Can an RV exceed the "50% fixed load" rule?

IMO no. What is plugged in is the load, ie: the RV. The RV itself falls under a different set of codes, and IMO is not in and of itself a fixed load.

To be honest I have no idea how load calculations are done for the internal wiring of an RV. Interesting question though.


What should I do about streaks in my finish?

You shouldn't need to strip unless you scratched through to wood.

The problem with polyurethanes is that they are hard films that don't blend with the previous coat.  Other finishes will 'melt into" the previous one (lacquer, shellac, tung oil)

Your sanding, @220, was too aggressive.  Intercoat sands should be at 320 - 400.

You will have to sand back to a common level that eliminates the scratches and lines.  If you leave part of one coat and part of another coat, there will be a "witness line" .  You can wipe down the area after sanding with a soft-mineral spirits cloth and look for the lines.

Be sure you are allowing enough time between coats with the poly.


Wiring Smart Switch to Always Be On and Power Switch

Yes you can.

Move the load connected to the red wire of the switch to the same wirenut as the black from the switch.  Cap the red on the switch unused.

With that change the load is always on, Scene A can be used however you wish progmatically.


How can I keep screws secure over time in a loft bed kit?

I would use something a little less rigid since you probably want to be able to snug the screws down the road. Wood tends to shrink and deform, and if you lock the screws you won't be able to do followup snugging.
I'd use a low-strength threadlocker compound. This should allow snugging without needing to remove screws and reapply.


MWF GE smartfilter refrigerator water filter needs to be replaced monthly? (instead of 6 months)

Clearly, something is plugging up your filter, as replacing the filter (temporarily) fixes the problem. And, just as clearly, it isn't something unusual about the specific filter.

Almost certainly, the problem is with your water: something in it is plugging up the filter. The obvious culprit would be fine particulates that gum up the pores in the filter far faster than expected.

If you disassemble a failed filter you'll probably find the filter media clogged with a fine, probably brown material. Another test would be to fill a glass of water and let it sit overnight; if there's sediment on the bottom in the morning then bingo: you have particulates in your water.

What do you do? Well, you could buy an external water filter system, e.g. something meant to be mounted under a sink, and have it filter everything going into the fridge. That way you can have a much higher-capacity filter, your in-fridge filter will last much longer, and (as it won't be proprietary) the system as a whole should be much cheaper.


USA outlet states not grounded from surge protector for all outlets in only 1 room in my house

Re-reading your post, the ground wire should be connected to the grounding screw on the outlet, not the plastic box. Plastic junction boxes don't need to be grounded (they're not metal, after all). The lack of a ground connection on the outlet itself is why the surge protector is showing an ungrounded connection, and the 3-light circuit tester would show an open ground as well.


Disconnect the bi-level sensor and see if the fixture behaves normally.

Disconnect any other controls and wire the fixture direct to supply to verify that it works properly without occupancy controls.

Troubleshooting is a process of elimination.

Good luck!


Why is there whitish gunk in my fridge water even after changing the filter

Found this on Appliance 411:

I have heard a number of complaints recently that the chemicals (specifically chloramine - a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) used in some water treatment facilities are causing the material the molded plastic refrigerator water reservoirs are made from to break down resulting in white or whitish particles appearing as flakes, flecks or specs in the dispensed chilled water. In that case the water filter is not usually the cause, instead replacing of the chilled water reservoir itself may be necessary.
Most manufacturers originally used a molded plastic water reservoir which is what seems to be effected and breaking down. Many fridge manufacturers are now selling a coil of plastic tubing (like that used in the rest of the refrigerator's water system) in place of a molded plastic reservoir.


Can I pump down the refrigerant from an air conditioner myself?

Unless you are an abnormally equipped layman, no. Even then, there may be a legal requirement (depending where you are) for this to be done by a licensed A/C service person, as regulations around refrigerants have become much more stringent over the years, trying to limit uncontrolled releases to atmosphere.


Metal basement window frame casement rotted out

I think I'd get some thin (1/4" or 3/8") vinyl plank and some white soffit nails and cover it as-is. Fill the outer section out flush with the inner stop using treated lumber and wrap it all. Caulk the joints blind as you assemble the parts.

Here's a plan view section of the right side:

___________________ ___
   vinyl window    |   |
___________________|   |
                *|_    |< -- old steel window frame
                *|x|   |
                *|x|   |
                *|_|___|*
                *********
                  ^--------- filler block (x)
                ^ ---------- vinyl plank wrap (*)


It could be a number of different things.  Could be the electronics, could be the gas valve getting stuck open, could be loose/open wire.  You will need to get the manual for the unit and look at it's trouble shooting guide.  If it is not covered in there, time to break out the multi-meter to trace what is going on.  Having a wiring schematic will help with this (should be one in the bay under the unit or in the service manual).


What I like to do is to buy a power-strip in the foreign country, then cut of its cord and replace it with a sturdy US-purchased plug.  That way you don't have to modify your house or your appliances, but also don't have to use those cheap travel adapters.

If you do still want to modify your house it probably will not be as easy as when you upgrade an outlet to have USB ports because the junction box is not the same size and doesn't have the right screw holes (at least the ones that I saw in Thailand and Myanmar were not the same, although there seemed to be a wide variety so maybe you could find one), but there are electrical outlets designed for exactly what you are trying to do and sold in the USA!  They are often installed in places like airports, and sometimes have the words "120v 60Hz" printed right on them.  One example is the Leviton 5825-W, which can't accept as many varieties as you mentioned, but at airports in the US I've seen outlets that accept Australian and even UK plugs.  I don't know the make or model number of those, but I guarantee the people building the US airports didn't buy them at a hardware store in Thailand :), so figuring out what brand those are would be better both because they match the junction box size and because they will comply with the US wiring codes (important both if you ever sell your house and if there is ever a fire at your house and the police or insurance company are investigating the cause).

(I realize that I'm responding to a question that is years old, but this page still comes up high on Google results, so hopefully this will be helpful to someone!)


Does "inverter generator" mean it is a "pure sine wave" generator?

Most inverter generators are a "good enough" sine wave.
I think you're missing the point of inverter generators. The root problem is that regular gas generators cannot produce a "clean" sine wave because they change speeds slightly during operation. When the speed changes, the wave changes slightly. This isn't a problem for regular electrical devices like incandescent lights, power tools, "basic" refrigerators, etc. They merely need the flow, not so much the sine wave.
Anything in the "consumer electronics" category, however, is not so lucky. Most of these devices rely on the sine wave for timing, and normal generators won't cut it here. I remember trying to watch TV on a conventional generator after a hurricane a couple of decades ago. The sound was fine, but the tube TV couldn't fill the whole screen. The TV ran fine once power was restored.
Inverters fix the issue by inverting DC to AC. As the output is consistent, consumer electronics will run relatively well on them. That's the main reason you buy these types of generators. If consumer electronics won't run on them, they're overpriced regular generators.
"Pure Sine Wave" seems to be a marketing term
Having looked at several inverter generators, "pure" and "clean" are only sparsely used. This Champion generator says

Clean Power for Sensitive Electronics. Includes two 120V 20A household outlets with clean electricity (less than 3% THD)

This pricey Briggs and Stratton generator doesn't mention sine waves, clean or THD. It merely says

The inverter generator technology supplies consistent power for essential home appliances, including sensitive electronics.

And finally, your Ryobi RYi2300BTA with it's "pure sine wave"

THD   < 5%

The real spec to pay attention to is Total Harmonic Distortion
Total Harmonic Distortion is a heavy concept, but it is a real metric

Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) is the stated measurement related to the quality of electricity.The amount of THD will influence how your equipment may respond or perform.
When power quality is discussed, you will hear terms like “clean electricity” and sine wave power. What these refer to is the lower harmonic distortion of the electrical AC wave and the ability to take  square wave generated electrical power and smooth the edges to produce a phase that is smoother and less square.
“Clean electricity” is considered good with  a THD of less than 6% and often stated or promoted at 5% or less.

Sadly, most marketing ignores this metric. They all likely refer to a THD of less than 5%.


There is often debris from manufacturing, sometimes dislodged during shipping.

The first thing to try is to unscrew the aerator and clean it. If it still has problems with the aerator but works fine without it then the problem is the aerator.

If it doesn't work well even without the aerator installed then something is wrong in the cartridge or other innards of the faucet. Faucets typically come with a parts diagram for replacement parts, but if it comes to taking it all apart then I would just take it back to the store, particularly if you got it from one of the big box stores that has easy returns/replacements.

But my bet is the aerator.


How do I keep nails from pulling up on my hardwood floors?

If I understand correctly, you have small-head nails driven through the flooring planks vertically and flush with the surface. They're working upward from the up-down flex of the boards as you walk.

I would acquire a nail set the correct size for your nails and drive them slightly below the surface of the flooring. This will serve to lock the nails into the finished floor, and any movement will occur in the subfloor instead. You could then use a colored nail hole putty to hide them.

Another solution would be to pull the nails with a needle-nose plier or other similar tool and replace them with slightly longer, larger, or ring-shank nails to give them a stronger grab.


Replacing rotted out window sill in basement block wall

Think about replacing the sill and the casing with some of the PVC or composition boards that are available in the home stores. Any wood you put down there will be rotten again in 5 years.


Does this tub repair method sound legit?

I know nothing about this concrete thing, but I don't see how that would be an improvement over just cutting away the bulge and then dropping in the insert... and if you're concerned about what's supporting the tub, I'd suggest the right answer is to pull the whole thing, examine/reconstruct that appropriately, and put a new tub in.

STRONG recommendation to get a second/third opinion and estimate.

This is almost certainly not covered by insurance -- ordinary repair is the owner's responsibility -- unless you have a "home warranty" policy in effect from when you bought the place.


Should we use regular plywood or Lauan over fir strip sub-floor before laying vinyl?

Well technically it is plywood, it's just not very good plywood. Having said that I've seen flooring guys use a product that looked very much like luan that was no more than an 1/8 of an inch thick to get the level they needed. This was in a hospital remodel so it was definitely up to code and it went under a commercial grade thermo-sealed floor so it should be good for just about any application unless your subfloor is really atrocious. Ask around at a dedicated flooring supply store and they should be able to point you in the right direction.


