paint kitchen cabinet hinges? We have old, ugly kitchen cabinet hinges.  I've read conflicting opinions online as to whether spray painting them is a good idea.  How would you do it if you were going to go for it?

Just to stop the ugliness, I would just get a can of Rust-Oleum gloss enamel (black, white, whatever), then remove the hinges from the cabinets.

Clean them thoroughly, and if there's any existing lacquer or hardcoat, try roughing them up with a bit of steel wool. If you can completely disassemble each hinge, that would be ideal; otherwise, work a small amount of silicone lube or grease into the action, to help keep the paint out of the hinge itself (keep the outer surfaces clean, though).

Then, simply give them a couple good coats of the enamel spray; each coat should cover well, but don't go too thick or you'll get runs, drips, etc, as well as having paint over the tops of the moving parts (which will then crack the first time you move the hinge). Let dry, flip and repeat. When both sides are done, reassemble and reinstall the hinges. The enamel should cure into a nice hard shell that should last you until you can spend the money to replace the hardware, or redo the whole kitchen.


GFI's have no power in both my bathrooms I have two GFI's that have no power. I have check all outlets and all switches, and they are wired correct.  I just don't know where to go from here. I was hoping to not need an electrician. Everything in my home has power and is working but the two GFI's in both the main and master bathrooms.

Probably, this:  Modern Code says bathroom receptacle circuits must either a) power only loads in that bathroom, or b) power receptacles only in any bathroom.  And those receptacles must be GFCI protected.

My guess is your builder chose option (b), and installed a GFCI circuit breaker on that circuit, and put "GFCI protected" stickers on the bathroom receptacles.  Second, the homeowner tore off those stickers because they're ugly.  Third, they sold the house and some idiot real estate agent said "these don't look like GFCI receptacles, upgrade" and they did.

So now you have a GFCI (breaker) feeding a GFCI (outlet) possibly feeding another GFCI (outlet).  This is like an Escher drawing or a "yo dawg" meme.  Any ground fault or test will trip all of them up the chain.  Worse, some cheap GFCIs trip when power is disconnected!  So you must reset them in the correct sequence down the chain.

Go down to your breaker panel and I bet you find a breaker marked "bathroom" that has a "TEST" button on it.  (If there isn't a RESET, it is accomplished by turning the breaker off and on.)

Then, try resetting each of your downstream GFCIs.  Presumably one more will reset that wouldn't reset before.  Then find the next that will reset, etc.

For any GFCI, if this GFCI causes another GFCI to trip, then replace this GFCI with a plain receptacle with a "GFCI protected" sticker.

Use the salvaged GFCI receptacles to protect other circuits.


EMI / RFI filters for reducing dimmer-switch noise (what is available, where to install) I don't have many light-dimmers in my house right now, but I'm doing some renovation, adding recessed lights in some areas that I have temporary open access to the floor joist areas and circuit runs, and I'm noticing some radio-unfriendly behavior in the first dimmer I've installed.

I've been looking on digikey for "power line filter modules" and yes they have hundreds of them.  They are all, I believe, designed to be installed in appliances and devices of all sorts, inside their respective housing, enclosure or cabinet, and wired on the power-input side of the device.  This is presumably to prevent wide-spectrum electrical noise from traveling back from the device to the branch circuit and hence causing the entire circuit to act as a broadcast antenna.

Most of these filters range from $15 to $30, come in a variety of inductance and current ratings, are all housed in a metal can with mounting tabs, have connection options such as spade tabs, screw terminals or posts, or wire leads.

So my first observation is that none of these is what I would consider to be mountable as infrastructure devices that you might locate in an inaccessible place, such as you would a junction box, even if the device is electrically "safe" from a durability / longevity point of view.  So if I wanted to use one of these on the input side of a dimmer control for a dimmer controlling say 4 lights, and potentially also put one on the output side (?) I think I'd want to mount them inside a junction box, which is not difficult.  Even if these devices have MTBF ratings in the hundreds of thousands of hours, I do wonder about the really long-term installation of these devices in areas that would be somewhat difficult to reach years from now (behind walls, under floors, etc).

So besides where on a circuit these filters should or could go to achieve maximal EMI/RFI filtering effect, I was wondering if anyone else has used these particular devices for this purpose.

Or am I overlooking purpose-built infrastructure-mountable or load-center panel-box mountable products that are easily obtainable, reasonably priced and equally effective?

The problem with those modules is they're designed to go in a product

The power-line RFI filter modules you're looking at aren't useful for what you're trying to do.  Why? Because they're designed to go in a finished product, and thus are UL Component Recognized (with the RU, or Rather Useless to us, mark), vs being UL Listed as something that can be installed standalone into mains wiring.

(If you can find someone willing to sell you one, there are UL listed facility EMI/RFI filters available; however, most of them are either combination EMI filter/SPD units, and those that are standalone EMI filters are rather hard to find/obtain.  Furthermore, heavy-duty facility EMI filters have relatively high line-to-ground leakage currents, which makes them not get along well with GFCIs and many AFCIs.)

However, there is something you can use to fix this

However, if your dimmers are emitting RF noise, you still do have a couple options.  First off, upgrading to better quality, specification grade dimmer switches (such as the better stuff Lutron, Leviton, Eaton/Cooper/Arrow-Hart, or Legrand/Pass & Seymour make) will often get you dimmers that go the extra mile on built-in RFI/EMI filtering.  If that's insufficient, one can try a Lutron Lamp Debuzzing Coil in series with the dimmer wiring, as per Lutron Application Note 519.


Soil under slab (sidewalk) washed away and is now causing cracks down the middle I have a 50' x 6' concrete slab in front of our basement that supports the same size wooden deck above with 6 post for the upstairs. The soil under it washed away due to poor drainage. I have fixed the drainage problem and now need to support the slab.

ISSUES:

slab built into steep sloping bank
dirt is gone from the outside edge back as far as 3' underneath
no footing at all
outer bottom edge of slab is above the ground by 12" for atleast 15' in the center.

How do I add footings to an existing slab. One thought was to form up the bottom of the slab, cut holes and pour concrete in to fill the void. Slab Jack estimate was over $5000

Pictures  http://imgur.com/a/NmRqr

The other choice would be pour pier footings in front of the existing slab and transfer the load.

Any concrete that is wet enough to flow into that space is probably too wet which weakens its strength. "Pouring" concrete is a misnomer. When it is properly mixed it has to be placed or pushed into position.

I don't think you a footing anyway you just need to replace the soil that was washed away. Usually concrete slabs for roadways are supported by packed gravel/sand mix with some clay content called road gravel. This mix is also used for county gravel roads.

"Road gravel" from a local supplier could be packed under the slab with a make-shift ram using a 4x4 post or other such device. You could also rent a jack-hammer with a compactor attachment. It sounds like a lot of hard work but rammed earth walls are an accepted way of building your own house with simple tools and a strong back.

Good luck!


Building a sunken tiled bath I'm planning to build a sunken bath/wet room type shower. The plan is to raise the floor of the bathroom by 18" and then build a bath with its bottom just above the original floor level (to allow for drainage). What is the best way to build, waterproof and tile this custom tub. It will be box shaped with no curves. Basically like a sunken wetroom shower.

I once built a bath floor with white cement, and then covered it with sikatop-107 seal. it was an outdoor shower but it will fit also for an indoor one. here is a link to an article i wrote about it in my website. sorry, it's in Hebrew - but you still can look at the photos :)

you can build a structure out of salvage materials, plaster a thick layer of cement on it, and finish it with the sikatop-107 seal.


Can I use different brands of Polyurethane on a single project? I was applying Polyurethane to a wood bookshelf that I made yesterday evening.  Unfortunately I ran out before I was finished.  There is a small area that has not been covered at all and I need to apply a second coat to the entire bookshelf.

Normally I would just go to the store that I bought it and buy a second can of what I was already using.  Unfortunately, the store that I bought the first can at is far away.  I was thinking that I would just nip over to my small local hardware store and pick up a can of whatever they have.  Do I need to make sure that I get the same brand/type that I have already used?

Currently I am using: Minwax - Fast Drying Polyurethane - Clear Satin with long lasting protection.  Does the next bottle I buy also need to be Minwax?  Can I use another brand on top of existing layer?

I would keep them the same if it's not too inconvenient.

Different manufacturers (and even different batches from the same manufacturer) may have different drying properties (the Satin may come out differently).  They may also have trouble adhering to one another which would lead to cracking between layers and may also yellow differently, producing a blotchy effect later on especially in areas that didn't cover well.

Your safest bet would have been to buy as much poly as you needed and mix them all together before you started in a seperate container. If you expect the bookshelf to last more than five years then go get the same stuff. Otherwise, it probably doesn't matter.


