Switch with 2 black, 2 white, 2 ground and 1 red wire connected to ceiling light and a receptacle?

Given not being able to find the other end of the cable, we can only guess on the probabilities.

Scenario 1 (most common): /3 to fan

In this scenario, the /2 cable is power supply to the switch box, and the /3 cable goes onward to the fan to allow separate control of fan and light.  There are also combination dimmers/fan speed controllers that can go in a 1-gang switch box; that would allow separate dimming of the fan and light.   This is typically done by builders when they fit a fan-rated junction box in the ceiling.

Absence of this /3 cable does raise a question of whether that junction box is actually fan-rated. A lamp-only box is simply too flimsy to cope with the dynamic (including wobble) forces from a fan, and the box will slowly tear out of the ceiling.

Scenario 2: /3 from switched receptacle + light

In this scenario, power (always-hot and neutral) comes from the /3 cable, which is sourced at a receptacle (whichever one the builder thought was the best choice for a lamp to be near)  The extra wire (conventionally, red) is switched-hot, goes back to one of the receptacle sockets.  It's intended for that socket to be switched by the switch.

Separately from all this, the /2 cable goes up to the ceiling junction box.

This arrangement allows you to either have both a plug-in and overhead light.  Or if the ceiling box is fan-rated, to have 2-switch control of a plain fan-only in the ceiling and a lamp-only on the receptacle.

However, there's a problem.  You are not allowed to put dimmers on receptacles.*   So if there was a dimmer here before, either there was an overhead light, or someone was naughty, or there is/was a weird receptacle somwehere in the room.

Regardless, this possibility is your best hope.

3: /2 is supply/onward power.  /3 is onward/supply and switched.

In this scenario, the black and white in the /3 is supply always-hot and neutral, and the /2 is onward always-hot and neutral.  Or possibly, the reverse, it doesn't really matter in this scenario.

The red wire goes only to a split receptacle  as described above (or rarely, a lamp, but then there would be /3 at the lamp).

This case would imply that whoever ran the /2 to the ceiling box didn't bring it into this switch box at all.  Either they are insane, or they brought it to the switched receptacle which you have yet to discover.

They might go to the receptacle instead of the switch if it were easier to fish. Very often, American homes are built with no overhead light at all, only a switched receptacle and the homeowner is expected to plug in a floor lamp.  This is a hokey arrangement**, so many homeowners retrofit an overhead light.  Since it's a retrofit, they run the wires where easiest, which may be a receptacle.

To efficiently test

I believe the white wires are in fact neutral, so leave them connected.  That leaves 3 hot wires: black/2, black/3 and red/3.  So there are 3 tests possible, capping one and connecting the others.

I would start by unhooking and capping all three and seeing what in the house loses power. It goes witout saying that any wire changes are done with breaker off.   You will need to check every socket in every receptacle (i.e. Both of them) in the room, as well as some receptacles elsewhere.  If any outlets outside this room lose power, that indicates scenario 3.

If one socket in this room loses power, that strongly indicates that socket is the other end of the /3 cable.

Next I would connect black/2 to red/3, capping black/3. I expect nothing will power up, but if anything does, that is of concern.

If nothing powered up, and there was a dead socket in the room, I'd try connecting red and black from the /3 cable and capping black/2.  If that socket powers up, that suggests scenario 2 or 3.

Next I would splice the two blacks together, capping the red.  See what regains power.  If it's the lamp, that strongly suggests scenario 2.

In scenario 2, you would get a double switch, black/3 to common, black/2 to one switch and red to the other.

* Some appliances respond to dimming in a manner that could be called "fiery".  If you really, really have your heart set on dimming a receptacle, they make very special sockets and plugs: the socket will only accept special plugs you put on your lamps.  Those plugs also work in standard sockets.

** done by builders so cheap they think saving $20 is significant


How to eliminate vibration noise that started after replacing blower motor?

If the motor uses a belt to connect to the fan it is possible that:

A bearing went bad along with the original motor and now under speed and the air drive load that the new motor taxes that bearing toward the point of destruction.
The motor pulley is not lined up perfectly with the pulley on the air circulation fan. As a result the V-Belt may be causing a vibration as the belt alternately tries to climb out of the pulleys and then fully engages the pulleys whilst running at speed.
The set screw that attaches the pulley to the motor shaft may not be tight.
The hole in the pulley may be worn such that it is not a secure and smooth fit on the motor shaft.
The belt may be damaged and has a weak spot that twangs each time it goes around at speed.

If the fan rotors directly mount on the motor shaft it is possible:

Sometimes there are two motor shafts, one on each side of the motor. Two separate fan rotors would be mounted on the two shafts. The two rotors in such case may have been originally balanced by adding small clip on weights to the blades of the fans. If they were re-assembled to the new motor with a different rotated offset from one another than the original then the balance weights may now be creating an imbalance.
If the fan rotor is a type that has a single mount to the motor shaft it is common that this mount is to a centered (from side to side) support plate on the rotor assembly. It is possible that the plate is made of cheap thin metal and can be bent just enough that the fan rotor gets a run out variation as it makes each turn. Even a small apparent run out of say an eighth inch or so can create quite a vibration at full speed.


According to the International Building Code, door knobs should be between 34" - 48" above the finished floor.

International Building Code 2012
Chapter 10 Means of Egress
Section 1008 Doors, Gates and Turnstiles
1008.1.9.2 Hardware height.
Door handles, pulls, latches, locks and other operating devices shall be installed 34 inches (864 mm) minimum and 48 inches (1219 mm) maximum above the finished floor. Locks used only for security purposes and not used for normal operation are permitted at any height.


When refinishing old surfaces like that, I have had great results finding the right compound to do what is called I think, re-amalgamation. It is when the proper solvent or compound I called it earlier, is used to melt the finish on the surface and allowed to dry again. It will remove some of the finish, or perhaps even most of it if too much is applied and wiped back off, but it requires no sanding, but you will need a respirator for the fumes. This saves the patina of the surface and will remove all the glass rings and minor scratches that was on the surface. If there are deep scratches it will not remove them, but it may color them in a bit so they are not so noticeable.

The finishes used typically are shellac and lacquer. Shellac can be removed with denatured alcohol I think, lacquer is cut with lacquer thinner.

If you really want it all clean and pristine and brand new looking, the sanding is the best way to go since the only way to get rid of deep scratches is by sanding, unless you want to try your hand at using lacquer sticks. Those are a heat melt-able filler that come in numerous colors to blend in with the color of the wood.


Rodent proof old garage door with uneven driveway

There's a problem. Rodents can get through tiny gaps. Doors generally need gaps around them.

Some ideas -

Remove whatever it is that is attracting rodents. Tidy up the floor. Put edible stuff into metal containers (I use metal bins with metal lids that I weigh down with heavy bricks).

Get a cat and fit a cat-flap. Cats love chasing rodents away.

Graft new wood on around the edges of the doors using glue, dowels, screws or whatever methods and hardware you have to hand. This means taking the doors off after scribing the required shape onto some the donor timber. If an enlarged door would scrape the ground when opening, you'd have to lower the ground or abandon this idea.

Have the door close against a fixed frame. You would probably need a rubber sealing strip or equivalent to close up gaps. Rodents chew through rubber.


How would I troubleshoot a faulty GE electric oven?

It could be the element, to test it you would need an ohm meter. here is a link to the repair clinic with parts and additional testing videos


Adding more water for longer working time for 5 minute joint compound?

Most of the compounds I've used usually say you can a little more or less water depending on what the application is for. Like Stove Top Stuffing: add a little more water for more moist stuffing or less for dryer stuffing. If you add too much water to your compounds, then you'll end up with compound soup and it just won't stick to the wall.


How to remove bathroom sink drain with no lock nut

Pliers and screwdriver are a poor substitute for the proper tool. ( They may or may not work but are not easy to use and may result in bending or damaging the thin metal of the drain basket without getting it to turn )

The proper tool is a Drain Removal Wrench

It has two ends, one small one large, with nubs that fit into the slots of the drain. It has flat sides so you can get a large adjustable wrench ( crescent wrench ) on it  or It has holes in the handle so you can put a screwdriver through them to act as a lever for turning leverage.

You need a way to keep the pipe and basket underneath form turning and since you do not have a tradition basket with nut you will need a strap wrench or adjustable pliers ( channel locks ) to hold the pipe assembly. It will probably take 2 people, On to hold the assemble under the sink while the other try to turn the drain wrench counterclockwise.

Based on the photo it has some corrosion and If this does not work you may have to cut it off from below with reciprocating saw ( saws-all )


I think there could be a chance of a less expensive lamp that was not well sealed leaking over many years I have found this true on incandescent lamps I bought cases of prior to the out law of standard 100w bulbs but have not seen the problem with linear flouresent tubes or CFL's . I just installed a CFL lamp last week that is at least 5 or 6 years old on my back porch it was fine, I have a few old 4' t8 tubes left in a case that is even older, however after these are gone or I have ballast fail I am converting to LED's because of more perceived light at 1/2 the power consumption. But as far as shelf life it may all come down to the quality of the tube.


How to finish Butt joint and corner bead within 5"?

Other than the first coat being forced into the joints, this is not two separate operations. You're going to be looking for one joint from the corner bead to the feather-edge of the butt-joint.

As for number of coats, as many as it takes, remembering not to waste time fussing over them - get mud on, let dry, sand or scrape for high spots, more mud for low spots, until there are no more low spots. There is no fixed number.


How can I understand paint colorant systems?

I worked in the paint department of Home Depot way back when and I can tell you that their paint labels list the letter of the colorant in the first row followed by the ounces and fractions of an ounce of that color.

The current label above is newer than what I worked with, and the color names have changed, but that label says that quart of paint has 0 ounces and 126/384ths of an ounce of the DL color, 56/384ths of FL and 6/384ths of RUL.

