Wiring Confusion - 3 Phase Line to a Water Level Controller?

I certainly don't see any reason why not.    All the heavy switching is done by the contactor.  The controller couldn't care less what kind of current actually powers the motor: 3-phase, Japan 100V, hydraulics, pneumatics, Lackawanna 3000VDC, 4-phase early 1900s power, Detroit street lighting DC, clutchable drive shaft, warp plasma, or any darned thing you can find a contactor for.

The contactor fully isolates the controller's voltage from the power that actually runs the pump.

You do not hook multiphase mains (or air, or warp plasma) to the controller normally.  But in this case, you seem to have specced a 415V controller for some reason.  The only way to get that is to connect 2 phases line to line.   For that connection you will not use the third phase.

-

You actually have a problem here.  All the other wires here are phase wires.  The circuit from 15/18 to the contactor needs to be <=250v otherwise you will exceed the rating of the relay.  That means you must use single-phase line to neutral (or really, anything the contactor can use, as long as it’s less than 250V).

Now in this drawing, they have inelegantly shown taking the neutral from the pump mains supply. This is wrong in all cases and violates the "currents must be equal/balanced" rule.  As you know, current flows in loops, that is a very bad loop!

Normally I would say "The contactor coil should get its neutral from controller supply, e.g. from A2 on this drawing".   But in this case, your controller will need 415V line-line, and so neutral will not be present.

If this is "wye" power you may be able to bring over neutral.  If it is "delta" power simply use a different circuit.

If the relay coil is 415V you cannot use iqt because 415>250. Regardless, you need a 3-pole contactor, because it's 3-phase.

* to those who believe all 3-phase delta is "240V wild leg delta" with neutral centered on a leg, this is Europe and there's no such thing.  Also even in America not all 3-phase delta is that.


deck railing height with built-in benches?

Holy cow I just went through this last summer with a house I bought...

  Specifically, 2009 IRC section R312.2 states: Required guards at
  open-sided walking surfaces, including stairs, porches, balconies or
  landings, shall be not less than 36 inches high measured vertically
  above the adjacent walking surface, adjacent fixed seating or the line
  connecting the leading edges of the treads.

So yes most/all municipalities that are using 2009 IRC and above would require that you have your rail height 36" higher than the seat.   Let me tell you that this is almost impossible to do without a ton of work (and having it functional and looking good).  Most people don't want railings at 46-50" since it encloses the deck and is reaching the height of shorter women.

What did we do?  We simply detached the bench part and made sure it fit snugly into the deck.  Since it is not a "fixed" part of the deck it passed inspection.  We were not concerned about small children because it was already 26" over the seat and had vertical backs set at 120 degrees.


How is DIY done so much on 'fixer uppers' in areas where AHJs demand permits and licenses?

I will give you an honest answer and could care less about the upvotes/downvotes.  Just my experience flipping houses in many US areas and even some overseas over 25 years.

First every municipality will have a detailed list of things they require a permit for.

almost all places require you to pull a permit for electrical
if you pull an electrical permit some places will allow you to do some electrical work.  This may or may not include you needing to pass a local electrical permit exam.  I have done so numerous times.
when applying for a permit most places will take in a percentage (often capped) of the renovations to help offset the costs for their inspection process.

If you are doing a lot of work talk to your inspector.  If you can actually get the inspector at your city hall (or where ever) please talk to him.  Give him an overview of what you may do.  And here is why.  80% of the inspectors are GREAT guys that will help you out and downright give you great advice through the inspection/permit process.  They will tell you that you don't need to pull permits for certain things and give you hints how to pass quicker for other things.   The other 20% of the inspectors... WOW.  They have their buddy Johnny the Electrician and if you don't use Johnny then your guy better be perfect (and perfect means whatever the inspector wants).  Johnny will charge 50% more.  The same goes for all trades.  Or you get the inspector who wants everything permitted - yes I have had an inspector ask me to pull a permit for putting in carpet no kidding.   My point is know what you are dealing with.  If I am dealing with a shady inspector, no way in hell I am pulling permits unless it is for something I know I need to.  That is just the truth.  We may just skip certain renovations because of this.
Don't let #2 fool you I am a pro-permit person.  But permits and passing permits mean nothing.  I can pretty much have any architect write something up and install a beam or whatever and most inspectors will just sign off on anything.  Sure there are inspectors that know their crap... but I am talking about the majority.  Pulling a permit doesn't ensure that the job is done right.  It just ensures that someone looked at it.   I have bought many houses that passed "inspections" that were not done to code, took these to the city and had no recourse.  In one case the city made me repull permits (costing over 5k) because their inspectors passed them incorrectly.  Anyway sued city and they paid for the work done in the end but took 6 months so I was eating mortgage.  My point is here the permit is just another check, not the all being/knowing check.
When talking electrical.  I will pull a permit if I have a licensed electrician doing work, if I am doing work licensed in the area, or if the work is major.  I will not pull permits for switching out outlets (some cities ask you to pull permits for this - I do not ask as once you ask, you are pulling a permit), I will not pull a permit for adding an extra outlet or two to an existing circuit (yes I follow load standards), and will not pull a permit for switching out aluminum for copper.
When talking infrastructure... I will pull permit if I am making a modification that is substantial or will impact the house listing - adding bathrooms, bedrooms, square footage.  I used to pull for foundation work... But I found that some cities had practices and outdated information that were making my repairs worse and more costly.   I have trusted pros doing this work for me and trust their opinions more than an inspector who is getting his info from the local foundation guy (who wants all the business so often does unwarranted things at a house and acts like his way is the only way to meet code).  On the other end, I am not pulling a permit to enclose a closet, to shorten or modifying non-loadbearing walls, just not happening.

What are the risks?   Well none really if you do the work correctly.  If you are afraid work is done incorrectly you could be liable for failings but really when houses are sold they are sold as is.  Almost impossible to sue a former house owner.  Probably the biggest risk is that when selling the house you did work that shows up on the comp sheet and word gets back to city (this is not common).   City then could come out and ask for permits.  But the city would have to prove that YOU (not previous owners) made the changes unless they are for unpermitted space.

Also a good home inspector should be able to see bad work and then the work would have to be redone.   If substantial you would have to pull permits as home inspector may ask city for them.

To conclude, someone could write a book about your question in the US.   I have had so many inspectors tell me "you don't want to pull a permit for that".  I have had so many inspectors tell me to pull permits for the dumbest crap.   (funny example - had to pull permit for changing out tile in kitchen.  Inspector comes out.  He is new and just some random dude with a sheet to checkmark.  He goes through some other stuff we were doing, he asks if tile was done, one of my guys thought he was talking about the bathroom which was done, my guy says yes, he inspects kitchen tile which is about 40 years old, says good, checked, done).  Any homeowner getting work done on their house for roof, electric, plumbing, or major infrastructure should get a permit to help protect themselves.

Edit: Since it has tag DIY vs pro.  In most areas the only times you would need a pro is an architect for load bearing changes or new space or electrical.  For plumbing it is 50/50 in my area at least.  For everything else you can do it yourself.  If you do not have experience for some projects or do not have a reputation, please count on your inspector to treat you different.  Some are nice and helpful, other will nitpick your work until you get a pro.  But when pulling permits if it isn't electrical or major architectural I would assume you don't need a pro and even for those I mentioned you can ask city if you can do it yourself.  (example - often I have taken out a load bearing wall.  If I well over engineer the cross beam needed many inspectors tell me not to worry about architect sign-off.  It is a strategy I use often - pay $75 more for beam plus better beam better for future owners and save $300 on architect)


With only 5v on the bottom breaker I would turn them off and then pull the breaker and look at the buss terminals. Are they bright and shiny, or possibly melted away?

Inspect the breakers also; if no damage is found with the breaker out of the panel, close it and measure the resistance from where the wires connect to the back of the breaker. This should be very low, close to zero. If the reading is high the breaker may be bad.

As a possible temporary quick fix, cycle the breaker 10+ times on/off. Many times this clears carbon arcing and reseats the hammers, check resistance, if it dropped the breaker will usually work for a while (until you get a replacement).

If the breaker still shows a high or open resistance and no pitting or arcing on the buss bar, replace the breaker.

Make sure to always open or turn off a breaker prior to removing or installing so there is less chance of an arc flash.


Intuitive blinds roll up/roll down mechanism

I'm happy with this solution, which separates the up and down runs.


Smart Thermostat for Electric Baseboard Heaters

A proper transformer-and-relay system is not cobbled together and not makeshift.  It is not particularly complex, and is an excellent and safe way to control electric heaters.

Relays, readily available in several packaging types, are easily installed at/near the service panel.  This gives a short and simple run of the heavy power wires: breaker to nearby relay straight to the heater.   This also allows both sides of the 240V to be switched, so the heater is fully de-energized when off.

With a line voltage thermostat, heavy power cables must make a lengthy detour first to the thermostat location, and then to the heater itself. (Which hopefully is not too near the thermostat).  Those thermostats leave one leg of 240V connected at all times.

Heavy cables and heavy power switching makes heat.  It is better to make that heat at the relay, rather than at the thermostat where it can affect the thermostat's calibration.  You may have heard line voltage thermostats being very sloppy at holding temperature... this is why.  A smart thermostat does nothing to fix this fundamental flaw.

24V thermostats handle only a tiny switching current, so they do not get warm from the wiring.

Lastly, line voltage thermostats lock you into only a few products.  Once you go transformer/relay, you can use any modern thermostat, e.g. the Nest.


Can I drain the main sink in a double sink (with a small disposal side) into the disposal, to prevent clogs from building up from food waste?

The only way would be to actually disconnect all the piping and reconfigure your set-up so that the disposer is on the "main sink" side. It should actually be fairly simple to do, but it is a lot of hard work on your back under the cabinet. Removing and re-setting the disposer is not rocket science but if you have not done it before or are unfamiliar with setting sink strainers you might want to hire out the job.

