Elcb keeps tripping even with all MCBs turned off

Sorry i couldnt provide answers to the above comments (not enough points!), but finally got the issue fixed. Posting here in case anyone needs to know.

So two things i found out from my friend who is an electrical maintenance man at factory near my house:
1) if the earth leakage is from a live wire, then the earth leakage circuit breaker will trip immediately upon reset - u can easily find the culprit by turning on your mcb one by one
2) if the earth leakage is from a neutral wire, then things can get messy, the breaker will not trip immediately, and turning on the MCBs one by one will not have any effect. In fact turn off all MCBs and the ELCB will still trip.

The second one was the issue i had. An electrician came by and looked at all our neutrals and got it fixed in half a day's time


What's the best way to get grade below foundation wall?

i would do what the guy said, but leave out the retaining wall and install drain pipe. Perforated drain pipe will be less costly, install faster, won't aggravate the neighbors, and is a fairly simple DIY job.


Running 12V Wire Behind Walls for a LED Stair Light?

Honestly, I solder direct to the LED strips.  You have to be careful, because if you select wire that is too stiff, it can tear the pad off the printed circuit board. So I use stranded wire, erring on the side of "small".

Mind you, I do that soldering on the workbench, not on my knees.


Craftsman 3/4 hp garage door won’t go down.

Check your garage door opener manual for a trouble-shooting procedure which may help figure out where the problem really is. It certainly could be just the sensor. Having had a bizarrely behaving garage door which turned out to be the main "computer" board in the opener, I'd want to try and check that the sensor was getting whatever it needed to operate correctly before I'd assume that the sensor was the cause of the sensor not working and bought a new one. If, for instance, the main unit is not supplying power to the sensor, replacing the sensor won't fix it. Your manual may provide some procedures to test/isolate the problem.

More generally, my advice (despite the fact that I did replace that main board for a successful repair) is always to consider the age of the unit and the price of a replacement. Parts are often not returnable and don't have any warranty, while a whole new unit comes with a whole new warranty. In my case I bet that the board, at about half the cost of the relatively new opener would do it, as I knew there had been a nearby lightning strike. With an older unit, I'd lean heavily to replacement to avoid replacing so many parts trying to solve the problem that I'd have spent less for a complete new opener.

To be clear, I have no idea where your actual problem is, but it could be:

The sending unit
The receiving sensor unit
Or the main unit powering both units and reading the sensor output
Or the wires connecting them may be broken.

If your garage has mice as most do, that last one might be the first one to check.


What is the insulation in this hot water jacket?

It's very likely fiberglass since that's what's been used in water heaters for many years.  You didn't specify how old it is and if it's "ancient" there does exist that possibility.  If in doubt, get it tested and properly disposed of by a licensed abatement contractor.

I suspect, however, that old is 10-15 years which is "forever" in water heater years and in that case there will be no asbestos.


Jacuzzi tub hot water valve locked in place

You either have a useless tub taking up space, or you do what needs doing to fix it so it's useable. You may also have a claim against your "home inspector" for not catching it - that sort of thing is exactly why you wasted money to hire them, after all.

I would go in prepared to "break tile" (more likely I'd cut it out, actually - it's neater, and I'm not a plumber who does not care what sort of mess they make for some other trade to clean up) and I'd replace the broken tile with an access panel because having to break tile to access plumbing is a really poor design choice made by idiots, in my not so humble opinion.

Actually - Might look underneath, too, in case access from below could be done with less mess.


Interesting question Ryan. Over the years I have bought a lot of doors and drawer fronts, but never a drawer box as a component. I suspect if you have 6 piece drawers, you might be able to get the boxes directly from the cabinet manufacturer.  I have never seen just the box components, (sides, backs, bottoms etc) listed anywhere for sale.  You could check with local millwork shops, I'm sure they would be happy to build boxes for you.

The boxes can be made in many ways. Cheaper ones are square cut or simple dido with glue and staples made from particle board etc., while high end drawers are made from hardwood boards, dovetail joints and solid wood bottoms.  The price can vary wildly.

If you wanted to build your own, it certainly can be done with a few tools.  At minimum, you would need a 10 inch table saw with a decent fine tooth blade (60 to 80 tooth), and perhaps a dido blade. You can make decent simple dido'ed corners and cut a slot for the bottom to slide into. A power stapler and good wood glue would be handy also.

As far as table saws are concerned, I own four of them, one of which is my light weight portable 10 inch with folding stand. I paid less than $200 for it and it has held up extremely well on the job and has no problem ripping up to 2" framing lumber. Mine happens to be an Hitachi, but there are other inexpensive ones to chose from.

Building simple drawer boxes would be a great project for you to learn some basic woodworking skills, get to buy a new cool tool, and have the satisfaction of have done them by yourself. With a little practice on some scrap stock, you will confident enough to build those boxes with decent materials and save yourself a ton of money.  Good Luck.


Is it acceptable to use a ground wire from one outlet to ground another?

You have two things going on here:

The superintendent's repair may or may not be acceptable -- if he used a bare or green wire, or single conductor MC cable (unlikely), it can be considered OK in jurisdictions that have adopted the 2014 NEC (you'll have to check to see if the Canadians have caught up to this change).
Do you have a tube-type TV? If so, you have an objectionable current flowing on the superintendent's ground wire, which is causing magnetic field emission which is interfering with your TV.  I'd have the superintendent pull the outlet(s) that test as properly grounded and check for a "bootleg ground" jumper between neutral and ground; trying to use the "ground donation" provisions in 250.130(C) point 4 with a bootleg ground jumper present could cause this as stray currents circulate through the EGC and bonding network back to the main ground/neutral bond jumper.


What is the use for this different threading near the head of a large screw?

My intuition is that the quarter inch of steeply pitched fluting is designed to ream out the passage in the outer member being joined, or at least ream out the outer 3/4" of 'hole'. Conceivably, this might reduce friction when driving in the screw over the final 3/4" ... or it could be a gimmick.

.

EDIT 2013-05-11:

Here is a related patent http://www.freepatentsonline.com/7832173.pdf that claims in page 7 of the PDF that the purpose is to increase the screw's resistance to lateral displacement by mashing the fibers that will be next to the un-threaded shank.

.

.

And as for the ribs on the underside of the screw head, here is a related patent http://www.freepatentsonline.com/EP2546533A1.pdf that claims in paragraph [0005] that the objective is to lower the lower resistance when the screw is being locked into a wood piece for enabling the screw to carry out locking smoothly and quickly. Note that the patent discusses various kinds of ribs, including the ones pictured in the OP.

And here is a patent http://www.freepatentsonline.com/2070851.pdf for preventing screws from backing out, whic is different from nail shanks which may be fluted (and ribbed) to prevent backing out

.

.

And not last and not least, the McCoy:

http://www.screw-products.com/gold.htm

  1) Knurled shoulder reams hole in board being fastened, reducing drag on shank and driving too.

  2) True flat head with 16 cutting nibs self countersinks and prevents
  spinout.

.

.

And last but not least, the Hatfield

http://www.nachi.org/home-inspectors-evaluating-problems-with-fasteners.htm

Apparently they sometimes are called CEE threads:

  The CEE thread is designed to enlarge the hole in the uppermost of two
  pieces being joined so that they’ll be more tightly pulled together.

.

.

grkfasteners.com take on it:

  RSS™ screws which are 3"1/8 and longer have a six threaded CEE thread
  that enlarges the screw hole for the non-threaded portion of the
  fastener, allowing the wood to settle easily and increasing the
  screw’s drawing strength. The CEE thread also reduces the likelihood
  of splitting the wood and the friction on the screw shank which can
  result in lowering the driving torque.

.

.

And to over do it, here is yet another patent, but this time referring to them as 'milling ribs' ...

http://www.freepatentsonline.com/20070269287.pdf

.

.

Maxxfast.com has it all in one ....

.

.

Fischer-Screws.com ....

.

.

.

Heco-Topix screws ...

http://www.heco-schrauben.de/en/Screws/HECO-TOPIX

.

.

Conclusion:

I'd imagine the ribs do ream the hole, which does reduce the friction on the unthreaded shank. But the reaming action will require energy, particularly so because the shank-ribs are reaming by virtue of damaging the wood fibres, as opposed to cutting them. The question is, which eats more energy: the reaming or the friction? The benefit would be the net drop (if any) in the required energy. It's actually much worse than that. Assuming a net drop, how much is the savings compared to the total energy needed to drive the screw? 1% ? 2% ? I think the savings, if any, would be miniscule.  The shank-ribs could actually eat up more energy in net, particularly when the unthreaded portion is short, meaning 2" or less.

As for drawing the two pieces together more tightly. Bogus. Actually, counter productive.  The screw draws the two pieces by gripping the outer piece while advancing into the other piece.  It doesn't matter how it grips the outer piece.  The obvious grip is by pressure undeneath the screw head.  But the friction on the unthreaded portion of the shank also grips the outer piece similar to the grip of a nail of a similar diameter.  With shank-ribbed screws, the grip on the outer piece no longer includes the friction on the unthreaded shank.  With the shank-ribs, the grip will be limited to the force of the screw's head, and that, due to the reaming caused by the shank-ribs, will be diminished as well.


Should I build a segmental retaining wall on top of a grade beam with piles?

