How to subfloor basement bathroom for tile?

I assume your floor is concrete in this case. I would use a decoupling membrane like schluter ditra or one of the competitors. You can thinset this directly to the concrete and then tile on top.
For the tub I would just use a mortar bed to support the tub and then attach the flange to the wall(s)


Should I convert my 4-stroke engines from regular gas to propane

As you already know, there are pros & cons - it isn't a simple decision. So take each device separately as they are actually quite different:

Portable Generator

How often do you use it? Job site or fixed location? Power outage or "some tasks always need a generator"?

The more you use it, the more replacement with propane may make sense. But if it is only occasional usage then the environmentally & financially speaking the fixed costs (i.e., energy used in manufacturing and cost to buy it) will have a very long payback time.

Lawn Mower

Depending on:

Size of your property
Usage elsewhere (e.g., if you use the mower to mow other people's lawns)

you may be far better off with a battery electric mower. There will still be emissions, but at the utility plant which are (a) typically (unless coal) cleaner and (b) don't have the same direct impact on your (and your neighbors') air quality.

Snow Blower

Battery electric may make sense here too, but depending on how frequently you get snow-blower-level snow (the more frequent, the faster the environmental and financial payback of switching) and how much power you need, sticking with gas may make a lot of sense.


Cut, splice, and branch a 3-3-3-5 SER cable to create a new subpanel?

The problem with your no-splicing plans is the cost of copper
While avoiding splices, boxes, and access points sounds like a good idea, the problem with your plan is that copper 3/3/3/5 SER cable is quite expensive stuff at over $5/ft yet only a hair smaller at 0.91" diameter vs 1.08" diameter for 1/1/1/3 Al.  This means that you're looking at a few hundred dollars of SER cable alone for either your plan 3 or the plan 4 you mentioned in your comment, and makes the parts required for a splice rather cost-effective in comparison.  Going to 1/1/1/3 aluminum SER at about $1.60-$1.70/ft makes avoiding splicing a cost-effective option, though, and in that vein, I would favor plan 4 with cutting the existing feeder and rerouting it, then replacing the rest of the existing feeder run with a new run.  (Aluminum cable is also lighter than copper cables with the same ampacity, which factors into the ease of pulling significantly at the larger gauges that aluminum wire is typically used for.)
If you do go that route, you'll want to use a subfeed lug block in the new subpanel to feed the existing panel instead of a 100A breaker since the breaker would be fairly pointless anyway due to the inability to coordinate it with the existing feeder breaker. If you really want a disconnect for the original subpanel in the new subpanel, then you can use a 100A molded case switch of the appropriate type for the new subpanel.
If you are to splice....
If you do go with the splice-box plans, there are a few points you will need to keep in mind.  First off, the T-splice is a much better idea (less cable and fewer splices) than the "loop" splice, so we'd be going with your plan 1 in this case instead of your plan 2.  Furthermore, you will need to have the splice box be accessible now and forevermore; you can paint or otherwise finish the cover to match the surroundings, but actually burying a box is no good.  Finally, we'll have to account for the NEC 300.14 requirement of 6" minimum of free conductor for each cable entering the box; if you can't get that from slack in the existing run, you'll have to go up to a 12" long by 6" to 8" wide by 4" deep pull box and add an extra block and some 2AWG copper jumpers to connect the two, as well as a spare grounding lug such as a Brumall 6T attached to the box with a 10-32 self-tapping/self-drilling grounding screw such as the Garvin GSST.
Getting into the details of making the splice, we'll first need a big box, far larger than the junction boxes you're used to, due to NEC 314.28(A).  In particular, you'll need an absolute minimum of a 6" long by 8" wide by 3" or 4" deep, NEMA 1 (indoor) pull box with a flush-mount cover, grounding kit, and 8AWG grounding jumper in order to accommodate such a tap, using dual-rated (AlxCu) insulated mechanical splicing connectors (Polaris™ or equivalent).  However, it may be cheaper to use a larger box so that you can use a UL listed (UL1953/QPQS) power distribution block in accordance with NEMA 314.28(E) as Polaris-type connectors tend to be rather expensive compared to distribution blocks, and also lead to a somewhat messier install compared to the neatness a distribution block can provide in this application.
If you do decide to go the distribution block route, you'll need an 8" long by 8" wide by 4" deep NEMA 1 pull box with a flush cover, a dual-rated (AlxCu) 3-pole power distribution block such as the MPDB63193 to make the splices, a few appropriately sized sheet-metal screws to mount the PDB to the box, and some grounding parts. In your case, I would use an Ilsco NBAE-0307-1 mounted with a 1" 10-32 machine screw through the supplied grounding hole in the box to attach the ground wires to the box.  If the box lacks a grounding hole, you can use a 1" 10-32 thread-rolling screw (Taptite™ or equivalent) into an appropriate field-drilled pilot hole instead of the 10-32 machine screw.
Either way, you'll need appropriate bushings and SER clamps to get the cables into the box.  You may also need to make your own KOs in the sides of the pull box using a punch set in order to fit the SER clamps in the appropriate places so that you have sufficient slack in the existing wires to make your connections.  Some pull boxes ship without knockout rings pre-stamped in them to begin with, even!
Go big or go home!
If you don't already have the new panel installed, I would get the biggest panel I could in order to save you the hassle of having to upgrade it down the line.  In particular, a 24- or 30-space, 125A, main lug panel would not be at all out of place here.  If you feel like putting the money you're saving on wire to work, you can even use a 40-space or 42-space, 200A or 225A main lug panel for the new subpanel.  Either way, you'll need to fit the panel with separate grounding bars and pull the bonding screw from it, just like any other subpanel.
TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC
Last but not least, you'll want to use an inch-pound torque wrench to torque all the various connection setscrews to their labeled torque specifications.  This is a new requirement in NEC 110.14(D) as of the 2017 NEC, and a good idea anyway in order to ensure that your connections will pass the test of time.


What is the appropriate way to seal an opening in a pressurized tube around an inserted object?

Many years ago at the beginning of my engineering career we made sealed temperature sensors using silicon diodes bonded onto the ends of Teflon insulated wire. The wires were then fed through two holes drilled through a short length of 0.25" diameter Teflon rod. The rod was the inserted into a standard brass compression fitting using a standard brass compression ring that tightly sealed the Teflon rod and formed it very tightly around the pass through wires.

What you see above is a heater assembly that produced a temperature controlled gas stream in the range of -55C to +125C. The two diode assemblies on the heater were for redundant critical over temperature safety cutouts and the one at the pipe TEE was used to monitor the gas stream temperature for closed loop control of the heater assembly. Thermal mass of of the system was part of maintaining a stable gas stream temperature.

Note that silicon diodes biased at a constant current of 1mA produce excellent temperature sensors that are linear over the whole operating range of -55to+135C.


Aluminum window trim: what is it called and where to look for it?

That looks like powdercoated steel.  In that size, you probably will have to get something custom made.  You can try to source the raw powdercoated steel yourself online (or locally?) and have a professional shape it for you.  If you are lucky you might find some pre-bent 90 degree stock online as well.

Here's one possible one-stop shop, but it might be pricey.  Be careful to match the sheen to your existing metal! http://www.rapidsheetmetal.com/powder.aspx

I think you'd be best off finding a fab shop locally so you can bring your piece in and just have them duplicate it to your specs.


How do I choose between ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms?

One consideration is where it's going to be installed.

The issue being that some places are more likely to have them go off when they shouldn't.

Ionizing can be affected by steam, so has problems if installed right outside a bathroom.  They also don't work too well if mounted near moving air (forced air systems, ceiling fans, etc.)

Photoelectric are set off by lots of dust, so workshops, laundry rooms (lint) and the like are problem areas for them.

They both have problems in kitchens.

Where you can, you should use combination alarms, but you can also use a mix of types to achieve the same effect, while avoiding areas that might cause them to go off when they shouldn't.


A unloaded 19' long cedar 2x10 will sag about a little less than 0.2" which is L/>1000 and I would expect that to more than fit your needs.

HOWEVER: 19' long 2x10's will roll over in the middle meaning that they will twist in the middle with the appearance of the top tending to roll to one side as if attempting to roll completely over. The way to mitigate this is to add blocking. It is typical to add full depth blocking at 8' oc which would require two rows of blocking for your case.


How can I replace laminate with polished concrete flooring?

The main problem you will have is thickness, thin concrete tends to crack. Your laminate flooring is all of 1/2 inches thick most likely, so the maximum your concrete floor could be is that much, and that's not enough. Other problems are:

unless you are pouring on slab the flexing of your floor will cause the concrete to crack
unless you are pouring on slab the concrete will drop between the floorboards
unless you are pouring on slab the floor will probably not be designed to take the weight and could lead to structural problems
Creating polished concrete requires special materials and repeated sanding with ever finer diamond wheels, equipment which would be very expensive even to rent, presuming you can rent it

I'm not saying it's impossible, if you're on slab you might be ok, but if it were me I'd be considering a cool looking tile rather than polished concrete.


Best way to mount metal boxes on EMT run through 2x4 framing

If you can drill straight through to run longer chunks (or if not able to, a bunch of shorter chunks, and couplers, and perhaps slightly oversized holes in some studs to facilitate getting them in) you can just run the conduit in a straight line at the elevation you want the boxes at, and run straight into the sides of the boxes, rather than using a bunch of elbows up into the boxes. This does involve working your way along to do the install, since you can't easily insert one in the middle of a run that way. But if you build it as you go, it works perfectly well, and is shorter, with fewer bends.
The "crushed corner covers" are exposed work covers, intended for use without drywall or trim plates. There are different covers intended for use with drywall or plaster, commonly known as mud rings and coming in various depths/extensions - and then used with normal trim plates for the devices to finish the opening around the devices in the drywall/plaster surface.


holes in the wooden columns of the porch

Whack the pole with a hammer a few times and see if you can stir the bees up enough to fly out. stick a piece of wire down there to get an idea of how big an opening there is and maybe spook them out. Last resort, spray some insecticide down there and then block up the hole with some caulk.
I don't think a few would be a major problem to the columns but you don't need a major nest around your immediate living area.