How to make outbuilding remains look aesthetically pleasing

Why not make it a bit of a patio? Put a wooden latticework screen in front of the remaining walls, a wooden deck over the concrete floor (unless the floor can be cleaned up sufficiently), and a pergola over the top.

You could have vines climb the lattice and over the top, based in containers if the ground is not accessible.

Add a grill, a few chairs and you have a sylvan retreat.


Condenser fan and compressor don't start, electrical looks good though?

My advice would be that you should have called an HVAC company first since this is what they are "schooled" in. I have to ask,  why did you replace the fan and compressor capacitors? Were they bad or were you just guessing on a repair effort. When you say 240 is going to it, what do you mean? Where are you measuring the 240 volts. Is it at the incoming power supply or at the starter/contactor going to the compressor? Is the contactor energizing? Do you have 24 volts at the coil of the contactor? Is the fan running in the indoor air handler? The problem could be a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse (now showing my age),at the 24 volt power source. Please call someone familiar with A/C service before you do something you can"t fix. These units can hurt you. Hope this helps.


Dishwasher pump is crackling [video]; is it obstructed or does it need to be replaced?

I dismantled the "drain pump assembly" part making the noise and the solenoid and paddle flaps looked fine.  However when manually turning the flaps I could occasionally reproduce the slappy / crackling noise.

Upon further inspection, it was apparent that the seal the axel for the agitator had a small leak.  I ordered a new piece and sure enough, the sound is gone!


Is there a maximum allowed time for a house to be built?

In the U.S., each state “adopts” a Code. The Code requires a Building Permit” for construction. If you look in the “definitions section”, you’ll see that a “Permit” is for a “specific activity.”

I’d check the original Permit Application and see what was included (and not included). In the U.S. there is a “disclosure law” that requires the seller to disclose POTENTIAL problems that could affect the value of the property being sold. If it wasn’t disclosed that the construction (“specific activity”) wasn’t completed, they are liable for the repairs.

I’ve testified that the seller “should have known about dryrot, settling foundation, etc.”  If your house is not habitable, you have a great case.


I want to run plumbing in the wall. there is some framing in the way. Can I cut it out?

If the parallel 2x4 is just there as a nailing edge, then yes, you can notch it safely without concern.


Can I wire light sockets with 12 gauge wire

As an electrician I always like to see fixtures with a UL Listing, but the wire size on your socket is used since it assumes a certain maximum wattage (amperage) lamp and therefore is allowed by the manufacturer. You can connect it up to a #12 wire on a 20A circuit since that is greater than the intended load of the lamp.

If you're interested that's covered in Article 402 in the NEC.


You don't have to have a ladder for a second story window.  However I would buy one and keep it in a well known place.  They are literally $30 for a drop ladder.  I won't recommend any because I have never had to use one and don't want to recommend anything that is poor.

First any municipality will make you have formal stairs getting to the second level.

Second you need to understand these numbers (US) - you need a window that meets them:

no more than 44" above floor (bottom of the window)
20" wide
24" high
and 5.7 total square feet

Couple of notes here.

I have had inspectors check that the window is able to open and close.  So if you are thinking about buying a solid framed window, I would ask your inspector first.  I have never installed this on a second story of a home so I can't say I missed an inspection, but I have seen an inspector open a few windows to make sure they were in working order.
I have messed up the 5.7 total square feet.  I had a framed window of 24" high by 24" wide, so you would say - "meets code".  No, it wasn't because it didn't meet the 5.7 requirement.  Luckily inspector noticed this during rough-in (I had already bought window but still).  This is one of those mistakes you only make one time.


Why does my toilet plumbing make a low fog horn noise when I flush

There's a valve.  It's called a "fill valve".  It has a float, and its job is to add water to the tank until the bowl reaches the designated fill level.

It sounds like your sound is happening at exactly the same time the fill valve operates at full speed.

Fill valves are $10.


I just replaced a light switch, how can I make sure it's safe?

If there is no ground wire (bare or green) coming into the box, grounding to a metal box is the next best thing. But it should be done by putting a grounding screw into one of the small threaded holes in the metal box, or using a grounding clip. The grounding wire from the switch is then put under the screw or into the clip.

This will ground the switch if there is a well connected metal sheathing on the cable coming into the box, or if there is some other connection of a grounding wire to the box.

If there is none, you have an ungrounded switch. Assuming it functions, this poses no more risk than we routinely put up with when switches were all ungrounded a few years (decades?) ago.

If the switch was fully ON and you tested across the hot and the switched hot, it should read as a short (or close to it). If it were open or dimmed, it should show more resistance than 0, but how much depends on the position and circuitry.


Is it okay to mount this switch with a metal box?

Extension cord cabling is not designed for permanent installations (someone will quote you the NEC reference, I'm sure).
Is the receptacle properly grounded?
If you attach the ground to the metal box or to the switch's ground connector (which is connected to the mounting yoke, which should make metal-to-metal contact with the box) the box itself will also be grounded and you shouldn't have a problem.


How can I improve recovery time of my hot water baseboard system?

You could investigate adding additional baseboard heating units in each room either longer if there is room or double stacked units.  You could adjust the boiler water temp to 190/200 to increase the heat output of the existing baseboard units. If this were my problem and I didn't know what to do I would call a professional and ask for recommendations. Knowing what to recommend from a statement made or question asked is difficult since no one can see the house, the floor plan, or the actual installed equipment. There may be a lot that can be done to help but actually being at your residence would allow for the best outcome. If you could, post pictures of your location, situation and the installed equipment for better suggestions


That is Efflorescence.  Harmless, just looks bad.

It's not a spill, just minerals from the concrete crystallizing on the surface of the concrete.  This is very normal and when it is humid, not much can be done about it.  Just wash it off when you notice it.


Most likely, if you are certain it is NOT from moisture it can be the simple fact that it is some inexpensive painters caulk that was never painted.

In a commercial settings ie. eateries, we use clear silicone.

You could simply try painting it.


How to connect router to patch panel in new home

I suspect this question belongs in a different Stackexchange, but then again maybe not :) - Welcome to Stack Exchange.

Firstly, and this is just a guess because each manufacturer does their own thing, the wiring in the 568A punchdown block looks like it may be wrong (swapped).  You should, if a new build, call the contractor and ask them to confirm the wiring order to the specific patch panel they used.

Assuming your yellow cable is good, and this cable is connected to a room with an actual device plugged in, AND the yellow cable is plugged into a LANport on the router, you should be all set.

Check your cable, make sure it is a good cable.
Check the end point, try a different room and jack. Ensure the wires trace out right.
Call contractor or rewire the patch panel and RJ45 jacks as needed, if needed.

Here is the link to the product install guide for the punchdown block. It looks wired right. Are the wired tight? (Use a flashlight, look close, see if the sheathing of the wire has a blade cut through on it to ensure good electrical connectivity):
https://icc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/MSR-0411RevJ_DataModuleCAT5eCAT6_Installation_Instructions.pdf

Here is the wall jack end Datacomm product:
https://datacommelectronics.com/products/keystone-inserts/category-5e-jacks/


Particle board desk top reinforcement - do i need it? how to do it?

I would make a frame underneath about 2” in from each edge screwed and glued. 2*1 would be good and that will give some support to the legs, possibly some bracing for the legs - a horizontal bar that could also be a footrest across the back or diagonal bracing like an X.

Edit: the desk I am at has a frame of 20mm * 65mm and the same 38mm thickness top that you mention but it is not particle board (particle board is weaker than some glued timber block table tops) so take note of Isherwood's comment about 2*3"...


I would say remove the triangle braces, an oscillating saw would work well (this is the one i own) or break them out with Channel lock (adjustable) pliers. I suppose you could drill a hole through them as well so you can get a screwdriver on them.
You can glue them back in after the new sink is in.
For the middle one you may be able to get a screwdriver in behind it and manipulate it out enough to get another screwdriver on it. Or cut away a notch to access the head.


Powering LED strip lights at two different brightness

Be warned that your understanding of this tech is limited and you'll need to skill up more to pull off a successful project.
The power section
OK, the way I'd do that is by having an always-on 12V (or 24V, better for the voltage drop) power supply in the basement.
I will remain silent on the question of that having a battery back-up, but, if you do have a battery back-up, that favors 12V since TVs, Internet modems and routers are readily available for 12V, not so much for 24V. 12V USB chargers are sold in more places than eggs.
The next step out of the 24V supply will be a timer with PWM dimmer, set to do that "sundown-midnight" thing that you want.
So now we have 2 power sources: Negative always-24V, and "negative sometimes" PWM 24V. LED systems use positive common.
I'd watch voltage drop like a hawk. If I found it advantageous to carry it some distance to remote distribution hubs, I'd use fat aluminum feeder for that, because it's cheap, using MAC Block Connectors for the Al-Cu splices.
The switching section
I would use 3-wire cable (e.g. 12/3*) to carry both of those, with positive common, in 3-wire cable to the switch for each LED segment.   I would use these colors:

Black = always-negative
White with black marking = sometimes-negative PWM
Red = positive common

The switch is a 3-way switch.  The "negative sometimes PWM" goes to one traveler screw, "negative always" goes to the other.  The "3-way common" goes onward to the LED negative.  Positive common passes through to the LED without going to the switch.
The 3-way switch either connects the LED power to "sometime PWM" or "always".
Now if you actually want "3-way" i.e. multiple switches controlling the light, that is simplicity itself: the first control position (the one power comes into) gets a "4-way" switch instead of the normal 3-way.
Complying with Code
You need to comply with Code's low-voltage wiring rules. The safest way to do that is use wiring methods legal for 120V.  90% of Code is about physical execution of work - correct wiring methods, correct terminations, etc.  You are not allowed to rinky-dink this thing together in a barf of wires all over the place, like a typical workbench electronics project.  You need to comply with NEC 110.12, "neat and workmanlike".
Power supplies and controllers will need to be physically installed correctly and may need to be UL approved.  You may get in trouble with the AHJ for using non-approved luminaires, NEC 110.2.
The #1 area of concern is complying with the building codes regarding required lighting in any given room.  There must be a light switch in the normal/expected location(s). The light switch must operate a light (a switched 120V receptacle is an acceptable substitute).  You will need to satisfy the AHJ that this is good enough.
There's another reason to use 120V rated cables and wiring methods: Resale value. Later when you are selling this house, you don't want the home inspector going "WTH" and warning the buyer that the lighting circuits are bizarre and unsupportable.  Also, if this experiment fails, absolutely no one will be surprised.  If you make it easy to "fall back" to 120V arrangements and wiring methods, these problems become trivial, and you can proceed with confidence that you always have a plan-B.
The additional cost of wire and proper boxes is trivial compared to the advantage of avoiding difficulties with the mortgage lender and future home buyer.

