Is it necessary to keep tools lubricated?

Short answer: Yes, if you want your tools to last.

A quick story:
I have a set of Crestoloy Crescent wrenches that are nearing 100 years old.  They were passed from my Great Grandpa to my Grandpa to me.  I use them at least once a week.  The tools have worked on farm equipment, on boats, on cars, and on houses.  At times, they have been carelessly left in fields or damp environments.  During all of this, the tools were regularly wiped down with a thin layer of oil.  Today, those wrenches are devoid of rust and fully operational.

Oil on the metal portions of tools will do wonders for the longevity of the tool.  The oil will repel water and prevent rust, along with lubricating any moving parts.

The type of oil doesn't matter so much (see the comment below for someone who knows more about oil than I do).  Lots of people recommend WD-40.  It's cheap and widely available.  My Great Grandpa used clean motor oil on all of his tools.  A dab of oil on a rag, then wipe them over the tools when you're done working.  I use lubricating oil meant for an air compressor.

You don't need much oil to get the job done.  None of my tools feel greasy; all of them look and feel dry, except on the moving parts.

A warning.  Do NOT oil plastic or rubber parts of your tools.  Oil can make plastic and rubber pieces (like handles) brittle and lead to cracking.


How feasible is is it to build a house structure from different sources of free timber?

Believe it or not, wood framing is a minor cost for the construction of a home.

Yes, you “could” gather enough to frame a home and save money, but at what cost: 1) TIME: There is a huge amount of time to remove it from a site, remove nails, bolts, mastic, etc. so you can use it, 2) QUALITY: You’ll need to sort the material so you have adequate amount of good, straight, clean, sound material for structural use, (i.e.: headers, floor framing so no squeaky floors, etc.), 3) UNIFORMITY: Make sure the lumber is uniform in size so walls, roofs, etc. are straight.

Meanwhile, while you’re saving a nickel on the lumber, I presume you’re paying rent monthly that could go towards mortgage payments if the house was finished sooner.


Any thoughts as to what these wires might be? Red/black/orange-ish/yellow.

Use a DVOM (digital volt ohm meter) to test each wire to ground for ANY AC/DC voltage. Test the mix of each wire to each wire. While this does NOT rule out any kind of voltage it gets you pretty close to comfortable. Then use OHM setting and check for essentially an open circuit on each combination of wire.

Once you have ruled out live active power, and open connections on each wire, use a ringer like a Fluke ringer/toner and trace the direction of the wire through the wall, potentially to its destination.

Now, if you DO find voltage (greater than about 60mV), or any ohm reading less than ..... 40Mohms, I would turn off breakers to see the voltage vanish, or if there is Ohms, look for physical items, like a security keypad, boxes/transformers/other physical items, or even open doors/windows with a switch sensor on it.


There are switches with indicator lights that illuminate when on and other switches that illuminate when off. The former are called pilot lights, the latter, illuminated switches.

To determine which yours is, you need to look at the switch without the cover plate and determine which position is ON. While up is the convention for a single pole switch that is completing a circuit, it doesn't really mean anything, since a switch can be mounted upside down.

Most single pole switches have an up indication stamped on the metal mounting frame. If that is positioned up, the switch is connected when the paddle is up.

If there is no indication, you will need a circuit tester to determine which position completes the circuit.


Note: This answer was written before the photo was added to the question and country identified.

Problem

  when I toggle the switch the breaker trips

You have connected the wires incorrectly. You have probably connected the switch between neutral and live.

Wiring a light fixture

In the UK, a pre-2004 ceiling box with three sets of wires would be connected like this:

A comes from the breaker, B goes to the next light fitting. The wires to the lamp holder use the post-1977 colours.

Note that C is labelled "twin red & earth" this means it has a second red wire instead of the black wire. In practise, most electricians use normal "twn * earth" for the cable to the switch. This means the black wire is switched-live not neutral. It should be marked with red-tape to indicate this.

If you then just connect all the black wires together, you would connect the switch across live and neutral, creating the problem you describe.

The correct wiring looks like this in a typical UK ceiling rose (with post-2006 fixed-wiring colours. Arrangement is inverted compared with above diagram):

Photo - own work, © RedGrittyBrick. Licence: Creative-Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0

Note the red tape on the blue wire from the switch, indicating this is switched-live not a normal neutral. See that this particular wire is NOT connected to the other same-coloured wires (blue in this example).

Colours of wires

A brief history of wiring colours in the UK

                     neutral     live     earth
Before 1977:         black       red      green
1977-2004:
   Wires in wall     black       red      green
   Other† wires      blue        brown    green/yellow striped
After 2006‡:         blue        brown    green/yellow striped

† pendant light cords, appliance cords, lamp cords, etc
‡ Between 2004-2006 you could use either set of colours in fixed wiring in walls.

Other countries

The same principles apply but the wiring colours will differ. For example, the US usually has white for neutral, black for hot (live). The specific methods for connecting wires will differ. For example, a US home will probably use wire-nuts.

However, to repeat, the principles are the same, make sure the cable from the switch is not connected incorrectly, you do not connect all wires of the same colour together.

Related reading

Electric shock - was I stupid, unlucky, or a combination of both?
When doing electrical work, what do I use to check wires are safe?


Water valve in basement connected to floor drain

I would add some cooking oil to the floor drain. This will prevent the water in the trap from evaporating. You'll no longer have to add water every other month or so. In fact, this may last a year or more. It did for me.


How can I open an older type Gustavsberg cistern toilet?

This page details two different sorts of top-flush toilet repairs:

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/fix-flusher-top-toilet-66536.html

  Unscrew and remove the knob from the end of the rod that goes through
  the top of the tank cover. Spray lubricant on the rubber grommet that
  seals the rod where it goes into the hole in the cover. 2

  Push down on the end of the rod as you lift up the cover. Take the
  cover off the tank. If necessary, lift up the cover enough to grip the
  rod at the underside of the cover, using vice grips. Lift up on the
  cover and pull the rod out of the grommet. Set the tank cover aside. 3

  Fit the vice grips onto the rod and rotate the rod a bit each way
  several times as you pull upward. In some cases, mineral deposits can
  build up and prevent the rod from pulling upward. If the toilet
  flushes, reattach the tank cover in the reverse order and screw on the
  knob. Alternatively, if the toilet doesn't flush, enlist a plumber to
  install a new flush valve and rod mechanism.

The quote above is for the "rod-activated" version.

You mentioned that the knob feels tough-- try using a penetrating oil on it, it may help. It appears as if the rod sits inside of that knob... It also seems to imply that you'd have to pull it for it to work (yours doesn't look like it would be the button type).


I want to install the tub below with surround. How can I install the surround on only two walls leaving the end open?

I wouldnt use this surround to modify.  The crown up top will not look right unless maybe there is a 3" bump out from the wall.  Surrounds are suppose to be quick and easy. This one is not cheap either. You should do it right and install tile it will probably be same price if not cheaper. Yes jetted tubs are suppose to have a dedicated circuit.


You need to attach the mount to the concrete, not the drywall.

There are special anchors for concrete. Most are made of metal and expand into the hole drilled in the concrete with a hammer drill and a masonry bit.

Most masonry anchors are sleeve anchors and use bolts (also called machine screws) to expand the anchor.

There are also metal lag shields that use lag bolts (heavy duty screws) to push outward on the hole and hold the device. These are fairly reliable, but are less forgiving if you need to remove and reinsert the bolt.

There are also masonry screws that can hold in concrete without a separate anchor, but these need precise drilling and care when tightening to prevent stripping the hole.  While they are fine for things that use numerous attachment points, such as studs in a concrete floor or wall, the risk of failure on a device that only uses a few mounting points make these a bit more risky (in my view - contrary points of view welcome!).

The instructions packed with the mount often recommend which size of bolt or screw to use, and many come packed with mounting hardware for masonry attachment.  Drill the size hole called for by the particular anchor, and take care to drill straight and not oversize the holes.

 Images and links are illustrative only, not an endorsement of goods or sources.


Is it ok to sister a joist to burnt joist?

As a home inspector, I can tell you that sheer existence of those damaged joists are going to be a RED FLAG at any time you decide to sell and move on. If they are badly burned, they are not structurally sound and should be removed. Install a few temp supports on ends of adjacent joists, then remove and replace them one or two at a time. Use proper joist hangers, proper intervals and upgrade the size if current code requires. I little more work now will pay off big for you later. The cost will not be much different, just a bit more labor.


In replacing a skylight, can I reuse the existing curb and flashing?

Installing or replacing this type of skylight is very straight forward. The flashing should work as it is. The only concern would be where the old mounting holes are and will the new skylight curb cover the old ones. If not a counter flashing can be added without redoing the flashing.


Three dead power outlets, no tripped breakers

We are talking about garage and outdoor receptacles. These are both required to be GFCI protected. It is extremely easy to trip a GFI if you are working on the circuit live. Simply touching the neutral to ground, or even testing from hot to ground can trip them.

You have a tripped GFI somewhere, you need to find it. Could be nearly anywhere; garage, somewhere outside, near the main electrical panel, etc.
Let us know what you find.


That is the pin or dowel that go to a cam lock for furniture.

Here is website i found  that has some. If you do not it find there you can check in the furniture parts drawers at you local hardware store or search for furniture parts online.

You will need to measure its length, i would think most are going to be classified in the metric system,  mm or cm.

Keywords: cam lock dowel or pin, Quickfit Style Dowel Pin Cam Lock Fasteners Furniture Connectors


Replacing Dimmer with Switch - Online Examples Don't Match My Setup

Single Pole Switch Diagram

Turn power off at electrical panel by turning off the breaker.
Connect the two black wires as shown.
Connect the ground bare wire to the green screw making a clockwise hook so the ground is nice and secure. And tighten.
When you push the switch in make sure the ground is tuck back out of the way as to avoid any problems from ground faults.
Make sure the switch is in the correct upright position.


I'd like some more project details, but 10kg isn't really that much of a load, but it all depends on how everything is supported. If the load is cantilevered out 1m from the anchors, then you're going to need much thicker platforms than if you have doubly-supported structures.

