Siemens Panel Main Circuit Breaker Teardown

Send the breaker back (as a warranty return), get some main lugs instead

This breaker is clearly NFG, and thus needs to be sent back under Siemens' warranty (it's a 1-year warranty, but that should do the trick for an infant mortal like this one).  While you're at it, what you want for a subpanel sitting right next to the main isn't a main breaker, but a set of main lugs instead -- the correct part for your panel will be a Siemens ECMLK125 kit.

This is because the busbars on such a panel are an extension of the feeder, so they are protected by the feeder breaker as the feeder tap rules aren't in play here, and the upstream and downstream panels are in the same building, so the downstream panel does not need to provide a master shutoff switch for power to its circuits.


Convert 2 adjacent double gang box to 4 gang box; what are these extra wires?

You are in the conduit wiring method with metal conduit, note multicolor wires and no grounds.  Your box has a lot of thru-wires and you will need to follow them to one end or the other, pull them out, do your work and put them back in.   It helps to use them to pull in a string.  I do this all the time, and yeah, it's a PITA.  As such, I'm not sure why you are taking this on.

Cutting them is out of the question; you simply don't have enough length to terminate them properly.  I recommend cutting  8" beyond the surface of the wall or 11" from the hole, I believe legal minimums are 3" beyond surface of wall and 6" from conduit exit, but that will be a PITA to to work with.

Note that the right 2-gang actually is back-to-back with another 2-gang box, and it has a flush thru-nipple with that. That thru-nipple will define the positioning of the new 4-gang; that means you may need spacers to meet the wall on the left.  It will also force you to slightly move the 3 conduits in upper left; hopefully they have enough freedom of movement to allow that.  The new 4-gang must be metal (and the same thickness obviously), and must have proper conduit termination with solid grounds.  I recommend acquiring this box at a genuine electrical supply house; they will have good selection of such specialty boxes and their prices will be much better IME.

If you are very lucky, all the wires going through that thru-nipple terminate in the box on the other wall.  That would be rather easy!

Neutral wires must be white or gray.  I consider gray "alt-neutral" and I use them for second circuits, but there is nothing wrong with using all gray if you want to. They are not connected to the switches because neutrals normally aren't.  If you fit smart switches, join the neutral that is a partner to the hot you are switching. The prospect of fitting future smart switches, is all by itself, good justification to get some more gray wire (again, electrical supply) and replace the runs so you have the necessary slack to splice them in this box. Yes, I would do that!

It is possible that these are neutrals from two separate circuits!  If so, it is all on you to keep them separated.  It is vital not to jumble up neutrals to avoid overload. If you can put those circuits on GFCI breakers, that will keep you honest :)


Plumbing alteration has created vacuum in upstairs toilets

Its a venting problem.  Without enough volume of air to replace the volume of water moving down the pipe a suction is created.  This is due to sizing or placement problems. Get a new plumber, a licensed one if your state upholds that standard.  The license would separate those who say they are a plumber from those that are plumbers.


It looks like mold or black mildew.

It commonly starts growing on and in the door gasket, which is somewhat porous. It collects on the filters until, as you have learned, you clean them. Then small pieces escape and stick everywhere.

Bob Villa and others recommend bleach or vinegar for controlling mold in a dishwasher. But your infestation looks too far advanced for such mild treatment.

You should use a cleaner called Affresh which was designed by front load washer manufacturers to remove mold and mildew build up.

Unfortunately Affresh and like products are not good at cleaning the mold from porous rubber parts. Try flexing the gasket away from the tub and scrubbing behind it with a stiff toothbrush.

If this doesn't work then you will probably have to replace the door gasket. The part costs around $80.


For a food-safe wood finish, I have had good success using a 1:1 ratio of real pure tung oil and citrus solvent.

My kitchen table is cypress, which is much softer than birch or beech, soft enough that I need to lightly sand and refinish the table every year or so.  Working with tung oil and citrus solvent rather than a lacquer makes this task very easy because I don’t have to deal with toxic fumes and a long drying time.

I also have a birch butcher-block countertop with the same finish.  The area closest to the sink has a small amount of water damage after about 5 years. I might consider using the marine finish there.


How soon can we stain a freshly-sanded deck after it got drenched in the rain?

Prep is always the most important step. Make sure the wood is dry. It shouldn't make too much of a difference that it rained after you sanded it down as long as it still has pores to absorb the stain.

I always recommend placing a large tarp over the area so that if it does rain, you don't have to worry too much about your work.


Is this outlet wired to a switch correctly?

As long as you ran a ground wire from the receptacle to the box, you should be fine providing the box is grounded.  It's not uncommon for older systems with metal boxes to have the box grounds connected.  Make sure they aren't just bridging neutral to ground anywhere to fool the tester.

You do need to run ground wires to the box on receptacles. A receptacle can also ground through direct contact between metal yoke and box, as you have with that switch; but not if the box is dirty or rusty (as your switch is) or if it has the little paper squares to capture the screws (as your switch does).

The rules are easier on grounding switches; your switches can ground through their screws despite the material preventing the yoke from hard contact.


Can elbow fitting be used to line up drain tailpiece with trap

The best repair for this problem is to cut the trap from the drain pipe, glue on an ABS 1 1/2 inch (or same pipe diameter as existing pipe) coupling and than a short section of new pipe long enough to bring the trap under the sink tail piece.
You wll have a little bit of leeway because the trap section can pivot from the threaded connection.


what to do where hardibacker meets drywall?

You should have framing backing a seam between wall panels, especially if one of them is going to have tile on it.

The reason is one panel can flex if any load is placed on it (e.g. lean your body against the wall) and with that floating edge, it will be easier to crack grout or tile. It has less support than the center of a board.

I would rip out drywall to the nearest studs then sister those studs. Add horizontal backing as well between the studs, assuming the tile is not going all the way to the ceiling plate. Then attach your cement board: it should have a wooden lip all the way around to attach to, with that wood secured to the studs. That wood you added becomes part of the framing.

That will give a much sturdier backing for your tile.

Note: you can certainly have a floating seam, I have seen some people say that is fine. There are ways to do it. But if you have each seam backed by framing, you will get much better results.

Also, do not forget about vapor barriers and waterproofing if required by local code. Cement is porous and does not stop moisture: something like REDGARD will stop water in its tracks.


The electrician is right.  The circuit is improperly sized for these loads.

It's very likely that the microwave was added as an afterthought without a moment of consideration for circuit loads. This is typical of work done by homeowners or appliance installers.

The reason is simple enough: installing a new circuit is way beyond the license of the installer.  So he's confronted with the reality that he must violate Code...  or cancel the sale and return with the brand new microwave in his truck, and the boss will fire him and get an installer who will install stuff.

Anyway, by his logic, it's the homeowners' job to assure the necessary electrical service is provisioned for this appliance they know they are buying.  It's not his job to pull service out of thin air.  So really, the code violation is the homeowner's.  He may have mentioned to the homeowner that this is temporary and the homeowner needed to have a circuit added.  This news did not reach your ears.

So yeah.  It was installed improperly and that is the mess you inherited.  You need to run a separate circuit for this microwave. Besides, the circuit breaker that protects the range is not sized properly to protect the microwave.  The microwave could pretty much catch on fire and the large range breaker would not care.


Looks like they had a "jimmy-proof deadbolt" on the door. You should be able to pickup one at any major hardware store.


How would you repair this broken sprinkler irrigation PVC pipe?

You'll have to cut the tee pipe on both sides of the tee. Cut the pipe two inches from the edge of the tee in both directions. Also cut to the left of the red circle. Bring your cutout piece to your home store and get new parts and construct a new piece to fit exactly in place. Get three slip connectors to connect the three pipes to the existing ones.


Should I be concerned by a musty smell after cleaning the shower with bleach?

open the little crate covering the drain. it's usually a small twist left and lift up. using a bottle brush or similar implement give the drain and the crate a good scrub, removing all the mess of caught hair. it's a bit mucky but should provide a cleaner smelling drain. not that it's ever going to smell like roses. bleach turns to gas a bit and will bring up the smells from the S bend. the water that stays in the S bend stops smells coming up from the rest of the pipe.
i finally got my wife off bleach. it smells bad, isn't that good to breathe in and bleached lots of good clothes by accidents.
we now use cream cleaner for shower cleaning, which cleans scum off much better.


This question may be too subjective for this site, but to give you my input, I don't quite understand why people say to keep recessed lighting so far from the wall. It's supposed to be more of an accent-type light, so you really want to wash the walls, not the floor, with light, hence, move them closer to the wells. Then consider putting different types if fixtures elsewhere in the room, for example a pendant over a table or sitting area.


That is good , the idea of a home sump is to remove ground water before it causes damage; you have no ground water problem. That is better than frequent pump running.  Normally ,drain tile around house perimeter bring water to the sump to remove it, so I would expect some connection to the sump.


is my baseboard heating unit malfunctioning

If the pipe is very hot going in and out of the baseboard then its probably not a problem with the boiler.  You can try turning the water temperature up on the boiler. They normally go up to 200 but i would not go higher than 180 for efficiency.  Every boiler is a little different on how to do this.  Also if you have exposed pipes or radiators it should be lower to avoid burns

It is most likely something in that basement that changed letting in more cold air or its just  being extra cold outside.


If the wood is dented rather than cut/gouged, you can steam dents out with a clothes iron (preferably a steam iron, but not required if you keep the washcloth damp), a damp washcloth, and some patience.

If it's actually cherry, and not just "whatever, with stain, called cherry since we used a reddish brown stain" it is best to remove and not replace the stain. It will start rather light, but age beautifully with time. But that is a matter of opinion. Your best bet with re-staining it is to take the whole thing back to wood, and re-stain the whole thing if you are going to do that - then it will all match. However, some slight mismatch between the top and the rest of the piece will not be as glaring as a mismatch between two halves of the same part. Try to find some similar scrap and test your finish process and colors on that.