1) disconnect all the waste pipes all the way to the trap

2) remove the disposer: disconnect power, disconnect dishwasher drain hose (if present), remove disposer body from disposer sink drain assembly (method varies by brand), remove disposer sink drain assembly (method varies by brand).

3) remove sink drain assembly (basket strainer) from main sink and re-install on small sink.

4) install drain assembly and disposer unit on main sink.

5) install new plastic waste piping to tie drains into the trap: measure twice / cut once, test fit all pieces hand tight, tighten firmly with Channellock pliers.

Tools/materials: screwdrivers, Channellocks, plumbers putty, adjustable wrench, flashlight


Air conditioner HVAC filter size and frequency of change

Change when it is blocked or just before...
Dusty seasons will cause more rapid filter blocking.
You could make a U tube manometer to see the difference between clean and getting too dirty.


Water supply line size 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch?

If you are using a kitchen style faucet it is a flow restricted type and will not need piping larger than the 3/8" tubing normally recommended for this application.Smaller sinks like kitchen sinks, toilets, and bathroom hand washing sinks work okay with the supply lines being 3/8" OD, (1/4" ID nominal size). Consequently, this size pipe (tubing) is the standard in the industry today, since all of these devices use some type of flow restrictors mandated by government regulations (big brother). Laundry tubs however are exempt from these regulations today, and can be piped with standard 1/2" copper pipe (tubing) or what ever size you choose to use and reduced or increased at the faucet. Fitting size at the faucet is dictated by the manufacturer. Most single supply home piping is 1/2" copper at the wall penetration, or this new and better (cheaper) supply tubing. My laundry tub faucets are piped with 1/2" copper which allows the sinks to be filled quickly. If the faucets you are using are new look at the instructions supplied with the faucets for their recommendations for connection size and type.


how do you replace a pool pump where PVC installation is coupling to coupling?

You have to cut the pipe. When re-installing you should put in unions instead of just couplings so that removing the pump is possible without disturbing the system, as the original installers should have.

Since your piping is pretty tight you will need to do some re-piping.

Here's an example:


How to install half pieces when doing subway tiles

If you're asking about inside corners, yes. You simply lap the two walls. Normally you'd put the grout line on the wall that is parallel to the most common viewing angle so it's less conspicuous. I tend to use slightly smaller grout lines in that situation to conceal them even more.

If you have any reason to believe you'll get movement at the corner, use caulk instead of grout there.


Aha! It's a "Sargent". Found the answer here
http://youtu.be/VyzTw5l-xhs

Thank you, Internet!


They use a hose thread the German one specified is a British Standard Pipe(BSP) thread that is used, which is 3⁄4 inch and 14 TPI (male part outside diameter is 26.441 mm or 1.04 in).

  In the USA, its territories and Canada, the standard thread used for garden hoses is commonly known as garden hose thread (GHT), but officially its title is NHR ('NH' standing for "National Hose"). There are two designations is for thin-walled couplers on hoses formed from thin walled material, and NH is for full-form threads on thicker material used to make valves and fittings, produced by cutting or rolling Thread pitch is 11.5 threads per inch (TI).
  All fittings are the same size, but specified by pipe or hose's internal dimensions. So typical fittings are 3/4-11.5NH or 5/8-11.5NH (3/4 is the internal diameter, 11.5 is the thread pitch)
  GHT is not compatible with National Pipe Tapered (NPT).For the rest of the world, the British Standard Pipe Thread standard (BSP) is used. Domestic fittings are 3/4 inch BSP and thread pitch is 14 threads per inch. Taps used on farms, factories and in horticulture and fittings for garden irrigation pumps use a 1 inch BSP thread system.

This info is extracted from the guide:
The Complete Guide to Garden Hose Fittings


A curtain will work nearly as well as a door to block air flow. It will not seal (nor will an interior door unless you weather strip it), but it will significantly reduce the flow going downstairs.
A heavy curtain material will do more to resist the flow of air than a light material will. A light curtain will have a higher tendency to just blow, based on how strong the airflow is.
Simply look for a curtain that is made from a heavy material then hang it low enough that the hem lies on the floor. Alternatively, you can buy a curtain designed for a window that's taller than your door and hang it at the top of the door opening while still having the hem sweep the floor.
You'll probably have to be diligent to ensure that the curtain closes neatly behind you each time you go through the opening because the drag on the floor will probably prevent it from just swinging back to a fully closed position.
If you find that even the heavy curtain you purchased is blowing and not sealing well, use a seam ripper (or small, sharp, pointed pair of scissors) to open up the bottom hem (at one vertical end of the curtain, not the entire horizontal seam) and slide a metal or wooden dowel into the bottom hem to weigh it down.


Does it matter on which phase the solar panel inverter is connected?

Being a grid-tied installation, it's quite possible that the power utility had some say in which phase to connect the PV system to.  In 3 phase systems, it's necessary to balance the load as equally as possible between the 3 phases but this is difficult to impossible to do within a single household.  So the utility designs the distribution network so that a group of homes share the load across the phases and over a large number, the phases are well balanced.

When connecting PV equipment to their system, generally the utility will provide specific instructions on interconnect based on the capacity and type of your system.  You may not have been aware of this as the installer was likely the one receiving the instruction, not you.

You might check with the installer as to the reasons why they hooked it up as they did.


How to get rid of new carpet removed from a new house

If it is still in an okay state, you can try and sell it for a small price on your local classified ad site.

Some contractors may look for that kind of stuff, or some other DIYers may use it to finish a small area.


What technique could I use to re-color the doors, moulding, and cabinetry in my house?

You can go as dark as you want but once you go black, there is no going back.  There are a ton of stains on the market that specialize in staining over an existing stain.  You would have to test them out to find one you like in a recluse area of the house.

Is the job a big deal?  For sure.  You may not think your trim and floors are modern looking or trendy, but just from the few pictures they are certainly done really nice.  And that is a really big deal.  You have some really clean lines and the staining is very uniform.  I would assume that if restained that it will not look as professional.

Is it worth it?  If you truly aren't happy with it and you will be in the house a while then do it.  Are you expecting to gain equity because the house is more fashionable?   I could only see this working out if the house is very high end.  The fact is the current colors don't look bad at all and could be more fashionable in 5 years - and these colors are never out of fashion.

To do this right is just a ton of work.  Restaining is a bit easier on flat surfaces that are easier to control.  All the trim is curved with details.  Meaning it is going to take a lot more time and it will take a good deal of skill or trial/error to get it to look as good as it does now in a uniform darker color.


How do I separate many devices controlled by one switch?

That sounds like your standard basic electrical bodge job, where it once worked, and then some homeowner or handyman got in there and mucked it up good-n-plenty.  God knows what else could be wrong in there. Or what else that menace has done!

I gather all this sparky stuff is new to you.  You may be better off bringing in a pro to correct that blunder and search for other flaws. They have a fair chance of correcting a dangerous situation.

If you want to take it on yourself, good, but take your time (you don't want to become that menace).  Learning electrical is a wide mountain (but not a steep one). I'd hit the library and look at electrical books (adult nonfiction, section 621.3192) and browse a few and find one that speaks your language. Then indulge in reading most of it. That'll establish well-rounded knowledge on the subject, something Google is awful at... and then we or Google can fill in the gaps.


The electrician did you no favor . You have a multi fed circuit and the handle ties on the breaker should be together.So both go the same ,and all neutrals should be spliced together to work . Neutral has a load in this case.  And could lead to injury.


Why do I have blue water coming out of the faucets?

By the way, it is not at all easy for this to be sewage getting into your water lines, but it might be a problem of siphoning back into your house lines from the toilet tank itself. If so, it is still a bad thing that really must be repaired. I like the idea of a couple of drops of food coloring as a test of this. It might happen only when the toilet is flushed, and the faucet for the sink is also open.

If that test shows nothing, then redo the test, but this time, turn off the water pressure into your home at the main supply. (There will be a shutoff valve in your basement.) Now, open the valves in your downstairs faucets. This will create a siphoning effect, trying to suck water back from the toilet supply tank.

Since this has happened only once, my guess is it happened when the water pressure for your home was turned off. This allowed water to siphon back into the water supply lines from the toilet tank. An old valve in the tank might explain that.

Regardless, if you confirm this is what happens, then I would add an anti-siphon valve (also known as a back-flow prevention valve) into the water line to the tank. This is a spring loaded one-way valve, that allows water to flow into the tank, but not the other way.

Could this be a copper corrosion issue as the plumber claimed? This seems unlikely for that to have happened since you have not seen it before, but anything is possible. If you have that much copper in your water that is leaching out of the supply lines, this would be something to worry about. So if you do the food coloring test, and there is no sign of backflow from the tank, then I would get a water test done for copper. In fact, a quick check on Amazon finds a home water test kit that includes a test for copper in your water.


Electrical wiring/grounding - continuity via metal junction box?

There is nothing in Code that says that a metal box can't be part of the fault current path -- this is done all the time in systems that use AC, MCI-A, or metal conduit.  (Personally, I'd use a self-grounding receptacle to save the ground clip and pigtail for neatness' sake, even though it doesn't get scored against box fill.)

If you are curious, btw, look up NEC section 250.148.


How to clean insulation foam residue off metal

Moisture-cured polyurethane foam (e.g. Dow Great Stuff), once cured, is just about impossible to remove by solvents or chemicals. Your only solution is mechanical removal (sanding, cutting, sandblasting, scraping, wire wheel, explosives, etc). Your choice of which depends on the substrate, the environs, and whether you're angling for a Darwin Award.