The different brands format the information in different ways, but it's all going to come down to colorant and quantity.  If I had to guess, I would say that your label would have 3 ounces and 22/128ths of W1.  Of course you would have to ask what the fraction was because I made up 128th and have no idea what it really is.

You would also need to know the codes for all the colorants.  There's probably 8-10 different colorants - it's not just primary colors.


How to Stop GFCI tripping when current drops too quickly?

You might try a snubber between the power strip and the GFCI, to eliminate any electromagnetic interference produced by suddenly switching off the pumps.

Alternatively, trying a power strip that doesn't have surge protection could solve the problem.  Surge suppressors typically route surges to the grounding conductor, which could cause upstream GFCIs to trip (assuming the surge is large enough).


How can I convert wall lights to under-shelf lighting?

Yes you can just extend wiring. However, exactly how will depend on the particular circumstances of your wall.

You can get plates that just have hole for the wire to come out of - this one from B&Q or this one, also from B&Q for example - so you could fit one of those. If the wire would get in the way then cutting a channel down to the correct height is the best bet. Make sure you use suitable conduit to protect the wire. You can then fit the plate at the lower level. You can use a blanking plate over the existing outlet, if you have enough depth you might be able to fit the plate flush with the wall.

I wouldn't chocbox outside the wall - that wouldn't pass code.

This might be one of those jobs that you have to get an electrician for - given the regulations.


I would use EMT conduit and #10 THWN stranded wires.  One white wire and two wires that are black, brown, red, orange, yellow, pink, blue or purple.  They can be the same color.

EMT is its own grounding path, but if you want to be a completist, also run a single #10 green or bare wire.

Terminate that at a NEMA 14-30 socket.  If the dryer has a 3-prong cord, change it to a 14-30 plug and remove the neutral-ground strap.

Using an old NEMA 10 outlet is illegal and has been since the Bangles topped the charts.

No more than one 90 degree curve between access points. For hard corners use a conduit body, which is an access point.  1/2” EMT would suffice.  You can put up to 4 circuits in that conduit; if you expect more than 2, use 3/4" conduit.

Entry through the wall is also best done with a conduit body.


Would folded 2" green masking tape protect the foundation covering?

A painter friend convinced me not to protect this thing, which he called "flashing."  The bottom row of siding sticks out more than the flashing, so with a bit of care I can paint the siding without swiping the top of the flashing.  I tried it and it worked well.


GFCI Outlet wired to non GFCI. Can I switch?

The physical location of the two devices does not matter, it's just how the GFCI is wired. If you wire a GFCI one way, it'll protect every receptacle after it - if you wire it another, it'll only protect itself. If you simply want the GFCI to only protect itself, then just switch the wiring and leave it where it's at. However, if you'd like it to be in that new location and still only protect itself, then you can switch them and just wire it correctly.

However, there could be a reason behind why the plain receptacle downstream is protected. If it's in a location that, by code, should be protected; then it should be protected. If you don't like them both flipping at the same time however, then you could flip the wiring as shown in the above image and get a second GFCI receptacle and wire it in where the plain receptacle is now.

Again though, like the comments mentioned, if it's supposed to be GFCI protected and you're constantly having them flip.. I'd recommend putting in a second GFCI.


How does one fix an unlevel, poorly-supported floor when you can't access it from underneath?

Before I suggest how to investigate your problem, my guess is that one (or more) of the concrete blocks with a post/pier that is supporting a joist or beam has settled. The solution to this can range from removing the flooring in a small section and resetting the block, to realizing that all of the blocks are out of whack and maybe the ground the building is set on was not properly prepared for supporting a building.  You can find a couple of great guides to building large 'accessory buildings' (sheds, studios, etc) on Fine Homebuilding, Family Handyman, etc, but the process generally starts with making sure the ground underneath has proper structure and adequate drainage (e.g. gravel/baserock tamped down, filter fabric, etc).  Depending on the age of the building this might also be normal (I wouldn't expect a building sitting on small concrete blocks (instead of a solid concrete foundation) to last 20-30 years and have a flat floor).

For tackling your specific question, the general idea would be to try to remove a small section of the parquet floor and subfloor where there is a problem (soft spots or out of level floor) without cutting through the joists or beams, in order to better assess the situation.  Once you have that section removed, you should be able to see the exact construction and state of the supporting members (joists/beams/concrete blocks) which should help to identify the cause of the problem.

To identify where the beams/joists are so that you don't cut into them, you could use a mirror and flashlight on the outside of the building, and take approximate measurements.

Another approach would be to just cut right into the soft / out of level area, as you will likely need to repair replace that anyway.

If you removed the parquet floor first, it should be really easy to see where the joists are by looking at the nailing pattern in the subfloor.  Subfloors are nailed to the joists (typically a builder will put the subfloor down on top of the joist, snap a chalk line on the subfloor that is at the center of joists, and then nail along that chalk line).  So you could cut a section of the subfloor out in between the joists and check out the problem.

Since you asked how you would work on a floor from above, all of these suggestions about cutting into the floor would need to be done from above the floor, i.e. using a circular saw, hole saw and reciprocating saw, oscillating saw, etc.  Once the floor is off and you see what the problem is, you would fix it and build the floor back up.  For example, maybe you would decide to just add shims under the joists, or maybe you would put in a new concrete block and post and a new joist or blocking, and then install new subfloor, then finish flooring.  I hope that helps, please let me know if anything is unclear.


How do you wire a current sensor to multiple fans?

It does not matter if you run two separate cables to the two fans from the same point - two homeruns - or if you daisy chain, with one cable from the switch to the first fan, and a second cable from the first fan to the second.  Either way, they'll be in parallel electrically and the load through the switch is the same.
However, you do have another issue.  That switch in your link is handy because it's self powered, but it is rated for up to 2.5 amps at 120VAC, so it's really not up to running even one of those 3 amp fans directly.
You could use that current switch to operate the coil of a relay / contactor and have the contacts of that additional relay switch the fans.   There are zillions of such devices available, you'd just have to select one that's rated for the application (and of course you'd have to install it correctly).
You can also find current sensing relays that will combine both functions in one device.


Bathroom Vent is tied to ceiling vent in adjacent room

Yikes, this is really the first time I have ever heard of this configuration. Could this have been part of a previous central forced hot air system? It is not common to tie exhaust vents from a bathroom to any other living space. A dedicated exhaust fan vented to outdoors with a one way damper is a very important way to remove excess moisture from bathrooms and help prevent mold and mildew growth. It is not acceptable to vent a bathroom to another living space or into an attic. It is equally not right to tie this type of vent to any other air plenum. If you are feeling cold outside air through these vents, you are getting huge heat losses. There is no need to introduce outdoor air into your house intentionally unless it is done with specifically designed air exchange equipment in an extremely airtight designed house. I think you need to determine the routing of these "phantom" vents and come up with a plan to isolate the bath vents to the out of doors with a proper bathroom fan unit and block your heat form other areas from being wasted out an open plenum.


How should I run this conduit for security cameras across a flat roof?

Attach to the wall and the back of the parapet. Drilling holes in the flat or sloping parts of a roof can end in tears down the line.

Consider passing the wire through the parapet instead of over it.

Conduit joins welded using the correct method, solvents and glues will not leak.

you probably don't need an expansion joint, just don't put a bracket within one foot of the corner (allow the bend to flex as the expansion joint)


How to split a 200 Amp main feed betweena cabin and workshop?

You can actually install two main disconnects below the meter. The NEC allows up to six main disconnects at one location so long as they are all marked as SERVICE DISCONNECT. These labels usually come with the equipment.

There are several ways you can do this but I have found the simplest to install an MLO (Main Lug Only) panel and then install the breakers to each building. The only qualifier is that you cannot have any more spaces than would allow more than six mains (6-2 pole breakers would equal 12 spaces or poles). If you have a problem finding a panel to match that configuration Then just instal a 125A MCB panel install the breakers to each building below the main.

Hope this helps and good luck.


My dryer stopped turning but still shakes when on and I think gives out heat

Yes, it could be a snapped belt. It could also be a seized motor or a broken pulley.

The first thing I would do is look for disassembly instructions for your dryer. Some owners manuals include this, but for most you need to find the service manual. Come careful Googling with your model number may yield a PDF of the service manual.

Once you open the dryer, it will probably be obvious what the problem is.

From there you can order the part through the manufacturer or from someone else like http://www.repairclinic.com/. I've used them quite a few times.


Water supply valve to closed radiant heat system on or off?

That would depend on how smart your boiler controls are. If they shut down on low pressure, there's no real reason to leave the valve open. If not, you have flooding on one hand, burning out the boiler on the other...neither is good. Smart boiler controls and a closed valve would appear to be the best available option.


Hanging curtain rods - metal stud above window?

If you are only 1/2" above the opening and there is a drywall return, you are probably detecting a drywall corner bead:

It is ok to drill a pilot hole through it and send a screw right through into the wood framework.


Need guidance for venting a new rough-in for basement bathroom

The new stack in the top right should connect downstream of the toilet. It can pass behind the toilet and then run parallel to the side wall to the corner. This leaves you with a wet vent via the vanity that servers the bathtub and toilet:

                     Vanity    New Stack
                       |          |
                       |          |
   Shower ------------\|          |
                       |          |
                       |   Toilet |
                       |/----     |
                       |          |
                       |          |
                       |/---------/
                       |
                       |
                       |

As a minimum, the wet vent would need to be 2” as shown on your drawing.


Your hose faucet came equipped with a vacuum-breaker (call it an "anti-siphon" if you will, it serves the same purpose: preventing dirty water from your garden from getting sucked up into the fresh water supply if there were a drop in line pressure). This type of spigot was likely required by code when your house was built.

The thread that the valve manufacturer uses to attach their anti-siphon device is not standard. In fact, it is deliberately not standard because "they" don't want end users to be able to remove the anti-siphon device and continue to attach a garden hose to it. YOU WILL NOT FIND AN ADAPTER to hook your hose to that valve. You will need to replace the valve.