This is a 3-way switch being used in 1-way mode.  Note that nothing is attached to the second traveler (brass) screw.  That's a perfectly fine setup.  With only a single cable to the switch, it is not a "power to the switch first" setup.
There is only one cable going into this light.   That means it's not a "power to the light first" setup either.
Yes, that means it's something you're unfamiliar with.
There's clearly some sort of third junction.  I'm getting the impression you think the switch is inconvenient for where the light is.  Maybe our third junction is at a light which is appropriately located for that switch, and either you don't know about it (burned out before you moved in?) or it has been removed but the box left.  Or, the box is somewhere else entirely, or in the service panel.
Regardless, all this to say, you can have the light and switch, or you can have the GFCI, but you can't have both...
And separate from all that, you can't alter the premises without permission from the landlord...
And separate from all that, you can't do electrical work on a rental unit (even if you own it) unless you are a licensed electrician.


It means anything that will fit through a 3" x 3" screen grid, including large stones, smaller stones, all the way down to dust.  It's something that would typically be used as a deep base to support a finer top layer of gravel.


As commented, the material is grout, and the spaces are grout-lines.

There are "grout brushes" for sale with a particular focus on helping to clean that area by having narrow lines of bristles that will get in there effectively.


How can I securely fasten a carriage bolt?

Lock nuts and carriage bolts are a bad combination and even worse when trying to use them in material like particle board or MDF.

You could try to use a Tee nut from the monitor side and then simply use a short hex head bolt into the Tee nut.


How do I replace rotten Subfloor under a supporting post

Im Not For sure I'm Understanding What your saying But any time I have to work on a Support, Here what i do !

For Instance I Just Replaced A 6x6 Post That Is under a roof Over Hang On A House!  I took A Car Jack And  Used A 4x4 I Put It Under The Beam That is sitting On the 6x6 Im Replacing. I Lifted The Jack Just enough To Take The weight Off The 6x6.

I then Pulled It Out and Put the new one in! You Could Probably Use That! If your support Is Holding More then Just One spot youll need to support what ever it is supporting! Just take take the weight off the post change the subfloor under it and put the weight back on!!!

Hope that was help full    Good Luck


Small leak in 1 inch buried PVC water line

Start digging. And next time, use 160 or 200 PSI black polyethylene (NSF-PW rated - ie, suitable for potable water, per Fiasco's comment) rather than PVC. (You may not "need" the pressure rating, but it gets you a thicker wall which makes the pipe even more durable .vs. the normal 100 PSI stuff. And digging is something you don't want to have to do over.)

In any case PE pipe is much more durable than PVC when faced with rocks, movement, etc.


Wood floor protection during demolition of roof

It would be very worth investing in at least two layers of protection. I'd start with something that will accommodate dust and debris. It should seal against them, but it should also cushion them if they do work their way in. There are some felt-lined plastic products to be found, and there are some paper-based products that would do as well. Roll them out and tape the seams. Also tape the perimeter with something that won't leave stains or residue.

Next, buy a stack of inexpensive sheet material--1/4" OSB, luan plywood, or cdx plywood. Lay it out to cover as much of the area as possible. Overlap if necessary. Place the nicer face down to preserver it for re-use or re-sale after the project is complete.

It might then make sense to tarp over it all as a  debris-collection mechanism, so that you can pick up at the end of each day and shake it out elsewhere. Debris management is as much a part of the equation as the protection itself. You don't want plaster or masonry crumbs, loose nails, etc. on the floor longer than necessary.

Finally, give the area a good vacuum cleaning whenever you can work it in. Nothing beats suction to pull damaging debris out of tight places.


How do I get 3/8" deep and 2" wide rabbet into 3/4" plywood with a handheld router

Consider getting dado blades for your table saw.  You can stack the blades, usually up to 1 1/4 inches, and do it in two passes.   The trick is to guard your fence with 1/2 scrap, and slightly undercut it with the dado before you start.

You'll need featherboards for lateral positioning, and really good down force to keep the stock from bouncing up.

If you're really concerned with the squareness of the edge, cut it a bit narrow with the dados, and finish up the final edge with the router.


Using a Light Bulb Socket Switch to Control a Buzzer

Perfectly safe. Lower wattage can always be put thru a switch capable of handling higher wattage.


Generically I'd knee-jerk to conduit and 30A 240V service with a sub-panel, but if your needs are going to be adequately met by 20A 120V power and the loading is sufficiently low that the voltage drop from 200 ft of 12Ga wire won't be a huge issue, yes, you can do that.

Given the relative expense of digging a ditch once, and never having to dig it again if the small cost of conduit is added, I think direct burial is a terrible idea, so I'd use conduit and THWN at least for the extra 150 ft, and I'd contemplate using heavier wire than 12Ga for that 150ft to reduce voltage drop from the long run. At which point I'd be looking hard at just digging another 50 ft and doing the whole thing to a higher standard, but you may not think the way I do.

Harper will stop in to say the 3% voltage drop rule isn't a rule (and it's not, merely a guideline), but if you get close to 20A at 200 feet on 12Ga copper you'll be down 12 volts or more - over 10% of 120V service, and generally not a good plan. But if the actual shed use will be down below 10A the 5% or so loss is unlikely to be a problem, until someone loads it up fully despite your planned use.


outdoor GFCI tripping at the breaker box and not the receptacle?

GFCI receptacles and standard circuit breakers perform different functions.

A GFCI receptacle measures current going out and current coming back and if there is more than 5ma current difference between the two it trips. This is to prevent electrocution of people not overloads or short circuits.

Standard circuit breakers have two methods of tripping and are designed to trip on an overload, high current ground fault, or short circuit. The overload can be just slightly higher than it's rating. The ground fault or short circuit can be hundreds of amps in a residential panel.

So, if you are tripping the circuit breaker it is possible you are just overloading the circuit. In this case a GFCI receptacle will not trip.

Good luck!


Are the plants too close to the building?

If your house had wood siding or other siding that allowed the vines to grow under it, then I would say keep it away. Since you have brick veneer, that will not be an issue, It may attach itself to your brick if it is a climbing vine, that would be the biggest issue other than the vent you have in the picture. The vine can grow into and through the screen mesh of the vent.

No need to remove the leaves unless it gets really deep. and it covers the vines.


Tape is not a connecting means on its own

Electrical tape is an insulating means, not a way of mechanically holding together a connection.  In fact, old school "twisted and taped" joints had a secret sauce to them: solder!  The idea behind them was that twisting the wires together provided mechanical stability, the solder wetted the wires, filled the gaps, and made a gastight electrical connection, and only then you applied the tape (friction tape back then) to insulate the whole shebang. Omit the solder, and you have little to no electrical connectivity.

In this day and age, we have better ways of making gastight connections.  Push-in style connectors (such as what Wago is best known for) use a spring system to grab individual wires in a gastight fashion; when designed properly, it can be quite an effective setup, even in the hands of a novice installer.  Wirenuts use spring pressure to hold a twisted bundle of wires together; while a bit more technique-sensitive than push-in connectors or screwlugs, they can be made extremely inexpensively, leading to their widespread use in some parts of the world.

There are also a couple different styles of screw-based connectors (North American style mechanical lugs and Eurostyle device and splicing blocks) that rely on correct torquing to achieve a gastight connection between a screw or screw-driven pressure plate and the wire end, as well as the old standby of compression or crimp connectors.  These rely not on technique, but on proper tooling for reliable joints: screw-type connectors practically require a torque screwdriver or torque wrench to get right consistently, while crimp connectors require a suitable crimping tool.


should door locks and deadlocks be keyed the same

The big disadvantage is having to keep two keys with you instead of just one.  If you lose your keys (or someone steals them) both keys are compromised so there's not an advantage to having two different keys in that case.

The only advantage I can see is if you frequently need to let other people into your house.  You could hide the door knob key or give it to the third party, and on the day when they need access leave the deadbolt unlocked.  That way the door is still locked and the third party only has access when you allow them to.  Any other time the deadbolt will be locked so even if someone finds the hidden key they can't use it.

It's a bit contrived, but using the two keys as a "double lockout" type scenario is the only advantage I can come up with.


Why have my LED bulbs started flashing when I turn them off?

There's likely nothing wrong with anything, it's just that the LED's are much more sensitive to electrical input. Common if there's a dimmer, ceiling fan or 2 (or more) switches controlling the lights.

You need a Snubber or Capload
or RC Suppressor installed in the circuit. Something like pictured in just one place, in a light's fixture or at a or the switch. But, it's fine to just live with it as nothing's in danger, the lights are just waving bye-bye until next time.


New bathroom mirror covers a junction box

If the wires are installed in a junction box, then wire nut them separately, wrap some electrical tape around them, insert them back into the junction box and cover the box with an approved cover plate. If they are just dangling out of a hole in the drywall/tile, then you need to find out what junction box they come from, probably a switch box, and disconnect then there. Wire nut and tape them and maybe leave a note explaining what they're for.


Why do my LED strip lights only work if I reverse the connection polarity?

I just received some LED tape from a supplier in the US  from ebay.  The polarity marked on the tape was incorrect and the factory ends had the red wire to the negative mark.   The markings on your strips may also be incorrect.


Where do you hook up a neutral wire to in a D/pole thermostat?

A standard 240v heater with no electronics dosent require a neutral the load is pure 240v. All you need are the red, blacks (hots) and the equipment ground. If you had 120v controls you would need the neutral but your thermostat dosent require the neutral so I would cap it at both ends and label it in the panel in case you want to add a fancy controller in the future.


Is it safe to extend the drain hose on my LG washer?

I would not extend the drain hose that is supplied with the machine.
However, what I have done in the past is to put a stand pipe closer to the machine with a U trap to prevent the smells coming back up.
I did that with 2" pipe which solved the problem and never caused any back up for the machine.
The 60" is usually taken as horizontal distance but the man ual will make that clear.


Providing personnel shock protection, AFCI VS GFCI

AFCI does nothing for shocks --- Hold on.

