Why am I getting shocked by a water heater?

Filipino electrical service is a morass.  There is some Euro 230V single leg service, and there is some American style 120/240 split phase service.  And if those services are wired to Euro or USA standard, they'll be as safe.

However, in actual practice, weird things get done in the Philippines.  And  there is a high rate of electrocutions.  This is one of those weird deals.  They are providing you North American style service, but not providing you a neutral.

In the top 2  diagrams, note where ground is bonded in the transformer, which wire that ties to, and how that same wire is bonded to ground in the service panel/consumer unit/breaker box.  Then compare with the third diagram where something "ain't quite right".

The problem is, as you can see, this modified North American scheme gives you no place to bond ground in your panel.  Ground is dangling there.  It's not an isolated system, because the pole grounding pegs ground at the halfway mark.  What do you do with it?  Not this:

Neutral Is Not Ground.

You can't force one of them to be a neutral.  Look what happens if you do.

Earth is a very unreliable conductor. It cannot flow enough current to be a reliable current return, as you may have discovered.  However, under wet conditions, it can -- it can flow so much current to trip a -- Oh wait. Neutrals aren't on circuit breakers!  So it'll just spin your electric meter madly until it heats up wires enough to burn your house down!  Also imagine you have a fence between house and pole, and the fence wires are grounded at the house.  At the pole, they're 120V above ground.

So... reality... You can't tie anything to ground, so you don't have a neutral. Both legs are "hots".  And that means both legs need to have circuit breakers.   Because a fault from either one of them to ground could potentially flow a lot of current in rainy conditions. (in dry conditions it would only electrify your grounds.)

The purposes of equipment safety ground

Grounds provide several important safety functions. Your grounding system is going to struggle to do its job under this setup.

Provide a very high current path back to neutral for a hot-ground fault -- to assure a breaker will trip.  This is a left-handed way of providing ground-fault protection.  In this case, this setup Will Not Do That, and could create a dangerous situation.  Your best bet to resolve this is use active/intelligent 2-pole ground-fault detecting breakers (GFCI aka RCD).
Keep metal appliances at a safe voltage relative to your water pipes etc.  Your in-house earthing system would struggle to do that against a ground fault.
Protect equipment by giving static electricity and lightning a way to get to earth.  Your earthing system can do that.
Ensure your conductors don't float at very high voltage.  This will be handled by the power company's grounding back at the pole.

What to do?

Given the service you have, your only option is to wire it like a NEMA 6 receptacle in the US - two hots, ground, no neutral.

First, you must remove any bonding inside your service panel between ground and any wire.

I would strongly recommend you use a split-phase or 3-phase panel, and wire this connection with a 2-pole breaker, so that both "hots" have overcurrent protection.  Normally you don't need overcurrent protection on a neutral, but you don't have a neutral.

Ideally, the ground is simply a safety shield and the appliance should not connect with it at all.   It's probably not a problem, but you need to consult with the manufacturer and make sure they can be powered with ground in between two hots (NEMA 6 style).

Ground is too weak to effectively assure breaker trip on a hot-ground fault.  So it could sit there running 24x7 with a 10-15 amp ground fault - creating dangerous voltages in unexpected places (like your shower!), spinning your electric meter and running up your bill.  Therefore I would strongly recommend you use a 2-pole ground fault detection breaker (GFCI or RCD).  This would be your only protection against a ground fault in the appliance, since ground-as-high-current-path is not working.

The nuclear option

Sometimes the power company just can't provision a safe, proper service.  In that case, the ultimate defense is to obtain a large service transformer of your own.  Get one with a 240V primary (that goes to the utility) and a 120/240V split phase secondary (this is your main service).  Since a transformer fully isolates the supply, you can configure the phase(s) and grounding as you please, i.e. correctly.

A 120/240 split phase transformer can be jumpered in either North American or Euro standard, with no compromises - exactly as you see in the first diagram.  Which one would work best for you, would be a function of what electrical parts are available at sane prices, and what appliances are available at sane prices.  This does not limit you.  You can easily get 240V from a N.Am. configuration via NEMA 6. You can't get 120V out of a Euro panel, but you could add a parallel panel which gets 120V between neutral and the center tap.


If I were to add chlorine to a water heater I would add it through the anode port, this would be a good time to verify that the anode is still serviceable. After letting the treated water sit I would flush through the closest hot water faucet and once the majority of the strong chlorine is gone flush all the hot taps to prevent chlorine poisoning. My well guy told me of a family that saw him bleach the well and did not realize he flushed the well for 3 hours after waiting 3 hours. Almost killed 2 or 3 of them. So be careful and flush the tank until almost no smell.


How much old material do I remove before laying new rolled vinyl?

Just the top layer of vinyl.  You could remove more if you need to match floor height on adjacent rooms.


Adam Jaskiewicz covered the basics, but I'll add a few comments. I've built exactly one "furniture grade" drawer, but several "shop grade" drawers. And I've never done a dovetail joint. So take what I say with at least one grain of salt.

The basic drawer box is four sides with a groove cut into the inside for the bottom. Depending on use, you can use 3/4 plywood or 1" dimensional lumber. You could probably get away with 1/2" plywood for small drawers (for example, in a dresser), but I think the 3/4 is a better choice if you have anything heavy inside. The  can be 1/4 plywood, and it's not glued to the rest of the drawer.

You can use either wooden slides (basically, a groove cut into the back of the drawer and matching strips of wood that run front to back on the piece), or a side-mounted metal slide. I recommend the metal slide, particularly for a kitchen cabinet, which will be fully extended. I really can't recommend using wooden slides: they may be more "pure," but they're a lot less functional (and yes, for my one furniture-grade drawer, I used wooden slides; it doesn't get a lot of use).

Here's a page that describes the basic cuts for a drawer: http://www.knottyplans.com/index.php?page=200422&ref=kp32ap98f (it was one of the top hits on Google that looked reasonable).

The biggest issue that you'll face when building a drawer is how to join the front and sides. This joint will take all of the stress of opening the drawer.

The traditional approach is to use a dovetail joint. If you have a router and a dovetail jig, this is a great approach. It's particularly good if you're making a lot of drawers, and can set the jig once for all of them. You can also make dovetails with a backsaw (or better, a nokogiri saw), but you'll need lots of patience and practice.

Although a dovetail joint is traditional, a finger joint is almost as strong, and you may can make it using a table saw (assuming that you have a dado blade and a vertical jig). There are several other types of joints of varying strength; Fine Woodworking did an article on them several years ago.