When you build a grade beam with piers every 6’ apart, you are essentially building a “post and beam” foundation.
The grade beam will need to be designed to span from pier to pier. The size, amount of rebar, etc. will be based on the load, (i.e.: 4’ to 12’ tall blocks stacked on the grade beam).
The reason the foundation system changes from the traditional “footings on grade” to the “post and beam” style is that the piers will act as posts pushing against the deeper (and more resistive) soil. (Soil 8’ down in the ground is more compacted than soil near the surface.)
Question #1: Is it something people do? No.
The one thing that foundation engineers fear is differential settlement. When a traditional foundation system rests on the ground, the ground can support a fairly uniform load. When you install piers they extend down to more “resistive” soil (soil that’s been compacted over eons of time from the soil higher up.) This will settle less than the soil near the surface, causing differential settlement when loaded (when the blocks are stacked on top).
Question #2: Is it unbelievably overbuilt and guaranteed never to move? Could be.
If the grade beam and piers were adequately designed, then yes, they would not move. In order to design this type of foundation system you’ll need geotechnical engineers to take samples of the soil and test them for compaction, etc. Plus, the size and complexity of the system is far more expensive.
Side Note: This type of engineering requires the highest type (most expensive) of insurance. In the medical field, anesthesiologists and OB/GYN pay the most, (except for special surgical doctors.) These engineers pay higher rates than them.


New Home: daily, random, multiple AFCI breakers tripping

Your grounds are certainly not the problem.  More grounding is better, and an Ufer ground tied into the foundation is the best there is.
19 AFCI breakers, eh? And people wonder why we say "Go BIG" when buying service panels. They're all on the left side, but that doesn't indicate anything special - for instance they're not all on the same "leg".  If every other row of breakers was tripping and not the others, that would be interesting, but I'm sure you would have mentioned that.
A marvel of compact tech
A semi-modern "AFCI" breaker has 3 detection modes of interest to us today.

Overcurrent -- you are pulling significantly more than 20 amps (which itself has 2 modes, but that's irrelevant here).
Arc Fault - a small computer with a digital signal processor is listening to the electric line, for that characteristic sound of arcing - that "crinkle crunch" sound you get when plugging in headphones, or headphones with a bad connection, or hooking up speakers with the amplifier turned on.  This is listening for series arc faults (inline with the load on hot or neutral), or a parallel (shorting) arc fault between hot and neutral.
Ground fault - this is a weakened form of "GFCI", closer to a "GFPE" or a European "RCD".  Not good enough for human safety, but an effective way to detect parallel (shorting) arc faults hot-ground or neutral-ground, e.g. a hot wire sparking to a ground wire. Those are also ground faults.

Square D's "TIME SAVER Diagnostics", available on breakers with a white or purple TEST button, will store the cause of the last trip: immediate trip means a ground-fault (meaning the AFCI's weak GFCI-section detected a hot-ground or neutral-ground fault).  A 2-second delayed trip means the computer detected the "sounds on the wire" of an arc fault.  A 5-second delay means, well, the ground- and arc-fault sections don't know why it tripped, so it must be the dumb old overcurrent breaker.
In the panel, everyone can hear you scream
The nature of the overcurrent and ground-fault tripping means that they can only trip for problems on the "Load" side of the device.
However, the "computer, listening" has a side-effect: It's listening to the "Load" side of the breaker, but the circuit breaker has very low impedance across it, and no noise filtering.  As such, the computer can "hear" arc faults on the "Line" side of the breaker, i.e. the panel's main bus.   An AFCI trip can occur from other circuits having an arc fault.
It's probably one thing
And I think that's exactly what's happening to you.  One of your circuits is arc-faulting,  and the other circuits are "hearing it" sufficiently to trip them.
It sounds like you can guess which circuit that is.
So where do we look for arc faults on a particular circuit?  Start at terminations of wires - breaker lugs, terminal screws, wire nuts - any end of any wire can be the source of the problem.  I would say replacing all the heat pump components is an expensive way to re-torque connections... but suffice it to say, any connections disturbed by this overhaul can be excluded since they've been re-torqued.
So I would focus on the connections which were not disturbed by that recent work, e.g. those on the breaker or neutral bar, or any intermediate splices.
It could be in the machine, but if the machine has been replaced, that would be surprising.
The last and remotest possibility is a broken wire - again typically that is near a termination, but it's not common at all.  It could also be a nail driven into a cable.


Two hot wires feeding a gfci installed ten years ago just started popping? Replaced gfi figured out a bigger issue

NEVER "just try random things"

Why not? Think about it.  You are trying things until when?  Until it works. The problem is, there are lots of combinations that will work that will kill you.

No. Only do things based on knowledge and understanding.  If you don't have enough, get more - either by reading more about electricity, or doing more testing, as needed.

The first rule of hooking up GFCIs

Hook up the LINE terminals ONLY.  Fully test.  When perfect, then hook up LOAD.   And if hooking up LOAD results in a trip, then you know LINE is correct and so you know your problem is on the LOAD side.

The second rule of GFCIs is "Never use LOAD unless you know exactly what you're doing." Instead, pigtail all wires to LINE, or double-tap LINE if the GFCI supports it (most do).  Most people have no earthly idea what LOAD actually does... They just know they have 2 extra wires, and look! Two extra screws under that warning tape I didn't read.  Most GFCI trouble comes from people using LOAD thoughtlessly or by default.

Your particular situation

First, the thing about the red wire applies to circuits that are not like yours.  Don't worry about that.

Yours is likely to be an "accidental ring circuit" (rings are a UK thing, not allowed anywhere else), where your circuit travels a big loop from the breaker through the house and back to the breaker, but in this case it's another breaker.  This was a wiring mistake. Wiring layouts are supposed to be "tree style" and never loop back on each other.

If you are able to map this "ring", look for an appropriate place to break it, so it is once again two circuits.  There may be an obvious place to do that once you get into it.  You are likely to uncover an obvious wiring mistake, which you can then just fix. Or maybe  two receptacles side by side in a double box (4 sockets) - wouldn't it be nice if they were served by separate circuits?  Anyway, you break it there - take one hot-neutral pair and cap them off.

While you're doing this, be on the lookout for separation of hot and neutral.  Neutrals must stay with their partner hot, and not cross over to the hots and neutrals of other circuits.  That is because neutrals don't have fuses even though they can burn up just like any other wire!  Their protection depends on being fed only by their partner hot.  If you see anyplace the neutral isn't with the hot, get rid of it.  It's unsafe by itself, and also won't feed properly off LOAD on a GFCI.


How to make a rectangular pipe structure with clockwise threads

you need a "union" connector. It allows both sides to tighten and then tighten union.


A regular switch+dimmer switch combo for several lights

You'll want a LED compatible, multi-way capable dimmer
In your case, you'll want a dimmer that's compatible with dimming Edison-base LED replacements, and also supports multi-way operation.  This is not something you want to cheap out on, or order from Amazon, by the way; your local home improvement/hardware store or electrical supply house should stock at least some of the Lutron, Leviton, Cooper/Eaton, or Legrand dimmer product lines, which all have suitable wallbox dimmers for your application.
(If you were considering something more sophisticated than a straightforward dimmer here, you'll need to provide us with more information, since we don't know how your wallboxes are configured, and sensor dimmers, "smart" dimmers, and some other dimming devices require a neutral reference at the switchbox, which isn't always available.)


Is it customary to build "built-ins" over carpet?

You should cut away carpet.  The cabinets will last longer than the carpet and will just be a mess when it's time to install new carpet.  I'd want the cabinets secured directly to the floor, not through carpet/pad.

When you pull up the carpet and baseboard, you'll see the tack strip.  If you are careful, you can re-use it, but it is cheap to replace. You'll probably want a tool called a knee kicker carpet stretcher to properly re-attach the carpet to the tack strip.  You can rent them or cobble one together yourself.

Edit:
It looks like you are working on a slab.  In which case you'll need special tack strip with concrete nails and removing the old tack strip will be more of a chore.

In a pinch, or where the carpet is hidden from view, I have used large headed button-head screws.


Remove asbestos-covered ductwork or leave in place?

Asbestos is OK as long as it doesn't get airborne. No reason to disturb it unless you're going to be renovating that area (and even then you may be best off leaving it).


This sounds like a bad "backstab"

It sounds like the receptacle that's crackling was wired using "backstab" terminations, which are rather failure-prone, as you're finding out the hard way.  Re-doing the crackler using a new receptacle, proper pigtailing, and the screw terminals will make all your problems go away -- just remember to turn the power to the circuit off at the breaker first!


How to tighten this kitchen sink faucet?

I can help you with number one, number two I'd have to see more angles and photos of both sides of the mating connector. (EDIT: There's magnets and a weight that makes those things retract.. is the weight caught up on something under the sink?)

I had a handle that did this too. This is caused by one or many occasions when excessive force is applied to the handle, breaking or bending the metal inside.

There's an set screw hidden right below the red/blue dot, use a razor to catch the edge of it and pop it off. Watch your sink drains, they're like magnets for that darn dot. Once you back out the set screw about 3/4ths of the way, the handle will come right off the top.

You'll find the inside of the handle has a hollow rectangle that slides over a solid metal rectangle on the valve. You'll likely find that the metal of the hollow rectangle has been bent.

I fixed mine by using a vice grip to squeeze in and tighten the sides of the female side of the rectangle back up. Test it for fit, make sure it's good, then take it back off and wrap it with steel wire and epoxy. I must have layered mine in about a quarter inch thick. Make sure to leave clearance for the set screw, and definitely leave the screw in place to protect the threads from the epoxy in case it drips.

The idea is to reset and strengthen the metal in place. Wire alone won't do the trick, since it'll round right out too, the epoxy gives it the strength. You might even be able to use stranded copper wire and solder to replace the epoxy. There's more than one way to skin a cat faucet.

Alternatively, a lot of faucets have lifetime warranties that they hope you don't remember about. I once called up the manufacturer and got a brand new handle shipped out.


How do 5 light switches in 2 boxes with all black wires work?

Yes, this is correct. In fact this is the preferred way to wire light switches.

