Further information is obviously needed here.  Maybe this can help you at least find out what the crap is going on how it is currently wired.  Don't unhook anything yet because it needs to still be working for this.  Here's how I would approach this "discovery phase" of your project.

First the stuff needed:

A tester or meter capable of showing whether a wire is energized or not.  The simplest blinky light on a stick that tells you which christmas bulb has killed your whole string might do the trick, as long as you can be sure the other wires don't interfere with its operation.  If you can probe the metal conductor of each wire without disconnecting anything, then a cheap multimeter would be your best bet.
Something to label each wire with.  Think small flags of masking tape and a pen to write on them - a pen that won't smear. (Important.  Trust.)
Paper or pad to take notes and keep track.  Use pen from above. Or hey, use pencil, get a marker.  You do you, friend.

Steps:

0.  Step zero, Test your test. If you're using a multimeter to probe voltage, make sure your probes are in the correct positions, and your meter is in the correct mode and range (AC, Volts, 200, for example).

Then test known a known live against a known ground, like a 3-conductor outlet's ground conductor.  (For polarized outlet, you can use the larger of the two slots, which is neutral, as ground.)  For sanity's sake, trust me.  Make sure you can get a correct reading of live to the ground reference you'll be using.

If you're using a bulb tester or other non-contact voltage detection, make sure you can independently detect wires when some switches are on.

Only then proceed below, otherwise you might risk zapping the ever living crap experiencing some serious frustration. This way you can be confident your testing is sane, you can trust your ground reference is not live, and you can trust your results.

Actual (non-zero) steps to test the switches :

Identify Live.  With all switches turned fully off, test which wires are energized.
Label as "HOT" all wires which are energized.  Hopefully these are your red ones, but you can't know until you test.  Sometimes the last guy in there didn't even know either, don't assume anything. Especially if your brother fixed it last time.  If they are not simply "both of the black ones" consider finding a highlighter or something else super obvious for those labels.
Turn the first switch to the first position.
Identify with the tester/meter every wire that becomes live.  Test every wire, even if you've gotten it already in a different switch position.
Label each energized wire if you haven't already.  ("A, B, C..." is what I use but it's up to you.  "Donkey, tomato, granite... " is equally valid.)
On the notepad, record for each energized wire: 1) The switch(es) and its position(s) when it is live, and 2) the thing that it turns on (porch light, outlet, etc)
Advance the switch to the next position.  If you're done with the switch, turn it off, turn the next switch to the first non-off position,
Go back to step 4 if you haven't run out of switch positions. If you're done, you're done.
You'll now have a methodically produced set of labeled wires, and a reference sheet for what they power.  Armed with this knowledge you will be able to hook up each one to the live through your new switches.

Except ...

IF: you find that more than one switch energizes a single wire AND/OR the link between two switches is controlled by any of the switch positions (instead of always being live or always being neutral) THEN: well tough cookies! hahaha I'm sorry but those cases are beyond this answer.

Although this answer only applies to a one-to-one mapping of switch positions to wires energized, in other cases you will still already have crucial information to dig further into it.

I hope this helps!  It's my basic method for approaching all kinds of unknown wiring arrangements.

Cheers.


Do you have a single handle faucet?

Most single handle faucets /showers will leak over from cold to hot or from hot to cold during use (if they aren't set at the absolute max/min setting).  To prevent this try turning off the local hot water valve at each single handle faucet/shower.

Do you have mixing valve somewhere, like for a bidet system? That would also likely cause a similar problem.

Otherwise it could just be the draining of the remaining water from the hot water pipes at a very slow rate.


Pictures are really needed to answer, but here is my best guess based on the limited information...
It sounds like this light fixture was in the middle of a daisy chain with other lights. One set of 3 wires is probably the electrical supply to the light you were working on, and the the other set of 3 wires probably carries the electricity to the next light fixture in the chain. If there is another light fixture controlled by the same switch as this one, that is probably what is going on.
To test this safely, go get an 'electrical test pen'. They are inexpensive. With the light switch on, hold the end of the pen near each wire. It should light up next to one of the black wires. Then with the switch off, it should not light up at all, on any wire.
Before making connections, turn off the breaker, and hold your electrical test pen next to each wire, with the switch on, and with it off. The pen should not light up at all, on any wire. If the light turns on there is still electricity there, don't go any further. Find the correct breaker, or call a professional.
My guess is that the red wire is neutral, black is hot, and green is ground. If so, then the two black wires should be connected together and combined with the hot wire from your light fixture (probably also black). The red wires together, and with the neutral wire from your light fixture (probably white). The green wires should connect to each other and also to your junction box. If your light fixture has a ground wire, which may be green or may be a bare wire, it should be connected to the junction box as well, so that the two grounds, the light's ground, and the box are all connected together.
Good luck!


What do I do with all these outlet 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.


Can I hang a bathroom cabinet on a single stud and drywall anchors?

While having all four mount points connect to structure (aka: the stud) is ideal, I think in your case, having two mount points in wood and two in a drywall anchor, you're going to be ok.

Consider this question:
What is the weight capacity of a drywall screw?

One drywall screw CAN (not should) hold a lot of weight for its size.  Also a properly installed drywall anchor can typically stand 70~ pounds of pull force (as in pulling out, not down).

With two WOOD (not drywall - wood) screws set into the available stud and 2 (or better, 4) drywall anchors, I think you're not likely to exceed the capacity.  If your cabinet total weight when full is < 100 lbs you're probably not going to have a problem.


Start by making a template.

Using a dry-erase marker, draw a line on the sink where it will meet the new cabinet cutout. You can hold a ruler flat against the rectangular piece shown in the photo to guide the marker.

Temporarily remove the currently installed rectangle and replace it with a rectangle of material from which the template will be cut.

Cut a short length of scrap material (e.g. paint stirrer) to bridge the widest part of the gap, plus a quarter inch or so. Keeping this bridge strictly horizontal and flat against the rectangle, trace the marker line on the sink with one end. The other end will describe a path on the rectangle; mark this path with your carpenter's pencil.

The line on the sink is to help you keep the end of the bridge in the plane of the rectangle surface, especially where the gap is widest.

After cutting the template along the pencil line, match it against the line on the sink and trim it for a tight fit.


What could cause only one radiator to not become warm?

Air.  Bleed the radiator.  Air can very, very easily be trapped in one radiator, which will cause it to not heat.


Is this caulk not intended for use around my tub?

PL 530 is not on Loctite's website

Are you sure that the number is correct?

Given their products with similar numbers, your tube of 530 is likely an adhesive, not a sealant.  I would not use it except as a last resort in an emergency.  I'd use a tube of sealant instead.


How do I connect to a ground wire with no ends?

Thanks for the picture.  I have dealt with this many times.  It looks as though there is just enough slack in those ground wires to remove the copper crimp used there (forget what these are called) and add a ground wirenut.  The ground wirenut's are green and have a hole in the top to allow a new or existing ground wire to continue out.

So in your case....

remove the crimp with a pair of diagonal pliers
get a peice of spare ground wire several inches long
put the new piece in the top of the ground wire nut and push it in so it sticks to just about the base
twist the wirenut to the existing three ground lines, tying all 4 grounds together (the 3 existing and the new one coming out the top)
Connect the new ground line coming out the top of the wire nut to your fan


How to remove halogen bulb from protective glass?

Pull those two metal tabs on each side of the glass straight out at the same time. The protective glass should pull off. Then grab the bulb in the center and move it a little to the right or left and pull out. The terminals are spring loaded. Install the new bulbs by inserting one end into the fixture, pushing in slightly and inserting the other end into the other side. Use a cloth to handle the bulb so you don't get body oil on it, that will decrease the life of the bulb. Put the protective glass back on and you're good to go.


How to add GFCI to a box with one outlet controlled by a switch?

Ok I read your question a few times, so hope I understand what you want to do. You want GFI prtection on the outlet , but no GFI protection to the fridge.  This will be easy to do if you can affirm that the load wire leaving the j-box where the switch and outlet are located, is actually the feed for the fridge. To check this out, you need to turn off the power, check the outlet at the sink and fridge to be sure they are ,in fact on same circuit and off.  Now disconnect all the wires from the outlet and any wirenuts so everything is isolated.  Now, carefully turn the power back on and check the hot (typically black) leads to ground with a volt meter to determine which one is the feed/source wire. Mark this with some red electrical tape. Double check to see that the fridge outlet is still dead.

Next, turn off the power and wire nut the black source wire and associated white neutral to the black and white wires you suspect goes to the fridge.( black to black, white to white) Turn the power back on and check with your voltmeter at fridge outlet again. If there is voltage there now, you have found the right feed wire to the fridge outlet. An alternate method of finding that wire with the power off, is to use an ohm meter. Assure the power is off, then twist the black and white together on the wire you suspect goes to fridge and check the hot and neutral slots of the fridge outlet with your ohm meter.  the meter should show 0 ohms or "short circuit".

Now that you have identified the hot feed and load wire to fridge in your box, you can wire it so only the counter outlets are GFI protected. Put the source black wire together with the fridge black wire, along with a separate 8 inch piece of black wire (pig tail) and wire nut them all together. Use the 8 inch black wire to feed your switch/gfi hot. The neutrals tie together as usual with an extra pig tail for your GFI outlet neutral. Obviously, trim the pig tails to a comfortable length to fit in your box before connection to the GFI.

Since all outlets must be GFI protected in the counter outlet and since you cannot split a gfi outlet top and bottom like in your diagram, you have to do your light differently from your previous plan. I would suggest using a switch/single outlet device wired from the load side of the gfi. Wire the switch in series with this single outlet. This means only the single outlet is switched and gfi protected.  You must have gfi protection on this outlet, as someone could unplug the lights and use it for something else.

Hopefully, one of my artistic buddies can do an edit and add a nice diagram depicting what I have outlined for you.