If you go the dovetail route, the front panel of the drawer should be the width of the opening minus whatever you need for the slides. In furniture applications that have slides, there's typically a "face" front that's attached to the structural front, and covers the gaps. The alternative is a half-blind dovetail.

However, if you're looking to create drawers that live inside a cabinet (and are therefore hidden behind a door), you can get away with an alternate joint, in which the front panel is held between the side panels, and is screwed in place:

||==front==||
||         ||

In this approach, all of the strength in the joint comes from the mechanical fasteners. So don't skimp: go thick (#8 or better), long (1-1/2 or better), and repeated (one screw per inch). You could also use finishing nails, although they do not provide the flex resistance of screws. Do not rely on glue; there is no surface area for the glue to bond (as far as I'm concerned, end-grain is useless). Oh, and pre-drill the holes.


Need help with install for weil mclain oil boiler

In situations like this, I generally find that the manufacturer is a more reliable source of accurate information than an installer, especially an installer whom you are not using (but then again, you might be wise not to use them, too.) Some installers learned "a particular way" which is either outdated for current equipment or was simply wrong in the first place and depend on that in exclusion to actually reading the instructions; this may not work out well.

The manufacturer has considerably more interest in providing accurate information for successful deployment of their products.


In Unit Laundry Room Stacking Washer/Dryer for Apartment

First, congrats on the very big leap up, skipping clear over the "housemate shares and buying used stuff on Craigslist" phase of young life.

That space is not intended for stackable separate washer/dryers, which are a recent "fad" that are a side effect of the trend to front-load washers (also a deluxe item).

That space is for pre-built washer-dryer combos, which are simply a washer and dryer pre-stacked onto one chassis, like this unit. These units are a stock-and-trade of rental units and condos.  Most are small capacity to make them narrow; large capacity units can be had.

Note the wedge opening that allows access to the top loading washer on the bottom...

Lately, however, the new trend is for "washer-dryer all-in-one" units, which seem to defy the laws of physics! They place washer and dryer function in a unit the form-factor of a washer.  Put clothes in dry, they come out washed and dry.  All the rage on tiny houses, boats, etc. I'm skittish of this one because of its low price, but there you go...

Dirty clothes go in, dry clothes come out...

Keep in mind ordinary wear and tear should not be counted against you, as a result many tenants get their entire deposit back. But you do not have any legal right to modify your apartment, and you will pay the full cost of restoring your apartment to status quo ante, which will be billed to you if the deposit doesn't cover it.


Washing machined bounced from original position and stopped to work. What could be broken?

The unbalanced load caused drum to bounce against that sharp edge. This snapped one of the wires that go to the door latch switch. With that wire snapped washing machine's controller thought that doors were open all the time and refused to start the cycle.

After, cutting the wire and splicing it, washing machine now works as expected.


I've never seen a pump setup quite like that, and I've seen a lot of them. Either way, my recommendation is actually to install a submersible pump, here's why:

Jet pump

Assuming it's a jet pump sitting there (I'm not sure what else it would be) like the one above, it would be better to move it inside mainly for environmental conditions. The electrical connections are also not rated for outdoor/wet conditions, and frankly it looks unsafe because there's potential someone could touch water around it and be electrocuted.

There's actually two types of jet pumps: shallow well and deep well, and each has a different challenge in this case.

Shallow well jet pump

Shallow well pumps only have a single suction line, but can usually only lift about 5.5m (total vertical distance). Depending on how much higher the house is from the well, this may not be an option.

Deep well jet pumps

Deep well jet pumps can lift much more as the name implies, but have two lines going to the well. Unless you already have two water lines going to the house, or are willing to trench another one, this probably isn't a good option.

Submersible pump

It looks to me like the best option would be to install a submersible pump.

You already have power at the well (which is typically the biggest challenge with converting from jet pump to submersible), it only requires a single water line, and submersible pumps are better in several ways: more powerful, more reliable, no noise in the house, and never have to be primed.

If you only have two wires (plus ground) going to the well, you'll have to use a 2-wire pump, which is slightly less reliable because it has the control circuitry in the pump. 3-wire pumps have a control box in the house (where it's simple to replace if needed) but as the name implies, require 3 wires (plus ground).

You'll also need to move the pressure switch, but that's fairly simple.

Cheap interim solution

If you want to perhaps put this off and get a bit more time, you could consider just moving the pressure switch inside, or just installing a new one inside and bypassing the pressure switch on the pump. It's not going to reduce wear on the pump or the conditions the motor is in, but hopefully it'll avoid a pressure switch failure.

Pressure switches cost tens of dollars and installing one requires only fairly basic plumbing and electrical skill (you can ask a separate question if you'd like more info on just how to do that).


Will I be able to match the paint on peeling cabinets reasonably well?

Not perfectly, but if you make good choices about which panels to paint it won't be conspicuous.
Yes, but I'd limit sanding to the rough edges of the paint left behind after scraping the loose material away. If your cabinets aren't solid wood you risk damaging the veneer and creating a fuzzy appearance.
Absolutely. That's the only reliable way to get a good paint bond. Use a high-quality primer with excellent adhesion.
That will depend on you. Follow common best practices and it will look just fine. You can also use a foam brush if you don't want any grain at all.


How can I prevent water from running off a patio to my foundation?

Sealing that joint is a low-percentage game. The patio probably moves with seasonal changes in ground temperature, and most products will let go after a few years, leaving you in the same position.

I'd do this:

Remove some decking to make access to the patio.
Using a rented diamond saw (chain saw style) or jackhammer, cut 2-3' off the foundation side of the old patio.
Re-grade with suitable soil and slope between the remaining patio and the foundation. The new slope probably wouldn't need to land above the patio if there's a suitable side outlet path.
Reassemble the deck and be happy.


If water level is rising on its own on oil heating unit instead of going down, could I have a leak? Or something worse?

The two most common causes are:

Defective auto-fill valve (most common in steam systems).

The fill valve is similar to a toilet fill valve where a float ball
raises or lowers with the level of the water maintaining correct
levels.
Leaking heating coil.

Also, a leaking coil within a tank-less or indirect domestic water
heater. The coil sits in the furnace and if it leaks, municipal
water collects within the furnace, causing an overfilled condition.


What is this plastic basin on the back of my fridge, and does it require any special care?

That is almost certainly the drip pan, and it is intended to catch condensation flowing from the condensation/defrost drains in the fridge/freezer.
This water should just evaporate into the surrounding air over time.
Cleaning it occasionally is not a bad idea, but it is not necessary to 'replace' any of the water you may find in it.