Covering sprayed attic insulation with plywood rather than drywall

Here is the list of acceptable ignition and thermal barriers for spray foam: http://www.icc-es.org/News/Articles/AY126ThermalBarriersSPF2011-51811.pdf

In a nutshell, if the space will not be used as a living or storage space, you can cover the foam with 1/4" thick or thicker plywood. If the space will eventually be used as a living or storage area, you'll need to use 1/2" thick or thicker drywall, or a product or system certified and rated as equivalent in performance.

Let me also speak to the performance of your insulation. 2x6 rafters allow 5.5" of spray foam. 5.5" of closed-cell foam between the rafters will give that roof a total R-value of about R-35, which is slightly below code minimum in most places, but may be decent if it doesn't get too cold where you live. However 5.5" of open-cell foam between the rafters only gives the assembly barely R-19 which is pathetic, below code minimum everywhere, and will not yield impressive performance, not by a long shot. If the spray foam company used open-cell foam (and I suspect they did), it's worth it to cover the underside of the rafters with additional inexpensive insulation to salvage your attic's performance, especially if the space will not be used for living and you can afford the reduced headroom. Several inches of off-the-shelf EPS, XPS, or Polyiso foam boards can be easily and inexpensively fastened to the underside of the rafters, which will substantially boost the performance. For example just four inches of polyiso over 5.5" of open-cell foam will raise the total R-value to 45, more than doubling it! Then you would cover the foam boards with either plywood or drywall just like before, depending on the intended usage.


Is it possible to rekey an Andersen exterior door with Kwikset SmartKey?

To answer the question: It is almost certainly possible to get a replacement cylinder for your Andersen door which accepts the Kwikset keyway, and have it keyed to accept the same key you're now using on the front door... or reset the front door to respond to the key the new cylinder ships with. My storm door uses a Euro-style cylinder, which is uncommon in the US but a good locksmith ought to be able to handle this request.

As others have said, though, I'd replace the SmartKey cylinder while you're at it. They were a nice idea, but they really have proven to be less secure than I'm comfortable with. A replacement cylinder should be cheap, and rekeying it doesn't add that much cost.


NEC 110.34 (F) says, "pipes or ducts foreign to the electrical installation and requiring periodic maintenance or whose malfunction would endanger the operation of the electrical system shall not be located in the vicinity of the service equipment, switchgear, or industrial control assemblies. Protection shall be provided where necessary to avoid damage from condensation leaks and breaks in such foreign systems..." Beyond this, I don't see anything else in the NEC that might speak to your issue. It doesn't sound like your installation plan would endanger the operation of the electrical system, but that is a question you will have to answer. I did a web search for California building codes but turned up nothing that specifically addressed your situation.


Lock can be opened with credit card even when deadlatch is fully depressed

If the strike bolt can be depressed by direct pressure when the small strike is not fully extended, then the lock is poorly made or broken. Replace it.

You should consider using a lock of higher quality. If this lock has failed, then perhaps all other instances of the same make and model are on the verge of failing. In any case, test the lock before installation.

If you really want to know the mechanical failure mode, you'll have to take the broken lock apart, and guess how it should have worked.


Cutting powder coated steel - how do I prevent rust?

Rustoleum 7769 Rusty Metal Primer is my go-to for outdoor things.  The cleaner they are, the better it works, but it works with wire-wheel levels of rust removal.
I'm a "prosumer" painter.  I know how to handle the dangerous stuff like LPU, and I don't mind paying $300/gallon if it means I'll never have to paint it again.  I've delved deep into http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov and I'm willing to use the mil-spec 2-part chromate primers (the green stuff on new airplanes and locomotives).  That's the only stuff I've found that will beat Rustoleum 7769 on clean metal (as in SSCP-SP10 near-white-metal prep).  For worse prep (e.g. wire-wheeled) I simply haven't found anything at all.
The fact that Rusto 7769 is readily available in the consumer channel just makes it all the better.
Keep in mind my criterion is that it doesn't fail, until the topcoat above it fails.  I prevent topcoat failure by using LPU topcoat, but you don't need to do that.
I would dab it onto the cut edge with the cheapest natural bristle brush at the hardware store, e.g. an "acid brush" (~3/8" wide) or a cheapie "chip brush".   If you bought a spray can and realized what a mess that will be, and want to brush, simply shoot a little spray into a soup can (cleaned out and dried, obviously) until you have a tiny puddle of liquid paint.
Rusto is an "oil based" alkyd, and it will stink. There's no water-based product that will do what you want.  (least not in the consumer tier).


The electric cooker should have an installation manual. Most electric cookers in the UK are not plugged into a normal 13A wall outlet/socket. They are hardwired to a dual-pole cooker switch on a dedicated cooker circuit (e.g. a dedicated 32A circuit).

A typical cooker instructions will say something similar to this example.

  The cooker must be connected by a competent
  person  such  as  one  who  is  a,  NICEIC  registered
  contractor to a suitable double-pole control unit with
  a  minimum  rating  of  32A  and  a  minimum  contact
  clearance  of  3mm  (applicable  to  newer  properties,
  older properties where a 30A double pole control unit
  and a minimum contact clearance of 3mm is
  acceptable).
  The double pole control unit should be fitted
  adjacent to the cooker, in accordance with IEE
  regulations.  The  control  unit  must  be  within  2  metres
  of  but  not  directly  above  the  appliance  and  should
  be  easily  accessible  in  the  event  of  an  emergency.
  The  power  supply  cable  should  conform  to  B.S.6004
  with  a  conductor  size  of  6mm2,  minimum.
  Access  to  the  mains  terminals  is  gained  by
  removing  the  rear  access  cover.  The  mains  cable
  must  pass  through  the  cable  clamp  adjacent  to  the
  terminal  block.  Sufficient  cable  should  be  used  to
  allow  the  cooker  to  be  pulled  out  for  servicing.
  Ensure that the mains cable is routed away
  from any brackets affixed to the rear panel and
  is not trapped to the rear wall when pushing the
  cooker  into  position  between  cabinets

Examples of the required diversity calculations can be found online. For example: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/6.5.2.htm

In your photo of your cooker's connectors, the multiple live and neutral connections appear to be each be connected by a copper bus bar. This presumably means that you can attach the supply to any of the screw terminals (brown to an "L", blue to an "N"). Don't use 13A flex or a 13A plug, it'll eventually blow the fuse or catch fire.


Solid white power cord. How can I tell the difference between hot, neutral and ground?

The side with the rib is neutral. The center is ground and the smooth side is hot. In the picture these are from left to right.

It is the same as Which side of a two-wire cable should be used for "hot"? except with the ground in the middle.


How to change a switched outlet to a half-hot outlet?

Yes, you can.

Turn off the power.
Add a pigtail from the twist-on wire connector to the top "hot" receptacle terminal.
Break the little metal tab between the "hot" terminals on the receptacle.
Mark the white wire going to the switch with black tape or marker, so the next person knows it's being used as a "hot".

The top outlet should be always hot, while the bottom will be switch controlled.

Use a multimeter to verify my assumptions are correct, before proceeding.

If the feeder is coming from the other side, then you'll want to rewire it like this.


Since your main breakers are at the meter, each "main" panel can be as large as you please, but of course each must be at least 125A.  The 125A breaker protects the wire to each panel, and the panel itself.

Definitely don't scrimp; nobody on this forum ever complained about having too many spaces in their panel, but we get lots and lots of the other.

If you have two 2-pole breakers, you will need 2 panels.  Paralleling two feeders to 1 panel is not allowed except with very special equipment.


Can I cut out a blister in my drywall joint and add more tape to the small section?

I like to get some mud under the tape, if not painted just cut it lay it back add mudd and put it in place and work it flat.
If painted I use a big syringe and push some mud in there work it around and press the air out Ends up looking like a small nail hole but works really well when going in on a poorly done job that you don’t want to spend a lot fixing up.


What items in a house can potentially be damaged by shutting them off at the circuit breaker?

First, the article writer is arm-waving.  A lot.  A device which is destroyed when you sever power is a defective device.   What he's trying to say is that breakers themselves are not made to be used as switches, and particularly, they're not made to interrupt high-current-drawing loads (like your water heater when cycled on).  Except when they are.

As circuit breakers evolved, they often came out with special variants of the breaker that can do some parlor trick a normal breaker cannot (and are UL-listed for that trick).  The breaker might be rated to also be used in a 208V/3phase panel.  It might be rated for interrupting inductive loads.  Often these breakers are expensive only because of the sunk engineering costs and that they are oddball -- the manufacturers know if they made every breaker that way, it would add almost nothing to breaker cost.  So after a time, they often do exactly that.  And often UL "levels the playing field" by changing breaker specs so all breakers must be that.

UL (Underwriters Laboratories) tests products for safety, and lists approved products.  The need to use listed electrical products comes up a lot.

Here, the relevant trick is called an "SWD" breaker.  This is made for a very common habit in factories and shops of using the breaker as a light switch. There is nothing wrong with this or the AHJ would not allow it.  Being commercial they tend to control fluorescent or HID (sodium, metal halide, mercury) lighting.  The SWD breaker is made to be used daily as a switch, tested for many more on-off cycles. The HID breaker is built extra tough to cope with the poor power factor of many HID lights.  Many manufacturers simply make all their breakers SWD rated.  Whether UL is behind this I don't know.

So likely your breakers are SWD, and rated for interrupting a big inductive load like an A/C unit all day everyday.  Your old breakers, maybe not so much, that's what the article is trying to warn about.  But even then, this is a bit of hysteria; UL tests even non-SWD breakers for thousands of cycles.


Sometimes air handlers/furnaces have lift off covers that allow you to access the wires, but often you will have to remove some screws or cut some duct tape (if the install was messy) to remove the proper panel.  Pictures help here, but you want to look for any covers or panels that will slide or lift out of place.