How do I care for the land area directly above a septic tank?

You can pretty much do anything above a septic tank, as long as you aren't going to be doing major landscaping that requires tractors, heavy equipment, etc..

The one thing you do want to be aware of is the location of any inspection pipes, or manholes that might have a negative effect on mower blades.  Trying to mow around these nice yard "features" can be quite frustrating.  For our old system, we mulched around the area containing the manholes and inspection pipes (~ 4" white pvc pipe with a cap), and planted a nice flower garden around it.  We had our 3-year pumpings scheduled in the early spring before we plant, and if we needed work done on the system, flowers are easy enough to re-plant.  There are also some realistic looking fake hollow rocks you can buy- we'll probably do this at our new place, as the covers are in an area not well suited to a flower garden.


How to remove bulb from this Harden faucet to replace cartridge

Try to grasp the chrome collar with a pair of vice grips, (carefully so you don't scratch the surface) and urn it counterclockwise. It should come off.


Storm-chasing contractors and insurance claims

The universal rule is that if the vendor solicits you instead of the other way 'round, he has stacked the deck in his favor at your expense. Either in cost or quality. This is what you pay for the convenience.

If you signed papers then it sounds like the negotiation phase ended.

Your next step is to read the papers you did sign, and see what you are allowed to do, and what you are obliged to do.

We can't guess because we didn't read them either :)

In the future, never, ever, ever, ever, ever hire a company you learn about because they solicited you.  You are welcome to say "Get off my property" then use it as a tickler to remind you to do your own self-initiated search for respectable roofing vendors.  Also beware of social media which is easily faked like Facebook, or in the business of referrals like Angie's List.  Yelp tends to be full of salty gripers, but it's actually not half bad for this, because they really work to keep corruption/fake reviews off.

Also in the future, read before you sign (recommended: never sign the same day). Most people believe "keeping your word" is a cornerstone social value, essential to honesty.  Well, think about it, how can you keep your word if you don't know what your word is?


How much current can my double pole breaker supply?

Common misunderstanding.  If you supply your sub-panel with 90 amps at 240 volts, that's what it will have.  You'll still have 90 amps available on 2 legs at 120 volts. So yes, you'll have 180 amps available at 120 volts (90 amps on each hot (leg)).
If possible, can you run your table saw and compressor at 240? Many motors can easily be converted from 120 to 240 with a simple wiring change.  See the face plate on the motor for instructions.  If not, be sure they are on separate 120 v legs. And just because the instructions for a table saw says it needs a certain amperage, the reality is tools like a table saw rarely draw their full load.   I know others here tend to over-kill the supply, but I'm a bit more realistic to real-world considerations.


What type of subfloor should be used for on grade for nail down engineered hardwood?

If you're not wedded to a nail-down install, the best route to go with here is a floating floor with nothing but a soft underlayment between the flooring and the slab. This is an accepted install method for engineered hardwood over a slab, and your flooring manufacturer/seller should be able to provide you with instructions for how to do it and not void the warranty.

As for vapor barriers, you only need to worry about that if your concrete slab doesn't already have a vapor barrier underneath it. Obviously there's no way to easily check, but if the slab was poured in the last 20 or 25 years, there's a very good chance it already has one. In any event, once the current flooring is off, you should have a calcium chloride moisture test performed on the slab. Where you live matters, too. I live in the desert, so soil moisture is a non-issue here, and my slab's lack of a vapor barrier underneath it is irrelevant. If you're in the pacific northwest, it's a different story.

If the moisture test shows that you need a vapor barrier, choose a closed-cell foam underlayment, not something water-sensitive like cork.


Typically the connection of 12/3 to two side by side breakers (black on one, red on other) is used to run a 220v line.  A 220v line has two hots - each carrying 110v - pulled from adjacent breakers on the panel.  In such cases, the single white line is the 220v Neutral.

Speaking electrically :
What this guy did was use 12/3 to carry 220v to a junction box where he divided it back up into 110 - which should be fine because in reality the 12/3 is two parallel 110v lines, with a single neutral.   The single neutral isn't really a problem here - ultimately all lines share a single neutral back at the breaker box.  In your case, the shared neutral stops at a junction box - and the lines to the outlets are on their own neutral lines.

Are there any hazards to the receptacles?  No, as long as they're wired properly its no different than connecting the neutrals back at the neutral bus bar.

Speaking in terms of CODE and what's allowable - I honestly don't know if it's legal or not, but I cannot think of a reason why it wouldn't be.  The junction boxes are accessible, and using 12/3 to carry 220v is legit, and each outlet is wired to 110 properly.


Can a 3-wire surge protective device be used on a single phase, 120V circuit?

I've used that exact part exactly as you described before on a 30A commercial circuit without incident.

Now, do I know that it has protected equipment from surges?  No.  But No damage has occurred since its installation.

Do keep in mind, that one of the 'ready' lights won't come on, because each ready light depends on a separate hot having voltage potential between it and what it thinks is neutral.  It's likewise not unrealistic to expect any faulty indicators to fail similarly.  But the MOVs will do the same job regardless.


How can I attach a 3.5" mounting plate to a 2.75" round electrical box?

Use the universal crossbar and drill (or punch) holes through the drywall where the mounting screws for the fixture will land. The canopy that came with the fixture should cover the whole area.


Get phone signal where there's no signal

Google Earth is actually quite helpful without fussing with drones at getting a pretty good idea of the profile along a path. You have to look for it, but it's there in the detailed information about the path. Bring up GE, find you, find the tower, draw a path. There are probably other programs, but that's the one I happen to know and use. Radio signals do not propagate through dirt (or very poorly) so you need the antenna high enough that it can see the antenna at the other end.

Antenna towers of any significant height are expensive and can be hazardous if not built correctly (thus, expensive - cheaper to construct a properly engineered expensive at the outset tower than to have a large cheap home-made antenna tower fall on people, houses, vehicles...)

Solar panels, a charge controller and batteries are often the best source of power for an off-grid antenna system. Fueled generators are expensive to run, long-term. Solar systems are expensive at first, but inexpensive to run if properly constructed.

Generically, you are looking at (normally antenna) tower construction. Wireless Internet Service Providers (WISPs) might be another path to investigate.

Coming to an arrangement with landowners of the top of one of the hills, and along the path from your house to the top of the hill may be considerably cheaper than building a large antenna tower.

For smallish antenna towers, sometimes a large flagpole will work. Many of those are arranged so that the pole can be easily lowered to the ground, making it comparatively easy/safe to install and maintain the device on the top of them. Other towers need to be climbed, and that is a hazardous occupation in and of itself.


That does not look like a port intended for connecting any sort of hose, particularly as the rim is rounded over without any provision for sealing or securing. It looks like a round register that is missing the central diffuser and damper control parts:

(Photo by Paul Goyette on Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA license)
Do not connect your air conditioner to it as this will most likely disrupt the building's ventilation system (sending your hot exhaust air to other people's apartments) and also probably have flow restriction that will reduce your AC's performance.
Instead, buy an aftermarket sliding door vent kit.


Well, I have made tight installations before but leaving access is key. Was the fitter blessed with an IQ in single digits?
I would rotate the right hand one (blue) by 90 degrees then it can still be turned off etc as well as both unions used.


It appears that this is a king stud and there is no jack stud for the opening.

Did he cut into it too much?

It appears that the notch is less than(?), not more than, 50% of the stud width, which is not ideal but it should be ok.
Cabinets and microwave are safe. Is the wall supporting any roofing structure or second story structure? I.E. A load bearing wall?
I would have done it differently but it is done now.
Shorter nipple off of the 90 degree elbow, pass the pipe through the stud by drilling a hole in the stud and turning it so it comes straight out of the wall and then a valve. It would have been more PIPE work but in my opinion the correct way to do it.


Just gas bubbles in the fillet brazing that joins the carbide to the shank. You can see the brass color of the brazing in the flute. The carbide is socketed into the shank and the braze weld in that area is the true strength element.

In brazed joints, the fillet is more cosmetic blending to reduce a stress riser than additional strength, the important part is hidden in the braze weld in the socket the carbide bit inserts into.


Correct gauge of wire to power 2 ceiling lightnings

1.5 wire needs to be protected by a 16 Amp (or weaker) breaker. You are fine on that front.

Your total wattage will be 10*40W*2 = 800W; on a 220V line this will mean 800W / 220V = 3.6 Amps. So overload is not an issue assuming there is nothing else on that breaker. (If there is then add the wattage to the 800W and divide again)

You should also extend the ground wire if there is one, this is a green/yellow wire and should be connected to the ground connection of the chandelier.


How to fix placement of over-stove exhaust

The best possible idea is to find a good sheet metal place and have them build you something beautiful and custom. It wouldn't be cheap, but shouldn't be outrageous, unless they have to come and visit (which they shouldn't, if you can make a good drawing).

Alternately, get about double the amount of tin ducting that would ordinarily go into such a project and start hacking away with abandon. Use good metal tape (not duct tape -- eww!), screws where appropriate, and wear gloves. Then -- and this is where I give away all my trade secrets -- hide that mess with a 3 sided box made out of plywood or something nice you've got lying around.


All devices in the US are required to have Nameplate information. If you have someone pull one out, it should have the name of the manufacturer, current carrying capacity, voltage requirement, and part number. It may be very hard to read but your picture shows 3 of them and I'm fairly sure that information can be gleaned from them.


Why won't my toilet flush right? Did our plumbers not put something back right?

If you had "the sewage line get backed up" all along and didn't do anything to fix it (replacing the water line doesn't) then the sewage line will only get worse.

As for your tub (I think you want me to guess you shower in the tub instead of having both a tub and a separate shower), it probably connects to the sewage line after the clog that affects your toilet.


Garage door opener will not close unless the wall button is held

99% of the time, the issue is the door sensor. Usually an infrared beam, it runs across the bottom of the doorway to reverse the door if anything blocks it. You'll need to check them. There's typically a green light unit (transmitter) and a red light unit (receiver). The red light will flash if there's no beam from the transmitter.

