NEMA 6-50 plug to attach to electrical conduit

OK, another swing at this given that you also want the NEMA 6-50 plug to be available to use with a portable charger if the main fails.
The cheaty way
I'll use a precedent here.  They make little subpanels meant to go at RV parking spots, which include all relevant sockets.  Different RVs require different plugs, so they supply NEMA 14-50, NEMA 14-30 and NEMA 5-20 at the same time. They are allowed to be fed by a single 50A supply breaker, even though if all 3 kinds of RVs plugged in, they could pull 100A.  Why is this allowed? Because only one RV will fit on an RV stand. If the 14-50 is in use, the 14-30 must not be.
So.  Hardwire it like I suggest, but instead of a blank cover plate on the panel, fit a NEMA 6-50 and hook it up so both the hardwire and 6-50 are live.  Label the 6-50 socket "EVSE Only". It can't be used unless your hardwired charger is not in use.  Because it's only one parking space.
The non-cheaty way
Install exactly one of those RV subpanels that has at least 4 breaker spaces.  Change one of the panel front sockets to NEMA 6-50, and add an extra 50A breaker to feed the EVSE charger that you hardwire.  If it has a 5th breaker space, then support the NEMA 5-20 outlet also, giving  you another way to plug in.
If you really, really want the existing charger to plug in, then do hardwire it into the panel, but wire it to a flexible cord and have it exit the panel and loop right back into the panel  Noting that these panels have outdoor in-use covers, that can be locked, have the cord's starting point be somewhere protected.

Based on what you say in comments, your primary concern is armoring the installation against casual vandalism, e.g. cable cutting. Presumably our vandal is bright enough to de-energize a cord before cutting it, so he'd unplug a flexible cable before cutting, eh?
Use a permanent wiring method ... temporarily
In other words, overcome your reluctance to hard-wire, because hard-wiring is really the right way to do this.
I have the experience to hardwire a thing like this in about 2 minutes.  For me, it's not any harder than wiring a plug.  I do all sorts of temporary work, and it's perfectly routine for me to "permanently" wire something up, all spit-shined and inspection-ready... then, 4 hours later, "permanently" unwire it.
That's exactly what you should do. Bap in a knockout on the junction box, and wire it in that way; either cap off the receptacle's wires or replace the receptacle with a 50 cent blank cover plate.  If the box is mounted flush, then add an extension box and side-enter that, or get a blank plate with a knockout hole on its face. Depending on what works physically at the site.
And then, when you move, just unhook the wires and cap it off with a 20 cent knockout plug, in a neat and proper manner.  Done.  It's really no different than removing a chandelier.
It goes without saying that you turn off the supply circuit breaker before touching the circuit wiring. Also, NEC requires that EVSEs are dedicated circuits, and forbids multiple outlets on 50A circuits with a socket, so de-energizing this circuit won't affect other users.*
Why that thing is not available
The concept of a "plug" implies there is a cord attached to it which is rated as cordage, i.e. is made for frequent flexing.  Flexible conduit is not rated for frequent flexing; it is intended for fixed, permanent installation and its bendiness is only intended as a convenience to the installer.  As such, a plug for flexible conduit is a contradiction in terms.
At least in the consumer space.  ThreePhaseEel describes some industrial exotica, but it'll be industrial-priced, and still need a variance from the AHJ to use it.
You say "It's mere coincidence that nobody makes it" - no, it's not.  You may notice that every piece of electrical equipment (such as a plug) has a stamp that says UL, CSA, ETL or other marks (CE is not one).  These are Nationally Recognized Testing Labs (NRTL).  NEC 110.2 requires that every piece of equipment be "approved". The instructions must be approved as part of the listing.  UL won't approve instructions that tell the user to violate NEC.  So the maker would need to find a use for this thing that does not violate NEC, get their UL listing based on those instructions, and then you would use the device contrary to its instructions, which violates NEC 110.3b.
So it isn't happenstance that these don't exist.  There's reason for them not to.
Or, hardwire to one box, and jumper to the other
However this won't work if your risk is vandalism.
Go to a real electrical supply house.  Get a NEMA 6-50P line cord with pre-molded plug, that uses proper cordage.  Also get the correct strain relief that fits that particular cordage ... and that's why I'm sending you to the electrical supply.
Now get a 4-11/16" or 4" deep junction box.  Fit the 6-50 cord and strain relief into one of its knockouts.  Then screw it to the wall within cord's reach of your NEMA 6-50 socket and within reach of that flexible conduit.
Put this EVSE's flexible conduit into another knockout.
Pigtail a #10 ground wire off the ground screw on the box,  then splice wires to match.
Voilà, now you can plug and unplug the EVSE at will, you are not flexing things not meant to flex, you are flexing things meant to flex, and it's Code legal.NEC 400.7(A)(6).

400.7 Uses Permitted.
(A) Uses. Flexible cords and cables shall be used only for the following:

(6) Connection of utilization equipment (that's any device which uses electricity for something) to facilitate (allow) frequent interchange.


Motion sensor activates for no apparent reason

These units also detect heat changes.  Make sure the HVAC vent isn't blowing warm or cool air onto the detector or into its view of the space.


How to adjust strike plate in a metal door jamb

The strike plate sticks out from the jamb?  Remove the strike plate and file/grind some material off where it is binding.


Why would a central vacuum breaker trip once every time I used it?

It is likely your breaker type...

The CVS Power Unit is engineered using a high-performance motor. As with all power units, it is recommended
that the CVSPU have a dedicated circuit to ensure consistent operation.

ISSUE: Standard Square D Circuit Breakers May Cause Tripping
Several dealers have reported nuisance tripping issues with the CVSPU.
We have discovered that the some circuit breakers trip more easily when used to power the CVSPU.
In discussions with a circuit breaker manufacturer, we were advised these breakers are not designed to operate high-performance appliances like
central vacuums, air compressors and even some microwave ovens.

SOLUTION: Use High-Magnetic Breakers to Power CVSPU’s
The manufacturer recommends using high-magnetic designed breakers like those listed below for dedicated circuits
connecting to high-performance equipment. High-magnetic breakers can tolerate the high in-rush of current that occurs when high-
performance appliances start, preventing nuisance tripping.

Please be aware that if you experience nuisance tripping with the CVSPU, replacing the breaker should eliminate the issue. For new
construction, however, it would be preferable to discuss this issue ahead of time with the builder or electrician.

Recommended Breakers
The recommended breakers to use with the CVSPU are listed below:
• Square D (#QO115HM) for a 15 amp circuit
• Square D (#QO120HM) for a 20 amp circuit
• Square D Homeline (#HOM120HM) for a 20 amp circuit
These breakers are available where electrical supplies are sold.


Can lost water pressure cause a water heater to leak/rupture?

No, low water pressure would not cause the water heater to leak. BUT, there may have been a sever pressure SPIKE that caused the the leak that the water dept. crew was trying to fix, and that spike may have ALSO damaged your water heater.

You might want to have a peek at all of your other fixtures and water based appliances too. For example your washing machine and dishwasher have cheap little plastic valves that turn on when you do a load, they may have burst as well. But in those cases the tubs will just fill and then drain out the waste lines, so you don't know there is a problem until you go to use them, by then you have run up a huge water and sewer bill.


This thread is two years old, but these 2 links may be helpful.
The first is a clamp that can be fastened inside the basement or crawl at the point that the pipe goes out:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G8UTUC/?tag=stackoverfl08-20 . If that link breaks, google a Pasco 5023 Hose Bibb Anchor.  See here also:
http://www.pascospecialty.com/faxspecials/june10_fax_special.pdf


What threading type is my ice maker shut off valve?

One side of your needle valve is 1/4" compression thread, that is the side with tubing connected to it. The watertight connection is accomplished when the compression nut squeezes down upon and cinches the compression ferrule (a brass sleeve that fits over the tubing) tightly to the tubing.

The other end is 1/8" NPT (National Pipe Thread). NPT fittings seal by the taper of the thread (with teflon tape or pipe thread compound to facilitate) and are utterly incompatible with other types of threaded fittings.

You will likely need an adapter to fasten the valve to "the male end... on the back of the fridge". If you post a picture of that end we might be able to tell you the type of adapter you need.


What could cause my in-wall air conditioner to blow 3 power boards?

There is a distinct possibility that another another component of the AC unit has some how gone bad and is overloading or injecting bad signals back into the control board and in turn burning it out.

It would take local diagnosis - along with a service schematic of the unit - to be able to isolate the faulty component. But your repeated replacement of the control board pretty much indicates that some other thing as gone wrong with the AC unit.


As I understand, the capping was used to protect cables from being sliced by a plasterer's trowel when wet plastering over them.

For the (nominal) cost of them, I'd use capping if the wall was to be wet plastered. (Plus, though it's not always easy, it does give you a chance to re-cable if that ever becomes required in the future).

If the wall was to be dry lined, I'd just clip the cables to the wall.

According to the wiring "regulations", capping is not sufficiently robust mechanical protection to avoid the need for RCD protection to the circuit.


Transition between casing and baseboard?

At least where I work, it's typical to run the casing to the floor and butt the base into the casing. If you're replacing casing, I'd go that way.

If you don't want to change the casing, then yes, blocks are the only reasonably elegant solution I can think of.


Rebuilding a pool pump... where does this part go?

I finally found an answer, it's a "water sling" that goes between the front bell and the seal plate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hmplhRWKaE


What should i put between concrete and tiles?

No no no.  You do not put a subfloor on good concrete.  You are then allowing for a moisture sandwich (which is bad).  Buy a modified thinset, put tiles on thinset, grout, then you are done.


Best way to fit this dishwasher under the kitchen counter?

It should have level adjustments on the feet , run them in all the way. Maybe the adjusters can be removed. A rasp or float file can be use to remove limited spots on the bottom of the counter.