If you find one, open it and see whats inside.  If it only provides access to the blower or the heater portion of the unit and not the control board, you will most likely have to remove a few screws to remove another panel (panel can be large, like the whole half of the unit).

Again, this is general advice, but I think that many people might not think they need to start pulling out sheet metal screws and expect a pop-open panel.  If you're not sure, post some pictures.  I wouldn't want you taking apart the wrong thing!


Should I put a surge protector on a washer or dryer?

If they have the simple electromechanical timers, there's not much that can be damaged by 'reasonable' surges - damage from a lightning strike on your line wouldn't be stopped by a surge protector.

Electronic controls typically do have a surge protector built onto the board, so there's no need for an external one.


Sounds like a broken line under ground between the point you are checking the pressure and the Heads, with the pressure at 20 there is probably not enough to push the head up but it should be flowing even though not extended.

When I have this problem I will usually leave the water on for a while and go find the wet spot. Dig down and fix the break. If the pipes were full and you had a cold winter there may be several broken lines.

Also running the water to find the wet spot always gets some dirt and possibly gravel in the line so I will remove the heads and flow all the dirt out , or cleaning the heads then flowing the stuff out then putting the heads back on. Best to pull them first.


Power fluctuates enough to make bedroom fan almost turn off

That's a power supply problem, and a serious one.  If it is happening all over the house, and if any appliances will cause it, then it's a "lost neutral" -most likely on the power company's side of the meter.   That is their problem and they should fix it for free.   Call them and report an outage, since it is as serious as an outage.  Don't delay, either - this should be fixed right away before it does serious damage,


Can I use a 1/8 thimble with 1/16 wire rope?

Yes, it's OK. It may look a bit funky to have a smaller cable in there, but the functionality will not be affected.


Adding sheathing under a concrete tile roof

If this roof tile is the Spanish terra cotta style(curved or waved shaped) than  plug up the openings at the eaves. What I have done is: 1) cram rolled-up sections of poultry netting into the cavities and mix a batch of mortar keep it fairly dry and trowel it into openings. or 2) get a length of 2-3 inch galvanized roof flashing and snip the outline of each eave opening. Than push it into the eave opening.


What type of plywood to use for a general purpose workbench?

Option 1 or 2. The plans themselves call for 1/2" plywood, and it's a general purpose workbench with good supports underneath, so 3/4" is overkill. Option 2 is a bit nicer of those 2, but again, it's a workbench, so you don't need super fancy. If you do plan on staining, pine does not generally take stain very well, so in that case you'd want option 2.

A fifth option, if you have any kind of hardwood dealer near you (search google for "hardwood" and ignore any flooring stores), is to get 1/2" Baltic birch plywood. This is the staple for shop furniture in many shops, given its nice look and low price tag; it also takes stain and other finishes nicely. It may cost more than the pine ply you linked (but may not!), but should cost less than the other 1/2" ply you linked.


How can I convert a 220v lighting circuit to 110v?

Note: This assumes you are in the US or an area that follows US electrical standards. If you are someplace else then this may be totally incorrect.

You need to connect hot, neutral, ground. Currently you have a second hot instead of neutral.

The catch is that this requires moving a wire at the panel. Assuming you have "normal" wiring, you should have white for neutral, green or bare wire for ground and some other color, usually black, for hot.

If the cable from the panel to the fixture is black/white/green-or-bare then you need to move white from a hot connection to the neutral bar. WARNING: If you have never worked inside a breaker panel before then this is probably NOT a good idea to do yourself.

If the cable from the panel is black/red/green-or-bare (i.e., designed for a 240V circuit with no neutral) then the cable should be switched to one that includes a white wire.

If the cable from the panel is black/red/white/green-or-bare (like for a stove or dryer or other circuit) then you should already have neutral in the cable (the white wire) and either the wires were connected wrong at the panel or at the fixture - should have white to neutral on both ends.

My personal recommendation (I am not an electrician) is to hire an electrician to do this. But probably a different electrician because while it should be "you messed up, you fix it", I would worry that if they messed up on such a basic thing that they really can't be trusted to fix it properly. In particular, the comment someone else made about "connect to one 110 VAC and ground" is a bit scary: Doing that would make the light work properly, but would absolutely violate code and would not be safe. If your "electrician" decided to do a quick fix like that then I'd be really worried...


How close should I install J-Channel to a Roof

You're right that nailing so low is a concern. Typically I'd leave at least an inch between the shingles and the channel. If you use color-coordinating step flashing this isn't an aesthetic concern. You can also overlay rubberized window flashing tape on the step flashing to seal nail punctures better.

You don't say where you are, but I'd worry about melting snow leaking through low punctures in the flashing, or flow and splash from heavy rain.


You might want to check with knowledgeable people about drilling in your area.  Perhaps you have dug into bedrock.  Or there is a large monolith buried there. :-)

In the U.S., the USGS has much data available for your perusal.
Perhaps you have neighbors with wells?  Talk to them and see what their experience was.  Even if theirs were drilled 50+ years ago, well digging stories seem to survive the ages.
Your municipality might have well digging advice and experience and can advise on best drilling practices.


Can I wire a doorbell transformer in-wall this way?

The line voltage parts of the circuit must be contained inside an electrical box which has an accessible cover. The low voltage wires should not be inside the electrical box.

If I were doing this I would make a new opening for an old work electrical box up near the ceiling of the closet. Then drop a new electrical cable down the stud cavity from the new opening and enter into the existing electrical box (it may turn out to be easier to push the new cable through the existing electrical box up the wall to the new opening where you can reach in and snag the new cable). Once the new box is all installed in place you can mount the new transformer on the box cover of that new box with the low voltage wire terminals being up near the ceiling.

Before you start do check that wall cavity to see if it has a cross member or fire block that would impede pushing the cable up the cavity. If so it may be necessary to make a temporary hole in the drywall near the blocking so that you can drill a hole through it for the new cable.

The new cable used must match the wire gauge of the existing wiring in the low down electrical box.


How to fill gaps in floor after wall removal

Wood would be best for the here and now and to be gone for later. IF, you'll be removing the existing flooring for the LVT to go in.

Let the LVT installers simply lift out your wood and fill the gap later with Floor Leveler or other cementitious product. It's very difficult to chip stuff away to perfection, but very easy to put it in level with a new permanent elevation.


My contractor replaced old soffits and fascia with fiber cement panels. What type of molding/cleating should be used?

It's probably only aesthetic in function, depending on how the soffit was fastened. If that wasn't the case a strip would be needed on the inside of the fascia as well. Walls and fascia tend to be a bit wavy, so it's difficult to get a perfect, caulkable fit.
Not fibercement, but the same material that other trim moldings are made of. Something maintenance-free (or low-maintenance)--vinyl or similar. You mentioned Hardie, and they have their own line of trim boards. You can also get vinyl trim in white at big box home improvement stores.
There's probably no code for this, as it's merely aesthetic. It's unlikely to rot soon as it's well protected, and if it does it'll be from the top and back where moisture is retained and the wood is unprotected. I'd contact the contractor and ask him to replace it with something of higher quality, or at least prime and paint it.


Why would the neutral current be significantly greater than phase current?

On a single-phase, Euro-style connection, neutral and line must be equal - if they were not, your RCD would trip, because looking for unequal line and neutral is how it detects ground faults.
If neutral is larger than line, then my only guess is one or more of your neighbors has a broken neutral wire, and their neutral is returning via their neutral-earth bond, their earthing rods, the earth, to your earthing rod via your N-E bond, to your neutral.  We see that in the US from time to time.
Check with the power company, and make sure you’re not paying for that.  If they bill you for Line current only, that’s fine, but if their bill is based on the average of L and N, then you’re buying your neighbors’ power.


Toilet gurgling when another one is flushing: 6-way joint

Move the clean out trap up to where the right toilet is,right toilet to the clean out.

This will stop cross flow from too large systems.

This should reduce cross flush and vent clogging, I think.

This looks to be the easierest think to help reduce your issues but I dont know.

That 90 in the waste after you puzzle nut can't be helping either... how far does it travel before the main stack?

Keep in mind that thing is grandfathered, touch one bit of it and it's not anymore.

Not a plumber, just a dude with a internet connection so take my advice with a grain of salt.


Separation with luxury vinyl plank flooring

Such a minor amount of movement is, as you guessed, likely related to seasonal temperature swings. Vinyl does shrink and expand.


Dip Switch settings for furnace circuit board

You are correct -- turning S7-1 and S7-2 both off will disable the second stage of heat on your furnace unless it's called for explicitly by turning the furnace's W2 input ON.

Since you have a single stage thermostat, the first setting I'd try is Auto -- i.e. S7-2 ON and S7-1 OFF.  That lets the furnace control board make a choice on its own regarding how long to wait before kicking the second stage of heat on.


Recommendation for power cord replacement plugs

A proper electrical supply house is the best we can advise.   Retail shops with well lighted parking lots, exciting products on the endcaps, and candy at the  counter tend to also buy the cheapest products they can possibly get that won't be  returned at excessive rates.  And who returns a $7 plug?

You initially shop there for the bargain prices until it becomes habit, but those bargain prices don't come from buying in bulk the way the mythology says.  They come from going overseas and buying products that barely clear safety codes and are not factored for usability.


Use 220G sandpaper to thoroughly sand the top, dust the top and also wipe lightly with a tack rag. Then apply a very thin coat of poly over the top. Do what you can to keep the dust from settling on it. If possible support a piece of poly over the top that will block the dust form dropping in the finish. Allow no drafts in the same room


The NEC allows connecting to a ground from another circuit if that circuit originates in the same panel.
If they do originate in different panels or a subpanel the Code also allows connecting to any point on the grounding electrode system, the grounding electrode conductor, the ground bar in the panel where the circuit originates, or the grounded conductor in the service enclosure. (NEC 250.130, free clunky access the NEC at https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/all-codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/detail?code=70 )


Replace Water Shutoff Valve Stem with Repair Kit

Easiest fix  - You have leaking packing (the seal around the valve stem) since it leaks only when open.