I gather you are inside your service panel trying to fit GFCI or AFCI breakers.  There are prerequisites to GFCIs being fittable.

Fix your multi-wire branch circuits

Search all the entering cables for cables that have 3 conductors (disregarding ground).  Modern cables would be black white red, no idea on older cables.  You are looking for cables where the neutral goes to the neutral bar, then there are 2 hot condutors each going to a circuit breaker.

On each and every one of those, no exceptions, the two circuit breakers need to be pulled and, the two hot wires landed on a 2-pole circuit breaker, and that reinstalled in your panel.

A 2-pole breaker will occupy 2 spaces.  It is not to be confused with a duplex/twin/tandem/double-stuff breaker, which squeezes 2 circuits into 1 space.  A defining characteristic of a 2-pole breaker is that both "sides" must trip together.

Once you have corrected all your multi-wire branch circuits as I describe, it will now be possible to contemplate GFCI breakers on those circuits.  You will need 2-pole GFCIs for those circuits.

Search for promiscuous neutrals

When wiring the equipment safety ground, it's perfectly normal and common for grounds to spiderweb, loop, or interact among circuits.  Say you have a basement lighting circuit, and an upstairs lighting circuit that brings a 3-way switch to the bottom of the stairs, in the same junction box as the basement lighting.  Can the grounds from both cables intermix? Sure.

Not so for neutrals.  Neutrals must remain entirely with their partner hots at all times.  In the basement case, if you wanted a smart switch at the downstairs 3-way location, but the smart switch wanted neutral, you cannot steal it from the basement circuit.  Not allowed.

Why is that?  Neutrals aren't a big old spiderweb like grounds are.  They are the normal path for returning current.  Currents need to be equal in each cable or conduit, so what goes out must come back the same way. What's more, neutrals don't have fuses so if a neutral inadvertently returns current for 2 hot wires, it could overload, and you'd the neutral wire on fire!  (The MWBCs above intentionally balance the circuit on opposite poles, and the 2-pole breaker enforces this.)

So you have to scour the circuit for places like this.  I find them via careful inspection.  The only formulaic way I can think of is to identify a circuit and plug a load (I love dollar store nighlights) into every socket. Then for the circuit under test, turn off every circuit, lift the circuit's neutral off the neutral bar, and power up all its hot(s). If anything powers up, it is powered by this hot and is poaching neutral from another circuit.   The problem is, this tells you nothing about whether another hot is poaching from this circuit's neutral.. So you need to repeat the test for each circuit.

Hunt down actual ground faults

If the above methods don't make a GFCI happy, then you have something with a bona-fide ground fault.   The place you start is plug-in appliances. Unplug everything, then plug things in one at a time until the GFCI trips.  That's the problem appliance.

If all that does not fix it, then you have a genuine ground fault in the wiring, and you will need to find the middle of the circuit, disconnect it there, see if it clears, and continue to divide and conquer.


circuit breaker that trips when there is a loss of power

A magnetic starter switch or magnetic contactor can do what you want.  Most are designed for fairly heavy loads (8A and up), and they are not consumer-style plug-in devices but rather bulky boxes intended for permanently wiring.  There are circuit breakers with this feature that you can mount in a panel (hopefully you have a panel type that one of these can fit).  The on/off buttons are provided on the breaker itself and/or via a separate switch connected with its own wiring and mounted near the load (usually a machine of some sort).

The Fuji SC-03 is one example of such a circuit breaker:
 https://www.fujielectric.com/products/mc/mc_ms_tr_sc_neos.html


TL;DR: that's really, really weird.

It makes no sense for the pressure tank to be after the hot water heater. That way, if you don't draw hot water for an hour anything hot in the pressure tank will have cooled to ambient temperature. You won't get any hot water until the tank has exhausted enough to  start the pump, and even then your incoming hot water will be diluted by the remaining cold water, which means the water from your faucet will continue to slowly heat up.

It also means that water only  moves through the heater while the pump is on, so that it will rush in and out, probably stirring the hot and cold together, instead of introducing the cold at the bottom and taking the hot from the top.

Even better, if you draw cold water, you'll actually be pulling cold water from the pressure tank into the top of the hot water heater, and then lukewarm or hot water from the bottom of the heater into the cold water line (at least until the pump turns on). More temperature confusion.

Having other fixtures between the pump and the pressure tank is less of a problem; it just means that the water flow may reverse depending on whether the pump is on.


Replace Wall Receptacle / Outlet - What's the Right Leviton Model

The standard and heavy duty are both 15 amp.  The standard outlet has back wire contact holes for 14 ga.  It is a leaf spring friction edge contact that will fatigue and can work loose over time.  The heavy duty 15 amp outlet is specifically marked back-wire.  The wire insert holes are larger to accept 12 ga.  The contact is a heavier jaw clamp forced down by a screw.

If the standard screw contacts are used, both standard and heavy duty are equivalent.  The heavy duty version just allows 12 ga back-wire installation that is reliable with screw clamp contacts.


Running 40ft of wire to garage, buriable

Put a sub-panel in the garage, not a junction box. If you join 12/2 wires to the circuit, you CANNOT have more than a 20 amp breaker feeding them. If you put in a sub-panel with breakers, the 20 amp limit comes into play after the sub--panel breakers, and the feed from the main is sized for the wires feeding the sub-panel. Go bigger than you think you'll need, you won't regret it later, as most people that put in a tiny one eventually do. The sub-panel can be a "main" type panel (and could be 100 Amps, even if only fed with 30, 40, or 50 Amps), you just need to remove the ground to neutral bond. 10/3 (which has 4 wires, including the ground) would be adequate IF you are only looking for 30 amps capacity. But you actually should get individual wires and...

Put conduit in the ground, not direct burial cable. Trenches are expensive (in money or labor) conduit is cheap (in less wire damage, and the ability to replace wires later without digging again.) You need 4 wires (hot, hot, neutral and ground) and you should really consider all future uses when choosing the size of wire, rather than picking the smallest possible size. Doing it once is cheaper than doing it over.

You need to define your loads - compressors come in many sizes. The plate on the motor should give amps as well as volts; though starting them is often a bit more demanding than the running rating those provide (sometimes there is additional data on the plate which may help with starting load or required breaker size, sometimes not.) If we go minimal and assume your lighting circuit is 15 Amps at 120VAC and your tool circuit is 20 Amps at 120VAC, you're riding the hairy edge if your compressor needs more than a 10 Amp at 240VAC breaker with a 30 Amp feed, and it kicks on while your 120 tools are going. Might want to go to #8 copper or #6 aluminum for your conductors and kick up to 40Amps - default recommendation around here is actually 50A for a typical garage shop. At least choose conduit big enough to allow for that later...


You don't say where you are located but based on my experience and looking at your code, I would say you have problems with the fence in your drawing. Your fence exceeds 4 feet where it extends beyond the front of both houses on either side. To be sure, you should show your plan to your local building department (you probably need to do that anyway to obtain a building permit). They are the ones you need to convince.


How to seal/stabilize crumbling particle board counter top?

The door gasket on your dishwasher may not be sealing - check that for sure.

I would:

Stop using the dishwasher for a week to let the area dry out.
Mask off the formica/laminate in front.
Use a solvent-based polyurethane (exterior grade) on the particle board that is crumbling.  This will soak in and hopefully glue it all back together.
Think about gluing a thin plastic of some sort over the area so that the particleboard isn't exposed to moisture anymore


What could be causing AFCI breakers to keep tripping?

Your electrician could add a SquareD sub panel that would have the four SquareD AFCI breakers, fed from the GE panel with a standard two pole breaker.

AFCI breakers can be sensitive to certain loads. I've experienced problems with florescent lighting, power tools, and vacuum cleaners tripping the breaker.


Troubleshooting of lamp which refuses to work after bulb change

Grab your non-contact voltage tester (you do have a non-contact voltage tester, don't you?).
Turn on the switch.
Move the tester near the sockets (don't jam it in the socket, it's non-contact, remember).

If there is voltage at the fixture, inspect the sockets to make sure the contacts are in the proper position, and clear of debris (remember to turn off the breaker, Before sticking your fingers in the socket).  Sometimes the contact inside the socket can get bent, and prevents the bulb from properly making contact when screwed into the socket.
If no bells and whistles go off.

Turn off the breaker.
Carefully remove the fixture from the ceiling.
Insure that all connections are secure, and properly connected.
Inspect the fixture for signs of arcing, or other damage.
Turn the breaker and switch on.
Move the non-contact tester near the wires feeding the fixture.

If bells and whistles go off, replace the fixture (or have it done by an electrician, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself).  If there are still no bells and whistles, you'll have to move to the switch to make sure it is functioning properly.

Turn off the breaker.
Carefully remove the switch from the wall.
Insure that all connections are secure, and properly connected.
Inspect the switch for signs of arcing, or other damage.
Turn the breaker on, and the switch off.
Move the non-contact tester near the wires attached to the switch.
Turn the switch on.
Move the non-contact tester near the wires attached to the switch.

If there is voltage coming into the switch, but not going out of the switch (when it's on).  Replace the switch (or have it done by an electrician, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself). If there is no voltage at the switch in either position, call an electrician to trace the circuit further.
WARNING
If at anytime during the procedure you see sparks, the breaker will not reset, or you just don't feel comfortable doing any of the steps, please contact an electrician.


Do range hood inserts with rear exhaust exist?

I have an older Bosch unit that was sold with both inserts, however:

Standard fans usually have pretty weenie capacities and putting a 90 degree bend will seriously affect their flow. This is why cheaper, low capacity hoods only come with straight inserts. Ironically, many expensive, snazzy looking, hoods have miserable performance.

High capacity hoods with beefy fans tend to be a lot more money, but will have the overhead (ha ha!) to accomodate bends and longer duct runs.


Fireblocking a balloon framed house lead to rot in the walls?

If you close off the bottom of balloon framed stud bays, yes you will impede the flow of air from basement to attic.  However, water vapor may still be able to escape through the sheathing, tar paper, siding, and paint.  Old houses tend to breathe quite a bit and take a lot of work to really seal up.  It would be hard to say how well sealed up your house is, who knows how it was built and what's been done since 1930.