The first problem you need to address is the state of  the insulation on the existing wiring. It appears that there is little, if any insulation on the wire on the right as it enters the existing old school pancake box. That is an invitation to a short that risks blowing fuses/popping breakers (at best) and electrocution or conflagration (at worst). Can't see the condition of the other wire from the angle shown.

If you cannot get a good wrap of electrical tape over the exposed wires before progressing, you will need to rerun a new cable to the boxes.

Assuming you can solve the wiring issue, you need to mount either the new fixture or a mounting strap to the old box. If there are screw holes in the box edge that align with the mounting holes in the new fixture (doubtful from the pictures), you may be able to screw on the new fixture directly. This assumes that the center stud/hickey does not stick out too far, and that you can get the mounting screws with the bare ends extending from the box to receive the cap nuts for the fixture.

If the holes do not line up, you need to use a mounting strap on the box, then attach the fixture on the strap. It is likely that the fixture comes with a strap that might work, or you can find universal straps that have multiple adjustments to fit most hole patterns.

If there are no mounting holes on the rim of the box, you may be able to use a center hole strap that can mount on the existing hickey. If all that fails, you will need a new box, and removing the old will further strain the insulation on the wiring.

Seriously think about replacing the knob and tube.  Even if you an cobble together a solution with existing wiring, the insulation on the old wiring is inevitably crumbling and you are waiting for an accident to happen.


What's gentler on screw heads: a regular screwdriver/drill, or an impact?

That’s funny , sorry but force is needed to break the screw loose , an impact if at the wrong angle will cause problems as a hand held driver will. If there is paint both will damage the paint. But a t45 is large and if the bit is fully inserted and perpendicular there is really no difference as an impact only hits hard enough to get the screw moving. Once the breaking force to remove the screw is achieved there is no real difference except the impact will be faster.


Can I use silicone "window & door" caulk between a kitchen counter and backsplash?

While I'm tempted to say the difference is just marketing hype, you can use either one, there is a very slight difference in formulation. The window and door stuff has slightly less petroleum distillates in the formula, according to MSDS information at nih.gov. Petroleum distillates will evaporate during curing, so I'm unsure why there's a difference. The difference is so small however, I'm confident you can use one or the other with no noticeable difference in the final installation.


Adding height to an exsisting deck support pole

There may be some options on how to handle this situation but you have left out some pretty important information. Missing is how high the existing 4x6 supports are already.

It the posts are only 6 inches high then it would be pretty hard to add 30 inches on top of them. On the other hand if they are 4 feet high then the possibilities increase.

Given enough length to the existing posts it may be feasible to place vertical 2x6 planks on each side of the existing post plus the added 30 inch length. These planks can be bolted on by drilling through the whole affair. A stub of 4x6 that is 30" long can be set between the top of the 2x6's and bolted in place as well.

The added length of the posts may warrant adding some triangulation braces for support. A horizontal member added between posts at the height of the split, in conjunction with the angle braces, would help to prevent racking at that location.


Why is voltage detected in my ceramic tile floor?

Check the voltage with an analog voltmeter. Digital voltmeters will register a voltage from almost anything as they have a very high impedance and draw very little power. You could also use a regular incandescent bulb and see if it glows a little.This will let you know if there is any power behind the voltage. If by phase line, you mean the neutral incoming wire, it's possible it's not groundedat the panel and/or the pole transformer. Measure from the neutral to ground to see if you have a potential difference. It's possible the shock you received was static electricity and nothing to do with voltage difference between the tiles and the neutral..


What could be causing my GFCI outlet to trip?

GFCI outlets break.  They don't last very long.     I recommend replace it with a regular outlet and put a GFCI breaker in the panel.   They are way more user friendly and cheaper.


Why would my zone controller be displaying error: AC voltage insufficient?

The tech seems to think the HZ322 is going bad. The good news is they are not terribly expensive and fairly easy to program.

So since it started working he could not say what was wrong.


Messed up shed concrete pier foundation - wrong spacing. Does my plan to fix this look realistic?

Nvm. talked to couple of construction guys  that told me Ill be fine -> as long as I use sistered and glued together 2x8s. So I'll go with that.


What matters is your actual draw, not the numbers on the breakers.

So for instance, if you have 5 circuits of bathroom, bedroom, laundry room, and kitchen... And then 5 circuits of Bitcoin miner that run at 15.9A 24x7... You don't want to put the miners on one leg and the household load on the other.  The 2 kitchen circuits are rarely used, for instance, so they don't balance the miners.

On the other hand, if you have a gaming rig circuit and an air conditioner circuit  to keep the room bearable, thatd be a pretty good balance since they'd  run together.

It isn't left and right, unless it's PushMatic

Most modern panels arrange like this.


How do those glowing LED faucet aerators power themselves?

The one I had was powered by either AAA's or stacked "coin" type cells. That, combined with the 2 inches of space lost in the sink made me ditch the whole system. I don't doubt that some are powered with a small turbine (or something like it), but some are just battery powered.


I'd either go with rigid foam board glued and spray foam sealed to the concrete or spray foam.  Depending on how much insulation you want you could then add some rock wool batts.  Add 6mil poly with taped seams and then drywall.  You'll need the air barriers around any outlets in the exterior walls.
The concrete is always going to be the coldest surface and any moisture in the warmer air of your house is going to come into contact with it and condense.  You need both an air barrier and a vapor barrier (poly will work for both).  I only go with moisture proof insulation against basement concrete wall in cold climate.  You might also want to consider moisture resistant drywall for the basement walls to avoid having paper that can be used as a food source should the drywall absorb water.


Do I need to insulate exposed foundation in my garage?

Rooms above garages are often done improperly. It's amazing, because it really isn't all that difficult, but a lot of people seem to mess it up.

Unfortunately, there's no "easy" way: You're going to have to remove some drywall to inspect and see how the insulation in the ceiling is done. There may or may not be a gap in the space, depending on how the ceiling was done. Even just taking the temperature above the insulation in that space will tell you a lot (above the insulation, it should be close to room temperature).

Drafts in that space are absolutely killer, it means there is a direct source of outside air. Black on the insulation is a good sign of airflow, indicating drafts.

Basically, if the ceiling space isn't totally sealed, the only thing you can do is turn the garage into a conditioned space (very expensive, in terms of both construction costs and ongoing energy costs), and even then, if the problem is between the insulation and sub-floor, it won't help.

What should be there at a minimum is a continuous vapour barrier, with a layer of insulation on top. The vapour barrier should be sealed to the subfloor or the vapour barrier from the walls above. The insulation should go all the way around the edge (in the headers), so the insulation is continuous from the floors up to the subfloor. There should absolutely be no drafts, exposed concrete, or anything directly connected to the outside that is uninsulated.

The best way (in my opinion) to seal this space is to use closed-cell spray foam, and form a continuous seal across the bottom of the entire subfloor. This gives you great insulation, no drafts, and acts as a vapour barrier as well (vapour barrier is not needed in this case -- though some building inspectors still don't understand this, so check your local codes). It also is better at ensuring fumes from vehicles in the garage can't get into your living space (in theory, vapour barrier prevents this as well, but 6mil vapour barrier is easier to puncture than a couple inches of hardened foam).

Though you may be able to find something obvious and fix it, be prepared that there's a possibility that the only "fix" is going to be to completely tear down the ceiling of the garage and re-do it properly.

If you're going to spend money and time on this, do it right.


Are service loops allowed by US electrical code in residential wiring?

If the box has clamps 12" to the staple is allowed if the box doesn't have clamps only 8" is allowed to the staple. I usually try to provide a bit of slack because after years of service, outlet changes because of being worn out, color change or style change the wires become two short if there is a an extra inch or two this saves $ over the life of the home and cost almost nothing.


How to insulate a wood garden shed to house a small 7’x7’ heated above ground therapy pool

Rethink the number of windows. Any window is going to be a condensation nightmare fall, winter and spring with an 85-90 °F pool in the building. If it's a window that came with a "garden shed" it will probably be atrocious in thermal performance, as garden sheds are not typically heated and good windows are expensive, but even a good "high performance" window is a spot of terrible insulation in a well insulated wall, and that means that it will be cold, and with an open warm pool in the building it will drip most of the year.
Given small pool and high temperature differential, I'd rob some interior space to make a very thick wall (another set of studs, offset from the studs of the wall) with lots of insulation, and a roof structure that allows having a lot of insulation and a vented, cold roof on top of that.
This basically means building a room inside the cabin so you have adequate space for a lot of insulation material, since working with the (presumably 3-1/2" thick) spaces provided between studs will be woefully inadequate. Using a well-detailed (all holes get fixed, try not to make too many) vapor barrier on the inside keeps the insulation dry. Cellulose tends to tbe the best cost ratio when you provide the space, rockwool is another good option.
The other approach to this would be to use sheet foam products, filling the wall cavities with insulation, and installing vents in the roof cavities before sheeting them over (leaving them empty for ventilation) with rigid foam on the interior, sealing the joints for vapor-tightness and then finishing with a fire-protective layer such as drywall (foil faced foam MAY qualify in some areas. Exposed foam is a deathtrap in a fire due to the fumes it releases.)


Which screw and anchor should I use to mount a projector screen?

The screw should penetrate at least 1", more if possible into the material (concrete, brick, etc.).  So if you have 24mm thick wood, and you want the screw to hit a depth of  say 1.25" inch, you need ~24mm+32mm (1.25") +2mm (exposed screw) = 64mm (2 1/2") screws.

Now you need a plug or anchor that can accept this length of screw. As for size of screw, I'd use a #6 or #8 screw.

Another (easier IMO) option is to use a concrete screw that does not require an anchor - they are sometimes known as Tapcon's (common North American brand).

Make sure to drill the hole at least 1/4 deeper then needed.


Laminate flooring: Do I need to leave a space between the floor and the wall?

Yes.  Temperature might not change but the humidity will. Leave a space for best results.  The baseboard trim will cover it up!


Can I replace a junction box with a piece of conduit if I rewire the circuit completely?

@Aaron, what you propose is fine.