Make sure they are aligned properly. If someone bumped it, it can fail easily
Make sure the sun is not hitting the transmitter or receiver. In the spring and fall, it sometimes hits mine and causes issues at certain times of the day.
Make sure nothing is covering any holes. My newer Genie unit has transmitters that have a nice hole for spiders to build a nest in. A can of compressed air can help with that


Is hooking up led lights to a timer cost effective?

No, the lights will use many more times the power that a timer, digital or analog, uses. If you talk about digital timers, the difference is astronomical. A modern solid-state timer will use no more than half a watt (5v logic x 100ma consumption), probably a lot less.

In terms of mechanical timers, it's still a lot lower than 7w; Using a kill-a-watt, I just now plugged in all 4 mechanical timers I had around (at once), and the meter was still unable to measure the draw, placing all 4 at under 3 watts combined. There are different brands in that batch as well: 1 intermatic, 2 ikea, and one unknown. Think how long a tiny battery can power a mechanical watch; clocks are low-power these days.

Obviously 7w > (x/<3), so your friend is simply wrong. He's a lot closer than he would have been 5 years ago, but he's still wrong.


What to do about breaker that triggers main panel, and breaker that's stuck?

QO's are quality breakers, so your "off breaker" is probably a tripped breaker because the circuit it's feeding has a big short.  When you reset it, the short was strong enough to also trip the main breaker.  (i.e. trip the main first).  That sometimes happens.  The repair here is to hunt down and fix the short.  It's either amateurish or failed wiring at a junction box, or a nail driven through the Romex.

Your breaker that won't turn off is a very serious problem and that breaker should be pulled immediately.  It is an old-school "double-stuff" breaker.  The new style QO "double-stuffs" look different, the switches are abreast of each other.   That is fine.


All too often these things are not installed with serviceability in mind - meaning you rip open the ceiling or floor when you do need to service them. Usually the ceiling is less trouble. Evidently that might be a once in a century operation, if this is the first time it's needed to be serviced...but it still makes me curse whoever entombed it and didn't provide an access panel.


Wire that is 8 AWG is just a smidgen over 1/8" in diameter. Copper wire is also a soft metal that actually bends fairly easily.

The trick to bending wire into a shape is to bend it around an object using the object as a mandrel. If your project is similar to producing something like the following then I think you can bend the wire simply using the bottle as the mandrel. For the tight turns at the neck of the bottle I would start by using a longer than needed length of wire at the broad part of the bottle and wrap down through the tighter and tighter turns at the neck. If you have an extra length to hold onto as you get into the tight turns it should be relatively easy to just form it around. After the bends are complete then cut off the excess foot or so of wire. In the example shown the maker actually formed a decorative ending on the wire.


How can I vent moisture from a small pump house?

Unless I am missing something, this seems a perfect application for an air-to-air heat exchanger.  Fully insulate the building, seal it up, and install the heat exchanger in a convenient location.  A blower through it could be controlled by a humidistat.

If winters are very cold, some supplemental heat might be needed inside the building unless there is quite a large mass of water.

A reasonably effective plate heat exchanger could be built by anyone with basic sheet metal experience.


Help changing direct hard-wire to outlet for new dishwasher

I think your methodology is sound. You want to make sure the plug and outlet is accessible so putting it under the sink is the way to go. When you mount it be sure to secure it to a stud and away from anywhere that could be exposed to water. This means away from the shutoff valves and not directly under the sink supply connections. Cable straps will hold the metallic cable in place. Make sure that you use enough straps that the cable is secure to the wall studs under the sink and not loose or attached to the flooring. Based on your picture you can probably do this without trimming the cable.
Take out the appropriate knockout and using the connector to secure the cable run the cable and wires into the box. Secure the connector with the locknut. Connect the hot (black) wire to the brass screw and the white to the silver. Green goes to the ground.
You shouldn't need a GFCI on this but check codes.

Edit
Many dishwashers that come with a wall plug also have alternate instructions for hardwiring. The Beko installation manual doesn't offer that as an option but you might want to contact the manufacturer to see if it is recommended.


Do outside faucets need to be winterized in a home with a conditioned crawlspace?

Varies with climate/temperature and specifics of the faucets/plumbing. We've had heated basements for a long time, so nothing all that new here.

If they are frost-free sillcocks, probably nothing is needed, but you'll save a bit of energy and add some insurance with an insulated cover over the outer part. I have seen these freeze in a heated basement under very cold conditions with no water use (so even though the sillcock was drained back to the inside valve, it conducted enough heat away from the inside that water in the pipe near it, on the other side of the valve, froze.) That was probably at -20F and the basement was heated, but not hot. Since the piping for the faucet was near the outside wall, it was a relatively cold spot in a "heated" basement, with a hunk of thermally conductive brass sticking out into the cold.

If the sillcocks are not of the frost-free type with a long stem and a valve on the inside, in my opinion they need to be drained in any climate where it freezes, though you might get away with neglecting that in a very mild freeze, depending how well the pipes are exposed to the heat; again, that can be improved somewhat with the insulated covers for the outside part, but draining them is safest.


Need help finding an obscure and difficult to find seal for my leaking Shower Cubicle

For anyone who encounters a similar situation, I did just find that the channel under the door needed filling with some clear silicone sealant. Once I did that then the leaking stopped.

I have no idea why the sealant was missing, maybe a previous tenant removed it because it got mouldy and looked bad.

Either way problem solved and thanks to Jim and brhans for the pointers that got me to the correct solution.

Hope that helps someone else.


How should I connect my solar panels to each controller for optimal performance (series or parallel) without buying new charge controller?

Your panels are 37V yet your controller is 100V max.  Since 3 panels is 111V, that means we can only wire 2 panels in series.  That also means odd panels will be a problem.

But so far, the odd panel already is, since it has a different facing than the other panels.

The mixed panels are so close in working voltage that they can be paralleled without worry.  However that will necessitate fat cables.

To work them in series, will require they be facing the same direction and recieve sun at about the same times.   If they are in series, and one is in sun and the other in shade, you will not get much out of that array - whereas if they were in parallel, you would at least have the sun-lit one.  However parallel requires fat cable.

So for right now, the two 315W solar panels that face the same way can be placed in series and wired to one of the controllers.  The voltage drop calculator says #12 wire will be fine for this purpose with only 2.11% voltage drop.   The single 315W panel facing oddly should go on the other controller.  This can use #12 but will have 4.22% drop; #10 wire brings this voltage drop into line at 2.55% drop.

When you add the other 4 panels, again the question will be if they can be grouped in pairs, with each member of the pair facing the same way and going in/out of shade at about the same time.  If so, they can be placed in series.

Multiple pairs of series-wired panels can then be paralleled together for the cable run back to the panel.  Two panel pairs should use #12 for 4.22% drop, or #10 wire for 2.55% voltage drop.  Three panel pairs could use #10 wire for 3.83% drop, or #8 wire for 2.52% drop.  Or, each panel pair could use its own #12 cable going back to the controller. Your call.

Individual panels should each get their own home-run, as it will not be economical on wire to try to parallel them.  Use #12 with 4.22% drop, or #10 for 2.55% drop.

The series pairs of panels should  be paralleled onto the larger charge controller.  The individual panel(s) should be paralleled onto the smaller one, but no more than 3 panels onto this 30A unit.


What to mask space between panel floor and balcony with?

You can stack molding.  Perhaps a piece of square stock, then a separate quarter round "shoe molding" as you illustrated.  Be sure to keep your hardwood floor expansion gap intact.

Complex molding is often built up from simpler shapes: once painted you never notice.


How should I fill 1/8" nail holes in a hardwood floor?

Most engineered and laminate floor installations come with a repair kit such as this. They can also be found in home centers.

It usually consists of wax crayons color matched to the floor to rub into small nailholes or other imperfections.  These are rubbed over the hole to fill it, scaped flush and then buffed slightly with a dry cloth.

Because they are wax, they cannot be coated with a finish, but for small holes this generally is not an issue

A hadware store can provide the wax crayon fillers such as these:

Pick a few colors.  They can be blended and will come in handy later on.

The kits also usually contain a small bottle of a polyurethane type finish matched in sheen to the floor for scratches.  In theory, you could fill, stain and then seal small nail holes with this finish, but usually not done.

Finding a small bottle of matching scratch filler will be tougher than wax fillers and the process more compicated.


Best material to seal fireplace door gaps for irregular stone fireplace?

the best way to this is with fiberglass gasketing, sometimes called door rope.  its just a fiberglass rope.  you get some hi-temperature sealant for same, inject into the area it is to fill so that it covers stone and the metal assembly.  then, rub it all over the rope (cut to the right length ahead of time) and then simply squeeze into the gap.  different diameters might need to be used, but usually one will do.  tape off all adjacent areas and where gloves as the sealant is quite gooey and makes a big mess.  wipe the area off with acetone after to clean up prior to removing the tape

http://www.mcmaster.com/#high-temperature-seals/=103j65h

http://www.mcmaster.com/#high-temperature-sealants/=103j5zd

they will sell something similar at your local big box building store


How do I make this large mold for concrete countertop?

Yellow line is where you need to go, make the form slightly longer on the meeting edges so the ends can be recut to a clean joint. the reason being, moisture loss in concrete will change the look of the slab were it looses it rapidly. This means at any joint in the form where water can leak out will force the concrete to cure differently. Caulking the corners will help fix the problem an will also radius the edges a little or more if you choose, when done in the right spots. This should be done on the meeting joint, but of course you don't want a radius where they meet, hence the recut. Have some 1/4" stainless steel rod to drop into the wet mix at the sink front to strengthen those ends. If you put any on the back edge, be sure you steer clear of the area where the faucet is drilled.

You may be aware of this already, but I need to mention this. Concrete slab tops are honed/polished like natural stone is. A stain can be added to the surface prior to honing to add a variation in color too. Melamine will give a good start, but the honing and polishing will give a fine finish.


How do I stretch a replacement drain hose to fit over the existing pipe?