I might be concerned that there may have been some minor leaks or seepage that were draining down the wall cavity to the sill.  With the bays open, these might have dried without causing any trouble but with less air flow, might soak the insulation and rot the sill or bottoms of the studs.  If there's any seepage like that you can probably spot some dampness after rain or some darkening of the wood.

You could pull some of the bats in the basement occasionally, especially after storms, and see if it looks like there's any trouble - dampness in the bats or the framing.


How can I temporarily seal a gap underneath my door to stop water getting in while it's raining?

EDIT: Comments above say that you have 1-2" of water.  There is no solution for this other than fixing the drain.  (Or going to marine style doors with a raised threshold.) What I've describe below can mitigate minor flooding, but won't help with the serious issue you seem to be having.

ORIGINAL ANSWER:

The proper long term answer is to fix the the drain.  However, I appreciate that you are in need of a more short term solution.

In English, what you are looking for is a "Rubber Threshold Seal"  like this:

Or Like This (this is made for garage doors):

Installing these will require drilling through the tile and concrete, installing a plug and screwing it down.  You will also need a liberal dose of caulk (silicone sealer) underneath.

If you're in a real bind, and need a quick and dirty fix until you can get better parts, get a piece of wood, about the width of the door and slightly smaller than the gap, and caulk it down.  Paint it with yellow and black stripes so you don't kick it off.  The sealant won't hold if you stub your toe against it.


Any ideas on how to remove the back part of this fire surround?

Try piano wire or mason's line (string) in a sawing motion. (Partner helps for this. So does tying a loop and putting a handhold in it, as the pressure you'll need usually hurts bare hands.)

Sadly, you're apt to have to patch the drywall in the end... maybe just a little less if you get lucky.


Determining if this segment is load bearing should be evident to a competent contractor. There are a few things to look for. You have to look above and below the wall in question. In the floor or attic above, you have to determine if there is structure bearing down directly or via headers to this wall segment. Next, you need to look below in the basement level to see if a beam, post or other structure is directly below the wall segment carrying the load to the foundation.  While not always true, this wall segment may be load bearing if it is parallel to the longest dimension of the house, usually perpendicular to a gable end and located half way between the two longest exterior walls. There are a few methods of framing that could make this a load bearing wall, even if you have full trusses for roof support, ie; ceiling joists that rest on a center beam directly over the wall in question. As I said, most competent carpenters could look at this and determine it's load bearing status. Obviously, a set of plans would be helpful as well. Even if it is load bearing, a good carpenter will be able to design a header to span the new opening, support the load and allow you to remove the section of wall you want gone.


What can I do about a low spot in my bathroom floor?

Why do you expect your floor to drain or dry? Is this a wet room, where the whole floor area is designed to get wet and drain? In most bathrooms (at least in the US), only the bath/shower itself is designed to drain water. The rest of the floor is typically made of a material that won't be damaged by an occasional splash but also isn't designed to drain large amounts of water.

If you have a wet room with areas that don't drain, then the solution is to fix the shape of the floor so those areas do drain. The exact approach (and how invasive the repair would be) depends on your particular layout and materials.

If you have a more typical bathroom, then you should not expect the floor to function as a drain, and instead work to prevent it from getting quite so wet. Often this can be solved with better placement of shower curtains and bath mats or repair of leaks. For advice on that we'd need to know where this water is coming from.


Why do wires shred when using a pull elbow?

Don't pull my elbow!

Elbows cannot be pulled around as their radius is far tighter than a minimum radius bend.  Hence, you have to take the cover off, pull to the elbow enough wire for the rest of the run to form a "loop" there, and then continue the pull from the elbow to the rest of the run.


GFCI receptacle with a light fixture with an on/off switch in between

GFCI devices work by measuring the current flowing on the ungrounded (hot), and grounded (neutral) conductors. They do this by running both the conductors through a current transformer (CT), which produces a current on the secondary winding whenever there's a difference in current between the two primary conductors. So as long as both the ungrounded and grounded conductors are carrying the same current, there will be no current on the secondary of the CT. If there was a ground-fault, the current on the conductors would be different and a current would be induced on the secondary of the CT.

If there's no current flowing on the circuit conductors, then there's no way to induce a current on the secondary of the CT. Therefore, there's no way to trip the GFCI. So if you've removed the fixture, the GFCI should not trip.

If this diagram is accurate...

The only way the GFCI could trip, is if current was being introduced somewhere.  Like if one of the conductors was shorted with a conductor from another circuit, or a different part of this circuit.

There has to be more to this situation, than the information you've provided.  Simple explanations might include:

If the switch is in a box with other switches, and the grounded (neutral) from the GFCI was interconnected with the other grounded (neutral) conductors in the box.
A couple cables are stapled together, and the staple has shorted some of the conductors together.

Since you say that removing the white (grounded (neutral)) conductor from the LOAD terminal fixes the problem, I'd guess that the problem lies with that conductor.

If you have a really accurate ammeter, you could clamp it on the white wire and see if there's any current on it. To do this, you'll have to connect the wire to the line terminal (as you described in a comment). You'll only do this temperately, while you're taking the reading.

Alternatively, you could trace the wire and look for damage, or interconnection with other wires.


Does power distribution within a house need individual neutral lines from the circuit breakers?

Fascinating question. Definitely not to code, but conceptually:

Neutral carries power. On a 120V (US) circuit, neutral carries as much power as hot. So that gives rise to the first "rule": Neutral wires must be sized to match the hot wires. That normally means: 14 AWG (or larger) for both hot and neutral on a 15A circuit, 12 AWG (or larger) for both hot and neutral on a 20A circuit, etc. In theory, multiple circuits could therefore share a neutral, provided the one neutral was large enough for all the hots put together. So if you have 2 x 15A then you could have 2 separate 14 AWG hots and 1 combined 10 AWG neutral. The neutral size would rapidly increase as you add more circuits - to the point where you would need a neutral the same size as your service entrance neutral snaking throughout the house. That would be a tough wire to run (thick and hard to bend) and not cheap.
There is actually a combination already in use: Multi Wire Branch Circuit. An MWBC uses one neutral for two hots. But the key is that the two hots are on opposite legs, so the neutral actually gets the difference instead of the sum. A 15A MWBC maxed out will have 15A on each hot and no current at all on the neutral! That means the same 14 AWG can be used for the hots and the neutral.
Neutral must never break. In an ordinary circuit, that is no big deal. The other failsafes (grounding, GFCI, other design aspects) mean that if the neutral breaks (but not the hot) then your risk is generally minimal. But that risk is enough that an MWBC must have the neutral connected in a way that working on one part of the circuit won't affect the neutral for the rest of the circuit. If you have one giant neutral for everything, that could get really messy.
Common Maintenance Shutoff - An MWBC must be set up so that if part of the circuit is turned off for maintenance, the entire circuit is shut off. That is to prevent power on the "on" part of the circuit (the other hot) returning through the shared neutral and zapping the person working with the "off" part of the circuit. A whole-house shared neutral would therefore mean everything off any time you work on any circuit.
Magnetism, heating, etc. - I honestly don't understand this part. But basically code generally requires that all wires in a circuit be together and have (nominally) equal current running through them, or be widely separated (e.g., some old knob & tube). Otherwise some funny things can happen that can be major fire hazards. A whole house shared neutral would have this problem unless it was bundled with all wires everywhere - which of course would more than balance any savings of the shared neutral. @Harper has a detailed explanation of this item in Why does a transformer work on AC but not DC?.


Do I use dirt or gravel to fill around a cement form for a fence post?

I ended up just putting the dirt back and tamping it down really hard with some random tools b/c I don't have a tamper. First I used the curved end of a large crowbar. Then I used a sledge hammer. I just filled in w/ dirt about 6 inches and then pounded all around for about 3 minutes. Then filled w/ dirt again. Not sure if this was "the" right way, but seems to be working really well. Very little wiggle room between the form and the ground.


That thing that looks like a weight held onto the damper by a long bolt? That's a damper clamp. When a fireplace has a damper, and is converted into a gas-burning fireplace, by code the damper must be fixed in a fully open state. Otherwise, if the damper were closed, and the gas turned on, you could get gas and/or carbon monoxide blowing into your house, either of which would make it likely you would Have A Bad Day. (This isn't required with wood fireplaces, as if you leave the damper closed then the gouts of smoke will make your mistake obvious.)

So, the solution? Leave it alone: it's possibly saving your life.

References:

https://blog.swedesweep.com/fireplace/fireplace-damper-clamps/
http://damperclamp.com/installation.php
https://forum.nachi.org/t/damper-for-gas-fireplace/118517
http://www.city-data.com/forum/house/774794-gas-fireplace-open-close-flue.html


What you're seeing is a shield

What you're seeing with the "N" on it appears to be an insulating shield over the neutral crossbar on your panel.  There is no connection from the main breaker to the neutral in a North American electrical panel.


Washing machine: where to put laundry detergent?

Putting the detergent into the dispenser drawer allows the washing machine to make sure that the detergent is mixed with water before starting the cycle.

If you just throw the detergent into the drum it can get caught up in the clothing and some of it can end up never getting fully distributed throughout the wash water.

This is more of a problem with dry powdered detergent but can also be an issue using the concentrated HE type liquid detergent with the newest washers that purport to be high efficiency through the use of minimal water.

In the olden days I can remember my mother mixing the powered detergent in water before introducing it into the old style wringer washing machine she used in our basement. She did that for the same reasons as the washers at the time only had agitate on/off and no automatically controlled water fill and spin cycles.


How can I find ceiling joists underneath this wood paneling?

That looks similar to T-111 siding that should be nailed to the joists every 16 or 24 inches. The key would be to find the seams where the pieces join. The other seams are just for looks and won't have any joists under them.

Using a thin piece plywood or shim to bang on, you can hold that against the ceiling and bang with a hammer to hear the hollow and solid spots without damaging your ceiling.