Can I replace a single watt (100 max) socket with a 3-way socket on a table lamp?

Yes, you can.  The sockets cost about $4, they are pretty standardized, and it requires "competent handyman" level skills.

However, the "100 watt maximum" is to be taken seriously.  That is a thermal limit for that fixture, and the fixture could start a fire if a larger bulb is used.  For purposes of this rating, this refers to the genuine, absolute, true wattage of the bulb (e.g. 26 actual watts for a "100 watt equivalent" CFL, or 16 actual watts for a "100 watt equivalent" LED) — not the actual light output (typically 1400-1600 lumens for a "100 watt equivalent" bulb.)

So for instance if you found a hypothetical 5000 lumen, 48 actual-watt, "350 watt equivalent" LED bulb that you just had to use in this thing, then yes, that is fine.    However, a 50-100-150 actual-watt incandescent is Right Out.

I splurged on a $17 GE LED bulb that is 50/100/150 equivalent actually about 25W and I am in love with it.  Interestingly, its sequence is Off-Lo-Hi-Medium, and they do that on purpose so if you stick it in a 1-way socket, you get the full "150W" equivalent.


How can I counteract the effects of WD-40?

You can remove the oil film with a rag or paper towel soaked in some organic solvent like isopropyl alcohol.

Don't these windows have any stop so they can be left ajar without blowing open? It might be good to install something like that instead. A long hook and eyelet would be the simplest.


Tiling over 1/2in subfloor with 1/2in Hardiebacker

Sounds like you got it under control, but what you might consider instead of 5/8 inch plywood is 1/2 inch plywood (so now the floor is 1/2 inch higher). This is plenty thick for a finish tile floor. It would be wise however to install the new plywood sub-floor perpendicular to the plywood floor it will cover. Also consider fastening it with screws and or ring shank or spiral nails. Bridging between floor joists was the way to go for added support under the floor. Give a final check by walking the floor listening for squeaks and looking for any deflection (bounce). To accommodate the 1/2 inch difference in floor heights, purchase or cut a transition strip of hard wood.


How to prevent heavy rainwater from jumping the gutter?

This is a common mistake, which will lead to premature roof wear.  What the installer should have done, was to install an A to B transition elbow, and continued down the roof with a section of down spout. Then used an A elbow to have the water dump directly into the lower gutter.

It should end up similar to this

Allowing the high volume of water to flow over the roof, will damage the shingles and cause them to wear prematurely.  Even if you turn the spout adjacent to the slope, it will still cause damage to the roofing. Spreading the flow over the roof in this way, will not alleviate the damage that is caused.  In either case, you're allowing all the water shed from the upper roof, to flow over a small section of the lower roof. It's a terrible idea, and should be avoided.

I'm not sure exactly when builders decided to try and save the $10, by not installing the downspout along the roof. But it makes me so sick every time I see it, I just want to climb up there and fix it myself.


As indicated by Ecnerwal the picture you show is an old style telephone line hookup. When you go looking around for your doorbell transformer it may look like one of these:

Mounted on cover of an electrical junction box similar to the following. Liable to be found in garage or basement fairly close in distance to the bell button and bell unit.

Picture Source

Mounted to side of a ceiling light fixture junction box in garage or basement:

Picture Source

Mounted on the side of the service entrance box / distribution panel.

Picture Source

Mounted in some obscure place in your attic on a junction box.

Picture Source

And finally it is possible that you may find a plug-in style door bell transformer that is secured to some electrical receptacle someplace. One would look similar to this.

Picture Source


How is the alternating current in your home a complete circuit?

The gap is bridged by the power company driving the current through your wires.

You can think of it as a remote generator pushing the current through your house, but in actuality there are several transformers isolating the current between generation and your house.  So the current itself recirculates at the transformer near your house, and that current is driven by current in the transformer's primary coils.

If all is working properly (and nominally), there is no current to earth.  That connection is there only to guarantee that each loop—including your house current loop—never has a potential voltage to ground greater than 120 volts.  If a loop were not grounded, that portion could conceivably float to any voltage through static effects or other processes.


What causes and how to fix lifting floorboard?

Wood moves over time, no real way around that. The board could have been fitted so tightly originally, that over time it expanded just enough to force it up.

As already suggested, you could trying smacking it down with a piece of scrap wood and hammer.  If that works, there are special screws you can use to screw the board down more permanently. The screw head is designed to break off to make as little of an appearance in the board as possible.


Can I replace a section of copper pipe with flexiable PVC?

You can use the Sharkbite or Gatorbite connectors as a junction for copper and PVC. Sharkbite and Gatorbite connectors are "snap together" connectors available at Lowes or HomeDepot, you can put copper in one side and PVC in another.


switch for light also turns on a circulation pump - looks like a 4-way switch - has failed

This sounds like it would use a double pole single throw switch. Each side of the switch would be electrically separate, but they physically turn on and off together. The relay probably just turns on the pump when any of the switches are on. If this were some sort of 4 way setup, turning the light on in two rooms would turn off the pump.
You can test that your new switch is a double pole single throw switch with a continuity tester. All four contacts would be isolated from each other when the switch is in the off position. When the switch is in the on position, you'd have two separate pairs of contacts (probably the one pair on either side of the switch) that have been connected, but there would still be electrical isolation between the pairs. If you want to be extra sure that this is correct, take out one of your existing working switches and confirm that it behaves this way as well.


How can I fix a screw that has been stripped

Damaged screw-head

You can repair many small metal parts using a micro welder. Alternatively (and probably far more commonly) some people use a vice and a hammer to form the damaged head into a suitable shape for the next stage ...

You can re-cut a drive slot using a suitable tool. For slotted screws this would be a file intended for that purpose

Damaged screw-thread

For machine bolts, threads can be repaired using dies or helical inserts. I'm not aware of anything equivalent for things like wood-screws.

Standard practise

I admit I can't imagine any circumstances where I would not just drive to the store and buy a new screw (and probably a better screwdriver to match).


Is there an issue using a stainless steel bolt with a hot-dip galvanized nut and washer?

Depending upon the thread cut, it may be a sloppy fit even if the threads per inch, and diameter are the same. I believe it is  galvanized after the threads are cut, therefore the threads might be cut deeper before the galvanization. Dissimilar metals don't often get along, but if it is a non-critical application and the nut is not a sloppy fit, you should be okay.


Why are my water supply lines deteriorating?

Might not be, but looks like, effects of sulfur out-gassing from drywall.

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_drywall or Google 'Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin Co.'.  Drywall commonly emits sulfur gas, however some of the lots from China were apparently really bad.  The bad drywall was widely distributed, including at Home Depot.

Note: A lot of Home Depot Quality 'stainless steel' is not very stainless.  But your picture shows a situation well beyond that.  Everything under that sink looks 50 years old: note the corrosion on the pipes and valves as well.


Water hammer, dripping faucet in bathroom

There are alternatives to try first before spending more money. See this link...

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-quiet-noisy-water-pipes.html

If these methods do not work for you install a water hammer arrester.

See... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Z0Tb1SdFGk


Tips and advice for installing a chimney cap?

For a typical masonry chimney installing a chimney cap is something you can tackle yourself. However, do not try to fabricate a cap yourself. A chimney cap is not something that you want to make at home. The cap you purchase should come with the proper fasteners which will usually be screws that are pointed on the ends to penetrate the flue liner that is exposed at the very top of your chimney. Some caps have a flue built in that requires a cable to run down the length of the chimney. Unless there is a problem with your fireplace I would not use one like that. The materials used to construct the cap are important. Don't buy one that could rust and consider a finish that will never need repainted.

While you are up there take the time to inspect your chimney inside and out. Look for any areas that are missing mortar. Check the inside for shiny black covering or cracks. Make sure there are no missing bricks and the top of the chimney properly sheds water. Any of these issues and I recommend brining in a professional.


Not really.

Drilling is an inherently noisy activity. There may be low noise drills, but the act of rubbing hardened steel against brick at high speed will make a lot of noise. Lower speeds will reduce the noise, but you will take longer to make the hole. Using the hammer action will increase the noise, so try and avoid that if possible.

The best you can do is talk to your neighbours and explain what you are doing and when you'll be working. Ask them if there are any times they'd prefer you not to drill and try to stick to these times.

I'm assuming you're doing large scale renovations to your house - so give them an idea of how long you'll be working on the project. If they can see an end in sight, they might be more forgiving of a bit of noise and disturbance now for a quiet life later.


How do I remedy a ledger board that is pulling away from the house?

Even if you've restrained the deck to prevent the ledger from pulling away more, I would be worried about those nails failing. If there's much separation between the ledger and the house you'll be putting bending stress on those nails. Is it feasible to add the lag bolts now? You haven't provided a picture or much description of the ledger area so it's hard to say what's practical, but I would say that getting that ledger securely fastened is critical to the safety of the deck.

Since this deck seems like it might have been a casual DIY job, you might also investigate the water membranes / flashing to make sure you're keeping moisture away from the house. Flashing may be difficult to retrofit but if it's missing or inadequate you should make an attempt to address that problem. Water can cause a huge amount of damage to both the deck and the house. There are several questions on this site that discuss ledger flashing.

If you can't properly secure the ledger to the house you might consider converting the porch to be free-standing, but that's a whole new project.


How can I prevent a tankless propane on-demand water heater from freezing up in very cold climates?

Where is the tankless water heater to be located? If it is in a space that is heated, then freezing will not likely be a concern as there will be plenty of heat gain through the equipment enclosure.

If freezing is still a concern, look for a tankless unit that has a electric element for freeze protection. This will use a lot of energy if the unit is located in a cold garage, so best practice would be to locate the unit inside a heated space.


Why does my Shower Faucet Stem have water on it after a shower?

Your stem is getting wet because water is getting behind the escutcheon when you use it.  Water gets everywhere inside a shower so it'll run down the walls, drip onto the stem, and then run down hill towards the end of the stem.