Nets to protect windows from typhoon damage

I've seen the nets & in your case without eaves, which I agree with. You'd have to have deployable locking arms to swing out in order to catch whatever, but nets have very large gaps & therefore I wouldn't be sure of any success claim's credibility.

But, are you sure it's a Real Architect? It doesn't sound like one to me. See if they've heard of Shutters. There are Shutters of every kind for everything & yes they're hurricane or typhoon resistant & even proof. You just shut & lock them, this also works for when you evacuate, I mean go away on vacation.

There are hinged door swing type Shutters, that even come in bi-fold & tri-fold sizes for 6-foot & more openings. There are slide Shutters for just smaller window sized openings. There are roll-down style shutters that are the same as what you see when a store closes for the night for all sizes of openings.

Shutters are better because they don't have gaps nor flex like a net & don't have to be stored anywhere or installed in a panic. They can even be motorized & bulletproofed & painted.


We now have two cars that are plug in, and we can't charge both at same time!!! Can we "split" a circuit?

If your panel supports the load, a 220v circuit will be more effective for your two vehicle charging situation. It will reduce the charging time by more than fifty percent and allow you to charge in sequence rather than simultaneously.

Outrageously expensive is a subjective concept and would have to have a reference for your level of income. You can get a quality EVSE that runs on 220v for a few hundred dollars, possibly less on the used market.

Of course, the expense of the EVSE is only a small portion of the total. A qualified electrician may charge as much or more than the cost of the unit to install a circuit. As Mr ThreePhaseEel suggests, a photo of your panel would provide additional information.

To keep your costs down, you may want to consider to install the necessary conduit and boxes yourself, drilling holes through the wall if required and installing a pull-string to facilitate wiring routing or even pull the wiring yourself. Leaving only the connections to be made will shorten the electrician's time and your costs.

Our EVs would take 44 to 48 hours to charge on a 110v circuit, yet takes fewer than 4 hours on our 10kw EVSE running on 220v. You may find you can charge less frequently than was required with a 110v circuit and also to stagger the days for the two vehicles.


Am I supposed to pull part of the whole cable inside the box?

You need at least 1/4" of cable jacket inside the box
You need to make sure at least 1/4" of cable jacket enters the box.  This is required by NEC 314.17(B) for metal boxes and (C) for plastic ones in order to ensure that the cable clamp clamps the jacket, strain-relieving the jacket to the box so that stresses on the cable aren't transmitted to the connections in the box and protecting the insulation on the wires inside the cable from being damaged by the clamp bearing directly on them:

(B) Metal Boxes and Conduit Bodies. Where metal boxes or
conduit bodies are installed with messenger-supported wiring,
open wiring on insulators, or concealed knob-and-tube wiring,
conductors shall enter through insulating bushings or, in dry
locations, through flexible tubing extending from the last insulating support to not less than 6 mm (¼ in.) inside the box and
beyond any cable clamps. Where nonmetallic-sheathed cable or
multiconductor Type UF cable is used, the sheath shall extend
not less than 6 mm (¼ in.) inside the box and beyond any
cable clamp. Except as provided in 300.15(C), the wiring shall
be firmly secured to the box or conduit body. Where raceway
or cable is installed with metal boxes or conduit bodies, the
raceway or cable shall be secured to such boxes and conduit
bodies.
(C) Nonmetallic Boxes and Conduit Bodies. Nonmetallic
boxes and conduit bodies shall be suitable for the lowest
temperature-rated conductor entering the box. Where nonmetallic boxes and conduit bodies are used with messenger-supported wiring, open wiring on insulators, or concealed
knob-and-tube wiring, the conductors shall enter the box
through individual holes. Where flexible tubing is used to
enclose the conductors, the tubing shall extend from the last
insulating support to not less than 6 mm (¼ in.) inside the box
and beyond any cable clamp. Where nonmetallic-sheathed
cable or multiconductor Type UF cable is used, the sheath shall
extend not less than 6 mm (¼ in.) inside the box and beyond
any cable clamp. In all instances, all permitted wiring methods
shall be secured to the boxes.
Exception: Where nonmetallic-sheathed cable or multiconductor
Type UF cable is used with single gang boxes not larger than a nominal
size 57 mm × 100 mm (2¼ in. × 4 in.) mounted in walls or ceilings,
and where the cable is fastened within 200 mm (8 in.) of the box measured along the sheath and where the sheath extends through a cable
knockout not less than 6 mm (¼ in.), securing the cable to the box shall
not be required. Multiple cable entries shall be permitted in a single
cable knockout opening.


Do the electrical codes have a solution to extend a cable that is short?

There are some splicing methods permitted inside walls, but ordinary wire nuts are not.
The usual solution is to use a junction box, with or without anything else in the box. For example, if your cable goes to a light fixture and you want to replace it with another light fixture a few feet away, connect the old & new cables with wire nuts inside the existing box, cover it with a blank plate, and run the new cable to a new box where you want it. The cover plate has to be accessible, but it can be painted or wallpapered to match your wall or ceiling, or hidden behind a picture. It just needs to be accessible without any special tools (except a screwdriver to remove the usual two screws holding it onto the box).


how to repair holes left by expanding anchor bolts in concrete

This is a pet peeve of mine, I use lag shields and anchors for this kind of thing because those expansion bolts are such a pain if you want to move things, and eventually you move everything.

I see you got the big-hammer solution, people love giving that advice.  ("Just pound it in!  BFH (big hammer) solves everything! What could possibly go wrong?") I'd be worried what that's doing to the concrete, and if you miss, you're going to mess up your floor.

First thing to try:  loosen the nut and put a prybar under there, or a claw hammer, whatever, and see if it pulls out.  Sometimes if the hole is overdrilled and / or the concrete isn't that hard, they are easier than you'd think to pull out.

At the risk of giving a big-hammer solution, if you whack the nut horizontally in all directions, regular sized hammer is adequate, it may crumble the concrete enough that the thing pulls out with a claw hammer or prybar.

Another one that might work:  tighten the nut with a wrench until something gives.  Of course you'll need something sturdy that won't spin between the nut and the floor.  The bench's hold-down bracket may work.  If it snaps off it will probably snap off well below the surface, epoxy it and forget it ever happened.

I normally just cut them off flush with a hacksaw, but there are other ways to go ... same ideas as in this answer.

I wouldn't worry about the next person;  it's going to be very visible there's something there, and people always need to be cognizant they may hit metal when drilling in concrete.

You could drill around it with a core bit and snap off a core that would just lift out, but that's way way more trouble than I'd go to unless you happen to have a core drill and a small bit lying around.

EDIT:  I thought of one other thing.  You could get a hammer drill and a bit a little bigger than the bolt, and drill down right next to it.  That will weaken it's hold enough that you can get it out with a little persuasion.  Then you can fill the hole with the epoxy.  A hammer drill and bit that size is much easier to get a hold of than a core drill.


NO
Dryers need separate ventilation because lint gets into their ventilation system and builds up there -- in a shared vent, this'd cause excess backpressure that the water heater can't tolerate, leading to backdrafting, CO, and an unexpected visit to the ER.  Furthermore, a gas dryer is a forced draft appliance, which aggravates the backdrafting issue and will send you to the hospital with the CO detector ringing in your ears well before lint buildup will.
Atop that, Section M1502.2 of the International Residential Code prohibits what you are asking about:

M1502.2 Independent Exhaust Systems
Dryer exhaust systems shall be independent of all other systems and shall convey the moisture to the outdoors.


Running Tesla Powerwall 2 Off-Grid - Excess Solar Question

Answer collated from comments...
Looks like there are three separate things going on here, with an interesting interaction...

a Grid Tie inverter

This is supposed to shut down when disconnected from the grid. That's a fundamental safety requirement of grid tie inverters called "anti-islanding".
When the grid fails, does your inverter power the local grid segment and electrocute the poor lineman sent out to fix it?
No, because the inverter senses the incoming mains voltage, and shuts itself down when the voltage disappears or the frequency is out of range. This is the fundamental feature of a grid tie inverter as opposed to an off-grid inverter.

A battery storage system, the Tesla Powerwall. This charges itself when there is excess power available, and discharges when there is a power shortage. The question is, how does it know the state of the grid?

The power grid consists grid mainly of rotating machinery, which speeds up a little when lightly loaded (like a car rolling downhill). This means there is a good correlation between high demand and low frequency (and vice versa) which can be observed here
So we can speculate the Powerwall monitors frequency (as well as voltage) to supply power when frequency or voltage are low.
Fine, but what happens when the grid is disconnected? To charge, the Powerwall must generate AC voltage, both convincing the inverter to start up, and to power the house. Then it indicates its need for charge by keeping the frequency low, and when full, convinces the inverter to stop charging by raising the frequency.
When in this mode, turn on a decent load like a kettle. Watch the frequency fall, and the inverter re-start.
So the house is now an island with its own AC supply. But what about the poor lineman?

The gateway.

If external AC mains is disconnected, the gateway provides further isolation, disconnecting your island from the external wiring, and won't re-connect until external power is re-established. (It must provide some way of synchronising the two grids in the process. I don't know how).

Now I think we can answer your questions...

The Tesla signals it's full by increasing the frequency until the inverter stops generating excess power. Adding a load should reduce the frequency again.

If there's excess energy (sunshine), no grid, and full batteries, the inverter simply doesn't draw current from the solar cells, which dissipate the excess power as heat, getting slightly warmer.

You can add a load dump (like a water heater) connected when the frequency rises, to capture this energy.

the inverter SHOULD legally be set to UK (G83/2) standard if you're using it in the UK. Parameters like freq range, response time to faults, etc will then comply with UK rules.

If the PV meter is in the inverter, it must measure power exported by the inverter (= power harvested from the solar cells) whether you use that internally, charge the battery, or export it.

