Repair Deep Plaster Damage on Outside Corner

I think I'd be installing modern corner bead. I expected to see an early version of it in your corner, but there's apparently nothing.

Grab a stick of corner bead and some long drywall nails. Pre-drill the plaster if you have to, then nail it on, making sure to get good penetration in the framing.

I'd use a setting-type joint compound for the rough fill to add toughness, then skim with your favorite joint compound.


It depends where you live if you need a contractor or DIY in my state Oregon and several others I have lived a home owner or close family member can do everything. Non load bearing walls usually do not require permits but any change to load bearing walls, new electrical circuits usually do require permits, in 1 state I lived a permit was required for changes to the plumbing and replacing the roofing. Checking your local requirements is the first step if you post your location I am sure we can find a more complete answer.


How do I stop waterproof ceiling paint from peeling in the bathroom?

You ask how to stop it from peeling. Scrape it all off, properly prepare the surface, then repaint. Peeling paint is caused by poor adhesion to the underlying surface. Your's could be one or more of a multitude of issues: damp or wet surface; skimmed surface not cured prior to application; skimmed surface not primed prior to application; surface not sanded properly; chalky, dirty, dusty, greasy surface; glossy surface; etc.


What size SDS drill bit for red rawl plug

5.5 or 6mm sounds about right for a red plug, however not all reds are created equal, drill bits also vary and the material you are drilling into makes a difference as well.

If I'm drilling into a softer material like plaster (especially old plaster) I will always start with a slightly smaller bit than called for in the instructions, even 1mm less,  this is because softer materials can sometimes allow the bit to drift and you end up with a larger hole than the bit. Even with harder materials like brick I will also go slightly smaller, .5mm less, than called for just in case my bit takes out more material than expected. I drill, then I try to hammer the plug in, then I will step up a size if needs be. I'd rather have a really snug fit and trim a bit of the plug off at the wall then have one that goes in but is slightly loose.

With SDS bits I would use the same approach, how much depends on the bits and how aggressive the hammer drill is (presuming you are using one). If it's brick or concrete you can start off with a 5mm and work your way up.


How should I terminate water heater drain pan?

What kind of house is it? You mentioned the crawlspace...If it's a modular you could tie it into the main waste line down there as long as you built a trap in between the pan and the waste line.  If that's not an option, going into the bath drain is viable if you can easily access it.... Nothing there would violate code. Also, they make small automatic water pumps that will trigger and pump water up to 20' or higher, in that case route it into your laundry drain.


Cutting away the drywall is one possible first step, with other possibilities being to see what is above the ceiling, depending on ability to access.  That section of drywall will definitely need to be removed anyway.  (both to repair, and to check for mold).  Finding the source can be difficult because the source of the water might not be directly above.  Water can run along various boards to find a low place to settle.  It could start at some point on an outside wall and go a fair distance horizontal.


using water based sealer with oil based stain

As with paint -- the best philosophy is to stick with oil-oil, water-water, or oil over water.

However, it's is not a 100% rule. It is possible to apply water-based sealer over oil-based stain IF, and only IF, the stain was given more than adequate time to dry (days, not hours). That said, it is very possible that you can still have issues with bleeding or peeling.

So, for my money, I'd rather not risk it just to save a few bucks.


Is it possible to install a 1/2" collet on my palm router?

If I can, should I?

I'm guessing that your idea is to make a single pass with the router set to a depth of 1".

For your project, I would not recommend the single-pass approach in MDF, or any analogous material for that matter, even with a 1/2" shank router bit with spiral flutes designed to clear the shavings out of the dado.

Instead I heartily suggest making several passes at increasing depths, removing perhaps 1/4" of depth or less on each pass.  For this, a 1/4" shank 1" diameter carbide bit would be adequate if you dropped the bit into the collet as deeply as functional, perhaps pulling it out a ways, if necessary, for the final pass.

Better yet, hog out the bulk of each of the channels in several passes with a 3/8" or 1/2" diameter router bit, then make a final pass at full depth with your (still super-sharp) 1" diameter router bit to obtain your precise width and depth.

Hope this helps.

FWIW: I'd skip the rectangular tubing and router approach.  I'd use flat stock and cut wide kerfs that are 1" deep using a long strait-edge clamped in place and a skill saw with a heavy (thick) blade that will cut wide kerfs (e.g. 1/8" wide kerfs).

FWIW #2:  Whether you use lengths of tubing or flat stock, your door will still be prone to warping, even if you embed lengths of metal stock in multiple orientations.  To counteract the tendency to warp, you'd need to embed a rectangular metal frame.  ... or don't embed anything: use lockset hardware similar to that which is used with French doors.  That hardware will secure your door at the top and bottom, keeping it flat.

FWIW #2a: If you don't believe FWIW#2, prove it to yourself by gluing some bamboo skewers in the pattern of your choice to a sheet of heavy paper.  Once dry, you'll find that the paper is quite flexible (warp-able) even without bending the bamboo skewers.


Yes, that's fine - heck, it's practically mandatory.

Manufacturers vary, but looking in the big box stores, you almost can't get a 100A panel larger than 20 space - and that's just too darned small for a house.

We see plenty of 20 space panels totally filled with double-stuffs, a tactic no longer practical now that so many circuits need to be AFCI  or GFCI. It's plain from the panels we see that even 30 spaces are not enough and are likey to totally fill, with the person coming back here going "How can I add to this panel?"  Really I wouldn't consider less than a 42 space unless the situation was very special. Maybe even dual 30‘s depending on layout (mich cheaper than a 60-space).

The problem is all of those large-enough panels will tend to come with 150, 200 or 225 amp breakers. You have to swap in a 100A to get a useful panel.

Or alternately, get a 100A breaker in the upper left spaces, and backfeed it and just don't use the main..... but you'd want very good coverup and labeling to steer your panicked girlfriend or fireman working by flashlight to the correct main.


What backer board for Kohler Choreograph in the shower - osb or greenboard?

According to this video produced by Kohler, you should use greenboard or other water resistent backer material.  I wouldn't use OSB, and cement board seems like overkill but could help if you needed to stiffen up the walls I guess.

https://youtu.be/4-s-pfbj0YU


I am replacing a ceiling fan in a bedroom and the wiring in the receptacle is confusing me

Take your fan controller back and get a Lutron MA-LFQM instead

Most fan controllers on the market today are incompatible with your wiring configuration, where there is only one hot going up to the fan from the switch.  However, there is one that's suitable, and that's the Lutron MA-LFQM.  This uses a module in the fan canopy to decode a digital signal from the wall controller into separate fan and light outputs, and isn't too hard to find.  (It also can use matching Lutron accessory controls for 3-way or 4-way work.)

Once you get the correct control in, you'll want to pick one of the bottom hot/neutral pairs and stick with it, capping the other incoming hot and neutral off individually.  Once you do that, the control is wired according to the single-pole instructions, with the load neutral nutted to the remaining neutral, the line hot connected to the black screw on the control, and the load hot connected to a brass screw on the control.

At the ceiling fan, the canopy module is wired with its white neutral to the remaining neutrals (fan-neutral and incoming-neutral), its black to the incoming black (switched-hot), its red to the light kit wire off the fan (typically blue), and its yellow to the fan wire on the fan (typically black).  Connect all the bare/green grounds (fan ground, box ground, incoming ground) together, button up both boxes, turn the breaker on, follow the control activation procedure in the instructions, and enjoy your fan!


workaround for ground anchor settling in clay

Put in a warranty with whomever you can & ride it out until warmer weather for a full reveal & adjustment, the anchors look somewhat adjustable & may permanently fix any initial settlement. This could be freeze thaw settlement & you may find movement stops in warm weather. Indicating the anchors were not installed correctly by not going below the frost line.

Masking tape outlined with a pencil over the drywall crack is a better movement monitor. The masking tape is just to make it pretty, you actually keep marking the wall every time it moves. To get an idea of how much it's moving, why it's moving, how it's moving & therefore when it stops moving & even goes back up.

Drywall patching & window sash resealing will only succeed when the box frame finally rests on the ground, if the movement doesn't stop on its own. If there's no warranty anywhere & especially not on any paperwork, then your best & really only course of action is to put in a real foundation with really big feet fat stinky feet. Anchors only work when they contact ledge rock & only companies that do it right do that.


cracked 4x4 that support some of the kitchen floor

Nothing too worrisome there - the check (seasoning crack) is not in a direction that affects the ability to carry a load. Looks like green material was used and it dried. It's a common occurrence for posts which include the pith (center) of the tree.


Installing a replacement window in new construction scenario

I wish this board would let me say this, but a mod deleted one of my posts recently for being too short. However, here's the answer -

Yes

Flash the framing with some wide flashing tape, and build you a frame FOR THE NEW WINDOW, not the frame where it's going. That make it easier to install the replacement window to your liking. Just shim your new frame square (plumb/level it if possible, but not necessary), and install the new window with the screws provided.

If this is your first, make sure to tighten the mid-frame shim knobs, or shim the middle of the replacement window to where the sashes run snug.


Best way(s) to add new king stud to existing exterior wall

Technically you're adding pin studs or trimmers under the header, and not kings, but yes.

Insert the new trimmers before anything else and stand them vertical, then add the inner trimmers (assuming you want doubled studs for strength and trim backing). Move the trimmer pairs into position and toenail them to the header using either framing nails or construction screws.


Proper glue for sticking foam on window glass? Strong enough, removable, and without gap

Small dabs of clear silicone caulk. You'll have to secure the foam while the silicone cures (maybe 4 hours), but it'll hold very well and will be a breeze to remove and clean up. You could use masking tape or lean a broom against it. Start with pea-sized dabs, and leave them round until the foam presses into them. Keep them away from the window frame for easier removal.
Double-sided foam tape. This would be fast and easy, but it would leave a small gap against the glass. This just means that you'll need to seal the foam well at the edges. Rope caulk could help with that. A few squares around the perimeter should do nicely, or you could seal the entire edge.