* Romex for easy fallback to AC mains if stuff doesn't work.  #12 not #14 for voltage drop...
...and because everywhere Code requires a 15A circuit, it accepts a 20A circuit. At the scale I do wiring, the cost diff per foot in #14 vs #12 is not large enough to justify tying up capital in a completely redundant set of wire reels, as well as having to drag those around.


I do not see a ground wire although that is possible, a ground is normally a bare copper in residential wiring and it would be attached to a green screw that is normally part of the metal mounting yoke.
I believe I see a black with some white paint crossing from one switch to the other this should be a hot.
Since you have a red wire I would follow that back to the cable it enters the box in if there is a black wire in that cable it probably also goes to the fan I regularly wire rooms like that so a fan light combo can have 2 switches letting us know more about the wiring will provide better answers.
Ground to 2 switches totally normal green or bare copper is normal.
A white coming to the switch that has power all the time this is called a switch leg the white is getting the power from the ceiling fixture and it is hot.
If you have a white hot all the time then the red and black should go back to the same fixture and they control the light or fan.
White is normally neutral but in a switch leg it is always hot required by code.


For an old installation, there are some "shortcuts" grandfathered in, but even those are based on "no ground but have a neutral". You have the opposite - and much worse - problem of "no neutral but have a ground".

Rip out the 8/2 and put 8/3 in place. That will give you two hots (typically black & red), neutral (white) and ground (bare or green).
Replace the 3-prong outlet with a 4-prong outlet NEMA 14-50. This has connections for 2 hots, neutral, ground.
Replace the 3-prong cord with a 4-prong cord. You will likely have to make a small change inside the range to separate ground and neutral.

What you have right now is unsafe on many levels. It happens to work because on a typical range the neutral carries relatively little current most of the time. But it violates code in several ways:

White should not be hot.
Ground and neutral should be separate.
Neutral should be white or gray, and definitely never bare.
New installations should always use a 4-prong outlet.


Size and kind of wire required to go from main panel to garage 400 ft away

Here is a link to a voltage drop calculator. It came up with 1 conductors per phase utilizing a #1 Copper conductor will limit the voltage drop to 2.97% or less when supplying 60.0 amps for 400 feet on a 240 volt system.
The type depends on how you are going to install it. UF (underground feeder) type wire for direct burial, or if in conduit THWN. Also the minimum burial depth is 18" per NEC table 300.5.


What could cause condensation on a ceiling after painting with a roof sealer?

According to the Technical Data Sheet for Lanco Urethanizer (direct link to PDF), or at least from the way I'm reading it, "Lanco Urethanizer" is meant for external applications where you need to make a surface waterproof.

Therefore if those tenants have used it internally to paint walls & ceilings, they have sealed those services ie Made them waterproof.

If I have the above correct, I believe that would explain why you're seeing condensation on the ceiling (and probably on the walls, especially higher up the walls) ie Moisture in the room can't penetrate the waterproof surfaces, instead it just sits on the surface as condensation.


Is it worth insulating the roof of a detatched, unfinished garage, but not the walls?

It would be a huge waste of time and money to insulate only the roof area.   Insulating overhead would only make any (small) sort of noticeable difference if the roof were black and you had a yard configuration where the garage roof was fully exposed but the surrounding area was shaded.
If this thing is sitting out by itself in the open then there is no gain for sure.
Now I see two options:

Raise that garage up - this may not be as hard as you think.  I just did this for a 10x16' barn.

Insulate from the outside.   You can attach rigid insulation + covering on the outside that could dramatically help.   This is what we are doing with a lot of older HOMES in my area that did not get properly insulated.   On some of them we are adding a good 3-4" to each side.   If you can do this than doing the roof/ceiling is appropriate.


The tile broke because it was not supported, that is the hard part for you to fix. Remove the broken piece, and see if there is simply a gap underneath, or if there is no pad/foundation at all to build on. If there is nothing but dirt or air underneath, then you need mortar and and enough of a base that it ties into the existing pad and is also below the frost line. This will be hard to do properly without removing additional tiles. If there is just a gap and there is something directly below to support it, and if the gap is small enough, I would use a two part epoxy to repair. I know some brands in the dual tube packages say they work for masonry on the label, and I have used them in the past for similar repairs. Epoxy is stable, resilient, and thin enough that you wont hardly notice the crack. If you get freezing winters in your area make sure there is no place for water to get in and freeze or it will only break again.


How should I go about replacing a cracked sanitary tee in a sink drain?

You've got it! Make sure that you

use matching black ABS pipe, not white PVC
get glue appropriate for ABS, not PVC
make sure you clean off the drain pipe so the glue will adhere properly
since you've got a fair bit of room to work, cut your straight pipes far enough back that you can easily work with them

do not try cut right at the edge of the T, your life will be miserable.
I'd suggest cutting the drain just enough up from the sole plate that you can slip the coupler on with a bit of room to spare.
Cut the horizontal about mid-way between the studs
Cut the vent high enough that you've got room to work, but not too close to the extra stud - it might interfere with getting the coupling on.

You might need to use a flexible coupling to get the T reinstalled since you've got to get all 3 in at the same time. OTOH, there may be enough flexibility in the vent stack that you can wiggle it together without one - you may have to play with it as you're dry fitting everything to find out.


Lawn irrigation system with shallow well supplied water is slow to start spraying at sprinklers

The type of system you have makes a difference. In my area jet pumps are quite common and they do deprime from time to time when the foot gets stuck open. They also can have issues with the jet assembly or the pump. How do you know if you have a jet? There will be 2 pipes going down the well with the motor at ground level or in a pump house.
A submersible pump usually doesn't deprime because the pump is below the water level but many times they do have a check valve up top.
A self priming shallow well pump is another type but these sometime do need water in the pump if the water level is low and they usually do have a foot valve. As these pumps age and do not produce enough vacuum or if the water level falls below its lift value they quit working.
I would be pulling the lines down the well shaft as jets are usually 50’ or less in my area and single pipe shallow well are around 20’ so both are usually easy to pull up and check the foot & or jet. If those are good the pump could be worn out.


Can I increase the length of LED RGB 5050 tape?

I'm not familiar what that product specifically, but the "amplifier" in this type of lighting setup generally only reads the input from the previous upstream light strip and provides power from its power source. Therefore, the amplifier draws no current from the upstream lights.

Instead of 2 power supplies, you could use one power supply larger enough to satisfy all of your power needs.

To answer your questions specifically:

Yes.
No. Power supplies are rated for the current that they CAN deliver. Using a power supply larger than needed is fine.
Again, not knowing these devices specifically, I am going to guess no based on my experience with other, similar products.
Generally no, provided you do not draw more power than the supply is rated for.


8' long on one leg, 10' long on the other, both 6' tall, resting "on top of the gravel", not anchored into the ground?  The walls will act like giant sails in the wind with the ends leaning over or flapping in the breeze until a strong enough wind breaks the fence.  You should dig the holes and sink 4x4's as you would regular fence posts, cementing them in for support.


As Tyson suggested, you should start by removing the screw cover

Use a small screw driver to pop off the screw cover (with the Moen
logo).
Next unscrew the reviled screw and attempt to pull off the handle.
If the handle doesn't come off, go to the hardware store and
    purchase a "Faucet Handle/Compression Sleeve Puller"

You should now be able to remove your flange


Can I share the dishwasher or other appliance lines from adjacent room lines?

The most relevant NEC section is:

  210.23(A)(2) (2)Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total rating of utilization equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, shall not exceed 50 percent of the branch-circuit ampere rating where lighting units, cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment not fastened in place, or both, are also supplied.

Roof icer plus dishwasher sounds like a bad combination.  Putting all your fixed items together (e.g. furnace) is reasonable.


Screw stuck on backflow test cock - thoughts before replacing?

You need a right angled screw driver with a long handle for applying maximum force to the valve.
Here's a DIY version: attach a locking pliers (vise grip) to the handle of a screw driver. You should now be able to press the slot-head forcefully into the valve slot while wrenching it counterclockwise (loose).
If you can shut the water off before the back flow valve you could than remove the test port and work on it more comfortably (in a vice).


A-frame swing set max length of 4x4 beams

There are two primary points of wood failure in this design: the beam span and post lift. Since the posts are primarily in either tension or compression, they're unlikely to be a failure concern.

However, as they get longer, past say 12', they'll start to impose more diagonal stress on the brackets you've shown than they're intended to tolerate. That's my primary concern. If they fail laterally by weld tears, you're now relying on whatever penetration into the ground you've implemented to hold the thing up.

If you go more than 12 feet above the ground I'd look for a more robust design.


For a completely pesticide-free way to get rid of dandelions, you'll need one of these.

A bit more work, but if you have as many of them as I do, you'll be able to skip the aerator when you're done.


Should I replace old blow in attic insulation with new roll out insulation?

Replacing doesn't make fiscal sense.  Nothing wrong with the old insulation unless it's been disturbed and compressed.  Just add NON-faced batt insulation on top of the existing.

Or you could blow in more insulation - but then you'll find out what dust is really like.


Is it possible to move a vent from the floor to the wall without ducts?