Tighten the packing nut - hold the valve body still with one wrench so it does not try to twist the pipes while using another wrench to tighten the nut between the valve body and the valve handle (the "packing nut")
If that does not fix it, shut off the water further back in your system and remove the packing nut (same process but loosen) - remove any old packing, apply new packing (hardware store plumbing section should stock it - teflon string, more or less, these days) then reassemble and tighten as in 1.
You may need to take the valve stem out to repack. You can replace the sealing washer if needed which might make it easier to get shut off, depending on the condition of the sealing washer at present. This is rather less drastic than "a valve stem kit" that might or might not actually fit your particular valve.

If you do replace, get a 1/4 turn shutoff valve. They are far less prone to leaking or failing to operate after years of sitting open, as shutoff valves do.


How to replace a manual timer by a simple on/off switch on a home appliance

Get a slightly different timer

You are correct; a programmed electronic timer is a bad plan because it will need to power itself, and that will require additional wires (e.g. Neutral) that may not be present.

What I recommend, instead, is a different mechanical timer with a stay-on zone.  This looks exactly like the timer you have, but for an additional zone past the maximum duration, which says "Hold" or "Remain on".  Wound to this position, it will not unwind.

I generally don't use that type, my users are idiots, so I use the type that makes it impossible to stick the thing on continuously.  That is why they market both types.

For instance, in the States, the standard brand is Intermatic and is available in both types in a variety of durations.  If you're unhappy with the choice of duration range, this is also a good time to solve it.

Abuse the one you've got

One thing about those mechanical timers: you can't put "just a tiny amount" of time on them.  If you have a 1 hour timer, it's clearly labeled that you need to wind it past 12 minutes (and then you can wind it back to 3 minutes).  If you only wind it to 3 minutes,  haven't put enough preload force into it for the snap-off  mechanism to work, and it will stick there and never shut off.

Feature :)


Can I connect 2 motion detectors with one power supply to a single LED Strip?

Yeah, that will actually work.
I mean, the way you wired it would be a horrifying hack if it was mains AC power.  That would be a “loop”, and those are very bad (in AC) because everything inside the loop becomes inside the core of a transformer.
That’s not a problem in the DC domain.  (Mind you I’m not sure that doesn’t change if you use PWM dimming, but I’m not going to tell you to worry about it).
I recommend you bring a 3-wire cable between the two PIRs:

Positive
Negative
Switched Negative (assuming you switch negative; that’s best practice with LED strips).

And then, feed both positive and switched-negative to the LED strip at both ends.  That way you are not relying on the thin little pathways inside the LED strip to carry all the current.  (There’ll be noticeable dimming if you do).
By the way, learn the fine art of cutting LED strips to length; they have specifically designed cut points.
It will also aid your craftsmanship to learn to splice and/or solder, so you aren’t dependent on cheapie connectors and premade wiring harnesses.


Safely securing a 4x4 vertically and horizontally

This can take a load of 1,950/1.6=1,289 pounds. Just make sure the cantilever length doesn't exceed it's back span. Make sure there's 2 installed on each post to beam connection.

For the horizontal force, install (1) Simpson A21 on the underside of the beam to the side of the post on the left and (2) Simpson A21 from the underside of the beam to the faces of the post on the right. Use (2) 0.148 x 1 1/2 nails for each of the clip connections.


What would cause the mortar to crack across a number of bricks?

I worked on a home that had this happen much more severely. The home was built on fill dirt and over the years one corner of this Washington DC townhome built in the 1920's sunk 5". To remedy it took the same thing that most likely will take to fix your issue.

In your case, if it is from the freezing of the ground, the dirt is expanding under the foundation, in essence lifting it up, then thawing out, and coming back down. The movement may be minute, but masonry does not get along with movement at all. Without a larger view of the home and other cracks elsewhere, this does not look like what is happening. What is seen in the picture to me looks like the wall under the window is dropping, not just cracking and separating. Checking the level of the floor inside that part of the house will confirm this, AND this depends on the direction that the floor joists run matters too. If they run parallel with the wall the window is in, you may not detect any drop in the floor.

The reason the wall would sink under the window is the foundation may be failing. Whether the freezing ground is lifting, or the window dropping, underpinning is the remedy. It is costly, and a company that does this type of work needs to be brought in to do it.

If this has been going on for the life of the home and has only dropped 1" or less, I would not jump into this type of repair just yet. If it opens up another 1/8" in the next 10 years, then the settling is consistent for the time the home has been standing, more or less.


Why did my refrigerator/freezer stop cooling?

It sounds like there can only be 2 causes for the failure.

The compressor is running inefficiently (normally caused by blow by or a bad winding on the compressor) -
The only way to know of this is to hook a set of gauges up to the system to see the High and Low side pressures, and to check the resistance of the Run, Start, and Common windings of the compressor.
There is a leak in the system (Normally very hard to find in fridges)
The only way to know this is to hook up a set of gauges to the system. In order to find a leak in a fridge i would use an electronic leak tester as it can get into very confined spaces. The other way to find a leak would be to pressurize the system with nitrogen, and try to hear for leaks. If there is a very small leak you will have to go around with soap and water, or a type of refrigerant leak detector. The unit is more likely to leak on the high side of the system due to higher pressures and tempratures. This would be from the discharge of the compressor to the metering device, or the inlet of the evaporator. Other common places or leaks would be, the evaporator coil, or the condensing coil, along with any joints there may be in the system.

If the system just suffered a leak, and there is no damage to the compressor. If the leak is easily identified and repaired, the system can be recharged and repaired for a few hundred dollars. However this is normally not the case with leaks. If there is a small leak it can take hours to find and repair. Also if the leak is in the condenser or the evaporator, a replacement and the cost to replace it would normally cost about the price as a new fridge. The same goes for a compressor issue. If the compressor is running inefficiently, and must be replaces, the cost of the replacement compressor, the labor to replace it, and the refrigerant to recharge the system would also normally cost more then the price of a new fridge.

If you are going to have it repaired, have it done by an Appliance Repair Technician or a Refrigeration Technician.


What is suitable method for controlling lighting based on pause/play?

I havent installed but have seen them they have a special remote that has a reciever in the lighting device (switch) you can program the remote for different settings like when you stop a movie lights on full, pause at 50% play at 25% will look arround and see if i can find some brands for you to check out


What is the smallest and lightest wire I can use?

I would never use zip cord for a long extension cord if you care about safety. SJOW cord would be the lightest safest option with 18-3 for a 50' run but would move to a larger wire gauge for anything longer. Connecting cords is not a good idea especially outside I have seen many cords that the molded connectors have melted down that were used within there rating. When you are looking at cords. The letters SJ is junior hard service cord (just an S is hard service heavier covering).  O is oil resistance, W is wet, damp and sunlight resistant. SJOW is the more common so cheaper, or possibly SJOOW both inner and outer insulation is oil resistant.


Yes there are guidelines for how to place the speakers. E.g. here is a Dolby 5.1 placement guide. But the short answer is A, B, C, F, and E in your diagram, if you have to pick from those exact spots.

Also note that some higher-end stereos have a calibration feature that will use a microphone and test tones to detect the placement of each individual speaker, and can correct for some non-optimal placements. If you have a stereo that is capable of that you can rely on that to fix some problems. Few people are lucky enough to have a room 100% dedicated to a home theater, so it is common to have non-optimal placement due to other factors (doors, other furniture, etc).


I have made a few exterior window boxes and none lasted long with the wood in contact with the soil. I would make the boxes of whatever wood and finish matches yor kitchen. I would seal the inside with an exterior grade urethane. The idea is to protect the wood from the dampness and occasional water spill. I have had the best long term results by using a plastic container to hold the soil. The box is just a decorative holder for the plastic containers


What is a safe maximum temperature for an unused part of the house?

I have a house that I leave at 99 degrees for most of the summer.

Candles, chocolate, and candies all melted to some degree.

The house itself seems fine. I don't see any issues with wooden furniture splitting or sheetrock crumbling. The TV and DVDs still works as do battery powered items.

I am at 99 degrees because that is as high as my thermostat will go. I enter the house on occasion and I wanted it to be tolerable, otherwise I would have just turned the A/C off.

I'm in Phoenix so we don't have humidity or mold issues.


How to install an extraction fan in a ceiling which has an existing hole larger than required

I would make a wood backing plate to sit behind the hole, with another plate that fits into the existing 300mm aperture which has a 262mm aperture in it. The support comes from the backing plate.

Then final filling, smoothing and finishing as required.


Hanging exercise equipment on cinderblock wall

Based on your information I would have to go with toggle bolts.
C-90 Hollow Block (1 1/2-inch wall)
An anchor sized at 1/8 inches can take 310 pounds, at 3/16 inches it can take 700 pounds, and a 1/4-inch anchor in a 1 1/2-inch thick wall can take 1,390 pounds. This increases to a whopping 3,620 pounds for a 1/2-inch anchor with a 1 1/4-inch embedded depth.
Good luck with those pull ups.


My dryer has a issue after switching the breaker

I would say the main suspect is your breaker.

If it was heating up and not tripping it is probably faulty.

The normal breaker for a dryer circuit is 30 amp and #10 wire.

To use a 60 amp breaker for a dryer circuit you would need a minimum of #6 wire (smaller numbered wire is larger). I would suspect your wire is not that big.

If a voltage test at the outlet does not show voltage then you should try replacing the breaker with a 30 amp for a fairly inexpensive fix. If that doesn't work. It's possible the dryer needs repair.