To measure power exported to the grid, you need a smart meter that reads import and export power separately.


If its every few hours, you probably won't see it on the bowl. Without actually seeing it, it is hard to give an accurate answer, but I would say the flapper needs replaced. If that's fine, then the rubber gasket under the flapper needs replaced. That's the normal issues and if it's the gasket, you won't really see it. It can be very very subtle.


TL;DR No, you shouldn't block off or remove the vents. They serve a specific purpose.

Since this is an unheated area, any moisture which makes its way down there would stay there and cause problems. Mold growth would be promoted, and it could also prematurely rot the structure of your home. There would also be a foul smell which would be very hard to get rid of.

This area can still be used for storage, just make sure that whatever is down there is protected. Plastic storage bins are perfect for storing small items. You can also put up some hooks and shelving for other items. One thing you would want to avoid is storing anything directly on the concrete floor. You could put old palettes or pieces of wood on the floor. You also want to make sure that rodents cannot get in through the vents. You can install a piece of wire mesh over them on the inside to prevent them from entering. Just make sure that the mesh is going to be strong enough to prevent them from chewing through it or pushing past it.

This space would also make a perfect root cellar. There are some plans online here which will give you tips on how to do it. http://www.almanac.com/root-cellar-build


sorry, but you are out of luck.  terrazzo is an homogenous material, and can thus be ground.  terra cotta is heterogenous, and cannot.  if you cut a terra cotta tile in half, you will find a thin layer of glazed vitreous oxide material at the top, and then unglazed parent substrate below that.  if you grind the tiles, you will remove the glaze in a random way (terra cotta by its very nature is a very warped, uneven material, with differing surface finishes and depth of glazing).  this will result in a spotty floor that is now as porous as a sponge, and not a lot harder than brick mortar.  not a good choice for a flooring material.

rip it up or lay new tile over it.


Stainless steel will not be a user friendly material to cut. I would suggest using an aluminum angle instead. It is readily available, one leg will be on the floor level to cover the tile edge, the other will go into the opening to allow it to be secured to the framing under the tile floor.


If it's breaking up there,it's probably breaking up elsewhere. Think about doing the whole shower, it looks like there's more discolored caulk. Stuff some paper towel down in that large space to see if any water remains and to soak up any that's still there. Once you clean it up and spray your mold killer and let it thoroughly dry, get some epoxy grout and fill in the whole seam between the floor and wall. Normal grout wouldn't be used for a change in plane but epoxy grout works well here. It's waterproof and doesn't need to be sealed.


Can I run data (e.g., for computer internet access) through my rg6 coaxial cable?

The adapters you would look for are called MoCA (Multimedia over Coax Alliance) adapter kits, but they are not very common, and therefore can be expensive.  Basically the MoCA adapter works like a modem that connects computers over a telephone line, but it uses Coax instead.  Each computer needs an adapter, and the computer treats the adapter like any other Ethernet connection.

This PC World article talks about a MoCA installation.  Some of the important takeaways is that Powerline adapters can actually be faster, but MoCA might be more reliable.  If you have satalite TV on the Coax, MoCA might not be an option, and the reliability and speed of either one will depend on the wiring quality in the house.


How can i meet two uneven ends of plaster on ceiling?

I like cutrightjim's suggestion of replacing the interior portion of the ceiling board. You could completely eliminate the primary problem this way.

Otherwise, 3/8" is nothing to a good taper (or an amateur with patience), as long as you have room to work it out. You do. You'll need a wide knife or trowel, though. 24" minimum.

Fill the void with drywall to the level of the lower plane (higher with respect to the floor). Skim between the planes to pre-fill, and allow this to dry completely. It might take several days. It should be completely white throughout.

Now tape both sides of the channel as normal. Once that's dry, start leveling. Apply compound from the edge of the higher plane outward, as wide as your trowel. Again, let that dry thoroughly. Again, it might take several days.

Continue that process, using the low edge and the contact point of your trowel as screed guides. Finish by skimming the whole area, tapering gradually over 32" or more. Only light sanding should be needed if you've done a good job.


Will insulating attached garage walls create a moisture problem?

Chicago - Cold. Vapor barrier to inside. Moisture concern solved.
Half-concrete wall - if you only insulate the frame part, the concrete  part will still be wicked cold. You might want to consider insulating the frame part and then covering the whole wall (concrete part and stud bays) with rigid foam sheets, taped or sealed as the vapor barrier, and then drywall - which would give you some insulation over the concrete part.


Red wire to green? Old electric wiring circa 1949 to new dimmer

It sounds like you replaced a three way switch with a two way switch and wired a traveler to the ground. Flipping the second switch created a direct short to ground that can result in enough current to damage the breaker, wiring, and other devices on the circuit. Not only can you damage parts of that circuit, you are creating a fire and electrocution risk.

There are plenty of guides on how to properly wire a 3 way switch both here and other places online, and it's typically a DIY project, but if you're making mistakes like not properly identifying a traveler vs a ground and knowing which wires are hot, I'd advise you to hire a professional to properly replace devices like this.


It is a spray on texture that was knocked down. Basically this is Sheetrock mud that was thinned down and put in a special gun to “spray splatter” the mud on the wall, when I do this I use lower air flow and larger nozzles to provide a larger “splatter” then go back with a wide 12-18” mud knife and knock it down that’s why it looks flat, in stead of an orange peal that is smaller spatter at higher airflow and left to dry, these are very common surface finishes, both are difficult to match but not impossible.


Pad sharp edged fixtures and furniture, like slate fireplace hearths and metal/glass furniture (I used split foam pipe insulation). Install safety plugs in your electrical receptacles. Put a latch on the toilet seat to prevent small toys from being flushed. Install latching gates to restrict stairway access. Place latches on shower doors/sliding glass tub enclosures.

Sell your motorcycle. Sell your 1968 Pontiac Firebird and buy a mini-van. Give up poker night with the boys. Learn sleep deprivation coping strategies. Start saving for baby's college tuition. Jump off a bridge...


It's really a matter of preference. Concrete is much stronger and will defend better against the elements. Here is a Home Depot link on how to properly install fencing.


If you can get purchase on the wall with a rope and have a hitch on your car the poetic justice approach would be to attempt dragging it back into place. :-) But I expect this will just pull it off the carport pad and into your yard.

I suggest you contact a brickmason. From your description it sounds like there is a screened-in porch supported by that wall. You will need a mason to repair the wall or risk losing the porch. They might attempt to drag it in place and patch it but I doubt that. Most likely they demo the wall and build you a new one.


Can I accelerate the cure time for acrylic caulk?

Well, DAP Dynaflex 230 is a great caulk, but like all other acrylic caulks that I used, they specifically state that curing time is longer in cool or humid conditions.

See their TDB:

  Apply in temperatures above 40°F (4.44 °C).
  Do not apply if rain or freezing temperatures are forecasted before full cure can occur. Cold weather and high humidity will slow down cure time.

So yeah, if you're applying it in cold and wet weather, it will take longer to cure, so moderate heat might help (application temperature is up to 100F/38C, don't just bring a heat gun to it), as well as shielding it from elements.


Short answer is: condensation from not having insulation and openings to the outside. Not as short answer: If the wall and ceiling have little or not enough insulation any moisture that is warmed to a temperature higher than the exterior ambient air temperature will change to liquid water as it contacts the cooled inside walls. It will be visible as droplets running down the brick walls or door.   It will be most noticeable in areas of the room were the openings are greatest  (such as by the door you repaired). The problem can be reduced through: insulating the walls and ceiling, upgrading or improving the windows glazing, sealing any gaps and openings to the exterior and keeping the moisture level inside to a minimum.


Wire in parallel thermostat and timer to an air extractor

When it calls for fan, the thermostat is going to short the R wire to the fan-control wire.

You are proposing a timer which also shorts the R wire to the fan-control wire.

Assuming it's all this simple.

For the timer, easy enough: use any common lamp timer which allows hourly on/off.    Plug a "wall wart" type transformer into that which makes 24VAC.    Then add a 24V relay in the right place that connects R to the fan-control wire.   This way everything is Code and the most vulnerable component - the timer - is easily replaced.

The arm-waving magic inside the furnace is what concerns me.  If you want help with that, you'll need to be a lot more specific.


How much weight can my garage's ceiling joists support?

It should make you leery. Playing around with a wood beam calculator I had to trim loads down to 7 lbs per square foot to get any of the solutions to come up 2x6 for 20 foot span and 16" spacing. That's not even light storage (by my definition.) It's not even a residential attic with no storage by more official definitions (10 PSF) nor an attic with storage by those (30 PSF)

Either leave it alone or hire a civil/structural engineer to develop a plan where you'd either refit the roof structure (effectively turning a rafter and joist arrangement into trusses, if that's practical, by adding web members) or place a properly sized and supported beam down the middle to cut the span in half. In short, if you want storage up there, it will cost a bit more than a set of stairs.


Solar Water Heater Exchanger Removal, Glycol Removal

I have been an avid recycler in the Portland, Oregon, area for decades.  Portland is no slouch when it comes to environmental awareness and concerns.

After replacing my auto's antifreeze mixture, I had nearly two gallons (eight litres) that I didn't know what to do with.  So I stored it in the original anti-freeze gallon jugs and forgot about them.  After like five years, I had an accumulation of over eight gallons of ethylene glycol solution needing disposal.

I finally called the regional recycling authority about what to do with it.  Their answer was, for small quantities (less than 55 gallons), the city sewer system would appropriately deal with it.  Just flush it down the drain.

Of the various glycols, ethylene is not the first choice for solar heating systems due to its relatively fast breakdown rate.

More likely, your system uses either monopropylene glycol (1,2 propanediol, more commonly known as propylene glycol) or trimethylene glycol (1,3 propanediol) a bio-derived, thermally stable glycol. Unlike typical 1,3 propanediol, which is derived from oil or natural gas, the bio-derived “green” glycol is produced from corn sugar.  [reference]  Both of those are non-toxic and can also be flushed down the drain.