I'm converting a light switch with Quinetic. Does the light switch need a 16 amp receiver or a 6 amp one?

Cool idea, I never saw one of those before.  Whether 6A or 16A depends on the size of the load it will be switching.   If it's just switching a light the 6A should suffice.   But considering there is a 5% price difference I cannot imagine why anyone would buy anything other than the 16A one.


How old is the house?  What you really need is the attic to be air sealed from the house.  paper backed vapor barrier on one side of the insulation as the only vapor barrier isn't going to be effective.
The typically standard is 6mil poly installed before the drywall.  Retrofit is going to be difficult - remove all the insulation and install continuous poly in all the joist bays.  Tape all seams.
Moisture coming out of the house will condense on the first cold surface so putting the plywood right after the insulation allows it to collect there.  Possibly removing the plywood would allow it to be vented out but moisture getting into the attic is still bad and ultimately the air bringing the moisture is costing you in your heating bill as well.


I agree, it sounds like a veneer that has aged over the years, dried up and is delaminating. One of the problems I see trying to repair the damaged areas with a filler, is that other areas may soon suffer the same problem. With that said, if you want to attempt a fix, you could remove all the loose material, sand off any remaining glue etc , then fill the voids. You could use a plastic wood filler, a thinset type of material or even a setting type drywall compound. Fix it muck like fixing a hole in drywall. spread the filler on with a wide knife, and sand it smooth after it dries.  Be sure to prime and paint the entire surface before allowing it to come in contact with moisture or the outdoor elements.  This may be a semi long term fix, but think you will continue to see problems in the future. Consider a new door soon.


How to prevent birds from entering a dryer vent?

I have installed a vent screen that looks almost exactly like the one you linked to. Mine had a plastic frame piece that screwed to the wall around the vent assembly. Then the screen part just snaps onto the sides of the frame with a snap.

It can be easily removed for cleaning out accumulated lint by inserting a flat blade screw driver into a notch on either side.

Yes the screen does catch some lint but I have rarely had to clean it more than once in 4 to 6 months. It really does depend upon several factors as to how often cleaning is required.

How often you run a load of laundry through the dryer
What types of things are being dryed
Whether you have a good lint screen in the dryer
Whether you make sure to clean the dryer screen each load
If there is any possible lint that falls off the dryer screen into the dryer innards whenever you pull it out for cleaning.


How do I remove these bathroom faucet fittings with limited space?

First - Remove the chrome apron and see if there is a top nut holding the fixture from the top.

If the faucet cannot be removed from the top, then use this method.  Since you are replacing the faucet, I would just cut the copper pipe at the Tee inlet as shown in my picture or close at the end of the thread.  Do the cut which would allow you to unscrew the fitting.  Once the fitting is removed, then a plumber socket can be used to loosen the retaining nut.  I have done this on several faucets for friends who were replacing their fixtures.


Should I remove wall plugs before filling a hole?

As the owner of a drywall repair company, I have fixed thousands of holes like this, and I prefer to slightly tap them in, or drive them in until just slightly recessed.  Then coat them like usual. The reason is if you fill an open hole the mud tends to droop back out as there's no backing.  And if it's all slightly recessed it fills better and tapers out better.  But you can fix it just by filling it, then tapping it in slightly, when it starts setting up, or just sand it down, then coat it some more.

If you want to see an actual video of this being done, contact me in private.  I post this because it's often easier to figure out how to do these things when you can see it happen, as verbal only goes so far.


Can I put this new switch (3 wires) in my switchbox (2 wires)?

I think you can assume the white wires are the neutral associated with the line hot. Just make a 6" long pigtail of white #12 or #14 according to the gauge of the other wire and insert the stripped end into the wire nut with the other whites. The other end goes to the neutral terminal of the switch.


How do I correctly join this sink fitting to the wall pipe?

Agree with others. In UK known as a compression fitting. You're missing the black rubber o ring.


Can we connect 5000kvA TR from 11KV HT line?

You are missing a few things like is the transformer rated for this.
where in the world are you located? High voltage transformers are normally housed in a vault requiring trained maintenance personnel (in the U.S.).
The power company usually controls the high voltage side but not always if you have your own switch gear. Other things is this a delta-delta or delta-Y.  Are there reclosers on the input?
On the output side are you keeping your loads above or below the requirement for ground fault detection. These are just some of the questions that need to be answered. Depending on where you live it may require an engineer or a supervising electrician to evaluate the type of service/ connections and the coordination of the overload protection system. This is not something for an untrained person to even attempt.


Can I use an unused red conductor as ground for a switch?

Not unless you wrap the entire length in green electrical tape, or you wired the circuit with 4 AWG or larger conductors. National Electrical Code says that equipment grounding conductors can be bare, covered, or insulated. It goes on to say "Individually covered or insulated equipment grounding conductors shall have a continuous outer finish that is either green or green with one or more yellow stripes..." (250.119).

If you wired the circuit with 4 AWG or larger conductors, then you can reidentify the red as ground. You just have to permanently identify the conductor at each end, and at every point where the conductor is accessible.


Plaster repair mistake fixing hairline cracks

You had it right with "skim over the top and sand flat". The only thing you want to do is scuff the paint gently with sandpaper to help the joint compound bite.


Options for mitigating a sloping floor due to settlement

If your house was built in 1926, it probably finished settling a long time ago. If you are going to have it fixed, you should just do it. Monitoring it will not likely reveal anything useful at this point.


Plastic screw from a toilets flushing mechanism

I would call it the float height adjustment screw, possibly tank water level height adjustment screw.


Is it easy to convert a cylindrical to mortise lock, or should I just install a deadbolt?

Fitting a mortise-lock is fairly straightforward and only requires basic woodworking skills, really. The two most important tools you'd need are a drill bit of right size for the lock and a sharp chisel of the same width (an additional wide chisel for the sides is useful, but not essential).
Regarding the faceplate width, you'll have to check the size of your existing holes against the size of the plates on the handles you want to use, allowing for the difference in centre position between the cylinder lock and the handle of the new mortise-lock.
Assuming that you can find handles/faceplates to fulfill this requirement, then it's down to your skill, but be aware that drilling the rebate for the mortise will be made harder because when you hit the existing hole, your bit will want to move. I'd suggest drilling the holes which meet the cylinder hole edges first, and using an auger/straight style bit (as opposed to a flat bit). That way you have the start of the hole to help keep the bit from wandering.
Obviously the dead-bolt option would be far, far, simpler. Only you can decide which to do.
One thing which is worth considering, however, is the security-level of these locks.  Sure, you can get cheap-ass mortise locks, but they're cheap precisely because they are rubbish, probably only 2 or 3 lever, and dead easy to pick. A cylinder dead-bolt will be orders of magnitude more secure, but probably easier to kick-in.
Finally, are you even able to fit a mortise-lock in that position? 'Panelled' doors which have a cross-member morticed into the side-rail should not have mortice lock within 3" or so to avoid weakening the door.


