Accessing any substrate as jamietre suggests is probably the best bet if possible. Otherwise Tester101's epoxy will be best. The sort of shelf you want places fasteners in withdrawl, which is a difficult load to resist in marginal materials such as bungaroosh. If you attempt an epoxied anchor, you should attempt to undercut the hole with a small hard chisel to further help resist withdrawl forces. This way, you are not entirely dependent on the epoxy bond strength. Unfortunately, you still need to depend on the shear strength of bungaroosh anyway, which is marginal at best.

The deeper the hole, and the greater the undercut without damaging the surrounding wall material will yield the strongest anchorage.


connecting 2 separate (heat/AC) to one thermostat

Decided to table this until spring. She's moving in this weekend. Just gonna replace the mechanical thermostat for now and see how the oil burner works over the winter. It is 40 years old and maybe replacing it next year is the correct answer - then tie it all together. Too bad no gas here. Thanks


If the wire is sized for a 70 amp run, then the breaker in the subpanel could be any size that size or lower.  A lower rating will protect that circuit better if you don't anticipate the need for that qty of current, but can be swapped out quickly if increasing size is needed.  However, depending on the distance traveled, the difference between the breaker sizes might be preferred to prevent nuisance tripping (if both were 40 amp breakers and you were getting close to the overall limit, then the inside breaker would likely trip before the outside due to the wire line load to feed the building itself.


Minimum distance from receptacle terminal to conduit connector

It's in NEC 110.12. Mechanical Execution of Work. "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner."  (which does not mean nipping back all the wires in your service panel).

First, they make non-metallic caps for the ends of conduit fittings. Google "rigid conduit insulated bushing". They are nominally to prevent wire gouging, but they will solve this nicely.

Second, run those screws down all the way, then wrap the receptacle with electrical tape.  No reason to leave screws exposed.

Speaking of neat, you have a metal junction box where the receptacle yoke is landing hard flush on the box.  Get rid of the little paper squares on the mounting screws, and you'll have a valid grounding path and won't need a ground wire to the receptacle.

You don't need a ground wire in the pipe, but if you have one, it needs to go to the ground screw on the metal junction box.  Going to the receptacle is not enough because the ground would be disconnected if the receptacle is removed.

If this is outdoors or if the pipe is subject to physical damage, there's wisdom in running ground wires also.


What product or method to waterproof an underground concrete-bottomed water cistern?

From the potability standpoint I think you will want to definitely plan to have high performance hand operated water filter unit available to filter any water you would try to drink from this tank. Check at a place like REI to find a filter like the type used by canoeists when they make trips on rivers and lakes and filter lake water for drinking.

It seems to me that it is going to be very difficult to get this tank dry enough to seal it. One way that may work is to dig down five or six holes that are  about a foot in diameter to a depth of maybe 13 to 14 feet deep (i.e. a good amount below the existing concrete tank floor). Then insert a sump type pump into the bottom of each hole that pumps out accumulated water as fast as it can accumulate. You would want to spill the pumped water out in the street or rain sewer so as to carry the water away from your cistern area. It is possible that this could lower the water table near the tank bottom enough to keep it dry for a period of time.

Of course you would want to do this at a time of the year when there has been little or no rain for a goodly length of time.


Wiring Help Replacing a Two Switch Ceiling Fan and Light with Only a Single Light Fixture--See Photos

Lets eliminate the switch with the red wire. Remove the two black wires on the red wire switch, one from the screw terminal and one from the backstab and wire nut them together. Remove the red wire and put a wire nut on it.
Now get a new single pole single throw, standard toggle switch since you stated both switches were cracked. Remove the black wire loop from the switch screw terminal and the wire from the backstab next to it. Pigtail them with a small piece of black wire and connect it to the new switch. Remove the other black wire from the backstab at the other end of the switch and bend a shepherd's hook on the stripped wire and screw it to the other terminal on the new switch. Ground the switch with a piece of #14 wire. Now mount the switch and get a cover similar to the one shown below.
To remove the backstab wires, shove a small screwdriver into the slot by the wires and put the wire out.

At the ceiling box, remove the red wire and wire nut it. Connect the black wire from the box to the black wire from the light fixture with a wire nut. connect the white wires together the same way. Connect the two ground wires together with a wire nut.


Yes, PVC is made for this purpose. If it is an area exposed to vehicular traffic and could be struck by a car you should consider schedule 80 PVC.

Otherwise, schedule 40 is the standard for outdoor electrical.

A 50 amp RV plug should probably be 240 volts though.

Good luck and stay safe!


Unbundling Ground Wire make unconnected wires show hot

Edit: OK so it's not the light.  But it's a ground fault somewhere. One presumes it is in the circuit, but grounds can be crossed over amongst circuits in the same panel, especially in a ground retrofit situation.  So it could be anywhere wired which feeds the hot ground wire.

There should be no intentional current whatsoever on a safety ground.  (though there can be micro-currents due to coupling or the tiny, tiny amount of leakage which is allowed.)

Unexpected currents like this are why grounds must be pigtailed, so you don't have to sever a ground to replace a device.

Obviously, bootlegging neutral from ground is the picture postcard definition of a ground fault.

If your previous homeowner did it one place, good chance he did it lots of places.

It's hot because when you interrupt/sever a current return, current is no longer able to return.  Normally it flows freely  back to the panel, and that pulls it down to near earth voltage.  But current can't go any further so it's "piling up" right there.


How to stop inverter from charging battery using grid power and charge battery using only solar panels?

UTL`s SMU has the capability to charge a battery that goes in deep discharge condition. It can charge the battery if the battery voltage during discharge drops up to 8V per battery.
It uses four stages to charge the battery i.e. Boost, Absorption, Float and Equalization.
This feature protects the battery from being over charged.
Read your manual how to set these thresholds.


How to handle frayed/old wire in can light

I am looking at the 3 clips on either side of the socket and I am guessing the cans frame is a remodel type. This means you can take it down from the ceiling and then either replace the entire can or replace the socket and the wiring. Those clips can be loosened with a screwdriver or needle nose pliers and the entire frame can be pulled down from the ceiling. If they are not remodel frames, can you access the frame from the attic or crawlspace or you can take apart the can frame and you will see a junction box on the side.

If you do this you can replace the wiring between this j-box and the socket. Be sure to use high heat fixture wiring which you can purchase from a fixture parts supplier. Do not use thhn/thwn. If the cans are remodel frame you can just replace the entire fixture frame.

I vote for replacement. They are fairly inexpensive and not that hard to install.

Good luck.


Which type of electrical protector is better for the appliances? surge or over/under voltage protection?

Multi-outlet surge suppressors are cheap junk.  Go ahead and watch a BigClive teardown on any of them, they are nothing but wires with a handful of small MOVs tossed on so as not to be blatantly lying when claiming surge suppression. Not surprisingly, the "famous brands" are rented brand names stamped on cheap Cheese junk.

On the other hand, whole-house surge suppressors are made by names that are actually famous in electrical distribution equipment such as Eaton, General Electric, Siemens and Square D. Those items are Good Stuff.

Tell you a secret. Nothing requires you to put them on your "whole house". Suppose you have an outside air conditioner. Those can be sensitive, but far more alarming, they can make spikes like crazy, so you'd want to protect the rest of the house from the air conditioner.  I would cheerfully install a "whole house" unit right at the air conditioner. That does not preclude putting another one elsewhere.

My concern with a circuit interruptor for undervoltage and overvoltage is that it won't act quickly enough.  The spike will get through, and then you'll get a "nuisance trip" as it "saves" your PC by deleting all your work and killing your hardcore Diablo character.


Using a telephone wall-mount jack for an Ethernet-connected (VOIP) phone

How about using a keystone mount phone mount?

Source
This, along with a RJ-45 keystone jack should be exactly what you need.  Or, if you'd prefer to use the Ethernet biscuit jack (maybe the cable won't clear even if the jack is flush), blank keystone jack covers are also available.


You probably just lost one phase of power for a few minutes.

Since you're in a 120V country, the power that comes into your house has 2 120V cables, each running opposite to each other, in order to provide a 240V supply to anything that needs that much power. This means that it's possible to get 120V from either cable. Most houses split the circuits in order to balance the load.

This means while it's possible for a power outage to result in a loss of power across your house, it's also possible (although rare) for only one cable to go out. This will result in a loss of power to only the circuits using that cable. (Approximately half of them.)

Unless it re-occurs, or you notice other problems, it's not that big of a deal. (There's an outside chance that one leg of the circuit is still off, which can cause super-weird stuff to happen.) It's worth contacting your electrical provider, but they might just respond with a shrug.


What could cause the water flow in house pipes to suddenly be altered?

Yes, it does sound like a pressure tank problem. Without a properly functioning pressure tank, the well pump has to try and maintain pressure with fluid alone. That's what you're seeing at the faucet--the cycling of the well pump as pressure very quickly jumps and drops.

The problem could be a tired bladder or a leaky seal elsewhere. Try re-pressurizing the tank according to the manufacturer and see if it holds, and check for leaks at the fittings.


So, based on the fact that this cable is dead straight I assumed it to be structural - it's clearly under tension to be that straight. Visually, it appears to be galvanized steel, not something electrical, and electrical is not normally tight.
Tie down made sense. Noting a username implying a Florida location, tie down made a LOT of sense. Keeping your frame attached to the foundation helps immensely in hurricane and tornado survivability.
Brief web search for "structural cable tie slab" found what appears to be at least one company making such things. Obviously I'm not associated, and I don't know if there are others.


Remove a screw stripped head with the reverse and hammer function of a power drill, instead of a lefthanded drill bit?

can I use the normal (right-handed) drill bits, and the Reverse
function of the power drill to undo a screw with stripped head?

NO it will not grab onto the head.
The reason the reverse bit may work is because the cutting part of the bit is designed to cut into the surface, when it starts to  cut or grab it then turns the screw counter clockwise.
A normal bit will just spin and not "grab".

My DeWalt power drill/hammer/driver has the Hammer function, so
combining with the Reverse function, it would additionally help?

No the hammer function will not help.
A screw extractor set is far better then a reverse drill bit.
How to use a screw extractor.