Spit, determination and super human powers.  You might put a little soap and water (very little) on the inside to help but wait a day before using the washer.  Don't forget the clamps.  That would be bad. Very bad.


As noted above you should be able to find a wooden transition piece that would be large enough. The box stores may not carry such a large piece in stock but I'd be surprised if you couldn't find one online somewhere.

Another option is to make a wooden transition piece yourself by taking something a 1x4 board and beveling the edges using a table saw, then sanding and finishing the piece. This would require some amount of skill, but it's a pretty simple job.

Other possible options:

1) fill it in with sanded grout that matches the grout in the existing tile floor. It won't look amazing, and the grout may crack over time especially if the vinyl floor expands into it and/or the subfloor is not great. But it's a quick, cheap and easy fix that will probably last until you are ready to redo the tile floor.

2) Get a matching piece of the vinyl flooring and cut it to fit the gap. This might look a little odd, but not too odd.

3) Fill it in with floor putty. They sell it in different colors. A gap that large filled with putty might also look a little odd, but it would be quick and easy to apply, and it should hold up well.

A final thought: You could always use a smaller transition piece that you buy off the shelf to cover most of the gap, then fill in the rest with floor putty or grout.


What can I use to drill dowel holes down the end of a long piece of wood?

Buy a self centering dowel drilling jig. Lee Valley has them, as will virtually all wood working supply sources, Rockler, for example.

The jig clamps to the end of your board, and then you drill through a hardened drill guide into the board, using a hand drill. These dowel jigs used to be much more common in the days before biscuits, pocket screws, etc.


If the floor is warm and you hear a hiss, it's not "slowly" leaking, it's spraying in a significant quantity. Prepare for a large utility bill, and go shut off your water supply. It takes a pretty significant leak to noticeably warm the floor, in my (unfortunate, and that was a BIG gas bill) experience.


Adding outlet to kitchen cabinet with a gap

I would use and 4-square commercial metal box, available from the big box stores or any home center/large hardware store.  Knock out a hole in the back of the box, insert a pop-in NM connector install the wire through the connector and screw the box to the back of the cabinet.  Purchase a single gang mud ring.  install the ring on the box.  Install the receptacle and the plate.


What is coming out of my pipe and how can I fix it?

It looks like the tee in that spot is in need of repair. It likely wasn't sweated (soldered) properly.

If you don't fix it, it will likely continue to grow. So in a sense, it is alive...

EDIT: I was wrong in an earlier version of this answer where I said that copper oxide is blue: it's actually black. The blue/green that you see may be due to minerals in the water, like sulfates, which react with the copper. Others mentioned in the comments to your question that it may be due to the acid flux that was originally used when sweating the joint. A flux like that has HCl and have salts that can react with copper to form copper chloride, which is green.


The techniques used are all similar but seems to have regional names.It is called slab lifting,mudpumping,etc.The method is to pump a slurry under the pad and lift it.I would check for a foundation repair company that has good local references.I have no idea of cost.I'm sure it varies based on the size of the slab,amount of lift.


Maybe there is a small crack or leak near the top of the toilet tank overflow tube. See diagram below at red arrow.

(Picture Source: https://titanzplumbing.com/does-your-toilet-randomly-start-running/)


It's a data cable.

Probably CAT5 or CAT5E grade. (it will be written on the blue jacket every metre.)

These cables are used for ethernet (between computers and routers) and for connecting telephones, and home automation equipment, intercoms, thermostats etc. I'm guessing there used to be a phone jack there.


How can I remove/reattach the clamp on a dishwasher hose?

Perhaps you can detach the board (assuming it isn't glued but screwed in place), put the pipe in place and re-attach the board over the pipes?


How do I increase the height of a sliding glass door lock?

I see that you posted under a carpentry tag. however, my solution would be to find a section of Aluminium Tubing, or tubing profile which fits the "gap" which you describe.

As  You can see, the example picture is a rectangular profile, which will run the entire height of the door, To fill the specified gap.

Your problem will be to attach said profile to the side of the slider. essentially the best thing would be to drill into the frame and insert pop rivets, however, there will be a glass pane on the other side of the aluminium door frame, so drilling will be difficult.

The profile below will allow you to drill your rivets on the side of the door (ie the narrow face of the sliding profile, then you can drill two holes on the top and bottom of the slider (in your photo its the side you can see.

You will then be able to mount your lock flush to the hinge door.

Above you can see what I mean. I must stress here, that you dont want to break the glass pane by drilling into the frame where there is glass.


How do I break a concrete slab without damaging cabling running through it?

If you need to maintain the existing phone cable, leave it alone. Actually, even if you're not planning on using the existing phone cable, just leave it alone.
If you want/need to run the fiber close to the existing cable, drill a new hole. That will give you a neat, tidy opening you can run the fiber through and shouldn't cause any damage to the existing cable, so long as you're not trying to get too close to it.
Optionally, run the fiber in a totally different location. Bring it to the slab, then run it up, in EMT or Schedule 80 PVC (for protection on the outside of the house), until you hit wood, then go in through the wood instead of through concrete. This will make all your work much easier as any work to get through wood is much easier than any method of getting through concrete.


Ceramic ring installed wrong and now jammed

Some fixtures are sold with a special tool for tightening those rings. You may check with lighting store to see if they have one. If you can disconnect the fixture and take it in the the store with you they may be able to get it off with your having to purchase one. It looks similar to this

This image is a "Spectrum G9 Lamp Shade 20mm Locking Nut Ring Removal Tool" and was from amazon but listed as unavailable.


Can you help identify these clips (or a replacement)?

Make a new piece out of epoxy putty
You can get some of the two part epoxy putty and sculpt a new piece that matches the old one.  Cut it with a razor and put the screw holes in when it is soft.  Epoxy putty is really hard when it sets.  It should be able to do the job that your old piece did.
There are lots of things on the web about making things from epoxy putty - flying ladies, chess pieces etc.  Your needs are a lot more straightforward than that.
Maybe make a spare while you have the putty in anticipation of the other plastic piece breaking someday.


How to enlarge lock hole (small mailbox)?

I would search for "mailbox locks" on your favorite search engine and don't forget to go on line and check at Home Depot, Lowes and Ace Hardware. They have locks that may replace the lock you had to remove. Lastly, look on the box for a name. If you find a name contact them for their recommendation.


You will most likely have to open the ceiling, remove the fan housing which was presumably nailed or screwed in place from the outside before the ceiling was fitted, install the new fan and repair the ceiling.
Drywall repair is a fact of life for getting things done, many times.


How can I hang a plywood sign by the edge?

A large sign should be hung with a fastener that is passes through a hole that is drilled through the face of the plywood.

Using fasteners into the edges of plywood is almost always to be discouraged because the threads of screws or lag bolt type fasteners just do not hold very well. In the case of a sign the hole in the top edge invites the possibility of moisture intrusion and the separation of layers which can further weaken an edge joint.

There are various types of hanger brackets that can be used for a face drilled fastener in the sign. Here is a picture of one type that could be used:


What's the best way to connect transfer switch and sub panel?

Get a bigger subpanel
You appear to have an automatic transfer switch, and the switching happens there.  The 10? 12? space subpanel is just an ordinary run of the mill subpanel.  It isn't special, it isn't matched to the transfer switch, or anything like that.
However, it is the long experience of the experts on this forum that you will find the "only 12 spaces" very stifling later down the road, and you will regret not upsizing that subpanel now while you have the chance.  A 30-space is not excessive.  Really.
Note that if you buy the same type of subpanel as your main panel, you can simply move the breakers over.  This will save a ton of money if any of them are AFCI or GFCI breakers!   You could not move them into the pictured subpanel without replacing its plain breaker with a GFCI breaker for that panel type.
I realize there is a mentality among generator owners that only a precious few circuits can be on generator; that's not true at all.   It is sourced, however, from something barely related which is true, but we'll come back round to that.
Provisioning power to panels
What's got you knocked for a loop is how the breakers can add up to more than the main.  But that's OK because most circuits are rarely loaded.  So, with a house, you do a "load calculation" to estimate a likely loading for a house.  You only need the service to cover that.
For instance, "3 watts per square foot" is a general rule, plus 1500 W per kitchen and laundry-room circuit.  This seems very arbitrary, but it's backed up by an enormous amount of data collected over decades by the NFPA.
However, there's an exception when a load is specifically known:  E.G. Mary uses a spare bedroom to run Bitcoin miners, PC servers that do complex math all day, and draw 12A @ 120V doing it x 8 miners. Mary can't just fold that into the normal load calc for the house because it runs at the same time as those.  The rules say that for continuous loads, you must derate 125% - so 12A becomes 15A.  So those 8 servers, 4 per "leg" of 240V, mean 60A @ 240V must be provisioned just for those.  That adds onto the normal load calculation for the house - so if that was 39A, Mary skates by with 99A needed to be provisioned.
So you can use general rules, or if you have specific info you can use that instead.  For instance a modern refrigerator takes about 0.9 amps  (108W) when running, and 0.3 amps (36W) on average, so a dedicated fridge circuit needs only a small allocation.
...Because an ATS-controlled generator must be big enough
These calculations matter because they are the basis for complying with a rule:  Code requires that a generator controlled by an automatic transfer switch be large enough to pick up the entire provisioned load (i.e. the load that is on the generator-side subpanel).
It certainly doesn't say all the possible load.  You don't have to figure based on every appliance being on at once, because nobody is making toast while they run a hair dryer while they run a gaming PC at max while they run a chop saw.
And there's a neat exception for loads which are on an automatic "load shed" device - which will connect the load to the generator only when it has enough power to drive it. (or to be more precise, disconnect it if the generator is lugging). Those don't count toward the "entire load".
So the upshot is, you can support a lot more circuits than you think you can - including ALL your house's lighting and general-use receps. This could be 2 dozen circuits! Stuff like this is why it's important to have a LOT of spaces.
Breakers MUST match panels
Do not use "his" circuit breaker unless it's a dead-nuts match for your type of panel. For instance if the breaker is Eaton BR type, and your panel is a Bryant BR type, that is fine since they are the same type (Bryant became Cutler Hammer which is owned by Eaton)... but you can't use it in a GE or Square D panel.
This isn't brand-name "rah rah".  The shape of the power buses is actually different, and the clips from one breaker won't engage properly to another panel's bus stabs. You'll get corner (single point) contact instead of flat-surface contact, and that will overheat and burn up the bus stab.  At worst it'll start a panel fire. We see it all the time.