If you're into laser cutting things, acrylic is laser cuttable, which makes it easier to work with. Unfortunately, it has a tendency to shatter when it breaks. In this case, you'll want a thick enough piece to keep the material stress below failure. Without knowing how it's supported, it's impossible to say how thick to make this, but I doubt you could go wrong with anything greater than 1/2" or 12mm.

If you plan to cut the panels with a saw, then polycarbonate is probably the best option. Impact/shatter-resistant, it's unlikely to break at all. For this material, you'll want it to be thicker to prevent it from deflecting. It's not about strength, but stiffness. 1/4" or 6mm could be enough, but, again, it depends so much on geometry.


Is this insulation in my HVAC installed correctly?

I don’t like internal insulation for several reasons the first is because if not foil faced it holds dust and can be a home for mold.
With that said it looks ok to me fiberglass and rock wool will not be affected by moisture (degraded other than reducing the insulation value).
Looking at the photo a very neat job was done on the outside blanket. the inside looks ok but it is hard to tell the orientation I would never insulate the bottom of the air handler with an AC coil in there but it’s hard to tell although it looks like it is attached not flopping around so other than my personal preference not to insulate inside ducts it is probably fine from what I see.


In my own opinion I don't think that the owner of this top has figured out how is he/she going to use this top. If he /she are going to use it as it was intended, as a butcher block top, then a poly coat would flake off in time. But a regular coating of mineral oil, not vegetable oil, would be suffice. Vegetable oil would turn rancid.


In all probability, you're probably smelling volatile organic compounds in the glue and other chemicals used in the process of making the chair.

If this is your problem, there's not much you can do, other than to air the chair out completely.

Can you set it outside for a day or two (protected from the elements and pilferage)?

If outside isn't an option, set it near an open window and point a box fan or similar at it for a couple of days.


How can I tell if my bathroom vents are connected?

You can tell if they are ducted by looking. Go in the attic and see if they are connected to duct work that goes to the outside.

If not, don't use them as you'll be pumping humid air into your attic space which will lead to either mold and/or water damage.


Downsides of Linoleum (in kitchen specifically)

If the tile is nice tile, I'd strongly consider keeping that. People like tiled kitchens.

Linoleum is a bit like laminate counter tops. Has a bit of a 60s/70s stigma to it.

But also like laminate counter tops, they've gotten better and now come in a much wider range of looks.

Linoleum has the added benefit of being a 'natural/green' material, so fits into the green trend as well (which is a good trend, for the most part).

I suppose the biggest con would be that it won't wear as well (or last as long) as tile will...then again, very little will wear as well as tile.

You'll also need to decide if you want a surface that needs to be waxed regularly or has a more permanent top coat. I assume most products on the market today will have the latter, but you'll want to check into that.

The other con is that you'll likely have to either tear out your tile, or add a new layer of plywood to the top of it. Granted, you'll probably have to do that regardless, but also something to consider.


Running only one zone of a multi zone minisplit

First I would not be posting about violating the law on a public forum. (EPA fines up to 25k for violating the 608 & 609 regulations)
Yes it is normal to close the high pressure line and pump the refrigerant into the system and close the low pressure valve prior to putting a recovery system on the lines.
A licensed tech can still purchase R22 online the price has really jumped the last few years and will increase until the supply is exhausted no more can be made or imported.
Can a multi zone system function with only 1 zone attached? Possibly , some can some must be connected or at least have a loop it depends on the design.
You understand the system needs to have a vacuum on the line set epa recommends 500 millitor most techs target under 100 and verify no leakage.
Who knows if the system has enough refrigerant to run, most folks do not remove fully functional systems so it is quite possible you only have a couple of lbs when it is a 6 or 8 lb system.


What's the best way to seal around this faucet?

I like clear silicone caulk for this kind of job.

It will remain flexible after curing, so if the pipe gets bumped or moved around it won't break or crack like expanding foam.  And the clear caulk won't stand out since it cures to a translucent light grey color which is similar to the siding.


Why are there two grounding bars in my breaker box?

The isolated bar is intended for Neutral.
If, like many generators, yours has ground and neutral bonded inside the generator, your generator neutral and all neutral wires go to the isolated bar, and the ground wires go to the one connected to the box.
That also sets you up properly for a "shore power" input.
Your hot feed either goes to one of the line inputs and you only use that half of the breaker spaces, or you connect your hot feed to both line inputs with a jumper, since this is 120V only, so there won't be any 240V dual-breakers. The former leaves the ability to connect to shore power (or a larger generator) "properly" and the latter does not (but will work if you are only plugging into a 120V-only shore connection.)


Which cheap plywood are suitable for use as siding-and-sheathing?

While CDX (rated Exposure I) has exterior glue, it is not intended for prolonged weather exposure. You should use a panel that has a true exterior rating, even if it is rated for sheathing and not siding. Try looking for APA Rated Sheathing C-D Exterior plywood. You can use any panel thickness with a span rating for 16" spaced studs, but with 24" studs, use a panel with a roof span rating of 24 or more. That will be as cheap as you can go and still have reasonable life expectancy.


No, a typical fixed-use AC compressor will NOT work properly in any orientation but upright.

Most designed have a sealed can containing the compressor itself with an electric motor driving a crankshaft to which a connecting rod is attached which drives the pump.  The bottom of the can is filled with lubricating oil for the bearings on the shaft and connecting rod.

If you invert the unit the oil will go to what is normally the top of the can and will not lubricate the mechanicals properly.

Here is a diagram that shows the basic layout of the parts:

AC compressor diagram


How can I reduce the sound of water moving through a pipe?

Acoustic paint - http://www.acousticalsurfaces.com/coat-of-silence/coat-of-silence.html

You will lose very little room and it doesn't take much time.  Read reviews and instructions to make sure which type is best for your walls.

There is also acoustical sheetrock quietrock?  You could strip the wall with 2x4s and put sheetrock over.


Older Moen Bathroom Faucet -- How to remove?

Look underneath the sink where the supply hoses are. There should be a nut holding the faucet to the sink. Once removed the handle can be lifted from the surface.


Should we reinforce our laundry floor to prevent our washer from walking?

this is a common problem and is most easily remedied by one of two approaches (and this is entirely assuming the unit is in good working order and the harmonic balancer is in good shape and balance)

1)  restrain the unit - just mount angle iron or wood or whatever around the base to keep it from moving.  just ensure that you have a thick foam pad or strip around the base where the appliance "rubs" the restraint frame.  this will absorb some of the vibration and damp the transferred vibrational energy.

2)  replace the leveling feet with urethane elastomer vibration dampers (sorbothane or some such product - these are not just rubber feet).  they simply thread into the holes where the leveling feet were (just buy the right thread or some adapter to make it work).  they come in many different heights, styles, etc.  and though expensive, are far cheaper than reinforcing the floor or any such approach.  see here for details:

http://www.mcmaster.com/#standard-vibration-damping-mounts/=12buqho

fyi - i have done this for many customers machines and have even used a set on the washer we owned before our current unit - it fixed the problem essentially instantaneously


Fixing a gap with silicone on shower base

You have a good plan. Make sure the area is totally dry before applying the new sealer. Scrape the area with a single edge razor blade to remove all the old sealer and then wipe the area with some vinegar to remove any residue. Stuff some paper towel in the gap to make sure it's totally dry, then apply some quality silicone caulk to the gap. Check the rest of the tub for any other failed areas.


Exterior Wall - Stacking Fiberglass insulation and Mineral Wool insulation

Vapor barriers are installed on the warm side in winter on walls.
If you leave the vapor barrier in the middle of the insulation envelope, it will trap the moisture in the wall causing mold or dryrot or both.
Vapor travels from a warm environment to a cool environment. When it reaches its dew point it changes from vapor to water. If this occurs in the middle of your wall and can’t dry out, it’ll create mold, dryrot, etc.
If you add insulation, I’d remove the paper vapor barrier (or slice it into a zillion cuts) so the vapor or moisture can travel through the wall space.
This may help:
https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/75130/What-Happens-When-You-Put-a-Plastic-Vapor-Barrier-in-Your-Wall


How do I properly wire this outdoor junction box?

From experience an extra wire with a different shield color might indicate it as the "Positive" wire in a circuit (or Hot). The electrician may have been planning ahead and to save time ran the extra wire. What I would do is to pick the most likely route of the yellow wire starting from the  opened junction box. I believe you said there was a spa circuit included in this box; start there. I'm guessing that the yellow wire my be for the spa motor. Possibly a speed or rotational direction setting. Or an accessory that has been removed. Either way a safe accurate diagnose/ repair includes a DVM.


Is it within code to hang a pendant light independent of a junction box?

Only if the fixture has its own built in junction box. This is not common on most fixtures that are surface mounted, except for flat fluorescent fixtures or under counter fixtures. You do often find it in recessed fixtures, like can lights.

Fixtures that have built in boxes have a small entry hole for the cable and a clamping mechanism. If a fixture is rated to take a cable directly, rather than being mounted to an approved junction box, its installation instructions will make that clear.

If it is not rated for direct cable mount, the connection you propose will be against code, and more importantly, unsafe.

Finally, if it is code rated, you still have to leave the existing box accessible and need a blank cover over it.


Upgated pump for 10 zones, 3 floor house?

GPM is more of a concern than Hp. Horse power is just an energy consumption rating. If you are controlling your zones with zone valves you may want to consider a "smart" pump like a Grundfos Alpha 2, Taco 007e or a injection mixing block. If you are using one pump per zone just a regular circulator is fine, the height is almost irrelevant. Circulators don't pump water up, system pressure does that part. Circ pumps just need to overcome the wall resistance and the pipe size/length becomes a concern.


How can I repair slices in fibercement siding?

Everything i have read states it is best to replace a damaged plank but there are repair solutions.
Here are a couple of links to inform your discussion with your contractor.
How to Repair Fiber Cement Siding - The Complete Guide
Fiber Cement Siding Repair Advice & Specifications

The second one is full of links to valuable info.