Can a through-the-wall A/C unit be mounted in a window?

Wow and here after all these years I thought they were the same thing.
Well they are the same, basically. The part that is critical is the external vents can not be blocked by the wall, and that’s where the problem comes in - because of the thickness of the wall. However, going from a wall mount to a window should be no problem at all, other than the mount and making sure to tilt it just enough that the condensate drains outside.
I state this with the understanding that the unit has the normal fully enclosed system except the coils and air vents (I have not seen one that was not enclosed, but wanted to cover all the bases).


I have done similar to what you want to do, first check local code the fireplace even if an insert is being used requires 16 or 18” in front of the fire box opening (hearth or non flammable surface but it can be at floor level).
The “face brick” is usually only 1 layer thick but at the opening it becomes solid to the back of the chimney. The hardest part in reducing the brick is usually there is a steel support in the form of an angle iron at the top across the opening 1 brick back possibly 2, so going any further creates a lot of work to properly support the opening but it can be done. As far as the material over the brick, I have used cement board or backer board just like using Sheetrock, several of these I have done with a stone veneer around the opening.
Just an fyi trying to use sheet rock within a foot of the opening tends to be a bad idea I usually want several feet. the Sheetrock yellows and starts falling apart due to to the heat over a few months, I have used cement board on 4 of my homes. 2 I lived in for 5-10 years with no issues 1 my family still owns after 35 years and it has only been repainted so it has held up well and my current home has backer and tile but it is only 5 years old (I expect it to outlast me). So look at your top opening see if you can tell where the steel support is as  all 3 of the face removals I have done had this on brick chimneys. The steel is needed on my first one I had a brick mason help me / teach me how to support the brick once I had removed the angle iron (basically cutting slots on each side that a new angle was slid into then filled with fire clay to support the brick and seal the opening), I hope this helps , I bet you can also find other ideas but this is how I have done similar jobs with really nice results.


Help identify wiring adapter involving Cat 5e cable?

This was your original BELL system wiring throughout your house. It would have been modified throughout the years as bell added new cable for the old DSL service. You can see the old service drop coming in from the top and the distribution phone lines branching out from there. Who are you with now? If you're not using any of that wiring for your existing service, you can use it for whatever you need.  I know this is vague but so is the picture.


I'd agree with DA01 here. It's far more likely that your wall isn't perfectly flat rather than the mirror being distorted.

The simple way to test this is to get a spirit level - or anything with an edge you know is true - and lay it across the mirror. If it doesn't lie flush then the mirror is warped. You can do the same with the wall.


No heat from AC after new coils in air handler and new thermostat

You need to find a real heat pump service person. It's hard to trouble shoot a system without being there. Did he put in a correct refrigerant charge amount and the correct type refrigerant? Is the new coil the same size (BTU) capacity as the old coil? Does it have the same type expansion valve? Has anyone used gauges, if so what do the pressures do when the unit heats then begins to cool off? Does the compressor change it"s tune level? What happens to the temperature of both the small and larger line when this heating and cool off happens? It's not rocket science you just need to know what is happening with the system and what should be happening at any given time in the "on cycle".


Can I plug corded light fixtures in outlets in ceiling per code?

Corded lights are legal to be plugged into outlets. Although your LED lights are wired for a 15 amp circuit the lamp draws much less, the directions state 8 fixtures for a 15 amp circuit, I would guess the 8 lamps draw a total of 1200w or less,  but in any case the NEC allows manufacturer instructions to override code in some cases as long as the product is listed. NEC 400.8 provides the locations that can't be used but if the outlet is visible (not concealed) it is legal .


I am relocating a sink. Can I leave the original plumbing in place and cap it?

You can cap it, but you have to use an ABS glue cap, not pressure fitted coloured caps.
If you are cutting anything back, past any T or Y connectors, make sure you do not sever the dry-vent connection to the rest of the plumbing.


I'd say you have two options.  Attach the top of the murphy bed to studs; or build the bed with a substantial base which juts out from the wall quite a bit, like a sofa.  How to make the latter non-ridiculous would be a design challenge.


Flipped off main breaker for repair, unrelated circuit will not come back on

Conduit run into attic is not hot - how are you verifying that? Try an NCV to see if it's a lost neutral. I'd be looking at the neutral bar, because unless you flipping the giant breaker caused the connection to fail at the load center, wherever you did new work isn't as separate a circuit as you thought. Put it all back to the way it was to help isolate the problem.

I suspect you lost the neutral when you ad-hocked some GFCIs.

each side of 220v breaker reads 120V - it's not the breaker.

Losing both sides of a MWBC at the same time would be highly unusual if the breaker works. Trace the neutral.

You dropped the main... Check for any other GFCIs in the entire house that aren't reset. Especially one that might be hidden somewhere and is just two buttons (no outlet).


Is it time based on the power consumption? I will try to be polite but Hell No. when your system is running at full load and hot the power may get close to RLA , RLA is like FLA for motors. If they are drawing less they are not fully loaded.
Having a worn out compressor could cause a lower power consumption but then electrical parts would not be overheating. If your system is leak free it sounds like it is keep it clean and you may get another few seasons out of it. R22 is obsolete and cost an arm and a leg at the time your system starts under preforming, then a compressor replacement could be an option but this is NOT a diy job, the Freon would need to be removed in a recovery system the old compressor cut out and replaced with a new filter dryer then recharged with the old r22 , just note if there is a leak it will be cheaper to replace the system as R22 is going 100 per lb and up, but it is still available but expensive. Your system takes 10 lbs and even if you need to change the compressor the Freon is still good. But you may need a few lbs to top the system normally less than 50% for a functioning system in my experience.
If you see your power bill jump, compressor starting to run all the time and may not be cooling as well with the same temps as last year this is when the system needs more than a annual check up.


Name of Part That Connects Blinds Wand With Blinds Roller and How to Replace It?

Looks like a "wand tilt control".

http://www.fixmyblinds.com/vertical-blind-tilt-controls-s/91.htm


Cupric chloride on pressure relief valve of gas water heater

Wipe it off with a wet rag, then see if it comes back. This could be the result of too much flux being applied before soldering and the excess not wiped off. If you cannot get it off with water, you could try household vinegar on a rag, then wipe all the vinegar off with a wet rag.

The excess flux would have to have been carried down the pipe by water on the outside of the pipe. This could be water condensed from the air on a cold pipe or water from the water heater. If it's from the water heater you will probably find the source if you clean the pipe off and keep it under surveillance.

Where does your overflow pipe go--to the sanitary sewer or to the outside? You could see what happens if you open the PT relief valve by operating it manually with the lever. But only do this if it won't create a mess. Also don't run too much scalding water directly into the sanitary sewer because this might damage the drain piping.

EDIT There is no reason to delay getting the water heater back in service because of the deposits on the TP relief piping.


How should I install a signal cable duct from new home office to a wiring closet?

For the duct work, since we don't know how many cables you are talking about, I suggest ENT (Electrical Non-Metallic Tubing).  It is flexible, corrugated and comes in a range of sizes, same as PVC.  You can even use PVC connectors on ENT if in a bind.

For termination, you can either use a box / terminating structured media center or make your own with a J-Box, but I suggest the SMC's.  The SMC's come in different sizes, depending on the manufacturer, and different modules and a surge suppression power system made for the box.

The SMC's are for RG6, or quad, Telephone, Cat5 and or Cat6, speakers, IR, securitry and the list keeps getting bigger.  This is a link for Leviton, and there are many more manufacturers of these.

Remember, no tight turns or hard pulling, these cables are not made to be tugged at real hard at, like stretching the twists inside cat5 cable.  If you can make the bend in ENT your wire radius will be OK.


Can I add a pop up drain stopper to this bathtub?

You can replace the silver drain spud ( the silver part in your tub )  by using  this special tool. You can replace it with one that will accept the stopper you have or any other.

You place the tool into the spud and use a crescent wrench or a screw driver thru the hole to gently turn it counter clockwise to unscrew it from the drain pipe under the tub, then install the new one in the reverse.

Use a little lube on the new treads and some plumbers putty under the flange when you put the new one in. There is a gasket under the tub between the drain pipe and the bottom of the tub, this should stay in place but be careful not to let it fall down inside the space under the tub.


How do I hang a large wall to wall mirror?

I'm sure there are several ways to secure your mirror, However the two basic methods are 1) mechanical side clips and 2) Mirror adhesive.

The safe and easiest way is to use mirror clips that screw into the wall around the parameter of the mirror. Small drywall anchors are normally used if you're not lucky enough to have a stud along the horizontal sides. Try to find a stud along the top or again, use anchors.  Be sure to read the ratings on the clips to determine how many you need for the weight of your mirror.  It is really your call if you want a gap under your mirror. personally, I would leave and inch or two for cleaning purposes. A mirror resting on the back splash may collect water and dirt.

The second method is to use a special mirror adhesive.  This makes for a very clean install, but can be very tricky. Read the directions on the adhesive completely. Be sure you have a firm finish on your wall to apply the glue to. Some side or top supports may be needed to hold mirror in place until the adhesive has cured.  Once you use this method, it is semi permanent as it will normally destroy the sheetrock when removed. CAUTION!!! Only use a mirror adhesive if the mirror manufacturer recommends that method as an option. Some mirrors will not glue up and the reflective silver layer will pull off and allow the mirror to come crashing down!


Is it allowed to have a small hole bored in a joist in the area where it is bearing on a beam or joist hanger

I spoke to my structural engineer and the answer is that it depends on the depth of your joists. In my case, where I have 2x10 joists there is no problem with a small (1-inch diamater) hole on or near the area where the joist is bearing on its support beam. Basically the same notching and boring rules apply at the end of the joist: 2 inches from top or bottom, etc..


What would cause my furnace to only work with the filter removed?

As Tester101 mentioned (and he really should've made it an answer, because it's at least a partial one), the filter could restrict airflow to the point where your furnace overheats. Hence the 'Limit' error.

But wait! Trying a cheaper filter, or running without a filter, isn't a good answer. You'll shortly find that the furnace won't run at all, with or without a filter.