If I went with a large subpanel, I would position them like this.  Place the ATS first so the knockouts line up, only an inch or two below is fine, just so the lids will fit on.   Place the subpanel second so it lines up with an ATS knockout, then have it vertically align with the main panel.  I'd put several short EMT nipples between the panels, they're a real lifesaver when you need 'em.  Metal conduit nipples among the panels mean grounding is taken care of; one less wire to have to mess with.


Dimming LED lamps is not straightforward.  LED lamps contain relatively complex control circuitry (here is an example of a "simple" DIY version) to convert mains-voltage AC into low-voltage DC.  There are various designs of LED driver circuits, which have different characteristics.

Dimmer switches also come in different designs.  The two main types are "leading edge" and "trailing edge" (for more information Google these terms or e.g. see this page).  Some more sophisticated models can be programmed to operate in either mode.  In addition, dimmer switches are rated with both maximum and minimum power handling and will not function or be damaged outside those limits.

So there are a few possible reasons for your problem:

your four LED lamps are below the minimum wattage rating of your dimmer.  This seems most likely given that increasing the load by adding one incandescent works.
your dimmer type is not compatible with your LED lamps.  Adding the incandescent lamp may alter the load characteristics enough that the dimmer switch then works (though with a risk of premature lamp or dimmer failure)
your dimmer is a programmable one and is in the wrong mode for your LED lamps (you will need the instruction manual for the dimmer switch for how to change it - e.g. mine are programmed using a complex sequence of quarter and half turns and on-and-off switches that needs safe-breaking skills to get right)


Outdoor HD ip camera - what do I need to take into consideration?

There are several things to consider when purchasing an outdoor rated camera:

Primary Factors

Ingress Protection (IP) Rated:  At minimum you want a camera that is rated IP65 ("dust tight" and protected against water projected from a nozzle), however, most cameras I have seen are rated one up at IP66 ("dust tight" and protected against heavy seas or powerful jets of water).

Megapixel:  Most HD cameras will be rated by megapixel and at a minimum you want either 1.3 or 1 megapixel. I've seen cameras go high as 8 megapixel, but they are also more expensive. Older, analog cameras will usually be rated by TVL (TV lines) and those do not produce images that allows for easy identification.

Infrared (IR):  You will want to see in the dark, IR cameras will allow you to do this, but usually at a lesser resolution or quality of image. Images in IR are black and white, although, there are new technology coming out that will colorize night time images. Dependent on the field of coverage (backyard length, driveway length, and etc...) you will have to research how far a camera can see with IR enabled.

These are secondary factors, since you are looking for a camera that can connect via WLAN.

Secondary Factors

Ethernet/Network-based:  Most of the time this allows for an easier install (no need for additional hardware, plug & play), you can configure the camera via the web browser and view the camera remotely.

Power-over Ethernet:  If your camera is Ethernet-based--you will only need to run Cat5e/6 to your location.  Data and power will run on a single Ethernet cable, no need to run power or have an outlet at your camera location.  However, note that if your camera doesn't include a POE injector then you will need to get an injector or a POE-enabled switch.


Can I use just one hot and neutral screw for a receptacle?

Use pigtailing here -- the Code doesn't charge for pigtails in the Article 314 box fill accounting.  However, by Article 314, your box is already overflowing -- so put an extension ring/box on it while you are at it.  (You need to get the box's rated volume up to 18 in^3 to fit everything in, or 20 in^3 with internal clamps)


Some brands of GFCI’s trip on power loss. I first found this when putting them in on a bathroom sink outlet that was switched. Every time the light switch was turned off the GFCI tripped when the switch was turned back on. I switched brands and the problem went away. I think this was an early safety that today some new GFCI’s make you press test then reset to energize the GFCI for the first time so I would change brands with one and verify the tripping is no longer happening before replacing them all.


It looks like a Carter-style 3-way (as you state that have knob&tube). In my opinion you have a 3-way on a circuit and the other on another circuit with a shared neutral.


Why does the water out of every faucet in my house feel soapy?

You have "soft" water. It tends to feel slippery. I would not be surprised if you have a water softener, or if you just previously have very hard water in your old abode. – woodchips

More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_softening#Soap_scum


I recently replaced the door handle on my front door.  There were two holes left from the old handle.  I filled them with Plastic Wood, then sanded flush.  Then, I took a awl and mimicked the grain pattern.  It looks spectacular.  After priming and painting, my mother could not even see where the hole was.   You can do it!


How can I protect items stored outdoors?

Temperature is probably not a problem for the types of items you describe (assuming none contain any liquids). That is a good thing since it would be extremely difficult or expensive to keep them from the extremes in summer and winter in the northeast.

You should try to avoid extreme moisture changes. That means sealing in water impermeable containers. You might look at the large plastic bins offered in the big box stores, The edges can be sealed with duct tape (masking tape will dry out and crack). Larger items could be stored in plastic bags.  The construction grade trash bags are stronger than regular bags.  The tops can be knotted and then sealed with duct tape.

You might also consider putting in packets of dehumidifying materials.  These will absorb any existing moisture and help of there is a minor leak in the bags or bins.

These covering will also help keep snow out, but it would be good to arrange so that drifting snow does not sit on the items for a long time. If that were a risk, you might consider a small tarp (the blue/brown/silver plastic types) to put over the whole stack.  Shake snow off after the fall.


To insect proof the block, you only need to fill the last 4" of block. Stuff newspaper in the core down a ways to keep the concrete of masonry mix from dropping all the way down.

Filling the whole core is not needed and to attempt to fill it from the top, through those small holes will only be frustrating. It will not go all the way down anyway. It will stick to the sides and other cross webbing you do not see and start collecting in places before it gets to the bottom.


Use a 20A breaker and 12 AWG (or larger) wiring.

I read through the installation manual, which was surprisingly bereft of meaningful electrical information. Regardless, the MCA is the required Minimum Circuit Ampacity, meaning your circuit needs to be sized appropriately for at least that amperage. The 24kBTU unit has an MCA of 15, so you'd need a circuit capable of supplying at least 15A.

Because this is HVAC equipment, a 14 AWG circuit and 15A breaker is insufficiently sized. This is a continuous load, so you're only allowed to size to 80% of the rated ampacity, and the next larger size is 12 AWG and 20A.The Max Fuse simply states that the maximum size of the OCPD should not be larger than 25A.

HACR is likely to be listed on your breaker, but it's no longer required. Neither the NEC nor UL requires it to be labeled anymore, so don't stress over that.

You can do what others have suggested and use a larger ampacity circuit with an appropriately fused disconnect at the unit, but your circuit would be needlessly oversized.

To directly address your questions, the labels indicate electrical specifications for the unit, and if the instructions only show the indoor unit directly connected to the outdoor unit, then the outdoor unit should provide for any protection the indoor unit requires. The circuit only needs to supply enough current for the unit and not allow more current than the maximum rating.

And no, you don't need to use fuses over breakers.


Adding Recessed Lighting and Switches to Pull Chain Fan

You could probably get by running 14-3 wire from the box to a double gang box. Make the white wire your incoming hot, nut it to your two switches, wire switch #1 to the black, and finally switch #2 to the red. You can then attach the lights to your black at the box, and the fan to the red.

NEC recommends dropping a neutral to the box, however. If you can, get some  14/2/2 wire (4 line) and use the blue (or white-red stripe in some) to bring your hot in. Hook the white to the neutral and then nut it off in the switch box.


Drilling through drywall, hitting mystery object

As it turns out, the reason all holes in this wall were running into something beyond the drywall is soundproofing.

The back of the drywall is laminated with another wood-like material to reduce sound-transfer since another apartment shares this wall.

It is safe to drill through, and beyond it is the normal insulation-filled void you would expect.

Can make studfinders have difficulties though.


What could be causing one circuit out, no breakers thrown, and other lights to flicker?

OK, at first I thought bad back-stab connection at a receptacle, but since this is affecting several places in the house with obviously several varied circuits I would all but guaranty you have a bad line in to your service. This could be anywhere from the connections at the utility pole, to the connections at the top of your house, to inside the meter pan, to the connections to the main breaker in your panel.

Typically this is NOT something for a DIY to troubleshoot. PLEASE call in a qualified electrician to check it out. You may want to contact your utility first, they may send someone out for free to check their side of things.


Turn off the power feeding that outlet and move the wires out of the way.  Set the blade on your circular saw to make a cut just a little bit deeper than the OSB is thick.  From the opposite side of the wall than what is shown in the picture, cut a rectangle out of the OSB that includes the top and bottom of the hole and extends to the middle of each stud to either side.  Cut a piece of OSB to fit the hole, and screw it into the studs.

Alternatively, if you don't want to see a patch, you can just take off the whole piece of damaged OSB and replace it with a new one.


How long should I wait to drill holes into brand new mortar?

The mortar in my closet says to keep wet/moist for 36 hours so it can fully cure. a lot depends on the climate where it's being used so take a look at the directions for your specific mortar. When you do drill, don't use a hammer drill, a regular drill with a mortar/concrete bit is all you'll need. Don't force it, let the drill and bit do their job. Yours should be ready after three days.


What does this lever do near my gas heater?

It's a "damper". It can be manually set (open or closed) depending on quantity of air needed.

During the design of the HVAC system, duct sizes are determined based on size and location of rooms they serve...kind of a best guess. Once the system (ducts) are installed, the quantity of air can be adjusted by opening or closing these dampers.

Often we put these dampers on "fresh air" intake ducts. However, they're still used to adjust the amount of outside air. (We usually start at 10% of the total air required.) In residential construction we usually don't have fresh air intake ducts, because of air leakage around doors and windows.