New construction, do the supports look correct in the attic? I have a house under construction and this is how they are supporting the roof. Does this look correct?  Thank you for your input!
]1

Those look like temporary supports judging from the lack of fasteners, and if so, there's nothing wrong with supporting something temporarily in whatever way works.  I just assume because I don't think most tradesmen would leave an unfastened but somehow necessary 2x4 passing through a living space at an odd angle.  If you look on Youtube there are videos of people doing solo framing erection, using simple ropes, levers, wedges and 2x4 temporary props to hold things in place while they're tacked together.  Sometimes they are forgotten and left in place, but this is unlikely to cause a problem because of the typical limited weight.
If so, they have really nothing to do with the long term reliability or stability of the framing.  Either way, you may need an engineer if you want to speculate on the long term reliability, stability or load bearing capacity of the actual permanent roof members.  Presumably you have already had this done, so you could compare the plan to what was actually built.
If this is intended to be permanent and critical support and has more fasteners than I see, it does look a bit iffy to me, and the solution is the same.  See what the engineering diagrams indicate and if it differs, have the tradesman in question demonstrate his calculations and that he had a right to make them (I'm an electrician, and electricians are given authority to calculate certain things, and with other things absolutely must follow specifications provided by other professionals, so I would imagine framers are trained and have at least some ability to calculate and rework supports.


What do I do with all these outlet wires? I am trying to change my 21 year old outlet to a new USB paired outlet. There are 3 hot, 3 neutral, and one ground on the existing outlet. The new outlet does not have spring holes, and only has the 3 standard screw connections. What do I do with the extra wires?

Twist the three white wires together, along with a short (about 6") length of the same gauge white wire (often called a pigtail), and cap with a wire nut. Or use one of the new push connectors.

Similarly twist the black together with a short black.

Attach the new short wires to their respective terminals, and reattach the ground wire.

All should be well.


Pillar in the ground that can support a hammock I'd like to hang a hammock in a small garden. There is one wall that can carry it, but on the other side it would have to be a stand-alone pillar.

What's the most efficient technique to erect a pillar that would not be toppled by the lateral pull just so in the ground?

I thought about a metal rod with a large-enough flat foot that would be buried under the ground, but the garden is small, so I think it might not fit or disrupt the whole place.
The other thought I had was a metal rod standing in a hole filled with concrete, but I fear the hole and concrete would have to be huge.

Is there an elegant, light-weight way how to have a strong enough stand-alone pillar in the ground?

Any freestanding hammock post without lateral binding will eventually work loose.

The standard configuration is to use a 6x6x9 wooden beam and sink it three feet into the ground with a footing made from an 80-pound bag of cement. Where I live the only place to get a wooden beam of that size is a sawmill over 50 miles away.

Alternatively you could use a 3" Lally column as a substitute for the beam.


What is correct vapour barrier method for bathroom ceiling in a bungalow in Canada I am in the middle of a complete main floor bathroom gutting and re-finish job in my house in CANADA.. and WINTER IS COMING!!!!

THE BACKGROUND (pics below):

My bathroom is 5'x 13' in a bungalow with 2x6' outside construction walls with Fiberglass batt insulation in the walls, and blown cellulose insulation in the attic. My house has been a very energy efficient and almost perfectly sealed home built in 1985.

I consider myself to be well versed with applying the proper rated vapour barrier to the outside walls using proper vapour-barrier/acoustic sealant (black tar of death) and stapling properly to have a PERFECT air-tight vapour barrier against our crazy -40C/F winters..  I even know about the Tuct-Tape work required to seal joins and overlap edges of separate sheets of poly, etc.

... However.. when I took down the old popcorn drywall ceiling (after i moved over all the cellulose insulation so it wouldn't fall in)..  I noticed the original vapour barrier was ONLY stapled up to the rafters with the 5/8" drywall screwed/nailed through it... the bathroom ceiling vapour barrier had NO BLACK sealant along the edges, so it was not 100% air/vapour sealed to the attic.

THE QUESTION:

Since i'm NOT doing popcorn ceiling again, should I apply black-sealant as well to the ceiling sheets of vapour barrier just like I will do to the outside wall to create a perfect seal??

I have read some stories that because proper attics (like mine is) has natural air-flow its OK for a small amount of warm-air to get into the attic because the natural airflow will vent the moisture!!  Is this TRUE? or would i be creating a condensation disaster in the making?

Pic of outside wall with new vapour barrier ONLY sealed at top for now

Another close-up pic of the opposite corner showing exposed attic

Most of the time in a house in Canada you would have 6-10mil plastic over the drywall in the ceiling.

However the answer isn't that easy and the vapor barrier isn't needed for sure.

It also depends on the type of insulation that you have (faced or not), what other types of barriers are installed in your attic, and really what is on the rest of your house.

So from this picture I would get a ladder and look at what was in the next room on the ceiling.  I would do the same thing.

My personal opinion... is that I don't like a vapor barrier in the attic above a bathroom.  Unless you paint the hell out of your ceiling (which I do for bathrooms including two coats of Killz oil based primer) water will get into the drywall.  It might after 4 coats too...  So I want that water to be able to escape, not be trapped in a vapor barrier.


How can I drain water from the area between a concrete walkway and the side of the house? We had a walkway by the side of the house made of wood, after years of constant repairing the walkway because of decay wood we decided to do the walk way in concrete. Problem now is when it rains the water is trapped between the concrete and the side of the house. How can we create some sort of drainage?

As other's have mentioned in comments, having the walkway sloped properly may reduce the problem.  However, if the area between the walkway and the house is lower than the walkway, you'll still likely end up with water trapped there.

The most common solution to this problem, is to build up the land between the walkway and house. Most folks us the area as a flower bed, and build the dirt up higher than the walkway. The raised land should shed most of the water away from the house, and eliminate the puddling problem you're having.

If you don't like flowers, you could raise the land a bit and plant grass instead. The key to solving the problem, is to have the land raised higher than the walkway.

If you really want the land to be lower, you can install a french drain or other drainage system. This will allow the water to be moved away from this area, though will most likely involve tunneling under the walkway (or ripping up a small section) to run the pipe.


Electric Wall oven with power/ Circuit Breaker? I am attempting to replace my wall oven which was installed sometime in the 80's. I (think) I tripped all my circuit breakers and the wall oven still had power. Do I need to  turn off the main power to the house or what could it be?

Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Some homes have breakers in more than 1 location. Let me explain I have installed panels that the true main is at the meter and the panel that has all the lighting and outlets is a sub panel, check the box at your meter it may have several large breakers like 1 for the panel, 1 for the range and possibly 1 for out buildings and or RV pads in some cases this is a cheaper way to power the other devices because smaller feeder wires can be run to the main panel and possibly shorter feeders to the devices that are powered from the box at the meter.


Gap (2") between PVC conduit and exposed foundation (exterior) I can't figure out how to get a good photo of this setup, so I'll try to describe as best I can.

I'm moving/replacing the existing overhead electric cable that runs between the main house and the garage subpanel. Plan is to bury it, using sched 40 PVC (1 1/2" diameter, 18" below grade) as a conduit.

There will be an LB fitting where the line exits the house (about 30" above grade) through the stucco siding and turns 90 degrees toward the ground. The transition between stucco siding and exposed foundation happens about 20" above grade, with about a 2" horizontal offset between the stucco and the foundation. That is, if I run the PVC pipe straight up/down, then there will be a 2" gap between the PVC pipe and the foundation, up to a height of about 20" above ground level, and then will be flush with (edit: tight to, not flush with) the stucco until it hits the LB fitting and turns into the house.

My question is, is there anything wrong with having that 2" gap?

I could try to bend the PVC to eliminate the gap, but if I don't need to, I'd rather not. It's not something I've ever done before, and I expect that it's not a simple thing to do with 1 1/2" PVC.

I found another thread on this site that mentions using a "standoff", which I suppose might be necessary depending on the strapping requirements for exterior PVC, which I haven't quite figured out yet. (I think I need one strap within 3 ft of the LB fitting.)

No, there's nothing wrong with that and it's a fairly common scenario considering that conduit often runs out the bottom of meter bases with a similar offset.
If you're mounting the conduit to the foundation, simply install treated lumber or synthetic spacer blocks behind the clamps.

It's also a good idea to use washed rock or other loose fill around the conduit where it enters the ground and for a couple feet horizontally. The most common failure of this situation is when ground settles and pulls the conduit along for the ride, cracking the pipe and/or ripping it loose from the structure. Loose fill will help prevent that.


How difficult would it be to convert a regular US-style shower faucet into a thermostat faucet? I have a regular US-style shower faucet at home which looks like this:

I would like to convert it into a faucet that has a built-in thermostat, so that I could always have the same water temperature while showering. I see various products being sold for adding a thermostat to one's shower (such as this one from Grontherm), but I would rather not buy one if I'm not sure I can install it.

How difficult would it be to add a thermostat to my shower? Do I need a plumber or is it something I can do on my own? I'm open to hiring a plumber, as long as the installation won't require tearing down half the wall to fit in the new faucet.

It already is that.

That's what that handle is.  Depending on the type of valve, it is either

a thermostatic control that you rotate left/right to the desired set temperature (no choice of flow), or
a joystick, in which left/right is thermostatic control, and in/out are flow control.  Rather like a Delta faucet.

Build like a Victorian

The knotty problem of backside access to a tub faucet is one the Victorian-era builders were well familiar with.  It was "on their watch" that indoor plumbing leapt to popularity.  They had a clever solution: Put a cabinet door on the backside of the faucet.  In my house I can trivially access the tub-faucet backside.  It's trimmed like a perfectly civilized cabinet door, and provides full access to valve backside, trap, and supply plumbing.  Changing the tub faucet, drain lever or trap is a 20 minute job, and yer done.