What this probably means is one of two things, both of which are not DIY in my book. The first is that your blower unit is going, or is clogged with dust/dirt/pet hair/warm fuzzies/etc. This would require a qualified HVAC professional to replace. The second is that you may have an A/C unit, and the coils are clogged. The second is somewhat DIY-able, but I can't give you directions because I don't know your unit. Mine slides out on kind of a tray, which lets me blow the coils off with compressed air or coil cleaner (which is available as an aerosol at the hardware or home improvement store near you.)

Not tending to this risks a furnace fire. That's why it stops. Get it taken care of!


How can I remove large nails from cement?

If you have acess to Dremel or other rotary tool you can use a cutoff /abrasive wheel attachment to cut them off. They may have been inserted by a power tool that fires them in with a gunpowder charge. If this is the case prying them out will be difficult if not impossible. You could try a Sawzall but these type of fasteners are very hard and you will go through a lot of blades. Some type of cut off wheel or grinder is the way to go. You may forgo the expense of buying one by renting one. If you opt for the grinder you will be able to grind away a little of the concrete so the nail will be below grade. You can then patch the low spots to level the finished surface. Be aware that any type of cutting wheel you use will throw sparks and if you grind the concrete it will generate losts of dust so use appropriate safety precautions.


I see a number of choices:

Remove the whole top half of the pole by separating at this joint and replacing that top half. You would drill new holes and mount the backboard brackets to the new pipe section.

Find another piece of pipe that just slides inside of the two pieces. Secure in place using new drilled through holes and bolts. You already have to deal with this as the rust off break is at the lower cross bolt for the backboard bracket. This slide in pipe would want to be a pretty close fit and would want to be a good 2.5 to 3 feet in length.
It would be a bit more work to secure and attach but you could also acquire two pieces of 2" angle iron that were the similar 2.5 to 3 feet in length. Lay these up along the sides of the existing tubing and secure in place using large size band gear clamps all the way around the outside of both angle irons.


When can spackle be used instead of mud?

You can use either spackle or joint compound. I personally detest the modern "light weight" versions of spackle and will not use them. I use joint compound for most repair applications around drywall. The dry time has never been a big problem for me as most projects are big enough that there are plenty of other tasks to attend to whilst the joint compound dries.

Note: Most of the preferred "old style" heavy spackle is also a pain to use in comparison to joint compound because it drys really hard and is a total pain to sand down. Joint compound is really easy to sand thus giving it one more feather in its cap.


Adding new 240v 30 amp outlet by tapping into existing NEMA 10-30 outlet box

You need to see if there's a ground inside the box

For your application, equipment safety ground MUST be separate from neutral. let's examine the cases.

There is neutral and a ground wire (or metal conduit)

The NEMA 10 does not connect to this ground.
You can extend off this outlet by tapping the two hots and ground (and neutral if your charger needs it). Smash the NEMA 10 socket.  Cover it with a blanking plate; you can normally have multiple 30A sockets, but not with EVSEs.

There is a bare stranded neutral woven around the other wires

This is the only kind of cable that was ever allowed to use a bare neutral.  You can go one of two ways here.

Re-designate that bare wire as a ground wire, and you will be permanently unable to ever use that cable to power any electric dryer.  This can ONLY power a NEMA 6 socket.
Keep that wire as neutral, which is grandfathered, and retrofit a ground wire.  Make sure they don't touch!

3-wire cable, but the neutral is bare

This cable was illegal to feed a NEMA 10 at the time it was installed, and therefore is ineligible for grandfathering.  Because the bare wire is illegal to use as neutral.  It must be re-tasked to be ground, and can never supply a dryer, only a NEMA 6.

3-wire cable, white neutral (or braided bare neutral as mentioned earlier)

You cannot tap this. Period.  End of subject.   It is a shame, if you woke up one day and found that previously a ground had been retrofitted, then you could have tapped it.  But no luck. Sorry!

If you think you can retrofit a ground and immediately tap it, in one step, no... But my suggestion is "sleep on it" :)

Retrofitting Ground

A separate ground wire can be retrofitted.  It can run on its own route. It only needs to reach any of the following:

the service panel this circuit is powered out of, obviously
any junction box  with an all-metal-conduit path back to the service panel
any junction box with a #10 or larger ground wire back to the service panel, such as a water heater or air conditioner.
any part of the Grounding Electrode System, those copper wires that come out of the panel to go to water pipes or ground rods.

Change the dryer receptacle to NEMA 14-30 at this point for plausible deniability that the ground retrofit was unrelated work.  You must leave the 14-30 disconnected because you can't have other outlets on an EVSE circuit.


How does one know if a well pump is "Short Cycling" or pressure tank is water logged?

At 2.5 GPM, your 2-3 minutes of shower time between cycles is using between 5 and 7.5 gallons.  If your tank starts at 60psi and 7.5 gallons is enough to bring it down to 40psi, that means you're starting out with 15 gallons of air in your 40 gallon tank, and ending the 3-minute cycle with 22.5 gallons of air.  I calculated this using Boyle's law, or P1 * V1 = P2 * V2.  And of course these numbers would be different if your shower head is higher-flow and your 3 minutes of showering used more than 7.5 gallons.

I believe to get the most output from your tank, you want it to be nearly empty of water when the pump is set to come on.  That means draining and charging it to just below the pump setting, as you did.  If you wanted to get a little more cycle time you could probably even go as high as 38 psi.  Note that with a bladderless tank, you're going to need to recharge periodically as the air in your tank is gradually absorbed by the water.

For what it's worth I think 2-3 minutes is well within your pump's design cycle time.  15-20 seconds was way too short and by noticing it and fixing it you've probably saved yourself an expensive pump replacement.


If the drywall was hung on top of plywood with nails or screws there's a decent chance those won't align with the studs, which is why your magnetic studfinder could lead you astray.

The plywood has to be anchored to studs, and those should be 16" on-center.  So you only have to find one as a reference point.  As an alternative to opening enough of the wall to probe for a stud you can use the fact that the plywood anchors are magnetic and roughly 16" on center, combined with the existing holes that failed to find a stud, to map out likely stud locations.


Couple things come to mind:

Don't go back to previously painted areas until that area has completely dried.  While the paint is drying it will look splotchy and uneven.  Walk away, don't touch it, and come back in about 4-6 hours when it has dried.  It will then look even.
Make sure you are putting enough paint on the wall and don't try and stretch a roller too far between loading it with paint.  For example, load up your roller with paint and then put the paint on the wall in a wide "W" shape.  Then roll it out in that general area but don't try and push the paint too far on the wall without going back to the paint tray.
Let the first coat dry thoroughly before putting a second coat on.  If you start putting the second coat on too soon (or come back to an area that started drying but has not dried completely) then you will disturb the first coat and get blotches where the portions of the first coat that began to dry already become pulled up and absorbed by the second coat.
Roll out an area and then walk away.  Don't keep rolling it out trying to get it perfect.  Just put the paint on nice and even with about 4 to 6 passes with the roller (ok maybe I do more like 10 to 12) and then move onto the next area of the wall.  Rolling the same area out over and over again just makes the coat of paint very thin and also you can end up pushing any dried areas of paint around the wall.


It seems like randomly(every 2 to 6 weeks) the faucet leeks(it turns on a little) and water was coming out the top of the pipe where the shower head was to be connected. If you open and close the handle it turns off. as a temporary solution I installed the shower arm so the water drips in the shower instead of behind the wall. I plan on contacting delta faucets.  If I installed the valve properly it must be faulty.


Help with wiring an electric oven after moving it to be underneath an existing electric hob (UK)

At the hob location, disconnect the existing single cooker outlet connector. Loosen the terminal screws, withdraw the wires, undo the screws at left and right and pull the connector plate forward.
At the hob location fit a dual outlet connector
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/AA45DCOP.html
Available from any good electrical supplier.
over the existing flush back box. Reconnect the hob wires, connect the oven wires, put the cables through the cable clamps.
At the previous oven location, re-use the single connector from the hob to terminate the feed cable, putting the cable through the cable clamp. Fit the connector to a single surface back box screwed to the wall. Label it as being the cooker circuit.


How do I make a faucet pour instead of spray?

Sounds like the screen in the aerator needs to be cleaned out. To clean the screen unscrew the aerator by hand, do not use a tool such as channel locks to do so because you'll mar the surface. This is what you might typically see in an aerator:

Disassemble the aerator and clean everything, if you can see through each hole in the mesh screen it should usually work like the properly functioning sink. When reassembling make sure the screen sits properly in the aerator body, the bushing shown in the diagram is to create a gap between the mixer and the screen, in most cases if they are directly touching you will not be getting a good stream from your faucet.

Hope that helps.


Does my LED panel require a gap between it and the ceiling for cooling?

Like all types of lighting, The LEDs in LED panels generate much more heat than light. LEDs are more efficient than traditional incandescent lights and generate less heat but still generate a lot and are much much less tolerant of overheating.

The 600x600 panels are designed for standard suspended ceilings as used in offices - there will normally be a large air gap above them, certainly tens of cm.

Therefore I would be very cautious about mounting them directly to a ceiling with no air gap above the panel. I'd expect a considerably shortened life for the LED panels and the possibility of at least minor heat damage to the ceiling.

Heat may degrade your adhesive and cause it to fail and potentially cause injuries to anyone below. I note that No-More-Nails have only one product that is advertised as "temperature resistant" and even that is only good up to 90C. I suspect their "original" product will fail at much lower temperatures.


Can I use common vegetable oil (e.g. rapeseed/canola) for chain-and-bar lubrication in a chainsaw?