Good luck!


How to remove tap valve within shroud (Franke ascona mixer tap)

Have you tried an open-end wrench?

Such as this:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrench#/media/File%3A2008-04-14_Chrome-Vanadium_Wrenches.jpg

It won't fit flat onto the nut but it looks like you could get a good grip on it at a shallow angle. The end of a spanner (adjustable wrench) is quite a bit thicker and harder to maneuver in tight spaces.

Otherwise, you would need a specialty tool to remove it.

Good luck!


Would adding ice to a ultrasonic humidifier help cooling in summer?

Maybe if you live in the desert and use a swamp (evaporative) cooler.  Most areas use an air conditioner to remove humidity, not add it.  Adding more moisture will only make it feel hotter and muggier.


How can I fix my entry door that is not deep enough?

You can either purchase jamb extensions or make them yourself from 1x lumber.  Your exterior walls may be 2x6 construction and your door may be for 2x4 construction - which explains the situation your describe.

However, this is fairly common and an easy fix.  Contact the supplier from where you bought the door and see if the jamb extensions are available or have someone "rip" a 1x to the correct dimension and fasten it to the jamb with glue and finishing nails.  Then you can apply your interior casing (trim) to reduce drafts.


How can I make the ceiling black, non-permanently?

You can also look at using removable paint. This answer might be a little late, but I had a similar issue where I wanted to paint my ceilings white, but was looking for a non-permanent solution because the ceilings were wood and the landlord did not want them painted.
I eventually stumbled across tempera paint powder for kid's art, it comes in these big buckets in all different colors. It's pretty easy to mix up and apply. If you are still looking for a solution I was so excited about my solution I even did a video on the process:
https://youtu.be/YETnP1FV1A4
Goodluck!


You don't need gutters. However, you will want to move water away from the home, as well as reduce any damaging effects of the water dropping from the roof.
Reduce damage from water
When it rains, all the water that lands on the roof will be shed off the edge of the roof.  This can be quite a bit of water, even with a small roof. If the water falls on a roof or structure below, it will cause excessive wear. If the water falls on the ground (soil, grass, concrete, etc.), it will eventually cut a line into the ground.
To mitigate this, you could install a louvered style gutter, rather than the traditional trough style gutter. This type of system allow the water and debris to fall through the gutter, but breaks up the sheet of water into smaller less damaging droplets.
The down side is, you'll be putting large amounts of water near your foundation.
Move the water away
If you're not using trough style gutters to move water away from the foundation, you're going to have to use other methods to do so.  The easiest method, is to maintain a grade that slopes away from the home.
Depending on the amount of rain in your area, you might have to be a bit more aggressive than simply grading away. In these situations, a french drain (or other draining system) may be a wise choice.
So do you need trough style gutters? No. However, you do have to mitigate the damage caused by sheets of water shedding from the roof. You'll also have to  move all that water away from the home. If you can achieve these things without a trough gutter system, then there's no reason to have trough gutters.
NOTE: This is not an endorsement of RainHandler products, they were simply the first brand of louvered gutter I found while doing a Google search.


What are some ways to wire rear speakers in a home theater system?

If you're installing in room where you can't drop above or below the room to run your cables, consider putting up crown molding -- it typically leaves a small channel behind it which is ideal for hiding speaker cables.

You can then punch holes in the top of the wall where you need to run vertically, fish the wires through, staple it up into the corner, then install the crown molding to hide everything.

You can also go the low route, and hide them behind your baseboards, but there isn't always a void behind them, so this could get a little messier if you have to trim away drywall (or plaster in older homes) to create a channel you can use.  You also have problems with baseboards if you have to go past any doorways.


What could be tripping multiple GFCI breakers?

So Pat, the OP has not been seen since the day they posted, in Oct 2013. Hopefully this will be of help to new viewers

I had to comment that I highly doubt they have 14 GFCI breakers in their panel. I would all but guarantee that they are referring to AFCI breakers, and they are experiencing nuisance trips. Could even be that the breakers are the early SqD AFCI breakers that were recalled. This was very common of early AFCI breakers which is why you see so many subsequent incarnations.

I'll also add that grounding and bonding, or the absence thereof, would have NOTHING to do with nuisance tripping of AFCI or GFCI breakers.


How can I estimate costs for a renovation project?

Estimating isn't an exact science and it is only accurate when you know exactly what materials are needed and the number of man hours needed to complete the job. The most accurate estimates are determined by itemizing all the material cost and amounts, man-hours and labor rates, costs for subcontractors and finally overhead and profit. The material costs can be figured by seeing a blue print or knowing what is to be done. You may have a more difficult time knowing what to calculate for overhead and profit. So depending on were you reside and the contractor it would be safe to assume a mark-up of 20-40% of the total costs for material and labor.


How to choose between chrome-coated and oxidation-treated tools?

IN MY EXPERIENCE:
Chrome resists rust better.  But does sometimes chip, and is vulnerable to rust at those points.  Chrome is generally easier to read the markings.  Polished chrome can be slipperier when greasy. (Not matte chrome)

Black oxide resists rust generally fine for my purposes.  It looks better when it's greasy, (It doesn't show the grease as bad, since grease is almost black).  It can occasionally be a challenge to read the markings, depending on the circumstances.  It's not as slippery as polished chrome.

As the user, you pick which benefits/problems you'd rather have.

I personally don't really care that much.  I have some of each.  All things being equal, I'd choose matte chrome, then black oxide. Polished chrome last.


What is involved in fixing a break in a frost-free faucet?

Frostproof faucets come in standard lengths like 8", 10" 12". You will need to measure the old one to get the proper length.

The solder you see is from the factory and everything appears to be OEM up to where it screws into the elbow.

This normally is a pretty easy job, but you have a possible major complication.

If the original installers were smart enough to plan for future replacement, they will have left a channel through the brick large enough to pass the fitting that mates to the elbow through it. In this case, they will have used 2 masonry screws or nails through the flange on the outside to brace the faucet from turning and a nail or screw through the mounting tang on the elbow that goes into the PEX. Removal requires shutting the water supply off, releasing pressure, removing the mounting hardware, unscrewing the faucet from the elbow, screwing a new one in and reattaching the flange and elbow tang.

If it's been cemented/mortared in, I wouldn't blame you for much cursing of failure to plan for future inevitable events. These valves eventually leak, you can replace the valve seat washer a couple times, but you will be replacing the valve assembly eventually, probably when the long shaft busts loose from the valve from someone overtightening it because it started leaking.

My first plan of action if I had to deal with it would be to buy a plug that fits the elbow, you'll need it for the duration of the nasty part of the job. Shut off the water supply, get a pipe cutter and a hacksaw. You will need to cut the copper pipe somewhere in the vicinity of the ice blowout, then cut through the valve shaft. Now remove the valve from the elbow, wrap the plug with some teflon tape and tighten it in the elbow. Turn your water back on, inspect for leaks and tie it up out of the way so the PEX doesn't get damaged.

Now that you're done with the easy part, you now need to get a hammer and chisel to remove the mortar around the faucet (outside). Hopefully they only mudded it in to keep the faucet from moving so you only have an inch or so of mortar to clear before the pipe going through the wall loosens up and allows for removal. The hole through the brick will have to be large enough to pass the fitting that goes into the elbow. Hopefully none of this gets to involving hammer drills and hole enlargement. Remove the old faucet. Measure from the outside wall back to where the elbow was positioned to get the length for your new faucet. At this point, cut the water, remove the plug, screw the new faucet in place, reattach the elbow mounting tang and try to get a gradient so the new faucet will drain when the hose is removed. Mortar the brick to hold the faucet in place and give it time for the mortar to set.


The first 3 results from Googling for "remove crayon from walls" yields:

Reader's Digest has several suggestions.
TipNut has several suggestions.
About.com has several suggestions.

Or are you looking to invent something new?


Running irrigation pipes under a large concrete pad

I am not saying there is no way you can do this, but there is basically no way.  It would not be worth the time or effort and quite possibly you could spend a lot of time and effort and accomplish nothing.  Going across a double driveway from experience is super iffy and you are adding at least another 10 feet.  I don't see how you are going to keep adequate pressure for 30 feet and I don't see how you are going to keep it from veering up or down (if it goes up you could get stuck and compromise the stability of the pad and if it goes down you might never find it).

I would rather dig 100 feet out and back then do this.  There has to be a better alternative.  Another would be going through the house or picking an area where the pad could be busted up.  I know this is a long comment but could answer better with pictures.


How to tell if your locks are bump proof?

If your lock is a just a simple pin tumbler  then its vulnerable to bumping.

There are some pin tumbler locks that say they protect against bumping,  but in practice it might be a little more difficult,  but still very vulnerable.   In fact the only deadbolt lock that I know of that isn't vulnerable to bumping, rakeing or other simple attacks.    Is the Shalge Primus or another Hybrid key type.   The pin tumbler on the primus is 100% vulnerable to bumping,  however,  the "side-bit milling"  isn't vulnerable.   Defense in depth security in layers.


Who should I contact to remove an old boiler from my basement?

Look for a scrap metal dealer in your area.

If you deliver the steel parts to the recycler, you ought to get at least $400 per tonne (which is $440 per U.S. ton or $0.22 per pound).  See this.


Will it harm 12VDC LED light strips if I supply them with 12VAC instead?

Depending on the type of LED element and the driver circuit, you could either be fine or significantly shortening the lifespan of your lights. If the instructions or markings don't indicate that AC is acceptable then it's probably not.

However, a failure is not likely to be dangerous or cause a fire.

So you have to decide if the hassle of replacing burned out LED lighting later outweighs the hassle of giving it the proper power now.


Cutting a miter like that is best done on a table saw with a crosscut sled, or with a well tuned miter saw, or (failing either of those options) rough cutting the miter with a hand or circular saw and then dressing them with a hand plane or large disk sander. Given the dimensions your best option at this point is to use what's called a "donkey ear shooting board" (shown here) with an appropriate hand plane on a good solid workbench. For best results you will need a fairly sharp low-angle jack plane to perform this operation but it can be done with a standard jack or jointer plane if they are very well tuned. Best of luck!