Remember, splices inside conduit are not allowed, so your plan to remove the j-box, extend the conduit, and pull new wire is perfect.


Why won't my air conditioner work after a power outtage?

You may have a breaker integral to the AC that has tripped= a little red button you have to press to reset it.


Why does my shower turn on when I turn on the hot water in the bathroom sink?

Sounds like a washerless faucet issue.

Water pressure holds the plate that seals the unit. As the pressure drops, the handle can move, allowing flow. You may have luck replacing the seals--not very difficult. Turn the water both hot and cold off. With most of these type faucets the top section unscrews. Remove the cartridge take the seals to a home store or hardware store and they will usually have replacements (there are different sizes). Reassemble and see if that fixes the problem.

Other than that, a lighter weight handle may be needed if you cannot tighten it up.


Do I need to be legally qualified to install a Hive smart thermostat?

In the vast majority of jurisdictions, most DIY work is perfectly legal in a house you own/land contract, and live in. The only exceptions are things like Freon handling, gas lines, and several other crafts, due to the particular hazards (often indirect, e.g. Freon).

You're not allowed to work on houses you don't own for obvious reasons.  In many crafts, including electrical, you're not allowed (or permit non-licensed people) to work on houses you rent out, because that would be a huge incentive for "slumlord repairs".  Given that rental properties tend to already be at the "more distressed" end of the housing spectrum, this is a recipe for dead tenants.  However it is presumed you have incentive to do good work on housing you expect to occupy yourself.

Further, certain minor jobs are always allowed (for homeowners not tenants) due to their simplicity, common-ness, and low chance of critical failure.   For instance changing receptacles and switches (typically done for cosmetic reasons) even though this work is harder than it seems.  I would certainly expect that changing thermostats on a 24VDC system would be on the short list.

That said, the "only work on houses you expect to live in" principle applies in spades. If you are gussying up a house for sale, STOP.  Aside from the "no incentive to do safe work" factor, you're also locking them into choices they may not want.  Don't lay white carpets (pretty but nobody wants to live in it), don't fit 20-space stuffed service panels, and don't pick a smart 'stat for them. Give them a price concession of a fraction of the upgrade cost and let them choose.


Light fixture mounting bracket too small to attach to junction box

That's not a fixture box, that's a junction box (fixture boxes are typically round or octagonal).

It looks like it's clamped in one corner so hopefully the wire is loose.

Since it looks like it's been screwed in, I would buy a metal fixture box (should fit inside the existing hole), unscrew the existing clamp, knock out a hole and reattach the clamp to the new box. If you're lucky, it should all fit in the same hole and the fixture will cover the remaining parts.

Don't forget to ground your new metal box!


Is this vinyl tile? Should I have it tested for asbestos?

I suppose I should update this with what I learned. I got a test done and the tiles did not contain asbestos but the mastic below the tiles did. The mastic was from a previously installed floor.


If you have an identical screw, you can probably take it to Home Depot or Lowes and use the thread gauge mounted in the hardware section. (The HD in my area has one, but I'm not sure if all of them do.)

This website also has several printable size gauges for screws, bolts, washers, and nuts.

Otherwise, you can buy one. They're usually labelled as "Screw ID Gauge" or "Thread Gauge." Home Depot has them in the hardware aisle for $2 or $3.


How do I attach skirting boards to a plaster wall?

Typically a contractor will use a brad nailer such as this:

Brads (A thin wire nail, glued together like staples) generally are long, and driven at a high speed and won't split the molding.

The advantage of brad nailing is that in the future, the molding can be removed without damage to the molding or the wall behind.

Note that you will still need to caulk the edges and cover the heads.

Aside: If you need to remove the molding later, pry it off with a thin prybar and remove the brads with pliers, pulling through the molding via the bad side.  Don't try to pull them out from the good side.  It's difficult, and will damage the face of the molding.


Abosolutely not. There is no way to combine two feeders in one panel.

Look, I do this myself -- providing multiple services to a vehicle. In one case I have 23 x 120V@5A heaters, and I have a 50A/240V inlet driving 14 of  them, six on a 240V/20A connection, and 3 on a 120V/20A connection. You can drive as many as you can plug in.

But they have to be completely firewalled. No connections.

Feeding a 240V split-phase panel, one leg with the 30A and the other leg with the 20A, is illegal and dangerous, not least, it will burn your house down. Not the tiny house, the big house.  So that's right out.

Do it this way instead.

First, for the 20A circuit, you fit a 20A inlet on the underside of your building. Cable a single circuit from that inlet to red-colored receptacles in multiple locations around the tiny house.  This system does not connect to the other system in any way, shape or form.  Not at all.  I would even get a red magic marker and red-stripe both side of the Romex involved so you know it's a different service. The yellow-red or gray-red Romex will be distinctive.

Second, have the normal service panel as you intend. This is powered by only the 30A/120V TT30 circuit.  The various branch circuits come off it, etc. etc.

If the red socket situation doesn't appeal, you can have a red "second subpanel", but once again, they are effectively two services, and the hot and neutral wires cannot contact each other or interact in any way.  I'm not a fan of this one because it's just asking for confusion.

Cool hack: Allow feeding the red circuit from the 30A

To do this, fit a common receptacle quite close to that 20A inlet.  Power this recep from a dedicated 15A or 20A breaker in the service panel.  Now, if 20A power is not available separately, simply install a 1' long extension cord from the outlet to the inlet. Voila!

Further cool hack: Be 120/240V ready

A main "breaker" is already mandatory.  It is only there to be a disconnect, so its amperage doesn't matter.  Go at least 50A (really, go 225A so you have enough breaker spaces, but I digress).  Cable from a 50A/240V NEMA 14-50 inlet or short cable to the main breaker.   To connect to a 30A/240V supply, use an adapter.  To connect to a 30A/120V supply, use an adapter.   These are readily available in the RV community.  Any RV shop like RV World probably has them in stock. Or, you can build your own from a couple feet of proper cordage from the electrical supply house, and the appropriate plugs and sockets.

If you don't want to do that now, then buy the correct panel, and 6/3 cable if it'll be buried, and fit the TT30 as you planned. Then you can always upgrade later for just a few bucks, since you haven't painted yourself into a corner.

It is illegal to serve multiple circuits of the same voltage to a building.

You cannot, for instance, run two 120V lines out to a shed, of any amperage.  You are expected to bring out one circuit of that voltage and split it with a subpanel.  However, it's allowed if the second line is switched, on a solar/powerwall/generator and the other is not, or some other utilization issue like that.

To be clear, it's not allowed to a shed, barn, pumphouse, pool, spa, workshed, office, storage unit, gazebo, tennis court or garage.  Fortunately, a tiny house on wheels is a vehicle.


Can a GFCI receptacle protect other receptacles?

If wired correctly, this is fine.

GFCI outlets typically have line terminals (power input) and load terminals (power to other outlets, which will be protected by the GFCI.)

Your contractor will have wired the outlet in the second bathroom to the load terminals of the GFCI in the main bathroom. There should also be a sticker on the outlet stating that it is GFCI protected, as it can be less obvious when the outlet stops working but no breakers are blown what's going on. However, these stickers don't last well, so they may not have bothered (or may have stuck it on the inside of the outlet plate so it would be found early in troubleshooting)

If you have concerns, you should purchase (not too expensively) an outlet tester that includes a GFCI test function, plug it in to verify correct wiring and then press the test button to verify that the GFCI trips as it should.


Circuit troubleshooting. Need input on discovery

The first two, hot to ground and hot to neutral are normal and what you'd expect.

Voltage showing on from the hot to hot leg may not be a sign of any problem -- Voltmeters have a very high impedance, so any load at all on the other circuit can provide a path to neutral that will appear as 120V to the meter. This could be a lamp, a "smart switch" or outlet, a small night light, a cell phone charger, pretty much any load at all.


Flickering of lights and vibrating of freezer compressors

In all likelihood the alternator is not putting out the type of AC waveform that the appliances expect. Depending on your location the AC mains from the utility service will be a single frequency sine wave of 50Hz or 60Hz. An alternator will often put out a three phased AC signal that will vary in frequency depending upon the RPM of your diesel engine.

Also since alternators are typically used in applications where the output is rectified and then used to charge a battery in a DC circuit the frequency based upon engine RPM is not of a concern for those applications.

Of course there are loads you can put on the rectified output of an alternator that will work OK as long as the voltage is the correct level. Incandescent lighting would fit this usage but if you have certain typed of florescent lights or AC line powered LED lights they are not going to like operating outside of their 50/60Hz frequency range with the proper AC sine wave voltage level.


Why are my cabinets peeling and how do I fix it?

I'd recommend cleaning it up a bit, making sure it's totally dry and remove all the flakes of particle board that come off as you just rub it. Then treat it with some rotten wood stabilizer and sand the surface once dry. Clean the veneer really well, if you can without damaging it, lightly sand it.

Then apply contact cement to both surfaces and let dry.

Once dry, work from the point where the veneer began to peel towards the end that's totally detached. A j-roller won't be able to get into the tight curves, but perhaps you can use one around the outside edge. Just work it inward, applying lots of force as you press the two together. Go a little bit at a time so that you don't cause wrinkles. Use lots of force as you press down!

This should keep it together quite well.

The thing is, it'll happen to other cabinets and you'll waste a lot of time fixing this problem. Alternatively, you can replace them with solid wood doors (which are expensive) or even replace them with other crappy doors for relatively cheap that will last 5-10 years max. Ikea sells their doors separately, see here: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/departments/kitchen/11479/


Installing anchors into a hollow metal panel

Hold the bracket on the face of the metal panel and mark the screw holes with a sharpie. Drill a small pilot hole at the marks. Then drill a hole that is slightly smaller than the shank of the screw you will use to install the bracket. Then fasten the bracket with the screws into the pre-drilled holes. You don't need any anchors with this method.