Mounting 65” tv on panel construction wall with metal studs 24” on center

Depending on your TV mount style, I would simply drill extra holes in it and run four to six sheet metal screws through into the studs. 8 to 12 sheet metal screws will easily carry that television. This assumes that it's tight to the wall and not an articulating arm style mount

Size the holes in the mount so that the screws slip through freely, and be sure not to overtighten so you don't strip the threads in the studs. Just snug them up.


How can I connect a portable propane bottle to a tankless hot water heater?

One major problem is that most propane regulators are intended for small appliances, mostly less than 75,000 BTUs/hr typical of an outdoor grill.  The Rinnai V65EP can use up to 150,000, so a regulator designed for a little more than that would be the desired fit.

Shopping around, I notice many don't say what their maximum flow rate is, and of those which do, it is hard to find a "low pressure" (corresponding to less than 13.5" water column) in that range.

Here are a few I could find after several minutes searching:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Regulator-Stainless-Steel-Hose-Type-1-LP-Gas-Grills-Parts-21-BBQ-Low-Pressure-/261136984141#vi-content
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Propane-Regulator-POL-LP-Gas-Low-Pressure-grill-BBQ-smoker-stove-Parts-/251219429378#vi-content

Lowes has a two stage regulator capable of up to 200,000 btus.  It is inexpensive at $40.


Should I vent a porch roof and how to do it?

Various  versions of a roof vent that comes up through the surface. There are several variations - this type has an internal part that comes up from the base sheet that is flashed in place over a hole, so that water does not get down inside despite having all those louvered openings.


Does the Nest thermostat automatically change modes?

In my experience with the Gen 2 it will not. That would be a bit heavy-handed and folks would not be happy to have their AC compressor come on with the winter cover still in place, for example.

It may go into Eco, however, if you're away.

More on that


Is electrical Arc and overload the only potential fire causer for electrical wiring?

A fire is just uncontrolled heating, right? When a thing starts burning what's really happening is a chemical reaction that produces heat, which causes more reaction, producing more heat..
So the question becomes: how can electric power deliver enough heat in a small space to get a chemical reaction (fire) started?
Arcs are a great way. An arc produces a lot of heat without a lot of current. That's why regular over-current circuit breakers weren't good enough and we added arc fault detection too. But arc fault detectors are tuned for certain parameters. They aren't fool-proof; an arc that falls outside the detection criteria would not cause an AFCI to trip. Consider the arcing that occurs in a brushed motor and doesn't trip an AFCI. If conditions were right similar arcs could occur in the wiring, would not be interrupted, and could start a fire.
That said: one can still get plenty of heat for starting a fire with neither arcs nor over-current. Cooking fires happen all the time as a result of electric power delivering fire-starting heat without exceeding over-current limits.
It isn't hard to imagine that a deteriorated connection, or even one that just never was great to begin with, could produce some heating somewhere in the electrical system. Maybe it will get hot (resistive heating) but never arc even once. This could start a fire without being detected by AFCI or over-current. Torque specifications for connectors are part of the solution to this problem.


I hesitate to give this information but you can use an approved splice kit in a wall per the requirements of NEC 334.40(B). It looks like this:

The reason I hesitate is because somewhere around 85% of all electrical problems are caused by splices. Every good electrician knows this. That's why we always try to enclose any splice and make it available for maintenance purposes. Also keep in mind that the NEC is a minimum standard and at one time approved Aluminum branch wiring. Meaning they may think it is a bad idea in the future and write it out.

So your best bet would be to find a way to run new conductors to a better location and protect it and make it accessible for maintenance.

By know you have probably guessed that I don't like them. I never had to use them. Granted it is more labor intensive and cost more, but it can be done. FYI if you will google in-line splices you will also find several sites that agree with my dislike.

Good Luck.


The purpose of the thinset is to secure the tile to the substrate (the Durock in this case).  So if the tile stays on the wall, I suppose you could say it is enough, but I don't think that is what you are asking.

I am no tile pro but my understanding is that you want to have at least 90% coverage on the back of the tile once it is pressed into the wall.  The only way to really test this is while laying the tile and try it out. Push the tile onto the wall and then pull it off again, is there thinset on almost the entire back surface of the tile (and the trowel's pattern is no longer visible)?

Applying thinset directly to the back of the tile is called "back buttering" and is a very common technique with large format tiles and natural stone. I think it is usually combined with troweling thinset onto the wall (or floor) and is not a replacement for it (but I am not real sure about that).

1/2 x 1/2 notch trowel seems fine, when I did our shower with 8x12 porcelain tile I used a 3/8 x 3/8.  If the installer was only back buttering the tile in the middle but troweled it out so almost the tile’s entire backside was covered with the 1/2" notch pattern of thinset that is OK; it will work just as well so doing that same thing on the wall.

All that really matters is if there is enough thinset on the backs of the tiles.  If the installer only dabbed a little thinset in the middle of the tile, they will not be as securely attached compared to if the whole tile was covered. Without knowing exactly what the coverage on the back of the tile, it is impossible to guess if you tile is fine and will last for many years or if they may fail premature because they were not secured to the wall well enough.


How to fix concrete cracks with weed growing out?

Use a non selective herbicide to kill off the weeds, give it time to get to the roots and destroy them too so when you get a power washer, it will clean EVERYTHING out. Dirt that got in there for the weeds to start on has got to go. The roots that are buried in the cracks will decay and turn to dirt too over time, that is why the herbicide has to have time to work before the power washing.

I would not use caulk here. It will look like stripes are everywhere, and they will not look good. Use masonry cement to fill the gaps in a few different consistencies. Mixed thin for small cracks so it can get forced in easily, thicker so it can stand up in places, like in the front of the steps in larger crack so it will not slump out.

After the work is done and it is time for cleanup, which it will be mess, I use a sponge that tile setters use, with a half filled 5 gallon bucket of water. The sponge needs to be dampened enough to be wet, but wrung out enough so it does not leave a wet trail while wiping. Damp trail only, a wet trail will re-saturate the mortar and will weaken and even possibly have it running back out of the joints you have repaired.

Use a masonry slicker to tuck in and finish the joints.


Low voltage on circuit after breaker turned off - induced or backfed voltage?

It's hard to say without much more information about the circuits, but it is likely capacitive coupling between closely routed circuits. I've seen over 70 volts when testing a circuit that shared a conduit with a live circuit. Old meters didn't pick this up because they had relatively low internal impedance that allowed the voltage to drain quickly, my good digital has a very high impedance that does not shunt the voltage as fast as it builds up so I see the 70 volts(but is good for testing low amperage circuits).
Capacitive coupling of this nature is very low total energy, kind of like a static charge it can't supply much current.

And be careful using cheapo meters on mains supplied circuits, they often have incorrect(12volt glass) fuses that will explode, arc, and burst into flames if you accidentally overload them or have the probes in the wrong holes.(eg. in the amp sockets when you think your testing volts, see https://youtu.be/R2ngaZwOgGM)
"Fluke T5-600" is great if you only do house wiring (simple single range so no good for fine electronics) won't break the bank, clever shape doesn't need 3 hands, and will last for decades.
I have a cheap $40 meter too but I only use it for current-limited devices.(small-battery power)


Why energy saving bulb flashes when the switch is off?

For this to happen there must be some voltage to the light socket. It may not be noticeable with a standard incandescent bulb because it apparently is not the full voltage and current. If you are comfortable in what you are doing, you could measure the voltage across the two wires and ground to see what you get. Incorrect wiring could be the problem, such as an improper shared neutral leg, or the neutral being switch instead of the hot leg. This can be found using a voltmeter and referencing to a known ground. If your not sure, leave it to an electrician. Wiring is not a hobby, and can be lethal!


What amps would I need for a variac fan controller?

Current (A) = Power (W) / Voltage (V)

In your case, power is 80 W and voltage is 230 V, so the current the fan draws is 0.34 A. Get a controller which can handle at least that much current.


How should I apply spray foam around a ceiling mounted bathroom exhaust vent?

Rather than using that spray foam you'd be better off getting a sheet of Styrofoam and cutting it to fit the opening around your fan. Make a template out of cardboard and then trace it on to the Styrofoam, cut it out and fit it into the opening. You can then caulk around it sealing it further.
Now, you need to make that direct connection to the duck you said was already in the attic. You're looking for trouble venting hot, moist air directly into your attic/crawlspace.


Why doesn't my furnace start? Pilot Light ignites and continuous clicking

It helps to have an understanding of how the gas control works.  The gas control valve operates a solenoid-operated valve that delivers gas to the burners when your thermostat calls for heat.

The pilot flame should always be burning, and heating the thermocouple bulb that is situated adjacent to the pilot flame.  The thermocouple feeds a signal via a thin copper tube to the gas control valve, indicating that the pilot is burning and that it's OK for the control valve to open and deliver gas to the burners.

In my ~35 years with a furnace similar to yours (it was replaced about 8 years ago with an electronic ignition furnace), I occasionally found that either:

The pilot light's orifice had become dirty and was not producing an adequate flame to heat the thermocouple,
Or, more often, the thermocouple bulb had become slightly corroded and was failing to sense the pilot's heat

The pilot light's orifice can be removed and cleaned.

The thermocouple's bulb can also be removed and cleaned.  I typically used a bit of bronze wool (I hate steel wool!).

As to the clicking sound that you report, I don't know what that might be.  Perhaps it's the solenoid in the gas control valve attempting to open gas flow to the burners, but it's prohibited from doing so by the thermocouple's failure to sense a burning pilot.

Note that the tube from the thermocouple does not contain any gas or electrical signal.  It functions on the basis of heat at the thermocouple's bulb causing the inert gas inside the tube to expand.


Acetone or Nail paint remover or Paint thinner. Done  This will do no harm to the tile


Why "W" (heat contactor) and "E" Aux Heat connected in Thermostat

E is usually emergency heat. In systems that don't actually have emergency heat but a user might select that mode on the thermostat, connecting E to W will cause the normal heat to come on instead of doing nothing.