Good luck and stay safe!


What would cause the water pressure to be too high for just a second?

The problem is your expansion tank, or lack thereof. Your home has a check valve somewhere in the system, possibly included with the pressure regulator or as part of the municipal water meter. When your water heater turns on, the heating of the water causes it to expand, and that pressure has nowhere to release until you open a faucet. What you need is an expansion tank installed in your water lines. If you already have one, then it has failed (they usually have a bladder separating the air from the water, and this can fail over time or if not properly maintained). Installing a tank isn't too difficult, but will require shutting off the water to your house, cutting your pipes, and adding a T to your water line. If you have an existing tank, then they are often threaded and are simple to replace (the connection is often threaded and can be screwed off). Note that if you don't fix this, valves in your toilet and other fixtures will start to fail, or the TPR valve on your hot water heater will begin to leak water.


PVC pipe transition from 1 1/4" to 3/4", in lawn application - will joints hold?

I believe a direct transition, properly cemented, at normal water pressures, should hold just fine.

The downside to a gradual reduction as you described is the exact concern you put into your question - joints.

Your gradual transition idea will give more opportunities for joint failure simply because there are more involved.

PVC cement often surprises me how strong it can be.

So my recommendation is that you try a direct transition first.  In other words, don't try to solve a problem until you know it exists.  Make sense?


Is it possible to recover pencil marks on a wall that has been painted over multiple times?

Experiment elsewhere on the wall first. I have once seen paint come off wood gently with repeated applications of limonene. This was as the result of a spray bottle being left open, as it heated and cooled a little would come out.


I have one very similar to that.  It lifts out vertically.

There are six keyed slots in the drain tube that the cover slots into.  So you have to lift it keeping it level.  Place something under two sides of the cover and lift together, if you only lift from one side it will twist and won't come out.

There will then be a plastic hair trap guard that just lifts out easily that you can clean.


Why am I only getting 92V at receptacles?

When multiple things go out, find out what they have in common.

I'm making a couple of assumptions here, since you changed out one of the sockets, you understand that the breaker must be turned off in order to work on the circuit and that you are actually using a voltmeter to make sure the circuit is dead when the breaker is off before opening up any outlet box. That this is American wiring per NEC. Also that you are not dealing with aluminum wiring.

First step is the breaker, turn it off and push it fully to the off position to reset the internal mechanism. All items (lights & sockets) on that circuit should die. Note what is unpowered on that circuit so you can verify later whether this is a full circuit or partial circuit power loss.
Turn the breaker back on and check the voltage on the breaker output in the breaker panel. If it's 92VAC there, the circuit breaker could have bad internal contacts (breaker needs to be replaced, don't mess with it if you aren't sure how to do it) or on some evilly constructed panels, the contacts to the bus bars may be bad (get an electrician IF THIS IS THE CASE, Buss bar erosion is a dangerous situation). Make sure the output lug on the circuit breaker has a tight connection.
If with the circuit breaker on, the same amount of items are are lacking power as were unpowered when the circuit breaker was off, you have an open connection in the wiring leading to the first socket in the daisy chain, or the incoming connection to the first socket is bad.
If only part of the items on the circuit come on when the breaker on, then you have a bad connection in a circuit daisy chain. When you look at intermediate sockets in the circuit, commonly a pair of wires carries power to the socket and another pair carries the power to the next socket in the chain. Find the first socket in the circuit, check voltage down the chain till you find the drop. The bad connection will be either the last socket with full power or the first one that shows the voltage drop.

Depending on the era and the electrician, the daisy chain may be continued by:

Wire-nutting the two cables (black to black, white to white) and running a pigtail from each to the appropriate socket connection.
By connecting one cable to a pair of hot and neutral screws (black/hot to brass, white/neutral to silver) and continuing the power to the next item in the chain from the second set of screws (newer sockets also allow for straight stripped wire going under a plate that's tightened by the screws)
By using the push-in connections on the socket in a similar configuration

My experience with a broken chain causing partial circuit power loss is with an electrician using the push-in connectors.

The failure was due to poor contact and heating that melted the first or second socket because these two sockets have to carry all or almost all the current in the circuit and if the wires don't enter the push-in straight or have burrs that don't allow them to seat properly you get a loose contact that gets worse over time. Heating anneals the brass and the spring contact goes away.

I haven't seen a screw tightened copper wire connection do that yet, they seem to have a larger surface area and are mechanically tightened instead of depending on spring contact.

I have seen burned aluminum screw contacts where there was a mismatch (non-CO/ALR) and bad assembly, that's another scary situation that opens up a whole 'nother can of worms.

NOTE: Grounding was ignored in the above discussion, bare wire goes to green screw ground lug, wire nut with pigtail is handy for this.


What you have on the inside looks like a rusty nut on a rusty threaded stud that is part of the broken rusty outside handle.

You don't mention having tried a wrench (AKA spanner) - the closed end of a combination wrench offers the best grip. You may need to clean loose rust using a wire brush to get it to fit. An adjustable wrench might work better than the pliers you mentioned, Using a vise-grip (AKA locking pliers AKA mole-grip) on the outside may help if the outside parts rotate.

You could cut them off with a hacksaw, a rotary tool (Dremel etc) or a multitool.

Sometimes you can use heat to help free up rusted/siezed parts like that. If you have a blowtorch, you could try this. Personally I'd cut them off since you probably don't want to reuse the nuts or the outer handle..


What's the best way to touch up spray paint?

The standard repainting advice applies:

Get matching paint.  Ideally, the same paint as was used on the product.  Failing that, buy a small container of acrylic interior-exterior paint in a matching color and flatness/glossiness from a paint store.  Acrylic paint can be cleaned up with mild detergent and water.
Choose a day with good conditions for paint and primer to "level" and dry.  Temperature of 50°F - 95°F (10°C - 35°C), not very humid, not rainy.  Work in a well-ventilated area that does not have dust in the air.
Test the paint next to the rubbed off spots with a fingernail.  If you can peel it off with a fingernail, scrape it off.  If the object might have lead paint on it, follow best practices for cleaning up lead paint dust.
Use painter's tape to mask around where you will touch up.  Protect any areas that the paint might drip or splatter onto.  If you are really messy, wear eye protection while painting.
Roughen the surface with a sanding block or similar tool.  Optionally wear eye protection and a dust mask while sanding.  If the object might have lead paint on it, follow best practices for cleaning up lead paint dust.
Prime, using a paintbrush and water-cleanup primer.  Clean your priming paintbrush afterwards.
Wait the amount of time recommended by the primer manufacturer.  If the workpiece is warm, this should be about an hour.
Repaint, using a paintbrush.  Clean your paintbrush afterwards.
Optionally, apply a second coat of paint after the amount of time the paint manufacturer recommends between coats.  This might be a few hours, or it might be a day.  Clean your paintbrush afterwards.
Remove the painters' tape, and finish cleaning up.
Wait a week before doing anything to the object that might rub off the paint.  The paint manufacturer's instructions will mention a "cure time"; this is longer than the time until the paint is "dry to the touch".


Problem Using Wall Anchors for Curtain Rod

You may be able to run the screw right into the framing with out using the anchors. It will hold much better if it is framing and not wood lath or masonry. if the brackets are directly over the window, you may have found the header.


How can I determine what the minimum working pressure is for a gas range?

You may not be able to use a 5 gallon (20 lb?) tank as the supply for a range top - effective propane delivery depends on having adequate tank to boil off the required supply of gas - depending on how much the range uses and the temperature, a 5 gallon tank may "freeze up" (really, self-cool) to the point where it does not provide the gas required - a 100-200lb tank is certainly much more standard as the supply for a propane range.

LP stands for Liquified Propane - it has the useful feature for storage and transport of becoming a liquid at relatively low pressures. when you draw gas from the tank, the liquid boils - as it boils, it cools the tank. If the tank is already cold (question is from February) and the gas use rate is high, the pressure in the tank falls to 0 at roughly -40 (F or C) A larger tank has more area to collect heat from so it cools more slowly for the same rate of gas use.

Using the correct regulator (for delivery pressure with adequate tank pressure driving it) is also required...

This previous answer may also shed more light on the subject.

If my regular propane tank for the house runs out, can I use a BBQ tank as a temporary fix?


Measure the ceiling height every foot. It is likely there will be low and high points so you may want to split the difference between the counter and the ceiling (if you're not mounting to the ceiling.

Uppers go in first, primarily because they're hard to install once the lowers are in.

Install a ledgerboard to align and help install the uppers. Get long screws and pre-drill. I really prefer the star-head cabinet screws.

As for the order of install, it depends on your room... do you have a large gap somewhere (like a hood for the range) or do you need filler strips somewhere?

Where will the fillers go? How will your lowers line up with the uppers? Will the gaps be wide enough for your appliances to fit?

The most important part of installing cabinets is planning and prepping.


Hold down flaps of plastic sheets on exterior shed

Grommet kits sold in hardware stores (Ace, Home Depot, your local independent store) will generally include everything you need: grommets, punch, and anvil. E.g. something like this:

That said, even heavy duty plastic may not last more than a year or two outdoors. Between wind and UV, it'll get torn up pretty quickly. You might find that oilcloth or similar is a better choice if you're looking for covering.
And that said, you might want to reconsider whether it's worth doing all this work. Covering the sides of the shed will interfere with air flow which helps dry the wood. And in my experience, even on a windy day, the amount of moisture that actually gets on wood that's under cover is reasonably minimal. It doesn't soak in very far, and it dries out pretty quickly.
I would go through a heating season or even two first, to see whether the weather is really a problem.


How to reattach front door rain deflector?

Scrape off all the old adhesives then use Liquid Nails on the back. Pre-drill, countersink, and screw it into the door. You can use caulk, liquid nails, or wood filler to fill in over screw holes and then re-prime and paint.