How can I secure a shed with a skid foundation in a windy location?

By looking at some mobile home anchoring systems you might be able to adapt something to a smaller scale. They appear similar to the screw in the earth anchors used for dog run tie outs albeit on a larger scale. I would screw in three dog anchors on each side and use a ratcheting cargo strap (available at any auto parts store) to cinch it down. It may take two straps hooked together to get enough length to go over the roof.


Toilet water tank sometimes takes hours to fill and sometimes it fill up right away

Your problem could be a flapper valve that does not always seat down tight on the flush drain at the bottom of the toilet water tank. This can cause a small flow of water to continue to drain from the tank as it attempts to fill. Sometimes the flapper will plop down in the correct position and allow the tank to fill normally.

In the leaking case, as the tank does start to slowly fill, the water pressure from above will try to push the flapper valve to a fully closed position thus starting to close off the leak and eventually allowing the tank to fill up.

Flapper valves, despite the claims from the manufacturer, can react with the water and become either hardened or start to decompose to a rubbery gunk. (Even with the best ones I can purchase I need to replace mine about once every one to two years). Both of these cases can lead to the flapper valve seating problem like I describe above. The fix is to purchase a new one. Typical install is easy and usually takes all of 5 minutes. There may be some extra time to adjust the chain from the flush lever to get it operate correctly. Chain too long and it can get under the flapper and create a leak and too short and the lever tugs on the flapper putting undue stress on the part of the flapper where the chain attaches.


Do I need to upgrade my service/panel to be able to have a ground?

OK first, the panel has a lot of "double-stuff" breakers (2 breakers in one space or 4 breakers in 2 spaces).

The breaker in 3/4 (right side, top 2 spaces/4 breakers)

Take a careful note of the double-stuff(s) in spaces 3 and 4.  Treat those 2 breakers like one quad breaker, keep them together or better, tape them together.  Move them together as a unit.  Note the red wire.  That red wire has a partner black, and that partner must be above the red wire on that same "quad breaker".   This will put them on opposite poles, which is essential to not overloading the neutral.

Further, that quad/double-double cannot be there.  Look at the drawing on the panel sticker; it's a fair bit confusing, but your panel has 12 spaces in 6 rows, and each row has a black dot on the sticker drawing.  The bottom 4 dots have the thing where it splits into 2 breakers (e.g. 19 and 20) but breakers 3 and 4 do not have that.   That is telling you double-stuff breakers are not allowed in the top 2 of 6 rows - exactly where breaker 3/4 is.

So you need to take the bottom 2 right-side breakers out (the normal ones), and depending on available wire length either move the quadplex/double-double that we've been discussing to those 2 spaces, or move the whole column of breakers down.  Then, refit the pulled normal breakers in positions 3/4.   That will take care of the "double-stuffs in illegal locations" problem.

NEC 1965 legislated "CTL" rules that breakers and panels must have keying/locking to make that mistake impossible. But it typically takes 2-3 years for NEC revisions to get approved by state, so it probably slipped in under the wire. Or they used non-CTL breakers which were prevalant at the time.  GE used CTL to totally redesign how they do double-stuff breakers; so you will not be able to source a replacement for these double-stuffs. DO NOT use a BR, HOM or Siemens here!!!

Time to think new panel.

But you don't need to replace the whole panel.  You can fork out to a subpanel, keeping the original main breaker and using this existing panel as a hub feeding the subpanels.  That lets you DIY the subpanel work without having to deal with the fact that the wire before the main breaker is always-hot.

Not least, this panel is laughably small for any home; I like to see homes have 40 spaces.  If you are adding a subpanel, I like to see around 48 total spaces, so a 40-space or two 18s would be a good addition.  If you have any aspirations to a generator or a modern on-power-failure power system, Siemens is a particularly good choice due to cheap generator interlocks.  There's no point staying in GE since few of your breakers will fit a modern GE panel.

Another strategy is to put a bigger subpanel positioned (with consultation with your power company) so they could easily put a larger service drop on the new location. In case you ever want to upgrade electric service.

There is no limit on subpanel size; you can use a 225A subpanel with 100A main service.  The subpanel must be >= the breaker feeding it.

So that is what I would do with this panel; slowly convert it to simply a feeder to subpanel(s).  You'll need something to fill the empty holes as  you move branch circuits out; just use the old breakers for that.

All subpanels connect 4 wires: two hots, neutral and separate ground from the main to the subpanel. Grounds and neutrals are separated in the subpanel.

Grounding

First, your panel needs a ground bar of its own. YOu might try contacting an electrical supply house that is a GE dealer and see if they have a ground bar that will bolt up to this panel in existing holes.   All grounds should go to the ground bar, including the main Grounding Electrode, and then there should be a heavy wire (heaviest that will fit in the holes, copper) connecting the neutral bar to the ground bar.  It's a nice bonus if you can get a clamp meter around that wire; it's very useful for diagnosis.

Now, your panel will need a grounding electrode system.  That should be a typically bare wire from the grounding bar to a water pipe, ground rods, or an UFER ground buried in the concrete.  Water pipes are fallen out of favor because of the water company's penchant for replacing them with smart meters made out of plastic.  Now two ground rods are required (unless you pay for a test that costs more than a second ground rod). The UFER ground is still the best option, but it must be planned before the foundation pour.


Swapping G8 Halogen Under-cabinet fixtures for LED

Are you correct in the questions?  Should it be G8 20 watts not 20V.
To replace the G8 20 Watt/120v build it is a direct straight replacement.  Since you did do the swap, but it is flicking, there could be two issues

The replacement LEDs were not dimmerable and you have a dinner in the switch
The replacements are dimmerable, but the dimmer is not rated for LED bulbs.


Automatically trip breaker in power outage

If your HVAC situation permits it...

The ability to have a source of heat that works during a power outage is a massive asset, especially if power outages are a serious concern (as they typically are on the long overhead feeds found in rural areas).  Either a wall furnace (Empire-style) or a gas fireplace can be used; either way, you'll want a sealed combustion version that draws its combustion air from a dedicated outdoor source to avoid any potential issues with backdrafting, CO, and the likes.

Dealing with the original problem, though

However, not all folk are in a position to have heat that works during a power outage, either due to a lack of fuel (gas) service to their location, or due to limitations of their existing HVAC systems.  Given this and a couple of assumptions about your well pump, namely that it is a single-phase, 230V unit of 2HP or less and uses a 2-wire start system with a direct-operating pressure switch control, we can solve this problem quite simply and relatively cheaply (under $100) with a few fairly basic industrial-control type parts:

A 230VAC, 20A, DPDT enclosed relay, namely the RIB02P (this is basically a lightswitch that's rigged to an electromagnet so that it can be controlled by an electrical signal)
A 22mm, 1NO/1NC, momentary-contact illuminated pushbutton with a 230VAC illuminator, in a color of your choice
And a single-hole 22mm control station enclosure (metal or plastic, rated to go where you're putting this at) with a couple of 1/2" KOs in it.

This all gets wired up as follows, or as per the diagram below (which omits grounds for clarity's sake), once you attach the box to a suitable wall surface (note that most control station enclosures don't support being flush-mounted inside a wall in a finished space, as they're designed for industrial use), mount the relay to one of the 1/2" KOs using a locknut, fit the switch through the hole in the front of the box, and feed the incoming and outgoing cables through the remaining knockout(s) using cable clamps:

One of the incoming hot wires connects to a normally open (NO) terminal on the pushbutton along with one of the common (COM) wires (yellow or purple) from the relay
The other incoming hot wire connects to a coil (brown/white) wire and the other COM wire from the relay
The NC wires (blue and grey) from the relay connect to the lamp terminals on the illuminated pushbutton
The NO wire (orange or brown) from the relay that corresponds to the COM wire you picked to connect to the incoming hot going to the pushbutton connects to a normally closed (NC) terminal on the pushbutton, along with one of the wires going onward to the pressure switch and well pump
The other wire going to the well pump/pressure switch connects to the other NO wire from the relay
The other coil wire from the relay connects to the remaining NO terminal on the pushbutton, which then jumps to the remaining NC terminal on the pushbutton with a short length of insulated wire
Last but not least, the incoming and outgoing grounds connect to each other (and to a ground pigtail, if the box you used is metal)

This all forms what is known as a stick circuit, using the relay to provide a memory of power failure in the following fashion:

We start with the power off.  The pushbutton and relay contacts are all in their Normally Closed positions, which means that the relay coil has one side connected to the power that's being switched by the relay's Normally Open contacts, and the incoming power is connected to the indicator, not to the rest of the circuit.
When we apply power to the circuit, the indicator lights, as it's connected to the incoming hot through the relay's Normally Closed contacts.  Nothing else happens, though, since the relay's coil is not powered.
Pushing the button switches the switched side of the relay coil from being connected to a Normally Open contact of the relay (connected through the button's Normally Closed contact) to being powered directly from the line through the button's Normally Open contact.
This pulls in the relay, energizing the pressure switch and pump motor through both sets of Normally Open contacts on the relay while de-energizing the Normally Closed contacts, which causes the indicator to go out.  (Why both sets? It's because both sides are "hot", and the appropriate motor rating for the power relay used requires all poles to be switched.)
Releasing the button at this point connects the relay coil to the now-powered Normally Open side of its own contacts through the button's Normally Closed contact, thus holding, or "sticking", the relay in its energized position.
With the button released and the relay energized, the pump can now run normally, as if our circuit wasn't there, while our circuit is ready to detect the next power failure.
Turning the power to all this back off de-energizes the relay, which causes its contacts to return to their Normally Closed state, bringing us back to the state we were in at the beginning of this description.


Wiring for a ceiling fan. Do I create a switch or can I hard wire directly from a wall outlet?