One cable brings ground, neutral, and live in,
live goes to the switch then a different cable takes live, neutral, and ground up to the light socket.

The white neutral wires are not connected to the switches because mechanical switches do not need electric power to operate.

for the new switches connect the ground wire to the copper wires. the copper wires should also connect firmly to the metal electrical box, there should be a green screw.  all grounds go to the same place, so allways connect all grounds together.

The white wire should connect to the white neutral wires in that wire nut.

The red and black will be a little tricky. the black goes to the black on the supply cable and the red to the black on the lamp cable, so you'll need to determine which is which. eg using a voltage detector.


Assuming you can go either way, is it better to install a Multi-split or multiple Split Air Conditioners?

There are three issues here, which system is better, which system is more energy-efficient and which system is more reliable.

The first issue encompasses all aspects and involves a priority ranking which only you can do.

An issue not brought up by anyone else is the installation. Do you have room for 3 outside units? Does it matter if more space is used or would you prefer to use that space for landscaping or something else?

What about electrical power? Will the installer need to run 3 circuits, one for each compressor? Does your existing breaker panel have the room for 3 circuits?

Another installation consideration: which system is easier to run the linesets (tubes which carry the liquid and gas freon) for?

I expect 3 compressors to cost more than one big compressor. Have you gotten any price quotes?

The one big compressor, assuming it is capable of variable speed, will certainly be more significantly more efficient under anything less than full load because the condenser of a single outdoor unit system has three times the cooling area of a single condenser in a 3 unit system which means the compressor motor doesn't have to work as hard.

The major factor in power consumption is turning the freon back into a liquid and that depends on how fast/easily the condenser can cool it off. All else being equal, a bigger condenser is better (removes the heat faster).

The faster you condense the freon, the less back pressure on the compressor and the less work for the motor.

Most of the time you will not be running full load or all indoor units at once. Even during full load, the big unit will never be less efficient.

The last question is reliability and available. One answer correctly claims that a 3 unit system will be more available but neglects to mention that it will also be more prone to failure because you have more units to fail and each unit is more likely to be run at full capacity while the big unit will usually be running well below its full capacity. Imagine the lifetime of two cars, one run at 90 MPH and one run at 30 MPH.


Is it wrong to use 2 GFIC breakers on 12/3, sharing the neutral, even if the breakers are on different phases?

The reason it's tripping is that the two GFCI breakers are feeding two circuits with the common neutral and there is no way for each of them to tell if a hot-neutral imbalance is due to a leakage (which should cause a trip) or current through the other breaker.

You need to either run separate neutrals or, as @tyson commented, use a dual-poll GFCI breaker.

BTW, running a MWBC on two separate breakers is against code. They must, at least, be linked to always dual-trip.


It's relatively easy to find UV resistant compressor hose from many manufacturers. It's also important to note the "resistant" aspect of the description. Solar UV is quite destructive and I doubt any manufacturer would consider the product to be UV proof.

Encasing your UV resistant hose in a UV opaque tube, conduit, enclosure would substantially reduce the destructive effect of the sun's UV rays. Most compressor hoses are quite durable in all temperatures and you should note that the manufacturer's specifications will include recommended temperatures. Rarely are those figures outside of human habitable levels.

I cannot comment on how to determine if an enclosure selection would be UV opaque, although black colours are usually a better choice than white and other lighter colors. I have personally observed white insulated wiring deteriorate in sunlight over a period of months, while the black insulated equivalent lasted years.

If flexibility is a requirement, one could purchase a (likely expensive) larger diameter UV resistant hose and slide the smaller working compressor hose within.

Even a selection of plumbing grade PVC will provide protection. According to this link of somewhat limited content, a coat of latex paint will increase the UV resistance and lifespan of ordinary PVC pipe.

Additional research shows that one can purchase specifically-UV-resistant PVC, saving the need for a coat of paint!

One more tidbit. Black polyethylene pipe can be flexible enough if needed and is available in many sizes and is quite UV resistant. Using grey PVC risks the pipe being mistaken for electrical conduit (in the USA) and is contra-indicated, despite its UV resistance.

Black PE pipe would never be mistaken for electrical and is also going to be reasonably priced, unless it is a rarity in your country.


How can I prevent air leaks in my single-hung windows?

On the windows I have installed they have a clear plastic or white wiper that seals to the frame, when these windows get older that plastic seal fails then the outside air can make it through the gap. You may need to remove the slider and look on some windows I have seen several of these, wiper type weather seals. The seals pull out to a side if they don’t slide out with players look for a staple keeping them from moving.
You may be able to find a generic weather strip that will replace yours. It’s not horribly difficult pulling the window can be the hardest part.
The entire sliding part it probably will need to come out so you can remove and replace.


Can I connect one end of an in wall wire to an electrical plug?

The best bet is to install an inlet where you're transitioning from cord to fixed wiring.  You don't want to run flexible cords through walls/ceilings, so you'll want to find a way to avoid that.

So you'll end up with something as follows:

Surge protector -> male end plug -> cord -> female end -> inlet -> fixed wiring -> receptacle where projector can plug in.


Is it possible to hang a bicycle from floating shelf bolts?

To properly analyze this you'd need a good drawing of the forces acting on the system (a free-body diagram). Without seeing that, and without knowing the materials you intend to use (ex. what grade fasteners, what size fasteners, torque values, what type of wood dowels, how the bolts secure the dowels to the stud, etc.) it's incredibly difficult to say whether or not it will work.

My biggest concern is not that the bolts will fail, but that the wood dowel will break in tension. I'd be worried about the area under the fastener head. If you can provide a drawing, I'll try to edit this answer to be more specific.


Should I bother to flip basement ceiling insulation that's on backwards?

The vapor barrier may have been done correctly; it depends on several factors like temperature, whether the basement is a living area, or if is a laundry area or has other sources of moisture build up. You need to ask your local inspector.


Use metal studs to frame for drywall around brick fireplace

Trying to use a metal stud in this way is not suitable. First off a metal stud is not used flat like that. Normally the metal studs are used on edge such that the drywall would screw to the narrow face of the stud. Then ends of the metal stud are meant to have each narrow face screwed to a U-shaped channel.

A metal stud used flat has next to no strength as compared to using them properly. Keep in mind that metal studs are just thin folded sheet metal, not some strong support girder.

If you must use it in the manner shown in your picture, even though not recommended, you should cut a piece of wood to fit inside the end of the metal stud so that screws do not bend the thing like you have experienced.


How to prevent moisture problems in newly-sealed crawlspace from the 1800's

You have an interesting problem, with a lot of compounding issues. If you only have 4 courses of brick on top of dirt, that's not much of a foundation either way. I personally would be greatly concerned about movement, but the fact that its been that way for a couple of hundred years is kind rendering it null and void.

I wonder too what you mean by "poly and seal"? Do you mean you have applied vapour barrier to the underside of the joists and sealed it? If so, this will have catastrophic results. Moisture from inside the house will permeate the floor and when it hits the cold (October to March) side of the joist (the bottom) it will condense and pool in the VB. This leads to rot of the joists and mold. If you have insulated as well, it will generally make it worse, unless you have used spray foam (which solves the problem entirely), but I doubt that as you said you have limited access. You could use an air barrier (Tyvek™ or TYPAR®) instead of a vapour barrier, but if you have no insulation, you aren't really achieving anything.

By adding the AC and insulation, you will be significantly altering the thermal and moisture dynamics inside the house and underneath in the crawlspace. In my experience, Virginia is quite humid, but doesn't get that cold, correct? If that the case, frost may not be an issue as far as the foundation goes (heaving and ice buckling), so if it was my place or a customers place, I would probably approach it this way:

1) Dig out access trenches below to give you access to the entire area. A three foot trench every eight feet (on center) usually works pretty well.

2) Get a spray foam company to come in and do an R40 Polyiso foam spray throughout.

3) Back fill all of the access trenches to make sure a soil subsidence doesn't compromise your "foundation".

4) Install venting openings or louvers all the way around.

This way the insulation encapsulates all of the existing structure and insulates it and seals it from moisture ingress from below. The foam will make sure the wood is kept above the dew point in the crawlspace to make sure you don't get water logging of the joists. The venting will ensure the Polyiso cures alright and then keeps the crawlspace vented permanently.


How could the location of a radon abatement hole impact its effectiveness?

It's a simple matter of airflow, so the answer partly depends on the collection mechanism.

If your system will rely on underslab media, such as washed rock or plain gravel soil, flow reduces exponentially with distance from the vacuum source. For this reason a centrally-located port would be most effective, by far. An alternative would be to have multiple peripherally-located ports.

If your system will be a sealed drain tile type, it won't matter as much. Theoretically, vacuum will be roughly equivalent at all points in the pipe, and will therefore draw uniformly on the adjacent medium. In a large or complex tile layout some reduction in vacuum could be expected at remote points, but a true central port location is probably not an option as drain tile is typically installed at the perimeter of a foundation.

Leaks in the system can dramatically reduce effectiveness on a localized or system-wide basis, of course.


Should I switch to a vertical exhaust fan to avoid 90 degree bends?

See sketch below.

A possibility of using a adjustable 90° fitting would do you right in this scenario and you could get the identical roof pitch in that fitting. So this would be a compromise, being less than that stated "stay away from 90 bends".

These would let you make an angle equal to your roof's pitch. 0° to 90°


Is it practical?  I guess the question is, "does lightning strike twice?"

One problem is with near misses.  Lightning has so much voltage at biblical amperage, that it creates a voltage gradient across the ground.  Earth at your remote outlet could be 20,000 volts hotter than your house.  This is what kills animals; the voltage on their front feet is different enough than their back feet that a lethal current can flow through their chest.