This damper appears to be on the "return air" duct. Keeping the damper "full open", uses the maximum amount of return air.


Where are your neutral wires? For a ceiling light my best guess is you've mixed up your wires going into the switch and the ones from supply.  You have 2 neutral white and 2 black hot inside the ceiling?  I'm not seeing any neutral wires being connected in that pic.


Name of door/cabinet knob that operates two bolts at once

Search for Cremone Bolt. They are a type of cabinet surface bolt latch that operates two rods or bars, usually oriented vertically with a latch bar throwing to the top and the bottom.

Thanks to Van Dyke's Restoration for the pic.


I am going to start by answering the easy questions first.

The #14 installed by the motor manufacturer is alright. Since manufactures are not regulated by the NEC but by an entirely different set of rules and regulations. JET is a pretty common manufacturer and I feel fairly safe that they are doing the right thing.

NEC Article 430.7(A)(13) states the if a motor is thermally protected is will be labeled as such or have the designation TP on the nameplate. So according to your picture it is not protected. Also your schematic does not show overloads.

Now the circuit design. To start the nameplate shows and amperage of 14.5 but it also shows a KW of 2.2 which translates to 9.5 amps and it doesn't show an efficiency rating. So to be on the safe side I would use the rating found in NEC Table 430.248 which states to use 17 amps as a full load current. By code we add 25% for startup (NEC Article 430.24) so that makes it 21.25 amps. So we can size the conductors for a 30A circuit which would be a #10 conductors.

The overcurrent protection which I assume is a molded case circuit breaker is calculated a little different. the "K" designation on the nameplate is a Locked-rotor Code Letter and it gives us a rating from NEC Table 430.7(B) which basically states that if your saw blade locks up it can surge to around 117 amps. Keep in mind there is a duration on this limit. It might be so quick, 1/120th of a second, you won't be able to detect it. This could happen when your blade hits a knot and surges to cut it. So we don't want that to trip the breaker. NEC Article 430.52 and Table 430.52 allow us to increase the size of the overcurrent protection to compensate for this surging. You have to match your delay trip with your surge in order to prevent nuisance tripping.

Most electricians on site are not going to go through the calcs I just gave you. What they are going to do is to install a 30A circuit and protect it with a 40A breaker and call it good unless you start having a problem.

In conclusion, installing a #10 conductor and 30A breaker would be OK. If you started tripping the breaker while cutting certain lumber you are allowed to increase the breaker at least one size maybe two but I wouldn't go any further without consulting a professional in your area.

It's important to remember that these rules apply only to motor circuits not mixed circuits. For a DIY only install one piece of equipment on one circuit to stay safe. Also the overcurrent protection is designed to protect the motor circuit, not the piece of equipment itself. You might want to install some sort of disconnect or switch with thermal overloads by the saw itself.

Hope this answers some question you might have and stay safe.


What affects the cost of a concrete driveway installation?

As you've seen, prices vary widely.  That's why it's a good idea to shop around and ask for references.  Some operations just don't want to bother with small jobs like yours, so they quote you a high number in the hope that you'll pick someone else.  If you pick them, you pay for the "privilege".  Some quote low-ball prices and I'd be wary of them.  Yes, there are dishonest outfits.  They may use shoddy materials and do crappy work or they may have "unforseen" issues that will cost you more once the job is started.  You name the scam and there is a contractor who does it.
If if were me, I would look closely at those that are in the middle which is where things should cost.
Also, in most areas there are only a few concrete suppliers and their prices are usually quite close.  Call and ask their price per yard delivered for 4000 psi mix.  From that and the number of yards needed you should be able to estimate the concrete cost.


Water pressure in apartment (2nd floor in two floor building) lower since new pipes and new shower

It's quite likely that one shower fixture might well deliver less water (gallons per minute) than another one. This change might save your landlords a good deal of money over a number of buildings, especially if they are paying for the water heating.
Since you are in a rental, and you have a shower that works, whether or not it works exactly as it used to, your option is to move when your lease is up, or not. You are not describing a "problem" you could reasonably expect to break a lease over, or have your landlords change.


What is the best way to convert a garage to livable space?

An uninsulated space will be a huge energy waster. Expensive yes, you would need to have the walls insulated, the roof structure insulated and finished, as well as the door rollup door insulated. If you plan to never use it as a garage again, the door can be removed and a wall put in its place. Some people even build a portion of the garage into a shed in the front, to keep the door. Other things to consider are the floor, cold in winter, hot in summer. But there are lots of things that can be e done to convert a garage. Depends on how much money you want to spend, how much you want to convert, if you plan to ever use it as a garage again...


200 amp service wire jumping from house, to barn to pool house. Somewhere the Neutral is broken

I'm sorry, but we have to talk about legalities.
Especially given the high risk here.
You are not a licensed electrician and that places limits as to what you may do.

You CAN do work the AHJ deems trivial, such as changing receptacles, switches and light fixtures.
You CAN diagnose and test, take deadfronts off panels and poke around with a voltmeter - basically anything a home inspector can do.
The homeowner is entitled to DIY (except a few jurisdictions like NYC), and you are allowed to genuinely assist under their supervision; but this can't be a sham.

But people will assume the worst, especially after an accident.
The problem here is that between the 3-wire feed which may be 40 years old (but is that documented?), the known lost neutral (pretty much the worst-case scenario), and the pool for Pete's sake.  Read electrical drowning reports, and they always open with scenes like this.  You're already involved, so it's a liability albatross for you.
Job One must be to sever yourself from that liability, and the path there is to have a licensed electrician review the site, write an action plan, and serve it on the customer.  That shifts liability to the customer and gets you off the hook.  Preferably get the customer to pay for it, but even if you have to eat it, it's a "get out of jail free" card.
Don't take my word on it. Ask your lawyer.
Based on what you say, I'd confirm your analysis
Given that the voltage swings are extreme at the barn and pool, and not at the house, it seems like a lost neutral somewhere between house panel and barn panel.  Given that several splices are involved in the transition from panels to pole line, it could be any of them.
You say that the installation was previously done (before your time) with 3-wire "triplex" overhead service drop cable, with a bare neutral. That was legal prior to (I want to say) 1999, but not in every case; where there were parallel metal things e.g. water pipe, the ground was sometimes required to keep fault current from corroding the pipes. Since it was installed prior to that, it should be grandfathered by the inspector. Not by the reaper, though: neutral problems like this one are exactly why it was outlawed.
So the short-term quick-fix is to find and fix that poor neutral connection.  Note that NEC 2017 requires use of a torque wrench/screwdriver for most connections, but larger connections such as feeder required it prior to that.
Simply doing the quick fix and walking away will still leave you with big liability exposure.
The next things to look at
And again, merely looking at these things yourself will not reduce your liability.
But I would start with the Grounding Electrode System inclusive of Ufer grounds, ground rods, and all the special grounding and bonding that must happen around a pool.  I'll bet you a lot of that is out-of-order even for the time of original installation.  If work was illegal at the time it was done, it is not grandfathered and must be done to current Codes.
Then I'd look at GFCI requirements especially around the pool areas.
Next, I'd look at running that fourth ground wire.  The problem with a 3-wire feeder is exactly this: nothing really controls a "lost neutral", and if the GES is in good order, it can actually float the earth around the buildings to dangerous levels. (which can combine rather badly with things like fence lines).
The electrician's report would cover all that.


Can you make this adapter work?

This one converts a male 1/2 inch thread to an M22 size. You can see it for sale at this web site.


B is the normally closed contact, W is a normally open contact, and R is common.  So in the initial state, you'll measure continuity (or a low resistance) between R and B, and no continuity (or infinite resistance) between R and W.

When the temperature rises above the set temperature (+ the threshold), the contacts will switch. So you'll measure open (or infinite resistance) between R and B, and closed (or low resistance) between R and W.

To test it with a multimeter, you'll want to use the continuity, or a low resistance setting on the meter.


Mounting a hair dryer holder to a tile wall

In order to mount in on a tiled wall you need to drill a hole in the tile without cracking the tile.

I use a diamond encrusted hole saw and water like this one.

Go slow and you will have clean holes you can then insert  anchors into.

This type of anchor should be sufficient since you have tile on the wall providing rigidity.

( Sized appropriately for the hole size you create. )

If you are lucky, or plan it, you may have a stud where you are mounting the holder. If so then you do not need the anchors, just screw into the stud.


Do I need to use a Sewage/Ejector pump if there's no toilet in the basement?

If you are only pumping grey water it can be pumped by a standard pump. If you later upgrade a toilet then a cheep pump won’t cut the musTURD if you get the pun.


What should I do if one of the screws for a TV mount breaks?

Luckily your mount has slots for the bolts so you have a bit of room to work.  Get another (stronger, higher quality) lag bolt and put it in right beside the broken one.

Leave a tiny bit of room between them if you can, but make sure it still solidly hits the stud.

Predrill the hole.  To find the right size, hold the bolt up behind your drill bit.  The drill bit should cover the entire shaft, but not the threads.  Make sure you drill to the same depth the bolt will go to.

Rub the bolt threads on a candle or bar of soap to lube it up a little if you think it is going to be hard to drive in again.

Drive the bolt in slowly.  Don't use a drill unless it has a low torque screwdriver setting.  You might want to tighten it with hand tools anyways so you don't risk snapping this one too.  There probably isn't room for a third try!


Where should I install the water softener?

Presumably you are in a non-freezing climate?

I believe that virtually all water softeners will at minimum require a shed for protection from the elements - you can't just stick one out in the weather. If that's easier than putting it in the garage, and the climate is indeed not freezing, then put up a shed and put it there. While it's remotely possible that someone makes a model designed for outside installation, it's doubtful that there would be enough volume of sales to make it economical .vs. the more ordinary inside-installation type.


Attach Deck Joists at 45° angle without Hangers

Of course your deck is governed by the Code.