Yep. Yesirree.
Not being a fan of dumping petroleum into the woods (mine or otherwise), and considering that my saw is electric* (and therefore operates at slightly slower speeds), I've shifted to using common cooking vegetable oil instead of used motor oil, as I had been. Over a number of outings it has performed well, with no heat buildup, noise, excess fling or other anomalies.
This is a far different scenario than what happens inside an engine, for example, so it's probably not as critical as oil choice is there. One article shows the viscosity of vegetable oil to be comparable to that of conventional multi-grade motor oil, and slightly higher than PAO (synthetic) motor oil. Another study concludes that vegetable oil is a perfectly viable alternative.
Technically speaking, olive oil isn't vegetable oil in the sense that those mentioned in the question are. It's far more aromatic and prone to unpleasant side effects if used in tools. I don't recommend its use in chain saws.
That said, I don't have any empirical evidence to tell you whether it is having a detrimental effect on hardware life in my case. It's entirely possible that I'm subjecting my bar and chain to increased wear, but I haven't noticed any (chain adjustments are more or less typical). Regardless, I consider it worth the environmental and financial benefit.
YMMV.
* Ryobi 40V 14"


GFCI protection for multiwire branch circuit in shipping container workshop

Since you have a metal structure and metal boxes, use metal conduit specifically EMT. Buy a bender and it's not that hard to work with.  The EMT itself is a valid ground path, and you will not need to run a ground wire at all.   Attaching the metal boxes and EMT clips to a metal building is icing on the cake. I have exactly this situation and I never run grounds, and there's never been the slightest doubt as to the reliability and ampacity of grounds.

Price 2-pole GFCI breakers for the panel you are using.  You may be in for a shock.  Your scheme of using MWBC will absolutely require a 2-pole GFCI.  ThreePhaseEel's advice of "just run one more neutral wire and get out from under the exotic breakers" is very good advice.

Using the same circuit for both 120V receptacles and also a 240V receptacles, I'm not a fan. Generally if an American appliance wants 240V, it's because it needs that much power, and so it needs all of it.  THHN is cheap and containers are not large, so just run an extra pair and be done with it.

Remember the 310.15 derate rules: you can have 9 active conductors in any conduit of any size (before having to upsize wire per the derate).  Grounds never count, nor do neutrals in split-phase circuits (including MWBC)**.  So if you run a 240V circuit, a 120+240V MWBC, and two plain 120V circuits, you are at 8.  I often will lay two conduits next to each other if I expect to exceed 4 circuits.

** Neutrals don't count in split-phase because they only carry differential current: Suppose a neutral is carrying 15 amps, and one hot is carrying 20, that means the other hot is carrying 5.  The heat from 2 wires carrying 15+5 amps is less than the heat of one carrying 20A, so those 2 wires get counted as one.  Heat is a function of current squared.

You ask, why 9? In a 3-phase "wye" configuration, neutral doesn't count for the same reason.  So three "wye" circuits  add up to 9 conductors that count (12 wires in 3/4" EMT conduit since conduit=ground). At 277V you can put 277*20*9=49860W - frickin 50KW, enough to light up a CostCo.


What is thumping noise I hear in my forced air heat pump?

Sounds like the ducts expanding and popping against themselves and the wood framing as they heat up. If that's the case, it's nothing to be concerned of since they are designed to expand/contract.


Ceiling fan low speed (only) once on slows to a stop

I can think of a number issues that may be affecting the low speed.

Is your mains voltage a little low? A low voltage could keep the motor from generating enough torque to overcome the bearing friction.
Is this an old fan that has seen a lot of usage? It could be that the bearings are worn or need lubrication.
Is the fan fully balanced? Even a little imbalance could be causing an friction variation on each rotation in the bearings that is not overcome by momentum at low speed.
Is the fan hung in a way that it is not vertical (with the fan being off the  horizontal)? Seems like this could possibly impact things similar to item 3.
Is there dust, dirt, cob webs or other crud down inside the motor in the narrow gap between armature and stator that is adding extra friction making it harder than necessary to turn the motor?


A grounding electrode (ground rod) serves a totally different purpose than the equipment ground run with the feeder. One does not, and can not, take the place of or be used for, the other.

For a feeder run to a sub-panel for quite a few years now you MUST run a 4-wire feeder; two hots, neutral, ground.
If the panel is in a detached structure to the house then you must also install grounding electrode(s). There are several ways to accomplish this, but ground rods are the most common. Typically two ground rods are required.

Even with older codes that allowed a "3-wire" feeder (where the ground was omitted and the neutral served both purposes) a grounding electrode was still required.

Bottom line to remember for sub-panels: detached structure needs grounding electrodes, attached or within the same structure does not.


Should I replace particle board underlayment before installing ceramic tile?

Your underlayment is particle board and is not suitable for ceramic tile. Most tile mortars specifically disallow bonding to particle board.

Replace the underlayment with 1/2" cement board or 1/2" (or thicker) CDX plywood, or overlay 1/4" cement board if finished height isn't a concern. Either option should be screwed down thoroughly using corrosion-resistant screws in an appropriate grid pattern, such as 8" by 8".


What do I do if there are only two wires coming from my ceiling electrical box?

The 3 wires are normally hot, neutral, and ground. It sounds like your home doesn't have a ground wire.

From Wikipedia:

  Equipment earthing conductors provide an electrical connection between non-current-carrying metallic parts of equipment and the earth. The reason for doing this according to the U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC), is to limit the voltage imposed by lightning, line surges, and contact with higher voltage lines. The equipment earthing conductor is usually also used as the equipment bonding conductor (see below).

  Equipment bonding conductors provide a low impedance path between non-current-carrying metallic parts of equipment and one of the conductors of that electrical system's source, so that if a part becomes energized for any reason, such as a frayed or damaged conductor, a short circuit will occur and operate a circuit breaker or fuse to disconnect the faulted circuit. By bonding (interconnecting) all exposed non-current carrying metal objects together, they should remain near the same potential thus reducing the chance of a shock. This is especially important in bathrooms where one may be in contact with several different metallic systems such as supply and drain pipes and appliance frames. The equipment bonding conductor is usually also used as the equipment earthing conductor (see above).

If the box is metallic, there's a chance it may still be grounded, even though there is no wire. There's an answer to a similar question that describes how to check if a box is grounded.

If the box is grounded..

If the box is grounded, then you can connect the ground wire from the fan directly to the box, and the fan will be grounded.

If not..

If the box is not grounded, you have two choices:

Run a ground to the box. This would mean running a new wire back to the panel (could be bare copper, but if you're doing the work may be better just to run a new wire - 14/3 would be the best), which could mean opening up drywall.
Wire the fan without ground. This is slightly dangerous, but not moreso than the when the previous fixture was there -- except that people do touch fans to control them. If something ever happens to cause the fixture to become energized (eg a frayed wire inside), someone who touches it will likely be shocked (which can cause serious injuries and even death).

Personally, if I was unable to get a ground to the box, I'd probably use a fan that was remote controlled so no one ever has a need to touch it (get a fan either with no pull strings/controls, or cut the cords off so no one is tempted to touch them). The wall switch can be left in to control overall power, and the remote used to switch light/fan speed, or the wall switch can be removed so the power is permanently on and the remote is used for everything.

In any case, you should connect the fan's ground wire to the box, so that at least the fan body and box are bonded (at the same electrical potential).

Bootleg Ground

DO NOT CONNECT GROUND AND NEUTRAL in the box. This is sometimes called a "bootleg ground" and is not only pointless, but actually very dangerous. If the neutral wire ever has a fault ANYWHERE, in addition to the fixture simply not working, it becomes energized and you can be shocked if you touch it (as you likely would to, say, check if the light bulb was burnt out).


Very hot connection at rusty ground clamp by water meter

You have a lost neutral.  Turn everything off NOW!

Your electricity is served to you as two "legs" with 240V across them -- and a center-tap called "neutral".  This gives you 120V between a leg and neutral.

Water heaters and A/C units take the 240V directly and ignore the neutral.  Any 120V load, however, connects between a hot leg and neutral to give it only half the voltage - 120V.

If something goes wrong with the neutral, crazy stuff happens. Each 240V leg has several 120V loads between the leg and neutral.  If the neutral is lost, nothing "pegs" those voltages at 120V anymore!  They are still 240V apart, and the two legs will add up to 240, but they could be 90 and 150 volts.  (those unequal voltages, adding up to 240V, is the sure sign of this, if you have a voltmeter.)

That will start fires.  So why hasn't it?

Neutral is called that because it's also bonded to the water pipe/ground inside your main panel.  The intent is emergency use only.  The transformer on the pole, also bonds its neutral terminal to a grounding rod at the base of the pole.  Current is using this path instead (via dirt) because your neutral wire is broken.  This problem will get much worse.

Dirt is not a reliable conductor, and if the resistance goes up, or your load goes up, your voltages could start getting wobbly and start blowing things up. That's why you need to fix it right away.

Also, this current flowing through your water pipe is corroding it.  Normally no current should flow through the ground.  It shouldn't be getting warm.

A lost neutral is a power outage, call it and report it as such!  The problem might be inside your service panel, but they will probably tell you if it is.

Also, stay away from the clamp unless your main breaker is off.  It is (wrongly) part of the electrical circuit, and if disconnected or messed with, it can shock you.


Finding studs in a horse hair plaster wall?

There are numerous electronic stud finders that do not rely on magnetic signals. They use a form of density testing looking for studs, not the nails in studs. Many of them can see through plaster and wood lath.

There are a wide range of versions and prices, and, as in many things, the midrange may give you the best value.

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


Load bearing water resistant substrate for floating shelves in kitchen

I have installed similar brackets and would recommend:

Open the wall and install 2x6 blocking in between the studs. It is critical that the blocking and the studs are all in a flat plane so that the when the bracket is installed the bars are true, parallel to each other and at 90 degree's to the wall so when you install the shelf on them they do not bind. Use a level or straight edge across the blocking and studs to check that it is a flat plane I.E.  the level does not rock on a high spots. It needs to be flat so the bars stay parallel when bolted down with lags bolts.

Now you can put up new sheetrock and tape the seams, nothing fancy it will be covered with tile.

You do not want to mount the bracket directly onto the sheetrock for two reasons;

The sheetrock can compress with the weight of the loaded shelves and
You want the base plate of the bracket to be recessed so your tile will go just over the edge of the plate thereby putting the tile behind the wood shelf.