I have never used Concrobium.  I have cleaned foundation walls with hot water and bleach.  Now that you have painted you have added something else into the mix.  The paint can actually harbor the mold.  I would simply get a heavy bleach and hot water solution with some heavy duty metal brushes and scrub the crap out of the whole area.  The paint probably has to go.  Make sure you have gloves on, goggles, and a mask.

Fan the area out for 2-3 days.  You need to wait a minimum of 2-3 weeks and possibly a few months before I would even think about drywalling.

I would really try to get at the source though.  Even if mold is growing it needs food.  It wouldn't have returned that back unless your basement was feeding it water.  If you don't take care of the moisture issue first you will keep fixing a mold problem.


I need to fill in the handle holes on a dresser and redrill them.

either wood filler or glue and dowel

That's what I would do. I would choose a wood filler that says on the tin that it can be redrilled. You might be able to use a repair-washer on the back to spread the load if you are worried.

Otherwise I'd drill the hole out to the next largest dowel size, glue in a dowel and use a flush-cut saw.

If necessary, you can improvise a dowel by drilling a hole in any convenient bit of steel and using that as a "dowel plate" through which to hammer some slightly oversized wood rod. Chucking the wood in a hand-held drill can work to speed up the production of the dowel.


Does romex wire between studs in a garage have to be encased in conduit?

NEC Article 334.10 (A)(1) Allows NM to be installed in both exposed and concealed locations except areas where trim, doors, window casings, etc. Or where they would be susceptible to abnormal damage. Just make sure it is installed and stapled in the center of the stud. If you have to drill into a plate or stud it should be in the center also. If not protect with a nail plate. I like nail plates. They are inexpensive and easy to install. I would rather over do them than under do them.

Good luck


Which type of paint would allow the easiest touch ups?

In addition to using the same tin, make sure you're feathering the new paint into the old. This will make any color changes harder to see. If the paint has faded significantly, I'd just repaint the entire wall.


Should lights on a three-way circuit connect to the switch with the power cable attached?

There are several ways to connect 3 way switches.  I always prefer the 2nd method you posted. There is no "code taping" needed, since all the wires are already the correct color.   The 2nd method is so simple and straightforward:  Power in to one switch, x/3 to the next switch then to the fixtures.   Sometimes it's not practical due to length of runs (takes too much wire), but I'll do it that way every time if possible.


It sounds like maybe there used to be a window where you're putting the TV, is that possible?  That would explain the framing you're hitting.

Anyway - it sounds like you put 2x8s from the top of what used to be the window to the bottom.  This will be more than enough support, as long as the 2x8s were attached with big screws, lag screws, lumber screws, etc.


The back of the cap packaging is generic and is meant more for other compression fittings.  It doesn't make sense for a cap.

That cap is the correct part you need, but Teflon tape is not needed for those threads.  In compression fittings, the threads do not seal anything.  The seal is made between "compression" of a ferrule that slides around the pipe being connected to.

With a cap, there is no ferrule, and the idea is that the seal will be metal to metal - the flat surface on the male threaded side of the tee, and the flat inside of the cap.  That cap will need to be tight to make a good seal.  If the face of the male threaded part is damaged or roughed up at all, a good seal might be hard to achieve.  In that case, you can cut a small washer to insert into that cap out of rubber or nylon or similar material.  That is usually not needed.


Lights will not come on after taking out wall outlet

Call a licensed electrician, and leave the breaker off until they get there.

Smoke from the outlet means something got too hot, which means there was an overcurrent situation (e.g., a short). Your breaker did its job by tripping, but you should not turn the breaker back on until you have corrected the cause of the overcurrent. If you don't, the breaker will just trip again (best case), or the wires will heat up again and cause a fire, burning the house down (worst case).

Given your lack of experience with the electrical system in your house, your best course of action is to call in the pros.


How should I prepare a plywood subfloor for vinyl sheet flooring?

Vinyl isn't very thick, and it is quite plastic.  This means that over time, it will conform to the shape of the floor beneath.  This means that you will see grooves in the vinyl where there are gaps between the plywood sheets.

This means you want the sub-floor to be as smooth as possible.  BUT!!!! you need gaps between the sheets to allow for expansion or else you risk having the sub-floor develop a slight buckle.

Here's what I would do under ideal circumstances:

Spend some time screwing down the existing floor to the joists.  This is likely the only opportunity you will have to do so.
Get some 1/8" Hardboard, Lauan or birch plywood (one side smooth) and lay it down without gaps over the sub floor.  At this thickness, you can staple it down.
smooth any edges/fill any gaps.
Lay your vinyl.

However, you need to make the call as to the quality of the existing floor the level of imperfection you are willing to tolerate.  It may not be worth the extra expense and labour to do it this way.  In which case, I would fill the worst gaps, sand down the worst edges, and lay down the vinyl.


In Canada, can I run Ethernet cables through air ducts?

In Ontario, Rogers spent years running their coaxial cables through duct work. The only downside was that the heat caused the wires to wear more quickly.  I don't have access to codes here, but if Rogers did it then it's probably allowed.

Ethernet cables aren't shielded as well and would suffer the heat more.  Maybe run them through the cold air return?

As an alternative, if you can get he cable to the right floor, stapling them to or behind baseboards worked well for me.

Hope that helps a little.


When the pump is running the pump and piping around the pump will get hot even if there is no water flow. Check the spring loaded check valve, that brass thing between the pump and the water heater to make sure that it's arrow is pointing down also.  more possible problems; 1) The pump may not have enough "head" to push water through that spring loaded check. If that is the case, remove it and replace it with a standard swing check in the horizontal piping above the pump. 2) The pump may be air bound and will require that a vent valve be installed in the horizontal piping above the pump to purge the air. That type pump will not push any trapped air in the pipe. The air stays trapped and the pump will not pump. The installation looks OK except for the spring loaded check and the pipe above the pump not having a vent valve. I have the same pump on my hot water recirculating lines that handles 3 bathrooms and it works great. I set my timer to run the pump 15 minutes each hour and for 2 hours in the morning and evening when we normally take showers. my 2 cents


Is there a good way to find out, and possibly drain this water out?

A drill with a concrete bit should do the trick.

  Will a dehumidifier work in this situation?

A basement in most climates (any place with somewhat humid summers) should likely have a dehumidifier regardless. So it definitely won't hurt.


Is there such a thing as a check valve with a manual release?

Add a TEE just above the check valve and a valve off the TEE. The valve is closed when the pump is working normally and you can open the valve to drain the pipe any time you want


Can I connect the generator neutral to my mains neutral permanently?

Why do you think you should avoid this? You should have the neutral from the generator tied to the neutral of the house.


Small electric water heater below sink to get instant hot water?

I have also considered doing this, but have not so far (inertia). One way to do this is to add a separate single faucet for the electric water heater and T off the cold supply. That way when you use the hot you don't leave hot water abandoned in the piping. If you T off the hot supply, you will leave hot water in the lines when you are finished with the hot, but you will have a full flow of hotter water.

A small tank can allow you to have on tap at gallon or two of very hot water even using the 120 V circuit which is probably there to power a disposer. If like a lot of people you have removed the disposer, you could use the receptacle for this. If your disposer receptacle is on a dedicated 20-A circuit, this would work very well, but if not, you could use the disposer wall switch to turn off the heater when high power appliances are being used with other receptacles on this circuit.

A tankless heater would have to be at least 30 A at 240 V to give a decent flow of very hot water. You would have to have add the cost and trouble of adding this circuit to the project, but this would be ideal.

EDIT

One of these very small tanks with its own spigot (presumably rated for very hot water) might be the best choice. You don't want to run very hot water (200 F) through a standard faucet.


The original leak is most likely either caused by a failure in the rubber washer that connect your supply line to your fill valve, or a leak in the seal that connects your fill valve to the tank.

This is a common problem, especially with older toilets that use natural rubber washers. The rubber breaks down over time and will eventually begin to leak. The newer synthetic washers will last much longer.

It is unfortunate that you already have taken it apart because you will have a harder time determining the source of the leak. When you run into a leak of this kind, it is best to first check the supply line itself, as it is the easiest to access. Shut off the water supply, and drain the tank of water. Then unscrew the supply line and inspect the washer. It should be firm and flexible, yet hold its shape and be in one piece. If it is not, then it needs to be be replaced and you can reinstall the supply line. After a quick test, you should be able to see if this fixed the leak. If it leaks from the supply, make sure that the washer is in place. On Occasion, the washer is missing right from the beginning. They either fall off, or people take them off.

The other place it could be leaking is from inside of the tank. You will need to disassemble the toilet as above. You will then needs to loosen the retaining nut on the outside bottom of the tank where the supply line goes. Loosening this nut should allow you to lift out the fill valve. Inspect the washer on the valve, and check if it is good. Also check the threaded part to make sure there aren't any cracks in the fill valve body as well. Replace washer, and reinstall.

By replacing both of these washers, it should solve the leak. If it doesn't then there may be a fault in the parts themselves - either the supply kine is bad, or the fill valve, or possibly a combination of both. Also be sure that it is leaking from the supply, and not from anywhere else. There could either be a crack in the porcelain, or there could be a bad tank to bowl seal. There are "universal" rebuild kits available out there that include everything that you need to rebuild a toilet. They include all washers, fill valve, and a flapper. The only part that is not included is the supply line. If the internals of the toilet are old, or not functioning properly, then it would be a good idea to do an entire rebuild.


How do I design a quasi tamperproof shower curtain rod mounting point for eldery with Alzheimers?

I think a standard shower rod will work. The brackets screw into the wall, and then the rod rests on some tabs that keep it from moving. Covers slide into place to hide the innards of the bracket.

This is about as secure as you can get it, without making the rod difficult to remove. You can pull back the bracket covers and remove the rod easily.

Tension rods are notorious for loosening up over time and falling, and would not be a good choice for somebody who likes to grab and pull on them.