The Code regulates all construction, unless it’s non-structural, (i.e.: carpet, paint, etc.) All work (projects) are reviews for 1) building compliance (height, size, guardrails, stairs, etc.), 2) fire code (setbacks, etc.), 3) structural, 4) energy use, if applicable

Under “structural”, Table 2304.9.1 Fasteners applies.  As you’ll see in Item #29, you’ll see joists fastened to band joist or rim joists can be by:

3 - 16d common face nailed, or
4 - 10d box face nailed, or
4 - 3” x 0.131” face nailed, or
4 - 3” 14 gage staples with 7/16” crown face nailed

Nowhere do they allow toe-nailing for this type of installation.

Btw, if your deck surface is less than 30” above the adjacent surface, then no guardrails are required.

Also, if there are 3 risers or less, then no handrail is required.

If you decided using joist hangers would be simpler, you can use Simpson SUR Series, as seen here:

https://www.strongtie.com/facemounthangersssl_solidsawnlumberconnector/sur-sul-hsur-hsul_productgroup_wcc_ssl/p/sur.sul.hsur.hsul

If the deck becomes attached to your house, you’ll need a minimum of 2 Simpson deck ties, similar to

https://www.fastenersplus.com/Simpson-DTT2Z-Deck-Tension-Tie-Zmax-Finish?gclid=Cj0KCQjw7YblBRDFARIsAKkK-dJZrRsiFDrb6UevCNA1fWsgoBllbcaFbSIxYM08Q-lVaduQDD0EbOYaAvekEALw_wcB


Refinishing slate tiles with worn-out portions

I would start with a light acid etch or whatever you do to reseal and bring a shine out will magnify the surface scum/ effervescence.
I use muriatic acid and water with this I would start out with a weak solution 30:1 with possibly a max of 15:1.

I would mix up a small batch remembering to always add acid to the water AAA to prevent a thermal reaction that happens if water is added to acid.

Safety glasses and rubber gloves will be enough safety gear and a good idea to have the vent fan on or window open. I would sponge the areas staying away from the grout or not etching the grout as heavily.
Once the surface looks good rinse the sponge and then rinse the etched area at least 3 times and make sure it is fully dry Pryor to coating with a quality sealer.

The reason I suggest trying not to etch the grout it may really change colors and then the entire floor would need to be etched so the color will match.
Start with a weak solution and possibly 2 or 3 wipes of fresh solution prior to going stronger is the best advice I can provide.

Muriatic acid can be found in pool supply stores and most lumber / big box stores as this is commonly used to balance the ph in pools and to etch concrete and stone products.


Do I need OEM filter replacements for a whole home media air purifier?

Yes, you can use OEM filters.  That unit isn't really an "air purifier" (they have good marketing people), it's an add-on filter holder; just a box to hold a large filter.  The filters are standard sizes.  The unit is sized (filter dimensions) based on the allowable pressure drop for the air handler.  So you can put in a third-party filter of the same size and MERV rating as the OEM and it will behave the same.
The 4" thick filter holds a lot more filter media than a 1" filter, which allows it to go longer between changes; 1" MERV 15 filters are available, you just need to replace them more often (but your unit requires a 4" filter).  If you wanted to get into a HEPA filter (what's usually thought of as an air purifier), you generally need a 4" filter for a whole-house size in order to get enough media inside for the needed air flow.  Installing that TechPure unit in your air handler wasn't to make the air cleaner, it was for the convenience of not having to change the filter as often.
MERV 11 isn't really in the range that would typically be called an "air purifier".  That will provide decent filtration for some of the larger common allergens.  It's adequate for most people, including some of those with mild allergies.  Many of the "allergy"-labeled furnace filters are MERV 11 or 12.
People with serious sensitivities, especially to allergens that are very small particles, can benefit from a filter with a MERV 15 rating.  It isn't just that it filters smaller particles, it also does a better job on larger allergens.  It isn't in the HEPA league, but it starts to approach it.
In a residential setting, the justification for going from MERV 15 to HEPA might be a case like a person with a suppressed immune system, who needs air as clean as possible.  But most of the whole-house HEPA filters are installed for a different reason.  They aren't insanely expensive, especially compared to a unit like yours with MERV 15 filters.  Rather than figure out the optimum MERV rating, people just install the top-of-the-line as a simple way to ensure that the air is as clean as possible (HEPA does a better job on particles of all sizes).
Third-party filters  between MERV 11 and 15 will provide a benefit somewhere in-between.  The EPA has a good chart explaining some of the details of the MERV rating.  Grainger has a good chart that covers the MERV ranges and typical applications.  You may find that one manufacturer's MERV 14 filter is cheaper than another manufacturer's MERV 12 filter.  So if you don't have special health requirements, you may be able to just go with the best available deal on a filter above MERV 11 if you want to "upgrade".  Also, the difference in MERV rating is a function of the media in the filter; no other hardware, sealing, or special handling is required (it's plug & play).


There is no set standard height, but this is generally a pretty safe operation.

You'll want to use a stud finder to locate the studs, and attach the shelf brackets to studs for strength.

You'll  usually only hit a pipe or power in a stud if it runs through the stud horizontally.  Modern building codes require a piece of heavy sheet metal be installed on the face of the studs where pipes and cables pass through.  They also require the pipe or cable to be set back from the face of the stud a bit.

So if the building is fairly modern, and the plumbers / electricians followed the rules, you should be safe - if you try to screw into the stud where there's a pipe or cable, you'll hit the plate and the screw won't go in.

There is no guarantee that the plumber / electrician followed the rules, and nothing's perfectly safe, but this is generally a pretty safe project.


How many outlets can you have on one 15 amp circuit?

Yes.

Also, check your breaker. You can have as many outlets on a single circuit as you like*, but you have to be careful because you can only pull so much current from the circuit at a time. For example, don't expect to run an electric chainsaw and a vacuum at the same time off a single 15A circuit. If you have a 15A breaker attached which is likely the case, I would recommend not running any major appliances (Such as a Microwave or Window AC unit) off of it, since that will take up most of your juice, and one too many lamps in the other 17 outlets could trip your breaker. If you need to run a heavy appliance, just wire in another circuit, and don't drill a hole through the wires near the breaker box (Voice of experience).

*Some areas such as Belgium limit you to 8 outlets on a circuit, or you violate wiring code.


According to the manual you did almost everything right. The one thing you didn't do or mention, was unplugging or killing the power to the washer. This needs to be done in order for the faults to clear or reset. Unplug or kill the power for a minute & everything should work beautifully again...so implies the manual.


By what you're describing, I assume you have paint on the outer edges of the door and the inside of the door frame. Paint doesn't make a good lubricant. And the door may not have been fitted to have the clearance for a coat of paint, or three coats if its an older house. And then when its humid and the door expands a bit, the paint rubs catches against the paint on the other surface.

If that is true, you could sand down or strip the offending parts until they clear each other without touching (and possibly repaint with a single coat if you need to). I'd expect sanding only to "rough it up" to increase the friction, not make it better.


I believe what you want is an online sinewave UPS built for the European market.  That will input don't care Hz power and output 50Hz power at all times.

We're not a shop-for-you site, so you'd have to go elsewhere for advice on which one.

The important features are

Online, which is a specific subtype of UPS, indicating output is inverter-driven at all times, using all-the-time double conversion, and it never bypasses and serves line power directly.
Sinewave, to make the motors happy.
Output of 230V to satisfy your Eurogadget.  The input voltage does not matter, so bonus points if you can find one rated for  120V-240V input, and the ability to input varying voltages strongly suggests it is a double conversion unit.
Listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory. Most European testing labs are qualified bevause their standards are equivalent to ours.  CE won't qualify, it is not a testing lab, it is only a promise from the manufacturer, is widely falsified, and effectively stands for Chinese Excrement.


I believe your problem is the extension cord.  Is there any way you can locate the saw(s) so that they can be directly plugged into the outlet?

What happens when you use an extension cord with an induction motor (which is almost certainly what you are dealing with) is that there is an initial surge of current until the motor builds up a resistance (called back EMF) as its magnetic field starts to stabilize.  When you use an extension cord there is voltage loss across the cord and so it takes more current to generate the back EMF.

Another possibility is to get yourself a heavy duty extension cord so as to minimize the voltage drop due to the cord.  These are generally more expensive since they contain larger copper conductors but may help resolve your problem.  I realize your cord is marked as "heavy duty" but it's a 12 ga cord.  A 10 ga cord is probably a better choice here.


Is it possible to do two 3way switched circuits that share a common power source but the power source and the light wire are in the same box?

Yes,

You need 14-3 or 12-3 going to each switch from the light/power:

Call the switches L(eft) and R(ight):

Connections@Light:

LineInPwr(white) -> Lamp(white)
LineInPwr(black) -> L(white tagged black)
LineInPwr(gnd) -> tied in common Both L(gnd) and R(gnd)
L(black) -> R(black) [traveler]
L(red) -> R(red) [traveler]
R(white tagged black) -> Lamp(black)

Connections at L switch:

L(White tagged black) -> L SW (common)
L(Black) -> L SW (brass) [traveler]
L(Red) ->  L SW (brass) [traveler]
L(gnd) -> L SW (gnd)

Connections at R switch:

R(White tagged black) -> R SW (common)
R(Black) -> R SW (brass) [traveler]
R(Red) -> R SW (brass) [traveler]
R(gnd) -> R SW (gnd)

Our own BMitch provided an answer and diagrams here (originally found here). We differ slightly in wire assignments (mine's better ;-)(why? both switches have the same wire assignments, the magic happens at the light)), but its basically the same.


The easiest solution would be to ad a switched cord like this one

It has a long cord so you can position it where it is convenient for you.
You plug the plug end of the cord into the wall and the lamp plug into the plug end and run cord with the switch to the area of your choosing.

The one liked to is dimmable so you can get a dimmable bulb or you can get a non dimmable one as well. I have seen them in the extension cord area of The blue big box home improvement store. I  have two.

There is also this switch that can be added to your lamps existing cord. This requires you to cut one leads  of the cord,( Make sure to cut the hot lead: the one that is not ribbed.) Strip the insulation back and connect it to two screws inside the switch.

Of coarse you would do this with lamp not plugged into the wall.


Why is an AFCI tripping when a particular light on a different circuit is turned on?