A more cunning installation might put a bookcase there with a removable back, for instance.


How do I find a break in my ground wire? My last bedroom has three outlets, and are all showing "OPEN GROUND" from my tester. The third one is adjacent to the other bedroom, and that outlet is also showing "OPEN GROUND".  The others in that room are fine.

My home was built around 1980, and I have never done any electrical work on those outlets.  The way that I found out was because my son bought a surge protector for his gaming stuff, and it was showing "NO GROUND".  So I plugged in my tester, and it read "OPEN GROUND".  I have lived there about 16 years, and have never noticed a problem.  I have checked all outlets, and all ground wires are twisted and connected.

Could the break be where the two rooms meet?  Any ideas?  My master bedroom is closest to outdoor breaker, and then it is the room in question.

I would start by turning off the circuit, pulling out the outlet and ensuring the ground wire is connected.

If the wire is connected, but still showing as not connected, I would get a cable tracker and follow the wire.  The cable tracker has a sender that sends a signal through the wire, and the receiver listens for this signal.  You can use it to follow cables through the wall and ceiling.  When you get to the break, you should loose the signal.

Here is the cable tracker I have.  http://www.harborfreight.com/cable-tracker-94181.html

It would be unusual for the break to happen outside of a box/junction.


Extending 2x4 joist to square up shed foundation Long story short I constructed a shed foundation on uneven ground with piers concreted into the ground. This however turned out to be 2” out of square and is a slight rhombus shape - and to correct this I need to gain 2” in opposite corners.

I attempted this with a sort of sistered joint, secured with two coach bolts and two screws at regular intervals. This went okay, however I’m concerned about the load it will be able to take as it will be bearing one of the shed walls. The sistered joint is not sitting on the pier post like the 2x 2x4 it’s bolted to.

If this is not substantial enough, then my other option is to source longer timber length to achieve the same thing.

Appreciate advice!

You are correct to worry that the sistered joists connection to the post is weak. What's supporting that corner is the shear strength of the 4 framing nails above the post, the friction of the 2x4s being compressed by the bolts, and the levered shear strength of the bolts. You could improve it by:

put a bolt through the 2x4s above the beam.
add 2x4 blocking below the 2x4s and nailed to the post
add framing angles with structural screws, fastened to the post and the outer 2x4s

Something else I don't see is attachments to keep the 2x4s atop the beams. You most likely want some joist hangers or hurricane ties to maintain that connection.


What ceramic tile base can I use over solid wood subfloor that's not too thick? I am renovating my kitchen and bathroom. My house was built in 1952. I will be installing ceramic floors in both. I have 5-1/2 x 3/4 tongue and groove boards running diagonally and nailed to the floor joists.

If I use 3/4" t&g plywood followed by 7/16" cement board and then tile my floor will be too high. What is the best method to prep for tile?

3/4" t&g plywood (not OSB) over 3/4" boards would be adequate by itself, in my opinion. The industry often suggests 1-1/4" as a minimum, and you'd exceed that.


Kitchen sink/garbage disposal waste draining into backyard I've recently discovered that my mother in-law has a planter outside her kitchen window which is catching run off from her sink. There is a pool of water and a smell that can now be detected from the other side of the house. Not sure if its seeping into/under the foundation or if its just the smell.

Aside from worrying about the stagnant water; what else do she need to be concerned with and what is she looking at in terms of cost and fines from the HOAA etc. From what I know its been like that for over 2 years! Is this ok? I personally dont even want my kids playing in her back yard. What can I do to help make this... more pleasant to be around?

The planter is a concrete barrier that extends about 2 feet from the house and is maybe 8 feet long. Its like a trough and the sink/garbage disposal basically drains into it. Do I add bark? A chemical? Powder? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Talking her into a plumber but... yea. I gotta go post some where else for help with that. Thank you for your time.

Merlin

In California where I live, gray water systems are allowed by some localities, but generally only for showers, laundry, and lavatory sinks. Kitchen sinks tend to have grease that is too hard to break down.


How can I strengthen attic rafters for storage? I have standard 2x4 rafters and want to use it just for storage and I am worried they are not strong enough.  I was thinking I could buddy ( or sister) up the 2x4's with another 2x4 or 2x6.  or stack another 2x4 onto the existing rafter.   I am no engineer but logically I am thinking this would work.  I am open to any idea that is safe and easy to do.

Depending on the specific structure of your ceiling, this could be a very bad idea.

If done badly, it will simply increase the weight on the structure, not add strength at all.

As a general rule, you should be able to put reasonable storage in the roof space without added effort. (boxes of books ok. crates of lead not ok)

If you have concerns though (and you do, because you're asking), you need to speak to a qualified engineer as each roof is different. (Age, Design, Materials, Climate, Prior Use, Condition, supporting structure are just a few important factors)


Can I use this piece (see pic) as a replacement? Hi Guys,

I am on my last connection in my new mother board replacement for my Carrier furnace.  As I was trying to connect the wire in the top picture to the terminal it wouldn’t fit and the piggyback connecting the two wires nroke.  I don’t think these two wires are the same “gauge.” (Does that matter?)

My question is this:  can I buy this Amazon disconnect piece and connect each wire to it and then put it on the terminal?  Thanks in advance for any help!!

It looks like you have two female spade connectors and a female-to-female connector, and that's the part that broke.  The female-to-two-stacked-male connector you have pictured may work, you just wouldn't be using the female part of it.

I find that there are small differences between brands and things don't mate as well as they should.  If the wires are in good shape and not too short, a lot of times the easiest thing is to just cut off what's there and replace with your brand.

I don't see any compelling reason to use two female connectors here - I might replace these with one female and one male so you don't have the connector to deal with.  I'd also use the fully insulated connectors, just to be a little safer, less chance of accidental contact, shorts, etc., especially since it's line voltage.

You can connect these wires by any suitable means.  Crimp on connectors are easy to disconnect / reconnect without tools but you could use a wire nut, lever nut, etc. - anything listed and rated for the voltage and current.

Keep in mind that a lot of crimp terminal products are NOT listed / rated for line voltage, aimed more at the low voltage of the automotive market.  I stick to reputable manufacturers' brands.


What size pocket hole screw for 1.5x1.5 miter? Im making a headboard framed with 1.5x1.5" pine. The joints at the top are mitered. What size screw should I use for pocket holes?

The size of pocket hole  screws are determined by the thickness of the wood or material you are joining not by the type of joinery. I.E. butt joint or miter joint.
There is a guide that comes with the kreg system that will tell what size screw you need for the thickness of wood you are working with. (You do not say if your wood is 1.5 thick or 1.5 wide, it is the thickness that matters)
Note: There are other pocket-hole screw systems, this happens to be the one i purchased.
For 1 1/2" material it is a 2 1/2" screw


Is it crazy to put a hole on a fridge? I want to buy a mini fridge, not for food storage, but for storing stuff I don't want to evaporate (gets hot in my room during summers) or preserve.

I'm thinking maybe once in a while I want to make it extensible by putting a hole through it and then attach an insulated PVC pipe going to a cooler in the end.

I'm also playing around with the idea of being able to attach my PC water cooling system to the end of the pipe (though I haven't even set up my PC cooling system). As in the summer, my room gets almost as hot as the inside of my PC. Though I don't know if the fridge can handle that much heat being fed into it.

The fridge will add more heat to your room.

You're much better off getting an air-conditioner, and keeping the fridge outside of the room.


Wiring issue with 3-way switches and FEIT smart dimmer and T1/T2 lines cross-talk I am trying to install a FEIT Smart Dimmer switch with a 3-way switch. It is an interesting installation where the 3-way switch (works as a single pole in this installation) has 120V line. One of the traveler lines T1 actually gets shorted to 120V line.
The dimmer uses this to get the 120V hot via T1 and the T2 line tells the dimmer whether to "toggle" the state of the switch. In principle this works but not in my house.
The 3-way (single pole) switch had no effect on turning off the lights so I used a multi-meter to see that if I connect 120V to one traveler light T1, then the T2 traveler had 45V on it. Strange, It was triggering the NCV tester as well.
Any idea why this might happen?
I used a continuity tester and confirmed that the traveler wires T1 and T2 are not shorted/connected. But still T2 has some 45V AC voltage on it when T1 is connected to live/hot wire.
In the following diagram T2 is what always has some potential of ~45V.

T2 has some 45V AC voltage on it when T1 is connected to live/hot wire.

Possibly a red herring. I had a similar experience when installing a similar 3-way-compatible "smart" switch (but with a timer feature instead of dimmer). When I asked the electrician about it, they said that if there's any current flowing in wires adjacent to the traveler, especially along long distances, smaller voltages can be induced in the traveler itself.
More important is to verify that you're using the correct configuration. With a 3-way switch, the line voltage comes in at one switch, and then the load is connected at the other switch. These smart switches can be installed at either end, but the wiring configuration is different depending on which end.
The diagram you show is correct for when you want to install the smart switch at the load end, and your summary of the operation of this configuration is consistent with that as well. But that doesn't mean that's actually where you installed the switch.
You should verify that what you believe to be the "load" wire is in fact the load wire, and not the line supply wire, and vice a versa. If it's not, i.e. if the wire you've treated as "load" shows 120V between it and neutral with your multimeter, then you've got the wrong diagram for where you are trying to install the switch.
If that's the case, then you can either install the switch at the other end of the circuit using the diagram you have, or find the diagram that corresponds to installing the switch at the line end of the circuit (it's probably a similar diagram, except that on the smart switch end, the "load" and T1 wires will be connected reverse from what you have).
I have installed a number of this sort of switch in my own house, and have found them to be reliable, but one has to be very careful to follow the instructions precisely.
If you're sure you've identified your wires correctly, and you're sure you're making all the connections correctly, then it's actually possible you have a defective switch. But you'll want to double- and triple-check everything just to make sure, before getting the switch replaced.


portable air conditioner exhaust I have a problem similar to this:

How can I vent a portable air conditioner when there's no window?