Without a ground rod, you hope the PVC and THWN insulation is strong enough to survive a 20,000V differential.   With a ground rod, you remove all doubt - you are grounding both ends of the ground wire.  That means the ground wire will be participating in this voltage gradient (helping to arrest it also). This has the risk of burning out the ground wire and having this voltage arc internally to the hot and neutral.

So lightning is such a slippery customer that it's hard for me to call it "definitely good".  There are outlier conditions in which it could make things worse, as I described. But it's the way to bet IMO.

Of course, since it's not a mandatory ground rod, it doesn't need to meet standards for mandatory ground rods like the 25 ohm impedance test.


What could be causing the washing machine waste pipe to overflow?

The first thing to do, is to figure out how this drain is vented. If you've got a big slug of water from the washer moving through the pipe, you've got to equalize the pressure in front of and behind the water. So you'll want to make sure the drain is properly vented.

Next, I'd probably remove all that extra plumbing.  With three 90° bends like that, you're making it more difficult for the water to move through the pipes.

Cut out the extra plumbing, and connect the trap assembly directly to the trap arm. Cut the plumbing at the orange line in the image below, then connect the trap and standpipe to the newly cut pipe. This eliminates all the extra bends, and should allow the water to drain better.

I'd also install a shallower P-trap. The shallower trap will hold less water, and allow better flow. As it's currently plumbed, you've got probably about 4-5" of water sitting in the trap.

Lastly, you may be able to make the standpipe longer. Check your local codes for the maximum length, as some say maximum 30", while others allow up to 42" pipes. (the standpipe is the vertical pipe coming up out of the trap). A longer standpipe obviously holds more water before overflowing, so it can provide a bit of extra time for the water to drain.


Built-In Shelves/Bookcases - IKEA vs Built

I have experience with both.  I'll try to answer your bullets and then some other thoughts.

Which adds more to a home's value?  Well, typically bookcases don't add to the value because some people want them and some don't.  If you wanted to build them in, you're typically going to go custom with that and build it yourself.  The rigid dimensions for a pre-made bookcase will normally not allow it to look truly built in.  Also the particle-board-covered-with-paper finish is not going to look good in the long run and could actually detract from the home value because of the cheapness.

However...  I have used the more modular Bestä system to make a built in TV entertainment area that looked very custom and fit the area well.  The reason this worked better is that the "lower quality" IKEA frames were mostly hidden by doors that have better materials and finishes.  I wouldn't have ever built in a Billy.

Which method is stronger?  This is going to largely come down to your building skills and materials, but custom can be stronger.  However, Billy bookcases when properly assembled will be strong enough for their purpose.  Any weakness will only show when it's time to move the bookcase.  They don't hold up to twisting and racking forces as well because they are not glued and only use a few locking fasteners.  They are great for sitting in the corner and holding things tho!

Which is easier to paint or stain? Custom is going to take the lead here for sure.  IKEA uses a particle board covered with a paper-based finish.  This can't be sanded or easily repaired if scratched, nicked or drilled.  It's designed for you to leave it the color it was made, and they do come in a variety of colors.  I'd worry about adhesion issues and what happens to the paper finish when it gets wet (if using water-based paints) and it can't be stained because it's not wood.  There are a few solid wood items that IKEA makes, so none of this applies to them.  They are just wood and you can do whatever you want.

So, you say specifically you want a built-in project.  Unless this is a very low cost home I wouldn't consider Billy bookcases.  They can't be easily painted and can't be easily repaired (like if a shelf peg breaks out).  They just are not intended to be that type of furniture.

As far as stand-alone shelves go - they are great and I've found that you typically can't build your own for less money.  What you pay for lumber and hardware/fasteners might be a little less expensive, but not by much.  You'll end up with a nicer custom product in the end, but not cheaper.


I don't think sanding the surface will produce a surface good enough to paint. It's certainly a lot of effort for uncertain results.

If the underlying surface is very rough it might still show through the wall paper, unless it's very thick (1000 gsm lining paper for example) or you do some sanding.

The best answer might be to continue to peel off the paper and then skim the wall with plaster. Depending on your plastering skills you might want to get a professional in.

The result should be good enough to paint.


Fast trick to figure out to where bathroom fan vents out

If you have access to the attic; and presumably the top of the bathroom fan, you may be able to follow the duct.
If you don't have access to the top side of the fan, you could remove the cover and take a peek inside. You should be able to get a glimpse of the outlet, which should allow you to determine if there's ducting attached.
In my house, the bathroom exhaust fans vent directly into the insulation around them (an issue I've been meaning to fix since I moved in). Because of this I don't use the fans, since I'd rather have the moisture in the conditioned space than in the insulation.
If you've determined that there is actually ducting attached to the fan, you could use a fog machine to help locate the outlet.

You can usually pick these up fairly cheap; especially around Halloween, or possibly rent one from a party supply store. Set the machine up in the bathroom, and turn on the exhaust fan.  Then walk around your house looking for the fog.
NOTE: You might want to set the fog machine up on a ladder, as close to the exhaust fan as possible. Otherwise you might have to fill the entire bathroom with fog, before it's actually sucked into the exhaust fan. The fog tends to be heavier than air, and so tends to hang around the floor.
Smoke pellets, smoke candles, and other smoke testing devices are also available. Which may work better than a fog machine, since the smoke from these are typically lighter than air.
The product links are for demonstration purposes only, I have never used these specific products and do not endorse nor recommend these specific products.


What are my refinishing options for a concrete patio?

I have been researching this topic a lot lately.  I have even done a few test squares.  The Acid staining is awesome.  You should search for "acid stain" on Youtube.  There are countless ways to do it, so watch a whole bunch of those videos and you will get a get idea of it, and some good ideas of what you can do.  But here are the basics:

Clean the concrete. What is on it will determine what to use to clean it.  You will want to surface texture to be fairly uniform.  You can even put a thin layer of resurfacer on it to even it to hide everything.
Mask areas or put on stencil.  You can put about anything you want on it.
Apply the stain. Stain runs about $45-$60 dollars for a quart, but it will cover about 300 square feet.  The price may limit how many different colors you will want.
Neutralize.  This is just applying ammonia, or a more expensive neutralizer.
Wash the concrete.  Just Soap and water will do.
Apply Sealer.  There are a thousand different sealers.  You will need to figure out what kind of a sheen you want on it.


To dim a light, you decrease the amount of power. That can be done by lowering voltage (works well with some things but not others) or limiting current or by only supplying power part of the time - e.g., by changing the waveform (as noted by Harper). Some of these same "tricks" work fine with motors, but generally speaking modern dimmers don't work well with motors - or rather, the motors don't work well with the dimmers. There actually have been issues even with some lights - many fluorescent and LED lights do not work with dimmers and it is always best to make sure that a light bulb (unless it is incandescent) is specifically designed/tested to work properly with dimmers.

How does the 5-speed fan switch do it? It may be variable voltage (e.g., different taps on a transformer) or current (some sort of limiting device) or some other method, but designed specifically to work with the fan motor. Dimmers for lights simply don't work the same way.

If a light dimmer does happen to work with a fan (or other motor), I would watch out for overheating and/or lower motor life.


Converting an outdoor light socket into a light socket and outlet

Thankfully, since it's a 4" pancake, you're in luck.  You can attach a weatherproof extension to it, then attach a new weatherproof light fixture to the extension (since the one you have is disintegrating), and then you can use the extension ring as a splice point to tap off wires for a new outlet box -- use THWN run though a 1/2" conduit nipple for this, and a weatherproof surface mount single gang box with a matching in-use "bubble" cover for the receptacle itself.

Don't forget to turn the breaker off before making these changes!

(Linked parts are simply examples of what can be used)


It occurred to me that this project might benefit from a single piece stone cap and eliminate lintel altogether.  You could incorporate a bit of slope and weather proof the structure.  A stone supply house could fashion it out of limestone.

More traditional lintel:
This window drawing is pretty analogous to a mailbox opening:

You are probably building a double wythe wall, not a veneer, so an upside down 'T' is used


Is there a good reason NOT to reuse the power cord when replacing my electric range/oven?

A nearly 40 year old power cord is going to be nasty. Dust, grease, possibly cracked insulation internally, possibly asbestos insulation if the "original" cord was itself recycled. All are fine unless you disturb the cord. Pulling the stove out disturbs the cord.

Pulling out a stove is a fairly major operation, I would take the opportunity to completely clean under it and update whatever I could.

Changing the receptacle would be a decision based on it's current condition (one crack -> replace; any green copper -> replace) and the state of the wires. Open your breaker panel and check the stove wires (they'll be the biggest ones). Still soft and flexible? New receptacle.

A stove is your house's biggest power consumer. Maybe you don't mind a 40 year old cord handling all that power; how do you feel about a 60 year old cord? That's the old cord in another 20 years. If the original cord was recycled itself, it is now 60 years old and will be 80 when you retire.


How do I repair the bottom lip of a concrete slab?

You're on the right track.  I've repaired chips and missing chunks in 80-100 year old public stairways in similar ways.  Start with a hammer and chisel, and be really aggressive like a dentist to find and remove all the soft spots.

I've used the tapcon screws, but generally find it easier to chisel an irregular shape that does the same thing.

For your patch I might chisel a channel all the way to the top, so it is easier to get the patching mortar past temporary formwork.  Remove your formwork as the stuff starts to get hard, and brush or trowel to match the old surface.  Or ignore that as your "concrete restore" will hide minor surface differences.

You can build up the repair in layers, but that requires mixing a fresh batch of rapid set cement every 15 minutes or so.


How should I go about removing a ceiling mounted downrod light?

If you want to remove the entire fixture from the ceiling then you do not need to undo the wiring below that you have shown in the photo.

You only need to disconnect the wires in the ceiling box  that the fixture is attached to.