I think your concern about the rod needing to be easily removable may be a bit overblown. The curtain can just be pulled aside when you need to clean the shower, unless you have some specialized equipment you need to get in there


Sharing waste of washing machine with sink

It isn't uncommon for washing Machines to drain into a utility sink, so I would expect this to be fine.


How do I remove the back lip from paving stones?

Ok, those aren't paving stones, those are wall stones (as the Lowes page confirms) - as in retaining wall stones.  The lip is designed to hook to the stone underneath and prevent slipping when pressure is applied from the rear.

Which isn't to say you cannot use them, but you'll find removing the lip much easier if you use a good masonry/stone chisel, like such:

Put the cutting edge of the chisel at the base of the lip, holding the chisel near parallel with the brick surface, and strike the other end firmly with the hammer.  The chisel will create a very focused point of pressure which will chip the lip away.

Finally, since its a simple fire pit, use stone adhesive to fix the blocks in place.  You shouldn't have to worry about the kind of back pressure these bricks are usually designed to withstand.


This normally happens near quick-acting valves in your plumbing system, like those used in a clothes washing machine.  Those valves are opened by a solenoid and get slammed shut by water pressure, and all that water coming to such an abrupt stop can rattle already-loose pipes, cause them to become loose, or in the worst case damage them over time and cause leaks.  That's why water hammer arrestors are commonly installed near washing machine outlets (it may be required by code, I'm not sure).  They look like this:

They work by maintaining a reservoir of air inside that vertical tube.  When the column of water is stopped abruptly by a valve, the air acts as a cushion, compressing so that the water can slow down more gradually and impart less inertial force to your pipes.

These are fairly easy to install even for someone with no plumbing experience.  I believe the one pictured is designed to be mounted inline with a sink or toilet connection, and they also make models with standard garden hose style threads for a washer connection.  You shouldn't need to install these at every fixture; one set (hot and cold) for each bathroom/kitchen should be plenty.

Since your problem seems to occur on (relatively) slower-acting valves that shouldn't be generating an unacceptable amount of water hammer, you may also just have a section of pipe that's not mounted properly.  If you're only noticing the banging sound in one area, it may be possible to open up the wall there and install some pipe clamps to keep things from moving around and making noise.  This would be a more difficult job than installing arrestors (but potentially cheaper if you do it yourself).


Short-circuit Protection
A breaker that offers short-circuit protection, will trip if there is a short somewhere in the circuit.  A short-circuit is characterized by a very high current increase in a very short period of time.  This type of protection is usually provided by an electromagnetic device; commonly an electromechanical solenoid, which physically opens the circuit when a short-circuit is detected. Most residential short-circuit protection devices trip at 10 kA (10,000 A).
Overcurrent Protection
Breakers that offer overcurrent protection, trip when a current higher than the rated current is drawn through the device over a specific amount of time. An overcurrent situation is usually detected using heat, and so is slower acting than short-circuit protection.  Overcurrent protection is usually provided by a bimetallic strip, which trips the breaker if it is heated too much for too long.
Most typical residential circuit breakers are combination devices, and offer both short-circuit and overcurrent protection. Wikipedia has a great image of the inside of a circuit breaker, which shows both short-circuit and overcurrent protection mechanisms.

5 - Bimetallic strip providing overcurrent protection.
7 - Electromechanical solenoid offering short-circuit protection.

Ground-fault Protection
Ground-fault protection is a recent addition to circuit breakers, which offers protection to people and equipment.  Breakers that offer ground-fault protection, trip when the current flowing out to the circuit is higher than the current returning from the circuit.  A current transformer (CT) inside the breaker, is a common way used to measure current imbalances.  The CT will be wrapped around both conductors, and if a large enough current is induced on the CT the breaker will open the circuit.  Residential ground-fault circuit breakers are almost exclusively combination devices offering short-circuit, overcurrent, and ground-fault protection.
Arc-fault Protection
Arc-fault protection is the most recent addition to circuit breakers, and offers protection against dangerous electrical arcs. They use complex electronics to analyze the circuit looking for tell tale signs of dangerous electric arcs, all the while ignoring non-hazardous arcs.  As with ground-fault circuit breakers, arc-fault breakers are almost always combination devices as well.


"I had so far gathered that for a block to be called a "butcher block," the grain must be perpendicular to the surface".

It refers to both end grain and edge grain.

The ones for butchering or chopping typically are end grain and are more forgiving or self-healing, they will not show blade marks as readily or be as damaged by the knife/cleaver blade.

Butcher Block Wikipedia

  "Butcher blocks have been used in butcher shops for centuries, and
  still are in many European countries. Increasingly, though, butcher
  block is being used in domestic kitchens as an alternative to stone
  and laminate countertops. This has created a new industry in the
  kitchen design arena and many furniture manufacturers and hardwood
  flooring companies are getting into the production of butcher blocks
  and butcher block countertops, in part because the countertops can be
  constructed from left-over wood that would otherwise be discarded."


Replacing bathroom light fixture, no junction box

The big unknown is the state of the wiring behind the drywall. If it is in conduit (unlikely) then you are in better shape because you can run new wires if you need to. More likely is that this is a cable. If there is enough loose cable inside the wall that you can actually have cable (i.e., outer-sheath still attached) pull through the hole in the drywall, then you can either use a surface-mount box or use a fixture that has a box built into it - i.e., pull the cable all the way into the fixture.
However, if the cable (outer sheath) ends behind the drywall with no extra length available, then you have to cut into the wall and install a box. If the cable (outer sheath) ends too far behind the wall to get it into a box at this location then you have bigger problems.
Assuming the cable sheath ends within a few inches of the wall, you should be able to cut a hole to match a box and install a box. The left edge should be at the stud - mount the box to the stud. The cable will need to go into the box so that the outer sheath fits through a proper clamp. On plastic boxes these are usually part of the box. On metal boxes these are additional (they don't cost much, they just aren't included because a metal box used with conduit will not need them, plus sometimes you need more than one, depending on how you are using the box).


Do I need soffit vents and can I add them without taking the roof apart?

The best and easiest solution is unfortunately no longer possible without removing and reinstalling the metal roofing: you vent above the sheathing and below the metal roof. The way you would do this is by installing the metal roof on vertical eave-to-ridge battens, with a metal ridge vent piece at the ridge. This way, all the ventilation is on the outside and you don't have to worry about complicated interactions with your finished attic.


Well, in theory, assuming wiring is done right the ground prong will contact the ground terminal in the outlet and that terminal is connected to the ground with a thick enough wire and touching it is as safe as touching a washer or fridge chassis.

However you should not do that ever, because Murphy is out there...

First of all, the ground prong is very close to the phase and neutral prongs and there's a slim yet quite real chance that you will touch the phase prong at the same time. Once this happens you get a ground fault and if there's no ground fault protection that yields a major short circuit which gets you a nice several millimeters deep burn on your finger (I have nice experience touching phase and neutral terminals together with the same finger - heals in two weeks and can be fatal in an unlucky electrical setup). If you're really unlucky (like you're touching a grounded appliance at the same time) you get a ground fault through your body and this yields fatal shock. Such things do happen - it's just a matter of time. You do that no-problem one thousand times, then you accidentally do it wrong and consequences are dire. Chances are slim, but quite real and potential consequences are serious.

Second, you can't be sure at all times each outlet is wired right. Wiring may fail at some point and put you at risk. You can also try to do that in other person's house where wiring happens to be done wrong and that puts you at risk.

Finally, there's this cheater plug thing. Clearly if you plug a three-pronged device into a cheater plug and then try to plug the cheater plug and habitually try to find the prong you likely find either phase or neutral prong and that puts you at risk.

So the bottom line is you technically can do that, but you really should not - getting such habit is potentially very dangerous.


A 3-way switch connects the common (hot) alternately to each of two travelers as it is switched. You can connect one of the wires from the old switch to the common terminal on the 3-way, and the other to one of the traveler terminals, leaving the other traveler terminal unconnected. There should be a marking on the side or back of the 3-way indicating which terminal is the common.

Code requires that up is on for an unmarked switch. A 3-way is unmarked. Hook it up and see if up is on. If not, shift the wire from the connected traveler terminal to the other traveler terminal.


replacement wood threshold insert for metal door

Too late for the original poster, but for others who find this with the same issue - looks like someone has them now:

https://betterdoor.com/shop/exterior-door-sills-thresholds-replacement-parts/endura-composite-z-series-adjustable-cap/

https://betterdoor.com/shop/exterior-door-sills-thresholds-replacement-parts/endura-oak-adjustable-cap/


How can I reduce street noise behind my house?

To provide even a little noise reduction, you need to eliminate air gaps in the fence.   If wind can blow through, sound can come through too.  There is little you can do to improve the fence without first sealing the gaps.   Adding foliage (i.e. shrubs or vines) will do nothing.

To seal the gaps you need to

After sealing the gaps, the next steps would be to increase the barrier height and/or adding mass to the barrier (usually done by adding extra layers)

Here are some US govt documents related to barriers.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/noise/noise_barriers/design_construction/keepdown.cfm
http://ntl.bts.gov/lib/35000/35700/35778/FHWA-EP-00-005.pdf


How can I tell if something is ruptured inside my lawnmower?

Should be OK
Whenever you change the oil, you have to tip it anyway to get the old oil out.

Your going to have to let it sit for a little bit, might be hard to start up at first and smoke a good bit whenever it does start, but it'll be fine.

Flip it up so you can see under the deck, make sure the blade isn't loose. Just grab it and move up and down.

Right there on the front make sure the spark plug wire is pushed on the spark plug nice and tight, you may want to remove the spark plug and wipe off the oil, dip it in a small cup of gas to clean it off. If it is really bad grab a new one (2-3 dollars maybe?)

The air filter might be bad, it's probably on the left under a black cover.
Should be one screw to remove the cover, pull the filter out. If it is soaked with oil throw it away. You can buy a new one for a few bucks - just go to a store that sales lawn boy and give them the model # of your mower.