Do I need to reuse these radiator connectors, or should I get new ones?

what should I ask for if so?

Radiator valve tails

  I can't see where to get a good grip

Use a large allen key (hex key) inserted into the bore. Probably 12.7mm (½") "radiator key" / "radiator spanner"

Workarounds include

Use a smaller allen key wedged in with a flat screwdriver
Attach an old/spare radiator valve, tighten the nut and turn the valve to unscrew the tail.

  whatever measurements I need

I surmise they're standard across the UK. My habit is to take the old parts to the store when buying replacements. A specialist plumbers supply store will have someone knowledgable behind the counter. Last time I did something like this (but not this), I walked in, silently plonked the old part on the counter, almost before it hit the counter the bloke behind it casually reached under the counter and then placed an exact replacement part on the counter next to mine and told me the price.

Source: How to Install a Radiator


How can I be sure if my toilet flapper is broken

If there's no red water on the floor then the flapper is the most likely problem. Run your finger over the plastic rim that the flapper sits on. It should be very smooth with no ridges or cracks. If it's good, then replace the flapper. There only a few bucks at your home store and only takes a few minutes to replace.


Checking damage for a mini fridge that is plugged in without waiting

No way to know, those weird noises might be noises of imminent failure in the next 1 day, 1 week, 1 month or year... who can tell...

I seriously doubt if there is anything to be gained in turning it off now - any damage is there. However, you might be lucky and it may run for years and it is just normal noise.


What problems could be caused by putting mains water in to the pipe from a shared water tank?

Is the tank sealed? If it's open, you still won't get mains water pressure through the tank.

The other option would be to just bypass the tank - ie cut the pipes in and out of the tank and put a piece of pipe in to connect the pipes together.

Here in the UK, it's not usual (and might even be against the water regulations) to have a tank directly connected to mains supply. You need to have an air gap to stop water being able to syphon back into the mains. You might be able to achieve this with a check valve to stop backflow.

Basically, you don't want water from the tank getting back into the mains, as the tank water could be (or become) contaminated.


I think:

No, it is not a good idea. You can expect all the difficulties of renovation, new construction, and building relocation, combined. Perhaps also conflicts with land use regulations as well. Without tying the roof to the adjacent structure, expect water damage to both the shed and the home.
Support for the shed should be suitable for the soil and drainage conditions local to the site. A proper foundation would be the preferred solution. Whatever is constructed should be in accord with current building codes and meet the requirements for wind and seismic forces.
A concrete slab might provide better long term performance.
See answer 3.


If the color from the tank ended up in the bowl, then the flapper or seal is probably bad. Turn off the shutoff valve and see if the water level in the tank drops. If it does, bad flapper/seal.

To adjust the float bend the float rod down or if it's a plastic valve, there's an adjustment screw on the side that you' want to turn it counterclockwise. Pictures would help.


Connect the light to thge red wire instead of the black
use the cap from the red to cap the black.
At the switch connect the red in place of the switched black.
Connect the old switched black to the black source and use a short piece of black wire to connect these two to where the source connected to the switch.


How do I get rid of a critter in my attic?

We have a Mama rat! How do we get rid of her?

The usual procedure is

Find out where it got in and block the entrance. Wire mesh (wire cloth) works if you get a size suited to the size of animal. Small mice can squeeze through tiny gaps.
Put down several baited traps.

Check daily and keep resetting and rebaiting until all the visitors have been removed

There are several types of trap and of course you can always hire someone experienced or a reputable firm to do the work for you.

Rats are quite smart so you may have to try several types of trap and keep moving them around. Placement is important, you typically put them against the edges of spaces.


What kind of eye protect is appropriate for glass fibre insulation but won't fog up?

They make a spray for Hockey visors that prevents them from fogging up; I have never tried it on goggles, but it should work on goggles too. It always kept my visor fog free, and I was always hot and sweaty playing hockey.  You should be able to find it at your local sporting goods store.

Actually I can't believe I have never tried this, I'm going to spray my safety glasses right now.


Mild water damage on drywall from leaky roof

A few additions to Jeff's advice if you decide to replace the damaged drywall.

I'd suggest you look into waterproof drywall or mold resistant drywall.  There are various products that do a better job than the typical green board that you would use in the bathroom that will help if you are installing in an area that has a lot of exposure to the elements.
Double check the thickness of your drywall if you are patching.  If you replace a 5/8" with 1/2", you'll notice it.
Use screws, especially on the ceiling.  They take more time, but hold better and are less likely to cause the nail pops that you are seeing.

That being said, I think it's entirely possible that you're just more aware of drywall issues and there may not be anything wrong.  To know for sure, I'd go up to the attic, pull up the insulation where you suspect damage, and look for water rings or other mold growth.  Use a flashlight, no need to feel with your hands (and risk falling through).  While you're there, check the insulation for blackening that would indicate mold is growing there, and if so, replace any damaged pieces.

Your ability to see the joints between the drywall is just a sign of not enough paint and/or primer.  And popped nail heads are normal as a home moves.  My personal plan is to replace all the popped nails with screws and double up on the spacing the next time I paint to minimize this issue.


Should I have my old ceiling vacuumed before installing insulation?

You can get simple lead test kits at your local hardware or box store. Check the "dust" for lead. If you don't feel comfortable testing it yourself, hire a pro to do it.  Try not to disturb the dust until it is determined to be lead free. Lead is only bad for you when airborne, so keep it in place, don't disturb it. Wear a dust mask or respirator to be safe.  If it is lead contaminated, do not use a vacuum to collect it. You will need to contract a lead remediator to do this with specialized equipment. Do NOT attempt to do this yourself or hire a non licenced person to remove it.  If there is no lead, you can remove the droppings and dust with a shop vac or hire it done.  Any no-lead dust is not big deal, but I would be inclined to remove any rodent droppings before installing your insulation.


protect drywall from self-leveling cement pour?

There is probably not a clear answer. If you want to be on the safe side cut off an inch or two (maybe more) of the drywall with the saw and use concrete expansion foam (comes in rolls) where the drywall was (glue it on). The kicker board will cover later everything.


How to fill this gap in the drywall on an odd corner?

There are pre-taped corners that are available from you home store that would look great here. You have to mud the corner part of the wall and then install the corner and then mud the tape on each side and then finish with a skimcoat. Hope this helps.


No, the NEC is revised every 3 years, at very least GFCI, AFCI, and service disconnect requirements will be out of date.


Metal bracket to hang stringer below joist?

Those are simple L-angle joist hangers. I'm not sure if it's appropriate to use them like that, though... especially if you plan to use the stringer to support something (other than itself).

In other words, the ground-support should be directly supporting the stringer and the joists should be resting on the stringer- unless you will not be using the stringer to support anything (significant)... but then why would you put it there?

edit- After some consideration, I think that this hanging step is interesting. I wouldn't make two steps like that, of course, and I wouldn't skimp on the stringers... the picture shows 7 stringers, each about 4 ft long, for one step/tread; it will be an expensive step, but part of the safety is a measure of how far you fall... maybe 8 to 10 inches.


Gas combi boiler - left running constantly in cold weather

If your condensate pipe may get frozen, see if you can disconnect the pipe and run the condensate into a backet.  Frozen condensate pipe have been a big problem with the recent weather.


How old is the house?  If it's fairly recent, do you have any idea of what the property was like before being built on?  It's possible that the builder put down a lot of fill, and there was a large amount of organic material in that fill, or that he just dumped fill on top of what was there - stumps, trees, etc.  Depending on the composition of the fill used, you might be able to get away with just dumping earth or sand into the hole, but it sounds like a large area - which means that digging it up, removing the rotting organic material, and replacing it with fresh fill is really the only way to permanently fix it.

You might want to get a local plumber to come out and "scope" the hole to see if you can tell whether or not this really is your problem.


How do I hang a shelf without drilling holes?

A "C" (or perhaps "[" is better) shaped shelf could sit under and behind the couch, keeping it no more than an inch or two (even less if it was metal plate for the section behind the top edge of the couch) off the wall, and holding the projector above the couch without needing any attachment into the walls.

Not exactly what I'm thinking of (not having much luck thinking of the right search terms to find what I am thinking of), but the general idea - legs that can slip under the couch, standards, a shelf.


What the Dr. Mentioned will be located outside by the air conditioner and not in the settings. Count the boxes at the air conditioner. One is the disconnect for the air conditioner. If there is another then that will probably be it.
However I do wonder, does the furnace sense air flow? As in filter clogged.
Best thing is refer to the manual for your model of furnace to see if it indicates error codes.


new laminate flooring over existing hardwood, what underlayment should be used?

each manufacturer will have a list of acceptable underlayment for its product, they may even make there own. best way to educate your self is to call the and talk to tech support.


Be careful. You might have a "floating slab" basement, where the slab exists solely inside the walls. Something like this:
  |wall|                           |wall|
  |    |(========== slab =========)|    |
  |    |~~~~~~~~~~ earth ~~~~~~~~~~|    |
 /     |                           |     \
/      |                           |      \
|footer|                           |footer|

You can tell by checking the entire perimeter. If you have gaps all around, possibly filled with some sort of squishy material (rubber, oakum, fiberglass, whatever), or possibly covered over with caulk, cement, etc., then you've got a slab that floats inside the basement walls.
In this case, you don't want to do anything that will cause the slab to damage your walls. So don't fill the gaps with cement or anything like that. You can fill the gaps with squishy materials, or you can cover the gaps.
If you fill the gaps with something squishy, you can certainly cover that with a sealant like spray-foam or caulk. (But don't fill the gaps with pure spray-foam!)
Some products you might consider: for small gaps, consider using "backer rod", which is a round foam strip sold to help fill the gaps between window casings and the house framing. It comes in various diameters, so just find a side that is big enough, push it into the gap, and then you can caulk or foam over it.
For larger gaps, consider "concrete expansion joint strips". These are usually inserted between one concrete pour and another to provide a "pad" that will absorb some concrete movement. Typically 4-8 inches tall, and  1/2-1 inch thick. If you got a long open gap that's wide enough, you might be able to jam these strips down in.