Those pumps are rated in feet or meters of head pressure. Most submersible pumps similar to what you show are only rated to 15-20’ of head this is the equivalent of 7-10 psi or the maximum pressure it can develop. For that amountc of power it draws it probably has a fair volume.
To get more pressure you usually have to sacrifice volume or add horse power.
You may not need the gallons per minute and reducing this for a pump that could pump 60 feet of head pressure or more will provide the spray you are after. A pump that can only pump 10 gallons per minute at 60’ of head pressure may be similar in power as your existing pump but spray closer to what you are used to.


Would a sheet of aluminum help with mounting a <20lb computer monitor to wall without studs?

Aluminum wont help much, unless it is quite thick.  It will bend easily, without distributing the weight evenly over the extra anchors.

If you go with a non articulating mount, so the monitor is against the wall, you may be able to get away with strong drywall anchors.  With an articulating mount I wouldnt risk it.

I would get a small piece of cheap but decent looking wood to span the studs, and screw it on over the drywall with 2 screws in each stud.  Then paint it to match the wall.  Screw the mount into that.

A 27" monitor may not weigh all that much, but the movement and lever force from the arm mean whatever is holding it needs to support a lot more than 12lbs.  Personally, I wouldnt want to have it fall on my foot, and then have to buy a new monitor!


Correct Sander Markings on Wood after Stain has properly dried

It looks like you neither sanded with the grain or used a fine enough sandpaper in order to prepare for staining.  I think you have to go sand it down and start over.  Those likely would have been visible before staining.


I'd replace the blower motor at this point
It sounds like the blower motor has an internal short in it that's causing it to run even in the absence of a speed command from the air handler control circuits.  I'd replace it with an OEM replacement part, as it appears to be some sort of module with an internal speed controller.


Can I use composite wood to make ground-contact retaining stairs?

Composite wood is not usually rated for structural uses. Whether this is structural or not is debatable, but you'd likely need to drive more rebar if you opt for composite boards to prevent buckling.


How can I determine which wire is which when putting a new plug on an extension cord?

They make a tool called a continuity tester. These also come in the form of a meter product that can also measure voltage and current. You can pick these up at most auto parts stores or hardware stores for a relatively low price.

To use the continuity tester, you would connect the clip to one of the known wires, and then touch the end of the probe to each of the unknown wires in turn. Which ever wire lets the bulb light up is the same wire as the known wire. Obviously make sure everything is unplugged from mains power before doing this.

To use a multimeter for continuity testing you make sure that the cord/wiring that you are testing is not connected to any mains outlets. Then make sure the two test leads are plugged into the black COM jack and the red VOLT/OHM jack. Rotate the range selector to the lowest OHMs setting. Momentarily tough the two test lead ends together to verify the meter is working correctly. The meter should show a reading of near zero ohms. In the case of a meter like shown above a zero ohm reading will deflect the needle all the way to the right. Next step is to touch one of the test leads to one of the known wires. Then at the same time touch the other test lead to the unknown wire ends in turn. The one that causes the meter to show a reading near zero ohms (deflects the needle to the right) will be the same wire as the known wire.


How can I mount a light to a square junction box?

...ever seen lights that use this kind of box for hanging?

No, because that box is not made for directly attaching anything to it. The box needs an adapter ring attached to hang a standard fixture (or to mount switches, receptacles, etc.)

By itself that is just a junction box called a "4-S" (for 4" square). Look for a 4-S to 4-O plaster ring.

It goes without saying that it should not be sticking out of the ceiling like that.


Transition between uneven floor; reducer is wobbly

It just doesn't fit! I would suggest you measure every dimension of that transition very carefully, and make a rough profile drawing (pretty much exactly like your picture) to record what you measure. Take your drawing to some of the big box stores and possibly some specialty flooring places too, and see if you can match anything up (a caliper might be helpful). Those transitions are really tricky to deal with, so you might need to get creative.

You could try something like this:

this will span the gap and handle the reduction, but you'll need some sort of shim to support it. For that, it might be possible to get a wood strip that fits in the gap area, or you could look for some sort of rigid, dense foam that you can cut with a knife.

The best solution is to find something that you like and that is close to fitting (what you have pictured would work perfectly) and cut it to size using either a table saw or a routing table. Of course, you'll either need to own the tool or have access to one somewhere. Both will require some feather boards and guides to get a clean and safe cut, but this way you are guaranteed a good fit.


How much sanding do I need to do to refinish a wood floor?

You'll probably want to rent a proper floor sander. A small random-orbit will take ages and you'll probably burn through most of its useful life.

The sander should come with a variety of paper grits. As with any woodworking project, start with the heaviest and transition to the finest. The final should be somewhere in the 100-120 grit range.

More information

How far you need to go depends partly on the stain color--is it markedly different from the current color? Is it dark? Dark stain is more likely to compound if it's not completely removed. You'll see the old stain through the new as dark streaks or patches.

If you go the route of renting a sander, the work will be easy enough that you can get through the old stain without much effort, and you'll be confident of achieving a good result.


Crack in fireplace, can i repair with fire clay/cement?

Since you have a non flammable structure, and a solid area to work with I would clean the area out both upper and lower and fill them with fire clay.
Making sure to use tools to push the clay to the back. At each layer  make sure to mix them , it is impossible or just about impossible to work a bead all the way back and fill the hole.

I roll out a foot or so press it on the crack then use a metal putty knife and a small dowel to push the clay to the back, then add another bead or roll and make sure to punch through to mix the layers. And keep adding until the crack is completely filled and tight so if you push in it pushes out above or below the point you are filling. To make the bead or roll I take a ball of clay and roll it in my hands until it is about 2x the width of the crack, if the crack is longer than the roll no problem make another, on the next layer try not to have the lap in the same place, it won’t matter if properly mixed but is better to have laps in different sections. I usually finish with water and rub the surface smooth, now the important part.

Let the clay dry it may take 3-4 days. Go by the instructions but most fire clays I have worked with have to dry naturally , heat during the drying process can cause a failure, there was 1 brand I used that did require heat but it offgassed a horrid smell and I never used it again, it was quick and did hold , but the several hours of chemical smell was not worth it to me. So follow the instructions on the bag.

Make sure your grate is in good condition and it should be spaced from the back , I don’t know anyone burning coal any more but if it is two close it will cause the cracking, not much of a problem with wood but it can do the same.
Good luck.


Can you sand drywall to get rid of cigarette smoke?

Trying to sand off paint from drywall just isn't something that's feasible.  Your best bet is to use a shellac based primer or other primer made specifically to block odors.  A primer that I'm familiar with and have used with good results is Zinsser BIN primer.  I'm sure other manufactures make similar products.

The shellac base means the primer dries super fast (like 15-20 minutes), and because of that, you should plan on treating any brushes or rollers you use as disposable.  Cleaning is difficult and pretty hard to do correctly.

I've used it to seal in smoke smells on a ceiling and even an area on a floor and wall where an animal died.


Garage door freezing to the ground on cold days

If your son is prying up with a shovel to break it loose is it freezing the rubber seal to the ground. On rubber seals on my truck doors I spray them with Pam cooking spray and they don't stick when frozen. This may also work on the seal at the ground. It's worth a try.


Surface mount power outlet under kitchen sink

In the US under the NEC:

A receptacle or other box in a sink base or other cabinet can be either surface mount or flush. There is no requirement or restriction for either.


How to repair corner joints in window drywall returns

This is one of those rare cases where I'd use fiberglass mesh tape, and I'd also use setting-type compound like Easy Sand 45. Together they'll make about as strong a joint as you can get with conventional drywall materials.
First clean away any loose material down to bare metal/paper (if possible). Give the new compound a fighting chance of a good grab.


Yes......................................................

Let me elaborate... FOR SURE!

Given the picture is accurate and the (large) kneewall hits the joists the kneewall is functionally taking some of the load from the top roofing members and relocating that load to the floor below.  You could replace the kneewall with a header of adequate size.  But given you keep the same joists framing below you would then have to pick the load of the header at the 2-3 spots that it runs to the first floor and then carry the load to the ground.

We are actually building a large 1000 sq/ft garage right now with the exact same layout of the picture below - I could provide some pics this weekend.  We talked to the architect about moving the second floor knee walls close to the edge but we are stuck at about 3.5 fee on each side - so making storage.

If it was a continuous peak to the edge and the kneewall was an actual kneewall (2-3 feet in height) then you may be able to move it.  But as the drawing stands and factoring the height, the space from outer walls, and that the joists are on them I am 99.9% sure they are load bearing unless there is a lot of metal involved.


What type of mortar would I use to seal cracks in our chimney?

Sure sounds like your chimney is a good candidate for a re pointing job. This involves removing all loose and damaged mortar, then pointing all the joints with a portland cement mortar. If you have never done this kind of work, read up on it. It can get quite involved if there are loose bricks etc. It may be a good idea to get a pro, so it will last awhile and not just fall out as soon as it dries. An alternative product for a quick temp fix can be found in a caulking tube. There are several products designed specifically  for masonry and do a pretty good job in sealing small cracks. Remove as much loose mortar as you can to assure the masonry caulk sticks well.


Can you use gloss polyurethane for first coat when finishing floors?

Yes, but you better be right on the money with your re-coat times.

A second layer of paint bonds to the first layer one of two ways.  Either Mechanically by the paint grabbing onto the last coat, or chemically by the paint diffusing into the last coat.

"Chemically" requires that you hit very specific "re-coat windows" that are documented on the paint label/instructions.

"Mechanical" doesn't work on gloss paint, because it has a finish like glass.

Their use of flat paint is partly to "cover" them against missing their re-coat window.