Why does my gas water heater have two pairs of water connections?

1 set of connections for the sinks and one set for a water-based central heating system.

These systems are kept separated because the pipes and radiators used in such a central heating system is not meant for containing drinking water. (If you ever bled such a system you'd know from the smell alone)


How to notch out fence posts so rails are flush with post?

It would take a lot of work to get a clean notch on the posts but it would work. If you are not concerned about the look of the post itself, you could rip the corners of the posts off with a saw at a 45 degree angle with the face of the cut the same width as the face of the cut as the rails, then toe screw or toe nail them in place. It would not be as strong as notching each one in, but it will be much faster. It would be a stronger attachment than just cutting them between the posts. but that is an option as well.


What type of fill to use to raise grade in back yard

Topsoil is sufficient. After all, that's what is under it. ;) And I would suggest using bull rock instead of peastone; I've found that the peastone is difficult to a) walk on, b) keep clear of leaves and other debris.


Creating a wireless water level indicator and/ or controller

An Arduino would fit the bill here except for the difficulty and also expense of adding WiFi connectivity to it.  Wifi "hats" are fairly expensive.
Let me suggest that a Raspberry Pi Zero W is probably the easiest way to make your own IoT device that will keep track of your water level and give you an easy way to check on it or send an alarm.
Here is an example project:
Pi Water Level


That opening will be sealed off with a riser.  Make sure it's a tight fit with no gaps.  The horizontal pieces extend farther than the framing, so add wood to extend the vertical framing to make a 4-sided box that the riser mounts against.  Caulk between the riser and that threshold "box" to seal it.

Beyond that, fiberglass batting like you show should be fine to fill the space.


Is this iron pipe lamp grounded/insulated enough to be safe?

Most lamps have a two-prong plug. All the lamps in my house, even the ones with metal casings, have two-prong plugs. I don't think you have a safety problem.

However -- if I were building this lamp, I would attach a three-prong grounding plug and cord, just because the aesthetic of the lamp is so obviously 'heavy industry' and most heavy industrial equipment is fault-grounded.

In order to do this, you would need a grounding lamp kit. It's better and cheaper to purchase the whole kit, but if none is available, you can safely substitute a three-prong grounding plug and cord into the kit shown in the Home Depot tutorial.

You will also need a grounding locknut, also known as a bonding locknut. These are widely available if you know what to ask for.

I think the design calls for a hole through the pipe, but the rest of the project requires no cutting or drilling, and the hole is not strictly necessary.

Hole option: before beginning assembly, drill a 3/16" hole into the side of the 3/4"-to-1" coupling, through the 1" section. Drill about 1/4" from the end, or just clear of the reinforcing flange. Chamfer the ends of the hole because you will be feeding a wire through it later.

In step 9, you thread a 1/2" grounding locknut onto the 1/2" close nipple, or thread a 3/4" grounding locknut onto the 1/2"-to-3/4" coupling. Snug it up tight. The threaded rod from the lamp kit may have a hole for the ground wire. If so, pull the wire out through the hole now.

In step 12, if using the hole option, feed the fault-ground wire from the grounding lamp kit out through the hole. If not using the hole option, bring the wire out through the open end of the 3/4"-to-1" coupling. Strip the end of the fault-ground wire and attach it to the screw on the grounding locknut.

The pipe assembly is now safely connected to the round pin on the three-prong plug.


a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

you have created copper chloride dihydrate in your drinking water.  its deadly in high concentrations and is not permitted in drinking water at levels above 5 ppm.  you should flush your pipes out with vinegar or another weak acid (just use vinegar, its safe and doesn't run the risk of creating new problems.  it will dissolve the copper salt and remove it from your water. then flush the system out with sodium bicarbonate to neutralize any residual acid salts that may have formed.

and for the love of god, have your water tested before anyone suffers liver or kidney failure from copper salt poisoning.


Can I change the socket of a light fixture by simply cutting the old one off and re-wiring?

It looks like the Hue system doesn't have any candelabra sized bulbs.  I don't see a Hue switch that would let you control the fixture as is.  All the Hue system bulbs look large.

There are adapters that will let you use standard bulbs in an e14 socket:

I'm just not sure the bulb will fit in the fixture with the adapter - looks like it may be too small even without the adapter.  It might turn out to be easier to change the fixture.

(BTW, if you are in the US, you may want to check that it's really E14 and not E17 intermediate size socket.)


I think you need a bit of “headroom” so a new circuit with the 20A breaker should do it.

For both breakers to run the same amount of time seems to suggest both are functioning correctly. The regs I usually consult gives times for breakers to act if the load is close to the rated value so it sounds like those two 15A breakers are just being run close to the edge and tripping due to an extended time.

I would definitely test it with a 20A breaker - safely though...


How should I insulate and block moisture inside rim joists where foamboard doens't fit?

Closed cell foam is an insulator and vapor barrier in one.

You can buy a kit at the  blue box store that contains the two parts
that get mixed together with the enclosed spray tip.

I have used this one  (Available at the blue box store ). but this one looks good also.

You could do all of your gaps and hard to reach places.


How can I run voice over existing coaxial cable?

Assuming you don't already have ethernet available in the garage, you COULD use a pair of MoCA adapters to use the coax for ethernet.

Beyond that, the two magic terms you'll need to Google for are "FXO" and "FXS". A FXO VoIP gateway is basically a VoIP server that's connected to a telephone line. A FXS VoIP interface is basically a VoIP client that uses a regular telephone as its input and output device. In theory, any device capable of being a FXO server should be able to be a FXS client as well, because the interface hardware is basically the same... but if you can find a FXS adapter, it'll probably be cheaper than buying two FXO servers.

Don't take my word for it without further research (it's been about 10 years since I last looked into it), but I think at least one member of the Linksys SPA-3xxx family can be used for this purpose if you buy a pair of them... basically, each box has an ethernet port, a FXO jack, and a FXS jack. You'd configure one of them as a FXO gateway and VoIP server with local LAN IP address & connect its FXO jack to the phone jack, and configure the other one as a FXS client that connects to the first & plug the phone into its FXS jack.