Can’t power bathroom receps from non-bathroom circuits
A recep in a bathroom is only allowed to draw power from 2 kinds of circuits, and this is a very narrow definition:

A.  Circuits which only power bathroom receptacles (in any number of bathrooms)
B.  Circuits which only power recep or hardwired loads in this bathroom

Any circuit that powers anything in a non-bathroom is instantly disqualified.
Your bathroom may already violate this rule, and as such, may be grandfathered.  The rule with grandfathering is you’re not allowed to make the situation worse.  So you can draw off an existing bathroom recep, even if it already violates the rule... but you cannot add a new violation by drawing off a bedroom recep.
As long as you have a controlling means for the fan that you consider reasonable (are you OK with your partner calling an electrician to unwire it if the remote breaks?) then you are all set.  I for one would feel better having some sort of disconnecting means.


Where can I find replacement handles for windows from 1956?

Try Restoration Hardware. Click on Residential Catalog, then Hardware, then Windows.


Upgrading garage fuse box to breaker box using existing 10/2 wire with ground

Given your fairly precisely stated 15/16" OD of the pipe, the only pipe anywhere near that size is EMT "Electrical Metal Tubing".  But you say it's plastic.  I can't find any plastic pipe near that dimension. Everything is <7/8" or well over 1", nearly 1-1/16".  I'll proceed assuming EMT, since my wire reco has a lot of slack.

It also sounds like you consider the 30A an undesired restriction, and would prefer to exceed it.  That's just as well, because the cables now in the pipe are totally unworkable, and must be removed.  I won't get into a codevio list, because that would be tiring, insult your father's work, and just cheese you off. Suffice it to say, there is no way I can possibly see to make use of the NM cables in the pipe.

You can run up to #6 copper, for 70 amps.

That 3/4" pipe will support up to 6 AWG wire - that is to say, three #6 THWN-2 individual wires, and one #8 bare ground wire. (even though EMT is a valid grounding path, I would not trust it outdoors).  That will put you at 29% fill, which is perfectly reasonable for 4 wires in a pipe.

(this works for all pipes except 3/4" schedule 80 PVC; for that, a #8 ground wire won't fit due to conduit fill limitations; the #10 ground limits you to 60A. But then, if it was schedule 80, I supremely doubt you got two #10 cables in there!)

That means you'll be able to support the load you have planned, plus a pretty good sized EVSE, wood shop, whatever will come up for you.

Given the short run of the wire, I don't see any reason to bother with aluminum wire (#6 Al would limit you to 50A) or with shrinking the wire to save a few bucks.  Having 70A service at the garage would be sweet.

The 10/2 NM cables have to go

Unfortunately they will be annoyingly difficult to pull. This is what you are up against.

2 x 10-2 inside EMT:
2 x 10-2 inside Sched 80 PVC:

It's actually worse than it looks in the drawing. It'll be bind-up city. This is why oval cables are treated as a round wire of the large dimension.

But steady on; get that wire outta there, and the three #6 will go in happy as a lark.  Or smaller wire will obviously be easier still.

As to your questions:

Feed breaker size

What breaker for the existing 10-2 cable?  None.  That cable can't be supported for a variety of reasons.

What breaker for new 3x#10 THHN wires?  30A.  Only. Because of NEC 240.4(D).

What breaker for larger THHN wires?  Since you are 100% in conduit, and using THWN-2 wires, look at the 75 degree C column in Table 310.15(B)(16) and round up to the next larger breaker.  So 8Cu/6Al = 50A.  6Cu = 65->70A.   Larger wires won't fit.

Subpanel size: No place to scrimp!

What size subpanel is appropriate for a 10 AWG feed?  Subpanels are about breaker spaces, first and foremost. That is the defining characteristic of a panel.  A lot of people decide they want to scrimp on the panel spaces, so they get a smaller panel.  This saves them the price ... of a latté.  Then later, they have a $1000 problem because the panel is full.  So gospel around here is Think Big. Think at least 16-18 space, and a lot more if you reasonably expect to fill that.  Spaces are cheap, in fact, they make other things cheaper.  Look for combo packs which include a main breaker and some "bonus breakers" to save yourself some money.

The second characteristic is bus amperage / main breaker trip. "Going Big" probably mooted that, as we're way beyond the 30A-bussed or 60A-bussed micro-panels.  So if your panel has a 100A main breaker, or a 125A bus, that'll work out just fine.   The main breaker is only there to be a disconnect switch (since this is an outbuilding), it's not there to be a breaker, so we don't care what size it is.

Hurry up and pull that permit before NEC 2020 kicks; that'll require an exterior disconnect switch also. If you're in Massachusetts, too late.

"But I want the nearby breaker to be the same size so it'll trip locally instead of at the house!" That trick never works,  and you shouldn't even be trying.  First, both breakers see exactly the same amount of current, so it would be a 50/50 chance even if they were identical. Second, they're not identical - main breakers tend to have a more forgiving trip curve.  Third, if that happens often enough to care, the feeder is too small and must be enlarged. (see why I'm recommending #6? :) Feeder must be at 25% above expected practical load.


How to wire a ceiling light with 2 wires to ceiling with 3 wires?

The green is the ground wire.  If the work box is metal then the box itself should have a grounding screw and you should connect the green to that.  Otherwise you don't need to do anything with the green wire.


Screw eyes that are screwed in counterclockwise?

Screw eye turnbuckles have one screw eye reverse threaded. That's what makes it get longer/shorter when you turn the turnbuckle.


What is the name of this cast metal part inside my lockset?

From surfing a bit, it seems Baldwin has a variety of handlesets that work with a limited number of their locksets.  If you can't buy just the plate, you might only need to buy the lockset.

It seems to be called a 'Landing Plate'

  http://www.electronicsweekly.com/made-by-monkeys/materialsmaterials-processing/view-image-youll-2009-01/

  We’ve had two Baldwin handle sets fail on our new front door in the
  past six months, and I finally figured out why the manfacturer
  included a second landing plate with the set.

  Basically they must have known it would fail prematurely.

  The thumb latch is a lever that sits on a set of little pins set on a
  brass die casting, shown above, which allows it to toggle up and down.
  Unfortunately, brass die castings are about making things fast, and
  such parts typically have crappy structural performance and are prone
  to stress cracking.

  What probably happened is that a tiny crack formed on one side of the
  casting and propagated every time we squeezed up and down on the
  handle.  One side failed (red arrow) and our door handle starting
  twisting at an odd angle. Thankfully we replaced it with the second
  landing plate before we were locked out of the house.

  After going through two sets, we bought a new set and discovered that
  designers finally figured out they needed to reinforce the casting for
  the load by reinforcing the area where the pin sets (right image).


How much stainblock paint to use in bedroom and where?

There is no problem with multiple coats of stain blocking paint sealers.
When I use these I coat the entire wall, just sealing a small area can create the look of a stain in that area when the covering color paint is used.
I use zinsser and kilzs fairly often and I am sure any other shellac type paint or stain blocker would or should be applied or need the same (coating the entire wall where used).


The Code requires a Live Load (people, furniture, etc.) of 30 lbs. per square foot plus all Dead Loads (joists, subfloor, underlayment, carpet, etc.) Dead load is usually about 10 lbs. per square foot.

So, the Total Load is a minimum of 40 lbs. per square foot.

If your new wood beam has joists that are 10’ long resting on it, you’d have a load of: 10’/2 x 40 psf = 200 lbs. per linear foot. (Half the load will rest on the beam and half will transfer to a wall or other support.)

However, if the new beam has 10’ long joists resting on it from both directions, then you’d have a load of: 10’ x 40 psf = 400 plf.

Therefore, if joists are just spanning one way onto the beam, I’d use a 4x6 spanning 10’ (allowable load is 211 plf), depending on the species and grade. However, if joists are resting on the beam from both directions, I’d use a 4x8 spanning 10’ (allowable load is 400 plf) depending on the species and grade. (I’ve used “select structural” grade for both.)

For both beams, I’d use a 4x4 post and connect it to the beam with a steel connector, like this from Simpson:

https://www.fastenersplus.com/Simpson-EPC4Z-4X-End-Post-Cap-ZMAX-Finish?gclid=CjwKCAjwqqrmBRAAEiwAdpDXtPEhWgfFN3t5VkNWQXQCCTj66l7QkMfB9j2WiAIj2a1ltQrorGAXJxoCTDMQAvD_BwE

Also, I’d make sure the post sits on a footing and is connected to it with a Simpson connector like this one:

https://www.fastenersplus.com/Simpson-ABU44Z-4x4-Adjustable-Post-Base-Zmax-Finish?gclid=CjwKCAjwqqrmBRAAEiwAdpDXtMKhk_lo2NOToXapoUP4b7MPRZad5-csx-D_fpCLj7xPKBsQpgU5zhoCrwgQAvD_BwE

I don’t understand the 12’ span info added at the end.


Hoping to salvage a poorly sloped shower pan

Yeah, a stone grinding wheel (a wheel for grinding stone) in you grinder will be able to sort out any uneven spots.

Be sure to wear a dust mask, silica dust is nasty stuff.

There's probably no need to screed unless there are still low spots, small low spots can be accomodated handled by using extra tile adhesive when laying the tiles.


Water Softener Drain Line with Loop - Flexible PVC to Sharkbite?

If you use flexible hose, and take the sharkbite fitting off the drain, the flexible hose will/should clamp right onto the 1/2 inch copper pipe. Or, you (or a plumber if you don't solder as I might expect for sharkbites) can solder a brass/bronze barbed fitting there, or I suppose you can build some sharkbite contraption that ends in a barbed fitting.

Hint, use enough hose onto the pipe to allow placing TWO hose clamps on the pipe, and put the screw-clamp part on opposite sides.

Alternatively, you could investigate what sort of threads you get if you unscrew the plastic barbed fitting, and look for a PEX fitting that matches that thread.


How many 12-2 cables can I put in a short run of conduit?