Seal the escutcheon with plumbers putty against the tile and you should find the issue resolves.


Should I set wooden porch pillars into, or on to concrete footings?

Set a steel pin (1-2cm diameter) or post-base-bracket in the concrete. Drill a hole in the bottom of the post for the pin, or attach the bracket to the post bottom - no lateral movement, also no accelerated rot. Rot is effectively guaranteed if you set the post into concrete. Brackets designed for the job maintain a small space between the concrete and the post. If you don't use that type of bracket, or you use a pin, set a small square of tarpaper/roofing felt/asphalt shingle on top of the concrete, under the post, to reduce water transport into the post from the concrete. A quick search indicated that post-base-brackets seem to be available in the UK, so that's the best option - tie the lower part of the bracket into your reinforcing mesh before pouring concrete. There are several typical options, this is one type (image from Simpson Strong-tie)


Switch off all the breakers, then test again.

Turn on the breakers one by one and that way you will locate the one causing the issue.

Many times I have found that what is on the label is not true.

Always test with a multimeter before using fingers...


How Can I Replace Our Leaking Outdoor Faucet?

Your indication of where it leaks from suggests that simply repacking the valve stem might fix your leak, without having to change the faucet.
If you do change the faucet, if the pipe in the basement is threaded, just unscrew it - either the pipe in the wall will unscrew, or the faucet will, and if the pipe in the wall is what unscrews, you can remove it from the faucet after it's out of the wall, attach it to the new faucet, and thread it back into the wall.
If your pipes in the basement, including this one, are soldered, you may need to unsolder it inside and pull the valve & pipe out to change the valve. One way or another that would require gaining access to the pipe.


In the UK, what type of flexible conduit should I use for electrics in shed that run underground and emerge through the concrete base?

If you're just looking to get a power supply to the shed, you probably don't need to use conduit at all. Steel Wire Armoured (SWA -- roughly equivalent to jacketed/direct bury rated MC) cable is suited to being run underground and doesn't need to be in a conduit. Additional benefits are that it's more resistant to a stray spade trying to dig through it (though if you aim to bury deep enough, that shouldn't be a problem - general guidance is at least 450mm deep, but minimum 2 spades deep should be sufficient) and you don't need to mess about pulling cable through the conduit.

If you want to make it easy to replace the cable entering the shed (should you ever need to), you could use a piece of pipe / conduit / trunking to pass through the concrete base to allow the cable to be pulled easily through.


How do I wire a light fixture with two white wires to a ceiling box with three white wires?

This fixture is not wired per code, you should have only one white wire for each colored wire, you should never have only one colored wire and more than one white wire.

What the previous posters are suspecting is you have a three-way circuit so  that two or more switches can control the fixture.

You can use a multi-tester of test light to see if you have current between the black wire and one of the white wires when the switch is turned on.  If you have current through more than one white wire then stop and call an electrician.  You might inadvertently overload a neutral.  If your switch does not read on and off then you probably have a three-way circuit and you may need an electrician to sort it out.


Natural ways to keep the ceiling cool during summer

I assume you mean the roof is exposed to the sun...and that in turn is heating your ceiling?

If so, options:

make sure the roof is reflective (white/metallic) rather than a dark color (which absorbs heat)
make sure the roof is insulated
If the roof can support a green/planted roof, consider that.
plant trees to shade the roof (obviously may take a few decades to fully work)
create a cold roof (some form of secondary roof to shade the one below...in many climates this would be an attic type constructions...but almost anything could work...a covered roof deck, for instance--or even just a vented second layer such as standing seam metal panels on top of spacers to allow for airflow underneath.)

Once the ceiling is warm, it means the heat had already entered the living space. Can't really cool the ceiling at that point without getting the heat out of the living space. Exhaust fans could help...along with perhaps a ceiling fan. Cross ventilation with windows/vents. Etc.


Use a pair of pliers to grab the screwdriver, and while applying downward force to the screwdriver (so it doesn't slip and strip your screws), carefully apply pressure using the pliers.


How can I add a second light switch to a 3 gang box with 3 switches in it?

Don't bother with a traditional wiring solution.

Get a smart switch that's designed to be "3-way'ed" with a remote switch.   Preferably a remote that communicates with the main switch wirelessly (via Z-Wave etc.) And most preferably, a remote that is powered by batteries.  That way you can just stick it to the wall, and not have to tear up walls or posts and refinish in order to run wiring to the other switch.  If there's already wiring at the other switch location and you can get hot and neutral, you could use an AC powered (but still wireless) remote switch.

In this solution, the only additional wire will be a pigtail from the neutral already in the box, to the smart switch.

If you really want to go traditional, you will need to fish wires and refinish, as needed, to run a cable from the current switch location to the new one.  You can use the usual 3-way switch diagrams, with a twist: you must also carry a neutral wire to the new location. That means you must use 14/4 or 14/2/2 wire instead of the 14/3 all those diagrams call for.  (if the circuit is 20 amps, this must be 12/ wire.)  Also, you may also need to change the circuit breaker on that circuit to GFCI.  You will have 4 additional wires coming into the box (from the 14/4).

You won't need to do that for changing to a smart switch; that counts as "replacing a switch" which is considered a trivial repair.  I've never heard of a municipality requiring a permit to change a switch.

The neutral wire is required as of 2011 by NEC 404.2(C).  An "Exception #2" was added for indoor 3-way circuits, but this is outdoors.

A GFCI is required by NEC 210.8(A)(3) if receptacles (outlets) are on the circuit.  That is likely, since other parts of Code require at least one outdoor outlet.


240 outlet giving abnormal me abnormal readings

You have an open neutral on this circuit. You are getting a reading on it to ground and one leg due to a load backfeed on the neutral.

If everything else in the house works fine then the problem is almost certainly isolated to this circuit.

Physically check the connection of this circuit's neutral wire at the panel.


Using dry portland cement mixed with latex paint primer as a filler for weathered wood

I doubt that will go well.  Wood expands and contracts a great deal due to changes in temperature and humidity.  Cement doesn't, especially portland cement.  In addition cement doesn't really bond all that well to wood: that's why it's commonly used to make forms.  My guess is that the cement would pop out within a year, if not less and make it look way worse than now.

There are products specifically made for this purpose.  You should use one of those instead if you want to do this.  Use one made for outdoor applications.


You could use a larger screw or a longer screw if you stripped out the original hole.


Edit:

I concede that the answer to this problem depends on some specifics that are lacking.

If the OP fuse is a glass cartridge style, then it is likely that a slow blow (MDL type or similar) is required in place of the fast acting automotive type.  If the fuse is the automotive blade type as Mazura pointed out, then fast acting is the only option for those and the problem lies elsewhere.

Electrical contactors do draw relatively high current until the contacts seat into the closed position, so I also have to agree that a sticky A/C contactor could blow the fuse even if the contactor coil is actually good.  To test if the contactor is sticking, I would turn off the outdoor disconnect to the compressor and open the condenser access panel for inspection.   Turn the thermostat to "cool" and watch the contactor pull in.  If the contactor action is sluggish, that could cause the problem.  With power to the compressor turned off at the disconnect, this test could be performed repeatedly.


Where do I connect the ground wire of a transfer switch being connected to a sub-panel?

To the ground bar

Grounds go to the ground bar.

Neutrals go to the neutral bar.

Grounds never go to the neutral bar, ever.  Not rocket science here.  The only reason anyone has ever had any confusion about that is that in main panels, grounds and neutrals are connnected with an equipotential bond, and because of that, Code allows a shortcut of putting all neutrals and grounds on the same bar, effectively making the whole bar the equipotential bond.   Irrelevant here, obviously.

In a facility wired entirely in metal conduit, there may be no ground wires anywhere to be seen, and thus, no ground bar.  This is normal. In that case you can obtain an accessory ground bar for that panel and attach to that, or attach via a threaded machine screw to the cabinet (never a sheetmetal screw!) provided the screw's thread is -32 or finer.  You are likely to find 8-32 or 10-32 threaded holes all over the panel.


Using 10/2 and/or 8/2 for a 240 only 3-prong

No, that's illegal and has always been illegal.
You are confusing neutral and ground, which is understandable since they go to the same place in the main panel.  However they are actually different and separate; they are tied together in the main panel and that is the only reason they're allowed on the same bus.  Don't let that confuse you.
The water heater actually needs 2 hot wires and ground.  The water heater does not want neutral.  So in that case, /2+ground is just fine.  However, because the white wire is used for a hot, you need to re-mark the white wire with black or colored electrical tape on both ends.
However, the range actually requires 2 hots, and neutral, and it also requires ground if it is installed post-1996.
Even prior to 1996, it was never OK to use /2+ground cable as the 2 hots + neutral.  So this work you recently did with 8/2 cable will have to be removed and re-done.  Now prior to 1996 you could use SE cable or /3 (no ground) cable; however that ship sailed when Courtney Love was top of the charts.
Now your only option is to run 8/3 w/ground cable.
Further, you are now required to use a 4-wire connection with ground.  So if the range is cord-and-plug connected, it needs to use a NEMA 14-50 socket and plug.
I'm sorry you have to redo it, but frankly, the "groundless" range connections are pretty scary.  A simple problem with the neutral wire can electrify the chassis of the machine.
Lastly, "the last guy" used conduit.  People don't use conduit unless they have to... so probably, you have to.
Another thing of note is that #8 THHN in conduit is allowed 50A, but #8 NM cable is only allowed 40A.  So that #8 NM cable would need to be breakered 40A in any case.


would installing a brass ball valve against direction of water flow affect it's volume?

If you mean a 1/4 turn ball shutoff valve, they are not directional - there is no such thing as backwards for 99.95% of them (and for 0.05% it might make some difference in potential for a leak when closed, but none to water flow when open.)