You do not want it recessed to much so you could put a peace of wood or plywood behind the bracket so that the wood and the thickness of the bracket plate are enough to insure the lag bolts holding the base plate are just recessed in from the face of the sheetrock.
Mark the location of the shelf bracket and trace around it. Measure the rectangle of the traced footprint and cut your wood or plywood just over sized. Place the piece of wood up on the wall where it goes and trace around it and cut out the sheetrock so you can install the wood in that void.  ( this step may not be necessary for a base plate that is 3/8 thick but figure in the thickness of the sheetrock and the tile.)

Since you are tiling the wall i would replace all the sheetrock that will be tiled with Denshield.

It is the same thickness as sheetrock and it has a textured surface for better adhesion for tile. Bonus, it has a waterproof membrane, important if this is a wall behind a kitchen sink.  It scores and snaps like sheetrock so it is easy to work with. Make sure you do not install Denshield past the edge of where the tile stops. A half inch shy of that line is good. It is textured and you do not want it showing where there is no tile.


Find an isulation installer that is a certified thermographer. An infrared scan of your home should reveal where the heat loss is occuring. The best time to do this is when the outside temp is lowest and your house is warmest. The problem could be missing or improperly installed insulation. Without a scan you are only quessing what the problem is. Ask about a repeat scan after any repairs to verify the problem has been resolved.


Clarification on NEC requirements for Fixtures ( Danger )

I have found even fixture wire in fixtures damaged when larger than specified wattage lamps were used in the past, in several cases the damage may have been a decade old but after several lamp changes the wiring failed. A dimmer can not cause this problem and will reduce the heat generated because the waveform going to the lamp is reduced thus less power less heat. The type of wire needed is fixture wire it is high tempature wire designed to handle the heat but even it can become damaged if a larger wattage lamp is installed than the fixture rating. The next question folks ask is how could 18 gauge wire be legal? It is based on the load of the lamp 60w /120v = .5 amps code allows 18 gauge in signal circuits to be 7 amps. So the wire is large enough but a larger lamp may have cooked the wiring in the past.


How can I extend existing vinyl siding downward to cover top of concrete foundation?

I hope the sketch says it all.
I can elaborate if you have questions


Whenever mounting shelves in a closet I would recommend the following:

Determine what is behind the wall you are mounting to. Is there any electrical, plumbing, or ducting to worry about? Don't just assume on this. Actually check as if there is something and you didn't check you could seriously injure or kill yourself (if electrical).
Determine where studs are with stud finder. If none are found within span you are mounting shelf, there are almost always at least two on the corners of the room.
If studs are found, try to anchor as much as you can directly to the studs. I know that often the studs aren't in the optimal placement for a shelf but you get the most secure mount for "free" as the support already exists.
For those mounts that you can't find a stud for, then uses drywall anchors. For these you will need to estimate how much load you expect to be on them. If your shelf has a support touching the ground (most weight is not on the wall) then less than pretty low weight rated ones are perfectly fine. If it is a floating shelf then calculate the weight of the shelf + the most weight you would ever put on it and divide by the number of mount points to determine your weight requirement per drywall anchor.


Wiring in a Aprilaire 500m to an older (11-86) Trane furnace w/o A/C

I would use a Honeywell sail switch like the S688A-1007 from SupplyHouse.com for about $50.00 bucks and wire it in series with the power source for the humidifier. You could also use an air pressure switch from the same supplier. Those sail switches work very well.


Loud gushing noise when neighbour runs their faucet

Assuming you're just hearing it & not noticing any other effects from it. An other effect would be your sink trap's water or your toilet's water being sucked right out, which doesn't appear to be happening.

Then, I'm inclined to think the wall or pipe changed. What could have changed in the wall is that thermal &/or sound insulation may have shifted or completely fallen away. A pipe change would be the pipe shifting or settling down onto a structural member of the wall which could be just a millimeter of change. Now, having an avenue to transfer its normal operations.

Neither of these are catastrophic nor indicative of the pipe rotting away to a much thinner pipe. But, there may have also been work done elsewhere that brought the onset. It's more likely that it's just natural settlement issues from heavy trucks driving by, earthquakes, freeze-thaw, or normal pipe vibration.

Of course, it should be investigated fully & abated for your continued enjoyment. A building of that size should have access within the wall from the basement. I'm sure no-one will be happy about the journey, but 2nd floor is about as good as it gets.


How can I install an electrical plug without a stud nearby?

If you're installing it in a drywall wall, you'd use what's known as an old work box.

They can be found on Amazon


Why does Florida drywall have a pebbled surface?

I'm assuming you mean an orange peel finished texture. That is a popular style that fades in and out like any fashion. Stucco exteriors are popular in the South; wood siding is popular in the North.


Is 15/32" Plywood okay for Subfloor under tile?

Most tile and mortar manufacturers want 1-1/4" (nominal) even with polymer-modified mortar. While your joists are unlikely to flex, the subfloor might. I'd use 1/2" cement board if height isn't a critical concern.

Alternatively, block between your joists on 16" or 19.2" centers. Even vertically-oriented 2x4s would do if fastened well.


How do I best protect my hardwood floors from damage by moving chair legs

There are Teflon glides that can be screwed on. You might try those on one chair to see how they work out for you. Because they screw on, then can be easily unscrewed. I would drill a pilot hole - though your existing nail holes might suffice.

Teflon is a proprietary name for PTFE, so search also for screw-on PTFE furniture glides.

Teflon is slippery, so a disadvantage may be that your chairs might scoot away from you if you are not careful when sitting down. There's no getting away from the fact that staying-put requires friction which means abrasion.


Pouring foundations in cold weather, builder didn't protect them - how to tell if it is set right?

you sound canadian from the metric and the cold in march, so i will answer with some familiarity.  i'm a general contractor in southern ontario so i am very familiar with it.  you absolutely cannot let concrete freeze in the first 24 hours.  never, never, never, never.

generally, lows at night below freezing are highly undesirable for concrete here.  even if it gets super hot the next day, it doesn't take much below zero to get frost penetration into the concrete.  however, as the anhydrate in the concrete mix depresses the freezing point, it can fare fine below zero for a while.  its all site and condition specific.  a good wind can drive the concrete into freezing, whereas the same concrete and no wind might be fine.

however, as concrete generates substantial heat as it cures, it might be okay, but at the very least, it would have to be tarped and blanketed, or as we often do here, buried in hay for the first week.  sometimes you just tent the whole foundation and just run diesel heaters for the first three days.  either way, you have to prevent freezing.

from your description, it sounds like the concrete was poured unprotected into forms that were probably on frozen ground, or at least very cold (bad as it accelerates freezing).  if this is the case, and you had no surface protection, you will definitely see problems.  unfortunately, as these problems are essentially in how the concrete crystallized internally, you may not see problems for years.  it will first show up as microfractures at corners, then spalling at the frost line, and finally, dissolution of the foundation walls, usually at the outside bottoms (where the weeping tile is).  you cannot prove it until the concrete has fully cured, 28 days on, and it requires core samples and engineering studies.  you cannot rely on the word of the contractor or the concrete supplier.  they obviously don't want any liability.

step 1 - start documenting everything.  photos, pour dates and weather reports, etc.  have it all notarized to prepare for the inevitable court case down the road.

step 2 - get a lawyer to put it all in writing to the contractor.  even if its not a statement of claim, it goes on the record.  if your home is in ontario, it will be registered with tarion, and you can use it all to fight it down the road

step 3 - you can go so far as to file a statement of claim if you get engineering data back that proves it.  better to demo a bad foundation and do it again than repair a bad foundation ten years from now with a house on it and finished landscaping and driveways around it.

good luck and remember, wishful thinking and hoping for the best are recipes for disaster in house construction.


What size chain is typically used when hanging a porch swing?

A standard double loop chain is often used for porch swings.

Assuming three hefty occupants (~250 lbs each) and a 100 lb swing, you're up to a load of 850 lbs. If you use 4 lengths of chain to connect the swing, that's 212.5 lbs per chain. So you need at least 2/0 chain, which is rated to a working load of 255 lbs and an UTS of 1020 lbs.

EDIT: If you're a nerd/engineer like me, you can get more technical and take into account angle of the chains from vertical and normal acceleration from swinging. Then your equation comes to:

4*T*cos(Θ)-m*g=m*a where a=v^2/(l*cos(Θ))

or

T=m*((v^2/(l*cos(Θ)))+g)/(4*cos(Θ))

where

T is the tension per chain length using a total of 4 chains,
m is the total mass of the system,
a is normal acceleration,
l is the chain length,
v is maximum horizontal velocity you'll be reaching, and
Θ is the angle of the chains from the vertical

which will be a bit more than 255 lbs if you're swinging very fast, or have very short chains or a very wide swing. In that case, you may want to go with 3/0 chain.

Resource


How much will a damper clamp increase my energy costs?

Simply, you are not authorized to use the fireplace if you are ever going to forget to open the flue. If you can start the fire with the click of a remote I'd highly suggest leaving it open if you think you might forget. Perhaps a motorized flue control is in order (ideally one with limit switches that deny gas flow until satisfied-open). A CO detector goes without saying I'd hope.

Offhand, I can quantify for you that almost every fireplace installed in a house, has a net loss for heat. Including some even while they're in use. Keep the flue and doors closed when it's not.

houselogic.com will answer your bonus question by making sure you have a chimney cap present which keeps animals, rain, and snow out of the chimney.


According to the installation instructions for a Hunter Universal Fan & Light Remote Control (Model 27185), the device should be wired as follows.

Green/bare from ceiling to green/bare from receiver and fan.
Black from ceiling to black (hot) from receiver.
White from ceiling to white (neutral) from receiver.
Blue from fan to red (light) from receiver.
Black from fan to black (fan) from receiver.
White from fan to white (common) from receiver.
*Red from ceiling should be capped off.

*Optional: If the unit was previously controlled by two switches.


Hanging Internal Doors - is a frame made from 2 x 2's strong enough

Weight of doors is critical here.  A solid pine door 1.5" thick = 1/8 cubic foot per square foot * 30 lbs/cubic foot = 4.25 pounds per square foot.  If it were a normal sized door 6'6" x 2'6" you have about 16 square feet so something like 70 pounds.

If it's pine veneer on particle board it may be over 100.  If it's 5/16" cottage plank with Z bracing is could be almost as light as your present doors.