Liquidtight
If by "LT" you mean Liquidtight flexible conduit (metallic or nonmetallic), and you're looking for protection from physical damage. That's not an option, since it's not permitted to be used where subject to physical damage.
PVC
You'll have to use schedule 80 PVC, to provide protection from physical damage.
Calculate Fill
To calculate conduit fill for cables, you treat each cable as a single conductor and calculate the fill based on the major diameter of the cable (looked up from manufacturer documentation). For Southwire® Romex® SIMpull® 12/2 with ground cable, the major diameter is listed at 410 mils.
A = πr²
A = π * ((410/2)/1000)²
A = π * (0.205)²
A = π * 0.042025
A = 0.13202543126711106084639258818232 in.²
Since you're using the conduit as a sleeve, and not a complete conduit system, you should be able to fill the conduit to 100%. However, filling to 100% will make it impossible to pull the cables, so you'll want to stay well below that.
3/4" Schedule 80 PVC has a total area of 0.409 in.², of which two 12/2 with ground NM-B cables will fill 65% of.  Depending on how long the sleeve is, this might make it quite difficult to pull the cables through.
Fill = Conductor Area / Total Area
Fill = (0.132025 * 2) / 0.409
Fill = 0.26405 / 0.409
Fill = 0.6456 = 65%
To put this in perspective. If this was two wires in a complete conduit system, you'd only be able to fill to 31% of the total area of the conduit (0.127 in.²).
Wet and Damp Locations
If this area can be considered damp or wet, you'll have to use cable rated for wet/damp locations.  In this case, you'll want to use UF-B cable (463 mil major diameter). Two of these cables will fill 82% of the conduit, making it nearly impossible to pull by hand (depending on the length).
Fill = (((π * ((463 / 1000) / 2)²) * 2) / 0.409) * 100
Fill = 82.33%


As Ed's comment said, you can still do all of the sheathing on the ground, you'll just end up having to nail one stud once the wall is up.

Rip one sheet of plywood at 16 inches, and start from your layout end with that. That will provide you 16 inches overlapped onto the second wall section, and the 32 inch cutoff piece should finish the second wall out. Try and keep it all as flush as possible with the wall ends so you have a small gap between the overhanging piece and the second section's first piece, it probably won't line up exactly and a small gap means you won't have to trim it once the walls are up.

On the other hand, you don't really need to lap the sheathing. When you layout your studs, put a stud at each end of both 12' sections. Once you raise the walls, nail the two studs in the center (at the end of the wall sections) to each other. Run the top top-plate at least 2 feet onto either wall.


How can I repair these rusty electrical connections?

I would strongly encourage you to replace this unit (the Siemens component, not the entire AC) and replace the ends to those electrical wires. Simply put if the rust situation is that terrible I wouldn't be at all surprised if the integrity of the unit is already compromised, i.e. ready to fail you at any time. Your yellow wire is almost certainly why it's not working now, but it's a pain to fix it, and then have to fix it again only a few days/weeks later.

This is not a normal amount of rust; a great deal of humidity is getting to it, more than usual. I'm a Florida resident who had a 12 year old AC unit at one point that had been through a number of hurricanes and tropical storms, and it was only slightly oxidized, no rust. (Though I had to regularly open it for service because for whatever reason ants loved to commit suicide by throwing their bodies in between the electrical contacts)

To fix the rust you'll need to find where it's getting exposed to so much humidity from. Likely a seal or gasket is bad. You can either replace the broken seal/gasket or there are after-market products used as essentially spray on sealants. I recommend fixing it properly and replacing whatever seal or gasket is broken, but in a pinch squirting some sealant into the location that's leaking (with the AC OFF and given enough time to dry) will resolve minor leaks (depending on the severity).


This sounds like a bad connection upstream of the panel. No load, you get voltage - apply a load, voltage goes away.

Try turning off all the breakers on the affected bus, with it connected. Does voltage return?

Try (since you seem comfortable handling the feed wires - right, you do say sub-panel) marking the feeds and see if the problem follows the wire, or stays with the bus. If it follows the wire, the problem is not with the panel.


Here is the thing, if you don't know what you're doing with respect to an HVAC system, then please call a licensed professional.  There is the potential for injury to yourself and others if you do the wrong thing.  It's also illegal to handle many refrigerants without a license in many locations.


You need a proper transfer switch in order to legally and safely use that generator
Your first order of business here is to throw away the suicide cord (after chopping it into pieces that is) and get a proper inlet box, generator cord, and most importantly, a proper transfer switch for your application, so that you don't get blamed for a fried linesman, or written up for a blatant Code violation for that matter.
In your situation, especially considering that you are going to be going generator shopping, you will also have to deal with the other point many people who put generator setups in get snagged on; namely, neutral/ground bonding.  You see, most portable generators come from the factory with neutral and ground bonded together, so they can be safely and legally used for portable power applications, such as those found on jobsites.  However, the service disconnect sitting on the outside of your house also has a neutral-ground bond inside it, and putting the two bonds in parallel causes current to flow places it's not supposed to go.
As a result, most residential (portable generator) transfer applications require a transfer switch/panel with a switched neutral, so that the generator's bond and the house's bond are kept separate.  Fortunately, there are a few transfer panels out there that can provide a switched neutral alongside the other conveniences one comes to expect from a transfer switch.  Most notable among them would be the Reliance Controls XRK models from their Panel/Link X series, as they can legally take most (GE THQL being the only exception) 1" breakers, and can be ordered through a variety of dealers (including online sellers) for a reasonable price.  If your existing 200A subpanel uses 3/4" breakers (CH or QO), then you may wish to look at other options, though.  Eaton makes a switching-neutral CH transfer panel (the CH10GEN50xxSN parts) that matches existing CH panels, and while Square-D doesn't make a single product that's directly suitable, they do make the requisite parts needed to field-fabricate such a transfer panel from a suitable QO loadcenter.
Once you get that transfer switch in...
Once you get a suitable transfer switch in, we can then move onto grounding and bonding considerations as part of the installation of both your subpanel and the transfer switch, which in all likelihood will be treated as a subpanel of your indoor subpanel (which is fine).  In both cases, you'll be running 4 wires (hot, hot, neutral, ground) from the power source (disconnect to subpanel, subpanel to transfer switch) to the destination, and leaving the bonding means (bonding screw or bonding strap) out when you reach said destination.  Furthermore, you'll also need to run a 4-wire feed from the inlet box over to the transfer switch, just like you were running a feeder to a subpanel as described above.


What kind of freestanding lamps can I use for > 6000 lumen up-light?

You'd need sunglasses, if not welding goggles, to be in a room with 500W of LED lighting.

I like the Torchiere ("floor lamp") solution the best. There are dozens of available styles, colors, and prices.  The ones in my living room have translucent plastic shades and reading lamps (also with translucent shades), handle two 150w bulbs each (plus a 60W bulb for the reading lamp). It's plenty bright with three of these fixtures with 10w (!) dimmable LED lamps installed, and you'd have to be about 6' 5" to see over the top of the shades.

Similar lamp at Amazon

I find that Translucent shades give better coverage and eliminate more shadows than opaque shades (where all the light is coming from the ceiling).


Residential Natural Gas Meter - Remove Fitting?

I have not adjusted the lines at the meter connection for many years because my gas utility got real upset (for reasons I won’t mention here). They started using J shaped fittings for higher system security.
If the utility is OK with you doing it I would since it’s on the customer side easy enough to leak check and it’s outside.
I will warn you with CSST you may not want a large flow device like a home tankless supplied (large flows tend to create a whistle sound) . Reducing the restrictions and elbows will help deliver the flow rate you may need but you may also need a larger meter if the oven, water heater furnace all kick in at the same time the whistle can be fairly loud go large to keep it from being a problem.


How to join melamine sheets for a concrete mould?

Any seam with a void in the mold will result in a raise bead on the concrete top which could be polished down after curing.

I doubt 5 people are going to be sufficient to lift and move a counter of that size. 5 may be able to lift it but moving it through doors and setting it place will be much easier with more people. I think your weight est is a bit low.

I have the book "Concrete Countertops" by Fu-Tung Cheng and they specify clearly how to make molds for tops that are in two parts to be joined at the installation process but they do not talk at all about a mold longer than 8'. I recommend you get it. You may want to consider doing a pour in place counter top instead or come up with a design that incorporates the seam into it.

  Idea: If you fill the seam with something, a resin or epoxy? and sand flat you can minimize the void but you need to research how the filler will work with or react with concrete. You would absolutely need it to be flat or you will create a void in the top and it would be more work to fill the void than to polish a raised bead. ANYTHING IN THE MOLD WILL BE TRANSFER TO THE TOP.


How can I secure these inadequate/leaning deck supports?

There are lots of different types of post to beam connectors.

Like this:

However, the real weird thing is that you don't really have beams. They are just supporting the joists with a bunch of random posts on concrete deck blocks...

If it were me I'd lose all of those and put in a couple (or more) beams under those joists and put some posts under those.

Not in that order, though. Leave the posts in, put in some proper beams and posts, and then lose the crappy ones you have there.

Below is an example of a similar height deck I did. There are two beams under the joists of this deck, and four piers (two for each beam). The beams are the ones with the white flashing tape on top. You can clearly see one in this image, and how I attached it to the joists.


The height is generally from the front of the tread straight up to the top of the handrail.

To get the brackets at the right height, you'll need to do some measuring and marking.

Measure the bracket top to bottom (if its height isn't already stated in the literature).  You can allow for the thickness of the handrail by resting it on the stairs and measuring how high its top is above the front of the tread.  Subtract those two numbers from the height you want the railing to be at to get the height for the bottom of the bracket if it were installed directly above the front of the tread.

Mark that height at the top and bottom steps and draw a line through them (if you can get a helper or two, you should have a nice straight piece of wood of just about the right length to hand; otherwise a straight-edge, the longer the better so that the line is in as few segments as possible).  Your stair may not be perfectly even and regular, so you may want to measure the height above each tread and adjust the line accordingly if some of the measurements are out of the allowed range.

Finally, take your stud finder, locate the studs and install as many brackets as you need.  The bottom of the bracket should be touching the line you've just drawn.


How far from the wall should I put the toilet flange?

If you're installing a whole new flange, use the standard rough-in distance of 12" and get a toilet with a 12" rough-in. If the flange is already there and it's less than 12" away from the wall and you don't want to move it, use whatever toilet will fit or install an offset flange.


Trying to set up a new light fixture and confused by wire situation!