Are there lightbulb base adapters available?

Yes they are definitely available though specifics as to where to buy them are generally considered off-topic for this site.

Here's a GU10-WHIP flexible socket adapter:

Or here's a more traditional Bi-Pin to Standard Base adapter:


Double-glazed (toughened safety glass) without question.
Possibly tented glass (would help a little on those intense summer days).
uPVC frame (and uPVC trim pieces). uPVC doesn't seem that popular here in the USA (at least here in the St Louis area), but in the UK it is extremely popular (mainly due to its almost zero maintenance requirements).
Built in anti-lift device/mechanism.
Good quality hardware & locks.


Air gap behind drywall on exterior brick veneer wall

It's hard to say why someone installed the framing in such a way. Most likely it was installed to (as you stated) allow for better air circulation and removal of moisture in the wall.
You should plan your project to include a means to prevent moisture and/or a way for it to escape. This can be anything from vent holes for every wall bay or spray foaming each wall cavity. The foam would have the secondary benefit of also providing a R- value by insulating your home.
Since the wall is an exterior one (I believe?) some type of insulation should be installed in order to keep the living space in your home comfortable and utility bills low. Foam is a good choice<as mentioned before, but blanket insulation with a paper vapor barrier would be less costly. Check the exterior facade for vents which should be considered in your plans.


Safe way to close gaps around copper pipes?

A metal escutcheon ring might be sufficient for your purpose. I would fill the hole with steel wool to stop the mice, then cover with silicone to prevent a draft. The steel wool might be unnecessary, as I don't think mice will gnaw though silicone. However, if the hole is large, the steel wool would make it easier to fill it with silicone without having it fall into the basement.

Don't use spray foam such as Great Stuff around heat sources: it will melt and produce toxic fumes.

BTW, the reason the holes are so big is probably because there used to be three-inch pipes there. Such pipes were used for steam systems and for pump-less hot-water systems where the water was circulated by gravity (convection).


The solution turned out to be disconnecting and reconnecting the inlet side of the supply line, because -- here's the kicker -- the supply line is a Floodsafe line designed to automatically shut off completely if the flow rate exceeds a preset maximum, which I guess I exceeded momentarily. I didn't see the labeling on the supply line until after I disconnected it, and this is the first time it happened in 1.5 years of living here. Frankly, I don't see the advantage of this. It won't do anything to stop common slow, drippy leaks.


Can I wire 3 lights to one switch as illustrated by this mock up diagram?

People use black and white because they only sell NM cable in black-white or black-white-red. We certainly wish we could use more illustrative colors.

Let's recolor the wires to indicate their actual function.  You can do the same thing with colored tape.

With red being switched-hot, it seems clear you are doing the right thing.

Lamps should get switched-hot and neutral check
switches should get hot and switched-hot check
neutral should be available in the switch box for future smart switches check.

Looks right to me.


Where do I find a good light fire extinguisher?

Your local home improvement store will surely have a "fire safety" section.  This will be the best place to buy, because the items are bulky and stored under pressure.  This makes them expensive to ship.

If you currently have no fire extinguishers, I would suggest at least 1 per floor.  Keep one under the sink in the kitchen, and store the others mounted to the walls in your closets.

You are looking for an "ABC" or "tri-class" dry chemical extinguisher.  These will generally come in a wide variety of sizes.  Get a moderately sized one for your kitchen, and the same size or smaller for the other areas of your house.

In case you are curious, the "ABC" rating refers to the class of fires which the extinguisher will be effective on:

A denotes a fire in combustible materials (wood, paper, etc.)
B denotes a fire in combustible liquids (oil, gasoline, etc.)
C denotes an electrically energized fire.  The rating ensures that the chemical in the extinguisher is non-conductive.
D denotes a fire in flammable metals.  You are not likely to see this type of fire in a residential setting.

There will also a numerical rating for the A and B classes, which denote the relative extinguisher strength.  The A number multiplied by 1.25 will give you the number of gallons of water that the extinguisher is equivalent to.  The B number will give you the approximate number of square feet of B class fire that a person with no training can expect to extinguish.


Is a radiant floor enough to heat the room?

Well it depends on the output of the radiant floor, but in general yes they are sufficient to heat a room.

We have underfloor heating (hot water with heat spreader plates under floorboards) in our upstairs rooms and they warm the rooms quite well. The floors are warm to touch (as would be expected). The temperature of the room is more uniform the heat is rising from all parts of the floor rather than from one section of the wall. We don't feel we need additional sources of heat in the rooms.

The rooms do seem to take a little longer to get warm than other rooms with a radiator, but the wooden floors may contribute to this. If you are heating tiles in a bathroom then I'd expect that to be quicker and as quick as a radiator.

I can't give comparative costs, but our heating bills don't seem excessive when compared to other people's with similar houses.


What hardware would I use to attached this tight to a wall?

I would fabricate or locate a a hanger with a single hole for the screw and a hanger loop.  Use your machine screw to mount the hanger loop to the plaque and hang it on a standard picture hanger suitable for your wall type.  You could swap to flush screws if it stuck out too much and put spacer shims on the sides in back if needed so it sits flat


How can I remove styrofoam bits from my equipment?

If you have an air compressor, you can get an attachment called an air blow gun.

Since Styrofoam is so light, you should be able to simply blow it away. This tool is also helpful, if you want to make your friends laugh.

If you don't have a compressor, you could use canned air to blow the Styrofoam away.

If you don't have that either, you could always use your lungs.

Inhale deeply.
Press your lips together to form a circular opening.
Exhale hard.
Repeat until the Styrofoam is gone, or you've passed out.

Thanks BMitch for pointing out the more obvious solution... Use a f***ing ShopVac!

You can set the vac to blow, if you still want to blow the Styrofoam around for a bit.


If it was my project, I'd get a body grinder (like those used in auto body shops), grind away much of the rust and old paint, assess the damage.   If you end up seeing that it's very badly rusted, maybe even rusted thru, it's decision time. You could patch it with a couple of steel plates epoxied, or welded to  the  lower part of the post...it would be somewhat unsightly, but when painted black, probably not too noticeable. A product like Rust-oleum would be best.   This may be a temporary solution depending upon the condition of the current post.
Also, a question:  Due to the caulking around the post, it looks like the concrete was poured after the post was installed.  Can you confirm that?   If so, replacement would be even more difficult. The existing post would need to be cut flush to the concrete and the new post would need a "foot" (plate) that could be screwed into the concrete.  It all depends upon the exact installation, there may be other options and hopefully others here will chime in as well.


Is it safe to install a heating duct register in the ceiling directly above a home entertainment center?

As HerrBag stated, heat and electronics don't get along well. Remember however, Your electronics will often run warmer than what your heating the house at and all electronics have a recommended temperature range for operating. I would encourage you to review the manual that came with your electronics.

For instance, the recommended operating temperature of my lcd tv is anywhere from 41 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. In the summer we run the AC, in the winter we heat the house to 70. Now the TV itself will give off some heat, but not enough to bring moving 70 degree air up above 104 degrees.

I find that humidity is more of danger to electronics than heat or cold, but again read your manual.


What standard is this very coarse screw?

The type of screw that you describe is a special design with a large pitch on the the threads to create its own threads in the mating plastic part. You can find these at McMaster-Carr  or other specialty fastener supplier.

(Link to supplier page for 6mm length).

(Link to another supplier page for 6mm).


do water heaters shut of when they fail?

Generally no. It'll heat and reheat the water indefinitely if the supply is shut off but the tank is left full.

If the power is left on and the tank is drained, the heating elements will probably self-destruct trying to heat non-existent water.

Of course, newer and more sophisticated models may have damage prevention mechanisms in place.


Dog-friendly mouse hunting strategies after a year of using standard products?

There is a "home brew" and a commercial form of "bucket-trap" which basically lures them out to a freely rotating element baited with peanut butter and drops them into water to drown. If you build it with a hole in the side and use a lid (as the commercial version I recall is built) it's fairly dog-safe as there's just the hole in the side (typically with a ramp) for the mice to crawl in. The illustrated version would be not dog-safe at all, as it's open and appears to be using antifreeze (suggested when using them in the winter in unheated buildings.)

There are also the enclosed repeating traps which are dog-safe, since again, the mice have to crawl into them.

How well either works depends on your mice.


How do I fit roof sheathing to an odd shape, such as a triangle?

Step 1: cut the hole into a rectangle.

If you can't do that, pick a side to be your base. This side will correlate to a factory edge of the sheet.  Ideally your sheet will be oriented correctly with respect to its strength axis.

Measure the length if the base side. Now measure precisely the lengths of each adjacent side, from each end of your base side.

Mark the base side dimension on the edge if your sheet from a corner. From that corner, strike an arc at a distance of the first adjacent dimension. From the base length mark, strike an arc that crosses the first arc at a distance of the second adjacent dimension. If you measured precisely, this will be your third corner. There's a lot of opportunity for error with this technique, which is why a rectangle is better.

Here's a diagram that shows the idea. Ignore the labels.

Another problem with triangles is long unsupported seams. You may want to float some backing and screw it all together to be sure that you don't put a foot through it later.


I would absolutely not use those for hanging cookware from a ceiling, no matter how smooth.

Command strips are designed to carry load in shear, parallel with their mounting surface. Your application would have the load in tension, perpendicular to the adhesive. This would result in detachment with much smaller loads or in a shorter timeframe.
The finished surface of the ceiling will also be subjected to tension stress, which could possibly result in severe damage to the paint or underlying paper (in the case of drywall).
You risk serious damage or injury if (when) it all does let go. If history is any guide, this will happen in the dead of night, possibly triggering a violent, dazed, and comical assault on the "intruder" by your home's occupants.


How should my light be connected to this old wiring layout?