Be careful with the SPA-3xxx (and SPA-21xx?) devices, though... some of them are service-locked, especially if you buy one that isn't brand new. From what I remember, the only way to know for sure whether it's locked to a specific service is to try accessing its configuration menu... if it's locked, you won't be allowed to change the SIP or FXO settings. Also, there are two passwords... one of which is necessary for "advanced" settings and can NOT be factory reset. I remember reading about how a bunch of people who bought cheap ones on eBay to use with Asterisk & discovered that they were basically paperweights due to service locks or lost passwords.


How can I remove or cover a screw stuck in my drywall?

Turn the adjusting knob on the locking pliers so that it takes both hands to clamp them shut on the screw head and squashes some small flats into the screw head when shut.
Hold your locking pliers flat against the wall
Clamp them shut
Unscrew

You want the pliers so tight that you can barely get them clamped. That will get you the maximum grip on the screw so you can get it backed out.
You want the pliers flat against the wall (not sticking straight out from the wall) because it gives you maximum leverage to get the screw turned.
Once the screw is out, a little spackle will fix up the hole with no problem.
If the screw head snaps off, run a flat edge across the surface of the drywall to see if the screw is below the surface. If so, pretend it's not there and spackle right over it. If the screw is still sticking out from the surface, a small grinding wheel on a hand-held rotary tool (like a Dremel tool) will quickly grind it down to below the surface after which proceed like it's not there.


Light fitting with American coloured wiring but bought in UK

How do I know that this is either meets UK electrical standards and can actually work with a 240V mains circuit? The only documentation that claims this is the case is in the Amazon product description

You don't. It probably does not (meet the standards - working on 240V is easy enough), or it would be so marked.

Heck, the vendor didn't even bother to put on counterfeit certifications (which are a bit too common for comfort.)

I would suggest returning it for that reason. Who knows how badly it's made?


Plywood absorbs water and is not a sealing material, period. You can use it as base for ruberoid roof, but not as the layer exposed to the rain.

When exposed to rain, wind and sun plywood will cycle through absorbing water and drying out and this will wear out the most outer layer in no time so that it cracks and the damage then proceeds to the next layer of plywood.

In case you want a cheap roof for a tools storage you can cover the plywood with one layer of ruberoid - it will last something like 5-10 years and the plywood can then be reused.


How to remove label from sink without damaging the sink?

If you can get under an edge of that label, try sawing it off with some dental floss. You'll still have a stick residue to deal with, but there are products that can remove that without leaving a mess.


E12 led smart bulbs don't work in ceiling fan

This is a common problem.  It's due to some sort of "powered switch" (i.e. a switch that's more than a switch) powering itself by leaking power through the bulbs. Works great on incandescents because an unlit incandescent is nearly a dead short. For LEDs it just makes them go crazy.

Anyway, the cure is to either a) leave one incandescent in, or b) wire in a paralleled device such as a Lutron LUT-MLC which emulates the incandescent light effect.


After short circuit, light switch no longer has power

It might just be that when the wires shorted together and the breaker tripped, there is now some soot/debris on the conductors so they aren't making good contact to the switch terminals now. Clean the wire with some emery cloth / wire brush (WITH THE BREAKER OFF!) and try it again.

It's POSSIBLE that in making that short, you fried a wire deep in the wall, in which case it becomes a bigger job for an electrician.


How do I connect or secure this 2.22 cm water filter pipe to my 2 cm faucet spigot?

First off you will have to unscrew the end (#1 as you have labeled) it from the faucet riser pipe. This part that you are removing is commonly called the aerator. Then you will have exposed male threads on the faucet pipe. If you are extremely lucky you may find that your water filter with the female threads will screw right onto the end of the faucet pipe.

But be aware that there are a plethora of sizes faucet pipe threadings for aerator attachments. This type of size gauge (which you may find hanging on the faucet parts aisle of some hardware stores and home stores) can give you an idea of just how many common sizes there are available.

Note that you can indeed sometimes find special adapters that convert from one size of aerator thread to another. A specialty plumbing store may be able to help but I would suggest that you start with your water filter manufacturer or supplier first.


Can I use a plastic basin positioned near joists to compensate the lack of slope in a ceiling condense drain?

no you can't do that. if it connects to the sewer it needs need to either be sealed or have a trap.
Use a fatter pipe eg: (inch and a half) , support it properly and fit a proper trap on the end.  the flow rate is low enough that your run can self-vent
but you will need 1:100 slope
maybe find somewhere else to discharge the condensate. it's basically pure water, it doesn't need to go into the sanitary sewer.


Should I upgrade #14 wiring on a 20 amp circuit to #12?

The electrical code rewires that ALL of the wiring on a circuit has to be of a size compatible with the rating of the circuit breaker. For a 20A breaker all of the circuit wiring has to 12AWG or heavier gauge.

The problem with the lighting circuit branches at 14AWG is that such wiring is not rated for 20A. If a fault or short circuit should occur in the lighting section of the circuit that wiring can overheat and could even cause a fire.

The fix for this problem can take one of two forms:

Replace all of the 14AWG branch circuit wiring with 12AWG wiring.
Consider equipping the wiring entry point at your detached garage with an entry point distribution box that can support multiple breakers. Feed the incoming power line in through a 20A breaker. Then add load breakers as needed to the box to feed down stream circuits. Use a 20A breaker for the existing 12AWG wiring that goes to the garage door outlet. Reroute the 14AWG lighting circuit wiring to the distribution box and connect it to a 15A load breaker. Finally add another 20A load breaker and 12AWG wiring that routes to the electrical box(es) where you want to add the additional outlets.

Note that if you choose to go the route of item #2 the existing 14AWG wiring for the lights may not be long enough to reach to the distribution box. If you have to add wire make sure to connect the added wire to the existing wiring inside an approved electrical box that remains accessible.


Do I need to ground my above ground pool / with saltwater system?

You need to BOND the pool structure and any equipment (motors, etc) or metal parts associated with the water circulation system. You also need to bond the water itself. Ground rods are NOT required other than for a sub-panel (if installed outside the house).

Pools are quite complicated as far as the electrical requirements go. IMO this is NOT a DIY job and should really be done by a professional electrician experienced in this kind of work.