You do not need and electrician to do this, ( but you may feel more comfortable hiring one or a handyman if you are not knowledgeable about electricity ) you do need to turn off the breaker that supplies power to the light and a safe ladder to get up there and an assistant.

Inside the box the wires from the fixture should be connected to the wires supplying power to the box, they should be connected with wire nuts .  ( There may be other wires in the box as well, connected or not connected to the fixture wires )

Because the fixture is so big and heavy you will need an assistant to hold/support the fixture while you work on unscrewing the wire nuts that connect the wires from the fixture to the house wiring. Once you have disconnected the fixtures wires ( Black Hot, White neutral and Green/bare copper ground ) your assistant can take away the fixture and then  you will need to put the wire nuts back on the wires in the box. You should have a non contact voltage tester to verify that there is no power to any of the wires in the box before you proceed.

If there are more then one set of wires that were connected with the wire nuts do not undo them just twist the wire nuts back onto the wires.

This is a generalization because i can not see inside you ceiling box.
You should watch some YouTube videos on how to change a light fixture so you have a better understanding of the processes.

EDIT: Before you do anything in the box Take a photo and/or take notes on how things are connected in the box so if things go wonky in the future or you have to come back to it at a later date you have a reference on how it is and should be wired.


How do I tell which drill kit will be useful and suit best for DIY requirements?

Alternatives that cover everything for DYI needs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What your set is missing

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

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

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


How do I seal the cracks between my asphalt driveway and my garage concrete slab?

Water plays a major role when maintaining the surface of your driveway. It can have drastic effects on concrete surfaces. When it is absorbed or flows into a hardscape, water will start it's damage by an expansion and contraction cycle. This is accelerated in climates that are prone to freezing weather. Hot weather and exposure to direct sunlight (UV rays) will also degrade roadways. Asphalt, which doesn't have the inherent strength of concrete, needs more maintenance in order to increase its longevity and keep it aesthetically pleasing. From looking at your photos it would be wise to consider investing some repair time to your asphalt and concrete surfaces. For asphalt repair: 1) clean soil from cracks and fill with an asphalt filler. 2) After the filler is dry, squeegee the surface with a sealer specifically made for asphalt. The sealer flows into the porous gaps and fills fissures that allow water to penetrate. It also dries to a uniform black color which looks aesthetically pleasing. Depending on your climate, resealing should be between 2-4 years (+/-). Concrete, doesn't need as much care. It should be sealed with a sealer made for concrete (if it's less than 2 months old wait for full cure). If cracks develop (like those in your photo's): 1) chisel-out loose pieces and try to form an inverted "V"- shape in the crack to allow for a better mechanical bond. 2) flush remaining dust and dirt with a water stream. 3) Apply a bonding agent to the crack walls (this isn't critical, but it helps with repair adhesion). 3) mix up a batch of store bought concrete repair patch, either powdered or pre-mixed, and apply. If the total concrete surface needs sealing it may be necessary to power wash and remove impurities so as to allow complete absorption of the sealer. Also if  water can be seen as being absorbed by the concrete it can be sealed.


The wiring should be:

Black: one side of the double breaker to heater terminal A

White: Other side of the double breaker to heater terminal B (this wire should be tagged black or red. Use a marker or some tape.

Single-wire 220v means there is no 120v in the circuit, like a stove.

There is no fixed temperature for a given power consumption. How hot does the manual say it should get?


How should I waterproof a concrete roof?

You're probably looking for an elastomeric roof coating.

Primarily, you'll need to clean the roof, repair and fill any cracks/gaps/etc and remove any of the peeling drylok, apply an appropriate primer meeting the manufacturer's suggestions, then apply at least two coats of the roof coating. It would also be recommended that any sloping/drainage issues be addressed as well in order to avoid heavy pooling, where possible.

As usual, cheaper is rarely better when it comes to roof coatings. A white coating tends to last longer and reduce roof temperatures (which should also help with interior temperatures).


electrical work: create "future boxes" - is this to NEC code?

Putting a box in at the end of the future run, terminating the wires in nuts, and putting a cover on it is standard practice for a "future expansion" outlet of any sort -- putting a label on the cover indicating what it's intended for is a nice touch, but by no means needed by Code.  In fact, you cannot "bury" the box behind the drywall -- it must remain accessible for later use/servicing.


What is the technical term for this style lighting?

Indirect lighting.
example here

Usually the light source is hidden by an archtectural feature, so the feature is constructed by normal building means and then the light source is hidden in it.

At my house we have one strip light hidden in an open topped curtain pelmet and another hidden behind an one of the exposed rafters.

These are 5' flourescent tubes with 40 year old iron ballasts.

Led strips could be hidden in a cornice moulding. etc.

it's going to be tricky to clean.


Lowering the water pressure in my bathtub spout

I suggest you to add an aereator (aka economizer) to your tub faucet: it will, about halve, the flow used at a reasonable price.

If your water heater is smaller than 24 kW you should get a bigger one. (24kW allows 10L/min flow @30K temperature's jump) that is pretty low flow and not-very-hot water, if you live in hot regions it may be good (cold water hotter than 15°)


Replacing existing 9" dome fixtures with new 13" ones

Holes 6" apart for a lamp fixture are not very common. You need larger or adjustable crossbar (also called a fixture bracket)

You can attach this type of bracket to standard boxes with holes at 4" or 3 1/2".

Depending on whether the crossbar you find is threaded at 6", you may need to install machine screws in the crossbar slots, locked into place with nuts, that then stick down through your fixture mounting holes.

The links and images are for illustration only and are not an endorsement


How much does the quality of laminated flooring depend on its thickness?

A lot has been written about this subject. I am of the camp, like Tester 101, that laminate flooring is a poor choice  for kitchens and bathrooms. Keep in mind that laminate flooring is a pressed paper/composite backing with a "picture" of the finish on top. Granted, laminate has come a long way and the surface durability of the better brands is quite good and guaranteed for life.  however, read the warranty carefully. the warranty may cover replacement costs of a damaged piece of flooring, but never the labor cost to replace. Trust me, replacing a few pieces in the middle of a field is no easy task and the results are never as good as the original install. Also check that water damage is covered by the warranty. Most manufacturers only cover surface damage by scratching, not water damage. When water gets between the slabs, it can quickly be absorbed and the flooring will swell and buckle. This kind of damage is not reversible.

If you are sure you want to have a wood type floor in this area, I would encourage you to look at some real wood engineered flooring before making a final selection. Engineered flooring comes in the easy to install click-lock designs, pre-finished,and some with foam underlayment preinstalled.  The key advantage to engineered flooring over laminate is that engineered flooring is all wood. The back is usually a plywood type base with 1/8 to 3/16 inch of real wood veneer on the top.  This makes it sandable and re-finishable should it be necessary. Although it is not perfect for a wet area, it will hold up to a soaking much better than laminate and usually will dry ok and not delaminate from spills that are cleaned up quickly.

Until a laminate  flooring is made to be 100% water proof, I will not use it in kitchens, baths or entryways. I have been burned, even with the more expensive brands. As a result, I will not offer laminates to my customers at all, especially since I can offer engineered products at the same cost with much better looks and results.

I should mention, there are now some fantastic floating vinyl flooring systems out there that look every bit as good as laminate, easy to install, very durable, and most of all, completely waterproof. They are also quite affordable, in the $2.50 to $4 per foot price range. In my opinion, a much better product than laminate for these applications.


How can I speed up the rate at which putty dries?

Heat will make the putty softer, which is why you can heat it up to remove it.  Putty pretty much stays soft for years.  Initially, it doesn't really dry out so much as oxidize which forms a skin on it.

If you absolutely must paint it right away, you'll probably has to use one of the latex based glazing compounds. If you want to use a traditional one, paint it as soon as it forms enough of a skin that the paint will stick to it.  Also, I think you probably should be using oil based paints, but check the instructions on the putty.

If you let use know specifically which putty you are using, that might help get better answers.


How do I add a light fixture to an existing 3 way circuit when the existing one is powered directly?

I cannot see it being able to be done. Theres just not enough wires. Basically whats missing is after you get your switched power to your light you need a path back to the main (source) neutral. Or any neutral really. You do have white wires in the 3 way switch boxed but they are acting as travellers and not neutrals. Sorry for your bum luck. I hate being short wires!
If you could pull a 3 wire to replace the 2 wire between the source power light fixture and the 3 way switch box on the right, than you could then feed a light fixture off that 3 way. I am not sure if thats easier for you...


How can I reinforce an entertainment stand for an aquarium?

Disagree, aquariums do not hold most of their weight under the corners.  The weight is almost uniformly distributed on portions that are in contact with the supporting surface.  If it is an acrylic tank with no frame, then all that weight is distributed across the whole bottom surface (assuming it is resting on a shelf like you illustrate).  If it is a glass tank with a frame, then the weight is around the perimeter wherever the frame contacts the surface.

The rod under the corners are good, and your idea about diagonal members will prevent sagging.  But that is probably overkill and also adds complexity to the fabrication.  I would just run lengths of angle iron between the rods along the long length.  I don't think sag would be an issue on the short length.

You didn't ask, but spend the extra money and get an acrylic tank (not just any plastic tank though, acrylic).  A glass tank will eventually leak especially if it is not on a perfectly flat surface (flat, not necessarily level), and sometimes even then.

Lastly, that entertainment center is probably made of MDF or a similar material.  It will swell like mad if left in contact with water long enough.  No matter what you do, you will end up with some water outside the tank at some point.  So, this is not the best material overall so do take care.


How to Wire 3 baseboard Heaters with 2 Thermostats

You are correct -- just don't overstuff the box!