Read the book and see how much oil it takes - finish draining the rest of that oil (tip it so it drains out, preferable in a bowl or container and dispose of properly) and fill it back up with new oil.

You should be fine after that, if there is gas left in it of course.


How to do corners of shed siding using fence pickets

The corner is made out of two corner boards. They overlap like this looking down from the top:

Depending upon how you want the corner to actually look the corner boards may be made from planed cedar boards instead of fence pickets which are typically rough with a sawn surface.


Yes! I do that all the time. I use my own "standard" conventions:

Use the red wire for the "switched hot", black for "always hot".
Make it the top half of the receptacle that is switched.
Mark the switched half of the receptacle with a dot or something, to show it is switched.


Questions on GE electric 5 coil burner element

The burners on stoves are either on or off, there's no "variable" resistance in them. The "variable" part comes from the switch that has a bi-metal switch that varies the amount of time the burner is on. At low temperatures the switch opens fast so the burner doesn't get too hot. When you set the switch for high temperatures, the bi-metal switch stays on longer so the burner get hotter. It works like a thermostat on your AC or heater unit. the fact that the burners get red hot tells you that they are good. The switches are probably bad and are not making proper contact at the lower temp settings. Think of replacing them.


Is this ceiling rose electrical wiring diagram correct for the lighting system I am implementing

As put in the comments, you should never put a switch in the neutral of a light.

Further, I am going to assume you are in a place where they use the wire colours as follows, because that seems the case in your drawing (I don't know all the world-wide colour schemes, but the most famous one that fits you image is this one I think):

Brown = Phase ( = hot )
Blue = Neutral
Green/Yellow = Earth
Black = Switched Phase ( = hot after a switch )

EDIT: Due to John's comment I add here, that apparently in the UK the switched wire is normally neutral colour (blue here), but with a live-colour (brown here) sleeve at each end. The remaining story most likely stays the same, with that substituted for black in the remainder.

As you can see in my list, there's a special, dedicated colour for switched wires, this is true in almost all colour schemes. In most countries dozens of pages of code can be paraphrased with:

You are not up to code if you do any of the following:

Use different coloured wires for the same signal (as you do in your drawing: Your main light gets brown, where the same wire is blue coming from the switch)
Use a safer colour for a less safe signal (i.e. Blue for something that is switched or black for something that is always phase)
Use the earth colour for anything other than earth
Use the neutral colour for anything other than neutral
Use the phase colour for anything other than phase
Combine low voltage DC or AC, that's assumed isolated and safe, in the same distribution channels as high voltage AC.
Put more than X wires in a tube of size Y (X and Y differ between approval collectives and as such continents)

(often these codes are as redundant as the list above, I promise)

So, if you live in a area where my wire colour assumptions are correct, you will need to do the following to be up to the latest version of code (here in NL, for example there was a transitionary period also including Red and White as standard colours, but this has well and truly ended for new installations):

Make all the wires connected directly to the phase brown.
Make all the wires directly connected to the neutral blue.
Make sure the switches are all connected to the phase (with brown wires).
Use black wires (this is where my assumption comes in) going from the switches to the lights
connect the other sides of the lights to the neutral (with blue wires).

This makes you up to code, and as a bonus (partly why the code is there) you can at any point in time quickly check whether all is right, because you know which wire comes from where and connects to what and no one colour ever connects to another.


Right off the top, "motor or control" + "fills" + "one or two rotations" + "drains" indicates a problem with the drum motor. Since it fills and drains, it is unlikely to be related to hoses, filters, inlet valve, etc.

I found a site that explains how to get into Service Mode. This should enable you to do some more diagnostics. Another page on that site describes the E46 error as follows:

  E42/E48/E49/E46/E54 Motor Related Errors

  These three errors are motor errors and can be caused by a bad inverter or motor. First, clear the code, exit the service mode and disconnect the power to the washer for at least 30 seconds. Don’t disconnect the power until you exit the service mode because it may damage the control. If the problem persists see the page below.

So that points to:

Inverter
Motor
Something causing the motor to overload. Since it does "one or two rotations", the motor is getting at least some power (inverter) and is not totally dead (motor). It could be wearing out or malfunctioning in some way that it either draws too much power (and the control board senses that and shuts down) or doesn't turn fast enough or turns too fast (e.g., if pulley is loose) (and the control board senses that and shuts down).

So next steps (aside from anything you can figure out in Service Mode) is going to be to disassemble it to check the motor for loose connections (doubtful, but you never know), dirt blocking the motor or similar "easy fixes". One likely culprit is the drive belt (part WH08X10048) - if that is worn out it could explain everything, though even that is in the $50 range so you want to be fairly certain that is the problem before ordering one.

If that doesn't turn up anything, then you get into "swap components" mode. The catch is that a motor assembly (part WH20X10028) ranges (currently, subject to change, which is why we don't do "shopping questions") $50 to $300 or more depending on where you get it from, new/used, etc. In which case it may be time to look for a new washing machine.


Where to find folding stands for painting?

All home improvement stores carry plastic and metal folding sawhorses that would be perfect for your application. Prices can vary widely, but I have found cheap ones to do exactly what you are thinking about at Wal Mart hardware dept and on occassion at Big Lots.


I would run the line to the manifold in 3/4" and then the branch circuits in 1/2" like you said.  The cost increase is minimal and as long as you have the room for the extra 1/4" of pipe width, you won't second guess yourself.  If you put in the 1/2" and they upsize you main in a year, you're going to wish you had installed the larger diameter.

Yes, you want more than 0 psi at the point of use.  Most faucet manufacturers will say you need ~30 psi minimum for proper operation of the fixture.


I discovered that there was a part missing from the valves that kept blowing diaphragms. There is a white support ring that sits inside the valve body, under the diaphragm. On the two zones that kept failing open, it must have stuck to the diaphragm's plunger piece when it was first replaced. After replacing the missing piece (Hunter part number 331300), I haven't had a problem since.

FWIW, Hunter and their local distributor were worthless for sorting this out. Hunter blew me off with a talk to a dealer response, and the dealer said the part wasn't available separately from the valve. The support ring is available online, and is much cheaper than whole valves, even after shipping.


Most certainly the embedded 2X4s are pressure treated (PT). Any PT lumber off the shelf usually has about as much water it can hold from the treatment process. If anything they will shrink. I can only hope they are keyed in or have hot dipped galvanized nails so they stay in place after they shrink. DaveM is on poi t I believe about the nailing for a facade, and because of that, there be plenty chance for them to dry and not get saturated again.

About the cracking, concrete will crack anyway, there is reinforcement added to prevent it from becoming a problem.


Why doesn't my garage door close unless I am holding down the button?

The garage door will automatically reverse if it encounters too much resistance or if the sensor beam is interrupted.

To check for resistance, start with the door closed and pull the red handle. Then open and close the door. The movement should be fluid with no tough spots. If you encounter difficult spots, you likely have a bent track, a broken wheel, or a severe lack of track lubricant. Call a professional.

If the door opens with the opener fine, but reverses almost immediately when you try to close it, then you likely have a problem with your sensor alignment. One sensor should have a light on all the time. This is the transmitter. The other, your receiver,  should light up when it has an unobstructed view of the invisible light beam the transmitter sends. It's easy to bump a sensor and move it out of alignment. Just bend it back in to position. Use the light on the receiver to help you so that you don't have to try and close the door to check your adjustments.


The simple answer to your questions.
Is it uncommon for the transformer to be mounted so far away from the door bell and thermostat.
The location is not specified in code and many contractors locate them at or above the chime unit or in an water heater / furnace closet. So it is not unusual.
Can a door bell and thermostat share a transformer?
Years ago it was not something I have seen pre 1980’s,
As we get into the y2k era I have seen furnaces and door bells sharing transformers more often and there is nothing in code stopping this.
I would do what @jsotola suggested and pull one side of the transformer red or white it won’t matter see if the doorbell still works if not and it will after reconnecting you can be 100% sure that is the correct transformer.
Get a larger transformer same voltage but more VA to run the ring I thought I have read 30va was enough so if you have a 20 get a 50 or with 2 doorbells converted to ring 80 or 100va as long as the voltage is correct it will not hurt to go bigger or as big as you may foresee using.


Hot wire splits into two neutrals that take different routes back to panel; is this legit?

No, this will cause inductive heating if it passes through anything ferrous. Like a Romex clamp, locknut, MC cable, or steel conduit. It is called splitting a neutral and is really bad workmanship. Depending on the current load, it could become hot enough to start a fire. Change it as soon as possible.


A simple mast looks somewhat like this:

   |
-------
   |
   |
   |
-------
   |
   |
  XXX  <- Christmas tree holder

So, I think you could get a few 2x4 and make one.  Then just place the mast through the sunroof going in from the top (2 people).  I think duct tape is your friend.  Where the mast is resting up against the sun roof, just duct tape it in to hold it in place.   Remove tape when finished.

A christmas tree holder could be used to add stability.  Just screw in the bottom of the mast to the holder and then the holder sits in your car.  Optionally the same setup could be used outside if you don't want to put it through the sunroof, just put a blanket on your roof to avoid scratches.  Good luck.


How can I clean hard water buildup from pipes?

I'm wondering if the problem isn't mineral buildup, but rather sediment in the lines. Not sure if this would cause a failure in your softener, or if it could be caused by the softener failing.

The sediment in the pipes would go to various fixtures and get stuck in the filters and aerators. You'd have to remove each one and clean it out. On sinks, this is usually part of the aerator and may unscrew without major tools. On shower heads, this may be where it screws into the elbow pipe. And on toilets, newer ones have a cap at the top of the supply pipe that you push down and give it a quarter turn (turn the water off first, with the cap off and a cup over the top to keep water from going everywhere, run some water to clean it out, and then reassemble).

For the hot water heater, you would need to simply flush it out (which should be done periodically due to natural buildup). Attach a hose to the drain on the bottom, either run it outside or into one of your drains, turn the heater off so you aren't trying to heat water that's being discarded, and open the drain for a bit. If you're observing the outflow, keep going until it runs clear. Otherwise, I'd guess 5 minutes of draining every year should be good, but that's a guess.