I would verify that the blue is your switched hot. It is unusual to have the white and ground spliced with a single hot lead but since the place is probably wired in conduit they may not have brought the other hot into the box (as part of a multi wire branch circuit). I believe the fixture black should go to the blue then the white & ground to the white and ground on the fixture.


Slight shock touching metal with wet hands

At this point it is a guessing game. So I am going to guess you don't have a very good earth ground and this has nothing to do with high electric bills. But you will need an experienced electrician to confirm this because it is very dangerous for an inexperience person to go poking things like this. In a case like this experience is worth the money.


How do I replace an old Roomba's battery?

Ebay - that's where I got my replacement. It's NOT an iRobot manufactured battery pack (nor does it claim to be), but it works fine. I think it came from someone in Hong Kong, and the shipping wasn't bad at all - I don't know how shipping in your area would be.

I looked at opening the pack up and replacing the cells, but I couldn't figure out how to get the thing open without damaging it.


What material to tie two cinder block walls together?

The normal way would be reinforcing bar around insides of the blocks, then add concrete. This is called a "bond beam". Blocks with open ends are used.  If you use enough reinforcing it can be very strong.
For your way stainless threaded rod, you probably need to go to a fastener specialist for that. (or stainless rod and you thread the ends, but threading stainless is hard)
or stainless, or aluminium flat bar and you drill the ends and put bolts through crosswise. aluminium will probably last 5-10 years, stainless much longer.


From the wiring, it looks like the power comes from some location upstream (toward the electrical panel) and then also carries power downstream (to other receptacles - outside ones)?   That is fairly normal for most receptacles, this is "chain style" wiring.

Now, GFCIs have both LINE and LOAD terminals which do different things.  There is a piece of tape across the LOAD terminals saying (in as many words) "DO NOT USE. For wizards only."  Your electrican heeded that advice. All wires are on the LINE side.

Now an electrician should be a wizard, but not all are, and also there are sometimes good reasons for not protecting downline loads.  For instance there may be faulty wiring or appliance downstream that was causing the GFCI to trip, so he chose not to protect the downstream part.

He also used a quality GFCI that used "screw-and-clamp" type terminals, which allow 2 wires to go on one screw.  If you buy regular receptacles, buy this kind - they are quite convenient and cost about $3 each (instead of 60 cents - no big).

Let's go back to the "chain" concept where receptacles are usually fed in a chain starting at the service panel.  (A "tree" layout is also perfectly fine, where power splits off in 2+ directions.)   Somewhere there'll be a receptacle before this one - i.e. one step closer to the panel.  Or not.  And another, or not. Etc.  All the way back to the panel.

It's very likely your problem is actually in one of those. It's likely you'll find a loose wire.  If you read that link about backstabs vs. screw-and-clamp, you'll know how to spot a backstab.  Those are troublesome, so I replace them on sight. Twist the wire out gently but persistently, no need to cut and lose length.

I don't like leaving nice things out in the rain. With GFCIs outdoors, I prefer to find (or create) a receptacle location indoors, fit the GFCI there, and use "wizard" skills and the LOAD screws to protect all the outdoor receptacles.


Non-sanding solution to get old pen markings out of wood?

unlikely, since ball-point pen will also have dented the surface so the pen mark is lower that the rest of the wood stain.  Paint-thinner will dissolve some pen-inks, but of course it'll also remove the finish on the wood.

how about a covering?  Pick some interesting fabric, a think layer of batting, and upholster it??


What type of wood is recommended for an outdoor jungle gym?

The go-to materials for outdoor construction are cedar and pressure treated wood.

Many prefer cedar, and most kits you see from big box stores and other sources use it. It is generally more expensive, but it is lighter and softer (for drilling and hammering). It will last for a number of years untreated, and even longer if it is pre-treated with penetrating sealer and occasionally retreated.  Be sure to coat the end cuts for maximum benefit.

Pressure treated woods are also very durable and will also last years with little or no maintenance. In the past, the treatments used harsh chemicals (called CCA for short) that were not ideal for skin contact and when cutting the wood, dust precautions were required. More recent forms use less caustic chemicals and may be allowed in your jurisdiction. (Personally I would avoid pressure treated where food or kids are involved).

While all outdoor projects require hardware that is weather resistant, pressure treated woods need specially coated fasteners to avoid a chemical reaction that causes corrosion.

After pricing good quality materials, you may find that kits from manufacturers may be a fairly good value. I recently built a swingset with a fort, slide and climbing wall from a major manufacturer.  It arrived on a 4x8 foot pallet with all cedar, hardware and plastic parts. The instructions were surprisingly good, all parts present and in proper order. Cedar, stainless, and plastic. Even predrilled correctly (one hole at wrong end - no biggy).

A search online will show you these options in both big box stores and directly from manufacturers or their distributors. There are surely units that cost many thousands of dollars, but a significant set can be bought for several hundred.  Many sources offer onsite assembly for a few hundred dollars.  But where would the fun be in that? The look on my grandkids faces made the cost and time in building all worthwhile.


Is this outside service panel a wet location? What cable type to use?

NEMA 3R (outdoor) does not normally have gaskets, it just has a drip pattern that channels water away from live components, and wire is required that is wet location rated. The labeling on the reverse of the cover of the cabinet should indicate the NEMA rating.
The term "Cable" normally describes a multiconductor assembly, which isn't really appropriate for a new wet location in-use receptacle. There are limitations included in the installation documents that tell you where penetrations are allowed in the cabinet that keep the 3R rating. Probably easiest to use a short piece of 1/2" PVC to a weathertight junction box and use THWN conductors. The W is wet location. All THHN conductors I have ever seen are dual rated THHN/THWN, but keep your eyes open, there might be an exception.


Usually the old toilets preformed the best due to not having to comply with water saving laws (at least here in the States). One way manufacturers conformed to the new codes was to (among other things)  narrow the throat of the toilet to increase the water flow to compensate for the decrease in gallons per flush allowed. But it sounds like the paper is getting hung up and caught somewhere near the toilet. Could be an obstruction(kids toy, toothbrush, pencil, etc.) just wedged in the bend at the toilet base or in the sewer drain under the floor. If it can't be plunged, snaked or augured you'll need to remove the toilet to visually check for obstructions. If there is a sink in the same room does the water drain normally? if so the blockage is directly after the toilet (in the sewer line) or inside the toilet.


Extending a hard-to-access exhaust fan duct

I don't know of a junction that would snap to an existing pipe.

However, with it being only a foot away, I think you could attach some flex and persistently stick small bits of foil tape around the joint. (Go the long way... not the circumference.) You may have to cut a few short nips in the flex to help you get it over the hard pipe.

Alternately, you could cut the ceiling, hard pipe it perfectly, then patch. (But nobody likes that... even drywallers.)


How well would a hydronic furnace work with a gas tankless water heater?

You can use a tankless boiler with your air handler. The fact that the heat is being distributed using forced air doesn't really affect how you generate the heat, and you should be able to retain most of the benefits of a tankless (i.e. you are not constantly holding a bunch of water at a high temperature) in this configuration.

If you add a tankless heater for domestic hot water, there will not be much use for your electric tank. There is only one use I can imagine: positioning the electric heater after the tankless (in terms of water flow) so that when you turn on the hot water tap you initially draw from the electric tank. This is done sometimes in order to supply hot water faster, as tankless water heaters can require some time to warm up. This sort of application generally calls for a very small water heater, so if your current water heater is designed to serve your entire home,using it with a tankless would probably be very inefficient.

One option you might consider is a combined heat/hot water tankless. I have a Navien CH-240, which provides both heat (via radiators) and hot water. It's small, quiet, and way less expensive to operate than the old oil boiler it replaced. The equipment cost of a combined heat/HW tankless will probably be less than two individual tankless units.


Score with a utility knife, clamp between scraps of wood, and snap.

If you don't have enough extra length to snap with, the best tool I've found is a grinder with a diamond blade. (Use outdoors with appropriate PPE.)

If you have to use a jigsaw blade, then yes, the grit ones will certainly outlast a wood blade, but not by much. (And maybe not enough to justify the added cost.)


Can I remove the fresh air supply that is attached next to my furnace?

All fuel burning devices need an air supply.  In the case of direct vent appliances, there is an air intake to be plumbed to the outdoors as well as an exhaust pipe.  This assures that the appliance is not drawing air into the house through windows, doors, etc. defeating weatherization and sealing.  The combustion chamber in DV appliances is closed and isolated from the room.  Even a direct vent fireplace is completely enclosed to allow no air to enter from—or exit to—the room.

Direct venting is still largely the exception rather than the rule, though DV is gaining favor with many people who prefer higher energy and cost efficiency, so much new construction is now using DV.

A 1950s gas water heater has an air intake, but it simply draws air from its surroundings.

That water heater does not appear to be direct vent, so a general air supply for it is needed and the "floating beanstalk" air tube is a reasonable way to achieve ventilation—removing it would be "bad".

It occurs to me to try to decrease the chilling effect the intake causes for the room by moving it closer to the water heater, and maybe even "boxing it off" somewhat.  However, if the outdoor air is very cold, like below -30°C/-22°F, and there is a lot of airflow, such an arrangement could damage the plumbing and tank by freezing water in the pipes, etc.


How to fix smashed wires in washing machine?

The wire nuts will be fine. I do not like push in wago connectors but love lever locks. In high vibration equipment sometimes I will lock the wire nuts with some electrical tape but if properly installed with 2 twists of the wire I have not had them come loose , I just like the idea that the tape water proofs the connection.


White and Rodgers programable thermostat

The specifics vary between brands & models, but it is typical for a programmable thermostat to have 4 setpoints per day (time & temperature) with the setpoints either for weekend (Saturday & Sunday the same) and weekday (Monday through Friday) or each individual day of the week. Some thermostats give both options.
Since this happens specifically Monday 12:00am, it sounds like when the thermostat was programmed that the first Monday setpoint was missed. Note that many computerized systems (programmable thermostats being a simple example) actually start with Monday - see ISO week day for more details. This means that "first setpoint on Monday" may actually be "very first setpoint in the thermostat".
In any case, the solution is to step through the programming routine for every setting of every day. In a worst case scenario (bug in the thermostat firmware that makes it always reset at 12:00 Monday with no option to change the temperature - extremely unlikely), set the desired temperature for 12:15am Monday (most thermostats I have seen use a 15-minute increment) and you will essentially solve the problem.