How many bolted faults can a residential circuit breaker withstand?

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop is rather unanswerable. How many faults are they built to withstand and still be functional, should I swap them out after X # of faults, and are they more likely to fail-dangerous if they're old and abused?

According to the UL, a breaker must safely clear its maximum current twice and still be functional. This is a manufacturing standard; not really your concern unless yours broke after the first fault.

CBs are built to always fail-safe. An older breaker that seems to nuisance trip more often than it should might be grounds for replacement and it's probably the easiest way to see if there is something funny going on but there's no reason to arbitrarily replace them after a few faults. Several thousand faults? you'd better check what's going on and that breaker goes in the garbage on principle.

I'm unaware of any UL testing that seeks to show a reset count limit. I'd assume the possibility of a fail-on state is negligible or it wouldn't be UL'ed. IME, when they break they just don't reset anymore. - Find me an un-safe one and we'll go sue 'em for all they've got.


Can a sub-panel have a larger main breaker than the feeder breaker in the main panel?

You are fine.

The 200 amp breaker in the main panel will protect the wires leading to the sub. The main breaker in the sub is not strictly necessary, except as a local shutoff. You could as easily use a sub designed with no main, feeding directly to the bus bars.

The only requirement in this context is that the feeder breaker be sized to protect the feed wires and the sub panel itself.


With plumbing it is all about maintaining the proper drop per foot.  The fact that this is a wash machine makes the call even easier.  I guess the theoretical issue would be would the 90s and slowing of the water make it more likely that something could stick to the inside bend and accumulate enough that you would have an issue.  My thoughts on this:

don't see what would stick to PVC from a wash machine
use long sweep 90s so you don't have sharp bends
and if this ever did fail you would have easy access to it


When you have a fan/light combo and the lights are flickering or not turning on it generally means you have a problem within the fixture itself. The only thing you can really do is to check the box below the fan and see if any connections there are damaged or loose. Then do the same for the junction box above the fan. If you cannot find anything wrong with the wiring, then it is probably the fixture itself that is going bad. Because repair is usually much more expensive than replacement, I would recommend replacing the entire fixture.

Hope this helps.


It looks like your thermostat is wired wrong way: call for heat wire is connected to call for cool (probably at furnace side, as you said replacing the stat was unhelpful).

So if temp is above the one you set the heating starts as it 'thinks' it have to cool.

Please post a picture of wiring both sides (furnaces and thermostat)


I think it's unwise to block access. There's a few reasons I can come up with, just off the top of my head.

if your roof is leaking, you need to get in there to see what the root of the leak is
electrical or plumbing upgrades frequently need attic access
if you get a creature problem, attic access is sometimes needed for trapping/mitigation
you might want to add insulation in the future
bath or kitchen fans might need replacement in the future

You can have a closet unit designed that allows access with a bit of disassembly.

If you don't want to go that route, a different hatch could be made, but there's carpentry and cost associated with that.


How to prepare stud wall for PVC shower panels

You should install cementboard, then mount the panels to that.


There should have been a 'packing' in the stem assembly.  This is usually a gasket or a series of gaskets that prevent water from seeping around the stem when the stem is in the off position.  If the packing was in good shape (no cracks or brittleness) and was seated properly then I would say it's time to replace the whole fixture.

In my past experience if the leak doesn't come from the stem or the packing around it, then the time finding the problem and the cost to fix it usually is not worth it for a cheaper fixture.


This isn't one of those games where the goal is to use only this bag of parts, right?

Charge the battery with the solar panel

Simply connecting a solar panel to a battery will not do what you want.  It will overcharge and wreck the battery.   You need a charge controller between panel and battery.  This is a keystone product that will make or break your build.

Good ones are hard to find. Generally the ones sold at chain/big-box retail stores are foreign dreck, often with reputable brand names slapped on them. I prefer using a low-end controller from a well-reputed company in the solar business like Morningstar.  Unfortunately many of these are specialty products, so you just have to read up on solar-power forums and places like that to see who's regarded as the best.

From there, it's a simple affair to connect solar panel to charge controller, and charge controller to battery.

A good charge controller will not need you to throw switches or change wires.

Hook up your loads

Since your goal is lighting, get 12V lights. The point is to use 12V lighting throughout, run straight off the battery.  Don't even think of running an inverter to run 120V lighting, that's just crazy.

Off-grid power is too precious to use anything but LEDs for lighting. Nothing else is efficient enough. You don't want to double your battery and solar just to run CFLs, or 7x your battery and solar to run incandescents.  That's just crazy.  No, LEDs are not ugly light (more on that). Yes, the government forcing swirly CFLs is unfair, but LED is also winning fair-and-square because it's better.

You can get 12V LED lighting in all sorts of shapes and sizes:

Kitchen lighting such as much of IKEA's
"LED strips"
automotive style 1156 bulbs
off-road/driving floodlights (often too blue)
12V "RV" screw-in bulbs (not recommended, someone will try using them on 120VAC)

Be careful with your choice of color temperature and CRI when buying LEDs.  A lot of the early or cheap LEDs had poor CRI and harsh color temperatures, and they got a bit of a reputation.  These days you can get any CRI or color temperature you want.

CRI is Color Rendering Index, or how good the light looks to humans; aim for 80 or up (out of 100).  Color temperature is how "blue" the light is. The traditional warm incandescent lighting is 2700-3000K (kelvin, weird unit, I know). 4100K is office fluorescent lights. 5100K is a cloudy day, blue-sky is 6500, and that sounds great when you're buying it, but it looks awful at night.  Try to have all your LEDs be about the same color temperature.

Other loads

Make a very serious effort to find 12V versions of anything else you want to run. These days a lot of flatscreen TVs are 12V friendly.  Boaters, RVers, tiny-house and VanLife people have good sources.

Inverting to make 120V involves a serious amount of energy loss. Even an inverter sitting idle has a fairly high power consumption.

You can't run them 24x7 or they'll destroy your battery.  In fact, don't neatly install one.  Leave it something you temporarily hook up in a tangled mess, so you'll remember to unhook it and put it away.

Don't overwork the battery

Both your batteries are lead-acid type. That particular type has a serious problem: it *really, really does not like being deep-cycled.**  Deep-cycle lead-acids, like your Optima yellowtops, do better -- but they still will be destroyed by deep cycling, just will get more cycles before they do (on the upper range of the numbers I'm about to give).

If you drain it dead, you'll get 5-30 cycles before battery death
If you drain to 50%, maybe 20-200 cycles
if only 25% DOD (using 25% of capacity) many hundreds of cycles
15% DOD thousands of cycles.

Factor this against the fact that lead-acid batteries typically fail anyway after 5-7 years. The upshot is, depending on your usage, you may need a larger battery for this system to make sense.  Or...

Other battery types

You may think "Wait, my laptop/iPad/phone doesn't have that problem!"  Correct. But before you start salvaging 18650's out of laptop batteries, lithiums have a different problem: spectacular battery fires.  To avoid that, you need to build battery packs carefully and include a protection circuit - many people are doing this for off-grid / home-power.  There are lots of instructionals out there, some not so safe.

There are more traditional battery types such as the famous NiFe "Edison battery" or its brothers NiCd or NiMH.  But you're not going to find those on the cheap.


Can engineered hardwood floors be refinished?

The answer is maybe. Some engineered flooring the hardwood top layer is so thin refinishing would cut through to the plywood. If you chose a brand with a thicker hardwood surface then sure it could be refinished but use caution and don't use a heavy sandpaper or you will have the problem a friend of mine did. He was thinking his oak flooring was solid and wanted to change the color. He started sanding and peeled the top layer off, he called me to get the bad news he ended up replacing the entire room and hallway. So if you may want to refinish get at least 1/8" the 1/16 inch stuff really is so thin it can be done but you risk breaking through.


Will a concrete roof hold the weight of a roof garden?

A structural engineer is required to go over your plan and to get the permit for the glass roof addition. Your roof was not designed to support the additional dead weight and wind load on the glass roof.


Can too little sand equal weaker concrete?

You will likely find this related question useful.

In general sand is added into concrete for two purposes - to save cement and to reduce shrinking of the concrete stone while it hardens. Shrinking causes cracks and cracks are really bad for most scenarios of using concrete.

You haven't altered the mix much so you likely won't have problems with shrinking and cracking.

Another point is that concrete needs water while hardening (after it has initially cured) and it surely needs more water if you added more cement.


Try using a minerallac strap. I really not much for perforated strapping. See image although it is legal.

Hope this helps.


The part near the lens is threaded, so you should be able to unscrew the front from the back by turning that circular plate with the notches. The notches are certainly meant for tightening and loosening.


Ok, I did the metric to inches conversions so I understand the size of your project. Sure wish the USA would go metric like the rest of the civilized world. LOL.

Your bench is going to be apx 7 foot by 2 foot with 17 inch overhangs. I think you will find that a solid stable material like 20 mm (3/4inch) plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF) or solid boards will work well if the load is not too heavy. Avoid materials like cheap chip or particle board  because they have a tendency to warp easily if not secured to a sub-straight. Because the surface is not real smooth, they don't look great when painted.

If you want to be sure the unsupported overhangs don't curl or distort, you could frame under the exposed sections with an extra parameter rim of say, 2 to 3 inch by  3/4" solid stock mounted flat under the overhang. This would effectively make the overhang 1 1/2 inch (38mm) thick.

Use a good grade stain blocking primer and finish your project with a couple of coats of quality enamel paint.


C-wire on Weil McLain cGA Gold has low voltage

Yes you have 24vac at your boiler.   Assuming you have enough conductors in the wire to your thermostat, it can be powered.
How many wires come from your thermostat to the boiler?  The old thermo in the wiring diagram looks to just be a switch on the hot leg of the 24vac, you'll need the neutral side ( c-wire ) run to the thermostat as well.  Where did you pull your c-wire feed from ?
It looks like you've circled something that has a ground, an aquastat, and the outgoing hot leg and incoming hot leg of the 24v.
The wire nut you've circled - I am going to assuming is your new c-wire - has a blue wire and a black wire and I can't tell where either of them go.