However gloss paint can be made re-paint-able by scuff-sanding it, i.e. sanding it with something like a Scotchbrite pad to remove the gloss.  (if you're removing layers of paint at corners and edges, you're sanding much too hard).  This roughens the surface to give it some "tooth" for the next coat to bond to.  I am the master of missing my re-coat window, and that's how I handle that.

Paint also tends to be quite soft and vulnerable during the re-coat window, so unless you're Tom Cruise, painting a floor might be a bit of a problem!


Lights turn off when dimmer switch is at 100%

Your question is lacking details but reading between the lines it seems that you have something similar to the 'touch dimmer' switches which became available in the 1980s. The 'switch' appeared usually as a brushed aluminium plate covering the whole switch box opening (but not touching the mounting screws because that would earth the plate). Touching the plate introduces mains hum into the circuit via body capacitance. This signal is used to trigger adjustment of the lighting level. In your case you have a push-button in place of the capacitive touch plate and electronics.

Electro Schematics have a sample circuit which uses the Siemens SLB0586A chip. The OP's dimmers probably use something similar. These chips are analogue electronics. (There are some logic elements in the chip but no CPU, etc., so their not digital in the modern sense.)

The dimmer uses a triac to control the power level. These work by delaying the switch-on of the lamp on each half-cycle of the mains. Triggering close to 0° will give full power. Delaying triggering close to 180° will give low power.

Dimming by phase angle control using a triac. 100% power is achieved by turning on at 0°.

The data sheet for the SLB0586A says that the maximum brightness it puts out is 152° of 180°. i.e., the earliest it will turn on at maximum brightness is 180 - 152 = 28° into the cycle. This isn't as bad as it may sound because the voltage is low at that point of the cycle and doesn't contribute much power.

The chip needs to monitor the zero-cross of the mains to get a reference for its timing circuit.

The possible clue to the OP's problem is in his comment that he has 12 V halogens fed by transformers. Transformers are inductive and shift the phase of the current relative to the voltage. This may be enough to advance the trigger pulse (which in normal operation shouldn't start until 28°, remember?) to before the zero-cross resulting in so little power that the lights appear off.

If the OP is still interested in resolving this and can identify the controller chip in one of the dimmers we can have a look at the data sheet and see if there's a fix.


Adding a manual transfer switch to handle a portable generator for my house

Yes, you can run just about any length needed between the generator power inlet mounted on the side of your home to the transfer switch.  Of course the wire / cable will need to be sized right for the generator and distance.   Always a good idea to upsize the wiring in case you decided to go with a larger generator later.
Like @Harper-ReinstateMonica said, don't get one of those 6,8,10 xfer switches with the built in power inlet. Get a proper sub-panel with a interlock between the "power from utility" and the "power from generator" breakers.  Then move the desired circuits to the new sub-panel.   This type of panel is called a MTS (Manual Transfer Switch).
There is an other potential option that others here might disagree, depending upon the configuration and brand of your current panel. There are parts you can install on the main panel that created a mechanical interlock between utility power and gen power. There are pros and cons to going that route. Pro is it's a very inexpensive way to provide gen power to the entire home that is code compliant. Down side is you might not be able to free up the breaker space needed and 2) loading issues.  You may have to turn off several heavier loads so as not to overload the generator.
Safest and best practice would be to install the MTS sub-panel and move the desired circuits to it.


Filling in hole in bathroom counter tile

Probably the easiest solution is to just get a hole plug of the right size that matches your faucet. It'll be noticeable, but it won't look out of place. Your local hardware store should sell them, though if it's an unusual size I'd just order it online.


If you have a small socket set with a Philips bit, you can use that in the 1/4" socket. This would allow you to put pressure on the screw while removing it.


What are some ways to remove hardened epoxy from drain pipes?


Shed on grade foundation height limitations

How you approach the problem depends on what you propose to use as a foundation for the shed.

Option 1: On-grade paver foundation

Step 1: Build a retaining wall to support a flat grade. The simplest would be a gravity wall: bare wall blocks on a packed gravel base, no mortar. The 4" pavers you mention are not suitable but there are many blocks available for this task. For a small corner wall I suggest buying a few wall blocks at the local chain store. There are nicer blocks available from dedicated stone suppliers but you typically have to buy a full palette. You can also use concrete blocks (CMB) but the wall blocks look nicer and are designed to stack without re-bar or fill. I'm only glossing the surface here. Search for other questions on gravity retaining walls and you will learn more about their construction. The key to their long-term durability is to address any drainage issues so water doesn't build up behind them.

Step 2: Put down an on-grade foundation to support the shed. Sounds like you plan to use 4" tall pavers (e.g. on a sand base). If you want to set the pavers on top of the wall then you need a frame to retain the pavers so they don't slide out. It's probably easier to set the pavers flush with and behind the wall. In this case the shed will sit on the wall, rather than the pavers, in the one corner.

Option 2: Deck foundation

My shed sits on a frame built from pressure-treated 2x6 boards covered with pressure-treated plywood. A deck foundation of this style can be supported by a combination of methods: a continuous gravel base, concrete blocks set on gravel, or deck posts set into the ground with typical deck construction methods. I'm not a fan of the deck post solution because it looks a bit unfinished and tends to create animal habitat (see below). It's better to set the deck on a block retaining wall as above and elsewhere on individual blocks set on a gravel base.

If you intend to install the shed near flush to grade then some of the deck foundation must be buried. Typical pressure-treated 2x6 lumber and plywood is not treated for ground contact. It will not last as long as the shed that sits on it. The paver foundation will.

Building animal habitat

The deck foundation method tends to leave sheltered space under your shed. Once the dust settles your local mammal population is sure to move in. If you're not particularly fond of rodents then you should take steps to deny them this space. With deck construction you can't really fill the space in the corner so fence it off with steel hardware cloth (23 gauge galvanized material with 1/4" holes should do it). If the entire deck is above grade then you'll need to fence it off all around. On end of the fence attaches to the deck. The other end should be buried. The buried bits will rust away but by then hopefully the dirt is packed and the rodents steer clear. I like to cover the buried cloth with gravel as a further deterrence.


Jim Stewart's question is valid. If you have a filter upstream of the cartridge filter that uses granular carbon for filtration (as is the case in our water treatment system) and especially if you have replaced that carbon recently, there will be tons of powdered carbon in the water. The paper filter will remove most of it (eventually) but the water will taste pretty poor.

If you have occasion to replace the carbon again, or wish to remove that aspect sooner, remove the carbon tank and run plenty of water through it. The powdered carbon will flush to the top.

After our first instance of which you've experienced, I used big plastic storage bins and placed the fresh carbon in the bins. Playing the garden hose over the carbon forced the dust to wash out over the top of the bin, while the granular component remained in the bottom.

Eventually the wash water was clear of the dust and it was placed in the tank, although with a bit more difficulty than the dry stuff.

The result was zero carbon caught in the paper filter and none in the drinking water.


How to repair latex paint on drywall in bathroom?

This is surely moisture related.

So first, check that the fan is properly vented! Sometimes a vent fan simply dumps into attic space above the bathroom.

Second, run the fan for a longer time. Timer controls are easily installed, in place of the switch. It can be set to run for up to an hour, making sure the moist air is properly exhausted. With a timer, you can set it, then walk away, knowing it will shut off after the set period of time.

As far as repairs to the existing walls go, you MUST first stop the moisture, or it will simply happen again.

Once that is done, only then should you fix the walls, the ceiling, the paint. If there is bubbled paint, it must be scraped down, down to a solid surface. If the wallboard beneath it has bubbled, then you may need to replace parts of it. Cement board is a good idea in a wet environment anyway.

If there is any mildew, it must be killed. Chlorine is one way, but if it has gotten a foothold in the wallboard, then pull down that wallboard.

Once you have a solid substrate to now re-finish, paint, wallpaper, and tile are all viable ideas.

One solution can be to use wallpaper. It will help hide some flaws perhaps more simply than paint, but if this is just done to hide a problem without first stopping the problem, then it will peel off quickly.

Where paint will be used, always use paint that has had a mildew-cide added to stop the growth of mildew. If the wallboard itself has bubbled, before you paint, make sure any holes have been smoothly patched first or they will show through the paint. If there are any stains, Kilz (or similar products) can help to seal those stains before you re-paint.

Tile (my personal favorite) can be more resistant to water than wallpaper or paint. So you may choose to extend the areas that tile covers.


Can the sheath of nonmetallic cable be removed prior to entering electrical metallic tubing (EMT)?

The wires inside Romex are THHN type, which is okay for EMT, but you cannot use a bare copper wire inside EMT.  I would transition from Romex cable to EMT with a metal box.  Bond the bare copper wires to the box with a grounding pigtail, and add a insulated green THHN wire to continue the ground through the EMT.


I have two water heaters - how can I tell if they are set in series, parallel, or are isolated?

If either heater has a shutoff valve in the incoming cold water pipe, turn it off and see which hot water taps/washer/dishwasher work and which ones don't. If they all continue to work when one heater is off then the heaters are essentially parallel. But since they are in different areas I suspect you'll find a split - possibly one for all bathrooms near the bedrooms (eg to always have hot showers) and the other for kitchen and laundry.


Handling basement water infiltration behind bulkhead

It's a huge undertaking, but the only way to manage water from entering the basement walls is from the exterior. Excavating along the wall to the foundation, applying a petroleum-based sealant to the wall, silt fabric, stone base, perforated drain pipe, more fabric and stone. Backfill with a grade away from the house. I've heard of perimeter drain channels working very well to control water entering basements. This usually entails installing a sump pump as well. I don't put much faith on cement paints (Dryloc) and grouting or plugging the openings from the inside just diverts the water to a different place.


If you're installing new outlets, simply wire nut the switched hot wires off, tape it, and jamb it into the back of the box.

Neutrals stay, they aren't switched.

Btw, that third white wire stabbed in below the red is not a neutral, it's the switched hot running to another receptacle. Always be sure to use a tester before identifying wires, color is not a good indicator of a wire's purpose.