How do I know when to switch to a finer grit when polishing marble?

I would suggest that to get a really smooth polish you will be using sand paper or polishing pads with grit numbers as fine as 3000 or more. The general advice is to switch to the next finer grit when you no longer see any remaining grooves or roughness left by the previous grit.

You may need to experiment with looking at the area that you are polishing carefully to see how it is coming along. It will certainly be necessary to really clean up the area and remove all the dust and particulate that you have created. A bright light shining on the surface that you then look at from an oblique angle can help you to see the fine details. If you are using the dry polishing technique it may be useful to wet the surface to see how your work area compares to other parts of the marble that were previously polished.


Floor vent under stove, does it need to be moved?

Moving would be better as freestanding ranges set very close to the floor. You would only have about one inch of clearance to redirect the discharge of the vent opening to blow from beneath the range. I am sure you could fabricate a diverter of some sort but being only one inch in height, the discharge velocity would be loud and you could definitely feel it on your feet while standing at the range.
Again, it would probably be easier to relocate. BTW, the space at the bottom of your cabinets is called the "toekick."


Installing IKEA farmhouse sink in 23 inch deep cabinet?

It looks like the sink can be used with a shallower cabinet frame as long as you don't mind more of the sink projecting from the front of the cabinet than what you may have seen when it was displayed in the showroom.

Also, there is a trim board that is usually installed below the sink rim at the front, to hide the bowl. This may not be possible if your cabinet frame does not project out far enough. Your cabinet doors would also need to be installed below the projecting portion of the new sink.

Your "countertop guys" are correct, you should wait until the sink is at the job prior to any alteration of top or cabinet. If you are not handy with cabinet making or carpentry, a good cabinet contractor can likely make this a quality install that looks good too.


What are some tools for diagnosing powerline networking problems?

120714-1952 EDT

TED power line communication is a moderately steady data stream. X-10 and similar devices are very intermittent.

TED 1000 outputs a stream (packet) of data about 0.1 second long, and this occurs every 1 second. Thus, a single TED MTU is consuming 10% of the channel capacity. One packet extends over about 6 cycles of the 60 Hz supply. There is only one way communication in the TED 1000 system for normal data collection.

TED 5000 outputs a stream of data about 0.2 seconds long, and this occurs every 2 to 5 seconds. Again for a single MTU it may be about 10% of the channel capacity. In addition every 1 minute a longer packet is sent that requires an acknowledgement from the receiving end.

In the TED system a lot of data is sent in 1 second. In the X-10 system one on or off command can be sent in about 1 second. For most applications the TED data only needs to go to one location to do an adequate job. In the X-10 application the command must go to many dispersed locations in a broadcast fashion. TED really does not need to operate in a broadcast type mode. However, TED is sold with that capability as a feature.

If I was designing a TED system I would use a dedicated wired connection. Too many customers are tolerant of computers and other electronic devices with bugs and other types of problems. PLC (power line communication) appears, from the comments on the Internet, to cause a lot of problems for TED customers.

A TED system operates at a 125 kHz carrier frequency. This is about the 7500th harmonic of 60 Hz. Unless you employed a very good square-wave shaping circuit on the basic 60 Hz sine wave there would be little energy at 125 kHz. There may be devices connected to the AC line and synchronized to 60 Hz that generate substantial power in the 125 kHz range, but I don't really want to call these harmonics. Rather I would consider them as uncorrelated noise.

What is a good reliable method to work with the TED system, and also prevent it from interfering with other systems? Select an existing 120 V branch circuit, or create a new circuit. This is to be an isolated circuit with only one RDU xor Gateway and the associated MTUs as the connections to the isolated branch circuit. Where this isolated circuit connects into the main panel place an X-10 in-line filter between the breaker and the isolated circuit. The in-line filter places a high impedance at around 125 kHz between the isolated circuit and all other circuits.

With this scheme I can get zero packet errors over very long time periods. No problem over a 250 ft length of #14 Romex cable.

You can find additional information at my web site http://beta-a2.com/ . Pick Energy for a summary of my book ( http://beta-a2.com/energy.html ), and pick TED MTU Data Format for a discussion on the 1000 and 5000 packet structures.

.


How can I remove automatic temperature adjustments in a house heating control panel?

@PhilippNagel pointed out the hold function, which is fine if you want a constant temperature 24/7.

I think your question is more of having fewer than 4 periods per day. You cannot. What you can do is have two or more consecutive periods set the same temperature. This is the closest you can get.


After reading your comment on the wire size there are multiple code violations.
If there is 14 awg wire on a general purpose branch circuit the maximum breaker is 15 amps.
Also the nmb needs to be secured within 8-12” of the boxes. if clamps 12” is ok  but those appear to just be KO or knock out entries so a staple is required within 8”.
Today different sizes of nmb usually have different sheath colors; white for 14awg,  yellow for #12 and orange for 10awg. This was started as an inventory tracking but most manufacturers have adopted the colors/size
It is not mandated but started after Y2K and makes it easy to catch changes in wire sizes.
Black cable is used for both 6&8 awg not sure why they did not separate those sizes by color.


Better looking raceway for under the patio?

You can paint it. Given that it's presumably an exterior location, none of the other acceptable options really look all that much better. Either paint or enclosing in a trim box are your likley good options for "better looking."

Edit, responding to comment: Terminology nitpick - sweeps or bends - we never use "elbows" in conduit, you can't pull wire around a sharp bend. Same in ground or out of ground. What you do need (and want, though you may think otherwise when you see the price) is a conduit expansion joint at each place where you go from underground to above-ground.

If you don't use them, the conduit can be broken as the ground freezes and thaws. Ideally you will also use schedule 80 if the conduit is "subject to damage" which the part coming out of the ground is often taken to be - if you haven't bought it yet, I'd suggest considering schedule 80 for the whole run, though it means you will have to shop a real electrical supplier, not a home improvement store. It costs only a little bit more in most cases.

You will also do yourself a favor if you clean up any sharp edges on the inside end of the conduit before assembly.


Water Holding-Tank Apparatus Converting warm water to cool water coming from the main water line that dispenses warm water to a water tank

This may not be the cheapest solution, but it's still probably cheaper than or close to the price of a cistern plus all the extra plumbing to make it work. Other posters are correct, you don't want to store potable water (unless you want to treat and manage it yourself).
Go on LabX or Ebay and look for a "liquid chiller" or "recirculating chiller". You might be able to get similar functionality with an aquarium chiller, but you need at least several hundred watts of power. Expect to pay $500-2000.
Buy or make a liquid-liquid heat exchanger (can be made with a tube-in-tube design, countercurrent flow) to keep your potable water and your coolant loop separate. Your coolant loop needs antifreeze or antifouling agent, borax will often do the trick.
Do NOT try to do this with a minifridge. Not enough power. You could try to roll your own with a window AC unit. You can dismantle it and CAREFULLY bend the cold coil away from the main unit and dip in in a liquid bath, such as a cooler. Use a fountain pump to recirculate. You'll want to make some sort of confinement to keep the liquid from boiling off too fast.
You'll also likely still need some reservoir to "save up the cold".
If you want to go from ~100F-80F (-10 C) and you have a 8L/min shower, that's 80 degree-liters (aka kilocalories) a minute, roughly 5 KW, if you had to do it in real time.
On second thought, maybe the cistern isn't a bad idea after all. Also, if the water temp at the mains is significantly cooler, it might even be worthwhile digging up the water line and insulating it, if code allows for it, or just re-running it deeper (the latter will likely cost you several grand plus going back and forth with the town)


How can I prevent cold air from dropping down my bath fan duct?

I am going to answer this even though i should probably wait for more information.
Bathroom, and dryer vent, outlet caps that exit a wall are generally attached to the exterior wall with screws, one at each corner. There may be some silicone caulking as well. They have a male crimped pipe that fits into the duct coming from the source.
You should be able to remove the screws and pull it directly out, turn 180 degrees and re-attach.
Here is YouTube video of one with a spring loaded flapper.

3" or 4" Round Duct Black Wall Cap w/ Damper, supplyhouse.com


Yes there are scanners that can read through concrete and even metal conduit, but they are expensive the one I use is a greenlee CS-8000, I just did a quick search and new these are ~750$. You may be able to find a used one for much less, these are awesome for finding a broken wire even in rigid metal conduit, through walls, identifying circuit breakers even if the power is off. There may be other brands/models out there but mine has saved me hundreds of hours and I have found faults that 2 electricians before me could not find , the difference was I have this simple but high accuracy tool.


what lamp "ceiling" support to use having only a plain 5cm diameter hole

Put a fisher (6mm is enough for a lamp fixture) with a hook next and hang the fixture to it. When you'll move out, just fill the holes with stucco, I assume you live in a 'brick and mortar' house and not in a 'US-style' "wood and glue" home.

Fisher:

Stucco:


Does the light this switch controls have a second switch? Meaning, is it a three way switch? If so, you should have one white, one black, and one red (this one may be white if it was done by someone who did not use appropriate wiring). This would mean that you will have to find some means of making a plan of what wires run where, and then make the necessary connections. If you are not electrical-savvy or are not comfortable working with electricity, call an electrician.

If, on the other hand, this is the only switch for the light, then it is not normal to have two white wires and one black. You should have either two whites and two blacks, or just one white and one black. In case you take a closer look at the wiring in the wall and find four wires, plug one white on each end of the single pole switch, and wire and cap the two black wires together. Make sure your ground is connected.

This leaves you with one last option - your switch controls more than just one light (i.e. light + fan). In that case, you have wiring that does not conform to code ; as far as I know, and please correct me if I am wrong, you can only have one wire on every terminal of a switch. In this case, I suggest once again you call an electrician.