A vent isn't hard to extend.  Any decent contractor could extend your current vent to closet wall.  I am assuming this is the outside of the closet too - you don't ever put a vent in the inside of a closet and not even sure that is code.  Anyway you need to part ways with this contractor if you can. If he even thinks about telling you something that dumb then who knows what he is doing when you aren't watching.


What type of brush to use with polyurethane?

Back in the day, it was natural bristle for oil finishes, nylon bristle for water based. Polyester bristle came along touting good for any paint, oil or water based.

Just as a mention, the foam brushes do a very nice job of laying on a finish, but I would only use them for small jobs, the core wears through the foam under long time use. I do not use them by choice, but I have used them here and there over the years and they are my second choice.

In my experience nylon is crap for oil based paints. A good grade, mid priced brush is what I use on water based paints when finish is important. Here I will not hesitate to used a mid priced polyester brush too.

I use a mid priced natural bristle or polyester brush for my finer work, and the results I have seen under close scrutiny with a bright light looks smooth and free of brush marks.


Using Power Curtailment Terminals on a Carrier Heat Pump to Shed Heatpump

I'm with Billy, I see no problem.  Here are my concerns: You are not really needing to break R from Y2. You are breaking Y2 from Y2.  The red will stay where it is to power all other features.  And why is the heat pump second stage? Unless the reversing valve is stage one.  And what is the back-up heat? If it is electric resistance, that will require a whole lot more power then the heat pump.  That would be where you would want to shed load.  With 22-KW of generator, what is the tonage of the heat pump.  22-KW can start a lot of heat pump.


If my home connected single phase 50 kw loads what will be the loads if I want to change the connection to a three phase?

Where is ThreePhaseEel when you need him?

I have to wonder what country this is that someone wants to change a 48KW load in their home from  200/220v single phase to 400/440 three phase.  Something's fishy...

I presume you mean to ask:  “What is the current for each leg of a 400/440v delta three phase supplying a 48KW load versus single phase at 200/220v?”

First the single phase:

48KW at 200/220v single phase (all values RMS):

P = V x I (electrical formula for power);

I = P / V (substitution);

I = 48000w / 220v (substitution);

I = 218 amps.

In the case of 200v:  I = 240 amps.
For a single phase 48KW load @ 200/220v,  the current is 240 / 218 amps , respectively.

For three phase:

In the simplified balanced load case, the current at each leg of the three phase supply is equal to the single phase calculation at that supply voltage divided by sqrt(3).  For a three phase 48KW load @400/440v, the current is 69.3 / 63.0 amps, respectively

Since Tester101 wants someone to prove it:

The problem can be simplified if the three phase load is analyzed as a wye instead of a delta.  In the case of a wye, the power calculation becomes simple addition and does not require vector math to solve.  For a wye, the total power is the sum of the three loads:

Ptot = P1y + P2y + P3y

I will call power at each leg p’, such that with a balanced load:

p’ = P1y = P2y = P3y= (1/3)Ptot

Using vector geometry, one can mathematically prove that the voltage across the wye connections to neutral (Vy) is equal to the voltage across the delta connections (Vd) divided by 1.732.  (Vy = Vd / 1.732) I will spare you that proof.

Using the equation for electrical power (P = V x I) and substitution:

p’ = (1/3)Ptot = Vy x I = (Vd / 1.732) x I,  where “I” is the current at each supply lead.

Invoking algebra:

I = (1/3) [Ptot]  /  [(Vd/1.732)];     (this simplifies to I = (Ptot / Vd) / 1.732 )

Plugging in the numbers:

I = (1/3)(48000W) / (400v/1.732) = 69.3 amps

I = (1/3)(48000W) / (440v/1.732) = 63.0 amps


Why is shower water temperature not adjustable?

Thermostatic controllers typically become calcified over time. This can result in the temperature not setting properly when you adjust it or even vibration and/or knocking in the valve. Sometimes just turning the knob rapidly several times from stop to stop will loosen things up. The manufacturer also provides videos on cleaning the valve which you should try if you haven't done it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTmyay1LAyY
If none of this works you'll probably have to replace the cartridge which is a fairly simple procedure if you're handy at all.


Closet system to be installed - boards in the way

Those 2x4's are almost certainly the remnants of a previous shelf support and are certainly not structural elements.
You can safely remove them.


How should I connect a new smart switch to my wiring?

I'm guessing here, so you'll need to investigate and verify.

The black that loops over the screw is your constant hot, and it travels on to supply the other switch or some other part of the circuit. The red is the switched hot to the light. The whites are neutrals, one of which comes back from the light. Bare copper is ground.


How should I increase pressure in a Glow Worm Micron 50FF?

The red knob might be for setting a pressure relief valve rather than for a filling loop valve.

I have the same boiler on a pressurised loop, it is pressurised as needed by opening an adjacent quarter-turn ball-valve (an "appliance valve", with a short blue lever) permanently plumbed to cold mains supply.

Your setup may differ, I'd try to find how mains supply is connected, it may need you to connect a temporary hose somewhere.


insulating an exterior rowhouse wall with windows

Not knowing the age of the home, most row homes have the windows set directly to the brick. You can add framing to carry the new/salvaged trim around the windows. After the insulation is set a "jamb extension' is added to the interior edge of the window to increase the depth of the window on the interior side. Add a picture of what you have and I or others can elaborate more.


According to the manufacturer, drywall is not a suitable substrate for RedGard®.

  Source


Can you re-wire an EU house with UK sockets?

There's no reason why not so long as you install everything to the local regulations and ensure proper fusing, etc. Ring Mains are a uniquely British circuit so you'd be looking at radial circuits so you would need to check the fusing (circuit breakers) are an appropriate rating for your sockets. Also bear in mind that if you have no local sockets, buying a new appliance with a Bulgarian plug on it is going to be frustrating.

You can fit whatever sockets you like to an installation so long as you do so safely in accordance with the local electrical regulations. That doesn't mean you can just replace all the sockets without checking how they are connected and protected. If you're not competent to follow the appropriate regulations, hire an electrician to do it.

Done properly with decent quality sockets (e.g. MK) this is going to be a lot safer than using those shonky travel adaptors etc.


pressure loss going from 1" supply to 3/4" supply to home, 120 feet length

As you now realize, going from 1" steel pipe to 3/4" PEX is a big step down.  1" steel pipe has an actual ID of 1.05" and 3/4" PEX has an actual ID of 0.68".  At a flow of 8 gallons per minute, the pressure loss for 1" steel is 1.9 PSI/100' and the pressure loss for 3/4" PEX at that flow is 12.3 PSI/100'.  What you did was the equivalent of stepping down approximately two sizes.

1" PEX will still give less than your previous pipe but it might be acceptable.  The pressure loss of 1" PEX at 8 GPM is 4.2 PSI/100' and the pressure loss of 1-1/4" PEX at 8 GPM is 1.6 PSI/100'.  You will have to decide what you want as far as price vs. performance.

EDIT:  You might consider if another material would be suitable, such as 1" SCH 40 PVC.  1" SCH 40 PVC has losses similar to 1" galvanized.


How to avoid cutting electrical wires when cutting into drywal

First you need to lay out the general area where you want the opening. It needs to fit between 24" centered ceiling joists.

Properly installed electric cabling is always at least 1 1/2" away from the back edge of the sheetrock (or protected by a metal shield). So, if you cut a small hole near the middle of your proposed opening with a shallow cutting tool, such as a utility knife or a multisaw, big enough to get your hand and arm through, you can reach in to make sure there are no wires draped in the area where you are working. If clear, cut a bigger hole with a drywall saw or multitool, large enough to get your head through. Insert a light and then your head and scan the area.

Now you're prepared to cut the full opening back to the joist with no surprises.


It's kind of hard to see the context here, but I'd guess the best way would be to get rid of all the pieces of planks and miscellaneous bits on the right side until you can get to the next joist on the right.

Then cut the existing plank(s) so that they overlap half of the joists on the left and then attach new planks to use the other half of the joists... The "seam" for the old, existing planks and the new, replacement planks will be centered over the joists.

Similar to this photo:

Except in the photo they're replacing the sub-floor around a toilet. Notice how the joists are half-exposed on either end of the cut out area. In your case, you'd fit the planks into the cut out area and screw them into the joists.

If you're not comfortable splitting the joists like that, you have a couple of other options:

You could glue and screw boards along the existing joists to provide
additional surface to attach the floor planks to. This is known as
"sistering" the joists. It's not too hard to do, but may be kind of
"over-kill" in this situation.
If you can remove the whole plank from wall-to-wall and replace it,
that may be preferable.


PC to TV connection goes black when furnace or stove turns on

You said as a second monitor.

This typically happens when there is no signal to drive the monitor. Your PC is losing power via a "brown out" caused by a greater current draw.
Is the TV plugged into the same outlet as the PC or a different outlet ?
Your HDMI connection -is it a cable or a HDMI transmitter , if it is a cable - How Long is the Cable ?

Measure the voltage in your PC's outlet, do the same for the TV (maybe you have a splitter - 6 way or something) make sure you measure with the components ON - that voltage should read above 108V [USA], if it is not your line voltage is low (check other outlets to be certain), the cause could be something in the home or something with the incoming power - the power company will need to boost your voltage via a tap if the latter is the case.

The reason the TV sees the problem and not the monitor - I am guessing you have a cable, the cable is probably 12 feet long, lots of resistance - lower signal level (voltage drop because of resistance). Furnace kicks on draws a heck of a lot of current (blow dryer on high might do the same), then your TV goes dark because the voltage dropped in the PC which was driving the HDMI across that cable, or your TV input for the HDMI dropped level or both, hence black flickering.

Get a 3 foot cable or an HDMI transmitter/receiver, that might tell you all you need to know - given the above explanation.