Cutting rigid foam really won’t be much better than what you have unless you seal the boards with foam.

I would spray foam around the penetrations first. I use a closed-cell foam that sticks well and can be sprayed on then it expands to ~1-1/2” but  that is a small space and the stuff I use really doesn’t store well. It covers ~100sf per can or so.

I might try with the big box stores foam in small cans around the pipes and wires then cut some rigid board fit in place and seal the seams. This would be the most cost effective way. If the rigid foam was cut and ready to put in it could be done with 1 can.


Test the compressor
Your compressor is going to look something like this

To test the windings, you'll first have to remove the "box" where the wires connect.
WARNING: There's likely a capacitor in here. Take care not to let the capacitor discharge into you.

Once you've go that out of the way, you should see three pins/terminals.  They'll typically be arranged in a triangular pattern.

One terminal will be start, one will be run, and the other will be common. To determine if the windings are still good, you'll simply test the resistance between each terminal.

Set your multimeter to read ohms.
Touch one probe to each of the bottom pins.
Write down the reading.
Touch one probe to the lower left pin, and the other to the upper pin.
Write down the reading.
Touch one probe to the lower right pin, and the other to the upper pin.
Write down the reading.

NOTE: Your readings may vary.
You should end up with something like this.

This tells me that the top pin is common, the lower left is start, and the lower right is run. It also tells me the compressor is still good. The reading from start, to run should always be the largest reading. The readings between start and common, and run and common should total up to the reading from start to run.
If the values are way off, or you get infinite resistance between the pins, replace the compressor.
If the compressor checks out, you'll want to make sure it's getting power.
Check the power to the compressor
After reassembling the compressor, plug the refrigerator back in. Set the refrigerator to a setting that should cause the compressor to come on. Using a multimeter set to volts AC (VAC), carefully probe the two wires connected to the compressor.  You should measure ~120 volts.
If you get the proper reading, you'll likely have to replace the relay and/or capacitor. If you don't get ~120 V, the problem is in the control circuitry.
Mechanical failure
If everything checks out, there's still the possibility that the compressor is seized. In which case, you'll have to replace the compressor.


Starting to build up my tools collection, is 110v preferable over 240v?

Does 240V offer better performance over 110V

240V means less losses in wiring which may lead to better performance at the end of long extension leads. Other than that I wouldn't expect much difference assuming the tools are otherwise equivilent (e.g. you aren't comparing "DIY grade" 240V gear to "professional grade" 110V gear).

  Is 110V considerably safer in worst case?

Debatable. 110V, especially the centre tapped 110V system used on UK construction sites is less likely to give you a fatal shock if you come into contact with exposed wiring.

On the other hand the lower voltage combined with the use of small transformers significantly increases the risk of a fault drawing a current which is high enough to cause a fire risk but low enough not to blow a fuse/trip a breaker. The use of an isolation transformer also defeats RCD protection unless an additional RCD is installed after the transformer (which is not the case with typical portable "yellow bricks").

So it really depends on the environment. In an indoor workshop I would be more concerned about fire than electrocution (though I wouldn't be massively concerned about either) and would prefer the 240V tool.

If I was going to be frequently using the tools outdoors in the rain I might make a different judgement.

  If One is "no" and Two is "yes" then why would anyone get 240v?

Transformers cost money, take up space, are a pain to lug around and waste power.


Rotating fitting for copper/steampunk faucet?

I would try to use a push to connect fittings such as   shark bite . You could have a male threaded connection coming out of the Copper tee and a shark bite fitting  with the female threads on one side attached to that which would allow you to rotate the outlet pipe back-and-forth.

I don’t know what the long-term affects would be on the rubber o ring  inside  The fitting by having it swivel back-and-forth. It’s worth a shot as the water supply would not be constant inside the fitting because the faucet  handles will be off most of the time and if it develops leak you can replace it with another one  easily.

  EDIT: After poking around on the world wide inter-tubes i found these rotary unions i think they would work great.


Fixing paint situation after using untinted base paint

Yeah, I'm afraid you blew it. Right idea, wrong base.

Paint is made in several levels of base.   A white base which has lots and lots of white tint, and is intended to have small amounts of color added, to ultimately create an off-white.   A medium base has less white tint and is intended to make more colorific colors like pastels (most architectural coatings are pastels or off-whites).  And a deep base has no white tint at all, and is intended to be entirely colored by the squirts of color from the tinting machine.  This is to allow deep and high-impact colors such as

src

What's more, deep bases are expected to use a lot of squirts of pigment from the carousel.  Those pigments aren't cheap, so they up the price on the assumption they'll be giving you a lot of pigment.  Also, they leave extra room in the can for all that pigment, so to add insult to injury, you get less paint.

So what you have there is effectively varnish.

How do you fix it?  Well, you may notice that the pigment carousel at the hardware store doesn't have any white pigment.  The white pigment comes in the white or medium base cans.  It is not possible for the paint shop to turn a deep base into white.

You might try buying some titanium dioxide pigment and seeing if you can pigment-load the base.  It's not terribly expensive; it's worth some experimentation.  Since you are only using one pigment, there's a fair chance the colors will match even with different ratios of base to pigment.

Your other option is to buy a gallon or quart of the same stuff, and measure exactly how much paint is actually in the can.  Then meter out your 5-gal., putting exactly that much paint into new cans.  They should be able to tint that, but it'll have to be a bold color.

... And in the future, even out your surfaces with primer.  It's designed to make unequal surfaces equal... and it's cheaper.  Use primer to prevent bleed-through, not paint.


Sizing a Well Pressure Tank - Size Change

As large as you can fit and afford is sensible. Fewer cycles and longer run-times is best for pump life. You can also use multiple tanks, but if you have space and can afford the big one, go for it.


Frozen suction line and evaporator coils can be caused by a few different items.  But basically the A/C unit is making more cooling than the air flow can dissipate. Dirty filters is the first place to look.  They will restrict air flow.  Not enough air flow means inability to dissipate cooling to the room, means freeze-up. If the filters are good, look at the coil itself.  Is it dirty?  Shut the system down, defrost the coil then you can inspect it.  If it is dirty, you have to clean it.  dirt on the coil face will restrict air flow.  Lack of air flow can mean freeze-up. Now check to make sure the blower wheel is clean.  A dirty blower wheel cannot mover air like it should.  If it is dirty, you have to pull that blower wheel and clean it.  Not very much dirt on those fins can reduce the efficiency of the wheel a lot.  Not enough air movement across the coil means freezing. Now think about it this way, you want to direct as much warm air across those coils as you possibly can.  Is there any way to augment the flow of the warm air in the room across those cooling coils? If the room thermostat is calling for cooling those compressors are going to run.  When they run they are going to produce a certain amount of cooling regardless of other conditions in the room.  If you can't dissipate that cooling off the coils they will over cool and freeze.  With a frozen coil, not enough air flow across the coil is 95% of the time the problem.  Either move more air or shut the units for a short period of time to let the warm air catch up.  This is a good start. Good Luck.


Potential Cause for these Bay Window Cracks in Victorian House in London

The cracks are caused by settlement, evident by the separation of the window sill and the wall. I suspect the settlement is caused by water. What you can do is 1) repair the concrete walkway and apply the flexible sealant to the concrete-wall joint, and 2) grade the ground, or correct the slope of the concrete walkway, to allow water to flow away from the building, also the downspout, if any.
After the corrective actions, patch the wall and monitor the situation. If the cracks reappear soon afterward, then you might need to contact a structural/geotechnical engineer to check/work on the foundation.


swamp cooler high fan is same speed as low

Turns out it was a loose belt.  Once I tightened the belt between motor and pulley then it worked fine.  Even the "low" speed was higher than what the old speed(s) both used to be.


What should happen with plumbing ground connections when converting to Pex?

There are a few things:

In your main electrical panel there should be a ground wire connecting to the ground rod. If there is another ground wire connecting to the homes plumbing (or from the ground rod to the plumbing), the main electrical service is using your homes metal plumbing as a second ground. Even if the service line is plastic, the metal pipes may be an effective ground if some of them are in contact with earth or a concrete foundation. Thus if you are removing some of the original ground system of the home, you may need to add an additional ground rod. It's a good idea nonetheless. New code specifies 1 ground rod measuring less than 25 ohms or 2 ground rods >6ft apart regardless of the measurement. Since the measurement itself is difficult most electricians just put in two.
There should be a ground conductor running from the main panel to the water heater and connected to the water heater at the terminal block of the water heater. If there's not, add one. If the branch circuit for the water heater is run in metal conduit, the conduit itself is the ground and should be connected to the water heater according to the manual of the water heater.


What is the best way to adjust pocket doors stuck on carpet?

Pocket doors can usually be adjusted by turning/twisting an adjustment screw at the top (sometimes a wheel at the bottom depending on the door). The door should allow for this adjustment somewhere without removing anything.


This is fine for 40A, as long as your EV charger does not require a neutral connection

A 6AWG aluminum wire is rated for 40A on 60°C terminations and 50A on 75°C (really 60°C/75°C) terminations.  Your SE style U cable supplies two of these conductors, one for each hot, plus an uninsulated concentric sheath under the jacket that is in all likelihood the equipment grounding conductor (as your average hot tub has no use for a neutral), as permitted by NEC 338.10(B)(2):

  (2) Use of Uninsulated Conductor. Type SE service-entrance
  cable shall be permitted for use where the insulated conductors
  are used for circuit wiring and the uninsulated conductor is
  used only for equipment grounding purposes.

Given that SE cable is fine for indoor and outdoor usage as per NEC 338.10(B)(4):

  (4) Installation Methods for Branch Circuits and Feeders.

  (a) Interior Installations. In addition to the provisions of
  this article, Type SE service-entrance cable used for interior
  wiring shall comply with the installation requirements of Part II
  of Article 334, excluding 334.80.