What eats all the electrons -- or -- understanding household power consumption

What I did was contact my electricity supply and said "send me one of those energy monitor thingies free pronto"

Some months later it arrived.

I clipped the wireless current sensor around the main line/hot between meter and main-panel (consumer unit), inserted some batteries into the wireless transmitter and I was then able to see on the receiver/display unit how the power changed as I turned various things on and off.

This particular unit display current usage and lets you look at averages for prior days/weeks/months but if you actually want to spend your own hard-earned money, you can buy energy monitors you can plug into a PC and do data logging, graphing etc.


Mount metal letters to a wall so that they are removable

Have you looked at 3M command adhesive strips? They hold very well but are easily removable later on.


Is it OK to have a light that can only be controlled via automation?

The NEC requirement is that it be possible to turn on a light in a room, via a switch that is in a reasonably expected location.

If you need your phone to turn the light on, that's a no go.

NEC is not particular about whether the lamp is a permanently installed light, or a plug-in floor lamp.  The floor lamp is allowed to have a switch on itself, which if turned off, defeats the room switch.

NEC is also not particular about the technology used, as long as it's listed.  It just needs to work.

However, they may be other building codes which come to bear.  There is also your local jurisdiction's interpretation, their local rules, and the ultimate nuke: the ability of the jurisdiction to revoke a home's occupancy permit if the arragement proves to be problematic.


How can I repair a hole in wood laminate kitchen countertop?

You can use "burn-in" or "fill" sticks to repair high pressure laminate as shown in this video.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Li_i1Vdr7xU


1 generator + multiple ATSes: how can I install this to Code without unobtanium?

Yes, this appears to be doable, but the parts required aren't quite standard
The good news is that this actually appears to be possible using inexpensive, readily obtainable parts; the only bad news is that it requires using them in a way that's technically off-label, but not in violation of the applicable listing requirements or product standard.
In particular, it turns out that the automatic transfer switches used for RV duty are listed to the same UL 1008, Eighth Edition standard requirements as any other ATS built and listed for optional standby service.  However, they are constructed with a switched neutral pole so that they can isolate RVs from sloppy shore power wiring, which means they are basically precisely what we ask for: an inexpensive, readily obtainable, split-phase ATS with a switched neutral pole.
There are a few caveats to this, though.  First off is that most of these ATSes have somewhat limited current ratings compared to their residential counterparts: 30A, two pole (single phase, 120V) and 50A, three pole (split phase, 120/240V) models are common, with 100A split-phase units seen only occasionally, while residential ATSes generally start at 100A and go up from there.  Furthermore, they are largely limited to the minimum 5kA short-circuit current withstanding rating permitted by UL 1008, vs the 10kA expected of residential distribution equipment, and are also not service entrance rated, something that precludes them from being used in whole-house transfer.  Given the existing downsides of whole-house transfer, though, and the fact that the standby loads would be on a feeder anyway, this is largely not an issue unless the utility-side feeder is rather short, and the 50A limitation is not a big deal for most reasonable standby loadsets anyway.
From here, labeling is the only remaining issue with the switch itself as RV ATSes have their dominant input marked for connection to the generator, assuming that the onboard power source is going to be more available/reliable than shore power is.  Of course, this isn't true in our application, so we need to connect the utility feeder to the input labeled "generator" and the generator to the input labeled "shore power" in order to get correct transfer timings. (Otherwise, you'll have to wait 30-45sec for the switch to transfer to generator power when the utility source drops out.)
Finally, RV ATSes are designed to be used with separate generator control logic, so we'll have to supply that ourselves; at a minimum, we need to provide a NC (SPDT) delay-OFF relay with a 240V coil to make it so that a loss of utility power causes the relay contacts to drop closed after a short period of time (a second or two), closing the starting contacts on the genset so that it cranks over and runs.  (A Macromatic TR-60621, paired with its mating socket and mounted in a suitable enclosure somewhere, is probably the easiest-to-find relay for this job.)


Why do the oven and burners work but the pilot light won't ignite?

Why did they turn off the gas?  To do some work?  If that is the case then there is probably air in the line.  The pilot orifice is small compared to the burners which means it will take longer for the air to "bleed out".

Alternatively, there may be a button somewhere that you have to hold down (to get the gas flowing to the pilots) in order to light the pilots to light. Once lit you usually have to hold this "button" down for 10 to 20 seconds.  Have you ever lit a non-electronic water heater?  Same thing here.

Where I live, if the gas gets shut off for any reason (non-payment of bill, work in the street on the main) the gas company must (for safety reasons) come into your house to relight any appliance with a pilot.


Installing expansion tank at washing machine valve?

So long as you do not have any check valves between the hot and cold supply, an expansion tank can be located anywhere in the system.

Thus, if you have a check valve or PRV (which acts effectively the same as a check valve from the system point of view) on the main inlet to the house, you can put the expansion tank wherever it is convenient if there are no other check valves in the system. All the water (hot and cold) experiences the same pressure throughout the system, and the expansion tank will work wherever you put it on the system.

This appears to be a widely misunderstood concept, as can be seen in the comments.

Note that if you put it on the far side of a valve, (i.e. not a check valve) it will not work when the valve is closed (but that will also make servicing it easier, if needed.)


I believe I may be experiencing the inverse of your situation

My ceiling fan power is separate from the LED lights in the fan. If the fan isn't powered up to 100%, the lights flicker like crazy. Once it's turned up all the way... they're fine.

... so my theory is... you don't have enough juice any more. Assuming these are bulbs, if you unscrew a few, and run the compressor, do the remaining still flicker?

I think the dedicated service for the compressor is a good train of thought. I only question sustainability over the long term and future growth. You may want to look into your current wiring set up for a possible more permanent fix.


How do you properly use metal conduit as a ground?

What are the NEC rules governing this?

You are not allowed to use any wiring method, except for specific wiring methods listed (enumerated) in the back half of NEC Chapter 3.   (The Article 300s). Therein, you will find an article for each allowed wiring method.
Where a wiring method allows use of the pipe as the ground, it will specifically say so in that article.
Select an appropriate wiring method.
Note that you can change wiring methods anywhere appropriate, such as from EMT to NM at a junction box, or EMT to Rigid at any appropriate coupler.
In a few cases you can also use a wiring method inside a wiring method, e.g. you could carry NM-B past the first junction box in conduit, through the conduit, to the second box and splice it there, if the conduit is large enough to allow this.  Just in case you're all out of THHN wire :)

do ground-enabled conduits need to be rated as such?

Not as "ground-enabled" (your term), no.
However the conduit must be rated and UL listed for the wiring method which you are using.   If you select the IMC wiring method, you must use pipe listed and labeled as IMC.
If you are working up a plan to use leftover plumbing or general-use pipe as a wiring method, forget it, but it may be usable as a damage shield for another wiring method such as UF which needs one.

How do you avoid "weak ground" links between conduit segments?
Are there safety considerations?

By following the rules for the wiring method, and NEC 110.2 which requires you use [UL] approved equipment, and NEC 110.3(B) which requires you obey labeling and instructions of equipment.
If you do all that, then the NFPA Code committees and UL have done all the heavy lifting for you.

Do you have to clamp bond wires between segment couplers, or should the couplers and their interface to the conduit be sufficient?

You need to follow the NEC article for the wiring method, and other NEC rules as may be applicable.  For instance if you bring 1” conduit into a 1-1/2” knockout, using adapter washers, you must provide for ground continuity some other way.

Lastly if the installation is making you nervous, review your understanding of Code regarding the part that makes you nervous.  If it still makes you nervous, throw a ground wire in the pipe.


Replacing Single Switch with Dual Single

First, you need to figure out which wire is which.

Then, you will wire it as follows:

Before you begin, shut off power at the breaker or fuse box, and then remove all the wire nuts inside that box.

Connect all the ground (bare/green) wires together, and ground the switch.
Connect all the neutral (white) wires together.
If you look at the switch, there will be a terminal that is labeled "common", "main", or "hot". Connect your power supply wire (black) to this terminal.
Connect the remaining each of the remaining black wires (each one should go to one of the lights) to each of the two remaining terminals on the double switch (in my photo, those are the terminals on the left side, clearly visible).
Mount the new switch, turn on the breaker, and voila! Separate controls!

I think that you should also use a voltmeter set to continuity and a long piece of wire to determine if each light is it's own wire, or not. Attach on lead to the long wire, and connect it to the center contact on the light bulb socket of one of the lights. Then connect the other lead to each hot wire coming in to the switch box. You should be able to figure out using this method if each light is its own wire, and then which each light's wire is.


Electrical current leaking from light fixture when off

The answer to the below question is what you're looking for. You'll need a different switch or different bulb for your setup.

Why do my LED lights stay on, even when the switch is off?

Basically to keep that indication light running on your switch, there has to be a path back to the panel. Since you don't wire a neutral in with that switch model, that 'leaked' current has to feed through your load to get back around to the panel. LEDs are sensitive enough to show this occurring. Smart!


Is it possible to demagnetize side cutters with this passive magnetize/demagnetizer?

Use a soldering gun - while it's on, put the side-cutter next to the tip or the transformer and slowly move it away. You should feel the cutter vibrate slightly from the powerful alternating magnetic field, which works as well as a tape demagnetizer.


CCTV camera / PIR security light intereferance

Your LED security lights work on PIR, passive infrared to trigger them on.
The Lorex Camera specs out using
Night Vision
Night Vision Distance   41m
Number of Infra-Red LEDs    24
It is possible the infrared of the cameras are over loading the security lights enough to keep them from working fully.  You can check this simply by turning off the camera or placing a piece of cardboard over the front and see if the lights trigger as expected.
If the two interfere with each other not much can be done other then moving the camera or turning off the night vision ability (kind of defeats the use).
It might be possible to make a small shield to shade the cameras IR from directing into the lights or a directed tube on the lights sensor to narrow the view.
If the interference exists, it is all trial and error to find a placement or shadowing to make it work.  My drive camera had to be raised about ten feet above the leds to make things work as best possible.