Bath room exhaust fan not working. The light is working on a separate switch right next to the fan switch

I have repaired dozens if not hundreds of bathroom fans, flick the fan if it doesn’t spin for at least 5 seconds it needs lubricant, most are sleeved bearings and some wd40, or 3 in 1 oil may bring it back to life , I get slammed for suggestions of wd40 but it works to free things up in oil light bearings, a few drops of 15 to 40 weight motor oil will also work but it may take longer. I have got vent fans going many times with light oil or penetrating oil and even wd40 has lasted for a year or2 but a light oil is better


Are "pigtailed" conductors at an outlet required to comply with the length requirements of 300.14 for conductors that are spliced in the box?

No the requirement is 6” from the back of the box , no tape measure a dollar bill will , if you only have a 20 I will trade you for a dollar and you will be good,,, ok that has only almost worked once LOL.
My first job as a licensed electrician my dad said I will save you thousands and went back and clipped all my wires on the rough in , the inspector knew I was just had just got my card and measured them, yes he had me replace everything that was less than 6 from the back, most of them I had some slack , but I did have to replace a few lines , ever since then I have always said it is better to waste a foot than be short an inch. , my latest graduate on his first job trued to save some $ on a parallel 500 job , oops now we had to add a j box and splices, I was upset with 12 awg ,, I think he will never do that again as it added quite a few hours splices and a very large j box.
You cannot make them “whatever length”  6” from the back of the box or 3” extension I front I think is the minimum code.


I did not watch the entire video but have had my tub repainted. What they probably don't tell you is that you are supposed to completely dry the paint after each use. A pain! So most people don't do it , leave the tub very and afterwards have a peeling paint job in just a few years. I managed to make my last for 10 years, but I got tired of the drying. I've heard there are new paints. I personally would investigate tub liners, unless they offer a really long warranty on the paint.
Btw, diy paint kits are a disaster waiting to happen, IMHO.


How can I square up slots cut with a circular saw?

Use a hand saw on either side to take the sides all the way down to full depth, then a chisel to remove what's left between the two saw cuts.


Can I run 90 feet of 6/3 NM-B, carrying 220 Volts/50 Amperes, in schedule 80 PVC?

Your voltage drop is less than 4V so that is good. With 4 90's it would be legal to do it without junction boxes(360 max - then boxes are required). Soap the wire when pulling it will go much easier. We used to use Dawn dish soap but they also make "pull soap" that wont dry out and get sticky like Dawn.


How can I make sure a shed is hurricane rated?

I can think of two options that should work...

Shipping Container

A steel shipping container should be more than strong enough to meet hurricane ratings, and come in just about any size.

This company sells anchors that it claims should withstand strong winds & hurricanes, though they "have not been scientifically tested." They're basically big triangles of metal or long screws driven into the ground:

Monolithic Dome (shed sized)

A dome constructed of rebar, foam & concrete/shotcrete. They're very very resistant to winds (probably tornadoes too), and the weight combined with a cement slab & footing should make sure the whole thing won't blow away, ever. See Wikipedia or Inhabitat.com

Alibaba has a larger one, with images too:

For more conventional construction, if your neighbourhood/city has hurricane requirements then they must have guidelines on how to meet them, especially for usually DIY-friendly sheds. Check with them first.


You are going to have to re-finish. If it is just the doors, I have seen people leave the cabinet face-frames alone and just refinish the doors. If it really is particle board there will likely be no way to restore them to an acceptable "wood-look" finish; you will probably need to consider painting them.

To paint, make sure you sand all surfaces until any material that is peeling, AND any material that looks like it might peel, is removed. Fine sand to knock down any gloss, then wipe the surfaces clean with mineral spirits (paint thinner), turpentine, lacquer thinner, or some other solvent. Prime with a high-hiding latex binding primer like BIN 1-2-3, then use a good quality gloss or semi-gloss paint with a professional grade paint brush (don't skimp on the paintbrush for the finish coat, your end result will be way better).

it's a lot of work, but nothing good is ever easy.


How do I stop the second floor of my house from being so hot in the summer and so cold in the winter

Sounds like your problem is insufficient attic insulation. In the summer, your attic gets hot, and that heat radiates down into the second floor. In the winter, your attic gets cold, and sucks heat out of your house, aided by the stack effect. Improving the insulation on your attic flow will help both of those problems. The typical approach is to blow cellulose into the attic floor. But be careful! If your house is old and there's already any blown insulation, it might be asbestos-laden vermiculite. You might want to consult a pro. Often it's barely more expensive to hire this job out than to do it yourself.


Adding Combo Switch to Existing Switch Loop

You don't.
When you have a traditional "switch loop" like that, you can't extend anything off it.
The essential wires you'd need for anything else to come off it, simply are not there.
A lot of people get confused because they see black and white wires and think "those are the wires I need".  No.  The wires are black and white because that's how cables are made. In any given circuit, the black and white are reassigned to the needs of the moment depending on where it is.
On a switch loop, there is no neutral.  White has been re-tasked to be always-hot. Black is switched-hot.  No neutral, no circuit extension possible.


How can I fill in the gap between my chain-link fence and its gate

If you don't care about how it looks, a piece of plywood or other rigid material mounted to the gate would bridge the gap.  You could attach it to the vertical part of the gate using a variety of types of u-bolts/brackets.

Otherwise the easiest thing is to replace the gate with a wider one. Another alternative is to move the posts to reduce the gap on the existing gate but this requires installing posts and replacing the section of fence.


Shower head releases water every time the toilet is flushed

Hmm. I'm going to guess this is possibly water-hammer related, where a high-pressure spike caused by the toilet fill valve shutting is forcing water past the mixing valve. If so, the water would be released as the toilet stops filling, and a water hammer arrestor should settle it down, be it new and high-tech with a piston or old (merely an air-filled pipe stub that needs to be drained of accumulated water from time to time.)

If it releases water at the start of the flush, I'd have to suspect some sort of vacuum breaker being involved, and getting activated by the sudden drop in pressure when the toilet fill valve opens.

Edit: ahh, your new information is possibly diagnostic - turning the hot water supply off stopping it suggests that the casue is probably related to the "anti-scald" function that's pretty much universal in tub/shower valves at this point, which is responding poorly to the pressure drop on the cold line as the toilet fills (and for some reason, doing so even if the mixer is shut off.) You might call the valve manufacturer and inquire if this is expected behavior or a defect of some kind.