A normal door is hung from doubled studs.  One goes up to the ceiling, one goes to the top of the frame.  Is it actually a 2x2 or is it a 2x4 mounted edgeways?

Try this:  Open the door a few inches.  Put a level along the length of the top of the door, or use a clamp, and clamp it to the door.

Now hang your weight on the top corner of the door.  Does the level deflect?  How much?
Repeat this test with the door at 90 degrees.  If you get more deflection here, you likely have a 2x4 set edgeways.  It's stiffer in that direction.

Repeat this test with your front door.  Compare the deflections.  If your closet door only deflects a bit more than your front door, you are fine.  If it deflects a lot more, then you need to beef up the frame.


I suppose there must be a way you could splice dimensional lumber and make a longer span, but... why?
Have a look at wood I-joists. Boise Cascade (BCI), LP Building Products (SolidStart) and Weyerhaeuser (TJI) are three options widely available in the US. (photo below from lpcorp.com)

As a single point of reference, a BCI span table shows spans up to or exceeding 24 ft with joists 11-7/8, 14, or 16 inches deep with spacings of 12, 16, 19.2, or 24 inches on center. You'll have to consult the table yourself to see the effects of joist family, spacing, allowed deflection, and loading.


What is this threaded lamp(?) piece called?

Closest I've found is "THREADED CANDELABRA SOCKET CUP"

I'm finding a couple of similar-looking items called "lamp holder with threaded sleeve", for example:
Lamp holder E27 with threaded sleeve:

E27 BLACK THREADED SKIRT PENDANT STYLE LAMP HOLDER WITH 1/8IPS THREADED CAP:

E27 BLACK PHENOLIC FULLY THREADED SKIRT LAMP HOLDER WITH 1/8IPS THREADED CAP:


Hanging ceiling drywall, rafters not all 24” center?

I would suggest that you install 1x4 furring strips (example not a recommendation) across the joists.    Use the picture below as an example.
Notes:

24" is too far apart to install 5/8" on a ceiling.   It would sag over time especially in a garage where there are more humidity and heat changes.   So even if they were dead on - still a bad install.   No inspector near me would OK this (yes I know its a garage and might not be inspected).
I use 1x4 furring strips on basements and garages for ceilings when I need to.   I have used 1x3s and what I have found is when you screw into the edge of them you can split the strips or crack them.   Furring strips are cheap wood - give yourself the extra inch.   The cost comparison is pretty negligible - might cost $10 more for the garage.
The wider furring strips allow for you to install hooks and things easier too once the drywall is up.
If there is a room above the furring strips will help you hold the insulation.  Make sure to make rigid boxes to separate lighting before drywalling - much easier to do this beforehand.
If your walls (drywall) isn't up yet make sure your furring strips near the wall are about 6 inches out - you do not want to screw the edges down.   This will allow for movement and the drywall on the walls should support this.
These furring strips since it is 5/8" and a ceiling should either be 12" or 18" on center.   18" is probably adequate for a garage.   You need at least three tie-in rows.
If you have a nail gun this is about 30 mins of prep for a garage.   You can use a chalk rope to snap your grid and you should only have 10 or so cuts.   This 30 mins of prep will make installing the drywall on the ceiling be twice as quick.

Side Note:  Concerning point #1 - I am not disagreeing about the ability to install the drywall on 24" on center.   But I have done a lot of houses.  Most are 24" on center, most/all old ones have cracked seams.   Most have no strapping or blocking.    So sure put the drywall up and watch all your seams crack over time.   And when your seams crack there isn't a long-term fix - yes you can always remud the seam and it will crack again.    The fact is you will hang stuff in garage, you will have insulation on top of the drywall, you will be hanging shelves, you will probably have a garage door opener.   Yes the garage does not have to be the Taj Majal but doing a tiny bit of prep is the right way.   You can certainly do a substandard install and say "it's the garage".   The point of my answer is the furring strips are cheap and easy to install AND make the install much easier and last longer.   I have done this to any garage or basement that I have redone - (basements are a great example - if I do a basement without furring strips you can for sure see the bumps on the joists after a bit no matter how good of a job you do.  I am not saying anyone without inspecting it and staring at the ceiling would notice but hey I can see it.    If you use furring strips almost impossible to notice.)


How do you add a T join in to an existing underground drain pipe?

One technique with a little more digging, but not a lot, is to cut out a section of pipe, add 4 elbows to make an offset and put the tee in the offset.

Depending on what fittings you can get, there are also "saddle" or "snap" tees made to attach by clipping onto the pipe (and drilling a hole, and gluing, typically.)

This assumes that the pipe size is sufficient for the flow from both roofs - otherwise, you might be better off with a new pipe from the new roof right to the tank.


How do I fix the shelf support holes in my cabinets?

The metric (4 or 5mm) holes can be redrilled to hold the 1/4" shelf spoons. If that does not do it, there are metal sockets for the 1/4" spoons that take a slightly larger hole, then they can be driven into place to hold the larger spoon.
If the spoons or clips already have a 1/4" hole, then you may be better off retro fitting a shelf track system. Third pic.

Instead of trying to drive nails in a tight space, use 4ga X3/4" screws instead, the cabinet will thank you for it.

The picture size is grossly out of proportion, buit the first pic is the socket that holds the spoon which is the second pic. The socket looks more like a bucket, that will hold 10 of those spoons..


Some tile grout residue has ended up in my kitchen sink and dishwasher. How can I safely remove it?

Wipe them off.  Grout will not stick to anything any better than cream of wheat.  You may need some cleaners (appropriate for the material you are cleaning), and brushes (maybe wire brushes or SOS pads) but it generally will become brittle once dried out and pop off.


Fill drained rocks or gravels around tree base surrounding by deck

The tree will continue to expand as it grows. If you completely fill that space, it may start to push the rocks against the deck.
More important, whatever you do make sure there's plenty of drainage. The trunk will be at risk of rot damage if you surround it with materials that hold water -- and remember that it only takes a couple years for dust & dirt to fill in the gaps in coarse gravel.
Personally, both for the tree's health and for aesthetics, I'd leave the area open.


Is it acceptable to install a pool tile mosaic without any thinset or mortar?

A Google search for "ansi A108.5.2.4" (no quotes) finds a PDF as the first hit  containing:


Do pex fittings need to be replaced when installing a new water heater?

PEX pipe won't slide off the fittings if spun because they are on there through compression and not screwed on. I've spun the crimp style fittings without issues but never spun the style you have before but from what I've read, you can spin them with out issue. If you decide to cut the pipe, remember you'll need a spreading tool to reconnect the pipes or use something like SharkBite fittings. You can reuse the brass fittings by cutting the ring with a knife and then heating up the plastic pipe and then bend it back and forth until it comes off. From what I've read, you can do the same with the plastic fittings but be very careful not to cut or overheat them. I'd just replace the plastic ones instead.


Soft washing vs pressure washing-cleaning gable siding

I like soft washing because: 1) Control, 2) Will not destroy caulking/sealant, 3) Will not deform face of siding/brick,

1) Controlling the direction of the nozzle is important so the spray does not go where it can leak into the house. Often high pressure sprays will “push” a water stream in cracks, around trim, etc. causing leaks inside the house.

2) A high pressure spray can “blow out” the caulking and sealant around windows and doors.

3) A high pressure spray can easily deform (gouge) the surface of the siding or brick. When we clean historic structures, it is especially important not to “over clean” the surface because it can get damaged easily.

I use a siding cleaner. First, I pre-soak the siding and the spray the cleaner on the surface of the siding/brick. The instructions on the cleaner will tell you how long to let it sit before you clean it off by spraying it.

The comment regarding not aiming the spray upwards is referring to the possibility of pushing water up under building paper and moisture barriers. This is especially important at corners, joints in siding or trim, where the building paper may not be lapped properly.

Remember, brick needs a clear sealant installed over it just like siding needs to be painted. The sun and rain will wear the protective coating off over time, so it needs to be reapplied every 3-5 years.


Baby proof 240V outlet(for air conditioning) in living room

I think that what you want is an In-Use Cover.

Secondly, baby fencing is a must. If you don't have some, or don't need it here, you'll need it somewhere. If you don't want to attach it to the wall (understandable), just set something heavy (like a box or bucket of stuff) on the inside and oustide of the fence to support it and keep baby from knocking it over.

EDIT- Mounting an in use box:

EDIT- Plate kit:


The biggest reason is probably "because that's where it fits."
It's true that warmer air can carry more grains of water than colder air can. That's a good physics-based reason for locating the humidifier on the supply air duct.
But lots of homes have an air conditioning evaporator sitting atop the furnace. Furnaces don't often get installed in a premium room; instead they end up stuffed in a closet somewhere that's lucky to have an 8 foot ceiling. Then the supply ducts have to remain below the floor joists, and the ducts are about a foot deep, and next thing you know there are only 7 feet of vertical height to fit the furnace and A/C into. There often isn't vertical space to accommodate a humidifier. Oh, and there are one or two ducts for the exhaust flue and maybe intake air too that come down in front of the furnace. And so on..
A return air duct, on the other hand, is often a large blank canvas. There is lots of unobstructed surface where the humidifier can be mounted. It might become routine to some installers to place a humidifier there "because that's how we always do it" even if there were room on the supply duct on a particular job.
A humidifier should be able to get the job done regardless of which duct it's installed on. If yours isn't, maybe you could ask a question about that.


What's the difference between "physical damage" and "severe physical damage" in the NEC?

I don't know for certain but my interpretation of that language would be that "severe physical damage" would result from impacts or accidents caused by machinery, and "physical damage" would be an impact or accident involving people and objects only. For example, a forklift or pallet jack could easily crush even heavy-walled Rigid Metallic Conduit (the stuff with threaded ends and connectors). However if you had EMT conduit on the wall and a leaning 2x4 falls against it, it will probably be fine.


How to figure out max Watt rating for transfer switch?

TLDR: Any Honda generator will be safe, but if the gen is larger than about 7200W it will need a 30A breaker on the supply socket.  You will probably want all of 7000W based on the loads you named so far, but what loads you serve with this is up to you. Clever choices could reduce generator need.