In the UK colours are as follows

           old UK colours   newer EU colours
live       red              brown
neutral    black            blue
earth      green            green/yellow

The switched-live from switches is often insulated with the neutral colour (e.g. black) and should have red tape over it to indicate it is switched-live not neutral.

Your problem is that, to make sense of wiring, you need to carefully study the wiring before you remove a fitting and make sure you understand how it works. It can be difficult to do this after the wires have been removed from the fitting.

In some cases, a lot of the electrical wiring is done inside the casing for long fluorescent light tubes. This can include wiring for other light fittings in other parts of the room or in other rooms.

  The problem is at some stage there were two switches for the light

Typical UK 2-way switch wiring is as follows

The image shows a pendant light, but the same principle applies for a fluorescent light. In your case you have the old-colour wiring for the fixed wiring in the walls, nopt the new colours shown here.

The earth wires here are shown green but they are often bare copper - the installer should have added a green/yellow sleeve to them.

Note that you do not connect all the neutral wires together and you do not connect all the live wires together.

If you need more detailed help, take a clear well-lit well-focussed photo of the wiring at the ceiling - and of the wiring behind the associated switches. Edit the question to insert the photos (or insert URLs to public websites where you uploaded the photos)


Red wire in ceiling (hot) is not sending power to ceiling fan

The change in voltage is coupling between the floating red wire and the live wire.

You can change the switch to a duplex switch. That will allow you to control the light and fan separately.

If you want constant power to the fan then add the red wire to the wire nut with all the blacks.


What is the name of extremely porous concrete for water runoff solutions?

It goes by many different commercial names, but the generic terms is "Permious" or "Pervious" concrete.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervious_concrete


How far should the recessed lights be from 24” kitchen cabinets?

Although code is not a limiting factor the light density will be.
Based on homes I have built and redecorated I would have under cabinet lighting at the stove top, and a light above at each end shining down on the fridge and oven.
Then 2 or 3 in-line at the island. The actual spacing depends on the fixture themselves.
Some recessed lights have a narrow beam some are quite wide. I tend to split the width of the oven and fridge in this case and mount the fixture centered and 1/2 the with of the opening away from the cabinets.
With this method any openings at the bottom or top have light. If two close the bottom shelves are dark, and the cabinets reflect the light away from where it is needed. Two far away the upper shelves are dark and you have shadows when standing there looking.


Number of fixtures is easily reduced by using long fixtures:

4 or even 8 foot fluorescent tubes, for instance.
45 foot long LED strip lights appear to be available, on a casual
search.
Strings of small lights on cords (fairy lights, Christmas lights) hung from hooks.

Whether that's the lighting you want is a whole different question and mostly off-topic as decorating advice. But I would personally suggest worrying more about getting the light you (or your spouse, if applicable) want(s) than the number of fixtures required to do so. That may depend on what you plan to use the space for - 4 foot shop lights hung from chains or bare bulbs in ceiling sockets are typically fine for "storage" but not quite the thing in "living" space.


Raw linseed oil on counter top: drying time?

Raw linseed oil does not harden. That is the fundamental difference between raw and boiled (often chemically treated rather than actually boiled, these days) linseed oil. It will be gummy for a very, very long time.

You would probably want to remove as much of the surface oil as possible and re-oil with a hardening oil - boiled linseed, walnut, etc.


The jaws have a knife edge for measuring the distance between two holes, which is needed when measuring the distance between hole centres.

If the jaws didn't have a knife-edge tip, the width of the tip would hold the caliper away from the hole at two points and the measurement would be wrong.

A - knife edge on inside jaws for measuring inside holes
B - recess to give clearance and define measuring surface
C - ditto
D - rectangular edge for measuring flat (or convex) surfaces. This edge is usually lapped flat, an expensive precision operation that cannot be easily performed up against an internal corner, hence the recessed corner.
E - knife edge for measuring in holes (or similar surfaces that are concave in one dimension) or where access is limited.

The recesses for clearance are found on other tools where you need to prevent sharp corners (or burrs) on the object from contacting a radiussed inner corner on the measuring tool.

Note the recess in the corner of this engineer's square

There are a wide range of jaw shapes available for specialised purposes.

Source - Mitutoyo

The most common jaw shape is probably a compromise that is useful in a wide range of situations.


What is the "warm water method" of clearing a clogged toilet?

Using warm (should be very hot water) to break up plumbing blockages.  Works for minor issues.  You would simply dump hot water into the drain (or toilet) and let the heated water try to affect the material blocking the pipe.


If the pipe is totally encased in concrete small surface cracks would not affect. If the cracks go all the way through, like a total crack in a foundation, it could also damage the pipe. If the concrete has shifted along the crack line then the pipe is going to be damaged. The amount of damage will depend on the type of re- enforcement done when laying the concrete.
What is the pipe used for?


How do you finish a valve when using pex pipes

The pex usually goes into fittings that are set into the wall.

I used 1/2” elbow fittings well secured for two sinks and a shower. For the shower the fittings had to be on 153mm centres and a bracket was made for that.

Here is a link to the type I used:
https://www.hornbach.ch/shop/Raccord-de-serrage-angle-de-mur-16x2mm-1-2-IG/7011451/article.html


Tankless water heater and shutting off main water supply

Shutting off the water is only a problem if the water heater gets drained and it tries to heat air.

To avoid that you can turn off the water heater as well.

As an experiment you can turn off the intake to the water heater and see if the shower still leaks. If the leak stops then the leak is only on the hot side of the shower valve. Then you only have to shut off the hot water to mitigate the lost water until you can get it fixed. And the heater will be right there to turn off as well.


Ceiling Fan is very slow after 2 years operation

Does your fan have sealed bearings or ball bearings ?
They can get dirty and cause mechanical drag.  there may be other rotational loses coming into play.  try a dry lubricant from a bike store if there are parts that need it.  there could be a issue with the rotor or stator effecting the flux transfer
 to allow the motor to spin

What happens if the fan motor is plugged into the
wall?  does it run full speed? if it does there may be
a fault in the electronics of the controller board

hope the idea help


You could combine a standard Occupancy Sensor:

with a Relay:

The Occ Sensor controls the relay, and you use the relay's Normally-Closed terminal to power your Outlet, something like this:

So when the Occ Sensor is off, your outlet is on.
You would probably need a 2-gang box to be able to fit the sensor, the relay and all the connections (the relay is mounted outside the box through a knockout, so make sure you get a box with knockouts.


What is the difference between equivalent watts and lumens?

There are a couple terms involved that all have specific meanings:

Watts: the amount of electricity used by the bulb (a.k.a. "power")
Lumens: the amount of visible light the bulb produces (a.k.a. "luminosity")
Equivalent watts: an approximate incandescent bulb wattage that outputs a similar amount of light.
Luminous efficiency: the amount of light put out by the bulb per watt. Higher means better efficiency.

There's not a direct relationship between watts and lumens, but you can look at the luminous efficiency to compare bulbs. Wikipedia lists values for common household bulb types:

Incandescent bulb: 12-18 lumens / watt
Halogen incandescent: 24 lumens / watt
Compact fluorescent: 45-75 lumens / watt
LED: 60-100+ lumens / watt

The LED you list has an efficiency of 28 lumens / watt, which is pretty poor for an LED. LEDs have been increasing in their efficiency; maybe it's an older model? Your CFL is 63 lumens / watt, which is pretty good for a CFL.

Compare those to the current gold standard for mass-market LED bulbs, Philips' L-prize LED, which puts out 940 lumens using 10 watts, or 94 lumens / watt.

You're also seeing the problem with "equivalent watts", which is kind of an unhelpful metric. I don't know if there's any regulation on what manufacturers can claim as the incandescent equivalent, but I've seen bulbs as low as 700 lumens and as high as 950 lumens all claim to be "60 watt equivalent". Even among incandescents there's a range of light output for a specific wattage. The most reliable way to look at brightness is the "lumens" rating. If you're trying to match the brightness of an existing bulb, try to look it up online to find the lumens.


40 amp range outlet as extension cord source

10 AWG is too small for a 40A breaker, and many other problems with this plan as originally proposed.

Further, you cannot do any of this if your range receptacle is a NEMA 10-50 type (3-wire).  Since you have ground present at the location, you should convert receptacle (and oven plug, if necessary) to NEMA 14-50 by retrofitting a ground wire if needed.

Further, this is a rental property.  Only licensed electricians can do electrical work (other than plugging in of cords), however your local authority may make an exception for simple changes of sockets (e.g. changing a NEMA 10-50 to 14-50).

You are seriously underestimating your power needs. Fortunately, it is there.

You seem to think of power as "number of things plugged in". Actually, you should be thinking about the power drawn by each individual device.

Heaters are huge loads.  Those cheapie "heater-fans" are 1500 watts (12.5 amps @ 120V). They are all this magic number because that is the maximum UL will list on a plug-in 120V heater.  You can get larger heater-fans as large as 6000 watts (25 amps @ 240V) but they are 240V-only.
A compressor is also a huge load. How big varies by nameplate, so you have to read the nameplate.
Table saws and radial arm saws - another huge load, again you have to visit the nameplate.
Routers can be quite large as well depending on capacity.
Other hand tools vary wildly, and can be as demanding as a table saw, or just a few amps.

Your power available from that socket is (in 240V mode) 40A obviously, and (in 120V) two independent poles of 40A each.  So you can still power a fair amount of stuff if you arrange it properly; the trick is doing so.

Plan A: One MWBC containing two 20A circuits

In this case, you change the circuit breaker to 20A 2-pole, and change the oven receptacle to NEMA L14-20. The wire in the wall can stay the same.

How to do this in permanent wiring is a gory mess. Fortunately, this is temporary wiring.

Then, you use common, pre-made, pre-molded cords intended for generator distribution, which has a NEMA L14-20 plug on one end, and some number of 120V/15-20A receptacles on the other end.