  For Type SE cable with ungrounded conductor sizes 10 AWG
  and smaller, where installed in thermal insulation, the ampacity
  shall be in accordance with 60°C (140°F) conductor temperature rating. The maximum conductor temperature rating shall
  be permitted to be used for ampacity adjustment and correction purposes, if the final derated ampacity does not exceed
  that for a 60°C (140°F) rated conductor.

  Informational Note No. 1: See 310.15(A)(3) for temperature
  limitation of conductors.

  Informational Note No. 2: For the installation of main power
  feeder conductors in dwelling units refer to 310.15(B)(7).

  (b) Exterior Installations. In addition to the provisions of
  this article, service-entrance cable used for feeders or branch
  circuits, where installed as exterior wiring, shall be installed in
  accordance with Part I of Article 225. The cable shall be
  supported in accordance with 334.30. Type USE cable installed
  as underground feeder and branch circuit cable shall comply
  with Part II of Article 340.

, your plan to reuse this for a 32A continuous/40A maximum EVSE seems sound provided the EVSE does not require a neutral (which this cable does not provide), and there is nothing in Code I can find that prohibits an outside branch circuit or feeder from re-entering the structure it originates in.  Of course, you will need to use a 40A breaker for this (unless your EVSE has 75°C rated terminations, which will let you keep the existing 50A breaker and run the cable at 50A instead of 40A).


How to insulate attic areas that are unreachable

If you determine that additional insulation is needed, you have a couple of options:

Cut into the ceiling for temporary access, install your insulation, then patch it back up.
Use a product that doesn't require full access to install, such as blown insulation or some spray foams.

Blown cellulose is most likely your best bet here as it is low-cost, fairly effective, and can probably be blown across the top of your dormer from the access hole you already have in the attic. When you buy the insulation you can also rent a blower machine that takes the insulation and blows it through a long hose, kind of like a vacuum cleaner in reverse. This allows you to inject it into places where you might not have full access.

If needed, you can also blow it in from the room below by drilling small holes in the ceiling. These would be easier to patch than if you had to take the ceiling down completely to install batts.


Basement subfloor, how exactly should I do it?

I have tried several methods and the best one I have used it foam board on the bottom and 3/4 inch plywood over.  I would never lay down wood on the floor.  Not only will it rot but it will retain moisture.


This can be happening where you have a load connected to that circuit. For example, if you have a light fixture with a light bulb installed and the wall switch turned on. The light bulb acts as a low-value resistor which your continuity tester is seeing as a short between hot and neutral.


How can I repair the rust penetration in my air compressor?

I highly recommend against attempting to repair a tank that handles compressed air at over 100 PSI. Failure could be impressive and catastrophic. None of the liquid repairs designed for fuel tanks or tires are in any way appropriate, and a full reconditioning is not cost-effective.

fred_dot_u is correct that the damage was caused by internal moisture. The entire tank is compromised, and the scope of the damage is likely far greater than what's indicated from the outside. The fact that the penetration is so high up seems to indicate neglect. A compressor should be drained daily after use.

Retire the compressor, or fit a new tank that's rated for the intended purpose.


How do I fix a leak in the bathroom floor?

Seal the floor with a high quality penetrating sealant.

Another way to fix this would be to take up the entire floor and redo it, ensuring the floor is solid enough it won't bend and cause cracks to form. However, sealing it should work.

Keep in mind that such a leak may be behind the wall along a pipe to the shower head or some other place where a leak is possible. In that case it would follow the pipe back down and enter the subfloor via that route.

You can get a special camera at the home improvement store to look through a small hole to inspect for leaks rather than having to tear open the wall. This way you should be able to locate the actual path of the leak without having to tear up the bathroom in the process. If possible, enter the wall from an adjoining room rather than making a hole in the tiled walls of the bathroom. It's a bit easier to repair a small inspection hole in sheetrock than it is to replace a tile.

If you have grout that is not sealed then water can pass through the grout almost like passing through sand. Seal it.


How can I paint aged wood trim that has been varnished?

You should give it a sanding with fine sandpaper, to de-gloss it. Then wipe it down with mineral spirits, or better yet a liquid cleaner/de-glosser like this:

You might be able to get away with just the liquid prep if the varnish is not high gloss. Then paint with high quality paint and brushes. No primer necessary.


How do I find the studs on my ceiling through 4.5" of polyiso?

Never installed polyiso but if I was presented this issue this is what I would do.

I would go one sheet of polyiso at a time and find the studs on the ceiling before I put the polyiso up.  Measure the distance of the studs from the edge of where the polyiso will be stalled and then mark the polyiso with those messurements.  Use a chalk line to give a nice straight line where the studs will be on the polyiso.  Installing will be simpler this way.


What is the difference between an electronic and a magnetic ballast?

Reduced Weight
As you've noticed, electronic ballasts are lighter.
Reduced Lamp Flicker
Because the electronic ballast operates at a higher cycle rate, flicker is less noticeable.
Quieter Operation
Again, because of the high cycle rate, hum is reduced.
More Efficient
Magnetic ballasts can have losses between 5-25%, while electronic ballasts have better current control making them more efficient.
No Starters Required
Magnetic ballasts required a starter to get the lamp lit, electronic ballasts do not require a starter.
Higher Price
Electronic ballasts are typically more expensive, though you may find that this is no longer a problem.


How do I install this flush-mount ceiling light?

First measure this distance on the light base:

Then check this distance on the existing bracket. (These should be the threaded holes in the bracket).

If those two dimensions match then use the screws B to mount the base to the existing bracket into the threaded holes. You should be able to start the screws into the bracket and then slide the light base over the screw heads in the larger part of the keyhole slots in the base. Then turn the base so the narrow part of the slot goes under the screw heads and tighten the screws till the base is secure against the ceiling.

If the existing bracket does not match then do a sanity check of the new bracket of the measurement between two of its matching pairs of threaded holes as for example:

When you find a pair of threaded holes in the new bracket that match the hole spacing in the light base mark the pair that will be used. Remove the old bracket by removing the two screws as noted here:

Install the new bracket in similar position as the old bracket using the existing screws through the slotted holes of the bracket. Center the new bracket over the box. If it is longer the ends of the new bracket may ride out over the box and rest on the drywall surface. Secure the bracket into place. Then start the screws B into the marked holes. Then, as noted before, slide the light base over the screw heads in the larger part of the keyhole slots in the base. Then turn the base slightly so the narrow part of the slot goes under the screw heads and tighten the screws till the base is secure against the ceiling.


Leave the ? wires unconnected.  Take the white wire from the switch off and tag it with black electrical tape -- it goes to the black wire from the light fixture.  Connect the white wire from the light fixture where the white wire from the switch once went.  Enjoy your new light!


Since there is only one R wire going into your thermostat, you should be able to use the CT2700 without an issue.  Take the red wire and connect it to the R terminal, and connect the rest of the wires to the same-named terminals on the CT2700 that they were connected to on the 1F90-51.


Sometimes these charity facilities have work "donated" to them, and it might not be the most experienced plumber, electrician, or whatever doing the job.  You might want to get a trusted, experienced plumber to look over the install to make sure there's not something fundamentally wrong.

That said, and assuming the vents are installed correctly, the design of your particular vent will determine if it can be cleaned or not.  In a lot of cases a plumber would just replace the vent because it's not worth their time to try and clean it, and hope it still works.  If you're a full time maintenance person at the facility (or a DIY'er), you have time to try and clean them and then replace if they don't work since you're there all the time any way (no trip charges, driving, etc).

For instance, in this article, the guy just replaces the vent because it was so nasty, but maybe he could have soaked it for an hour and scrubbed it out.  Or maybe he just knew it would never work right because he'd done it before...

Short version:  Try to clean them if you think it's worth it, but you might just have to replace it anyway.


Unused red for ground in existing armored cable?

That would be a code violation. You may not re-mark green, green-yellow, or bare to any other color, and you may not re-mark non-ground colors to ground colors.


What's a good sound proofing material to fill an old aperture?

Rigid Foam Insulation Cut to fit the gap, use as many layers as needed, cover with the grille. If you determine that you will never need the hole again, take off the grille and finish the wall with a drywall patch or (if the wall is made of some other material), paint the foam directly (many types can be painted) or (lazy way out) hang a picture over it.


I'd remove the vinyl. The leveling compound should go on top of the bare concrete.
But before you do anything: check if the foundations are okay. If the floor isn't properly supported, the added weight from the leveling compound will make the floor subside faster.


What grade of plywood should we use as subfloor under VCT tile?

Basically any plywood will do.  If I were doing it I would go with 3/4 inch.  The key to a vinyl install install isn't the quality or depth of the subfloor but how flat it is.  Any divots or seams bigger than 1/8" could have issues in the future and need to be filled.


Q1: Should there be an (emergency) power switch next to an electric water heater?

Doesn't have to be, but we always have a disconnect switch by water heaters for any commercial building.

  Q2: If A1 is no, is it okay to have one anyway?

Yes, it's fine as long as it's wired right and such.

  Q3: If A2 is yes, what kind of power switch should I use? I don't think I can use a regular light switch because this cable is 10/2 AWG and both the black and the white are hot.

Seems you've already discovered it, but yes they do make double pole switches. Typically a disconnect is used (as answered prior) and they're not any more complicated, but are safer. It's just a big switch.


You can purchase a door bell button mounted in a cover plate that is designed to mount on a single gang electrical box. The one I located is sold on-line only through the big orange box's web site.

Here is what it looks like:


How can I easily use a damaged hose bibb outlet?

What about if you used a screw-on hose bib anti-siphon adapter. You could screw/jam it on along with a generous amount of 2-part epoxy putty (like J.B. Weld) and have new garden hose threads... and anti-siphon protection as a bonus!


Why is water sitting under the basket of my GE topload washer?

Put the machine on the hottest wash that it can handle.  Throw in your white cotton towels and a 1/4 cup of bleach.  Do this 3 to 4 times a year.