I do have windows but I cannot modify them. Cutting holes in walls or any similar modifications are not allowed.

I was thinking about using a stove hood to release the hot air. Will it be a good solution?

??? Venting a portable A/C does not require "modifying" the window at all. You open the window, insert the exhaust-hose plate, close the window onto it, perhaps stuff some foam between the upper and lower pane, and you're done, without modifications to the window...


Can I remove framing members forming a wall below a load bearing beam? I am in the process of buying my first home and my head is already spinning with update ideas. The main idea, in particular, is renovating the kitchen/dining. There is a wall separating the two spaces and I believe the wall is load bearing, as there is a second floor and the wall is perpendicular to the floor joists with supports in the basement directly beneath. I haven't moved into the home yet but I want some input from others on this topic.

My assumption is that the load bearing wall has already been removed and replaced with a beam. If you notice on the attached pictures, the wall between the kitchen and dining already has an opening indicating to me that previous owners may have already installed a beam. And that wall is "lower" than the wall in the adjacent space. My thought is they want to cover the installed beam. My plan is to open that wall up entirely (between kitchen and dining) and add an island in between the spaces.

My question is this: IF there IS a load bearing beam in place, can I remove the 2x4s framing the current wall and add columns closer to the center of the beam to frame the island around? If there is NOT a beam in place, I intend to install a beam and build from there. Essentially, I'm asking if I can remove studs attached to a load bearing beam and add new ones in different places?

I hope I articulated my question well enough. I've added pictures and assumed/proposed drawings to illustrate what I'm asking. Once I move in I can better assess the situation and start remodeling from there. But the question still remains: could I remove studs and add new ones. These are just assumptions and I'm anxious to move in and find out for myself first hand! And I know I may be jumping the gun having not moved into the home yet, but this is driving me nuts and I just want to know if this idea is valid or foolish. Any input would help put my mind at ease. Even if my thought is entirely asinine and you feel the need to tell me so, HAHA! Thanks!

It's highly unlikely that there's a full beam in that wall. There's probably a doubled 2x10 header over the opening. Plan on installing a 3-1/2" by 14" LVL beam (or steel) to span that distance (after talking to an engineer, of course).

You can remove studs under a load-bearing beam if the beam is designed for the resulting span(s) and the remaining studs (posts) are properly supported below.


Can a condo interior room walls have steel studs that are paper thin? I'm a bit puzzled about what's behind the drywall in my high rise condo built 3 years back. When drilling into an interior room wall supposedly where a stud should be(found by a stud detector and yes I am using it properly), my drill goes through the wall with barely any resistance.

It's a fairly lengthy wall, about 10 feet connecting my living room to my bedroom. However, when I drill into the wall connecting to the neighbours, I feel a lot of resistance and definitely hitting a stud.

Could it simply be that the studs are paper thin and weren't meant to handle extra load besides the wall?

Even though you found the stud with your stud finder, you may have missed it. Even steel studs will offer a bit of resistance to drilling, and you should see some metal filings or twists following the bit out of the wall. You may have to try again with a very small bit 3/4 inch one way or the other to find the stud. Use your stud finder to give yourself a better idea what side of the original hole you should try.  Of course, you can use the hole you already drilled by inserting a drywall anchor rated for the load you want to attach. I prefer the corkscrew type anchors to the expansion type.

There is a difference between the interior private walls and the common wall in condos. Common walls are always thicker, usually thicker sheetrock or two layers of 1/2 inch rock. This is for a longer fire time rating and soundproofing between units.


Outlets in living room suddenly died but there is not tripped circuit breaker I have a couple of weird things going on.  So all of a sudden three outlets went dead.  I checked the circuit breaker and nothing was tripped.  To make sure, I turned the breaker that controls the 3 outlets on and then off again.  Still nothing.

To research, I removed the plates on all three outlets to expose the wiring.  All three have 2 black and 2 white wires and a ground.  This makes me think they're connected in a series somehow.  Two of the outlets are on the same wall within 10 feet. The other outlet is on an opposite wall across the living room.

Things I've tried to diagnose:
With circuit breaker and and off I've check for voltage on all three outlets and all the wires and the two that are on the same wall have absolutely nothing whether the breaker is on or off. The outlet that is on the opposite wall however, has a low voltage reading whether the breaker is on or off.  The weird thing that I can't understand is that when I check for voltage on the outlet that is on the opposite wall while my sandals are on, I get the low voltage beep on my voltage pen.  However, when my sandals are off and I'm barefoot, I don't get and voltage beep.  Why is this?!!

Second question, how can I troubleshoot and try to fix this? Is it a problem at the circuit breaker?  I checked every other outlet to make sure nothing is tripped and all the other outlets on the floor are working fine.

Non-contact voltage testers can be very sensitive and misleading. So don't worry too much about that.

This may have been asked before but do ANY of the outlets on the breaker that controls the dead ones have power? If you do, there is probably a connection failure in one of the outlets downstream.   That doesn't eliminate the first outlet in the circuit having the failure though, so it's not a perfect test.

2 things come to mind:  1) The infamous "back stab" outlets that frequently fail. You should get a real multi meter and test between hot and neutral, hot and ground, and neutral and ground.  If  you have power from neutral to ground, you have an open neutral someplace.  Multi-meters can be very sensitive as well as non contact testers. It's often useful to have some sort of a load plugged in (such as your lamp), to eliminate any spurious, induced voltages.

With the POWER OFF (Check with meter or non-contact tester to be sure), you might want to start removing the outlets and inspect for damage, loose connections, etc.

2)  I had this issue in a previous house I lived in and it turned out to be rodent damage.  A mouse had chewed thru a cable.  First breaking the circuit and then electrocuting himself!  I know because when I opened up the sheetrock there was his little fried body.


How do I know if blade fits the miter saw? I just got my first miter saw (ryobi 15 Amp 12 in. Sliding Miter Saw with Laser).

I want to buy this diablo blade http://www.amazon.com/D1280X-Diablo-12-Inch-Crosscutting-1-Inch/dp/B00008WQ35/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1464224602&sr=1-4&keywords=diablo+12+inch+miter+saw+blade.

How do I know if it fits my miter saw? Besides size and arbor, what else do I need to check from the size perspective?

The diameter is important, as that's the maximum size blade that will physically fit in the saw.  The arbor size is important, because that's the size hole that will fit on the saws mandrel. If either of these sizes are wrong, the blade simply will not fit on the saw.

The thickness of the blade doesn't typically matter, as far as fitting on the machine. Unless you're talking about a dado stack, but you'd not be putting that on a miter saw anyway. The blade thickness, or kerf, only tells you how much material will be removed when cutting.

The number of teeth influences the speed of the cut, as well as the smoothness of the cut.  Generally, more teeth give a smoother cut.


Mounting mess up - need advice I was asked to mount a bar to suspend cookware from in a kitchen. The plan was to use toggle bolts and mount it above another suspended cookware bar.

I began drilling my 5/8" hole through the drywall, and I hit the stud.  I switched to a 5/8" wood drill bit ( paddle style ), and drilled about 4 inches through the stud, when my worst fears were realized - there's no gap on the other end, just more drywall.

So now i have two 5/8" diameter, 4" ( inch ) deep holes where I want to mount this bar, and I'm not sure the best way to proceed.  Ideally sink some kind of anchor in there, probably meant for block or concrete, and mount the bar using the tension of the anchor?

Please advise, home improvement gumshoes.  I'm trying to look good for my girlfriend on this one.

To fill the hole, glue in a 5/8 wooden rod/dowel  using white glue, panel adhesive, epoxy, or polyurethane wood glue. Then drill into the end of that and use some sort of long wood screw to attach the bracket.

Alternatively, get a threaded insert or connector nut that accepts the machine screw part of the toggle bolt and fix that into the oversize hole using wooden wedges and epoxy putty or builder's filler.


How an I retrofit smart bulbs in a LED fixture? I have a lot of these lights in my house (kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms)
They look like LEDs but it also looks like the only way to change them is by soldering.  is this true?
I really want to upgrade them to smart lights (Zigbee or Alexa integrated).  But I haven't found any options (maybe just using bad keywords for search).  Does anyone know of a smart light option that supports this [pictured] configuration?