EDIT 3/7/2017

It is a voltage drop caused by the current requested by the furnace or oven. So that is the real culprit. It hi-lites the secondary issue you are facing one of your devices is unable to sustain proper regulation of power during the drop - I suspect the PC (a new PC power supply might be in order) - but it could as well be the TV, and it could also be that both have difficulty. Testing the AC line voltage level is the first thing I would do - if the voltage is 110 or lower - you might want to call an electrician or the power company and have that fixed. While 110 is acceptable - the furnace / oven kicking in drops that - and that reason alone it needs to be fixed (how is that done - the power company taps your transformer up a notch.)
In reality this dropping is bad for all of your electrical devices.
Plug an INCANDESCENT lamp into the computer outlet or tv outlet does the light dim when the furnace or oven comes on ? [don't look at the light directly -just look to where you can notice if it gets dimmer for a split second, like a quick flicker. - Make sure it is an OLD SCHOOL INCANDESCENT not an LED or Compact Fluorescent].


Bistro lights for wedding structurally sound?

This will work fine, with these caveats:

The posts will certainly be strong enough. The question is whether the soil surrounding their concrete bases will give, allowing the posts to tilt. Worst-case scenario you add guy wires down to the ground as support.
Your primary (perimeter) wires should be 1/8" steel wire rope, at least, but light enough to not add to the challenge. You'll need as much as several hundred lbs. of tension on them (with the cross wires in play) to reduce sag far enough. Synthetic winch rope could also work well, but won't be cheap.
Your cross wires will also need to be able to handle 50 lbs. tension or more. Picture wire might do, or 1/16" steel wire rope.

If you can accomplish all that I think you'll have a fantastic wedding scene. Good luck, and GOOD LUCK. ;)


That is a child’s compound bow at first I thought you were using it to point at something but it is quite clear that is what it is. We have a couple for the kids as one of my sons is a bow hunter he likes the challenge.


Adding a wire or circuit to a disconnect box

Current code would require 4 wires for the sub panel. The 40 amp circuit should have at least #8 wire. With a 40 amp breaker in the main you could feed a 60a sub panel with 4 wires and meet code, if this panel is outside you will need an outdoor panel or a NEMA 3r enclosure. Also the neutral buss needs to be isolated from ground. The ground buss still connects to the case but neutral and ground can only be tied together in the main panel.


Would a brick TV stand withstand the weight of a TV?

Bricks will easily withstand the weight of the TV. What you may need to worry about is the floor withstanding the weight of 2 feet of bricks under the TV. Since you don't mention the size of the base, it's difficult to know exactly how much weight we are talking about, but a 2 foot stack of bricks is a considerable load. Brick weighs roughly 120 lbs per cubic foot, so a stack 5 feet by 1 foot by 2 feet would weigh 1,200 lbs and exert a floor loading of 240 lbs/square foot (plus the 60 lbs for the TV divided by the area of the base - another 12 lbs/square foot if the base is 5 feet x 1 foot, so 252 lbs / sq ft.)

Residential floors are usually deigned for loadings more like 40 lbs/sq ft, so that's a pretty severe load. While it's similar to 5 large guys all standing in a line, the 5 large guys don't stand in one place all the time, nor usually quite that close to each other. If your floors are concrete slabs, this may not apply to you.

A much lighter support will easily hold up a 60 lb TV, and can be made of wood, or milk crates, or even rigid foam plastic. A 2ft high bookcase or "sofa table" would probably work fine.


You might want to hit a library and get a book on electrical wiring and round out your knowledge.  You just can't learn solely by asking questions.

Your first switch looks like a straight plain 1-way switch.  It ought to work.  Are you changing the switch because it stopped working?  If so, the problem was not the switch.

Your second switch with the 4 wires surely sounds like a 3-way or 4-way switch. (2-way/3-way in UK English).  WATCH OUT.

Recognize and exclude GROUNDs

First, you have a ground wire on most of these.  That is good for safety.  But it has the side-effect of cluttering up the works and making things seem more complicated than they are.  Grounds are simply a web of wire that goes everywhere. They are never part of any circuit (unless something goes wrong, then they save the day).

Green screws must be ground.  Ground wires are supposed to be bare, green or green/yellow stripe.

It looks like a few places, they used random scraps of wire to be ground wires, and they weren't all green or bare.  A "proper" repair is to replace it with green (or bare but that might short against exposed screws, probably why he changed it).  But given your inexperience, you'd be better off just buying a 5-pack of colored electrical tape and mark them green and call it "good enough".

All grounds connect to each other, always, in a big interconnecting web. Make sure that happens.  After that, forget about it - exclude grounds from your thinking.  We all do.  Look at any of our diagrams, no grounds ever drawn.  Now it gets simpler by one, and that's often a lot.

Changing?  Only focus on the wires ON the switches

You said "there are 5 wires, two unused" -- that is not true.  The two neutrals shoved in the back of the box are not part of the deal when changing a switch, and should be disregarded.  Don't mess with those.  Further, they are not unused, but serve a very important purpose: that book I mentioned will discuss it.

The worst mistake people make is taking apart more stuff than necessary when doing the job.  You learn next to nothing and paint yourself into a corner.  Happens all the time though, we get "I was changing a (1-way) switch, what do I do with the 10 wires coming out of this box?" /facepalm

Watch out for doubled/extra wires

Sometimes you see 2 wires on a single screw terminal, or 1 on the screw and one on the nearby backstab.   This is (mis)using the switch as a junction block also.  They mean to join both wires with each other and the switch too, by using the switch's one terminal as a splice block for 2 wires.  They should pigtail this instead.

You also see this on almost every receptacle, with 2 wires to each side, but that is allowed.

Watch out for 3-way switches.

3-way switches are completely different types of switches, and devilishly tricky. Aside from ground, they have 3 wires:

A single "common" wire with a black screw head
two "messengers" with brass screw heads. They are interchangeable, and so you don't need to distinguish them from each other.

The gotcha (part 1) is that position is useless.  Take any two 3-way switches, and the positions of the three screws (excluding ground) are always different!  So laying them side-by-side and moving one wire at a time to the same position, will not work.

That gotcha (part 2) is that color is also useless.  The third wire changes purpose and should/must use the color correct for that purpose, the remaining two are messengers, so it's a dog's breakfast.  It's normal, but maddening.  I recommend you use the yellow tape in the 5-pack to tag the two messengers.  They are interchangeable, no need to distinguish one from another.

So when changing a 3-way, note which is the common (by screw color), tag the other two, and move the common to the new switch's common, then move the messengers.

4-way switches have only messengers - four of them in two pair - two to the blacks and two to the brass.  Mark them all yellow, but you can tell which are a pair because they go into the same cable or conduit.

Normal switches only have 2 wires

For a plain mechanical switch, they only have 2 wires (besides ground) and those wires are interchangeable on the switch (they have different functions: always-hot and switched-hot).  The switch shorts the two terminals or severs them, that's how a switch works.


Need help identifying sillcock valve make / model

That faucet has a few years on it. If it is leaking inside the wall you probably should just replace the faucet. It doesn't have to be the same brand.
Shut off the water and determine the source of the leak. In snow country it could be a burst pipe due to freezing. You'll have to access it from inside the house. If the inside of the wall is unfinished great, otherwise you'll have to open the wall. It will need to dry out anyway.
If you're in cold weather country you may want to replace it with a freezeless faucet.


How do I read the usage information my electrical meter sends to my power company?

I live in Texas, and there is a public information type site that is maintained by a group called Smart Meters Texas.

Smart Meter Texas

On this site you can sign up, register your electric meter, and then see the data from it in 15 minute intervals.  The data is delayed about two days, but it's very informative.

You may search for your area or ask your public utility company if they have something similar.


I'm going to assume the extra cable, black and white, goes to a switch. If you're sure the white wire that you just put the black tape on is in the same cable as the always hot black wire, then that white wire is your neutral and will hook to the white wire of you fan. Remove the black tape from that wire right now and wrap it on the other white wire that goes to the switch. Connect the white wire that you just put the tape on to the always hot black wire. Now take the remaining black wire from the switch  and hook it to the black wire from the ceiling fan. Connect the ground wire from the fan to the bare copper wire from the cables.


Why does water and gunk back up through the overflow hole in the bathroom sink?

I would start by removing the trap, putting a bucket underneath the tailpiece (below the sink) and just running some water and seeing what happens.  Clean out the trap while you're at it and make sure there isn't a mess of hair stuck in there.  If it all comes through without a problem and doesn't back up, then I would suggest buying a snake and going through the wall pipe and seeing what you can pull out.  I've always been able to get a slow drain going with a snake.  It might take a few tries, but it can usually work out.  Make sure that you push the snake right up against the pipe opening, and then just keep cranking until something changes.

You want to be careful with chemicals because they can discolor the chrome around the sink if you're not very careful, and they can also react with the pipes in a unsafe manner.  They make some gels that are more organic in nature that can eat away at organic clogs (hair, etc) that are much safer to use.


What could go wrong if I use my claw hammer as a cross peen hammer?

Well, first off, because the hammer is utterly the wrong shape, it won't work very well - and you can substitute "at all" for "very well" without being very off the mark, especially since you are evidently new to this and don't understand it much at all.

Peening a scythe properly is a process that takes some tools and some skill. With certain tools, more skill is required - with others, the tool design helps to reduce the level of skill needed. For a novice user with limited hammer skills, a special peening tool which uses a pair of caps that run on a central stake over a small anvil to do the actual peening is a common choice (yes, they do cost money, such are tools.) That reduces the skills you need to have to hitting the cap with a hammer (hard enough but not too hard) while holding the blade flat to the anvil and moving it along as you hammer.

Hammering freehand you need the cross peen hammer to concentrate the force of the blow into a small area so it will actually move metal (that's what "peening" is.) But now you not only have to hold the blade flat on the anvil (do you have one?) but you also need to place those hammer blows accurately at the correct distance from the edge (which the fixture above does for you by design.) A claw hammer's broadly rounded, mostly flat face will not hit the precise area needed (only) and it will move very little metal as the force of the blow will be spread out over the wide face.

And you will need a scythe stone and a holder to keep it wet for getting the blade truly sharp after peening, and keeping it that way as you work. I stone about every 5 minutes (takes 20-30 seconds) while working, and peen daily if working a lot, or when I feel like the scythe has done a days worth of work over several days, or when it's had a few too many run-ins with rocks or the like and/or just seems to need it.