If there are taps or a bathroom up stairs a small leak can cause water hammer make sure all the water is fully turned off and the problem will stop. There needs to Be water flow to create water hammer.


Always grout first, clean up, then install the kickboard.


NMB is rated for 90c so your water pipe should not be a problem, if running in close contact you would have to derate the ampacity but crossing at a 90 it should not be a problem, I would throw a chunk or piece of insulation in between just to be extra safe.


Water backing into dishwasher WITH new check valve and loop in place?

Fill kitchen sink with water and drain it while observing high drain loop if it is translucent.  Or disconnect drain hose from Dw and drain sink . If no water travels to the dishwasher the issue is with dw not getting rid of waste water correctly.

Find image and info here

If water is traveling from sink to dish washer there may be a change in how your sink is draining like a partial blockage in drain line or an obstruction in plumbing vent.

Edit
Since you commented that you tried the experiment above but saw no water in dishwasher and sink drains well the only other thing I can think of is perhaps it is filling with fresh water. A faulty inlet valve could cause this. Even fresh water will get gross if it sets in the bottom with the traces of bacteria laden gunk in the strainer etc...
Try turning supply off for a week to test this theory.

Info


How to turn a pump on or off from any of 12 switches

Yes, the first switch in the circuit from the panel would be a three-way switch. The last switch in the circuit before the pump would also be a three-way switch. Then the other 10 switches would all be four-way switches.


Why is my freezer making a very loud buzzing noise after being unplugged for a few days?

Some freezers have an alarm so that you know that the internal temperature rose to an unsafe level for any food stored in it - for example if there was a long power outage whilst you were out of the house.


Are these brick walls properly constructed?

In the aeronautical industry, we have this saying "If it looks ugly, it flies ugly" which has proven out in that aerodynamic design needs certain sleek lines and cobbled together garbage just doesn't have what it takes.

Same goes for the building industry. Despite the cosmetics of Stucco and the willingness to absolve the builder because it "doesn't look pretty", if a non-load-bearing wall is this foul, you can be certain that little or even less care was taken on the structural elements of the building.

This is why a 6.5 earthquake in a country with strict building standards can be fairly annoying but in another with unreinforced masonry and no standards, ends up killing 30,000-40,000 people, both areas having the same population density.

Poorly designed, non-loadbearing walls will just shear off the building and fall into the street in a quake.


Removing cracked grout without damaging tile and granite

No tool.
Since the grout has not broken and just has a crack, it would be more appropriate to add a thin bead of caulk over this section (silicone or matching latex).
You can take the grout out and regrout, however it will crack again.
I prefer grouting - and then caulking later after cracking - in these areas.   The reason is with a larger gap you have to apply more caulk and it fails quicker and harder to maintain.   It might seem like why grout and have it fail.   Well because it takes 20 seconds to grout it and cracking isn't really a failure for a backsplash... more cosmetic.


Why does my house feel toasty when it's very cold outside, but cold when it's only a little chilly out?

It probably has to do with two things: Perception and mixing.

When it's very cold the radiators are on more often. You feel the heat coming off them, which makes it feel warmer in the home even though the average room temperature is about the same.

Also, when the radiators run less often in warmer weather, parts of the house (or each room) cool off faster than others. This results in cool pockets that you notice, if only subconsciously. Because the radiators aren't in use, causing convection and mixing, more temperature variation may occur.


What are the external airflow requirements for portable and window AC units?

You would be far better off building a roof type structure over the window well that is well above the window well and projects far enough out around the edges of the well that rain water does not enter the well.

Trying to jury rig a scheme to keep an existing lid open "just enough" sounds like a recipe waiting for disaster. Either it will be left closed with the AC unit on and it will overheat and kill itself due to inadequate air flow. Or the lid will be left open an flood of water will enter the well and try flooding through the AC unit creating a potential safety hazard.


Whenever I want an arc that accurate I use my 3hp router (a smaller rated router will do too, just for smaller scale work) screwed to a shop made pivot (trammel) and make repeated passes, next pass deeper than the last to complete the cut.
A circular saw may make that tight of a curve if you set the saw shallow enough to just cut through the material. It will be quite rough, not recommended for finish work
Here is the formula to figure the radius of a given arc.


Toilet flange spacers and closet horn seal

Plumber's trick...A toilet flange can be level with your finished floor or sit directly on top of the finished floor, but never higher. Use a wax seal to make up the difference. They make "jumbo" wax seals for flanges that are flush with the new finished floor. On a flange that sits directly on top of your new finished floor, use one standard height wax seal. Do not use wax seals with the plastic horn. You only use those in certain situations which I am not going into right now. Also, NEVER stack two wax seals, one on top of the other! One will slide off the other and you a waxy mess under your toilet!


Socket wrench: Is there an advantage of a 3/8" drive over a 1/4" drive?

That 1/4 inch drive may simply not be strong enough to do some work. For example, if I'm taking the lugs off of a car, a 1/4 inch drive may be overwhelmed. On the other hand, I like smaller sockets to get into a tight place.

So I like to keep a mix, up to impacts for the impact wrench, in case I need to do something on the tractor or to rotate the tires on the car. Those tend to be 1/2 inch drive, or at the very least, 3/8. I broke a 3/8 drive wrench last year, so sometimes the extra beef is nice to have.

If you will NEVER do anything heavy, you may appreciate the light weight and ease with which you can carry a 1/4 inch set. So is rotating the tires on your car major work for you, or is it something you might do?


What's wrong with the polyurethane on this hardwood floor refinishing job?

There is something...in those pieces of wood.  (Detailed enough for you?)

Ok, so I would have initially said temperature until you mentioned it was only specific pieces, which leads me to think moisture, but even that would cross pieces...

My best suggestion is sand those spots down, clean them with a solvent dampened rag, lacquer thinner maybe (don't pour it on) and then apply a wood treatment to the spots.  Then re-coat.

Edit:  To answer your question in the comments

Yes, should have mentioned that, you will need to sand before completing the steps I outlined.  If it isn't real wide spread I would just use scraper to get the big chunks off and then a fairly fine grit sandpaper and do it by hand.  If there is a lot I would go with a palm sander or belt sander.  You don't want anything that spins it will leave marks that will be visible in the final finish.


Should Young Families Always Favor an Egghshell Finish?

I would say that it depends on the type/brand of paint you are using. We have used eggshell finish paints from Benjamin Moore and Behr and it used to be true that eggshell was the easiest to clean. However, newer paint such Benjamin Moore's Aura is very easy to clean, especially their Bath & Spa paint. It's a kitchen & bath paint, but it has a matte finish to it. It looks great and is easy to clean, yet more durable than the older kitchen & bath semi-glossy paints.


The best way is for you to procure a drum style drain auger and clear the drain with it. It is a worthwhile investment and will pay for itself many times over, once you become proficient with it.
I recommend a professional quality auger, because they work better and last forever if taken care of properly.


Why does the pilot light on my Vermont Castings stove keep blowing out?

I actually have one of these and there is a known issue with the Honeywell gas valves used. The solution (if it applies to your model) is to replace the valve.


How can I trim off the corner of this stud?

Maybe there was a drywall patch and this is a back brace?

From your description, it appears that trimming this piece will do no harm (and a lot of good).

The easiest method is to use a multitool.

There are numerous good brands, and they come with a variety of blades and other attachments.

These versatile tools make cutting, sanding grinding in tight spaces much easier. They vibrate their blades and other attachments very rapidly in short strokes from side to side. If you buy one, you will be surprised how often is it the easiest way to do a job (e.g., trimming the bottom of door jambs to insert engineered floor boards).


What's the appropriate cable type along exposed rafters?

Jay, I think you can use NM for this application as long as you do not cross beam. Cross beam refers to bridging between collar ties or floor joists across the bottom of said members, as opposed to drilling mid member and lacing the cable through the holes or following parameter beams and extending inward for each fixture along sides of 2X4's

My first choice would be BX or greenfield plastic coated flex raceway. EMT would be great, but maybe a little impracticable for your application.


Circuit breaker keeps popping, how do I troubleshoot?

I would say that this is a sign the wiring itself has been damaged internally and is shorting or grounding out, which is what is causing the repetitive trips.  I'd check in particular at where the wires enter the floodlight junction box -- the whack to the floodlight could have finished off abrasion-weakened wire insulation and created a short to ground.


I'm pretty sure it's a quality issue, possibly exacerbated by minor power issues that probably can't be fixed.

Several years ago, I found a 2-pack of bulbs at Costco. They were LG bulbs and pretty pricey ($15/bulb if memory serves). Other than having my kids break the glass cover (bulb works fine), those bulbs have lasted through years of regular use.

By contrast I bought a 12-pack on a Black Friday sale a couple of years ago. While some bulbs are doing just fine, I've had to replace 3, although one might have been due to a dimmer that was on one fixture before I swapped it for a normal switch. I've even had some cheaper "branded" bulbs burn out on me within a year.

So what gives? There's a few reasons why cheaper bulbs burn out quicker. The largest is that LED bulbs have to perform a power transformation before they can power the LEDs. Cheaper bulbs invariably means cheaper components to transform that power. Add in that your house might not have the best wiring or random power fluctuations and you have a recipe for disaster for these cheap components.

I would check your voltage to make sure it's steady. If it's not, buying a dimmable LED for those locations might be advisable. Because they're built for the power change they tend to have higher quality power transformation.


Is there a way to open this kind of ratchet with no visible screws and no visible retainer rings?

I have a similar one and if you look at the square drive side there is a retaining ring which holds the ratchet mechanism in place.

Take care when prising the ring out - I use a small bladed screwdriver.


The problem was that a blockage got in the way of drainage. Now I know an eye dropper rubber nipple is about the same size as a GE dishwasher drain inlet.