The switch's labeling says 30A capacity.  That looks like a NEMA 14-30 inlet which again is 30A.

30A x 240V = 7200 watts.

This thing is a subpanel without a main breaker, and that requires a breaker on its supply (supplies).  Amp-changing (50A-30A) cheater cords are illegal, so this  30A inlet plugs into a 30A outlet on the generator. That outlet must have a 30A breaker on it to protect the power cable to this panel, and this panel itself.

As long as the generator provides 30A protection, it can be any size, even 1000A. That's a bit of poetic license. You won't find generators that big on the market, any 240KW generator would make 480 3-phase or higher and use transformers to provision 120/240 loads.

A <=7200W generator is fine. The generator's inability to supply more than 30A will suffice as overcurrent protection: those won't need a supply breaker.  Note Honda is remarketing this panel, they make small consumer tier generators and any of those would suit.

Each of the 10 circuits has a 15A breaker, so even if it's a 20A circuit it is protected at 15A in this thing. However the wire from the main to this panel is not protected at 15A as it should be, so change out those supply breakers to 15A.

You don't seem to be clear on which circuits are powered through this subpanel.  That's kind of a problem.  Not only should you know... It should be your decision.  The loads you choose largely decide how much generator you need.

The choices made so far are fairly piggy (the microwave is a fat load to be sure, and the water heater is humongous unless it's gas), necessitating a large generator.  A thoughtful person could make make careful, compromise choices and reduce the needed generator size considerably.


How can I fix floor cracks in bathtub (enamel?) coating?

Most home centers will carry a porcelain touch-up paint. I have used it for chips but not for repairs as large as your photos show. Trying it won't make it any worse. As an alternative you can see if you it is possible to identify the tub manufacturer. It is possible that it still is under warranty. Several full scale repairs options are available with out replacement of the tub. One type involves installation of a specially molded liner that covers the entire tub. The other involves coating the tub with an epoxy like material. Neither of these are do-it yourself projects but generally are less costly than having the tub replaced. A local search for Tub-refitters should yield some results.


Consumer unit (electrical panel) in cloakroom allowed?

What do the regulations say?

The law says remarkably little.
You can download Approved Document P: electrical safety, dwellings
It says things like

P1. Reasonable provision shall be made in the design
and installation of electrical installations in order to
protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the
installations from fire or injury.

and

Additions and alterations to existing electrical installations
1.6 Regulation 4(3) states that when building work is complete, the building should be no more unsatisfactory in terms of complying with the applicable parts of Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations than before the building work was started. Therefore, when extending or altering an electrical installation, only the new work must meet current standards. There is no obligation to upgrade the existing installation unless either of the following applies.
a. The new work adversely affects the safety of the existing installation.
b. The state of the existing installation is such that the new work cannot be operated safely

(my emphasis)
and

Electrical installations should be designed and installed in accordance with BS 7671:2008 incorporating Amendment No 1:2011

Note that "should" is not "must". In practice, a DIYer or self-employed electrician would not have the resources to use another standard.
BS 7671 is a publication of the IET & BSI  and can be purchased from the BSI for £85.
I'm not an electrician so I haven't purchased a copy, I'm reasonably sure that it permits consumer units in rooms containing a toilet and washbasin. BS 7671 is stricter about what goes in rooms containing a bath or shower.
The builder probably located it there because it was convenient (probably utility owned meter on other side of wall) and cheaper than putting it somewhere more sensible.
Note that the IET say

No, when installing a new circuit to an existing installation, after 1st January 2016, providing there is a spare way on the existing consumer unit, or if you utilise an existing way, there is no requirement to upgrade the consumer unit from a plastic product to a new metal type.

So adding new circuits is not sufficient justification by itself for relocating a consumer unit.


How to keep self cleaning oven from damaging things?

what is a good way from preventing surrounding from getting damaged
  (cabinets, micro, whatever)? Last time I used it my cabinets fronts
  got scorched - turned them from white to light yellow.

To prevent the surroundings from getting damaged, I place two box window fans in front of the oven on the floor about 2 feet away, and table fan on the counter blowing behind.


How do I remove a 4x4 fence post that is snapped off at ground level?

Depends on how intact it is. If it is good solid wood, screw a long eye-bolt into it and yank it out / work it out that way

If it's all punky, drill some holes down the middle and split it, and remove the pieces.


Why is humidity high from one unit but not the other?

Most residential AC system thermostats only turn on based on temperature. And most residential AC systems only dehumidify when then AC is cooling. Therefore, it's very possible that the AC is cooling the house faster than it can dehumidify. Try turning the thermostat down a couple of degrees.


Can I short live Rc and Rh terminals together as R?

You need to return it and get a different 'stat
The thermostat you have is a refresh of the Nest "E" model, and thus is a stripped-down version that doesn't support more sophisticated systems, such as your two-transformer system, or multi-stage systems of any sort for that matter.  You will need to return it and get a full-fledged 3rd generation Nest, or some other thermostat for that matter, that has separate Rh and Rc terminals.


Rectify smooth filler patches on sand and cement skimmed wall

Welcome to the fun world of texture (intentional or not). This is why I dislike textured ceilings. Matching both the texture and color proves to be difficult, if not impossible.

While color is not an issue (this is new work), the texture is going to be a problem. There's no easy way to put a matching texture back on the smooth spots. What I would recommend is sanding it all smooth. Get a rubbing brick and work the wall until the texture change isn't noticeable anymore.

One other piece of advice: get a final opinion (after sanding) from someone not familiar with this. If a person seeing it for the first time can't notice, most people won't. Don't be too anal about the wall. Yes, you will know where you created smooth spots, but the average person doesn't scrutinize walls for flaws.


How to remove stubborn adhesive residue from my windows?

Four years ? Your arm must be very tired and muscular. How did you find time to google forever?
Try DuckDuckGo.
You need a razor window/glass scraper.

Use the scraper and some denatured alcohol, apply a little denatured alcohol before hand to soften it up then scrape it and  wipe with the denatured alcohol, Repeat.
You may need to CAREFULLY clean the blade with some denatured alcohol between scrapings.


Many laptop cords are standardized. Where there is no external power supply, they often just need a stock AC cord such as this.

If it is three prong, it may be like this.

If it is damaged, replace it. It is cheap, available at many locations and safe. Do not repair except as an emergency measure.

However, many laptops have an AC cord (the cord that plugs into the wall) that also plugs in on the other end to a power supply (a small plastic brick). The AC wire almost always can be disconnected from the unit and the same replacement technique applies.

The AC cord is on the left, the power supply and its cord on the right.

If the AC cord is damaged, replace the cord.

If the other wire attached to this unit (the wire that goes to the computer rather than the wall) is damaged, this is much more problematic. These wires are almost always not detachable from the power supply, and they are usually proprietary (non-standard connectors). If the damage is very minor, you may be able to get away with shrink tubing, if it fits over the connector (sounds doubtful), or plastic electrical tape (always a bit sketchy on a wire that flexes). This is a low voltage wire, but it still is problematic. You may need to get a replacement power supply from the manufacturer or a third party supplier.

On the other cords, there are two types of replacement plugs, screw on and piercing.

Pierce seems easier, but screw on seems more reliable. They are also available in polarized and three prong versions. Cut the wire above the bad section and bring your old plug to match.


What are the pros and cons of LED lighting for home use?

Many issues here. Let me go over in as much detail as possible:
Background: I love energy efficiency, and when doing my kitchen researched this LED Vs CFL vs incandescent lights extensively. Notice there are also permit (legal) implications, depending on which state you leave (CA has Title 24 for example).

Connector types: There are several connectors that make the decision of which light you can use tricky. the main ones are

Edison: The screw type, accepts CFL, Incandescent and some LED bulbs

Pins (2 or 4): Accepts florescent. Was invented mostly so that for permits purposes, they can make sure you are installing an efficient light and will not go and replace the CFL bulb with an incandescent one after you pass the permit.

GU10: mostly used for high voltage halogen

GU5.3 Bi- Pin: mostly used for low voltage halogen

High level rules:

You never go with incandescent when it is incandescent Vs CFL (Edison, screw system). LEDs are getting there, but not enough to justify the price and their light output is very low.
You can only go with pin florescent if you have a florescent "hw". that is the only thing that you can plug there by design.
Never use Halogen. If it is a GU10 (line voltage), get a $20-$30 LED (MR16). you get 4W Vs 35W. Light output is lower, but you can get HW with simply more heads. Replace 3 halogen with 5 LEDs and you are fine in terms of light and energy savings
If the halogen is a low voltage, things get tricky. You can just replace the head with a 3-5W bi-pin LED. they run $10-$20. They problem is that you need to make sure your low voltage converter will work. converters have what's called "minimal load". For most of them, they expect a 35-50W halogen so they have a minimal load of 10-20. That means that when you plug a 3W LED, they may not kick in. you solve it by either using a remote transformer that feeds "enough" LED bulbs, or get a transformer that is "led" designed, but really all it means is that it has a minimal load of 3w and goes all the way up to something (I have a 3-60W for mono-points).

Lat general tip: do not mess with dimmers. Just on/off.

My personal choices:
For kitchen recessed light I got LED LR6-GU24. It is 12W, think that the florescent way would suggest I put a 23W bulb for each of these (I have 7). That means 50% saving. Same light output (they say it is 65W equivalent, but it feels like closer to 90W). No one can tell it is LED BTW, it is bright and even (not a "pin" of light, and well spread).
Cost efficient: great! less energy, and upfront cost was the same as getting a florescent can combination. (you may get cheaper florescent if it is not for a permit and you do the Edison type)

For a bat lights I went with 3 mono points. Each has a transformer built in. I did not (suggest you never) buy "LED" lamps since you pay a huge premium for getting the LED HW. I just got the transformer with minimal load of 3W. I then threw away the GU5.3 Bi- Pin halogen and got Maxxima LED MR16. They are very good price (value) company. I compared the light to a $30 GE and these one are just as good. Notice that at 3W it is indeed just ambient light. good for over the bar in addition to some other light in the room. If you need more power, get 4 or 5W bulbs. see maxxima site

For spotlight lights in the center of medium size room, I went with much cheaper "line voltage" fixture from Lowes. These fixtures expect GU10 halogen (25-50W). I got in this case a the more expensive $30 LED GU10 bulbs (GE, at home depot). They are great, but I hope you can do better on the price. I have 5 and for medium size dining room, correctly targeted, it is nice light to use while eating.


you have a water leak somewhere in your wall find it fast. since it has been raining for 2 weeks its most likey rain water from outside. im assuming this is wall is on the side of your house. so the other side of this wall is out side? also how old is house. is it on a concert slab or pier and beam. i think i see the paint pilling on the baseborad so the rot is also in the way more info is needed


Remove old ceiling pancake (pan) junction box, or how to work around bolt in that box?