How can I mount speakers that don't have mount adapters?

If the speakers are reasonably small, there are small mountings used to hang mirrors and paintings, that you could screw onto the back of the speakers. Something like these:


Can I use my receptacle multi-tap on both ends of an extension cord?

It really depends what you're powering

Three cell phone chargers, you're gonna be fine.  But a table saw and a dust collector, ain't gonna happen.

The power-factor-corrected loads (i.e. Their VA not their watts) need to be added up.   They need to be within the capacity of the circuit (15A=1800VA intermittent, or 12A=1440VA continuous).   You should be fine if so.

Otherwise expect burnt and damaged splitters, and/or a breaker trip, depending on luck.


Can I replace my furnace motor's startup capacitor with one matching its specifications?

You can purchase them according to the specification.
5uF 370VAC for one, and 7.5uF 370VAC for the second.
Your repair man was there to fix something - they are working .. sounds like a suspicious charge to me. It is very unusual for a repair man to break out their capacitor checker and check UF of the Capacitors. The are +- 10%  (so 4.5UF to 5.5UF ) is fine. On the 7.5 UF ( 6.75 to 8.25 UF is acceptable ranges) a meter  that has a capacitance checker on it is what is needed to determine the capacitance - generally cheapo's do not have this function - although I have a cheapo (not really but cheaper than a fluke) I also have a fluke that measures this.
What reasoning is there that these are out of tolerance ?
This is the more relevant question
Is the unit experiencing any problems - what issues does it have .. ??
Because if they are working - what problem is there that he/she stated they were out of tolerance ?
Did he/she physically measure them and visually show you on his meter the reading?
If you are not experiencing any other problem - I would be suspect of the statement they are out of tolerance, especially if they did not show me the reading.
Typically you can buy these for $5 to $10 a piece - the repair guy will charge you $35 each or more plus labor. Another $150 - $200 . Ka' Ching and many people will be suckered to pay it.


How do I eliminate the "whooshing" sound of water running though pipes?

Make sure the shutoff valves at your toilet and sink are fully open.  Inadvertently leaving them partially closed can cause sounds like you describe.

EDIT: Just noticed you said "at every faucet and toilet in our house."  I'd still check all your shutoffs just to be sure, but also make sure you check the main shutoff valve for the whole house.


Why must all outlets share a ground conduit?

If you're talking about the equipment grounding conductor, and not the grounded (neutral) conductor, then they may not have to "share" the same equipment grounding conductor.
This answer contains all the code references, if you want to give it a read.  If your area has adopted the 2014 version of the National Electrical Code, you can share an equipment grounding conductor from another branch circuit, as long as both circuits originate from the same enclosure.

250.130(C) Nongrounding Receptacle Replacement or Branch Circuit Extensions. The equipment grounding conductor of a grounding-type receptacle or a branch-circuit extension shall be permitted to be connected to any of the following:
(4) To an equipment grounding conductor that is part of another branch circuit that originates from the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates


Which Product to Use for Repairing My Drywall

If it was me, I'd cut away the bad drywall and replace it with 1/2" hardi board. That'll give a flat, solid and waterproof substrate for your tiles, in contrast to the beaten up drywall you've got now.

Oh, and be sure to thoroughly caulk the gap between the drywall and the hardi.


The small tankless I have in my barn is very similar,  30 amp 2 Hot’s but the little array that actually heats the water is metals and has a place for the equipment ground. It would be a good idea for safety to connect the ground.
 Will the heater work without the ground? Most will. The heating element is 220v and all but 1 of these small units I have worked on were controlled by switches for flow no flow the switch could not close and heat the water. Don’t expect much out of this small unit it will get the water hot but how hot depends on the incoming water temp and the flow. For us it is just enough to heat the water to bathe horses before showing them.


If it's a sewer smell and you are sure that all of the traps have water in them, then it's likely a cracked / broken vent pipe, or a bad DIY addition where they didn't take the vent pipe all the way out through the roof (that happens more than it should because people don't want to end up with a leak in the roof). Call a better plumber. Look for one that does camera inspections, they can snake a long flexible video camera into your vent pipes and look for cracks, dead animals etc. There are also detectors that can "sniff" out odor, it's primarily methane gas and a chemical that is the result of fermentation of the sewage called Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S). Good plumbers have those detectors.


What type of washcloth bar should I put inside a fiberglass shower?

I know of 2 methods to create a safe mount that will support the fiberglass

Wood blocking directly behind fiberglass.

    This method relies on access to the other side of the wall, to place
    the blocking (1x4 is close to the spacing) such that it is against the
    fiberglass and secured by 2 studs.

Special self supporting brackets (Solid Mount™)

    These can be placed from inside the shower, but require you to anchor
    the rear of the mounting plate to the stud (in 2 places).  If the
    spacing is not optimum for your towel bar, a waterproof sub mount
    (spanning the 2 mounts, made of solid surface material, Swanstone or
    Corian) could give you a few inches.  Cantilevering any more than that
    would be unsafe.

Most fiberglass enclosures don't go to the ceiling, so a "single rung" towel bar could be stud mounted just above the fiberglass.


Can I ventilate attic space using wall vents?

Gable end vents were a common approach to attic ventilation decades ago, but those aren't nearly large enough. Gable vents don't provide the airflow that a soffit-to-ridge system does (via convection and vacuum), so they need to be quite large. A vertical loop is much better than the strictly horizontal circuit gable vents provide.

A rule of thumb is 1 square foot of ventilation for each 300 square feet of attic area. This number is typically used for soffit/ridge ventilation, though. What you actually need depends partly on the layout of the building, and whether some areas of the attic are remote with respect to the closest vent.

Then there's the fact that the vent in question doesn't offer much weather protection. Most gable vents are louvered, so that rain drains off even when driven by wind. You don't want your attic wall and the ceiling below rotting out due to regular wetting.


Small alcoves in exterior walls for utilities access?

They appear to be giving access to meter readers, and nothing more. The one with pipes could be water or gas. Alcove works, as does recess (a multipurpose word, but one meaning is the sort of hole in the wall pictured with meters in it.) Niche could also work.


the screw heads are starting to get chewed up

They are probably machine screws. I'd take one out and take it to a hardware store and buy a set with the same thread but with hex, star or square-drive heads. The length is not critical because you can always buy longer than needed and shorten them with a hacksaw (keeping a nut on the screw to straighten the thread with after cutting)

  Is there a better solution

The shower door manufacturer may be able to supply replacement parts. I'd contact their customer support for advice.

Otherwise, after supporting the door securely, I would disassemble one hinge completely to see what is inside. Maybe there's a gasket of synthetic rubber that is supposed to grip the glass. It might be worth trying to supplement or replace that, for example, with a rectangle cut from a bicycle inner tube and maybe roughened a little.


Smart outlet or timer to auto shut-off after 30 seconds of use

Yes - a time delay relay, available in various configurations for building industrial controls. Commonly available, but not at Home Cheapo or your local hardware store, most likely.

You would need a 30 second one and a 30 minute one for this described operation.

Or these days you might run the whole operation with an arduino or the like and some external (normal) relays, with the arduino acting both as the "time delay" and perhaps processing other sensor inputs. If you happen to be a coder that would be the logical direction to go, TDRs are somewhat simpler to deal with if you just want to wire things together and not write code.


Buzzing sound from ceiling light fixture. Can the source of the problem be the dimmer?

This is not a simple light fixture. It uses a TRANSFORMER.
Dimmers are tricky devices. While conceptually they adjust the incoming current with a variable resistance, in reality they are far more complex. The end result is that for direct use with incandescent & halogen bulbs, all dimmers work well. For use with dimmer-compatible (some are, some are not) LED or fluorescent bulbs, most modern dimmers (they will specify LED compatibility, as your Lutron does), they will work well.
However, your light fixtures include a transformer. That takes the 120V power and takes it down to 12V needed by the specified bulbs. That process is most definitely not compatible with a typical dimmer. The "right" way to dim such lights would be to dim them after the transformer. There are lights designed to work that way, but not your standard off-the-shelf residential stuff.
Update: Your dimmer (SLV-600P) is supposed to be compatible with Magnetic Low-Voltage fixtures. So it is basically "the right stuff". However, something is clearly going wrong, and my recommendations still stand, primarily because LED lighting has gotten cheaper and better (more reliable, better color) over the last several years and will save a lot in energy costs.
End result: Your dimmer is modern and fine. Your bulbs are "plain" and, in and of themselves, likely dimmer compatible. But your fixtures are not dimmer compatible.
Options:
1 - Replace the dimmer with an ordinary ($1 - $3) switch. No dimming. No buzzing.
2 - Replace the fixtures with your choice of:

Ordinary "cans" that will accept ordinary light bulbs and install dimmer-compatible LED lights.
Fixtures with integrated dimmer-compatible LED lights.


I used the LFA124 adapter from hone depot and i was able to connect it properly.


How should I replace a 1.5 inch tread with 1 inch tread?

Yes you can add 1/2" plywood to all carriages/stingers to make up the 1/2" difference. Glue and a few small nails to hold it in place while the new treads go on is all you will need. Do not spare the glue/construction adhesive.


Stripping paint from old fireplace last step - any advice to achieve clean finish?

Subject to various caveats, either a heat gun (electric) or a torch (fuel/air) might help.
...If you have not already tested if the paint on there was lead-based, do that, and if it was, don't do this.
...Ventilate really, really well. Even without lead, likely to be a bunch of stuff you don't want to breathe coming off. A charcoal filter (organic fumes) respirator might be a very good idea as well.
...Don't burn the house down. The brick won't burn but working along the edges can be risky.
Painting brick is one of those things that is easy to do, and VERY hard to undo.
While I doubt it, being paint, you could experiment with an acid on a small patch - probably vinegar (acetic, 5 or 10%) as being relatively low hazard and probably already in your house. Muriatic (hydrochloric) is more common in masonry uses and stronger, but also more hazardous. In either case follow label instructions and neutralize with a baking soda and water solution or other base when done. But that's more for cleaning any "mortar haze" off the face of bricks from the mortar in the joints, and I doubt it would help much with paint residue.