How do you change a lower heating element in an electric water heater?

Changing an element us not difficult. Turn the power off.
Turn the water to the water heater off.
Drain the tank. Some models require a special wrench some a crescent wrench will work.
Unscrew the conductors that attach to the element. Unscrew the element.
If it comes with an O ring a very light coating of vegetable oil on the O ring will help it seal. If it uses plumbers dope or PFTE tape coat the threads and install.
Turn water on and fill tank (open  a hot water tap until the air is purged) turn off tap.
Check for leaks. No leaks reattach power leads to element. Turn power on and verify it is still not leaking once warm.


Where to split existing water pipes for new pipe run?

If all the plumbing in the image is 3/4", then I'd simply tee off as near the new faucet as practical. In the drawing, somewhere between the laundry and the kitchen.

If you're worried about losing pressure to the other fixtures when the faucet is on, then you'll want to tee off using a 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" tee.

That way you'll have 3/4" all the way to the kitchen, but the supplies to the new faucet will only be 1/2".  This configuration will help maintain pressure to the kitchen, when water is being drawn from the new faucet.

You'll want to install "anti-siphon frost-proof sillcocks".

These have a vacuum breaker built in, so water won't be pushed back into the plumbing. Without this feature, you could potentially contaminate the water supply. This is required by code in some areas.

The frost-proof feature should prevent the plumbing from freezing during the winter. The sillcock has a long stem, so the water is actually shut off way back where it connects to the plumbing, instead of right at the spigot. This means that when the valve is closed, there should be no water in the entire assembly.  Basically, the water is shut off back inside the warm house, instead of outside where it's cold. NOTE: If you have a hose attached to the spigot, make sure the hose drains after each use during the winter.


How do I solve my problems with a paper faced outside corner bead coming loose?

Rip it down and start again... No shortcuts this time...

Comment converted to answer


Are there high flow floor heat registers available?

There are various sellers of louvered and non-louvered floor vents.  These can be pricey though.

Of course if you're going to be replacing the existing cover anyway, you may as well try the other poster's solution of just removing the plastic from the one you've already got.

You titled your question 'high flow'; the above I'd consider more 'normal flow'.  For people looking for increased airflow from a vent, there are also powered vent fans available.  These aren't decorative and are more expensive.

For a custom/fancy outlet cover with high flow via fan boosting, I don't know of any products on the market, but the fans are essentially like computer fans you can buy for $5-10 plus a power supply and an airflow sensor/switch.  Could make a great DIY project.


Can I mount a TV on a single metal stud?

It depends on the mount itself and the size of anchors. Two 1/4 inch lag bolts into a stud can hold hundreds of pounds but if the mount has a long arm the amount of weight is reduced because of the length away from the wall.

The framework may not be able to handle the weight with only one side supported securely. A thick piece of plywood anchored to the stud with lag bolts and fender washers (washers reduce the chance of an over-tightened lag bolt pulling through the plywood) cut to the size of the bracket could carry the load, then attach the monitor frame to the plywood. Using this method, I would use 3/4" plywood and it would be able to handle the load.


Filling joint between backer board and wall in shower

You don't want to use joint compound that close to the shower. That gap at the top probably goes all the way to the bottom behind the door track and should be fixed too. Remove the door track and scrap all the caulk off everything: walls, tile, door track. Get some epoxy grout from your home store and spread it from the bottom of the shower all the way to the top, filling in that space between the wall and the tile. Follow directions for the grout. Once the grout hardens reinstall the shower door track and get a good paintable caulk and run beads on both sides of the door track and at the bottom. good luck


Use some Flitz.  I used to have a tube of the paste that worked really well on stainless knives. I need to pick up some more from the hardware store.


How can I repair a broken bathroom sink drain?

Parts

Those valves look like those commonly used in the USA. In the UK I'd go to a DIY store and buy a "basin waste" but there is probably a different name in the USA. Basin wastes all seem to be a standard size over here, but yours looks small, I'd remove it and take it to the store with me.

Tools

Tools needed include a large spanner or strap wrench (though you can succeed without these) and some plumbers putty. However the last waste I bought came with a foam washer that was used instead of putty and worked well. This was good because working with putty can be messy and frustrating if you are not used to doing plumbing.

The main body of some basin-wastes have two parts that screw together, sometimes these are difficult to separate (because of liberal use of plumber's putty). Although there are proper tools for this, you can improvise by using a large screwdriver (or similar rod) through the top opening into the ports (i.e. holes) in the side of the inside of the waste and use this to unscrew the top section. Yours seems to be broken and so should come out without any effort.

Procedure

Unscrew the retaining ring under the basin and remove the upper parts.

clean up the basin thoroughly both top, bottom and the internal bits you can reach (gunge tends to accumulate there)

Make a ring of putty, place it around the hole, fit the new waste and tighten, clean away surplus putty and reattach plastic waste pipe.


I wouldn't use a hacksaw blade, it will likely scratch the finish. Try to pass a length of dental floss under the end. Wrap the floss ends around screwdriver handles. Use a sawing motion to cut through the caulk or tape under the frame. Use a plastic scraper or something like alcohol or GOOF-OFF to clean the residue.


Per PhilippNagel's comment yes, but when feeding to another building some of the rules change. Note the attached:

Since you say you have an EGC (ground wire) run from your main building to your sub panel you would be following the rule to Building 2. You need to install a separate ground bus and bond it..

Hope this helps.


Will 12" tiles crack if laid on a bowed concrete floor?

Nah. You are good to go.  Tiles will crack if they bear weight over an unsupported spot. The bow in itself is irrelevant.


For a bathroom pex plumbing should I go with trunk-branch or with a home run manifold plumbing layout?

I home run cold tap water lines 1/2" as close to supply as possible so I can get cold water ground temperature for drinking with the shortest wait possible - assumes your tap water is good quality.  Not sure if you'll be drinking the cold water from the bathroom.
I home run hot water lines as close to the hot water tank as possible so again I wait the minimum amount of time to get the water at the tank temperature.
If I was only re-doing this bathroom I might do the last mile here as if it was homerun plumbing up to your take off point and if/when you redo the rest you could update it.


Is there a trick to applying caulk using a caulk-gun?

I've found that if you push the tip of the caulk gun forward along the line rather than drag it behind you can often make a very neat bead of caulk that needs little or no smoothing afterwards.


Lightbulb where the thread is 11.5 mm across - would that be likely to be E11 or E12?

Presumably E12 since it rounds to 12 mm and E12 is a more common size. See this: https://www.12vmonster.com/blogs/product-questions/edison-screw-types


How can I reattach a chandelier light fixture to the chain?

You need to just install a new loop. But, fortunately, the fix is pretty cheap and simple. I don't think glue is going to do it.

You'll want to shop around for one that matches the color, size, and so forth, but here's a ring on Home Depot's website as an example, and another one from Menard's website. You might want to take the chandelier apart first and take the broken ring with you test the color/fit at a store if you can.

First off, cut the power to the light.

Then, at the top of the chain, there's likely to be a metal plate (usually with a similar ring) and/or thumbscrews that hold it to the ceiling box. Unscrew the ring or thumbscrew and lower the plate from the ceiling, exposing the wires. Untwist the wire nuts and take the light fixture down.

  Here's a better step-by-step than I can come up with: How to replace
  a light fixture.

Carefully un-thread the wires back down the chain to the broken loop and disassemble the chain/loop connection. Remove the broken loop from the top of the chandelier.

Install the new loop, feed the wires through the center hole, open up the last link of the chain and bend it back together around the loop (This is a great time to make adjustments to the length of the chain if you want to) then feed the wires back up the chain, through the metal plate, and re-attach the wires and re-install the top plate, etc.

Best of luck!


The main source of heat loss is not through the glass but through the gaps in the window frame and where the sashes rattle.

There are various ways you can reduce the air flow though the window.

The cheapest would be to install some cling film secondary glazing. This one looks like it just tapes up over the windows to keep the draughts out. Other systems use heat to shrink the film to size.

You could hang some heavy curtains. Make sure that they reach all the way to the floor and are plenty wide enough so you can have maximum gathering. If you line them as well there'll be two layers of fabric between the window and the room.

Next up is something like this from 365 Plastics. It's sheets of perspex cut to size and fastened to the windows with magnetic strips. We have this and it works quite well. The main drawback is storing the sheets in the summer.

A less visible solution, which you might want to use in association with one of the above is to renovate the windows with something like one of these draught proofing kits (others are available!). With these you replace the staff and parting beads with the supplied parts that include brush pile that forms the actual draught-proofing.


Copper tubing on refrigerator is leaking

If it was a new install new ones should've been used. Make sure the fittings are tight. I really wouldn't use the old fittings which are most likely compression fittings


Making sure only one of electric shower or instantaneous hot water heater can operate at once

Why do you need two?

In Europe, some showers have their own, on-board, built-in on-demand water heater just for the shower. This is called an "electric shower".

Which begs the question of why you need two on-demand water heaters, since you are already installing one for the whole house.  Simply using the one would solve the power problem.

Or, if your issue is that the shower and kitchen are distant from each other, and you don't want the long delay, then OK, we have to hunker down and have two heaters, and must solve the electrical problem.  But then, again, why a heater dedicated to the shower?  Why not a whole-bathroom heater so you can serve the sink also?

A relay would need to be current-activated

There's an easy electronics approach with a gadget called a reed relay, which placed next to a high current wire will engage.  It needs 10 ampere-turns to operate, typically, and you'd have ~40A going through that wire, so merely orienting the reed relay correctly should get the job done. Essentially, drawing current on the shower heater would throw the relay and knock out the other heater (I presume you'd want it that way).