Option 1 - Replace Fixtures
Loosen the two screws in the slots. Rotate the fixture so that the screws end up in the larger holes at the ends of the slots. Pull the fixture down. You should find wires from the fixture connected to either individual wires or a cable coming from the electric supply. There may be multiple cables/wire sets - supply, switch, feed to other fixtures. Take pictures before disconnecting anything. Generally speaking, there will be 3 connections (hot, neutral, ground) to remove/replace in order to replace the fixture.
Advantages: Individual fixture control, multi-color control (with some LEDs).
Option 2 - Replace Switches
Similar to above (easier, because you don't need to climb up to the ceiling), but at the switch instead of the fixture.
Advantages: 1 switch might control several fixtures, no need to figure out the right size for each fixture (both physically and amount of light), safer as switch can always manually override "smart" controls.


Can I add insulation on the outside of a bedroom wall adjacent to garage attic? I have a new construction home, and one of the bedrooms is adjacent to the attic above the garage. The room is always a couple degrees cooler than the other rooms, so was wondering if I could spray foam insulate the other side of the room. As you can see from the image from inside the attic, the builder insulated along the footing of the room, but not the header or the wall. Would it be bad to cover that vapor barrier?

Yes, you can, and yes, your builder should have done, and should do now for free, having failed to do it when they should have during construction.


Could wind be causing my high efficiency furnace exhaust to back up into the house? I am Toronto based, and just installed a new high efficiency furnace (York YP9C 080 model) in November. Later on I smell odor in my house when the heat started. It is more apparent when it is a gusty windy night. I have called Enbridge to come and investigate if there is gas leaking from the pipe. But it isn't. the odor makes my eye dry and my throat feels bitter sometimes. I have checked my vent termination outside of my house; tried to do some diagnostic myself with advice from some friends.

I realize my back yard environmental conditions have been changed since the snow storm last year. My two neighbors have cut their trees down after the ice storm last year. My house is situated at the end of a crescent. The back yard looks as if it is the end of a tunnel. I am not sure if the vent termination is affected by wind gust factor. If is the case, a technician recommended me to move the vent to the other direction inside the house. It can be costly. Will you recommend I use a tee vent so the wind cannot directly impact the force back to the exhaust pipe. I had two nights ago when the wind was really strong, in the middle of the night, I even smell gas but it went away a few minutes later. I am not sure if the strong wind create the force that pressure the exhaust back to the furnace and caused this gas smell.

Please advise if a tee can put on the exhaust pipe can help? or other recommendations can be made?

I found a wind neutral pipe cap (right in photo) and installed it six years ago, and at least five major PNW storms ago.  It has performed flawlessly and required no maintenance.

It has a geometric baffle design which neutralizes excess air infiltration/exfiltration by balancing air flow somehow, regardless of direction.  I think it is this one.


How to fix a damaged door frame? We have damaged the interior side of our master bedroom door. The door got jammed and when we forced it open, it got damaged; the molding of the door is damaged. I have attached the photo. Need some tips for fixing the damaged door at home which is inexpensive.

This door had been broken before, there is caulk or some type of filler at the edges of the break, where some stayed on one side, some stayed on the other. This will really give you a hard time to get the parts tight enough for glue to do it job. All caulk MUST be removed from the glue area. You can use a fresh blade in a razor knife to carefully pare it off. Any wood that gets removed needs to be minimal, important that no caulk remains, if it does it WILL be in the way. This is done after you remove the trim, and after the piece is separated the rest of the way from the jamb. This will aid in removing the caulk.

After it is all cleaned up, dry fit the part back in. The gap should draw relatively tight where you DID NOT carve the wood away. A hair line gap is ok. With it loosely in place, drill pilot holes in at least three key areas, 2 to 4 inches from the bottom, one a few inches from the strike. Here you can actually set a pilot above and below the strike, and at least one at or near  the top. MAKE SURE it is lined up flush as good as you can, perfect is good. Time spent here will pay off when you disassemble it to run the glue. Set your screws too. Keep the screws length so it only goes into the mating part about 1". Here, more is not better, enough is perfect. Adding glue will complicate matters.

Now is the time to add the glue after removing the screws. Use enough glue to make sure the faces of the break on both sides are covered. When you reassemble glue will be everywhere, so prepare for it. I usually have handy a sponge and a half filled 2 to 5 gallon bucket ready. Glue oozing out will hide the joint and you won't see squat until the parts are tight and you wipe the joint with a damp cloth, then it is almost too late. You will still have a little time to back the screw out a bit and force it back straight or flush and tighten it back up. It always happens, I get it flush dry, but as soon as I add glue the parts shift a little, and adjustment is always needed.

Let the glue dry, putty the gap created by the carving off the caulk sand flush add the new piece of trim and repaint.


Can I use a 120 volt 50/60 Hz. tool on a 230 volt 50 Hz. circuit? I want to get the Dewalt DW660 cut out tool, it has been made for the north american market so it runs on 120 volts. It has the following specs:

  120V ~ 50/60 Hz
  5 Amps
  600 Watts

The voltage where I live is a 230V/50 Hz. Would it run with no issues or overheating if I use a proper step down transformer? I am planning on buying one with a max 1000 Watt power as I've read some threads that indicated that it should be at least 1.5 times the wattage of the device.

It will work with a step down transformer since the output should be 120~10 (120 with 10 +/- possible) with a low quality transformer, which, apparently the tool can handle. In a good transformer it should be 120~2. So the output wont be much different than regular 120 volt output. If it also increases the frequency, that would be much better. And make sure the continuous max rating is 700~20 volts. Otherwise you have a small danger of the lifetime of the transformer decreasing.


How to remove light cover Does anybody have a similar light covering to this? I have tried pulling all the arms outward, pressing the arms up, looking for screws on the arms, and just sliding it out with a little bit of force. All no goes so far

My guess is that the C-shaped retainers at the ends of the arms rotate. You'd turn them to horizontal.


Changing sheen of polyurethane finish I recently purchased a can of tinted polyurethane finish and applied it to the top of a desk. The desk had previously been finished but the old finish was cracked and coming off so I had stripped and sanded the top before this new finish coat. After the typically recommended two coats I realized that I had used GLOSS finish and now the top is all shiny and does not at all match the sheen of the sides and drawer fronts of the other parts of the desk.

So here is my question. If I purchase and apply a new coat of SATIN finish will that work OK over a the GLOSS finish?

The sheen is determined by the top coat, so going over it in satin will lower it. The only caveat is that the thicker film may be noticeable if you're laying down very thick coats.

Rottenstone might be a better option than steel wool for getting into the grain.


In Germany, should Ground and Neutral be connected at the main service panel? It is stated in multiple places (diy.stackexchange, web searches), that "Ground and Neutral should be bonded at the main service panel".

My residence in Germany is supplied with 3-phase power, and has "modern" wiring.  Recently renovated, new wiring with ground conductor, and a subpanel.  The main panel and subpanel are joined by a 5 conductor 10 mm^2 line, i.e. there is an independent ground conductor joining.  The only ground electrode is a metal bar going into the earth next to the service entrance, i.e. at the main panel.  No idea what is buried there, but it looks roughly 20-30 years old.  Galvanization still good above ground.

This is all one structure.  Main panel first floor, subplanel second floor, 20 m joining line.

For my residence,

A) Should Ground be bound to Neutral at the main panel, and only at the main panel?

B) Should the subpanel have a Ground electrode?

Related question, for US residence.

Best explanation I've found, but is not explicit about German Code

Second residence requires a ground electrode, but does my subpanel?

It depends on the supply to that property and its earthing arrangements. It could potentially be TNC, TNC-S, TN-S or TT

If it has an earth spike like you suggested it is probably a TT system. It is important you understand the distinction and I suggest you look up those earthing arrangements mentioned above they are well documented with diagrams.

In TT systems the earth neutral must not be bonded together at any point in the installation. The Live and Neutral alone make their way back to the transformer while the earthing will make its way outside the building separately and onto an earthing spike.

NOTE:
The following paragraph I have block quoted and this paragraph is a disclaimer against it as it would appear subjective and only anecdotal in the experience of this region. As another user pointed out they have experienced the opposite in regard to the TT systems being historic. It does not alter the overall answer for the user who asked the question. However, I feel it adds context to the region so have left it as is.

  "It should be pointed out that TT systems are a historic system and
  the trend is to phase them out as much as possible as the impedance
  path to earth can sometimes be so poor that it affects the ability of
  the system to earth the system correctly."

So no the Neutral and Earth should not be bonded to each other and secondly no your sub panel should not have its own spike it should be connected to the main earthing bar within the property that will then in turn connect to the earthing spike. This is important because you don't want multiple and different impedance paths to ground. With a TNS/TNC system the supplier provides you with the earthing arrangement for you and will guarantee a (ZE) value.


Neutral bar in the breaker box I was trying to disconnect a 220 50 amp breaker to replace with a 30 amp, changing function for the breaker.
When I disconnected the white wire from the neutral bar it jumps to 120 volts on the bar and 220 throughout my building shutting everything down.

When I reconnected the white white (the two hot leads already disconnected)and service was back to normal.
Tried disconnecting the white wire at the receptacle with the same results.

be very careful, the neutral on your breaker may be conducting all neutral current to ground through the ground ofwhatever 's connected to that breaker.
if you are not careful that current will flow through you or something else.

it's probably time for a licenced electrician l to take a look at your  circuit breaker panel


Is it okay to place two battery chargers on one 30 amp circuit? I have a 30 amp 240 volt circuit out side in my garage and I want to hook up two 10 amp 240 volt circuits.  The equipment I am hooking up are battery chargers.  Can I install fused down disconnects on the 30A circuit?  I looked up the National Electrical Code and section 240.21 talks about a tap.