You don't need that bracket

The bracket you depict in your photos is intended to provide a mounting stud if your box lacks one.  Since your box has a stud already, the thing you need isn't that bracket, but a piece called a hickey that screws onto the existing mounting stud and then provides a place for the fixture nipple to screw into, allowing the wires to exit it:

Oh, and make sure to put that nut back on the fixture stud, by the way, so the box doesn't wind up putting excessive stress on the conduits in the ceiling.


For raw holding power, sustained flexibility, and general toughness, it's hard to beat modern urethane caulks. Here's a good example (not an endorsement).

Note that urethane in any form (varnish, caulk, spray foam, household glue) is extremely sticky and will instantly ruin clothing and surfaces if it makes contact. It'll also grab skin and hang tight until it wears away.

Also, I don't think a heat gun is the right approach to removing your existing caulk unless it's a thin, soft layer. You'll have a hard time getting enough heat into the bead and surrounding concrete to soften it all the way through. Probably better to just scrape it away.


Can I use a pressure gauge to detect refrigerant leaks in a heat pump?

Holy cow if you are willing to spend this much get a quality leak detector not a cheeeeep one they are crap. Adding a gauge to connect to your system creates a loss in freon every time It is connected! I have quality detectors that cost around this much that can find a leak were bubble solution will not. I think my oldest one is an Inficon TEK-Mate. I have better models that cost way more, and have tried some internet crap at 1/2 the price that could not find a leak that a bubble test solution was blowing huge bubbles.


Pure sine wave or modified for a Trane HVAC?

the laptop  wont care if its  modified sine wave power but  if you plan on running an ac get a generator the trane is using  a 1 hp capacitor start capacitor run induction motor, it requires  a true sinewave to run  using modified will ruin it and void the waranty. also truesine inverters are very costly. you should be fine using a 25kw generator.


How can I get plastic wall anchors to work with a tile wall?

Drywall anchors depend on making the hole a little bigger as they are inserted.  This is a good thing, because drilled sheetrock holes may have chunks missing and the gypsum is not necessarily compacted.  Inserting the anchor compresses the surrounding gypsum and makes it stronger.

Tile is, of course, not flexible or malleable, so you'll have to drill a slightly larger hole through it.  To get maximum holding power, use two bits.  The smaller one all the way through, followed by the larger one just through the tile with minimum drywall contact.  Without knowing which kind of anchor and its size, I can't tell you what size bits to use.  I would experiment by trying 1/64 inch larger increments until the anchor slides through normally.


Is it safe to use drywall anchors for a heavy bookshelf between two studs?

Yes this will be fine if you use the right type of anchor, you need toggle bolts of some sort.  For example a 3/16" toggle bolt in 1/2" drywall can support 70# of load.  If you have two or three of these on the middle shelf bracket, it will be more than adequate.

I'd recommend snaptoggles, eztoggles, or other variant that holds the toggle in the wall without the bolt - these are much easier to use.

When you select your shelf brackets, you'll want something that you screw fast to the wall; you don't want something with the "keyhole" type mounting holes, where you basically hang the shelf brackets off the screws.


Adding a second motion sensor to an existing motion sensor light

I have put multiple motion sensor lights (up to 3) on the same light string on circular driveways. The black to hot white to neutral With the light neutral and the red to the light string black. When any of the motion sensors detect motion the lights come on. If multiple sensors are tripped the one with the longest time or last one tripped will keep the lights on until it times out. All the sensors need to be powered from the same circuit or it may fry the controllers, trip the breakers. The only problem I have had doing this is troubleshooting when 1 sensor fails it takes time to find the bad one. This was prior to led lighting but it should work with led rated sensors also.


Am I using the correct ABS fittings in my final design?

I cannot speak for the rest of the states, but in WA state, there are clean-outs needed at the sink location, and perhaps at the toilet too. The sink clean out would go between 1 and 3, just below 1 in the cabinet so the tail pipe and trap would not need to be removed in case of a clog.
The green line is needed, but the yellow line is not, as long as the toilet is already vented with an existing tie in. I suppose that is what the un-terminated gray line is depicting.
Otherwise it looks good, but to let you know, I am not a licensed plumber, nor plumber, I just been in the business of home building a really long time and I know a few things... Not a lot, just a few....


Going from dual bowl sink to single bowl

I would not call a plumber. I would see if I could get a plug fitting for the slip joint nearest the Y and remove the left hand branch (no cutting or gluing). This frees up space under the sink. EDIT I couldn't find what I was thinking of, but there must be some fittings that would seal the 1 1/2" drain pipe.

You would connect what appears to be the dishwasher drain to a special tailpiece designed for DW connection above the trap on the right side.
DW tailpiece, e.g.,  http://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-1-1-2-in-x-8-in-Plastic-Dishwasher-Wye-Tailpiece-C9816/205153966 or get a longer one if needed: Watts long DW tailpiece


Can I use a 1/8 water supply line for a dryer with steam refresh option?

In the plumbing world this is fine.  However it might not be fine with your dryer.  You will need to read the manual or call the manufacturer to get an answer.

I don't foresee a dryer using a steaming feature needing more than a 1/8" line but who knows if there is some sort of pressure rating needed.  It is probable that the manufacturer doesn't use 1/8" because it just isn't a commonly used size anymore and you can get screw hoses from big box for larger sizes.


How close should a french drain be to a foundation?

Typically a perimeter drain system is installed within 12 inches of the foundation wall. The gravel backfill then rests against the foundation and the pipe is 6 inches or so out from the wall.

In your case, I don't think it would make much difference in the performance of your drain. Not sure exactly what you meant by 18" max. Is the foundation only 18" deep or your drain to be installed no more than 18" deep?  You definitely don't want to dig deeper or too close to a shallow foundation so as not to undermine it.  Good luck.


How to fix a leaking bath tub overflow drain?

If the leak is occuring where the overflow attaches to the tub you may be able to seal it. Remove the screws that hold the overflow cover in place. Depending on the style it may also contain the tub drain lever. With the cover removed you may be able to see the contact point between the tub and the seal. Try to fill the entire sealing surface with "Plumbers Putty". Replace the cover as it will pull the overflow pipe and the tub together. If that doesn't work try this product http://www.theplumbinginfo.com/remove-replace-repair-bath-tub-overflow/. I haven't tried it but it looks like it beats tearing walls apart. As an alternative open up the wall behind the tub and after the repair leave an access panel so ot will be easier next time.


I don’t see any problem with your setup, using the system to monitor your generator is a good idea. I have done similar with CT,s or current transformers I have my generator looped 4 times through my CT’s since my gauges are analogue I know to divide by 4 when the generator is running depending on your CT’s or what ever they call your clamps you may need to do the same to get better resolution with the generator. (4 times provides a 200 amp reading on my gauges that a 50 amp reading would be hard to tell if 35 or 50)


NEC 422.16(B)(2) Built-in Dishwashers and Trash Compactors Requirement

NEC 422.16(B)(2) is pretty much a repeat of NEC 400.12 Flexible Cords and Cables Uses Not Permitted. (7) Where subject to physical damage. In review of this Article 400.12(3) also says where run though holes in walls ... or 400.12(4) where run through doorways, windows or similar openings.

First I would say I don't think the location of the receptacle and cord pose a threat to physical damage, but I do think it at least violates the intent of parts (3) and (4).

I will say that there has been plenty of debate among the electrical inspection community on whether a cabinet side is really a wall or a partition and is it allowed to be penetrated. I suspect a clearer definition will come out in later Code publications but right know everyone is stuck with the ones we have.

As I have said before, I have an opinion but it doesn't matter. These debates have pretty much left the decision up to the AHJ (electrical inspector in your area). You should probably check with your municipality on their opinion.


Downstream GFCI protection vs NEC code requirements

GFCI protection extends to circuits; including any devices, that are connected to the LOAD side terminals of a GFCI device. This means that if the wires feeding the circuit beyond the GFCI are connected to the LOAD terminals of the GFCI, then the downstream circuit is GFCI protected.

A simple test is to plug something into the receptacle that you need protected, then press the TEST button on the upstream GFCI device.  If the plugged in item turns off, then the receptacle that it's attached to is GFCI protected. When you press the TEST button on a GFCI device, anything that is protected by that device will lose power (unless of course the GFCI device has malfunctioned).


Raised oak grain after 3 coats of acrylic polyurethane

A common mistake with water based poly is application that is not thick enough.

Give it a light sanding then apply a final heavy coat (or two) and it should come out beautifully.


What Kind of Outlet Allows 1 In-Wall Light Switch w 2 Outlets to Control 2 Sconces w Semi-Independent On/Off Buttons & Outlets on Each?

Your switch sounds like a normal single pole switch.  Someone basically wired up the switch to the sconce which already had switches so they could leave the sconce switch on all the time and turn both sconces on with the wall switch only.

So nothing fancy - you should be able to just get a standard outlet to replace the wall switch and run the line to the sconces as "load" from the new outlet.  However since this is a bathroom you might want a GFCI outlet as extra protection.


How to evaluate if a door is hung correctly?

Plumb, level, square.
On plane (not necessarily with respect to the wall, which may be twisted or otherwise distorted).
Uniform, appropriate gaps.
Solid attachment, especially at the hinges and strike plate.
Smooth, quiet operation with no gravity-induced movement.
Proper weather sealing, where appropriate.

Experience claim: Hundreds (thousands?) of interior and exterior doors installed or refurbished over 30 years.