Changing a switched outlet to half-hot and found pigtails

Easy one. Here are the secrets:

The circuit involves a switch loop which uses /2 cable (black-white). Switch loops don't have neutrals.
If white is not used as a neutral, it must be used for the always-hot, not the switched-hot (so it reliably reads hot when touched with a voltage tester).

So... 1 white among blacks tells us a switch loop is involved, and the bundle is certainly the "Always-Hot bundle".
That being the one you need to add your always-hot pigtail wire to.
All these wires have other jobs to do, and so they must remain together.  They are not "spares" for you to pluck one out of. Any end scenario must end with them all still together (plus whatever wire you may want to add).
You'll need to obtain a pigtail wire from any shop that sells wire by-the-foot.  Solid white 12 AWG THWN wire (<25 cents a foot) is the universal donor, since it works in 15A and 20A circuits, and can be taped to make it a hot.
DO NOT obtain one by cutting short any of the wires in the box.  They don't have length to spare, they have statutory minimum lengths they must have, and you don't have enough excess length to make a pigtail.

Code now requires that a white wire used as a hot must be taped with black/color electrical tape to indicate its use as a hot, so now is a good time to correct that.


Can a cooking oil spill-over cause a burnt-out outlet?

Any answers to this will probably be based of the actual experience of the answerer. Cooking oil is not a good conductor of electricity. It could possibly trip a GFCI. Outlets like the one shown will fail over the years because their contacts lose their ability to "hold tight" due to the metals being annealed over time because of the current draw. My experience is that outlets usually "cook" or arc for awhile and then finally let go and short out. This will even happen with 110 Volt outlets with little load. Corrosion and time, I think that's what did this in.


Can I shut off the cold water supply to an oil furnace while away on vacation?

It should not be a problem. Your boiler should have a cut-off switch so if, for example, a baseboard springs a leak then the pressure drop will turn off the boiler. If your boiler is old enough to not have such a switch, then turning off the water is probably a bad idea.


Water Main coming into house - is just super cold and keeps the basement cold

This question is about thermal mass/intertia.

Suppose you are doing solar panels.  The solar energy (from the panel's perspective) is exactly the same 1 hour after sunrise versus 1 hour before sunset. So why is the house so darn cold in the morning and hot in the evening?

Because it takes time for temperature to change. Heat energy has to actually move, and that takes time.  And insulation is all about making it take more time.

Because it takes time, a funny thing happens underground.  The deeper you are, the less the swing.

So we just talked about the daily heat cycle, which only affects the top couple inches of earth. There is also a yearly thermal cycle - which you know all about because the ground freezes.   Also that awkward midwest time in the spring when the first inch of soil has thawed out, but below it is frozen - so everything turns to mud!

Anyway, if you go deep enough, the water never freezes.

How deep? In Chicago, less than 6 feet - which is why your water line is down there. Freezing destroys water mains.  It never freezes, but never gets warm either.

Your basement is also down there. Same deal.

The water line is not making your basement cool.  Both are cool for the same reasons.


Moisture from under the floor - is this bad?

I don't believe that's rain, just condensation. An uninsulated concrete pad whicks up moisture. Can't be stopped without alot of work.

Your best bet is to surround the outside perimeter with styrofoam insulation board, the thicker the better, up to 2". Then you can try sealing it as you stated. Make sure to leave a couple of those holes open for ventilation, or it'll get sweaty under there.

Back to the pad condensation, a good "college try" could be to dig down a foot or two vertically around the pad and insert 2" foam vertically, flush to ground level, the backfill. That won't stop condensation, but it will reduce it by breaking the frostline, which causes extreme temperature variations between the pad and the ground, and thus condensates.

Like I said, alot of work.


What would make my Lennox gas stove just shut off and the pilot light goes out as well?

Check that the gas supply is okay.  Maybe someone fiddled with the gas valve.  Maybe there is a gas leak outdoors.  Verify that another gas appliance is working correctly.
Check the space between the pilot light and its themopile or thermocouple.  If the flame is not heating the sensor, the pilot light is supposed to be cut off to prevent gas accumulation.
Check the wiring between the thermo-sensor and the valve.  If the wire breaks or is disconnected, it can't keep the pilot light valve on.
If all seems fine, measure the voltage applied to the valve and compare with the specification.  Maybe the thermosensor needs replacement.


Why does my washer trip circuit breaker on sanitize cycle?

As mentioned by @Steven. You'll want to get yourself an ammeter, and figure out how much current the appliance is drawing. While shopping for the meter, you'll want to look for a "Peak Hold" feature (though it might go by other names depending on the manufacturer). This feature will allow the meter to retain the highest measured value. That way you don't have to monitor the meter.
Remember when using the meter, you have to clamp it only around one of the circuit wires. If you clamp it around the cord; for example, you'll always get a reading of 0. The best way to do this, is to clamp the meter around the ungrounded (hot) conductor in the panel where it connects to the breaker.
Circuit breakers include overload protection, which is also known as thermal protection. This is typically a bimetallic strip, that pulls the contacts open if it gets too hot. This type of protection is time delayed, since the device has to physically heat up. If the current through the breaker is really high (but less than what trips the magnetic protection), the device will heat up quicker and react more quickly.  In your case, however, it's more likely that the current is just high enough to cause the breaker to slowly overheat. This would explain why letting it cool down (waiting), would allow it to run longer once reset.
Your intuition could also be correct, and a loose connection could be exacerbated by the heating due to high current draw.
In either case, an ammeter will be a useful tool to start diagnosing this issue.
NOTES:

If the breaker is a GFCI breaker, the sanitize cycle could simply be leaking too much current.
If the breaker is an AFCI breaker, the sanitize cycle may be doing something strange that the AFCI is picking up.
Thermal protection in circuit breakers can be affected by the ambient temperature, and the temperature inside the panel. So if the panel is in a really hot location, it could trip before it typically would/should.

Update:
Now that it's clear that the circuit is protected by an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) circuit breaker, I'd like to change my answer.  While an ammeter is useful, and testing the max. current draw might be useful.  I suspect that the machine is doing something during the sanitize cycle, that the AFCI doesn't like.


Beth,
If your referring to an opening not intended to ever have trim, consult the rough opening (RO) parameters of the bi-fold door manufacturer, as the type and placement of the hinge pins and the thickness of the door will determine the space needed between the outer edge of the closed door and the frame of opening.

Most bi-fold doors are about 3/4"-1-1/4" thick (depending on if they're made of PVC or wood and solid or slatted...older, reclaimed doors are thicker).  If the hinge pins are set half a thickness in from the outer side edge of the door, the clearance will need to be about 75% of the door thickness...especially if the door frame isn't perfectly square or hinge pins aren't set perfectly perpendicular to each other.

I'm working on a set of bi-folds that are 1-1/8" thick and require a min. 1/2" clearance between door and door frame (which doesn't give much leeway for error); where the doors meet there isn't supposed to be any space...they're meant to be flush to each other...but I'm adding an astragal, to one of the doors, to make installation easier and look more finished.

If you the doorway opening will, eventually, have trim decrease the RO width by 1-1/2" (assuming trim will be 3/4" thick each side).

If you know the floor is level; with no rug in the way, I'd give 3/4" for a space in top and bottom...some like it 1/2" but in adjusting the doors, after installation, sometimes that extra 1/4" is useful.


Spot prime indoors with shellac-base primer?

I've used BIN primer with great success in the past.  The reason the can says to use under a high-hiding paint or to prime the whole surface is so the primer doesn't show through.

Say you have some unpainted, knotty wood and you spot prime the knots.  When the whole board is painted, the spots where the primer is will be very obvious since they are bright white and absorb the paint differently.

I've used BIN to prime an entire wall of knotty pine, smoke stained paneling and then painted.  It worked well since the whole surface was evenly primed before I used the paint.

For what it's worth, you wouldn't want to spot-prime over normal stains on an old with a water-based primer before painting either.  You'd prime the whole wall or you would have an inconsistent sheen at least, and visibly lighter spots in many cases.

Looking back at your question, since you are going to be spot-priming a previously white-painted surface and you're going back over it with the same, white paint, I think spot priming with BIN should be OK.  Just be generous with the spots so the stain doesn't travel under and around the BIN spots.


Is a rigid gazebo roof less likely to be damaged by wind than a fabric roof?

Structurally, the fabric will put more stress on your gazebo than a fixed panel for two reasons: 1) When the fabric “snaps” from the thrust of the wind, it creates an IMPACT load, and 2) A fixed (rigid) panel will DISTRIBUTE the load to other structural members.

Likewise, something that flexes and moves will tend to “wear” more than something that does not. Maintenance will be more in the long run.

For just simple enjoyment of the space, I’d think a rigid “roof” would be quieter too...best for conversations.


Can having a bad grounding situation destroy a circuit breaker?

Sounds to me like a coincidence.

Grounds have nothing to do with the functionality of a circuit breaker. Meaning a circuit will work properly (albeit less safely) with or without a ground. The ground is a "safety backup" in case of a short circuit to metallic parts and pieces.

Hopefully all the work you did on the sconces is proper. Did you install and mount boxes for the wiring and to mount the lights?


Is it safe to have a furnaces exhaust pipe facing to the side instead of down?

You mean that the exhaust pipe is pointed towards the intake, with the idea that the heat of the exhaust will melt the snow? That is definitely not a good idea; you are correct that it could result in exhaust being pulled into the combustion air, which is not a good thing. It also risks making the problem worse -the exhaust air has close to 100% humidity, which could condense on the cold and freeze. In fact, if your intake is icing up, it's quite likely that's already the source of your problem, and you need to make sure the exhaust is further from the intake.


Do mechanical drain traps exist for retrofit on inaccessible plumbing?