Am I violating the code?

First things first: ignore the tap conductor rules in the NEC!  You can't use them for receptacles anyway: 240.21(A) refers you to 210.19, which sadly is a bit confusing-looking as it refers to receptacles in two different places, only one of which refers to a notion of 'tap conductor', which furthermore isn't in the NEC's definitions section!  But, 210.19(A)(2):

  Branch Circuits with More than One Receptacle.
  Conductors of branch circuits supplying more than one receptacle for cord-and-
  plug-connected portable loads shall have an ampacity of not less than the
  rating of the branch circuit.

states that conductors on a multiple receptacle outlet branch circuit must have the same ampacity as the rest of the branch circuit (or better, of course), and Exception 1 to 210.19(A)(4):

  Exception No.1: Tap conductors shall have an ampacity sufficient for the load
  served. In addition, they shall have an ampacity of not less than 15 for
  circuits rated less than 40 amperes and not less than 20 for circuits rated
  at 40 or 50 amperes and only where these tap conductors supply any of the
  following loads:

  (a) lndividual lamp holders or luminaires with taps extending not longer than
  450 mm (18 in.) beyond any portion of the lampholder or luminaire.

  (b) A luminaire having tap conductors as provided in 410.117.

  (c) individual outlets, other than receptacle outlets, with taps not over 450 > mm (18 in.) long.

  (d) Infrared lamp industrial heating appliances.

  (e) Nonheating leads of deicing and snow-melting cables and mats.

explicitly excludes receptacle outlets.

This leaves you with two options here:

Put a pair of 6-30 receptacles in the garage (yes, you must use 30A), and leave the circuit otherwise as-is, wiring the new receptacle(s) using 10/2.  (Using 15A receptacles on a 30A circuit violates NEC 210.21(B)(3) and the associated table.)
IF you have a 120/240VAC circuit running to the garage (2 hots, neutral, ground), you can fit a subpanel there and then use a pair of dual pole 15A breakers and 14/2 wire to run independent circuits to 6-15R outlets for each charger.  If the existing 30A circuit was run using 10/2 though, you cannot do this -- single pole breakers aren't rated for 240VAC service!


Does my new bathroom plumbing need a cleanout? I am working on new plumbing for an addition we just built. Does anyone see any issues? Do I need a clean-out at the end of the run?
I plan on using a 3" elbow in lieu of a combo to keep everything within the joists below.  Haven't found anywhere stating that is an issue.

Looks reasonable, other than the (hopefully just a sketch issue) shower trap looking S rather than P on the sketch.
Presumably the drawing fails to show whatever constraints keep the shower connection from being more direct (i.e. from the sketch, seems like the Wye could just roll over to point more at the trap and simplify your connection, but I assume there are obstacles. If there are not obstacles, do that - it does not need to enter the 3" line facing up - 45 degrees up towards the shower would be dandy, 2 degrees up towards the shower would also be acceptable - it IS a wye. They do that. Taking the dry vent wye off the top is correct.)


Do the guidelines for holes in joists apply to band joists? This question have a great answer with all the guidelines for drilling holes in joists.

The question: Are the guidelines the same for band joists?

A bit of context:
I'd like to add an exterior outlet for my central vaccuum cleaner and the shortest path is through the band joist. But I'm not sure if I can drill a 2 1/2" hole in a 7" band joist.

If the guidlines applies (and are not more restrictive either), the maximum hole size would be 2 1/3 inches. I can get by with a smaller hole, but I'd have to get another hole drill bit.

No.  Since the band (rim) joist is continuously supported by the foundation wall, the boring and notching rules do not apply. You will, however, want to use common sense.  Try not to notch or bore directly under a window or door, especially right where the king/jack studs are. You also don't want to notch or bore the entire width of the joist, in other words don't remove a section of the rim joist.

You'll notice the rim joist is a common place for dryer vents, furnace vents, electrical service cables, and other utility openings.  This is due to the lack of notching and boring guidelines, which accommodates the placing of such openings.


Identifying replacement bearings for installed heater fan motor TLDR: Trying to identify the right kind of replacement ball bearing. Usually they have a standard code # which can be supplied by different manufacturers. But the ones I need don't seem to fit that system.

We have a number of fan heaters, some of which are making noise (others are dead quiet). These are a hot-water type which are installed in walls or in the "kickspace" under cabinets, and the fan blows air over the HW coil.

Upon inspection it is the rotating fan / motor assembly that is producing the noise, and that whole assembly can be removed for service / replacement. I've exposed the bearings which are noisy, but am having trouble identifying a replacement.

The bearing is stamped BB1023 but this doesn't seem like a standard bearing code. Does anyone know how to interpret this number and/or is there an equivalent standard code?

Ideally someone may know of a canonical reference to bearing codes. I have found references which purport to be such a thing, but don't include this numbering.

(If not I will probably just measure the originals with a caliper & try to find the best match that way; this just seems more likely to go wrong because not only the obvious dimensions are important.)

Notes:

The few bearings I can find online with that code are much more $$ than I would normally expect, so either these really are specialized and nonstandard or they are just hard to find with that nomenclature.
In a few cases the BB1023 code seems to be cross-referenced with 627N1Z and other codes ... but I am somewhat mistrustful of the correctness of random product information. And 627N1Z seems to be an oddball code also when I've tried to find it in catalogs.
The heaters happen to be common Beacon-Morris models, and entire replacement fans are available but at a much greater cost than what I'd expect just the bearings to be.

The way to find different bearings is by the size bb1023 crosses to a double sealed 6.35 x22 x7  mm bearing
Mr627zz is the same id/od and 1/4” thick so it is slightly thicker and may work under 5 bucks. Looking at the bearing specs I would give it a try. I cross bearings for motors all the time, I can tell you a timkin or sky bearing in some cases is worth the extra but in a light duty motor like a fan I would save a few $
Mr627-2rs
Mr627zz
I thought I typed in the wrong size after double checking my answer but I just typed the size wrong in the answer corrected.


Control 12V LED circuit and 120V power supply from one switch I want to have two switches (preferably in the same box) that control two separate runs of LED lights, both powered by a single Allanson power supply:

I plan to switch the lights by breaking the 12V negative leg of each light run (tell me if this is a bad idea).

I believe that when both LED light runs are off:

The power supply shouldn't be powered by the mains because it has no load and could be damaged
Even if point 1 is wrong, the power supply needlessly consumes power

Based on these assumptions, I want both switches to also switch the 120V hot powering the power supply. Therefore, the power supply should be off if BOTH switches are off, and on if EITHER switch is on.

What parts and wiring configuration is needed to accomplish this?

I'm in the United States.

I read this question which describes a double pole switch; however the research I've done gives me the strong impression having 120V and 12V in the same box is not permitted.

Edit: Local building codes prohibit low- and high-voltage from coexisting in the same box, even if both use conductors rated for the highest voltage. Now what?

LED's are run by drivers (ballast by another name), but they are electronic. Electronic drivers and ballasts are not damaged even if they are running in no load. You are referring to the old axiom about magnetic ballasts which were a type of autotransformer. And an electronic ballast can sense load and turn off unlike a magnetic.

Part 2, you can have 12V and 120V or any other voltage combination in an enclosure so long as the insulation has the same voltage rating, otherwise there must be a partition. I would assume by looking at the driver that it was made to go into an enclosure with no partition.

Now to your question. I would assume that if the driver was able to carry two separate switched loads, it would tell you it could and provide a drawing on how to do it. Try going to their website and see if they have a specification and/or installation paperwork. Even though the NEC wiring methods usually apply to voltages over 50V. I would not switch the return wire. The first reason is because if another electrician was to work on this he would assume that it was connected under standard methods causing confusion. The other reason would be that everything up to the switch would be hot even though it appears to be off leaving a chance for a shock or burn hazard.

Stay safe.


Can metal studs support a 64" plasma TV on a swiveling mount? Alright, I need a sanity check here. I've been tasked with mounting a 64" plasma TV with an articulating mount onto a metal stud wall in the corporate boardroom. It's the quadruple-threat with no room for error.

The TV weighs 85lbs dead load. The mount, another 26lbs, allows it to be swiveled and repositioned up to about a foot from the wall. This allows it to be angled instead of hung like a picture frame.

I've done extensive research on TV mounting the last couple of days, and purchased some 3/4" plywood to anchor across 3 studs with 12 1/4" toggle bolts (4 per stud) and #14 screws to mount the TV bracket to the plywood. I've noticed a dearth of information on spec sheets when it comes to toggle bolt ratings on metal studs -- only drywall and masonry is provided. I don't know if this suggests that metal studs are a no-no or if they're some sort of in-between, though people seem to do it with success in mounting their big TVs.

The studding is 2.5" wide and 16" on centre. It's in a tower so it's not load bearing.

The plywood backing I got is 38x24 centered on the middle stud.

My concern is that the cantilevering action will cause the stud wall to fail and I don't want to be responsible for a Career Limiting Move™. Are my concerns justified?

If my concerns are justified can you suggest an method to effectively hang this?