Is it Okay for ceiling light bulb sockets to have open gap to attic?

Ceiling light fixtures should be sealed off from your attic. Ideally, there would be no way for a fly in your attic to enter your living space. In practice, there are usually openings. Common ones to look out for:

Around electrical boxes. The box your light fixture attaches to should be seated within your ceiling, but often the hole in your ceiling is bigger, leaving a gap around the box. You can seal this with spray foam or caulk. Blown insulation is also fairly effective at blocking small penetrations like these.
Around pipes and chimneys. Same fixes.
Through electrical boxes. The box itself is not always sealed, as there are wires entering it. These can be taped or foamed, but never use foam inside an electrical box.
Through in-ceiling light fixtures (recessed can lights). Can lights are notoriously leaky, to the point that people often recommend against putting them in exterior ceilings. If you must do a can light, use one with an IC (insulation contact) rated enclosure, and insulate it well. This will minimize leakage without overheating your lights and creating a fire hazard.

If you can inspect your attic for leaks and seal them, you can significantly reduce the ability of insects up there to enter your home. As a bonus, you will also save some money on heating, as the same holes are a great way to lose heat in the winter. Because of this, many utilties (including the MassSave group near Boston) offer free or discounted energy audits and air sealing/insulation services. You might try one of those if it's available to you.

Finally, it isn't normal to have lots of flies living in your attic. It's possible an animal died up there and the flies are feeding on it; cleaning that up (and maybe adding an insect repellent) could help a lot. Although your attic is insulated, you should still be able to move around up there, either by carefully walking on the joists or bringing a board with you that you can put down and stand on. You can also hire a pest control company to do this - ideally one that would clean up, seal any penetrations, and apply insecticides/repellents in one visit.


The old fan's bracket seems to be identical, so I'd just go ahead and continue the old one in service, rather than exchange an essentially identical piece.

The biggest problem you have is this fan is supplied with single-use stab connectors.  Once you stab, you can't un-stab.  So you need to get it right the first time, or just cut those stupid things off and use wire-nuts.

Clearly, one pipe is supply, and the other pipe is onward switched fan/light power to something else.  Since you're in conduit, the installer had more liberty to choose wire colors, and chose yellow when ordinarily someone would use black or red.  Don't worry too much about that.  But white is definitely neutral, regardless!

For now, get a plain receptacle. Pick one pipe, and attach the white to neutral and yellow to hot on the receptacle.  Plug something in there e.g. a night light.   Turn the breaker on, and see if the night light will light up.   If it does, you have identified supply.

Turn the power off and try the other pipe - same thing.  See if any switch makes that "night light" come on.  It's possible power is coming from both directions! Weird, unlikely, but we need to cross it off the list.

OK, so with the receptacle and night light lighting up off the fan/light switch, what now is broken??  I bet something that used to come on with that switch, has stopped doing so.  That is where that other pipe goes to.

Anyway, now mount the fan.  You most likely need to make a 3-way connection between the fan's white wire and the 2 white wires from the ceiling.  That stab connector won't do.  You'll need a wire-nut or a Wago lever connector.  (or stabs with more slots, but I do not like those, no I don't.)

Then, you'll (probably) need to do the same with the fan's black wire and the 2 yellow wires.  Again, use a wire-nut or a lever connector (looks like a stab connector but is locked/released by levers).

That should do it. As far as ground, the conduit is ground. When the fan is re-mounted to the bracket the conduits come in on, the steel case of the fan will be fastened to the bracket, and that will ground the fan.  You don't need to do anything with the 2 ground wires. You can leave them in their little stab connector.


Can I use OSB in place of timber as structural element

Yes, it's more stable, but not to "the elements". While it is constructed with exterior-grade adhesive, the nature of thinly-shaved wood means that when exposed to moisture, repeated flex, etc. it tends to break down sooner than high-quality, solid wood. It's certainly more flat and stable than conventional plywood when kept dry.
OSB is less stiff than solid lumber in a horizontal orientation, but it is roughly as strong. You'll probably be able to carry the same load with an equivalent dimension, but it may sag more. Floor joists are commonly built with OSB vertical members, but the wood strands are oriented vertically. In your case, they'd be horizontal. Therein lies the difference.
No, though you could run a router or sander over them to reduce abrasion. They'll scuff skin in a hurry. When I use OSB for shelving I run a 1/2" bullnose router down the edges.


Can filling up a 75 gallon water heater tank without opening a faucet cause damage?

I wouldn't worry about it at all. A gallon of water is roughly 213 cubic inches.  Assuming that you filled the tank completely (which is unlikely - see below), you would have displaced 213 * 75, or 15,975 cubic inches of air inside your plumbing. One atmosphere of pressure (14.7 psi) is defined as the pressure exerted by a 33.8 ft column of water. Assuming that all of the pipe in question is 3/4", you would have increased the pressure by 14.7 psi if the total pipe length was 472 feet.

But what actually happened is that the tank stopped filling when the air pressure reached equilibrium with the water pressure.  The water that you filled the tank with was coming in at whatever pressure that your household water supply has (typically this is somewhere around 40psi).  When the total pressure in the plumbing system reaches 40psi, the tank simply stops filling because there isn't a pressure differential. So basically, once the air you were displacing reached the pressure of your water supply, it would have simply stopped compressing it because the tank wouldn't be filling any more.


You should be able to turn the clamp nut by the wall...

...which will allow the horizontal portion of the drain connection to pull out of the wall. It may have enough slide connection so it can be reclamped to use the existing pipe to reach the new down spout on the sink.

If it is not long enough then you will need to purchase new parts to achieve a longer horizontal portion. Do take the old pipe with you to the store so you can see what type and size of parts to place in your shopping basket.

Note that it is quite common to use a combination of the back wall slide connection and the rotation of the P-trap joint to achieve getting the pipes perfectly aligned with the sink drain. The following picture is an attempt to show how this adjustment works. There are only really two positions where there will be perfect alignment when the horizontal positioning from the wall causes the sink drain center to intersect with the arc of swing of the P-trap.

Note that if the center of the drain hole is farther from the center line of the wall pipe than the radius of the P-trap arc then there is no position where you can get things to line up. In that case then you need to use additional fittings to angle from the wall connection more toward the new drain location.


You can keep the existing wiring and breaker
Range loads are computed from their wattage, based on the rules in NEC's Table 220.55.  In particular, since 422.10(A) paragraph 4 explicitly permits range loads to be sized as per Table 220.55:

Branch circuits and branch-circuit conductors for household
ranges and cooking appliances shall be permitted to be in
accordance with Table 220.55 and shall be sized in accordance
with 210.19(A)(3).

we can then apply the logic from Note 4 to Table 220.55 to our situation:

Branch-Circuit Load. It shall be permissible to calculate the branch-circuit load for one range in accordance with Table 220.55. The branch-circuit
load for one wall-mounted oven or one counter-mounted cooking unit shall be the nameplate rating of the appliance. The branch-circuit load for a
counter-mounted cooking unit and not more than two wall-mounted ovens, all supplied from a single branch circuit and located in the same room,
shall be calculated by adding the nameplate rating of the individual appliances and treating this total as equivalent to one range.

In our case, given that we have a 6.4kW, 240V cooktop, we treat this as the branch-circuit size, without derating, giving us something in the 27A range.  As a  result, since we're below the 8.75kW threshold set by NEC 210.19(A)(3), we can use that as our branch circuit load, giving us a 30A branch circuit and breaker with 10AWG wire.  Since it's a 220-240V appliance and not a 110/220 or 120/240V one, we also know that it has no use for a neutral, which means that's not a concern when wiring this, either.  In your case, since you are dealing with a conduit run for the existing branch circuit, the new cooktop needs to be wired the same way the old one was: black to black, red to red, and green to the box, with the white wire in the box left capped off as it is right now.


Does this ceiling joist layout look structurally sound?

The roof framing really helped. Since according to the code book, you can have limited storage in the attic with the framing you specified, I would still tie all the framing with a layer of subfloor, which in turn can be used as storage. This is because the hips will exert an outward force to the outside bearing walls. There may not be a real issue with this since everything is tied back to a triple beam and tied to an interior wall as well. I would still run plywood in the attic anyway. It will make a great work surface while framing the roof too. This will mean the beams will need to be made of 2X8s or LVL's, this is engineered lumber that measures 1 3/4"X7 1/4"X any length you need.
IMHO, the 2X12 beams are way much bigger than they need to be. There simply is not that much live load for them to carry. The wall that is under the ends of the joists that are near this beam can have a beam under it, to help carry what little load (stored items) it may need to support.

You may want to consider adding a beam at the other areas where the rafters will cross over the ceiling joists, so that short joists can be tied to the rafters like the rest of the house. Another alternative is running the beam at the ceiling level the same as the hip rafters. LVLs will help here too. This would eliminate the long one that goes all the way across.

The only 2 issues that I see is where the vaulted ceiling will be and the access. The possible plywood floor may eliminate the need for the joists to tie through. The other is the lack of collar ties. they in essence  help break the span of the rafters, since one rafter when loaded will try to push against the other, but the other is trying to do the same. Purlins with knee braces may do the same also, but they will bear on the ceiling joists, may not be a good idea.

That I know of bridging is not required in ceiling framing, although it could be added.
A final note on the access and vaulted ceiling, the code used to require ceiling joists at 32" OC (joists on every other rafter) for conventional framed roof as a minimum. With the engineers blessing he may allow the openings with the plywood deck around it to pass.

A little over sight on my part. There will be room needed for the insulation, so the plywood deck will need to be high enough, depending on your climate zone to get anywhere from R-30 to R-49 to be run under it without compressing it. So, 2X12 beams will work with an overbuild the get the 2X8s to the same height with 2X4s that won't work nowhere else, crooked, twisted, cut too short, what have you.