Pigtailing the wires to room 2 with the line-side of thermostat 1 will get you what you are after here.  However, with the thermostat and the 3 12/2s in there, that's too much stuff for many single gang boxes (20.25 in3 of box fill vs the largest standard device box in the Code being 18in3), so you'll want to use a bigger box such as a 4" square with a single gang cover/mudring there instead.  You'll also want to wrap each of the white wires in this with black tape to make it clear that they're hots, not neutrals.


Advice on wiring a pool panel from a subpanel

All of your questions you have the correct answers, thhn is dual rated thwn so it can be used in conduit both inside and outside as required.

You do need an insulated ground. You can put in a 100 amp panel at the pool  and feed it with a 30 amp breaker or the size you want .

the 1.5 hp 240 v motor is rated at 6 amps + 25% (motors require 125% of the FLA book values).

I think you are on your way if you wanted another sub past the pool sub that is a sub in the garage fed from the house it is ok. As a detached area another rod would be needed for this sub.


No power to outlet, single line, circuit breaker ok

Be extremely skeptical of "wire within walls" failures.

Anytime the evidence starts pointing to a failure of wiring within the walls, stop it. Unless you have recently been driving nails into walls or had damage from an earthquake, with all deliberate force, push "arbitrary wire failure within walls" to the very bottom of the list.  They are highly improbable.

This usually surfaces something else.  Often, novices don't have the skill or experience to spot the "something else", but focus there anyway.  For instance, many will wave around a non-contact voltage detector and find all the wires that are supposed to be hot are hot.  That doesn't check the return wire, neutral, which is equally important and is supposed to read not-hot.

Connections should be doubted unless they can be physically inspected, and even then, disconnecting and reconnecting them never hurts and can help.  This is where "back stabs" are a big problem. They frequently fail without any evidence of failing: Back stabs are uninspectable.  They also cannot be reused, because pulling the wire out ruins the spring.  All backstab connections that are not proven working should be moved to the side screws, and torqued properly. (most people torque too little). There, you can inspect them (and they're also a lot less trouble).

If a GFCI is involved, examine closely its wiring, which often means reexamining ones assumptions about how GFCIs are supposed to be wired.  If in doubt, get a picture of how it is connected, then remove it altogether (temporarily).  If a circuit works in all respects until a GFCI is added, that is an entirely different problem, and again has nothing to do with wiring in the walls.

The last thing you want to do is bust out walls, spend $500 on work to replace a cable, only to cross it off the list and say "Nope, that wasn't it, what's next on the failure tree?"  That is why I say "push it to the bottom".

Or even worse, in the course of replacing the cable, you unknowingly correct the actual problem, e.g. a loose nut on the neutral bar.  As I say about car repairs, "replacing a $600 car computer is a very expensive way to reset a car computer".


If you have to fiddle with it every two months, the air bag/bladder/diaphragm is leaking. If there is any sort of guarantee/warranty, you might want to use that. If not, you might want to select a different brand for the next one.

As for the pressure, think of it as the lower end of the pressure you'd like to see supplied in the house when several things are drawing. So if you set it to 1 bar, pressure will drop to 1 bar. If you have 4.3 bar supplied and would like to have it drop to no more than 3 bar, pressurize to 3 bar. You'll store less water, but at a greater usable pressure. If you need to store more water, you need a larger tank, or several small tanks working together.

While you cannot accurately set the air pressure without draining the system, you certainly can just pump air into the tank with pressure on the system, particularly if you are not going to replace the leaky bladder, since setting the tank pressure is not a thing that will stay set while the thing continues to leak.


There's a bunch of unshielded copper wire in a light switch - what is it and what does it do?

You are probably looking at grounding wire, which is typically sheathed in green or is bare.

The bare wire serves as the equipment grounding conductor as a safety precaution.  In the event of an electrical fault, the equipment ground will prevent you from becoming shocked and injured by coming in contact with bare metal in the box or on the metal casing of the switches or other receptacles (if there was an electrical fault).

It is perfectly normal and nothing to be alarmed about, it is a safety feature.


Why is the TPR valve dripping on my new water heater?

Sounds like you need to install an expansion tank, and possibly a pressure regulator (or pressure reducing valve).

When a check valve is installed, it becomes a closed plumbing system. Because it's closed the pressure in the system increases, as the heater heats the water. An expansion tank that is properly charged (charged to the "normal" water pressure) will "absorb" the pressure increase, keeping the system at a steady pressure.

Follow the installation instructions provided by the expansion tank manufacturer. Typically the tank has to be on the cold water supply of the heater, and within a specific distance to the heater. You'll have to measure the pressure at this point in the system, to determine what to charge the tank to.

Expansion tanks typically have a maximum charge value, which should not be surpassed. If you measure the normal incoming water pressure (without the water heater running), and the pressure is above this rating. You'll have to install a pressure reducing valve (PRV), to prevent the incoming pressure from being too high. Plumbing code calls for a PRV, whenever the incoming pressure is greater than 80 psi (See this question for more info).


How can I determine if dishwasher control panel needs replacing?

Some dishwashers have a float switch gadget in the base water tray that floats up with the water level. Should the water level rise too high this activates a switch that cuts off the water supply valve to prevent the dishwasher from flooding the kitchen. I have seen situations where the float unit gets stuck in its upper position and prevents any water filling to occur. In one case the float mechanism got jammed up due to food debris trapped under it.

Check to see if your unit has a thing like this and clean it out and check for free travel of the float mechanism.


Cold feed through hot side of water heater?

It's because of a check valve on a shower diverter. when the check valve(s) get stuck open water can mix through with the valve off.

The check valves are behind the big red arrow in this picture

http://mtpundit.com


What's the most common cause of A/C refrigerant lines freezing?

You may be looking at the problem backwards, the freezing lines could be a symptom of the problem not the cause.  Start by looking for blockages in the system that would cause lower air flow / heat exchange.

Dirty filters.
Clogged ducts.
Closed dampers.
Closed/Blocked vent covers.
Dirty coils.

Basically if the system cannot exchange the heat/cold, it will not function properly and could lead to over heating/cooling.

Frozen lines could also be caused by high or low levels of refrigerant, so you'll want to get a service person out to check the refrigerant levels.

Here is a really good image to visualize how it works.


Push the piece in the direction of the arrow and try sliding the drawer straight out, only lifting enough to take the load.

Or there is a wheel in the track and it perhaps comes out a hole that is covered by that black plastic piece. Slide the piece in the direction of the arrow and see if it can be lifted out


It all depends on your type of fixture. Go to there site and look and the install instructions and go with the ballast you have.


How can I remove wax from a wooden counter so I can resurface it with Danish oil?

If the surface is edge grain and the previous finish was only wax, wiping down with mineral spirits and then sanding using progressively finer grits up to 220 or so should be pretty good preparation to refinish.  Skip the soap and water treatment as it won't dissolve any wax and only complicates finishing.  Before applying any finish the wood should be smooth and dry.  Any staining or blotching you can see is not going to be hidden too much by a clear finish - it's sometimes possible to bleach out stains but this is tricky to do well.

If you are still getting something soaking back up after sanding down to the raw wood, it could be a prior mineral oil treatment.  Mineral oil never hardens and is often used on wooden butcher blocks and countertops.  Simply reapplying more would be one refinishing option.  It's easy (you just apply until it is no longer absorbed) but you have to reapply it frequently.  Inexpensive pure mineral oil can be found in a pharmacy (it's sold as a laxative).

Another option would be a pure tung oil finish.  It would be slightly more expensive but a little more water resistant.  You can get it from a woodworking or finishing supplier.  Most "tung oil finishes" sold by hardware stores are not actually tung oil so check the labels carefully if you go this route.  It would be applied and reapplied similarly to mineral oil.

Some "Danish oil" finishes are a blend of varnish, oil, and thinner, and others contain only thinned varnish.  Generally one applies "Danish oil" in light coats such that a film is not really built up on the surface of the wood.  Often wax is then applied over it.  This feels nice on furniture but it is going to be less durable that a slightly thicker application of regular varnish applied with a brush or thinned and then wiped on in several coats.

The mineral oil or tung oil would be my choices for a counter that you are actually going to cut on.  On the other hand if you don't plan to cut with knives directly on the counter, and if you are able to prepare the counter down to a clean, dry, smooth surface, a wiping varnish is probably the most durable and best looking option.


Best DIY all-rounder cutting tool for straight edges? Multi tool?

The problem with 'All-rounder' tools is that they are rarely actually very good at anything. Sure they'll let you cut a wavy line in tile, but how often will you be doing this?

My advice would be to buy good-quality tools as, and when, you need them. An SDS drill, battery drill-driver, and decent hand-saw will get you a long way. If you'll be cutting sheet material, then a circular saw would be useful. Later on, you might want to get a mitre saw, jigsaw and a router.

One point on buying power tools: With the exception of the drill/driver - don't get cordless, unless you have a very good reason; When the batteries die, they are expensive to replace, if you can even get replacements, although this is less of a problem nowadays as Li-Ion batteries typically last much longer than NiMH / NiCad.
As noted in the comments, they are also often less powerful than their corded cousins, unless you pay a lot of money.

For your requirements:

Wood - hand saw
Plasterboard - Stanley Knife for straight cuts, padsaw for curves
Chasing wall - SDS drill with chasing chisel bit


Can I convert an old dual fuel Electric/Propane range into a cooktop only that uses 120V instead of 240V?