However, the challenge here is doing this with mains-rated equipment acceptable to your jurisdiction. It's not as simple as "raid the electronics parts bin" since the equipment must be mains rated.


Why are some electrical systems only two phases of a three phase system?

Phase balance is handled upstream from the meter socket

You will see this in two places:

Densely developed areas where the low voltage grid is fed from multiple transformers at once (something called "network service" in distribution parlance)
Larger multi-tenant buildings that exceed the capacity of a single split-phase service drop from the utility and are not configured to allow for per-tenant utility drops

Either way, what will happen is that the buildings or tenant spaces will be connected to 2 of the 3 phases to get a 3-wire service from the 4-wire wye system, but the phases they get will be rotated/transposed to balance the load:

Building/tenant 1 gets A and B phases
Building/tenant 2 gets B and C phases
Building/tenant 3 gets A and C phases
Building/tenant 4 also gets A and B phases
...and so on (there are other ways to arrange them, this is just a demonstration example).

This way, you get an evenly balanced load from several 3-wire services on a 4-wire system.  Furthermore, a similar pattern occurs if you go down a 3-phase panel on a 208Y/120 system plugging 2-pole breakers into one side of the panel:

Load 1 gets A and B phases
Load 2 gets A and C phases (really C and A, but it's irrelevant)
Load 3 gets B and C phases
Load 4 gets A and B phases again
...and the pattern continues from here

As to implementing this:

If these are individual buildings, then the utility will implement this at where the service drop/lateral from the utility splices into their low voltage main (quadplex)
If these are tenant spaces in a multi-tenant building, then there will be facilities in the meter bases to control which phase busses the meter sockets connect to (often times, a pair of movable links are used for this, but changing them will require electrician help and a utility power cut to the whole building as they're upstream of the tenant meters)


What problems can I have if I try to dry up the parging of a wet wall using a plumber's torch?

You mean other than burning your house down? Yes, rocks that have water in them like to explode sometimes when you heat them. Use a fan and come back next week (seriously, if the wall is saturated it could take months to dry out).

Also, it's going to leave scorch marks, which will be less than helpful.

More also's: one of the by-products of combustion is H2O.


How do I connect 2 hot and 2 neutral wires to single screw terminals?

You must determine the properties of the two hot (black) wires. On your receptacle the bond between the two hot screws is broken. Unless you did that in removing the screws that means that probably one of the black wires is from a switch and the other black is hot all the time. Is the bond on the white side also broken? If that is the case, then you want to cap off the black to the switch and its paired white and use the other black and white to power the USB outlet.

Do not directly connect either black wire to a white or to ground. 'Cap-off' means to put a wire nut over the end so it cannot contact another wire or a ground. I assume your new device is a duplex receptacle with USB in the center right?

If one of the black wires is hot and the other is known to feed other receptacles or switches on the same circuit, you may join the two black wires and connect via a pigtail to the new receptacle (and of course do the same with the two white wires). But the missing bond on the black side means you should verify that    one pair of wires (black and white) feeds. Make sure the second black is not hot.


Sand dribbling out under baseboard. What could cause this?

Solved:

The answer was: airflow.  The sill plate does not sit firmly on the foundation, leaving a gap.  Differential air pressure in the basement and the room results in a small wind, which brings dust and (yes) bits of sand from the concrete or mortar.

A little bit of spray foam (using the gun, not the instant-clogging single use cans) solved the problem.


Best way to clean balcony tiles in semi enclosed balcony that doesn't have drainage

Some porous stone can be damaged by harsh cleaning chemicals. I would probably start with a stiff scrub brush on a broomstick, with a bucket of warm water and a bit of TSP (trisodium phosphate). Just don't use so much that you create standing water.

Let that dry then rinse with a sponge mop and clean water.


What direction should laminate flooring be placed in?

Strip flooring can be installed in any direction in any room, however the convention is to run parallel with the longest wall in most situations. Rarely is this type of flooring run perpendicular to walls in a hallway. Not only does it tend to make a hallway look narrower than it actually is, but can cause a lot of waste of material when installing. Don't be afraid of changing directions from the room to the hallway if your using a good wood product that can be cut cleanly on a table or chop saw. You simply need to make a very straight and slightly back angled edge (maybe 2 degrees) so the adjoining 90 degree slats are tight with no open gaps. This is extremely difficult to do with cheap laminate, but not so much with a good wood product.

There are transition pieces available for both styles, but they usually involve a change of floor level like a threshold and are not a good idea to use on open flooring, as they can create a tripping hazard, however they are fine to use in doorways etc.  If you really want to have different directions between spaces, consider using a darker color "frame" around the room. This can make a very attractive transition to a large hallway or separate use area in an open design.

Let me add that I am NOT a fan of laminate flooring. Laminate flooring comes in a wide variety of quality levels, from extremely poor to fairly good, but share a common trait. They are always a "picture" of wood on some pressed paper or synthetic backing. They can be miserable to work with, easily damaged and almost impossible to repair after installation. Consider an engineered wood "click lock" instead. Pricing is very close and the engineered products usually are much more stable due to having a solid plywood backing, and somewhat refinish-able with a true hardwood veneer. They also handle the occasional water spill much better than most laminates that usually swell, bubble and blister at the site of water!

Another serious consideration is what type of flooring to use in a large high traffic area vs a smaller room. Laminates are almost always floating and will invariably sound hollow and creak as the temperature changes. For instances, walking across a cold laminate floor first thing in the morning can be like entering a haunted house at a fun park! Seriously investigate the advantages of a better quality engineered product.


Is it acceptable to use a 15 A switch to control a 15 A duplex outlet on a branch circuit with a 20 A breaker?

Nope -- swap to a single receptacle

You cannot do this, as you could plug two 12A loads into the switched duplex receptacle and overload it. Oops!

In the Code, this is written up in NEC 404.14(F) (informational note omitted as it's irrelevant to the topic at hand):

  (F) Cord- and Plug-Connected Loads. Where a snap
  switch is used to control cord- and plug-connected equipment on a general-purpose branch circuit, each snap switch
  controlling receptacle outlets or cord connectors that are
  supplied by permanently connected cord pendants shall be
  rated at not less than the rating of the maximum permitted
  ampere rating or setting of the overcurrent device protecting the receptacles or cord connectors, as provided in
  210.21(B).

  Exception: Where a snap switch is used to control not
  more than one receptacle on a branch circuit. the switch
  shall be permitted to be rated at not less than the rating of
  the receptacle.

Switching to a single receptacle (one receptacle on the yoke vs a duplex receptacle i.e. two receptacles on a single yoke) for the holiday-lights receptacle puts you under the Exception though, which makes this all hunky-dory provided the switch is rated to the full 15A (1800W) that can be pulled from the receptacle.


White or yellow PVA (Poly Vinyl Acetate) wood glue (elmers/titebond) and some new wood. Gluing in a few toothpicks is one method; drilling out the hole and gluing in a section of dowel is another.


Is there any way I can use regular dremel bits on a dremel trio?

Dremel don't support that
Here are the reasons they give:

Q: Can the Dremel Trio use Dremel rotary tool accessories?
A: No. Though Trio accessories look and work like standard rotary tool accessories, they are specially engineered to handle the demands placed upon them by this slower yet more powerful tool.
Q: What is the difference between rotary tool and Trio Accessories?
A: The Dremel Trio only accepts accessories with 3/16” shanks. Rotary tools, on the other hand, use accessories with shank diameters ranging from of 1/8” to 1/32”. This means you can’t use Trio accessories in your Dremel rotary tool – and you can’t use rotary tool accessories in your Trio (and there are no “conversion collets” available allowing you to do so).

The rotary tools have high speed (e.g. 30,000 RPM) but low-torque motors. Maybe the Trio is different and might break bits designed for low-torque tools (or at least, Dremel wish to avoid being held responsible for any consequences of large numbers of bit breakages)


Use cement board without plywood for outdoor kitchen

For a vertical application movement is a bigger concern that weight carrying ability.  If the cement board is framed well (studs every foot) with no load I think it would be fine.

For what it's worth:

I did a woodstove surround on 1/2" drywall spaced from the surrounding wall by 1/2" using 1" wide scraps of drywall every 8 inches.  used mastic and 1/4" tile.  No problems.
Later did a kitchen wall/backspash using tile, mastic on 1/2" oriented strand board, textured side out.  No problems.

I'm not sure in this application if you need even backer board.  I'd be tempted to make a frame that would hold the granite slab in location, with some bottom support, and keep it from tipping out with a bead of silicon at the top.


seal and fix cracks in a concrete floor in basement

Is it for cosmetics or is it a matter of sweeping/washing off and things go between the cracks. Finally reason makes a difference. In commercial construction we often use concrete caulk, that way it is the same color and shrinks and expands with weather conditions. Mortar may work but if there is any shifting I would not be surprised if it becomes loose and looks just as bad as before. There are products that help when applying thin layers of concrete/mortar to stick but that it usually for applying an 1/8-1/4 inch. When do that when we are about to stain concrete that was not recently poured.

Note: looking at the pics I would not advise mortar as it would be difficult to fill and stick.

The concrete caulk will fill the gaps and seal it properly. Again the benefit of the caulk is it will shrink and expand if there is minimal shifting, where mortar will not..

Here is a link to for the caulk at home depot. http://www.homedepot.com/p/Red-Devil-10-1-oz-Masonry-and-Concrete-Repair-Caulk-0646/202261765


What is the name and function of this thingy seen attached to many boiler pipes?

It might be some sort of woo/voodoo device sold to separate the gullible from their hard earned cash.

Possible example

I've no idea if this sort of device has any basis in real science but I am sceptical. As are others. Your mileage may vary.


Can I extend #12 wire with #14 wire for landscape lighting?

It would depend on the transformer size existing distance of the 12 AWG and how many lights were already installed. As a great rule of thumb, never mix wire sizes. Voltage drop on landscaping lights is very important because the voltage is low to begin with. Adding 14AWG at the end of the circuit would not be good for that last light. Think of the future, you might want to add more lights. Don't limit a new installation.