When is a bath fan considered to be "over a tub or shower"?

Let's get one thing straight. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter protection for personnel is designed and intended to protect a human (or any animal I guess), from being electrocuted (killed) due to an electrical fault. In most situations, the grounding system will handle any direct faults to ground. A GFCI devices is there to protect you, if you happen to come into contact with an energized conductor.
Let's also be clear that a GFCI device may not protect you from a shock, but should protect you from death (electrocution).
Examples:

You grab hold of the ungrounded "hot" conductor.
In this situation, the GFCI device should disconnect the circuit before you are killed.

The frame of a device is energized, and for some reason the grounding system has not performed its job, and you come into contact with the energized frame of the device.
In this situation, the GFCI device should disconnect the circuit before you are killed.

A GFCI device is there to protect you, from death.
But why does it seem like codes tend to require GFCI protection in locations where there is water, like bathrooms and kitchens?
The simple answer is that when your skin is wet, it's a better conductor. Because of this, you could potentially provide a fairly good path to ground. It's also important to provide this protection in bathrooms and kitchens, because it's common for plumbing in homes to be grounded.
Let's say you're washing your face in the sink. The water is running, as you reach for a towel. You reach with one hand to turn the water off, while the other fumbles for the towel. While you're still holding the faucet with one hand, the other hand accidentally finds the non-GFCI protected receptacle. The electricity races through your wet hand, across your body, and out your other hand into the well grounded faucet. While crossing your body, the electricity ran right through your heart causing it to stop. Now, you're dead.
If it was a GFCI protected receptacle, you would have gotten a bit of a shock and a scare. But you'd still be alive.

As for the question asked...
Put an imaginary box around the tub/shower, and extend it all the way up to the ceiling. If any part of the exhaust fan is within the box, you should GFCI protect the fan as per the installation instructions.
If it makes you feel safer, then by all means GFCI protect the fan.


Light won't switch off after blowing fuse

What happened is that when you turned the switch on, the shorted adaptor drew an enormous surge of current through the switch. The fuse almost immediately blew and prevented a fire, but not before the switch contacts were welded together, forever locking the switch on.

The fact that the switch no longer "click"s is another symptom of the problem. The switch lever may still move, because they're generally connected to the contacts through a spring; this is to give them a "snap" action, but also allows the lever to move when the contacts won't.

You'll at least have to replace the switch; you may want to get an electrician to look over the entire circuit for damage.

Edit: here's some more info. First, an "autopsy" of a toggle switch whose contacts welded: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B306JLFjpqs

Second, a switch manufacturer's FAQ on the causes of contact welding: http://www.omron.com.au/service_support/FAQ/FAQ02182/index.asp


There's a good chance the disposal was larger than needed for your house hold. Three people households will do great with a 1/3 to 1/2 HP disposal. larger the 5 people would use the higher RPM and HP. Those high RPM models need to have a lot of stuff in them before turning them on. I've always had In-Sink-Erator disposals, 1/3 to 1/2 HP and have never had any problems, and that's with a household of 4.
Are you sure the splash guard hasn't been damaged or cut? I once got a call to replace one because the customer cut some of the fins out of it so stuff would go down faster. Then stuff splashed out so they wanted a new splash guard.

You might want to check the plumbing to make sure there's not a partial blockage that could be causing the initial back splash.


How deep do the footings have to be for a gazebo?

How deep is the frost line in your area? Deeper than that. You may also need to use post-footing-base flares to get adequate load capacity on the bottom of your footings, depending on the soil bearing capacity (what it can hold per square inch, in pounds) and the weight of the roof and any roof loads, such as snow.

This type of thing, possibly:

Image is from bigfootsystems, but lots of places make something similar, and the old-fashioned way is to pour a pad in the bottom of the hole and then set the sonotube on top of it (no fancy plastic flare required.) In "good" (from a load-bearing point of view) soils you may not need anything, if the area of the sonotube (about 50 square inches for an 8" tube) is adequate for the soil and loads. Bumping up to 12" at the bottom more than doubles the area, thus halving the soil loading.


Is wiring the neutral in a circular path correct?

I think you've figured it out, but here it is in diagram form anyway, for future readers who may be more visually oriented:

As you have indicated, you will separate the neutrals at two locations.


How do I troubleshoot a ceiling fan that suddenly stopped working?

Well for starters you can check the power at the switch to see of the switch has failed. This can be done with a power line wire test probe.....but do use care when dealing with AC power. It is dangerous stuff and can injure or kill if not handled properly. If this leaves you with a queasy feeling then now would be a good time to call in a professional electrician.

If power is passing through the switch to the fan and light unit then it is a pretty good guess that something has gone wrong with the unit itself. There are many things that could happen and some of them may be dependent on just what type of ceiling fan unit this is. For example if the fan was one of the type suspended down from the ceiling on a pipe type thing and if the fan was somewhat unbalanced a continual swinging motion of the hanger pipe could cause the electrical wires to fracture and become open circuit. Without further detail as to the type of fan it would be difficult to suggest specific failures that you might expect to see.

Do note that it is common that a fan / light assembly may have separate switched power leads for the fan and for the light. However there may be a common return neutral line. Since it seems like both the lights and fan failed at the same time it is likely that the wiring failure could be in this common return line.


Test outlets to see if knob and tube? (grounded?)

There is no electrical or technical way to tell if a box is wired with K & T. You'd get the same results with old non-grounding NM cable.

The only way is visual. You'd have to open each box and check with your eyes.


Are patch panels essential to a home network closet?

Short answer, you definitely want the patch panel, especially if you ran shielded cable.  (If you did not run shielded cable, you probably don't want a shielded patch panel.)

Male terminations are less reliable than punchdown connections.  They tend to create marginal / intermittent failures in many cases, which can be particularly hard to track down.  To make matters worse, they often work for a while, then fail after the cable has been tugged / flexed / inserted / removed a few times.

If you ran shielded cable, the patch panel should be grounded to ground the shield.  You could try to ground the shileds of the modular plug terminated cables but it will be a mess.

Honestly nobody that does much datacom installation would suggest mod plugs over a patch panel.


Get a Plumber with a longer & much bigger snake & to also do the items below. Or, keep snaking the lines, while flushing repeatedly. Also snake from the roof vent side to clear any build-up that may have accumulated above the draining path. Many times Regular Tee fittings are used instead of Sanitary Tee's, this isn't correct or legal but are missed by Building Inspectors frequently.

Venting or Breathing sounds like your primary toilet problem. Toilets completely fill the drain pipe where sinks & showers do not. If a clog is in the venting it's putting "a finger on top of the straw" & defeating the plumbing's design.

Absolutely, get the Septic System assessed & pumped if necessary. Snake the leach field inlet as well, since something non-biodegradable may have been flushed by a guest. Waiting for a system to overflow onto the yard is not a good "time to clean" gauging method.

Now, when you have a problem, is the time to pull both toilets up. Snake & hose out their drain paths from both ends. Clear the toilet flange pipes to full diameter. Even replace shut-off valves, supply lines, fill valves & flappers. And, Install new toilet seals. Fix any & all problems or potential problems in one shot.


removing tree roots without stump grinder

Use a pickaxe to dig a hole around the tree root, and use an axe or a saw to cut the root. Repeat as necessary.
This works reasonably well for one tree, not so well for a forest.


What type of wood panels could replace the glass in a storm door?

Redwood is widely available, it has excellent weather-ability, and it is easily shaped and cut.


How can I stop a stainless steel drinking water tank from leaking?

I would suggest using a product called "Sealsall". You can get it at any hardware store.  This stuff is easy to use, Dry the seam as best as you can, then just apply some to the leaking seam before it gets too wet again. Try not to get it on your fingers as it will take a week to get it off!!  Sealsall dries clear and should be good for years.  I have used it on everything from a canoe bottom, car gas tank, to hot tubs with success.  Good Luck


Makita mitre saw ls1018l not powering up

I agree with brush changes but after that the cord and switch should be checked especially something as advanced as a soft start. The output from the switch module needs to be verified. Portable equipment power cords are notorious for having a broken conductor right at the strain relief.
when the neutral breaks a meter or a non contact tester may show voltage but no return path So the saw won’t run (a low z meter won’t show a voltage).
I get corded tools quite regularly cords, brushes, switch, are the main items that fail if the brushes look good not burnt or chipped the armature is usually fine. it is the cord or switch.
I recommend using the ohm meter for those not used to or trained to test with live voltage where you can the wide prong on the plug is the neutral in the us but put your meter on one of the prongs and find inside where the cord connects and test with the ohms function no reading try the other conductor, once you have a reading wiggle the cord around at the strain relief and plug. If your reading goes from a very low reading close to a short to a thousand or more ohms the cord is broken and needs to be replaced. Test both conductors if either one reads high time to the cord. An electronic switch is beyond our scope here but since you have changed everything else if the cord tests good that would be about all that is left to change.


Will 2, 10kA breakers for stove requiring a 50 Amp breaker

"10KA" means 10,000 amps.  Is is an extreme conditions rating for the breaker.  It means that if your range suddenly has a massive problem, and causes a dead short, causing thousands of amps to flow, the breaker is certified to be able to interrupt it if it's less than 10,000 Amps.  If it's 20,000 amps, the breaker might not be able to interrupt it.  Some power companies claim to intentionally use thin enough wire or small enough transformers that 10,000 amps is impossible.

So it's sort of like the ZR rating on your tires, the tire won't explode if you drive 185 miles per hour.

You can't use two singles on a range

You can't use 30A+ singles for anything, really.

However if you got a factory made "handle-tie" to tie them together, you still wouldn't be able to use them for a range, because it is a 120/240V load that uses a neutral wire.

You would be able to use them (handle-tied) for certain other large loads, such as heat pump emergency heat, on demand water heater, etc. which do not require neutral.

So sell them on eBay and get a 2-pole.  Expect to pay $10 (unless they're GFCI, AFCI etc.,  however if they were, you can't use singles at all).