I do this for a (part of my) living. Steel studs will not provide the support you need with a cantilevered arm. If you want to surface-mount the TV then you can use toggle bolts through a steel stud, but a cantilevered arm WILL fail.

The only appropriate solution is to open up the wall and either replace the steel studs in question with wooden studs, or slide the wooden stud in to the steel stud.


New basement - want to seal concrete What would be the best product to seal a basement floor (brand new) that would not be slippery?  How long should I wait before applying product?

Best product depends on your criteria for best.
Personally I use a flat (non glossy) concrete floor paint, water based so cleanup is easy. I'm not fond of gray concrete as a finished look, so unless the concrete was dyed some other color I don't want to see it - your mileage may vary, they do make clear concrete sealers if you like that look. Paint cuts dust generation, and improves lighting if you use a light color.
Some folks like to spend a lot more on epoxy coatings and then spend some more on making them not slippery.


Why is there a sewer gas smell coming from my door jamb? I am at the tail end of tiling my basement floor and undercut the existing trim on the bathroom door.  I started noticing a sewage smell and pinpointed it as being strongest at this point.  This is about 1' from the toilet, and the concrete seemed to stop here, so I exposed a small air pocket by cutting into the trim.

What could be the problem here and how can I address it?  Would I call a plumber to remove the toilet and have a look?

You definitely need to pull the toilet. It may as simple as a bad wax seal, or rotted closet flange. But since it looks like a raised floor, there could be more serious issues like a broken or rotted drain pipe. Unless you feel comfy pulling the toilet, call a plumber immediately and STOP using the toilet and sinks in that bathroom.


Installing LED Strip Lights Re:50cm 9W 5630 SMD 36 LED Cabinet Light DC 12V

I have recently brought the above strip lights.
Can someone please advise me which drivers I need to order to:
a) Power 3 of the above
b) Power 2 of the above
c) Power 1 of the above
Many thanks Colin

You need a power supply which provides 12 volts DC. Given a sensible margin for safety and expansion, I would go with a

15 watt unit for 1 light
30 watt unit for 2 lights
45 watt unit for 3 lights.

The main thing is making sure the power supply unit is legal to connect in bousehold wiring, depending on how power is being supplied to it.  It might be a unit that bolts into a 1/2" knockout, or mounts on a junction box faceplate, etc.


How can I set these nails flush in my beadboard paneling? The person who installed beadboard around our kitchen island didn’t countersink the nails.  I bought a nail set from Home Depot and have been trying for the past hour to get the nail at least flush with the beadboard.   It doesn’t seem to be budging.  I quickly tried doing it with some other nails that need it and nothing’s happening.  This is the nail set and hammer I’m using? I’ve also included a photo of what the finished nails look like and another photo of what my nail looks like after going at it for some time. Any thoughts or advice would be great, thank you!!!

Unless I've got the scale completely wrong, those aren't finish nails. These are finish nails, since they have tiny heads. A finish head nail is used when there is no force on the head, such as trim and other decorative pieces.

What you look to have are common head nails. These are used when the force on the nail head is significant and avoids pulling the nail through the wood.

You can still countersink these, but not with the nail punch you have, which is designed to completely cover the nail head so it won't slip off. You'll need a ballpeen hammer to get that done. You use the rounded end to pound in the nail. This is done either by using it like a regular hammer and risk missing the nail, or you put the hammer on the nail and use another hammer to hit it.

And no, hitting a hammer with another hammer isn't going to make either explode. This was busted by the Mythbusters years ago. You can break chips off the hammer, if it's old and already showing signs of stress, but it's not going to explode.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBusters_(2006_season)#Hammer_vs._Hammer


How can I attach a 2x to a deck joist to give more room for stair stringer? I am attaching stairs to a deck coming perpendicular off of the joist.  To attach the stair stringers to the deck I need to add a 2x6 below the joist so the stair stringer hanger can attach to it.  I had seen these at home depot and wondered if I could attach the 2x6 to the 2x10 joist with a few of them, but they were not load rated.

What is the proper way to do this.  I do not have two posts directly behind the stairs that I can attach it too.

My other option is to do the deck stairs flush with the top, but then I am not sure how I'll make the railings going down the stairs.

I attach the 2x6 right to the face of the 2x10 joist. With an 8" rise you will have 2.5" to attach it too.  I use alot of nails and a few ledgerlock lags. I also always double the outside joist. I never had an inspector question it. If the bottom your steps are firmly attached by burying posts the stairs can not fall down.


Was this installed to code and is it still to code? In 1995 an electrician who was also a friend of the family helped me out by installing a sub panel in my garage. He tapped the feeder cable directly into the main lugs in the main box and ran them to a shut off switch in the crawl space then out to the panel in the garage. He provided all the hardware and cabling as leftovers from other jobs he'd done (he worked for a major commercial electrical company in the area at the time), so I sure wasn't complaining about anything he provided or any of the work he did.
Knowing what I know now, though, I'm pretty sure this installation doesn't meet current code, and I'm not sure it met code back then, either. Since we're planning a small, 2-bathroom addition for next summer, I'm trying to get myself prepared for the amount of electrical work that will need to be done.
Did this installation meet code in 1995 and does it still meet code today?
The main panel:

This panel is completely full:

We have a gas fired furnace, so 120v/20a to run the blower & electronics.
The main panel hots tap to the sub-panel:

The two smaller wires in front are the taps to the sub-panel. The power was still on to the house - I stood well back with a 2x4 in hand, just in case.
The main panel ground and neutral taps to the sub-panel:

I'm sure someone will yell about the grounds and neutrals all intermingled. This is how I found the box the first time I opened it, and this is how he tapped them in when he added them.
The cable:

The cutoff switch in the crawlspace directly below the main panel and nowhere near the access to the crawlspace:

Yes, that says "Lime Agitator". Did I mention he provided everything for free as leftovers from other jobs?
The location of this cutoff switch is the main thing that I'm questioning the legality of.
The switch sticker:

The inside of the cutoff switch:

The label on a fuse:

Another one the camera wouldn't focus on. I turned the camera upside down to get around the side for the sticker, you're not going crazy. Is this a 30amp fuse (FRS-R-30)?
The panel in the garage:

This panel is now also full.
I know that when we do the addition, we'll have to replace the garage sub-panel with something much larger (I know, minimum 30 spaces, probably 40) than this little QO box.

Yeah, it’s a mess alright.  The combining of neutral and ground in the main panel isn’t wrong, though.

First, the problem of the 60A wire completely unprotected, since it’s on the meter side of the main breaker.  If that cable took a nail or something, it could flow as much as 10KA and nothing would trip.  Nothing.  The service drop would glow cherry red, but this 6/4 cordage would glow cherry red first and set the building on fire.

Buildings take a calculated risk with the service entrance from the weatherhead to the meter to the main breaker. But by design, this is kept to a bare minimum.  Your electrician extended this “logic” to that disconnect switch, which would be a pointless thing except for the above problem.

The double-taps of the breaker.  Regardless of the above, sticking 2 wires on a lug only listed for one is always a huge no-no.  Now, they make double lugs, and they also make 3-void Polaris connectors.  A reason to do that legally would be if you decided to add a second 60A subpanel fed off a 60A subpanel.  No need to fit a 60A breaker in the first sub; simply tee off the first subpanel’s feeder.

cordage being used as a substitute for building wiring.  The giveaway that it’s cordage is “/4” which is cordage-talk for black white red green.  The ground wire is counted as a conductor.  In house wiring, it’s called /3, because the ground wire is taken for granted.

The disconnect switch lacks appropriate working space, obviously... but who cares? It’s leaving.

So how do we attack this?
It’s a Gould panel, but it’s also I-T-E, and their direct-lineage descent is Siemens. (Who also got the Murray line).  So Siemens kinda has 2 separate lines of breakers, and it looks like their Q or QP line ought to do it. Hopefully our panel expert ThreePhaseEel will come by and give us a definite answer.
However, I’m unclear on whether this panel is rated for tandem/duplex/double-stuff breakers. I can see that it’s a CTL panel, meaning the post-1966 CTL limitations on double-stuffs do apply to it.  Generally when they accept them, they say so, or at least hint at it, with a model number like Foo2032bar (meaning 20 spaces 32 circuits).   We get nothing here, so let’s assume the worst unless ThreePhaseEel can tell us otherwise.
The first rule of grandfathering is you can’t make a situation worse.  So we identify every circuit that serves something which must be a dedicated circuit today.  That’s laundry room receps, bathroom receps, kitchen receps, dishwasher, disposal, built-in microwave.  Put red stickers on those breakers; can’t use ‘em.
Also look for any red wires in cables; if you see that, identify the cable and follow BOTH the Red AND Black wires to their breakers and red-sticker both. Those are MWBCs, we don’t wanna mess with them, except it’d be good to put them on a 2-pole breaker.
Now, we identify two circuits with the same breaker trip value (15 or 20), that could stand to share a breaker because they aren’t used very often together, or they don’t have much load. Pull both their leads off and pigtail them to 1 of the breakers.  Do this twice and we have 2 free spaces.
Fit a 60A 2-pole breaker.  My wild-guess is a Siemens Q260 and hopefully ThreePhaseEel can guide us further, but most likely an Eaton CL250 would be the universal substitute (but only 50A).  Don’t use Eaton BR, Square D or GE.
Now run a 6/3 NM-B (Romex) cable from this new breaker to the main lugs of the subpanel.  Bypass the disconnect switch.
I think that licks all the problems!