I note that Home Depot also sells these with a L14-30 plug on the pointy end, or NEMA 14-50 plug on the pointy end.  I suspect this may not be legal, but normally Home Depot is reliable about selling things which are UL listed - don't use it if it's not. The UL listing means the agency has satisfied itself that the cord is safe, and have done torture testing and destructive testing to confirm it.   The UL listing must be on the cord as a tag, not molded in the cord (that only applies to the cable) or in the sockets (that only applies to the sockets).

Regardless, the socket must match the breaker:

15A breaker = 15A socket
20A breaker = 20A socket or 2 or more 15A sockets (special rule)
30A breaker = 30A socket
40A breaker = 50A socket (40A sockets are not made)

Assuming your house's internal wiring is 8 AWG, you are not allowed to use a 50A breaker.

Plan B: Subpanel

This is the viable way to run all your loads.  In this case you mount a subpanel somewhere and fit 15-20A breakers to feed common receptacles, or any size of breaker to feed a specialized load, including 240V.  The subpanel must separate neutral and ground!

The connection from subpanel to receptacle can be done with flexible cord with an appropriate NEMA 14-50 plug, since it is temporary and will be frequently interchanged; therefore legal under NEC 400.7. Cord will need to be 8 AWG for a 40A breaker or 6 AWG for a 50A breaker.  You can leave the breaker at its current value, just make sure your wire is sized for it.

Cable must be cordage e.g. SJOOW, not in-wall wiring such as Romex, NM or UF.

I would go with an 8-12 space panel, as they're not too expensive an this is a temporary setup. 100A or 125A busing is fine. A main breaker is not needed in the panel. You can mount the panel and nearby outlets on a piece of plywood and place it out of the way.


How can I winterize a set of Polaris heating units?

Draining the units is a good idea. Before you do that, you should pump RV Plumbing antifreeze into the system. That way any water remaining in the pipes will not freeze. Also do the toilet bowls and anything else that you think could hold water. The trick is to get it everywhere in the system. It's not always easy if you are not familiar with the principles of plumbing. There are heat exchangers and pumps in those Polaris units. Very expensive to replace due to freezing and cracking. Only do it if you are very confident that you can get the antifreeze everywhere. Don't simply drain the system as you may not get all the water out and risk destroying your units. Another option is WIFI thermostats that notify you if the heat shuts down. Very expensive for 11 cabins but a great solution for long term monitoring.


Do you size a DHW expansion tank to incoming pressure or pressure after PRV?

PRV (or pressure regulator) failure should be a rare event.

One problem with pre-pressurizing the tank based on the incoming pressure is that it will accept essentially no water until you reach that pressure, so that seems like a poor idea. Whether the incoming pressure will be so far above the functional pressure that it will pop the expansion tank bladder will depend on the pressures in question and the tank. I suppose the approach to take would be to figure out how far to pre-pressuirize it to prevent popping in the event of regulator failure, but that is not actually covered in the usual installation instructions.

If there is a very large difference in pressures, you might want a relief valve on the low-pressure side. This will of course depend on your local system pressure and how far down you are reducing it.

Responding to 90/65 psi comment - this is probably well within the capacity of normal expansion tanks. A typical well tank is expected to cycle over a 20 psi range, but the actual volume in the bladder changes (20/40 PSI holds more water than 40-60 or 50-70 with correct pre-charge pressure.) Given typical upper working pressure above 100PSI, you should be fine pre-pressurizing to 63 PSI (or 2 PSI below whatever you actually set to) and not pop the bladder (it can work at 20/40, so at 63 it can hold enough water to go to 126, even though that's an atypical use-case; so 95 should be just fine.)

A 100PSI relief valve would still be a smart move (i.e. don't make the T&P on the hot water tank the only relief in the system) to protect against a higher than expected input pressure and regulator failure, but might be moderately paranoid (I get that way in systems design, at least where it does not cost too much.)


How to drill into an acrylic tub to create an overflow drain

I would buy a piece of acrylic plastic to test with (you can sometimes find that with window glass in home improvement stores, or at a arts & crafts store).  Then place some masking tape on the front and back of the test piece, and use a ceramic drill bit.

Then if that goes well, hopefully it will go well on the real tub; but if there is an inconspicuous place to try a small hole (maybe the back foot if it is a footed tub), try there first.


What is the manufacturer of this 1990s toilet?

Without gettng anything useful directly from the number, my search on the number lead me to a "toilet identification page" where the peculiar shape of the tank provided the tentative ID (Eljer Preserver) in my comment.


How Do I Power A 220 Water Heater Off Two 110 Breakers

You cannot get 220VAC from one leg in your panel. You must have two isolated 120VAC legs to do this. Using two single pole breakers on one leg will still only give you 120VAC.

Why can't you have the main breaker replaced? You should be able to buy a replacement breaker without replacing the whole panel.  Also, have you tried manually setting the magnets in the main breaker? This is done by removing it and slamming it hard down on all axis. This will sometimes physically reset the magnets in their proper position within the breaker and restore normal operation. They can sometimes be jarred out of position when tripped. But since you have to remove the breaker to do this trick, you might as well replace it with a fresh new one.


Are there any risks in removing these steel basement window frames?

Looking at the pictures I would say leave the steel and clean it up. The steel may be a lot tougher to remove then it looks. Might have pins into the wall or be hooked into rebar. It also looks like the steel was there when they poured the wall, making it real tough to remove. IMHO it might prove easier to cover the stuff with then remove it.


How to install a timer next to thermostat to control/limit the length of time the thermostat operates?

No one would ever do that.

They would get a programmable thermostat. It is trivial to set up programs that do exactly what you want to do.  Further, many thermostats have mechanical gating so the up and down (temperature) buttons are readily accessible and changeable right now, but will reset at the next program time.  Access to program is gated by a special door.  You can then put a cage over top of it so they can access the buttons, but not the door.  They typically allow 4 program changes per day.

This is a $50 solution, and you can't homebrew a thing like that for so little.


Determine which wire goes to which switch?

Connect an insulated wire in one of the cables to a hot wire, or, if the cables are already wired to switches, just make sure one switch is on and the other off, then test for voltage at the far end using a non-contact AC voltage detector (Walmart $6).


Drain plug or nut in basement hidden in drywall

Those both look like clean out plugs. I wouldn't drywall over either. They could be needed at some point and then you'd regret covering them as you start punching holes in the wall looking for them.

If you want to seal out the cold, create a proper frame for the 1st and then get an access panel for it that has weather stripping around it or use the foam weather stripping on it to create an air tight seal.

The second, I would just use spray foam in the gap.


How to secure wardrobe to wall if 1.25" gap exists between wall and wardrobe

I'd fasten a decorative/coordinating rail to the upper back of the wardrobe, or to the wall in that position, such that it appears to be a component of the wardrobe. Screw through the wardrobe back and the block into the wall. Its design depends on the design of the cabinet.


Why will 26 1.2W 220V LED lights not work with an 800W inverter?

This is almost certainly from using a "modified square wave" - MSW - inverter rather than a "true sine wave inverter" - the power conversion circuits in AC LED fixtures expect a sine wave input, and the way they behave when fed MSW input is upsetting your inverter.

One possible solution, short of "buy a new inverter" (a rather expensive proposition, especially for true sine) would be to feed the light circuits (only) though a small isolation transformer. The inverter power would feed into one side, and you'd feed the lights a much better approximation of a "true sine wave" from the other side. It should be a bit oversized for the load, since the MSW input will cause some heating of the transformer that a normal sine wave would not. However, the load is so small that almost any isolation transformer will be a bit oversized for it. Find the minimum size by looking at the VA (not W - power factor matters, a lot, here) rating of your lamps, and then run a fudge factor for MSW input of about twice that rating.

Unless the VA is absurdly bad for a 1.2W device, something like this for roughly $50 ($40.76 plus shipping) will probably work. You'd also need to mount it in a safe enclosure, provide circuit breakers or fuses, etc...


Plug/fire stop holes drilled for running low voltage cable?

Cable Rating

Plenum rated cable is only necessary for a space, usually above a
ceiling or below a floor, that can serve as a receiving chamber for
air that has been heated or cooled to be distributed to inhabited
areas.

You should be fine with riser rated cable unless you're pulling it through an area that is designed as an air return or supply.
Securing Low Voltage Cable(s)
If you are pulling these cables in new construction, you would want to use low voltage staples to attach your cables every few feet to a stud or other framing member. Obviously in existing construction, unless you remove a bunch of drywall, this isn't feasible. It is acceptable to use the hole(s) in your studs, top plate, bottom plate, etc. to support the cable run. The NEC makes this exception even for electrical cable in remodel work:

NEC 334.30(B)
(B) Unsupported Cables. Nonmetallic-sheathed cable shall be permitted
to be unsupported where the cable:
(1) Is ﬁshed between access points through concealed spaces in ﬁnished
buildings or structures and supporting is impracticable.

Fire Block Penatrations
If you are drilling through a designated fire block (horizontal piece of framing in a stud wall), yes you are supposed to fill the hole with fire proofing caulk or spray foam. This might also apply to the top/bottom plates on the walls, but I do not know this for sure. Hopefully someone else here can shed some light on this. If you have enough access to caulk/foam the points where you drill holes, you could go ahead and do it for good measure.
In general, I'm not sure that much of NEC Article 300 even applies to low voltage installations. I recommend doing some reading related to NEC Article 725 or 800 where you will find the applicable references back to other articles, namely Article 300.


Can I stabilize the tire tracks of a gravel driveway with hot tar?

The work to create the V-grooves that you propose seem like it could be labor intensive and still demand a lot of materials that make it expensive. And when it gets driven on in a way that the wheels of vehicles veer off the sides it will still tear up the remaining dirt and the edges of your special formation.

The best wisdom of how to deal with the problem is going to come from experts that deal with this situation in your local area. They will understand the soil, terrain and local methods to build effective driveways. So I would really suggest asking around and get that expert advice.