LiftMaster Formula 1 intermittent remote control problems

Your system may be experiencing intermittent radio frequency interference from a nearby transmitter or remote control device.


Need advice if this wiring is okay (adding outlet into a run)

I can't tell if you are in cable or conduit.   Cable is a stiff but flexible plastic jacket with several wires very tightly wrapped.  Conduit is plastic or metal pipe  with wires loosely added.

If you have an inline conduit, and you want to add a box, that is easily done.  However you have to pull out the wires before you begin.  When you put the wires back in, you will find they are too short for all you need to do, so you will need to either replace parts of the wire runs, or have the existing wire-run run right through your new box without stopping, then add an additional set of wires to the next box up or down.  I use this "run thru and follow it" technique when a box is getting crowded.  If your existing conduit is metal, stay in metal.

If you have cable, then you need to install 2 boxes, make good use of the existing cable run, and install new cable between the 2 boxes. Alternately you can replace all the cable between the new box and the next existing box down the line.

The reason for this in both cases is that you need to have considerable length of wire at the box.  You cannot "runt" it with an inch of slack on each wire and the wire nuts crammed into the back of the box.  What you want is 9-10" of length on each wire. The legal bare minimum is 6" past the end of the cable clamp or pipe, plus 3" beyond the wall surface, but the legal minimum is cramped to work in.


How low could kitchen sink sewage inlet go?

No problem and you can go very much lower. It's done everyday for garbage disposals attached to deep sinks and even laundry tubs. I've even seen traps resting on the room's floor with the cabinet bottom greatly notched out for servicing and replacement (plain ugly)...the sink drained exactly like it should and I had no problems washing my tools and buckets.

Additionally, the sink's tailpiece that goes into the trap assembly can be up to a maximum of 24" long. Initially, I couldn't find a public Code Reference, but there is 1 here https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/24/3280.606 to substantiate this very rarely seen setup.

Your situation seems to be a basement or on-grade slab. Though, if there were a readily accessible crawlspace or garage below the deep sink and its garbage disposal, an up-to 24" tailpiece could place the trap in those areas and not in the sink's cabinet or room at all. In operation and regulation, there's little difference between a sink, shower or laundry standpipe trap.

Side with immediate and easy access in all cases. Not seeing a P-trap in the sink's cabinet will have most Home Inspectors and Newbie Building Code Inspectors hyperventilating and clutching for their red pen. Although, these idiots will still happily approve all illegal horizontal drywall installations, amazingly.


Is he sure it is the seals? Sounds like NO.
It is reasonable IF you are sure it is the seals that are the problem.
It could be that the flashing is the problem, when the snow was deep enough to cover the top of flashing it may have leaked in at that point. Without knowing the exact problem then it is a gamble weather or not repairing the seals is a reasonable coarse of action.


How do I remove blown in attic insulation?

Maybe you should consider putting a layer of 3/8" sheetrock over the existing ceiling. Find the strapping or ceiling joists, mark them on the wall, them go right over the old damaged ceilings.  This will save you a ton of work and mess, and not waste the insulation.  With the money you save, install extra insulation!


Tree growing into gutter. What's a good strategy?

It's hard to say from that photo, but it looks like that bulge is the stump of a limb that could be trimmed back further. Really that's a question for an arborist, though. If you do so you'll want to pick the right time of year to help prevent fungal infection.

I agree that you're probably misinterpreting your city's ordinance, though. No sane city government would prevent a homeowner from protecting his dwelling from invasive plants.


How do I treat mold and mildew in shower grout?

To remove surface mold I use a 4:1 mixture of water:bleach.  Spray on liberally and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.  Rinse with water and wipe clean.

If you need to use a brush to scrape off heavy deposits, I recommend brushing away from your face or preferably wear an appropriate mask and goggles.  The mold spores are probably more dangerous than the bleach at that point, but neither one is fun.

Commercial cleaners such as Tilex tend to do a reasonably good job as well.

Whichever way you go, make sure that you give yourself adequate ventilation as the fumes may be quite strong.

As you've already noted that you need to take remedial action to prevent future growth, I'll just echo BMitch's comment that you should investigate if the mold has spread into the walls as hidden growth can be a future problem.


how to test electric dryer without 240V outlet?

First, a person selling a dryer without providing a 240V connection to demonstrate its performance, will naturally take a significant hit on his resale value.

Any real effort in this regard is going to require the schematic of the dryer and some electrical chops.  This forum doesn't have the capacity to convey those chops. Know your skill limits and work within them.  With that in mind...

If it has mechanical controls, you could do some "dry" testing by putting an ohmmeter across the various 120V and 240V pins while looking for the expected resistance changes as you operate its controls through their paces. You need to be able scratchpad Ohm's Law a bit to get a sense of what those resistances should be.

If you're willing to open up the controls, you could probe more deeply component by component.

If you want to get "hot", look at the schematic and try to isolate sections that you can test by powering one leg of the 240v, if it makes use of neutral.  Be very careful doing that, and positively ground chassis to actual ground, because on many dryers, especially those using NEMA 10/30 connectors, neutral is bonded to chassis -really! - and if you reverse hot/neutral, you can energize the chassis at 120v.

Or by using a 120/240 power adapting transformer - the 40 lb. transformers sold to Euros so they can run their appliances here.  You must set the dryer to fluff-only and not operate any heat setting.  Transformers are dumb and don't have thermal protection unless it is added, so they would die trying to supply 23A@240V which would be 46A on the 120V side, on wires made for 15A tops.  I'm quite sure you'd get a fuse blow or wire fry before you could shut it off.

All this is as dangerous as it sounds and in any case, seems like a lot of work.  Depending on how you value your time, it may be "cheaper" to buy enough 10/3 for a temporary run to a workable testing location.


Can I use a spray sealant to seal a leak in my radiator?

From reading on the Internet, FlexSeal looks like a scam ($59.70 for shipping, signs you up for $29/month "membership" without asking). It looks like it's similar to automotive rubber undercoating, which you can buy locally for ~$5 per can.

Don't know if it would work for your purpose. But I can recommend J-B Weld. Sand and clean with acetone, then apply a thin (1 mm) layer of J-B Weld. See also the answers to this question.


In general, connectors like that are classified based on the pin thickness and pin spacing.  That might cut your solution set from a million connector models down to a few hundred thousand: useful but hardly solving the issue.

Posting photos of the far side of this connector would help also. Major vendors love to make one off connector designs so nothing else will fit.  In which case you're out of luck, short of finding a used connector harness, or scavenging similar models at a dump. Sometimes you can get lucky and the only difference is a keying pin (like the plastic bumps at the top of your photo).  Then you just cut off the keying feature and run with it.

If it were my washer, I'd probably saw open the failed connector, solder the wires directly to the pins, gently insert bare pins into the valve, and seal it all up with an appropriate clear silicon caulk (clear so I can see if anything goes wrong).


How can I install r-max insulation on the interior side of a cinderblock wall?

I don't know. But I'm not aware of any reason not to put treated wood inside a home, and treated wood inside against masonry has been recommended numerous times by others on this site and elsewhere.

2-4. Electrical boxes, piping, and panelling must all be mounted to a stronger surface than poly insulation, as you suspected. You would need to mount to the furring strips, whether the insulation is behind or in front of the strips.

You cannot use regular thin wood panelling to cover R-Max. It requires a thermal barrier, such as 1/2" drywall, 1/2" plywood, 1" masonry, or 1" wood. This is for two reasons, as I understand: (1) to keep it from burning in an existing fire, as it emits harmful gases when it burns, and (2) to avoid exposing it to too much heat so that it doesn't ignite on its own. This is described on page 3 of the Thermasheath 3 data sheet.

I used this product in my own basement reno earlier this year, and it worked as advertised. I put it directly against the poured concrete wall with adhesive, then built 2x4 walls against the insulation. However, if I had to do it again, I'd consider having a contractor put in spray foam insulation, for a couple of reasons: I would gain two inches of floor space against each outside wall, and I wouldn't have had to do any air sealing above the foundation (my basement is only about 5' into the ground) and at the joist headers, which turned out to be quite a large job.


Help with oversized furnace causing short cycle

There is no reason that you should have that much variation in your basement and top floor.  It is either a storage area or a living space.  If it is a living space then you have a huge insulation issue down there.  Trying to solve that via more registers is idiotic.  If your main level is heated properly a well insulated basement should need very very little heat.  Any living space should have access to heat/air but the last HVAC guy sold you his stuff without fixing the problem.
Do not restrict the airflow.  If you have to constantly close registers or are adding filters this is a huge waste of money.  You are burning fuel to have a good percentage of your air hit a dead end.  So this just makes no sense at all.
Understand that your main HVAC issue is the size of the unit.  Anything you do to cripple the output will cost you money and your unit will not last as long.

Options...

Insulate your basement.

2a. Sell your furnace, install properly sized one.

2b. Live with what you have.  Let it do its thing.  Keep thermostat upstairs.  Understand it will short cycle when it is warmer out.

The problem is most HVAC companies you call will know you have a problem and will solve it based on what they are best at or what makes them the most money.  And unless you allow them to tear the whole thing out none will fully guarantee a marked improvement.  And of them giving advice about filters or doing whatever to make your system less efficient I would never do business with them.


How do you count conductors that are pigtailed (box fill)?

Box fill is covered in article 314.16 of the NEC. The wires are counted by size and type for example 14 awg wire is 2 cubic inches for each hot , neutral and only counted once for the ground, if you have a pig tail that doesn’t add to the count, if you have 12 awg wire it is 2.25 for each with a mix of 14 & 12 the 1 ground wire counted will be the largest or 2.25. The device or switch/ receptacle counts 2x the cu inches of the largest wire connecting to it so if a 12 gauge wire connects the receptacle takes 4.5 cu inches.
If the boxes have clamps those count 1 time also for the largest wire size . That’s the basics the short pigtails and wirenuts are not added in the amount of the fill.