How do I properly label/wire a switched subwoofer outlet?

You'll need to pick up a PowerBridge type device, they allow you to have an inlet in one location and an outlet in another.

You'll connect the inlet to the outlet using cable rated for the appropriate load (14/2 Romex most likely), this insures everything is up to code (since it's not proper to run extension cords through walls).

To make the outlet switched, you'll simply connect a switch on the hot wire of the cable between the inlet and outlet devices.


The knurled portion of the fitting is the part that unscrews. The longer brass-colored portion should be held stationary, perhaps with pliers while loosening, perhaps with another set of pliers, the knurled portion. This should allow you to release the hose.


Hanging temporary doors and then replacing

If you order cheap slab doors and the fancy doors from the same supplier, then swapping the old for the new should be extremely easy and not prohibitively expensive.

Though it might seem like you're burning money, ordering both cheap and fancy as pre-hung units should mean that it's just a couple of hinge pins, a doorknob move, and you'll be swapped. The door casing isn't a major part of the price of a prehung door.

** caveat on the "should" is that hinge spacing might vary and it then becomes a bit more carpentry to fix it... but if you inform your supplier in advance of the plan, you've got better odds of success.


How should I apply ambient air temperature ampacity correction factors when exact temperature is unknown?

Size it for the highest expected temps in the area (geographically and part of building - huge differences there).  If  on the border line, then size to the conservative side and use bigger conductors or more runs.

In my area, the high temps would be 105'F If we add another 50'F for an attic (worst case per your numbers) that would place me in the 155'F+ bracket.  However, a crawl space would likely just be based on the 105'F or less.


What is the best position to put my Air Conditioner?

This question is primarily opinion-based, since the answer depends on what makes you most comfortable.

As a person never short on opinions, I suggest this:

Put the AC in the window at (1) and leave the doors to the master bedroom and the kitchen open. Purchase an inexpensive pedestal fan like this:

and place it at (2) blowing in the direction of the arrow. Adjust the pedestal to its minimum height so the fan blows mostly through the lower half of the open door.

At night or on cool days turn off the fan and close the door.

EDIT: You could also put the AC at the other end of the house, with the fan blowing toward the master bedroom. Which is better depends on whether you need the cooling more during the times when you would be using the kitchen, or during the times when you would be using the master bedroom.

Where I live, in the late summer it remains too hot at night to sleep comfortably. Hence I would put the AC in the bedroom.


Does a 16"W x 13" deep counter space need an electrical outlet?

210.52(C)(3) Peninsular Counter Spaces. At least one receptacle outlet shall be
  installed at each peninsular counter space with a long dimension of 600 mm (24 in.) or greater and a short dimension of 300 mm (12in.) or greater.

So yes according to the NEC you do need an outlet.  But it is really really close to not meeting the specifications, meaning it might be easier calling your inspector than it is debating with us.


glueing 18 gauge s/s sheets to aluminum honeycomb backing

I would make test samples using Silicone I, Lexel, and metal epoxy to determine the best product for your application.

Permatex Cold Weld is the 2 part metal epoxy adhesive that I would try first. The other two are sealants and technically not adhesives, but they might still work.

Permatex Steel Weld is another option, it says it has a greater temperature range but sets in only 4 minutes so it might be hard to use.


Outlets are not supposed to be dimmed!

While this might seem like a good idea if you wanted to plug in a table lamp that lacked its own dimmer, it creates a dangerous situation since outlets can accommodate any device with a plug, and some devices, such as many motors, react very badly to the output of a dimmer. It is forbidden under 404.14(E):

  General use dimmer switches shall be used only to control permanently installed incandescent luminaires unless listed for the control of other loads and installed accordingly.

The other load dimmers are for fluorescent, LED or CLF fixtures. Dimmers are not listed for standard outlets.

The first thing I would do is replace the dimmer with a standard switch. (Done with power from the breaker turned off.) I would also check the outlet to see if it appears to be wired correctly -- black wire to brass, white wire to silver, green/bare to ground. Restore power and check the outlet again.

Supplement
Also see the answer by @ThreePhaseEel that explains specialized outlets that can be dimmed, and the associated code.


Can this water valve be replaced as a separate component?

That's just a basic quarter-turn ball valve that's been tossed in there for shutoff purposes

The cracked part isn't part of the backflow preventer proper; it's simply a quarter-turn ball valve that's been put there to allow the preventer to be shut off as part of winterization or testing procedures.  Simply replace it, preferably with a version that has a drain cap on the side for winterization purposes, and you'll be good for a good, long time afterwards.  Note that you'll need to undo the union below the valve in the process of replacing it in order to be able to unscrew it.


Do I need to cut into my drywall to install a switch?

You're going to have to do drywall repair if you move this switch.

So since you HAVE to do drywall repair regardless, why shy away from doing it the right way?

Cut away a big enough piece of drywall so that you have full access to the existing box, the space where the new box will be, and keep cutting right and left until you hit the bordering studs on either side.

Do your electrical work.

Cut 1 piece of drywall to fit the huge gaping hole you made.  Cut out space for your new box.

Cut pieces of 1x2 to fit vertically on the insides of the left and right studs, and to fit across the tops and bottoms of the opening.  (6 pieces total)

Install the vertical pieces parallel to the studs with 1" side facing you, so you have a screw edge.  Install the horizontal pieces so that the 2" side is facing you and half of it is behind the existing drywall.  Screw it in place in the existing drywall.

Take your cut piece of drywall and mount it on the 6 1x2"s you just installed.

Tape and mud - 3 coats - fill coat, feather, final.


Black dots on wooden stair treads, can't sand them away

A good filler will work for the nail holes but probably won't help with the black spots because there's not enough depth for the filler to take hold. Be sure to get a filler that will take stain as many don't. These stairs were probably meant to be carpeted from the start so quality lumber wasn't used. Your best bet would be to buy/rent a belt sander and sand the hell out of them. Even then, you probably won't get all the black dots out of the stairs. Then finish them as planned.


Can someone help me to verify if my balcony can handle the load of a hot tub

Balcony = Supported by hidden joists under its floor.
Deck = Supported by joists or/and piers.

Now if you have a balcony and given your question with lack of some information...

You are capital letters CRAZY for installing a hot tub on a balcony.   For something that heavy you would have to be assured metal joists or deep span (that might not be enough).   I would surely get an engineer OK (which no engineer would with this info) before doing so.

Even if you get past the fact that something that heavy could trigger a quick collapse on a balcony (decks are more apt to give you lots of clues if they are collapsing), collapsing isn't the only thing you have to worry about.   If this thing is so heavy it bows the support joists you could be looking at 10k+ in damages.   Super costly to repair something like this on a finished unit.


Options for lubricating wires for conduit?

I'd agree with the comment that you may have another problem.

What size is the conduit?

Are you pulling or pushing (pulling is what works, pushing won't.) If you need something to pull with, use a shop-vac to get a rope through the conduit first. Braided hollow rope can be nice as you can expand the end and use it like a Chinese finger cuff to grab the ends of the wires (use tape as well.)

If the conduit is exterior and the wires are correctly rated for exterior conduit, you could use water as a lubricant. It's not a good idea to come up with a random soapy product, since the commercial products are tested for long-term compatibility with wire jacket material, some lube will remain in the conduit, and the wires are generally expected to be there for decades - over which time it's possible that the seemingly innocuous dish soap might have a deteriorating effect on the wire insulation, due to some component inconsequential in washing dishes (say, for example, the scent...)

The real deal is quite affordable if you can find it in quarts, which you generally can at most electric supply houses or the internet if you have difficult electric supply houses and your home improvement stores don't stock it.


Why can't I find a color changing GU24 bulb?

GU24 to Edison Screw adapters are absolutely fine provided they are rated for the electrical load you will be putting through them, and designed for heat resistance. Most I've seen are rated up to 150 watts, which is far more than you need - most LED bulbs are 10 watts maximum. So get good quality adapters and you'll be fine. Keep in mind that these adapters could make the bulbs stick out a bit.


wire sub panel about 30 feet from main panel 50amp

Sounds about right, as long as the new panel isn't too far from the original panel. You'll need 4 conductors, two ungrounded (hot), one grounded (neutral), and one grounding.


Does thread compound (dope) over tape prevent this kind of leak?

You're supposed to use one or the other. If you're going to use both then apply the tape first. If you dope then wrap then I could foresee the tape being pushed out of the way before it gets gripped in the female threads.
Neither one is designed to produce a chemical bond, not sure where you got that idea from. These products aren't Loc-tite blue/red.
Both are designed to act as physical obstructions so that water cannot get through the threads. I don't think that using both hinders nor helps to stop leaks over using just one; proper material coverage and tightening are your best friends.
Some plumbers like to use both for whatever reason; old habits die hard I guess.
Maybe they've succumbed to some persistent inspector that likes to see both products applied so now it's a habit and propagated de facto. Here's an HVAC instructor that tells his class to "apply mastic to the outside of flex duct to appease the inspector". Obviously this example is HVAC but the common denominator is the same; the inspector.
I have success regardless of which method I use.
I have a particularly rusted galvanized line to which I ran PEX. The threaded brass transition leaks a tear-drop every so often but it's actually caked with enough rust/hard water that it no longer leaks. I may try switching out the pipe dope for tape whenever I have some time to spare.


Why is my AFCI breaker tripping and my surge protector clicking?

I've had some issues with AFICs in  the past, and one quick thing you should check (which ended up being my problem):
Is the insulation on the wire coming into the outlet box pinched and causing a loose/flaky connection? That will still give power to the outlet (under a normal breaker) and won't trip a normal breaker, but it'll drive an AFCI nuts.

Another technique you can try to debug this is by swapping in a GFCI breaker, and see if that trips too. If the GFCI trips, it's a grounding problem. If it only trips on the AFCI, then there's arcing somewhere along the circuit. Check junction boxes, the outlet boxes and the connections to the plugs in the boxes.

Happy & Safe Debugging!