Many people have one or more 240V outlet in the garage (shop tools, welder, etc.,) and many more will as electric vehicles (and associated chargers) permeate the marketplace more.
Anyway, if you don't, certainly the simplest option is to light with a lighter.
If the igniter circuit works from 120V (which you appear to assume, but I don't), and both the clock (where that assumption is more valid, IME) and igniter circuit are on the same leg of the 240V line, it should be possible (with care) to determine which leg of the 240V feed that is, and to wire a 120V plug to the line, Neutral, and Ground for that purpose - whether that's going to be a technical code violation or not, I don't know. If the current range cord is a 3-wire, you'll need to separate the neutral and ground, for sure.
You will need to take care that the other side of the stove's line connection is well-isolated, as that will be energized when someone unfamiliar with your modification tries to use the oven, unless you make more internal modifications to disable that.


Attaching cable company service wire to side of house

The red point on the right is called a "P hook" and the red point on the left is a "drop clamp." Drop clamps are used to make sure the strain on the cable is parallel to the length of the cable and doesn't force the cable into a bent or kinked state.
Coaxial cables intended for aerial drops like this typically have a "messenger wire" that further reduces the strain; non-reinforced RG-6 coaxial has a maximum rating of 35lb pull force but some have up to 126lbs. Weight of coaxial is roughly 35lb per 1000 feet so short runs aren't a big deal without messenger wire support.
For your application, you can leave the P hook and replace the drop clamp unless you can reuse the existing one. I'd try to combine all of those coax drops into one cable if possible and split it further down the line (but I can't see what else they're connected to in this photo).
Note also that cables are supposed to be protected within 8' of grade, this typically means entering a conduit where it meets the house and runs down the wall inside conduit, so multiple cables can be contained in conduit and have a much neater look.
Source - cable install primer
On the other hand, your siding appears to be vinyl; is that what you're painting?


When choosing lighting fixtures for new construction, should I go integrated or non-integrated CFL?

While this is not really a diy type question, I'll give it a go.

First I take integrated as a screw-in self ballasted cfl and a non-integrated is a cfl with 2 or 4 pins made to go in a fixture designed for that lamp.

To answer your first question about new construction, some states have laws saying you have to use the fluorescent ballasted fixtures (for non-integrated cfls) in certain areas.  Residential it's in bathrooms and kitchens and outdoor lights.  I'm not certain about commercial buildings.

All buildings, commercial and resi have to do load calcs (how much wattage a circuit will use).  While resi might not be as important to follow as strictly as commercial because of air conditioning impact and circuits will be more closer to the maximum output of what the wire and breaker are intended to handle.  If you use a recessed can that uses the integrated self ballasted cfls, or a can with a medium edison socket, then this throws all the calculations out the window.

Put in a recessed can or fixture with a medium base, then building maintenance or Harry Homeowner will not care or know what was intended, they will put in the easiest to use.  In resi applications the biggest complaint I hear is when someone is putting on make-up, they would rather have the natural light of an incandescent than a cfl. Then 13 watt cfl becomes a 75 watt reflector lamp and the wattage went up 5 times plus the air conditioning burden just went up as well.  That's a big deal if done that way in a commercial building.

The ballasted fixtures using cfl's are limited on what can go in them.  Usually a 5 watt cfl has the same socket and ballast as a 7 and 9 watt.  A 13 watt does not share it's sockets or ballast with other fixtures.  4 pin tubes are the same.  That is why when it is governed that fluorescents must be used, they will only be accepted with no substitute.  Also fluorescent fixtures are designed to get the maximum light control and output of its lumens.

People that use the screw-in fluorescents use them for retrofitting from incandescent to fluorescent.  Probably the only advantage of using the screw-ins is that if the ballast goes bad it is part of the lamp, not a time consuming chore, depending where the ballast is.  Pricing varies but I would also suggest either trying another source for your lamps or bring in a competitive bid and have them start matching it.  Depending on how many buildings you take care and how many lamps you are responsible for, the big three (Sylvania, GE and Philips) loves working with people in your shoes.


What is the best way to level an existing playset with only one person?

Seems like there are at least three questions here: how to temporarily support the structure so that work can be done, what materials to use for shimming the low points, and how to figure out where to add or remove materials (and how much).
Temporary support
It's tough to install a good base or to make adjustments when you've got something already sitting on the ground. Elevating it off the ground just takes a little creativity and resourcefulness. You might already have some kind of jack around the house (or a desire to buy one): a bottle jack, a floor jack, a tire-changing jack buried in the trunk of the car.. You may need to add blocks of wood to support the jack on the ground and/or to help the jack reach the play structure. Have some kind of cribbing material (more pieces of wood, usually) on hand to support the structure while it is raised.
Even a shovel or and a rock or block of wood as a fulcrum can work to pry something up an inch. A method I especially like is the "2x4 jack" as explained in this youtube video.
Foundation/support material
This depends a lot on what materials the play set is made of, how large the surfaces are where it bears on the ground, and how good your soil is for supporting the play set. Not knowing details about any of those things I'll give general ideas. Bricks make a nice support. Many home centers carry precast blocks and pavers in various shapes and sizes; some of these might be a good fit for your project as well. Finally, 2x4 or 4x4 pressure-treated wood cut into blocks of appropriate sizes might be useful.
It may even be fine to support the structure directly on the bare soil. In this case you can simply dig down the soil in the high areas or add soil, rocks, or bricks/blocks/whatever in the low areas.
What's level?
If you begin by finding how far out of level the ground is now you can make better choices about whether to dig the high parts down, build up the low parts, or do a combination of the two.
A water level is a pretty simple and inexpensive way of leveling points over a relatively large area, especially where obstructions make the use of a string and/or straight level impractical. There are fancy little kits for this, but all you really need are a bucket full of water, some tubing, and a measuring tape. Only the last few feet of the tubing has to be transparent (but all of it can be). The basic idea is that one end of the tube is placed in the bucket and the bucket and tube are filled with water (remove air bubbles from the tube). The far end of the tube can be moved freely around the site; the elevation of the water inside the tube will remain constant. Measure the distance from ground surface up to the water's level. Whichever point has the least distance to water level is the highest; the point that has the greatest distance is lowest; the difference between the two numbers is the difference in elevation.
That's probably not enough words to make a really clear explanation.. but I'm sure there must be a few youtube videos which will make it clear!


How can I feather the edge between still stuck paint and the layer below? (Latex did not stick to gloss oil paint)

Ever do bondo work on a car?  That's pretty much it.  West System epoxy and various sanding fillers, interspersed with 24-48 hours to wait for the epoxy to cure enough to sand, and an exhausting amount of sanding, rinse wash repeat until it looks right.   It takes a really long time.

The upside is this will also remove the wood damage, which is not inconsiderable. The downside is, it's really easy to mess up and damage trim with a power sander.


3Way Occupancy Sensor Switch NO neutral or grounding!

It's going to be a little tough, mainly in the search for appropriate products.  Stack Exchange is not a shopping-assistance site.

A motion-sensor switch needs energy to function.  The old way was to place the switch in series with the bulb, which depended absolutely on an incandescent bulb - that won't work in your case.  The other way is to power it conventionally by bringing always-hot and neutral to the switch.   You need this method.

First, you already have 3 wires between the power supply/lamp and each switch.  Redesignate them as follows:

Actual Neutral (must be white or gray)
Always-hot
Switched-hot (which controls the lamp)

Then search for a matched set of smart switches (which are made to work together) which do what you want, and are compatible with that wiring.

For instance, two modern motion sensors (which take hot and neutral) may be able to work, each of them switching the switched-hot line.

Often, they are engineered products where one is a "master" and the other is a "remote".  Either you need the type which communicates wirelessly, in which case switched-hot is only used by the master.  Or, you need a "controller" up at the lamp, with two "remotes" at the switch locations, in which case the "switched-hot" is used for a communication wire instead.

To add to this answer...  if you are obliged to rewire, then given the low overall power requirement of the lamps, I would consider doing all this in low-voltage lighting.  The wiring is a lot easier to work with.


Can I install a trip lever drain on a new tub that doesn’t currently use one?

If you don't mind cutting into the floor and wall to replace the drain system in place now, you sure can install any kind you like. Some might even have the proper diameter vent tube and you could drop the drain system in without much fuss. It all depends on what you want to tackle.


Do I need to 'burn out' the LP in the gas lines prior to swapping out an appliance?

no.  the problem you find will be the odor of the gas, not the fire risk.  Just air the room a little, you'll be good.  keep the candles for the next day.
Good idea put in a valve for next time.


How to prevent algae formation in basin pipe?

Two things spring to mind. Algae are green plants, so lack of sunlight is an effective deterrent. Switching that translucent white pipe out for an opaque black one or going crazy with the duct tape should help. (Ideally a smoother pipe, Ed Beal style.)

Second, potassium permanganate (KMNo4) is very effective against algae. I don't see how you'd get it to stand in the pipe long enough to do anything though. It's typically sold in either pool/spa supply houses or aquarium dealers, usually under some sort of brand name. I can't imagine it being easier to find than bleach, but it's worth a look.


Why is there a hole in my basement wall?

The clue here is that the hole leads into an area that is under another part of the upper building structure. It is highly likely that the corresponding part of the building in that area does not have full headroom clearance and thus leaves that area as a "crawl" or "access" space. The hole is what allows you to enter that space if there is need for maintenance and/or repairs. The hole also allows for some air circulation from that area into the rest of the basement to help control humidity and temperature.

I would advise that you do not want to try to dig down the dirt floor space in that area because that would most likely cause you to be digging below the foundation levels in that access space. You do not want to be digging below the foundation levels as that can lead to foundation movement or long term failure.


how to safely remove granite counter top

Yes, it's possible & common. Cut any caulking clean through with a knife & slide it free, never pry up to free it. For solid sections you can just move those around carefully as-is. For sections that have a sink or cooktop cut-out, you'll want to sandwich the front edge by clamps or screws with 2x4's or wider. Slide the front edge out enough to sandwich that in place, then you can tip it up & move it to another room where you'll store it tipped up & not flat.