Sounds like what you want is a screw-down test plug:

Test Plug

These come in the major drain pipe sizes.  The rubber provides a good, temporary seal even if the surface is a bit irregular.  I'm used to seeing them with a metal top and bottom plate, but I guess they have moved on to plastic.


can I mount a copper pipe to stone with an epoxy?

Yes, you can. In fact, this is exactly how anchor bolts are placed into concrete and stone for posts. A hole is drilled, filled with epoxy, then the bolt is inserted.

Keep in mind that slate is fragile, however. Go easy on the drill so as to not crack the slate.


You're much better off with the (did you notice, much lighter) electronic ballast.  Instant start is fine, since it's the only type possible with 1-pin ends.

There are only 4 parts to a fluorescent lamp: Chassis, lampholders, ballast and lamps.  You just eliminated ballast.  Lamps, I'm trusting you here.  That leaves lampholders.

Look at the lampholders closely, make sure they are intact and the jumper between the yellow lampholders is intact.  8' 1-pin replacement lampholders can be had for a couple of bucks, I replace them all the time.  (4' 2-pin lampholders are like 60 cents.)


Is a transition from 1/2" tubing to 1/4" and back causing low pressure?

I would time how long it takes to fill a 1 gallon jug and see if the system is operating within specifications. With a 1/4” line I would not expect a large flow. But no the changing sizes won’t affect the flow as the 1/4” would be the limiter. The size change won’t really help or hurt in this limited length.


Is there an "exposed work" cover plate for keystone jacks/data ports?

I don't know if the exact match you're looking for exists, but you can get decora inserts (for the type of plate in your picture) that fit one, two, or three keystones. It'll be plastic rather than metal, but the plastic will match the keystones while the  metal matches the box.


Is there an improper way to connect water lines to water heater?

There is a way that cold water would mix prematurely with the hot water.  This could happen if there is something wrong with the cold water dip tube.  The cold water dip tube takes the cold water from the connection at the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank where it is heated.    If the dip tube becomes faulty or is removed, the hot water from the tap will run out quickly.

Failure of dip tubes is common, especially with water heaters from the mid 90's.  There is also the outside unlikely chance that it was removed when replacing the pipes.

Of course, you get the same effect if the hot and cold connections are reversed.


How can I remove this single hole American Standard bathroom faucet?

Your nuts are right here:

The threaded bolts are attached to the faucet, and if you unscrew thenuts, you can remove it. The nuts are longer than usual ones, presumably so that you can get a reasonable grip in a narrow space.


Finishing basement - run electrical to stud wall below steel I beam

You're not going to (attempt to) drill through that I-beam to make a run for your wiring. Right? Good, don't attempt that.

It looks like the duct hanger extends about 3/4 of the I-beam, and you'll be sorely tempted to have the bottom of the soffit right under the duct. However, a bit of an air gap significantly reduces the chances of some future person (including future-you) putting a screw through the soffit and into the duct. While you're extending it, bring it down just low enough to slide a new run of NM between the frame of the soffit and the top plate of the wall.

You lose another couple of inches of headroom right there, but with a bit of work, you can dress it up nicely so it's not quite so obnoxious. Consider tapering the end upwards when you get to the door so that someone tall doesn't do a tight turn out of the stairs and smack his head into a bit of wall that only exists at head height...


Can the furnace pressure switch be damaged due to water

If the switch was in the water, then yes. The water will create a short between terminals, or corrode them. You can test the switch to see if it still functions. Turn power off to the furnace, disconnect the tube to the switch, and gently blow and or suck. Listen for a click sound. That would indicate is the switch will latch. Next would be to test with a multimeter. Continuity to ground, and continuity terminal to terminal while blowing or sucking to activate the switch.


This kind of tester will tell if the wire is hot. A bad return path (white wire) could be the cause. Also the lamp can be bad, but you said both quit so I would check to see if the neutral wiggled loose.


Should I choose cordless hammer drill for home improvement? I'm a green bird for it

European buildings are mostly masonry - brick, stone and concrete. To put even small holes in masonry you must have a hammer action on the drill. The hammering action takes a great deal of power to operate together with the action of rotation, so a cordless hammer-drill will be much weaker than a corded one, and for masonry it makes a big difference. Comparing a corded hammer-drill to a corded rotary hammer I own, the hammer-drill struggles putting even 4mm holes in concrete, while the rotary hammer makes short work of 10mm holes. I only shudder thinking the effort it would take to use a cordless hammer-drill.

That being said, I believe that for masonry work your best bet is a rotary hammer, preferably one with a chiseling function (where the rotation is disabled, leaving only the hammering action). Rotary hammers come with an SDS-Plus shank which also makes it much easier to replace bits and chisels. I myself use a Makita 2470:

Regarding cordless vs. corded, I'd say the corded wins out - it will be more powerful and weigh less than a comparative cordless one, not to mention it will be much cheaper. And I don't think you have much of a size saving as you have with cordless bit drivers. The thing to look for in the prospect is the drilling diameter in concrete - the more the merrier, even if you're not planning on drilling that big, as it will give you an indication of the power of the drill, making smaller holes easier. For example (selected models from Bosch), a cordless rotary hammer is rated to 18mm, while a corded rotary hammer is rated to 26mm. A cordless hammer-drill is rated to 13mm, while a corded hammer-drill is rated 20mm.


Installing smart switch that needs a neutral wire without a neutral wire

While the Philippines have some unusual power configurations, none of that has any bearing here. OP has the modified Euro style hookup, where ground is centered halfway between the live conductors, 120V from either conductor.  Pick either supply wire to act as "neutral" here, just be consistent.

This is a switch loop.  What makes it special is it's a 3-wire switch loop because it controls two appliances, just as OP says. But it still has all the normal properties of a switch loop.

Including the absence of a neutral and thus, inability to power powered switches such as smart switches.

OP's options are:

if it's conduit,  just fish another wire to be the opposite leg.
Replace the cable to the switch with /4 cable, which has 4 wires and ground. /3 will not do, do not use a ground wire for a neutral especially not in the Philippines.
Make both appliances switch together, freeing up the needed wire.
Find smart devices able to power themselves old-school by leaking small amounts of power through the load.
Find a smart device able to live up in the ceiling rose, and be remotely controlled in some way.
Give up the project.


Problem encountered with installing an exterior light

I would double-up (or even quadruple-up) with additional timber each side of that vertical support, bolted through top and bottom, then you can recess a mounting box into the stud and drill through to the inside for the cable, without affecting structural strength. You'll need a competent builder to confirm the timber strength and loading required.


Well...I typed that too fast, I guess. I just found the answer! Sure enough, this is not actually designed to handle fan loads. UGH. Just blew $40 on two of these. Apparently there's some small print. To quote a review on Home Depot's web site:

  Works great for lights,but as I'm finding a common problem with all electric supplies you must read the fine print. Huge voltage drop when I used it for my bathroom fan and as labeled in the fine print using it for a fan caused it to heat up. How it made a UL listing is beyond me.

Sigh. Off to Home Depot to spend more money. This time I'll read the fine print...


Solution for fiberglass ducts that have collapsed in basement?

If your basement is already mostly comfortable without the problematic supplemental furnace and its ducts, why not spend the money on properly insulating the basement instead? That way it will likely be all the way comfortable when heated from the heat of the main furnace, and then you can fully abandon and/or remove the redundant furnace and have lower bills too.


Is okay to use commercial appliance inside average US home? For electricity spec: 115/60Hz/1 Ph (NEMA 5-15)

That's fine, they are nominally the same. 120v is utility supply defined by ANSI C84.1. 115v is point of use desired voltage, generally specified by NEMA. One is 120v +5/-10% tolerance, the other is 115V +/-10%.

NEMA 5-15 is a standard receptacle used throughout a US home.

This document says the cabinet draws 2.0 amps, should easily be used on any nearly any circuit.


Replaced the wax ring but now it bubbles when the shower runs

You almost certainly have a drain vent problem on the drain to which both the shower and toilet connect.  It could be anything from a clogged vent (most likely if the system was working for a long time and then suddenly started leaking from the toilet flange) to an incorrectly designed stack.

If you want to tackle the problem yourself, you need to understand how vents allow traps and siphons to function properly in a DWV system.


Why does my kitchen faucet cut off when turned more than halfway on?

Where the water comes out, see if there is a part to unscrew. Take it off and test again. This part can jam under higher flow/pressure.
Feel free to edit this to put in the correct name (aerator?)


Does running a dehumidifier with an AC unit save money?

A dehumidifier is about the same as a window AC unit with both parts in the house, for most purposes. They draw just as much power as an A/C unit of similar size (or more if they happen to be old and inefficient.)

Given that the required energy labeling on A/C units tends to promote a degree of of paying attention to that, and it's much less clear on dehumidifiers, I suspect that in many cases the A/C of similar size will actually use less power - and it doesn't make your house hot.

Sure, comparing a room dehumidifier to a whole house A/C, the whole house uses more energy - but it also removes more water from the air, and cools the house. It would only be ANY savings if the whole house was LESS efficient (power in to water out) than the dehumidifier. If you are running the A/C as well, you are also ADDING the heat from the dehumidifier to the A/C load.

In short, run the A/C, don't bother with a dehumidifier unless you have a job that a dehumidifier (alone) is suited for; Which it sounds like you probably don't.

If you want to get "something like that" without the downsides, when your water heater wears out, consider a heat pump water heater - free hot water with a little A/C, or free A/C with your hot water. Still rather expensive, but sometimes with large rebates available too.


Is this ceiling pendant double insulated?

No. Class 2 (double insulated) devices are not fitted with a ground wire, and must not be grounded. Instead, they're constructed with much sturdier insulation to ensure that exposed parts cannot become live, even in the event of a fault occuring.

They're also required to display the double insulated symbol; a square within a square.

The cover over the terminal strip is to protect against fingers or metallic objects falling into the terminals.


Why is the red ground light on, on my AVBar10 surge suppressor?

Sounds like this is "functioning to spec".  I think that is just how this surge suppressor works.

Why is it red? I know I have had basic suppressors in the past that only had a red ground light (no "line OK" or "protected" lights).  Perhaps they think people expect the ground light to be red.