How to frame a rough opening on an existing header?

It depends on the window size to some extent, but typically I'd not add another header. In fact, some carpenters put all headers against the top plate, with pin studs down to the RO.

Just drop your studs in and build down (if necessary) by whatever means is convenient. You always want at least two members along a door or window for rigidity, curtain backing, etc. Tie it all together well with sheathing and be happy.


What are the guidelines for holes in joists?

Have a look at this document for a quick reference.  This type of thing will be covered by International Building Code (IBC) and International Residential Code (IRC)

  IBC 2308.8.2 Framing details.

  Joists shall be supported laterally at the ends and at each support by
  solid blocking  except where the ends of the joists are nailed to a
  header, band or rim joist or to an adjoining stud or by other means.
  Solid blocking shall not be less than 2 inches (51mm) in thickness and
  the full depth of the joist. Notches on the ends of  joists shall not
  exceed one-fourth the joist depth. Holes bored in joists shall not be
  within 2 inches (51 mm) of the top or  bottom of the joist, and the
  diameter of any such hole shall not exceed one-third the depth of the
  joist. Notches in the top  or bottom of joists shall not exceed
  one-sixth the depth and shall not be located in the middle third of
  the span.

  IRC R502.8 Drilling and notching.

  Structural floor members shall not be cut, bored or notched in excess
  of the limitations  specified in this section. See Figure R502.8.

  IRC R502.8.1 Sawn lumber.

  Notches in solid lumber joists, rafters and beams shall not exceed
  one-sixth of the depth of the  member, shall not be longer than
  one-third of the depth of the member and shall not be located in the
  middle one-third of  the span. Notches at the ends of the member shall
  not exceed one-fourth the depth of the member. The tension side of
  members 4 inches (102 mm) or greater in nominal thickness shall not be
  notched except at the ends of the members. The diameter of holes bored
  or cut into members shall not exceed one-third the depth of the
  member. Holes shall not be closer  than 2 inches (51 mm) to the top or
  bottom of the member, or to any other hole located in the member.
  Where the  member is also notched, the hole shall not be closer than 2
  inches (51 mm) to the notch.

  IRC R502.8.2 Engineered wood products.

  Cuts, notches and holes bored in trusses, laminated veneer lumber, gluelaminated members or I-joists are not permitted unless the effects
  of such penetrations are specifically considered in the  design of the
  member.

  IRC R602.6 Drilling and notching - studs.

  Any stud in an exterior wall or bearing partition may be cut or
  notched to a depth not exceeding 25 percent of its width. Studs in
  nonbearing partitions may be notched to a depth not to exceed 40
  percent  of a single stud width. Any stud may be bored or drilled,
  provided that the diameter of the resulting hole is no greater than
  40 percent of the stud width, the edge of the hole is no closer than
  5/8 inch (15.9 mm) to the edge of the stud, and the  hole is not
  located in the same section as a cut or notch. See Figures R602.6(1)
  and R602.6(2).

  Exceptions:

  A stud may be bored to a diameter not exceeding 60 percent of its width, provided that such studs located in exterior  walls or bearing
  partitions are doubled and that not more than two successive studs are
  bored.
  Approved stud shoes may be used when installed in accordance with the manufacturers recommendation.

  IRC R602.6.1 Drilling and notching of top plate.

  When piping or ductwork is placed in or partly in an exterior wall or
  interi- or load-bearingwall, necessitating cutting, drilling or
  notching of the top plate by more than 50 percent of its width, a
  galvanized metal tie of not less than 0.054 inches thick (1.37mm)
  (16ga) and 11/2 inches (38mm) wide shall be fastened  to each plate
  across and to each side of the opening with not less than eight 16d
  nails at each side or equivalent. See  Figure R602.6.1.

  Exception: When the entire side of the wall with the notch or cut is covered by wood structural panel sheathing

  IRC R802.7 Cutting and notching.

  Structural roof members shall not be cut, bored or notched in excess
  of the limitations  specified in this section.

  IRC R802.7.1 Sawn lumber.

  Notches in solid lumber joists, rafters and beams shall not exceed
  one-sixth of the depth of the  member, shall not be longer than
  one-third of the depth of the member and shall not be located in the
  middle one-third of  the span. Notches at the ends of the member shall
  not exceed one-fourth the depth of the member. The tension side of
  members 4 inches (102 mm) or greater in nominal thickness shall not be
  notched except at the ends of the members. The  diameter of the holes
  bored or cut into members shall not exceed one-third the depth of the
  member. Holes shall not be  closer than 2 inches (51mm) to the top or
  bottom of the member, or to any other hole located in the member.
  Where the  member is also notched, the hole shall not be closer than
  inches (51 mm) to the notch.

  Exception: Notches on cantilevered portions of rafters are permitted provided the dimension of the remaining portion of  the
  rafter is not less than 4-inch nominal 102
   mm) and the length of the cantilever does not exceed 24 inches (610mm).

  IRC R802.7.2 Engineered wood products.

  Cuts, notches and holes bored in trusses, structural composite lumber,
  structural glue-laminated members or I-joists are prohibited except
  where permitted by the manufacturer’s recommendations or  where the
  effects of such alterations are specifically considered in the design
  of the member by a registered design  professional.


How do I mount a power strip to the smooth metal support structure of a banquet table?

Regardess of the intent of the cross, the metal endcap of the power strip has a hole shaped like a gourd (or like a male chicken and globes, if you have a dirty mind).

That is designed to be used with a screw mounting. The screw should be chosen so the head just fits through the larger diameter, but only the shaft fits in the slot.  Slide the screw head theough the hole, slide it down into the slot, then tighten the screw tight so it can't move.

Now only a firm sideward pull will dislodge it.  You can stop that by a cleverly placed additional screw.

If your steel is even 1/16", I would consider drilling and tapping the hole for the screw.


Metal clad (MC) cable: cut or rearrange it? Plus other questions on the options to install it

I don’t know of any place that sells it other than a roll. But you usually can purchase metallic and non metallic liquid tight by the foot and put the wire inside that.
There are both metal and plastic straps to secure MC.
I would say why even use MC if you are putting it in a raceway.

Usually there is a bag of anti short bushings with the roll look and make sure you get them and yes you need to use them unless the fitting has this built in.
 Inspectors do look for the bushing as many diy’s don’t know they are required.


I want to change my light bulb to an LED multicolored light bulb

I think the op did the shopping but wants to know if it will work.

Looking at the original lamp and the new one I would say yes they both work in the same voltage range.

In my area the bayonet style lamp is not used on mains voltage but it appears that it is for your area.

So yes it should work.


Expanding two gang box to three gang with metal conduit

The conduits will bend even if rigid, if thin wall or emt they are easily bent into place.
I pull my wiring out and mark with a paint pen or sharpie stripes take a picture or draw a schematic black wire 1 has 1 stripe white wire 1 has 1. Red 1 has 1 then black 2 has 2 etc.  normally not more than 5 in a box keeps from having so many stripes).
Power off of corse. Disconnect switches, pull nuts, remove fasteners(screws or nails) fit wires and conduit into new box install locknuts /bushings if needed. Anchor usually with screws install switches.
A small pry bar or wonder bar can be a lifesaver muscling the conduit.
try to not skin the wires if you do skin them the world is not over some shrink tubing will fix a skinned bit of insulation.
I have done jobs with rigid a foot up in the wall it was anchored but I could get the conduit into the box with a bit of brute force.


Bathroom ventilation system with electric fan

I can’t answer for the requirements in your country, but in the mainland United Kingdom, it is now a requirement to have a fixed mains powered ventilation fan in bathrooms and shower rooms regardless where these are in the building. This applies to new builds and in some cases, where renovation takes place.

The whole reason for having a fan is to reduce the humidity in the bathroom or shower room in order to reduce condensation.

The relevant UK regulations are outlined in the ‘Building Regulations Document F’

I presume there are similar regulations in your country.

I hope this helps.


Could shingles that are not flat be caused by stapling the sheathing rather than nailing?

If your contractor is claiming the fasteners are loosening from the sheathing it is a simple matter to verify. On the roof any nail or staple that has pulled away from the rafters will have pushed up or through the asphalt shingles. If it has only pushed the shingle up carefully pry the shingle up further and peer under it. You should be able to see the nail head or staple crown.
If several fasteners have loosened along the same edge or seam an obvious bounce will be detected when pressure is applied over it. Fasteners pulling from sheathing (whether staple or nail) happens to the best constructed roof even if the fastener schedule is followed. Over time expansion and contraction slowly work the fastener loose.
Longer, additional, and accurately set fasteners may be needed (or lacking) for the sheathing.
Unless the felt paper under the shingles was crumpled in a knot or completely 'FUBAR-ed' it may be that rolled roofing was used as an under-layment (not common under shingles, but possible). Rolled roofing is known to wrinkle if installed in long lengths (more than 15-20 feet?).


How do I get my garage door open without prying it with a hanger?

If you do not have an entrance door to your garage (either to the interior of your house, or the exterior), there should be a key-based garage door release on the outside of your garage. You would obviously need the key for this, but it would release the garage door without resorting to prying it with a hanger or another similar hack.

It is also very typical to have a hardwired button available inside your house or next to an entrance door of the garage.

If not I doubt you can easily hotwire the control panel and instead would need to figure out how to pull the release cable.  Lucky for you there are a ton of YouTube videos on how to do this. Here's one.


My dog chewed the surface of my doors, how should I go about fixing this?

Hollow panel doors like the one in your picture can be purchased at your local home improvement store for relatively cheap, probably in the range of $30-50.  So the easiest thing to do is not fix them and just replace them.

If you are set on repairing it, you should sand down the damage, fill it with wood putty, sand again, the prime and paint (the entire door). With the texture and shape of the door, it is unlikely you could repair this in a manner that is not noticeable.  Just note that the cost of buying the necessary products to repair it are probably more expensive than just replacing it.