How to calculate FPM as related to Residential HVAC air handler

Your method of FPM X cross sectional area won’t come out right for a large trunk line, the problem is the airflow is faster in the middle and slower at the edges so usually a grid of measurements are taken and an average flow is created. I have a book that gives the recommended number of points based on the size of memory serves 3 points 2 on the sides and one in the middle averaged gets close with the big book. Measurements were not supposed to be taken the width of the opening from a turn, that’s silly because most openings are at a 90 to the duct within an inch or so. I just take the measurements wherever and it has always been close enough for residential.


Can a portable swamp cooler be hooked into a central air duct and recirculate?

Where they work, swamp coolers work because evaporating water cools the air being pulled in (via latent heat of vaporization - go visit a chemistry site if that's a concept you haven't gotten in your education.)

Making the air humid does not, in itself make it cool - at a given temperature, humid air feels warmer to people, as sweat evaporates poorly. Starting from hot dry air, the swamp cooler makes cool, moist air. Starting from warm moist air, it just blows warm moist air around.

So, if you recirculate swamp-cooler air, the air in your house becomes increasingly humid, with two effects - one is that it evaporates less water at the swamp cooler, and thus is cooled less, and the other is that the internal air becomes more humid. In the long term, it will be more uncomfortable in the house than out, as house temperature will rise to outside temperature, but be more humid.


What is best way to thoroughly clean airless sprayer after using shellac primer

Ammonia:

"…the objective is to remove the shellac from the brush, roller, etc, not to thin the shellac that is still in the brush.

Now, the explanation; just as mineral spirits/paint thinner won’t completely remove varnish from a brush, neither will alcohol alone completely remove shellac from a brush.  Alcohol will dilute the cut of shellac but there will still be some shellac still in the brush.  Ammonia breaks down the shellac so that washing the brush with mild detergent and warm water, after a soak in ammonia, will completely remove all traces of the shellac.  When we clean a varnish brush with paint thinner we are only thinning the varnish; some of the varnish remains to cure in the brush.  But, when we wash the brush in warm water and detergent (after cleaning in MS/paint thinner) the soap “grabs” the remaining molecules of varnish so that all of the varnish is rinsed from the brush…"


How can I find the burnt dust-like odor in the house?

Obvious starting point: close all doors for a couple of days and see if you can isolate it to a particular room. If your place is an "open plan" design, this might still work, or you might need to hang plastic sheeting temporarily to isolate areas. After that, all I can suggest is trying one corner at a time to see if it's stronger in a particular area.

Actually, if you think it's electrical, youi mght want to try turning off circuit breakers for similar time periods and see if you can find it that way. Though if it is electrical and not obviously related to something like an electric stove, I agree that you probably don't want to spend too much time looking for it.


Likely, little or no damage was done in a single rainstorm, unless it was a deluge. If you don't see damp spots under the furnace, there's no puddle inside it, and it works now, then the replacement cap is not urgent... until the next storm.
Also, you or the repairman can drill a hole through the replaced cap and pipe and put in a small, self-taping sheet metal screw to prevent a repetition, similar to the way a downspout is held to a rain gutter.


Reduce suds created from washing machine rinsing?

If you use soaps marked HE (High efficiency) there will be less suds.


It's just laminated wood.

Gather 1/2" thick pine boards of an appropriate width.
Mark your cuts,  and use a router to cut.
Glue, stack  and clamp.


DIY question: spray-paint steel balls evenly

If I was going to try to paint a bunch of small steel balls with rattle can spray paint there are a number of steps that I would take.

Number One most important is to remember with spray can paint is to work at the correct temperature environment and leave plenty of time for full drying between coats.
Almost as important as the above item is to apply multiple thin coats instead of heavy almost dripping coats. This will become even more important with following considerations.
Acquire some square grid welded mesh wire material. For 3/8" balls and 1/4" balls mesh such as McMaster-Carr 9230T403 may do the trick. Following scale drawing shows the side view of mesh and steel balls:

Place the mesh in a sturdy horizontal position.
Hand place your balls on the mesh grid leaving space between them.
Spray paint the up facing surface of the balls with a light dusting type coat of paint and let fully dry.
Rotate all of the balls on the grid so that the recently painted surface faces down toward the grid and then apply another light coat of paint to the new up facing sides.
As long as you keep the coats of paint very thin a small overlap from layer to layer as you rotate the balls should be invisible.
Repeat steps 5 through 9 till all the balls have the desired paint covering. Rotate each ball before placing it down again. It may take five or six repeats to get them nice evenly coated with paint on each ball.


Do GFCI outlets require more than standard box volume?

A GFCI only requires the same fill as any other device. In your case with 14-2 one cable in one cable out and the device 4 current carrying conductors 1 ground ,x 2 device , clamp. 14 awg =2 so 2 x 8 or 16cu inch. 2 devices ? 20 cu inches?
There should be plenty of room, if you get excessive with your wire length that will quickly gobble up room, if your wire or pig tails are longer than 6” trim them back the next thing would be to make sure to make sure your wires are packed tightly in the box I have had people that try to put a foot long end and long pigtails in boxes and can’t get them in the box so length and arrangement in the box make a difference.
Although GFCI devises are bulkier than normal devices they require the same device fill as other devices unless marked by the oem and I have not seen that.


How can I rerun cables along stairs where a wall is being removed?

If you add a box to extend the cables it will need to remain accessible. I would pull back to before the triple and drill down , it looks like there might be a level below (I think I see studs below And fire block foam where they go down?) After dropping down, route the cables back to their original termination.
Without knowing more about the structure, that would be the best advice I could give but it may not be easy as I can’t tell the direction of the floor joists. I prefer punching through TJI’s over 2x’s when roping a house.


Two tell tail signs point to a masonry bit. The shape of the cutting teeth and the fluets on the shaft. That is certainly a masonry bit. Look like a design typically used on an SDS plus bit. If so, that's another determining factor.


I think I'd lay in some half-inch filler and nail on a corner bead, 1/8" from the tile. You'll need to trim the one flange to less than the depth of the gap. Skim the bead out 8-12". This will leave you with a very nice, straight edge that you can caulk or grout the tile to without adding a clumsy visual transition.


How do I connect two switches with two lights?

Note that colors here are the usual colors for US cables. If you are in another country, colors may vary. In addition, if you are using conduit then you can use different colors (but still use white for neutral):

Everything everywhere gets ground (green or bare). All grounds are connected, never switched, so ignored for this description.

From circuit breaker, black (hot) and white (neutral)
Switch 1:

Black from circuit breaker to one screw on switch
Other screw on the switch gets a short black pigtail
Pigtail connects to two black wires
White from circuit breaker gets connected to two white wires

Light 1 gets a black (switched hot) and white (neutral) pair coming from switch 1
Switch 2 gets a black (switched hot) and white (neutral) pair coming from switch 1. The black goes to one screw. Another black for the 2nd light goes to the other screw. The white wires (one from switch 1, one for the 2nd light) are connected together.
Light 2 gets the black (double-switched hot) and white (neutral) coming from switch 2.


How to address diverter pipe length issue during shower remodel?

Adjusting the length of the tub spout pipe will be way easier than changing your entire shower enclosure and tile plan.

The method you use when you shorten the pipe (and how much you shorten it) will depend on the type of tub spout you will install (different spouts have different pipe-attachment arrangements, not all of them thread on like your old one did) and where your finished wall surface ends up being.

I highly recommend that you do not cut the spout pipe until you are done tiling, so you can ensure the proper pipe length.

P.S.- some spouts just slide on and use a gasket to seal; they are more forgiving when it comes to pipe length:


What compound should be used for base skim coat?

I've been a drywall pro for 30+ years and I currently run my own drywall repair business.  Since I mostly do very small jobs and repairs I have found ONE product that I use for everything that calls for non fast setting drywall mud, and that is a product called Plus 3, by USG.  You might not find that exact product in your area, but try looking for a lightweight all purpose.  The reason I use this is it has low shrinkage, works well for taping, coating, and texturing.  I spray it for orange peels, etc, and hand apply textures like skip trowel, and it does it all well.  I dislike green lid all purpose for anything except taping as it's harder to sand and shrinks more.

I do us a LOT of durabond type products, although I use the USG Easy Sand 5,20 or 45 minute hot mud. Note that durabond is a brand name used by many like kleenex is used for tissue paper.  Here, we often use the term hot mud instead.  But I would ONLY recommend it if you are very skilled since it is VERY hard to sand, despite the name of easy sand.  Although in thin layers it sand ok.  But if you apply too much it's pretty difficult to sand off, whereas the Plus 3 is incredibly easy to sand.  And the hot mud costs much more, is difficult to mix up requires constant cleaning of tools every 20-90 minutes, and can give you fits with lumps, etc.  Box mud mixes easily, goes on smooth, and sands easy.

The reason to use hot mud is the faster it sets up the less it shrinks, and the quicker you can apply the next coat.  But I almost always finish the final coat with plus 3 for ease of sanding.


What insulation should I use when converting a metal shed to a pool house?

Cheapest solution (build cost) - don't insulate, costs a lot to run and performs poorly.
Cheapest solution (lifetime cost) - insulate well, costs more to build, less to run, performs better.
When to install - after your electrician and plumber are done, because doing it before they are done is going to increase your cost for them to do their parts of the job, and you'll have to repair the insulation after they are done.
Type of insulation - there are many. They all work, they all have costs which vary with your location and method of installation, they have varying levels of performance which sometimes but not always follow the varying levels of cost. There is no one right answer to be given here, it's a choice you have to make.


maybe 18.  hard to tell without knowing how many monkeys and typewriters are needed.

for the love of god, phrase your question intelligibly.  what tolerance are you asking for?  width? height? span?  material? youngs modulus?  what on earth do you mean by how far out in height?

garbage in, garbage out