I have trashed many a trashcan.  Simply get axe and have fun for 10 minutes and throw it in a few bags.  Note that whether metal or plastic, the axe ricochets so make sure no one is around you and that you have space.


How do I prevent condensation on my balcony windows?

You're dealing with a basic fact of nature, water condenses on cold objects, so you need to either remove the water or the cold objects. The windows will typically be the coldest objects in your home since they have such a low R value.

Start by reducing the humidity in your home, run exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom for longer when cooking and showering to remove the moist air. You can also install a dehumidifier to dry out the air.

The second step is to make the windows warmer by upgrading them to double paned insulated windows. If your windows are old, this can also save you money with lower heating and cooling bills.


Would applying a safety factor to the maximum PSI in the PVC lines allow me to safely use PVC?

Yes it probably would, as long as this is a personal project at your home or property. If this is in a workplace then it is likely you would be breaking the law by using unprotected PVC.

I would regulate it to no more than what is necessary to provide desirable results and set over-pressure protection at that setting as well. Also affecting safe use are factors such as UV degradation of the plastic (by sunlight and/or artificial light), placement where it could be struck/damaged while in use, etc. ANSI says max pressure is 100 psi, and that's for underground systems and above ground systems that are "protected".


I want to reallocate a double switch and also split it into two switches. Can I do it like this? Is it 100% safe?

Use your original switch box as a junction box, and put a blank cover on it when you're done.

Never make any connections inside the wall where they are not protected, or where they cannot be accessed.

This is common practice here in the US.


Ethernet LAN disconnects after turning off kitchen tubelight or fan

Ethernet LAN wire coming from local internet provider

Your profile says you're in India. It also sounds like your ISP has an Ethernet wire that runs into your dwelling (I suspect this is an apartment). I further suspect they ran the cheaper Cat 5e inside the building.

Fluorescent lighting produces a fair amount of electromagnetic interference. My bet is that the Ethernet parallels either the light fixture or the electrical wiring in general (I could easily see the latter being done to save costs by cutting corners).

Unfortunately, since you didn't run the wiring yourself, there's no easy fixes here. If you had run them, I would make sure you keep the Ethernet away from the electrical. I would also run Cat 6, since it affords better shielding. Putting the wire inside conduit would also offer better shielding.


Can used Xmas trees be recycled into particle board?

Not on topic, and no, too much bark. Debark them and there's nothing left. Feel free to invent a debarker that will work on tiny trees, and then find out that tiny trees are still an insignificant fiber source, with excessive handling costs associated. Grinding them up for mulch is about the best thing you can do with them, other than not getting a disposable tree in the first place.


The answer isn't quite straight-forward, but the tarp was probably the best option. When I lifted the tarp, half of the tarp had dew on the bottom o fit--the half still in the shade. So the other half may have had dew as well but dried out before I lifted it. Despite this, the bricks and sand were entirely dry apart from what drips fell when I lifted the tarp and the sand was definitely not activated. Results may then vary I guess, but it worked for me :-).


How to identify neutral wire in multi-switch box?

You may or may not have any neutral wire in the box, depending how it's wired.
With switch loops (which you can't do legally now, but could for a long time) there's quite often no neutral. Assume any white wire connected to a dumb switch is hot from a switch loop.
Otherwise, with dumb switches, look for a bunch of white wires not connected to the switches, but connected to each other.


Can you tie conductors together on lugs?

Definitely not allowed!
If you want to do that, then shop for certain spec-grade switches and receptacles ($3 instead of 60 cents), which have a feature some call "Screw-and-clamp".  This allows you to back-wire 2 wires under each screw, and you tighten the screw to clamp the wires.
Also note that since it's in a metal box, your switch does not require a ground wire.  It will pick up ground via the screw threads and head.   This trick doesn't work for receptacles unless the receptacles are labeled "self-grounding", which most of the "spec  grade" receptacles will be.


I have not seen patches hold up on copper. What I find best is to cut it at the hole and sweat a coupler on. It must be dry when you do the soldering or it will leak.


Sometimes panel manufacturers will have a null breaker slot on top, bottom, and/or both. Even though a double breaker seemingly fits right in like it's supposed to, only one phase will be hot.

A visual inspection of the busbar is one way to tell, or if you have the busbar layout diagram it will show too.

In case this is the problem, simply move the double pole breaker into the proper slot, then put a blank slot filler to cover the exposed parts.  If you don't have a blank handy a breaker with nothing on it is fine too.


Pipe schedule is a standard way of specify the thickness of the wall of the pipes.  There is code that requires minimum schedule pipe and approved materials for drains and pipes.  Code varies by location.  They probably want you to specify something like

MIN. SCH 40 ABS 3" DRAIN PIPE

On your plans.  You could also ask the city to show you some example plans.  Or even go in to the office in person and ask about meeting with your plans reviewer, if nothing else.  In my city they encourage you to do this before submitting them.


How do you cut threads in plastic coated steel pipe?

I spent hundreds of hours on a Rigid pipe threading machine and used the same dies for black iron, galvanized, and green coated iron gas pipe. The only issue was the green coated pipe is slightly larger on the O.D. (due only to the coating) so is a bit difficult to get the threads started. With the machine, I could grind a bit of the coating off by levering the dies open a bit, to get the thread started. With hand dies you may have to use a different method to scrape a bit of the coating off the end of the pipe, maybe just use a sharp knife or a file. Once the dies bite they will grind right through the coating, no clogging.

The official response will still be "follow the manufacturer's instructions", but I think you will be fine.


Where does the excess electricity from my solar panels go?

Pretend your panels are a water pump connected from a nearby pond (your roof) to a water tower (the grid).

The grid is a large reservoir that can simultaneously take and provide electricity.  This is because there are multiple sources and destinations for the electricity.

If no one else was using electricity when you were providing it, your meter would not register outgoing electricity (credit).


Joining 2x4 to 4x4 base: angles or regular wood screws?

I would use stainless deck screws.
Drill clearance holes all the way through the 2 X 4 , and put pilot holes in the 4 X 4. The SS deck screws can't take a lot of torque and heads will twist off without the holes. Or just galvanized lag screws ( around 1/4 by 4" ). I had SS deck screws on my mind as I have been using them to replace rusted deck screws in my deck.


What would be the best configuration for casters for a workbench?

The best set-up for maneuverability plus stability to to allow the workbench to sit on fixed legs.  When you want to move the bench you can implement a jacking system with the casters similar to

I have seen this implemented with a rope where you can pull the casters down underneath to lift the bench or with a foot operated jack similar to some table saws such as

Hope this helps you out.  I've tried the casters with 2 locking casters and I've never been happy with the stability of the bench.


Does it matter which 3-way switch I put a dimmer at on a 4-way circuit?

Was it a standard dimmer switch, rather than a 3-way one?

When replacing an on/off switch with a dimmer switch, you must make sure the type of switch (standard, 3-way, 4-way) matches.  They make all three types of on/off switches, but I've only ever seen standard and 3-way dimmers.  I figure the rarity of use for 4-way dimmers, combined with the rarity with which they would be purchased, make them not worth manufacturing.

Anyway, in a 4-way circuit (or more-way), you can replace either 3-way on/off switch (which will either be the first or last switch) with a 3-way dimmer.  But it must be a 3-way dimmer, not a basic dimmer.

I refer you to some excellent diagrams on wikipedia to see how multi-way circuits work.  Note the difference between how a 3-way and 4-way switch work.  If you can find a 4-way dimmer switch, you could replace any 4-way switch in a multi-way circuit with it.  Otherwise, it's either got to be the first or last switch.


If you have 3 wires at the light fixture (not including grounding wires)  you need to check voltage, find 120 volts, TURN OFF THE CIRCUIT, connect the white to the neural wire and the black to the wire carrying 120v. Make sure you cap the other wire regardless of the voltage it is carrying, it could be dead because of a disconnect, switch/ breaker etc. Be careful and if you don't understand how to do what I just said, get help.


How do I replace insulation in the corner?

I wouldn't attempt to remove the existing insulation unless there's a health hazard (e.g. mold). It was put there during the middle of framing because of how difficult the space is to access. My personal solution would be to spray a little big gap filler in there because it's designed to expand and provide an airtight seal. Other types of insulation, like fiberglass and Roxul lose their effectiveness when compressed. Much of the insulation in them comes from trapping air in pockets. So you'd get less efficiency after cramming it through a small crack.


How can I create a movable insulated wall?

Because your temp differential is relatively high (72˚F vs 35˚F), and you're talking about a relatively large area (I assume, because you talk about accordion "walls"), unless you have a fairly powerful air conditioner or very good wall insulation, your cooling requirements will be challenging.

If it's important that the wall be an accordion wall, then I would think in terms of 2 or 3" thick rigid foam polystyrene wall panels, with edges framed by ¾"x 2(or3)" plywood, with alternating-side hinges linking the individual panels to achieve the accordion effect.


Convert recessed brick mortar to concave mortar design to decrease water intrusion due to high winds

There’s no reason a new mortar mix will not adhere and perform adequately if, 1) the joint is cleaned properly, 2) proper mix AND installation is used, 3) infiltration is not caused by settlement

1) You emphasize that it’s not a repointing issue. That makes me believe you’re not going to clean the existing mortar joint...bad idea. In fact, you have 3 sides of those mortar joints to clean.

2) Here is a link from Cemex that explains the types of mortar. You’ll want an exterior mortar that can be troweled concave. (Concave helps “squish” the mortar into the block and provides a hard sealed surface to shed the water. As you know, the recessed mortar joint allows water to lay on the brick and wind will “push” it into the building.)

https://www.cemexusa.com/products-and-services/cement/product-specifications/type-n-s-m-masonry-cement-and-mortar

Btw, pay attention to their discussion about when to strike the mortar so you don’t remove the moisture, which will cause cracking, etc.