How to fix this bench vise that has a missing handle

Use a long "grade 5" bolt, grind the head round and ease the edges a bit so to use it will be comfortable. Set it in place and run a stop nut on the other end and grind it in the same way. Do not get it too hot from grinding, it may melt the nylon part that keeps the nut in place.

There will be issues while doing this, but to grind the bolt first before placing it in the vise will at least make one part of the job easy to do. The other part, the nut, well....

You will only need to do it once.


Typical general purpose sledge hammer weight?

Normal "full length" sledge is 8 lbs, normal "hand sledge" (short handle) is 4.

Excess weight may have two downsides - one is more wear and tear on you the operator, and the other is that you may get lower velocity on your hits - and since energy is mass times velocity squared, a hammer weighing 12 lbs still needs to make at least 81% of the velocity of the 8 lb hammer to get the same "hit" - so you have to swing 50% more weight only 20% slower.

Barring unusual circumstances, I'd suggest you stick with 8 lbs. It got standard because it works for most things.

....also, go find (and perhaps even patronize) a brick-and-mortar hardware store...while you still can.


Is it safe to pull a continuous 18 amps from a 15 amp outlet?

No it is not safe.

A 15 ampere rated receptacle should not be installed on a circuit protected by a 30 ampere breaker.

You should not be plugging devices that draw more than 15 amperes, into a 15 ampere rated receptacle.

The receptacle in your photo is a 20 ampere receptacle, so you shouldn't have a problem plugging in a 20 ampere device.  They make receptacle configurations different, so that you can't plug things into the wrong receptacle.  By making a bootleg extension cord, you're bypassing that safety feature.

You're going to burn the place down.

Also note that since the device is active for longer than 3 hours, it would be considered a continuous load.  In which case the circuit (overcurrent protection, wiring, and devices) should all be rated for 125% of the load.  That would mean the wiring, overcurrent device, and receptacle should be rated to handle at least 22.5 amperes (18 × 1.25). That means a 30 ampere breaker, 10 AWG copper conductors, and a 30 ampere receptacle.


Will having an expansion tank on the hot water pipe cause any problems?

The only 'problem' is that it fills with hot water. The water sits there and will get cold if not being used.

When the hot water is turned on again, this cooler water will mix with your hot water.

Your hot water will change in temperature a bit until the water in the tank, and the metal of the tank get hot.

Nothing will happen that will ruin your plumbing.


How do I remove sticky glue from a surface using baking soda after removing peel and stick tiles?

The tiles I removed left very little "glue", meaning I didn't see rows of it on the floor. It was however very tacky. I used a sifter and sprinkled baking soda over the entire area, immediately the tackiness was gone. It was about a 10x12 area. It worked great for me but I do think it would depend on the amount of glue left on the floor.


Leaning cinder block fence caused by tree, what's the best way to fix this?

Honestly, this looks like the entire wall is affected by general differential settling and it looks pretty serious judging by the adjacent fencing.  If there is ANY chance of the wall falling onto your neighbors - like a child going to get that soccer ball, you will need to demo the wall, grind the stump completely, and compact the soil.  A new masonry wall would need to be engineered by a licensed professional, and installed with the engineer's specs for foundation and compaction.  In a more remote location, you might grind the stump, and then repoint the masonry joints.  This would be a cosmetic fix, but, now that the stump is removed, the roots under the wall should no longer grow, but may even decompose to their original condition bringing the wall more plumb.  But if we squash the neighbor's soccer toddler, the higher price of a new engineered wall will seem small.  Your neighbor should share in the cost of the fix, too.  If not, he shouldn't complain when you put back a simple wood privacy fence.  There may be other factors, such as warranty issues from the original builder and homeowners association requirements.


How can I run air tubing into a PVC manifold / fitting?

Assuming you have or can get the clear tubes to attach and not leak, I'd suggest a 1-1/4" (or reducer and 1/2") PVC pipe parallel to your clear pipes, running above water level, and NO penetration for the CO2 feed line; not only run it in the bottom of the pipe as suggested by @bib, but run it inside regular, normally solvent-welded PVC vertically as well, all the way above waterline. No funky or fragile seals between plastics that don't solvent-weld nicely.

From fishtank experience I'd also suggest that you be open to running 10 tubes so that you can balance the airflow if it does not opt to cooperate and divide evenly in practice (one of those things where things are the same in theory, but often different in practice).


Selecting the correct lighting transformer

I'm not sure how to interpret the numbers on my existing transformer in order to select a new transformer.

You just want to match the numbers. It's not that important to understand what they mean. That said, note that the output is 12VAC (AC is "alternating current"). LED drivers are usually DC ("direct current"), but there's this corner of the market that seem to be descendants of the landscape lighting market and low-voltage incandescent lighting market, both of which use AC.
Which means you might have better success finding a replacement transformer by looking for landscape or low-voltage incandescent lighting parts, rather than "LED driver" parts.
So, find a transformer that meets the following:

120 volts AC for input (i.e. normal North American household line voltage)
12 volts AC for output
4 amps (or as the markings show, 4000 mA...same thing) current for output

Be very careful about the output AC vs DC, because this is where you'll likely find the most confusion, since there are those two different styles that otherwise seem very similar.
If you find a transformer rated at higher than 4A, that's fine. You just don't want less. You should try to get 4A or as close to as you can though.

there is a copper wire coming from both the lighting fixture as well as the wiring coming from my ceiling. I understand that this is the ground wire. They were not connected when I pulled the light off. Is this a problem? Must they be connected?

There's a green screw on the ceiling plate, which is intended to be a ground connection. Judging from the bends in the wires in the photos, it looks like the original installer tried to connect the ground wire from the supply cable along with the ground wire from the lamp cover to that single screw. This might even be the way the lamp was intended to be installed, and the wires might even have been connected there at some point, but getting two different wires secured to the same screw like that is difficult.
You would probably have better luck getting a screw nut and a short piece of extra wire (preferably the same size as the supply cable wire, though since they used a smaller wire for the lamp cover anyway, I'd say the size isn't too critical). Use the wire nut to secure all three wires together — the supply ground, the cover plate ground, and the new wire — and then secure the single new wire to the green screw in the ceiling plate. You'll need to straighten out the ground wire from the supply cable.
And yes, it's a good idea to make sure the ground connections are done.
As far as finding specific suppliers, that's technically outside the scope of the Stack Exchange network, including this site. But if you search for "landscape lighting transformer" with your favorite web search engine, you're likely to find a variety of vendors that could be useful. Alternatively, look for parts for low-voltage halogen lighting. These are often used for decorative lighting, cabinets, or track lighting.


Can you use the same circuit breaker for single phase and three phase electricity?

It depends.  No, really, it does.

Unlike Europe, where everything low-voltage is on the same system (415Y/230V) and breakers are pretty universally interchangeable due to the DIN rail form factor (subject only to interrupting rating and trip curve specifications), the US uses a mix of systems, even for low voltage (<1kV) utilization equipment.  As a result, breakers designed for one system may or may not be usable on another, even if both panelboards are listed for the breaker type in question and the interrupting rating of the breaker in question is not exceeded, which is a serious consideration with main breakers in underground service areas or on higher power services, and even for branch breakers in industrial or other high-power applications.

Even if we set aside 480V delta (whether isolated or corner grounded) and 480Y/277V systems, as those are only used in heavy commercial and industrial work, we still have two single phase and three three phase systems to deal with:

120/240V split phase (the stuff we see in our homes and in light commercial buildings too)
120/208V "2 out of 3" split phase (used in high-rises and downtowns that have what's called "network service" from the electric utility)
208Y/120V three phase (the modern standard for light three phase service)
240/208/120V high leg or wild leg delta (an obsolete way to provide "mixed" service for single phase and three phase loads)
240V delta, typically corner grounded (an obsolete service that was used when only three phase loads needed to be supplied)

Given all this, we'll start with the easiest case, namely the 208Y/120V three phase Wye system that is today's standard of choice for light three phase services.  You indeed can do the breaker transplant you mention in this system, as the line-to-ground voltage is still the 120V it always was, and most modern light duty circuit breakers are slash rated at 240/120V (240V line-to-line, 120V line-to-ground).

However, it gets more complicated when you get to the delta-based systems.  In a high leg delta, the center tapped winding between A and C phases has its tap grounded to form a neutral point in the system, allowing split-phase loads to be fed from A and C phases in conjunction with the neutral; these can use ordinary 240/120V breakers.  However, the B phase sits at 208V to ground -- this means that to put loads on the B phase, you need to use a 208, 240, or higher voltage straight rated breaker -- these are quite uncommon, and are typically only seen in the two pole variety when they are found.  (Three pole breakers are straight rated for 240V use, so they aren't an issue.)

It gets worse when you go to a corner grounded (aka "grounded B-phase") 240V delta system.  Oftentimes, the panels used with this will be single phase panels, with the B (grounded) phase connected to the neutral bar in lieu of being run through a busbar.  However, this requires 240V, 1φ-3φ rated breakers in the panel -- only a select few types of light duty breakers (usually higher end types such as QO) have grounded B phase ratings on their 240V straight rated 2 pole breakers.  As a result, breakers from a single phase system can almost never be applied on a corner grounded 240V delta system.


How do I connect an outlet to two black and three white wires?


Why am I failing to connect this simple kitchen sink pipe?

To avoid cross-threading, spin it backwards until you feel it drop into another thread; this is where and when it's lined up. First attach it to the sink and then fight with other connection, leaving everything lose until it's all fitted together. For the fitting you have, turn this picture up-side down: (make sure the grommet is properly orientated)

  The bottom of the drain spout always seals to the drain plumbing using one of these clever conical, or wedge type of gaskets. The nut on top pushes the wedge into the drain pipe, which compresses it and cause it to perfectly seal between the drain plumbing and the spout from the sink. -woodgears.ca

Plumbing is always a can of worms; you'll find new fittings much easier to work with, and the reusing of old grommets to be less than ideal. While you're at it, replace it with a sanitary elbow like it should be. Flexible lines should be avoided if at all possible, but they sure make for an easy install.