Are water boilers dangerous when showering?

I'm from Serbia, just like the OP, and we do have such a myth there. After my initial rant, aimed at explaining why some of the safety assumptions that many answers here may have are wrong, I'll show installation of a typical water heater and explain a couple of issues that I see with the installation.

(Feel free to skip this part)
First, some background, so that others can understand the issue:
Most water heaters are made by domestic or ex-Yugoslavian manufacturers. Furthermore, unlike the "western" countries, we do not have strict regulation of electricians and the "National Electrical Code", which so many Americans like to talk about, is not nearly as accessible here. The newest book on the topic that I could find was more than 20 years old. The result is that the regulations themselves are not easy to check for actual home-owners and there's a justified lack of trust in electricians, since a large number of them actually, and with no exaggeration at all, know less than someone who did a 10 minute Google search.

Next, there's the topic of electricians and superiors.
An electrical installation project for a building should be done and signed-off by a graduated electrical engineer that has a valid license as a "responsible designer of low and medium voltage electro-energetic installations".
The actual implementation should be supervised by an electrical engineer who has a valid license as a "responsible contractor of low and medium voltage electro-energetic installations".
I was unable to find if there's actual licensing for electricians that are doing the installation itself!

Next we have a degraded civil engineering ecosystem: during communism there were huge companies making entire neighborhoods at one time, with many engineers and a strong internal structure. This changed and now we have small "investors" who are constructing one or two buildings at a time, focusing mostly on being as cheap as possible, with a huge flow of employees. The licensed EEs I talked about previously will sometimes just glance at the project done by someone else, sign it and take the money for that. The "responsible" contractors will never appear on the site to see what is done and the electricians are sometimes just some guys that know what to do with wires.  Safety inspectors are there mostly to take their share of the bribes as well.

This was all assuming actual sort of legal building construction. In some cities, for many decades, it was pretty much impossible to get a construction license, resulting in entire settlements illegally built with no government oversight at all.
(End of background)

So the above resulted in low quality installations done quite often by uneducated people, or semi-responsibly done installations with heavily outdated safety standards. The majority of houses don't have ground fault interrupters and, disturbingly often, there's no ground in the bathroom at all!

Grounding systems are often TN-C, TN-C-S or TT, not uncommonly of the "rotten electrode" variety.

OK, so let's take a look at usual water boiler (as we call them here) installation:

Here's a "representative" photo of an actual installation from "Moja Radionica" website:

So there's a live and a neutral connection, if we're lucky a bi-metallic thermal switch (not pictured here), a regular thermostat, the heating element itself (sometimes several in parallel) and a neon indicator light. Today they also have a ground connection that's connected to the tank and outer chassis as well, but the pictured unit only has a ground connection to the heater. Usually the tank is also grounded through the pipes, which are often metallic, but the outer chassis in some designs doesn't have a good electrical connection to the tank and instead just sits on the glass wool, with the tank having wall attachment points.

The big hole on the picture is usually closed by a plastic hatch that attaches to the bottom part of the heater.

The heating element itself usually has resistance wire inside of a copper or nickel-plated copper tube that is connected to live and neutral via two connectors. The connectors are isolated from the tank itself with two ceramic insulators.

So in a properly functioning heater, there should not be any conductivity between the heating element connectors and the tank itself. One of the common issues is that the outer tube of the heating element cracks and water gets inside, often causing the resistance wire to break. This results in conductivity between the resistance wire and the tank itself, which could be potentially not very safe. Combine this with no ground fault interrupter or pipe-only or NO ground for the tank and then we have some cause for concern.

Another issue is the plastic hatch at the bottom, "neatness" of the wires and the rubber gasket between the heating element holder and the tank. Namely, these gaskets wear out and are sometimes not replaced after opening the tank, which results in leaks. The leaking water accumulates in the bottom of the heater and, depending on the neatness of the internal installation, may submerge some of the conductors inside of the water heater, which in my opinion can again raise some safety concerns. In a "Magnohrom" heater I've had, the wires were completely lying at the bottom of the heater and resting on the hatch.

Another side-note about installation: This type of water heater should definitely not be installed somewhere out of the way, due to the safety valve. It's not shown in this picture, but on the cold water side, these heaters have a safety valve that is supposed to leak in the case of over pressure. Since many of the units do not have a thermal safety cut-off, in case the thermostat fails, this can cause flooding that might be undetected for some time. Furthermore, old valves do get stuck, so activating it by hand from time to time is recommended! If the heater is out of way, somewhere, this might be messy, this way discouraging the testing.


Sub-panel ground and neutral connected to main ground and neutral bar?

First you don’t add the amperage totals that way.
A single RV has a load requirement by code I think it is article 551 but this is an old code book , 9600va at 240v is the required RV supply for a 50 amp 240v service. A single unit requires 100% . Yes I have had a larger feed on a large RV with dual ac’s , after downsizing I am back o a 30 amp 120v (single ac) on a 30 amp breaker as required by code.
So look at article 551 in the national electric code, would I upsize my feeder with my last big class a yes I did. But not on my small one that I have today after the kids left.


Encapsulate A/C duct inside roof deck insulation?

How big is the attic space? Maybe forget ducts and put in a mini-split system instead for the attic.

But your contractor is nuts. Two inches of foam is not enough to prevent significant heating/chilling of the ducts from the roof. And spraying foam OVER or next to the duct does nothing to insulate the duct from the roof deck.

Your contractor will probably counter with "but it's only a couple of feet, so you might get a hot/cold blast when the system starts, but then it'll be fine". No. Even when your fan is not running, air is flowing through the system due to convection. So your attic ducts will continually heat/cool the whole house.


Should I add a plywood subfloor below my damaged hardwood floors when I reinstall?

Two "minor" points... if the plywood is going to genuinely offer support, it probably needs to be at least 1/2".  Have you thought about whether that's going to create other problems with clearance, such as at transitions/intersections/door bottoms?  Also, assuming that the flooring runs perpendicular to the existing framing (joists etc), if we're really talking about small slivers, such as you describe I'm not at all sure that you need to do anything.  Is there no existing subfloor, the flooring is just attached to the joists?

Can you post pics of the typical damage?


How do I property tie a top plate that is bored instead of notched?

The purpose of the metal tie specified in R602.6.1 is to ensure lateral distribution of the vertical load born by the top plate. Non-bearing walls have no vertical load on the top plate and therefore no metal tie is required in this chapter. You would still need to meet the requirements to protect piping, wiring, or equipment (.e.g, M1308.2 and P2603.2.1).

I haven't found a good discussion of a centered hole in a top plate. I would argue that IRC Chapter 6 requires only one metal tie under any circumstance and if the hole is centered then it doesn't matter which side you install it on. But again, if we are talking 2x4 framing then pipe/wire protection may drive a requirement for metal ties on both sides of an interior wall.

Regarding double top-plates see IRC Interpretation No. 15-03

  Q1: Where a wood stud wall is capped with a double top plate, is the
  1.5-inch metal tie as described required on both of the top plates?

  A1: No. Where a double top plate is used, a single 1.5-inch metal tie
  is required on the uppermost plate only. No tie is required at the
  notched lower plate. This is illustrated in Figure R602.3(2) and
  Figure R602.3.1.

Simpson has a good reference for Intallation of Utilities in Wood Frame Construction.  Combines structural and nail protection requirements for residential and commercial codes. If you are framing with 2x4's it is likely that the pipe protection requirements will push you to use PSPN516 (load bearing) or PSPN58 (non-load bearing) rather than one of the RPS repair straps.


Radon Manometer shows negative prey when off

You have to get rid of those bubbles, or your manometer will be completely inaccurate. A U-tube manometer works by balancing the weight and pressure on either side of the U. If there's no pressure difference, then the liquid will move until the weights are equal, which happens when the levels are the same (and, if you have the right amount of liquid, it will read "0" on the scale). If there's pressure on one side, it'll push that side down until the weight difference balances the pressure.

This all goes out the window when you have bubbles in the tube; the bubbles add height, but no weight. For example, your center picture shows the liquid tops being equal, but with that big bubble on the right it actually means that the weight on the right side is less, which means that there's more pressure on the right than on the left.

I'd get rid of the bubbles, and then check again.


2 pole 240v AC circuit breaker wire connections

If your oven has a white neutral on its connection block, you must connect it. Follow the instructions. Some of these ranges and ovens (maybe all or the vast preponderance) use 240 V for the main heating elements, but 120 V for controls, lights, and maybe even for smaller heating elements. Hence, a white neutral must be connected.

The admonition to not fuse the neutral does not mean a neutral is not needed. The neutral is connected to the neutral bar in the panel and is not fused there. The reason to not fuse the neutral is to never have a loss of the neutral without the loss of both hots. Loss of neutral can lead to the neutral becoming hot (shock hazard) and could lead to loss of control of the oven.


Can I arrange my light fixtures in a branch configuration or must they be in a linear daisy chain?

You don't have to run power in a "daisy chain," you can branch from one point to several.

With the sketch you have, switched power coming in at L1, and branching out in two directions, you'll probably have no trouble finding a box large enough to accommodate the wires.


What does a manifold do in an underfloor heating (UFH) system and why do they cost do much?

The manifold is used to distribute fluid evenly throughout the system, as well as allowing you to turn on/off zones (for maintenance and whatnot).  Without one you may find that some zones get more heat than others, since the flow could vary from zone to zone (depending on the plumbing).


Assuming the door is positioned in the frame properly and the stopper is all the way up and stays up then you should be able to grind a bit off of the stopper. If you don't have a handheld grinder you can get a grinding stone that will work with an electric drill. The stopper is probably hardened and will not grind quickly but it doesn't look like you need to take much off.