What type of valve optimizes water pressure in new low-flow showerheads? We are installing a shower with a handheld and a fixed showerhead fed by 1/2 inch pipe.  Available valve systems are either:

A single function thermostatic valve, rated at 10.0 gpm,  with separate volume controls for the showerhead and handheld. (This valve is a 3/4 inch so would have to use an adaptor from our 1/2 inch pipe.)
A multifunction valve (1/2 inch), rated at 8.6 gpm, with one setting for showerhead, one for the handheld, and a shared function.

I don't know enough hydraulics or enough about shower valves to be confident of choosing the best system/optimal configuration.

Assuming the user will run both the showerhead and the handheld simultaneously, will the separate volume valves in system 1 provide better water pressure than the shared setting on the multifunction valve (system 2)?

Would the different pipe sizes matter, given that the house piping is 1/2 inch?
Does the type of valve matter (integrated valve versus single-function
thermostatic with volume controlled separately)?
Does the difference in gpm between the two valves matter?

Even a "standard" showerhead outputs only 2.5gpm at household water pressure.  Hence, given their specifications, neither of the valves you list are going to be a bottleneck in the waterflow to even two standard showerheads simultaneously.

Water volume and pressure drop through your existing pipes depend on a number of factors that can tricky to calculate, but unless you're willing to replumb back to larger-diameter pipes then those questions are irrelevant: 1/2" pipe is unlikely to be a bottleneck, but you can't be sure without pressure-testing a mix across the final temperatures you want to supply.


Installing a Bench in Garden I'm looking at two options to cement a bench.

1) I dig the 3 foot hole, pour cement...etc

2) I use a cement anchor. How does the cement anchor work? Is it as follows: create a mound of cement that extends into the ground and juts out slightly. On the bench's legs attach a metal border through which anchors get drilled? What type of drill would wokr, if I have the correct understanding?

Depends on the type of anchor.  Some cement anchors are similar to your average screw, except the threads are wider.  Other cement anchors are similar to a toggle screw, and can be much larger.  What follows is how to fasten a concrete anchor that is similar to a screw.

You will need to drill a pilot hole with a concrete drill bit. The packaging will likely say what size bit you need, but a rule of thumb is for the pilot hole to be narrower than the threads of the screw (in this case, the anchor) so they can grip the surrounding material firmly.  A hammer drill will work well for your pilot hole, though I managed with the 18v dewalt drill/driver for 1/4" anchors.  Then you drive your anchor using a drill.  It helps to drill the pilot a bit deeper than the length of the anchor.  This will ensure the anchor will drive cleanly.

Not sure about your "Mound of cement" statement.


Can I vent off the top of a 90 turn down from upper floor? I'm attempting to add a bathroom to my 3rd floor. I have to run a 3" waste line through a wall on floor 2, down into the ceiling of floor 1 to tie into the existing 3" waste line connecting the other 2 toilets on floor 2.
Because of the existing constraints, my question is can I vent off the top of the 90 elbow I'm using off the toilet waste pipe that turns the waste pipe vertical down the wall to vent the toilet and shower.
As the image shows I have about 1'4" from center to center of toilet to turn down the wall where I'd like to vent off the top. I have about 4'2" from shower drain to long sweep sanitary wye tie into the 3" waste pipe.
Would this configuration pass code?

Under IPC, not the way you show it. Don't know what code you are under, but they are often similar, while differing in details.
You could have a vent in that location, but there are two immediate problems I see with how you have drawn it.
Vent must be "vertical" (actual definition of "vertical" for this application is 45 degrees or more upward) to 6" above the flood rim of the highest fixture on the floor served - you appear to show it travlling horizontally well below that level. It also cannot combine with any other vents below that level, so if the existing vent passes out through the roof below that level you'll need a new vent out the roof.
Dry vent Tee (or combo Wye) connection to dry vent stack is upside down. For a dry vent connection the bend goes upwards, and the entire vent is sloped to drain back to the fixture drains it serves.


Splicing wires in a big box I need to splice several Romex wires in my house.  Can I use an electrical box the  size of a breaker box (empty)to bring several circuits in for splicing?  The box would be within a few feet of the breaker box and is needed because some of the old circuits as well as some new ones have to be joined.  This is on a remodel and about 1/3 of the wires are not being replaced, but need to be spliced with new wires.  The old Romex cables are of current code, just a bit too short to make it to the breaker box that is about 4' away

Yes, that's fine.  I do it myself.  I bought some 10x10x6 boxes for splicing some wires that had been cut short by copper thieves, and also to house relays for some lights.

You can also connect the box(es) to the service panel by lengths of EMT conduit (which is exactly what I do). This takes care of grounding.  You are only allowed 4 circuits per conduit (unless the conduit is <24" long), so in the case of my big 6x10x10 box, I ran 4-6 conduits between box and panel.

For simpler jobs, my preference is to run a 1/2" or 3/4" conduit to either a 4" or 4-11/16" square junction box (much cheaper at the electrical supply than the big-box store).  Then I bring 4 circuits into each box.  For the last hop from box to panel I use stranded THWN-2 individual wires, which is easier to work with and is legal in conduit.  (the reason not to use stranded THWN everywhere is it's hard to attach to receptacle/switch screws, until you get the knack).

These boxes are also nice places to mount GFCI deadface or receptacles if you want to protect a whole circuit, but don't want to spend $40 for a GFCI breaker.

You need 4-1/2 cubic inches per pair of non-ground wires spliced.  So one 120V circuit needs 9 cubic inches, and a 120/240 split phase circuit needs 13.5 c.i.  You also need one 2.25 cubic inch allowance which covers all ground wires.  I use  4-11/16" boxes (or 4" square boxes with extension boxes) for the necessary cubic inches; (42 c.i. and 22+22 c.i. respectively).


Do I need an egress window? I was thinking of putting  a bed in my basement...There is an exit to the side door up the stairs to the outside plus I have a basement door that leads to the garage and outside.

Well first of all for safety reasons you seem covered.   You have exits in two directions and possibly three if the regular windows can fit a human.
From a code aspect there is nothing that says you cannot put a bed in your basement.   Now there are real estate listing rules that do not count a living space as a bedroom in a basement unless it meets certain criteria.
For most home listings there must be a door that you can walk out of in the basement for a room to be considered a bedroom in a basement.   You seem to have that in the door to the garage.   Also allowable is an egress window.
That being said you can put a bed where ever you want and there are no laws against that.


Inducer Fan Blowing Out Flames and Pilot Light on Carrier Furnace? I have a Carrier furnace and have recently replaced the inducer fan assembly in it. The old motor assembly had a piece of sheet metal dangling under it; whereas, the new one does not.

The unit worked fine for one day; however, now, after the main burner ignites, almost immediately all flames and the pilot light goes out.

I feel that the inducer motor cooling fan (looks like a black knob on top of the motor) might be blowing too much air downward and blowing out the flames and pilot light.

Could this really be true? Maybe that piece of sheet metal on the old one helped to block that downward air, and I need to install that old piece on the new assembly?

Thanks

UPDATE #1:

I tried to see if there were any LED error code lights on the board, but there are not (the board was replaced by a technician a couple years ago).

I added the sheet metal thingy to the new inducer motor and here is pic of what that looks like:

Inducer Motor Pic

Here is model info:

Product: 58GFA070---11HC

Model: 58GFA070-HC

Series: 110

Serial: 4392A05699

After reinstalling it, the burners and pilot light immediately blew out again, but then later it seemed to work. It has been running fine for 1 or 2 days now. So, I'm not sure what is going on. What would be my next steps, if it blows out again.

PS - After the burners blow out the unit just blows cold air forever.

It would be very, very odd for an inducer motor to blow out the burners and pilot.  If it was the case, and since inducers come on before the burners are ignited, I'd expect it to blow out the pilot before the burners ever ignited.  That pilot is much easier to blow out than the burners.

My suspicion is this: Furnaces that use inducer motors often have pressure sensors that detect whether or not the furnace draft is properly in place.  If it is not, the gas to the burners is shut down (I wouldn't be surprised that the pilot is shut down, too, for safety purposes — nowadays most furnaces with inducer motors use electric ignition to avoid the issue).  This is actually a good thing.  An improper draft can cause big trouble in your house (like everybody-dying-from-carbon-monoxide-poisoning trouble).  So this is a behavior you want to have.

Many furnaces have an LED light that blinks an error code when this occurs (my light in in the main blower area, not the burner area, but there is a small transparent window so I can see it... in the dark... with my hands over the window...).

Something getting in the way of a proper draft is more likely your problem.  It could be caused by the new motor not having enough umph for the exhaust setup in your house or a pressure switch having become too sensitive over time.  It could also be caused by dirt/dust/spider-webs/buildup in your exhaust pipes or something partially obstructing the exit (most are on the roof, but if yours in on a side wall, are there plants grown up around it?)

What's important is to find that LED (I'm hoping you have one) and either getting out your furnace's manual or finding it online and checking out what the error code is.  The blink code would happen right after the burners are shut down.