If it is expected behavior, and you cannot run a new line that's either larger (for less pressure drop_ or dedicated (so the toilet and shower are not sharing the line) a small pressure tank/accumulator in the bathroom area should sort the issue by holding pressure up while the toilet fills.

On third thought, first go though and make sure that all the valves in this line are FULLY open. If the problem persists, see if your toilet fill can be adjusted to be slower. Then consider more involved solutions.


How can I find a match for ~100 year old door/window trim?

Look for a local furniture shop or woodworker and ask if they can make it.


Most electric heaters that I have seen are direct wired. In other words the line voltage wire does not have a box in the wall the same way a wall switch or receptacle has.

You can remove the heater but if there is no box present you should add a "old work" box to terminate the wires in. since there are units active beyond the one you are removing, yes, those wires will need to be reconnected to carry the circuit to the other heaters. The added box will allow a junction box cover to be attached.


gas line location for natural gas clothes dryer

The International Fuel Gas Code does not mention any line routing requirements.  (See section 613.)

If it were me, I would fasten some wood blocking to protect the gas line from being pinched by the dryer should it walk or be moved.  It should probably go along the right edge of the nook, especially at the front, and at the front of the right side of the original space.  2x4 flat against the wall should be more than enough.


A1 doesn't make any sense. But in general there are 3-way LED bulbs to fit any size and they don't use much power. For example, this Cree 40W/50W/100W equivalent LED bulb:

fits an E26 socket and actual power used is 5W/9W/17W.

Equivalent power is often listed first. I think that is partially inertia/backwards compatibility - if you used to have a 30/70/100 bulb then that's what you will look for in a replacement, since bulbs have (generally) only recently been listed by the light they produce - lumens - instead of the power they use - watts. I think it is also partly "marketing" - people like to get more for their money, and 30/70/100 sounds like a lot more than 5/9/17, even though what you are really trying to get for your money is light, not power usage (which you actually want to minimize).


Why does my washing machine leak only during the tumble dry cycle?

Some condenser washer/dryers have a receptacle that you remove and empty. Check your machines user operating instructions for this system at first.


What kind of underlayment material is this?

Underneath vinyl tile (which if old enough may contain asbestos) was usually either rosin paper, hardboard, or cutback.
Rosin paper is really thin and tears up into annoying little pieces. It's more or less readily identifiable; certainly not easily mistaken as either of the other two.
Hardboard is "often used as underlayment. Likely 1/8" thick. If so, you can remove or go over if in decent shape" with basically any type of flooring besides real tile.
Cutback... gah, is "that black tar stuff" which may or may not also contain asbestos.

Asphaltic cutback adhesive is an older type of mastic made with asphalt-based cement. As a petroleum-based material, the cutback is not softened by water. Some cutback adhesives contained asbestos. source

can be very difficult to remove unless you use shot-blasting equipment. Fortunately, most grout and mortar manufacturers make a thinset which will bond to "cut back" adhesive.
Typically, the "cut back" should be scraped smooth so the tile is not sitting on ridges of adhesive - although it does not have to be absolutely flat. Note, not all thinsets will bond to cutback so it is important to make sure the thinset used is made for that purpose.
Also, the adhesive must be true "cut back." That means it was made from asphaltic material, is not water sensitive, and will not soften when exposed to water. There are also black-colored latex-based vinyl adhesives that will not hold up under ceramic tile if they get wet. source

[If laying down new vinyl, the] plasticizers in the vinyl migrate down through and attack the Cutback Adhesive which softens it and then the cutback starts migrating up, causing staining in the vinyl flooring. Cutback Adhesive residue will also eventually bleed up through a felt-backed flooring product as well.  source

It's easier to just rip up the subfloor if it's cutback. When I had to remove it from concrete, it required a scraper blade in an SDS (rotary) chipping hammer drill, a commercial floor machine with an abrasive pad, and several days of labor for a single room. Mineral spirits just made it gooey and even harder to scrape up, aside from being noxious and a fire hazard.


attach decorative terracotta disk to outside of house

Typically those would be installed in/with mortar or stucco, which would key into the depression in the back.

That or construction adhesive would be the logical approach unless you want them removable and don't mind something like 3 stainless steel nails capturing it around the edge (mark, remove, drive two, place disk, drive the third with care) or 3 L hooks.


Green crust around water heater exit pipe

There is no need to drain the tank.  You will probably get some small amount of water on the floor but the tank will not run onto the floor.  Make sure that the main water supply valve is shut off.  The Shark Bite supply is a good idea.  Get one with the valve build in.  Just turn the control gas valve into the vacation mode while working on the water supply.  Then back on again when done.


Devices that can slowly lower and raise 200 pounds ~2 feet?

Cam and follower

Gears

Hoist

Lever

Linear actuator
Ball screw

Hydraulic cylinder

Jackscrew

Leadscrew

Linear motor

Pneumatic cylinder

Rigid chain actuator

Rigid belt actuator

Roller screw

Segmented spindle

Telescopic cylinder

Winch

Scissors mechanism

Windlass

Weightlifter


Why do utility companies sometimes offer incentives for having equipment that uses less of their product?

The utility company wants to reduce PEAK demand -- it is much cheaper to ensure that power demand never goes above X than to build a new power plant.  Furthermore, balancing the peaks and valleys of demand means that they can generally use cheaper power sources (nuclear/hydro) and avoid the expensive gas/oil fired plants.

A washing machine has a giant heater in it, and a front-loader uses less water and thus less heat to heat it up.  Hence the utility no longer has to plan for so much more peak demand...


The new code requires that all 240-volt residential appliances that require a neutral to also have a separate properly sized ground wire present as well.


Do I need to replace this water pressure valve?

The first thing you should do it check your static (no flow) water pressure and the pressure with water flowing. Find a place where you can attach a pressure gauge and check the pressure with and without flow. You need to find out if this is truly a pressure issue or if the issue is related to restricted flow.

Check the static and flow pressure both upstream and downstream of the filter units. Looking at the pressure drop while water is flowing should tell you if the issue is restriction.

Considerations:

1) the valve he removed is a pressure regulator; regulators are usually installed for a reason (to protect pipes and fixtures from high pressure), if your upstream static pressure is higher than 85 psi (or if your neighbors tell you there are issues with pressure spikes) you should have a regulator.

2) the "set" pressure listed on your old regulator was 45psi, that is pretty low. I would adjust your regulator to no lower than 65psi, no higher than 85psi. The fact that removal of the regulator did not improve conditions makes me think you have a different problem.

3) filters restrict, that is how most work. Chemical filters restrict flow too because they need "residence time" contact between the flowing water and filter media.