The dimmers are spewing radio-frequency hash into the power line, which confuses the AFCI into a false trip.  It makes sense that it's more reproducible on an intermediate dimmer setting, because that's when the dimmer chops the line voltage aggressively, not when it's fully on or fully off.

Bypass capacitors could help with this: 1 to 10 nF capacitors, X1/Y2 rated ceramic or film, minimum 250VAC working voltage rating. This diagrams shows three caps: between hot and neutral, hot and ground, and between neutral and ground.

The basic idea is that 60 Hz AC will not pass through these capacitors because the frequency is too low, but radio frequencies pass through easily. So the capacitors provide a short circuit shunt path for high frequencies, reducing how much of it spews back upstream from the dimmer.

This looks simple, and it is, but it has to be done properly. Capacitors have long, uninsulated terminals, creating opportunities for short circuits if you're not careful.

Instead of these ad-hoc capacitors, you can install an EMI filter upstream from the light dimmer. EMI filters have a more sophisticated circuit which includes inductors.

One more thing: the Lutron dimmer company sells a filtering component that they call a lamp debuzzing coil.


Did I install my sleeve anchor correctly?

It appears to my eye to be installed entirely correctly. To be sure, try to hang a fairly significant amount of weight (about 2x to 3x the weight of the ceiling fan) on that loop and see if the anchors hold. That multiple of the ceiling fan weight is your "safety factor". Use a cheap weight for that - maybe a plastic bucket filled with books. You'd much rather accidentally drop a bucket full of books while you're watching it than drop the expensive ceiling fan on some little kid's head while it's running at high speed.

This is a masonry ceiling? Those anchors are only suitable for masonry, never for drywall.


What are the causes of these marks on a ceiling?

My first thought is "ghosting".  This is mainly seen in poorly insulated areas and often follows studs and joists (may even see it on the drywall nails or screws).  The ghosting is caused by sections of the wall or ceiling being cooler than the rest of the wall and cool enough to get some condensation.  Every house has some amount of dust floating around, and this dust sticks to the wet parts of your walls/ceilings better than it does to the dry parts and builds up.  Over time this becomes noticeable.  This is particularly bad when you have anything burning in your house (fireplace, kerosene heater, someone is a bad cook, etc.) or if you keep your windows open (more dust).  As mentioned in the comments, this is really bad around areas that get a lot of air flow a (registers, returns, etc.).
The solution is to first fix the insulation problem, clean the walls, then repaint.
That said, your second picture looks more like water damage, potentially, than ghosting.  It's hard to tell, but I can almost see where water has pooled in areas and began dripping down the wall.  However, it's hard to tell from the lighting in the picture.


How can I enlarge a hole in a brick wall without drilling?

Technically you could use some device for precision grinding like Dremel with some diamond bit with an extender to make it long enough, but that's almost mission impossible to do. First, you risk damaging the existing cable. Second, doing such job in a hard material when the hole is long and narrow will take too much time and precision to be worth it.

You actually have two options. Option one is to drill another hole or maybe find some other way to lay the new cable. Option two is to disconnect the cable, remove it, drill a wider hole in place of the existing one, then install the old cable and the new one.


Yes, you can use a water pump to indirectly pressurize a gas with water pressure if you use a water tank with an internal air bladder. First, you drain the water from the tank. Second, you fill the air bladder with your gas through the Schrader valve. Third, you pump water into the water tank to the pressure you want your gas. Fourth, your gas in the air bladder is now the same pressure as the water in the water tank and you can remove it from the tank.

The opposite can also be done by using air pressure to create water pressure if you ever have an air compressor and need to make water flow instead.

Most tanks have a maximum rating of 100-120 psi pressure, and hydrogen fuel  tanks operate at a working pressure of 5,000-10,000 psi, so I think you'll be fine using a water tank to indirectly compress hydrogen to 100 psi. Direct contact with an electric pump is the last thing you should do with hydrogen, so use this technique and you'll be safe.

Alternatively, you could replace the water pump with an air compressor like a bicycle pump and achieve similar results using this method. I would use this or a combination of both water and air in the water reservoir if your small water pump can't create the necessary pressure. Essentially you're using one bladder to pressurize a second bladder, which works because they're both trapped inside of a container with a fixed volume.


A/C Fan won't turn on outside after replacing capacitor

Having a bad capacitor can put an extra strain on the motor.  An AC is actually a pretty simple device when it comes down to it, so the only replaceable parts (in this situation) are the fan and the capacitor.  Some units have a control board that handles some timing and sensors.  That can go bad but it's not as common (in my limited experience anyway).  If you hear the compressor coming on and the fan trying to start, then any control board is probably OK.

So possibilities:

The fan is in bad shape and somehow blew the new capacitor
The fan was damaged by the previous bad capacitor, ran for a bit, but now won't even start with a good capacitor
The new capacitor was just a dud and failed almost immediately

If you had a multimeter, you could check the capacitor and also check the resistance of the fan motor windings as additional troubleshooting steps.


Okay to shift toilet a couple of inches?

Unless your toilet is a fully self contained unit, such as chamber pot, it will be connected to plumbing. There will be the water line that brings water to fill the flush tank and then there will be the large diameter drain pipe that comes up through the floor and seals with the bottom of the toilet stool.

An arbitrary movement of the toilet unit will involve these plumbing connections so either you or a plumber will have to deal with the changes.

There is one specific thing that may be possible that would minimize the overall amount of plumbing impact. If you were to plan to simply rotate the toilet stool directly in line with the centerline of the drain pipe connection in the floor then all that would be needed there is a cleaning of the bottom of the stool and flange. You would then seat the toilet on a new wax ring or other new fangled rubber seal.

Rotating as described above will change the position where the water fill line engages the bottom of the flush tank. It that is currently plumbed with a rigid fixed position pipe then it will need to be redone. Replacing with a flexible stainless steel braid jacketed connection hose would make reconnection easy.


What should I do with the exposed grounding wire during a conversion from hardwired to plug in light fixture?

Lamp cord typically comes in 18/2, and 16/2 varieties. Neither of which has a grounding conductor. If the lamp...

is intended to be used indoors
will connect to the electrical system through a cord-and-plug attachment means
Does not have any exposed metal parts

you should be fine using a 2 wire attachment cord. However if the lamp...

will be used outdoors
will be hardwired
has exposed metal parts

then you should consider using an attachment cord with a grounding conductor, and connecting the grounding conductor to the grounding conductor in the fixture.


Would putting a sprinkler on my roof help cool my home?

I think you will just waste a lot of water compared to the cooling effect that you get.

A better way to cool the roof is to change its color.  A roof with a clean, smooth bright white surface can reflect about 85% of incident sunlight and emit thermal radiation with 90% efficiency. This surface  will be only 9°F warmer than the outside air on a typical summer afternoon. For comparison, the surface of a standard gray roof that reflects only about 20% of incident sunlight will be 69°F warmer than the outside air.  See http://coolcolors.lbl.gov/.

Some buildings in California are now required to have light-colored roofs in order to reduce energy consumption for cooling.


Temporarily have no gutters, what do I need to worry about?

The biggest concern is definitely leakage and drainage issues. It's hard to say without seeing the property. These may be more or less of a concern depending on the grading around your foundation and your soil type.. not to mention other factors such as the type and condition of that foundation, if you have a sump pump or other drainage system, etc.

The plants are probably a minor concern, but a hard drip of rain around my house (which does NOT have gutters) causes there to be a break in the vegetation right at the drip line.

Ultimately, I think you are right to be concerned. If you normally have gutters and even then see water intrusion during heavy storms...well I'd say 1.5" over a few days is moderately heavy!


5 section bow window with one pane cloudy

We've had this problem (and my father-in-law had it too), but in our case, just because the windows were old.

Yes, a glazier will be able to replace the panels.  To answer jwh20's comment about "you won't find an exact replacement to drop in the opening", the panels are made to measure (and you want the glazier to do the measuring).


Step up-down transformer tripping circuit breaker

All transformers are essentially a "short circuit" for the brief instant that they are energized, because it is the interaction of the magnetic fields that impedes (resists) the flow of current, and for a brief instant, there is no magnetic field yet. This is called "inrush current" and can exceed 10x the rating of the circuit breaker. Often that inrush is of such short duration that it is too fast for the breaker to react to, but if it is TOO high, then it can trip the breaker. Because of this, MCBs, like the ones you show, can be purchased with different "trip curves". The ones in your photo are "C" curve, which are for general purpose use. For feeding a transformer, you want a "D" curve (so it would say D10 instead of C10). A D curve breaker will allow up to 14x the rating for the instantaneous trip function, which is designated for handling transformer inrush.

When the smaller transformer worked, it was because >10x the transformer inrush current is still  less than the breaker instantaneous tripping point. You could get a similar effect by using a larger breaker, but then you would have to change the wire.


Why my baseboard heater won’t turn with new thermostat?

The only thing that comes to my mind would be a possible wiring issue. If the old stat works properly that can only lead to one thing. Improper wiring on new stat, or a bad stat right out of the box. Believe me when I say this, its more common than one would think.
 I would double check the wiring. Double check the programming. If all that checks to be normal and within the manufacturers specs. Then that would leave one to reasonably believe the stat is bad OR incompatible with your system. I know this isn't a lot of help to you.
 I have seen many cases where components and parts have been DOA right out of the box.


Can I extend sump pump outlet with elbow outside the house?

Yes, your plan would work providing your sump pump can handle the extra head pressure, which it should.

Have you ever actually had a problem with this or is it the last thing to do on your "To do list"? I'm asking because I grew up in a house in the Midwest with the same layout as you have and we never worried about it. If the outlet was covered with snow and the sump pump actually needed to run, the water being ejected would be warm enough to melt any snow around the outlet pipe.

You could pick up a few inches by re sloping the horizontal pipe under the porch. You've got 6" of slope over a 4' distance, you could raise the utlet from 2" to 5".... Good luck


Hairy frayed white stuff around bathroom heater pipe joints: asbestos?

That looks like a synthetic packing material. I have not seen asbestos it that form.