3) I suspect you have a greater problem than the type of mortar joint. If water is “gushing in” when you squirt the wall, the joints must have significant cracks between the mortar and brick.

With brick veneer walls, we know they are going to leak...somewhat...that’s why a moisture barrier is installed with weep holes.

We have removed sections of the interior wall to re-install new studs, plywood, and moisture barrier...along with new ties drilled into the back of the brick veneer. (Btw, it was a two story building.) This is extremely difficult and time consuming, but may be your only course.

Lastly, I’d do a test section and see how it goes. Give it time to cure and see if it works.


Does filling in cement(inside or outside the house) act as a deterrent to the soil-water and mold problems resulting from it?

Concrete is porous and will not completely stop water from entering anything. If you want to stop water from entering your basement you need to have your exterior soil properly graded and packed, in addition to your gutters cleaned and draining away several feet away from your house. Regarding grading, a good number to shoot for is 1" of 'fall' for every horizontal foot.

Beyond that there are multiple solutions, the best being re-waterproofing the exterior of your basement, but that's expensive and most people go for an interior draining system, such as one involving a sump pump. In anycase, you will want to start with external factors such as gutters and grading. That should address the majority of your basement water issues.


How can I stop the dripping from a concrete ceiling?

I don't know how well it works but there are companies that will drill holes through the concrete and then inject a waterproofing agent under high pressure. This is normally done for walls but I'd guess could work for a ceiling. It might even work better as for a ceiling as it won't sink down the wall outside.
If you search for "concrete waterproofing injection" you will find lots of companies selling the service and some reviews (good and bad). I've never done it. I looked into it a while back when I had a basement leak but I solved it another way.


How do I fix a squeaky carpeted floor given that scored screws don't help?

Squeaking usually comes from two places:

Joists.  Loose, overloaded, damaged, braced improperly, not even.  Fix is usually lateral support using crosses.
Plywood.  Poor quality, warped/damaged, not thick enough, not glued down, not screwed properly or enough, pattern not well thought out (edges should be on joists or supports).  Usually have to pull them up to figure out the issue.

In your case you don't want to open up first story ceiling so you need to pull up a couple pieces in high-squeak areas.  Figure out what the issue is.  If the joists aren't even (note that I didn't say level) the boards will eventually squeak.  If there is no cross-bracing then the joists certainly have movement which itself can cause a squeak but also loosen screws or make screw holes bigger over time.  These are just common examples.  You can keep adding fancy screws every inch but you don't know the root cause yet.


Can a doorbell transformer be installed outdoors in a protected location?

None of the doorbell transformers I have used would be code compliant outside. Your 120v junctions would be fine inside the box but the transformer and low voltage would be exposed. The NEC requires us to install electrical equipment according to its listing 110.3.B. If the transformer is protected and the low voltage and line voltage are separated with barriers it may be possible but normally I would say NO.


Which cable/conduit should I use to run a new 240 volt line for an oven?

Of the options you are considering, I'd think option 2 makes more sense, and 4-5 feet of conduit - in most cases the conduit will just be continuous from the junction box right through the wall, no particular fuss "as it enters the house" - Come down the wall, put on an LB, drill a hole in the wall, insert conduit, connect to junction box, connect to LB; done. This might be aided by drilling at least a pilot hole from the inside out to make lining it all up easier. Also pick up some duct seal (gray putty, in the electrical aisle) to pack the wires as they leave the LB.

If the wires are entering via an existing conduit, you just need to connect a new conduit to the box that conduit terminates in, and your junction box.

EMT or PVC is six on the one hand, half a dozen the other. I use metal aboveground and PVC below, mostly.


Is it an option to have pipes above floor level but boxed in

Yes.

But if the hot and cold water supply pipes in and are metal (copper) and have supplementary equipotential bonding - I think you need to make sure the bonding clamps are easily accessible without tools. Ditto for isolating valves (for when you want to replace taps).

You don't need much slope on the horizontal runs of the waste pipe (and too much slope is bad) I read 1 in 40 to 1 in 110 somewhere.

I've boxed in pipework minimally but if I did it again I'd try to make more of a feature of it - cupboards with useful storage space as well as access to pipes.


What material should I use to hold a live lamp piece in place?

It looks like that pin is the internal mechanism of what used to be a switch that was integral to the socket.  There is no a way to safely hold that in place.  You are likely to get a high resistance connection or arcing, either of which will eventually destroy the lamp, and could cause a fire in the process.  It generally isn't worth the effort and risk to attempt a home repair/redesign.

Replace the socket.  It looks a lot like this one:

You can find replacement sockets of pretty much every type, including ones with integral switches of different configurations.  This one I linked to at Amazon ($3.28 with free shipping as part of a larger order), but it may also be at your local Home Depot, Lowes, or electrical or lighting supply store.  Or you can redesign the lamp using components that are certified by UL or another organization.

But repair it by replacing whole components that are designed to be used intact.  The components aren't generally repairable.  If you can't find the exact replacement, modify the brackets or other mechanical parts that hold the socket in place rather than trying to modify the electrical components, themselves.  Hardware store have a big selection of brackets and parts you can use to make things fit an existing fixture.

The black and white wires in the lamp have crimped terminals that look like they may be salvageable to simplify connecting to the screw terminals on the replacement socket.  You might need a Dremel tool to free them.  If it's too much effort, just snip the wire behind the crimps, pull a little more into the fixture, and make new connections.


Why would I have i lost one leg on 240 after maintenance guy changed 100 amp disconnect at the meter

To me it sounds like one of your hot leads to the mobile home was damaged. Turn every breaker off but leave the main on and you will probably see one leg is dead.
My guess is with the smaller breakers on there was enough pass through to provide a voltage, remove the opportunity for this to happen and the bad leg shows up.
How can this happen? I’m my experience it is usually the water heater turning on or trying to so there is voltage on both legs but no potential difference. Open or turn all breakers off and that will usually provide the dead leg.
Someone working with a live circuit like that should have the training and gear to do it safety it is obvious they don’t and should not have done this.


I would skip the plywood and use Kerdi board. It will cost a bit more but it's very easy to cut, very light weight so it's easy to handle, and it is completley  impervious to moisture.

You can get it 4x8 sheets and build a custom seat or one of their pre-made seats, if you can find one in a size you can work with.

Here's a video from the maker of Kerdi-Board about making a bench out of the material.


How can I secure a post to a conversion ball for a shower faucet?

I am sure that this can be fixed with a thread locker material. There are products available that can be placed onto threads before assembly and then will cure into a very tight joint to keep the threaded fasteners from coming loose.

You can get this at almost any auto parts store. Ask them for "loctite" thread locker.

Before trying to use it clean out the threads in both the ball and on the stem piece. Since you already attempted to use epoxy on these parts it may require extra diligence to clean out the thread grooves. Wash the parts in something like rubbing alcohol and then let dry well before applying the thread locker and reassembling.

Let the locker fully cure before attempting to put torque on the stem and ball assembly.

(Note that I have no affiliation with the LOCTITE brand other than a user).


Outdoor electrical outlet exposed to the rain

Yes, there is a risk. Even a properly installed and protected electrical system can fail to protect you, either because of unforeseen situations or component failure.

There are two types of flaps.

One is watertight only when not in use and closed. This is probably what you have. This type of outlet is only meant to be used temporarily when exposure to weather is not a problem. For example, plugging in a leaf blower. This type of outlet should not be used for holiday decorations.

The other type is watertight even when you have something plugged in to it, provided you close the cover.

Fortunately, changing from one to the other is pretty easy: just take the cover off and put the other one on, making sure to follow the directions to maintain watertightness.


Can a concrete porch be poured against a stone wall?

I agree with Tyler Durdens advice,with one important addition.
Don't lay your patio directly on gravel. Assuming your patio is about 75-100mm deep, gravel on its own will not offer enough support, and eventually, cracks will appear due to subsidence. A much better solution would be to "layer" your foundation in order of aggregate size.
Lay a layer (or two) of large stones,followed by a layer (or two) of medium stones, DON'T FORGET TO TAMP THEM DOWN!!!!,
followed with a layer of sharp sand,tamp down again,then gravel(tamp),then patio.


What substance absorbs the most moisture in a given time?

Calcium Chloride.

They sell it as driveway ice-melt by the 5 or 10 pound bag so it is cheap. It is even used in pickling to make vegetables crisp.

It makes a great desiccant.


Why does cold water leak when hot water is turned on in bathroom sink?

The cold water cartridge could have a weird worn down spot on it that is causing the leak. I'd try the replacement like you were thinking to see if it resolves the issue.


Copper water line connection to fridge has a very tiny leak. How can I fix it?

Your question doesn't mention where you're located, but I'll speculate USA and from that infer that you're working with 1/4" tubing and a compression fitting -- this is the most common arrangement for refrigerator water supply in the US.

Here is a photo to give names to the parts you're probably working with. I didn't have any copper tube on hand; the blue tube is polyethylene plastic instead. It's shown with a white plastic (Delrin/acetal) ferrule and a brass insert. Your copper tube should have a brass ferrule like the one shown loose in the photo. The brass insert is used only with plastic tubing.

The compression fitting is designed to seal dry, ie without the white Teflon tape or pipe joint compound. It can leak if there's debris in the joint, if it's not assembled square, if a part (usually the ferrule) is nicked, or if it's overtightened.

If a leaky compression fitting can't be resolved by cleaning the mating faces and carefully re-assembling, usually the next step is to cut off that last inch or so of the tube, slide a new ferrule onto the tube, and assemble again. Plastic tube can be cut with a knife but your copper tube should be cut with a proper tubing cutter.

Some say that wiping a bit of pipe joint compound on the ferrule can help seal a small leak. Maybe it can; I haven't tried it -- it seems a bit of a hack and I've always preferred to trim the tube and install a new ferrule instead.