How can I protect bathroom wood from mold?

A standard approach to sealing is polyurethane, either brush on, rub on or spray on. If the old finish is pretty solid, a light sanding may do. If it is not adhering well or where the piece is worn and stained, a more thorough sanding is needed. In all cases, you need to wipe off all dust, preferably with a tack cloth before finishing. Wiping down with mineral spirits also helps clean before finishing.

A dust mask is always a good idea when sanding, especially if there is a chance that mold is present.

A much harder finish is marine or spar finish.  While originally varnish, it is now available in a urethane formula as well.

These types are specificly formulated to hold up better in wet environments.

For almost all types of finish, two or more coats are needed for a durable protection.

 Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


That would be usual and standard practice.  Just make sure that it goes back to a quality ground in a panel. etc.


Water pipe extension to livestock corrals

A lot depends upon whether you live where it can freeze. If you do then you want to bury the pipe from the house to the stock tank in the ground at a depth sufficient to prevent freezing. Then you want to use a frost-free farm or yard hydrant type valve to join with the buried water line and bring the water service up to the working level above the ground. The hydrant has an actuator lever at the top the works a rod inside the pipe all the way down to the actual water shut off point under the ground. When the rod is pushed down so that the water flow is off the hydrant is designed to drain the riser pipe through weep holes at the bottom. This prevents freezing of the riser pipe above ground.

Some hydrants will require the addition of a back flow preventer if you intend to leave a hose attached while the hydrant is off. This so that the drain feature will work correctly by letting air into riser pipe.

The auto drain feature is one reason it is necessary to lay in a good amount of pea gravel or crushed rock around the bottom of the hydrant so that it is easy for the water from the drain feature to flow away from the pipe and down into the surrounding soil.

Here is a picture of a typical hydrant:


You can use "furniture glaze" (pretty much a tinted "clear" finish.)

You could tint/dye a clear finish, or use a naturally tinted "clear" finish such as dark shellac.

For both of those you'd likely need to at least scuff-sand the current finish to get good adhesion.

You can also use a colored/tinted furniture wax over the current finish.


Why doesn't the paint stick to new ingrain wallpaper?

I would guess that your issue is that you didn't prime first.

From Wikipedia:

  A primer or undercoat is a preparatory coating put on materials before painting. Priming ensures better adhesion of paint to the surface, increases paint durability, and provides additional protection for the material being painted

You buy primer from the same store you would buy paint.  Primer goes on first, dries, and then you paint your final color on top.


Does the side of Hardibacker cement board really matter?

According to the James Hardie Website FAQ, either side is fine to use. However, they recommend smooth side to be up and nailed every 8" on center.


When removing siding with a mildew smell, and then replacing it, should I wrap the house in something airtight first?

The house wraps are vapor barriers that breathe. They are much better than the old tarpaper for keeping moisture out.


Trying to set my thermostat to use FAN only for cooling

You can do that -- simply wire a jumper from the Y to the G terminals on your thermostat, and configure it as if you had an ordinary A/C.  That way, a call for cool will energize the fan, while heating still works as it normally would.


How can I tidy up a hole in a plaster ceiling rose?

I don't know what the right answer is, but I'd probably go with attaching an adhesive screen, using non-shrinking plaster/spackle over that to fill in the area, then trying to tool the surface to vaguely resemble the rest of the design. If you were trying for a museum-quality repair the answer would probably be to actually take a mold of the opposite side and use that to replicate the leaf pattern, but I couldn't advise you on how.

Fixing butchered art is never easy.


Can I control where in the toilet bowl the flush water goes?

This is the design of the toilet. This pushes any solids and paper to the “well” in the back. If you don’t think you have enough flow a product like CLR can be used (turn water supply off, flush put clr in tank and flush” you may want to use a towel to keep the clr in the holes for a bit longer , then turn water back on and see if that opened things up. CLR is a product that dissolves Calcium, Lime & Rust. It works quite well on plumbing fixtures and I have done the above procedure to clear the rust stains so the toilet looked better for longer.


How do I unlock this electrical meter cabinet?

You buy a utility-key (AKA services cabinet key) or poke around with needle-nosed pliers

The X shaped metal tool (four-way utility-key) has four different key shapes commonly used. It also has a useful plastic adapter for hex drive and a two-ended flat/phillips bit.

The keys shown in my photo work on both gas and electric meter boxes in the UK, you can buy them in most hardware/DIY shops.


Does a thread on Diamond Cup Grinding Wheel need a locknut?

The Dewalt person is correct.
Use the locking mechanism of the grinder to keep the shaft from turning while you  tighten it down by hand. (Always unplug the grinder when replacing discs.)
The rotation of the shaft is such that it will cause the wheel to tighten, not loosen. There are flat spots on back side of the wheel that you can get a wrench on, but there is no need to torque it down very tight.
The locking nut/washer is used for discs that are not threaded, such a cut off disc.


Why does my drill stop and start working when it feels like it?

If it's a corded drill, that's a common sign that the cord is going bad and it's time to replace it. It might also be the power switch (see below).

If it's a battery drill then look to the power switch. Dirty contacts will cause intermittent power loss. You may just have to spray some contact cleaner into the switch assembly and work it a few dozen times, repeating the spray too, to get things working reliably. Battery contacts might also have gotten dirty. Clean them.


Can sliding doors be replaced while retaining the existing frame?

Sure, if they're available. Most sliding doors simply lift out. Some have a retention mechanism that would need to be removed first.

You'll probably need to level the doors to fit the frame using built-in adjusters, and verify that the latch hardware still aligns.


How can I safely remove one baseboard heater out of a set of two?

If you remove one, the other may not be able to handle the heating demand. This could lead to a cold room, and/or a shortened life of the heater.

If you still want to proceed. Shut off the breaker, and disconnect the second heater as close to the breaker as you can. Don't just cut the wires, disconnect them at a splice point inside a junction box. Cap all the wires with twist on connectors, and label them so future owners know what they are.

If you have another source of heat, and would like to remove both heaters. Simply shut off the breaker, and remove the circuit wires from the panel. Coil the extra wire up and wrap it with tape, then label it so future owners know what it is. Remove the breaker from the panel, and fill the hole in the cover with a proper filler plate.

As usual, if you are not comfortable with electrical work. Please contact a licensed Electrician.


Is it ok to use push-in connectors for testing?

I don't believe you're referring to the push-in terminals on the receptacle, but push in connectors like these:

In my experience, this type of push in connector is a safer bet than  wire nuts for someone that isn't practiced at using wire nuts.  I have not seen any real problems with these, and they are very easy to use.

However, I would not use them for testing.  You have to pull and twist them to remove them, and it dings up the conductor a little bit.

To simply cap single wires, insulating the stripped bit at the end for safety, wire nuts are fine for anyone - while it takes a little skill to get a good splice with wire nuts, anyone can cap a single wire - as long as the wire nut isn't too big.

For testing when you may have to unmake and remake splices, lever nuts are best.  They are easy to use and easy to remove.


Point of order, the term enamel is a tricky one. For the purposes of this conversation, lets just say that enamel is the generic name for any paint that has had an additional hardener added to it. Finishes, outside the automotive world, don't really have enamel per say. Not important just clarifying.

You can go through the process of finding out what your finish is if you want to be thorough (there's any number of resorces on the internet on how to do this) but really when you're refinishing there's only two things to worry about-

A: will the new finish react with the old finish, and

B: will the new finish stick to the old one.

On the first point, its unlikely that you as DIYer (no offense) will have access to anything that will reactivate a descent wood finish, especially a factory finish. That means adhesion is your primary concern. Start with a thorough sanding with 280 to give the existing finish some tooth. If you find any areas where the finish is failing, sand or scrape off the loose bits. Blow off the dust and wipe with a tack cloth or rag dampened with turpentine. Now give it a good coat of a shellac based primer or sanding sealer. Do NOT use paints that have a primer included. They don't cover as well as regular paint, and they definitely don't prime and seal as well as dedicated primers. Plus they aren't shellac based which is what you want because it will stick to almost anything you put it on and will not react with anything you put on top of it. Best of luck!


Joist hangers to use for rough cut 2x8 (2 3/4" x 8 3/4")?

I'm leaving my original answer below in case anyone is trying to hang a 1.75" board, but the question does clearly state 2.75", so, here is another option.

They do make joist hangers that are meant to hang doubled-up joists.  These will be wide enough to handle 3 1/8" (hanger dimensions are here and have 1/8" of play for the doubled up joists that should be 3").

The extra 3/8" of width will be divided to 3/16" on either side, which shouldn't be a major concern.  You could cut some 1/4-3/8" shim stock if you're worried about the slop.  Strong-Tie also makes "rough sawn" hangers, but they measure 2" and 4" respectively (single and double hangers), so I think the standard double hanger is best here.

ORIGINAL ANSWER

The only thing that comes to mind immediately are decorative joist hangers used for decks and pergolas such as these.

These are made for decorative cedar that doesn't conform to the 1.5" standard that all framing lumber uses.  If you look at the specifications for these particular hangers, they will accept lumber that is sized from 1.5" to 1.88".  Your 1.75" fits nicely in that range.  A standard joist hanger will only accept 1.5", as you have figured out.

Now, that one brand is just a random example that I have never used but your local home store and other online retailers should have similar products.  You do need to get more detailed specs on the hanger you choose to determine its structural ability.  These are not purely decorative - they do need to hold together pergolas and the like, but I am not sure if they are as strong as the typical galvanized joist hangers that are normally used.


Soldered copper pipes should never come apart,much less fall out.

I would seek the advice of a licensed plumber.  Small scale repairs to exposed connections are a medium level skill for DIY.  Whole house replacement of supply lines are an advanced level skill.