Ceiling fans tripping arc fault breakers

The harmonics generated by variable speed motor controllers confuse AFCI’s and cause them to trip. This is a known defect also heavily loaded lighting circuits with modern ballast and light dimmers are known to cause tripping. They have become slightly better but still have this issue. My state allows the AFCI to be omitted for circuits with known issues. Check with your AHJ. (Authority having jurisdiction), a call to the local inspectors office will usually get a reply within a day sometimes 2 during the week.


"How can I make it solid?"

Something isn't right in your post. An 80lb sack mixes up 2/3 cubic foot.

Spec sheet: https://www.quikrete.com/PDFs/DATA_SHEET-Fast%20Setting%20Concrete%20Mix%201004-50.pdf

The volume of your 2' deep, 30" dia hole, minus the 9" post volume, is 9 cubic feet.

Here is the volume calculation

Short answer is at 2' deep it'll never be a solid 6' tall gate post on it's own. Sp personally, I'd pull it all out, dig the post hole deeper and pack it with 1/4-minus.

Dig four 2' long trenches 15" deep, extending from the 9" post at right angles to each other.  One pair parallel to your gate, the other pair perpendicular.  Sandwich the 9" post with a pair of 5' long PT 2x6's laid in the trenches that are parallel to the gate. Bolt together. Do the same with another pair of 5' 2x6's in the perpendicular trench. Fill with concrete. Per Isherwood, add some rebar.


Is my thermostat keeps losing power due to a furnace fault?

I will assume your thermostat is a digital one.  Digital thermostats can get power 3 ways:

From the C wire on the furnace transformer
From leakage current across the relay coil
From batteries in the thermostat

MOST of the digital ones on the market today have a C terminal.  However there are some that "steal power" these are intended for when you are using antique thermostat wiring that does not have enough wires to have a C wire.  Some of these had batteries some did not.
The batteries are for BACKUP in case of power failure.  NOT for a permanent source of power.
I suspect you do not have a properly hooked up C wire.  Your old stat had backup batteries in it and stole power off the relay coil.  It also lost power too but during those times it could not get power off the relay coil it used it's batteries.  Your new stat lacks backup batteries or it has dead batteries and your C wire isn't correct so the stat has to get power from the relay coil that is why it cuts out periodically.
Without more info we cannot possibly tell you how to troubleshoot your thermostat wiring.  I would normally suggest an HVAC pro but my experience reading the professional HVAC forums is a LOT of HVAC techs out there don't understand thermostat wiring anyway.  That is sort of understandable because furnace and thermostat designers seem hell bent on complexifying something that really should be very simple.  Take pics of the stat and supply it's model number, take a pic of the terminal block in the furnace that the stat wiring is connected to and make sure the pics show the wiring colors used on the furnace terminals.


Should I remove and replace base trim or install quarter round when installing laminate flooring?

For my basement laminate floor install I did not remove the base moulding. Instead i used spacers to place the flooring 1/4 inch away from the moulding. Then I used 1/4 round to cover the gap. It looks great and what a time saver it was.

I would not install laminate floor in a kitchen or bathroom due to water concerns.


Can I add framing to build a room under my basement staircase?

You can frame as you like to provide a surface for drywall. Use pressure-treated lumber when in contact with concrete. It's common practice to do so to surround steel posts, plumbing, etc.

If you have more specific questions, please update your post.


How do I calculate how long a furnace has to work to compensate a given temp drop?

The vast majority of home heating thermostats do not have a user configurable "temperature drop before the thermostat calls for heat" or hysteresis. It is what it is, and it's usually small.

To calculate the temperature rise, you need to know many things, some of which vary. In particular, the insulation (resistance to heat flow) of the structure, and the external temperature. The thermal mass of the building and contents also come into play, as does air leakage and/or deliberate ventilation; air leakage will generally vary with wind speed and direction outside the house.

The net effect in practice is that the furnace works longer as it gets colder (and/or windier) outside. If you monitor how much the furnace (burner) runs in an hour, you can infer the rate of heat delivery required to maintain temperature for that hour (If it runs for 30 minutes and is a 60,000 BTU/Hr furnace, the house needed 30,000 BTUs for that hour.) An ideally sized furnace will run 100% of the time on the coldest day you get (and maintain temperature in the house while doing that.)


Questions after a test-run grout replacement

I used an oscillating multi-tool with a carbide circular blade to grind out the grout.  I took it all out, and used a chisel to removed whatever remained. Re-grouting is a grueling task; I could not find anyone to do it.

Sounds like you need to thin that grout.  Maybe some latex additive would help. Grout should be pasty but flowing.

When all else fails, I use tongue blades to smooth caulk and grout.

The right consistency grout will not leave bubbles and voids. It will flow and be heavy enough to sink to the bottom.


Can I add a 240v outlet inline with a sub-panel supply circuit?

You need another subpanel

Being out of breaker spaces is an intolerable situation.  This invites all sorts of problems - you might balk on installing AFCI breakers because they won't fit; you might inadvertently move an old MWBC onto a tandem and burn your house down.

So what you really need to do is install a subpanel right next to your main panel and start moving circuits over to that.  This time, get a large panel.  No one has ever written a post on SE saying how they're having problems because they have too many panel spaces.  Get a 30-40 space minimum. The moment of buying a service panel is the worst possible time to suddenly develop an urge to save $40.

I recommend looking at panels of good quality (not bottom shelf big box store dreck) for which GFCI and AFCI are affordable (not CH or QO).

Then, it becomes super easy.

As you observed, this question would be a no-brainer if you had the spare panel spaces.  Either put this new breaker in the new panel, or move enough 120V circuits to the new panel and put it in the old panel.


why is there a gap between the carpet tack strip and the wall?

Usually the tack strips are away from the wall to provide room for the carpet to go over the tacks then under the mouldings. It looks like your mouldings are flush on the wall but that could just be my phone not providing enough resolution.


What can I use to create a "chair rail effect" for my outdoor privacy fence to separate the two different materials?

Fabric.
You already have that beige fabric up.  It is already attached to the wood.  Go back to wherever you got the beige fabric and get some in gray.  Fold the edges under to make a strip the width of the wood underneath.  Attach the strip to the wood with staples or upholstery nails or whatever you used for the beige fabric.  Of course there will be a layer of beige fabric underneath.  That is fine.
You will have a line in a different color at the junction of wall and beige fabric.  It is lightweight and easy to attach using a method you have already successfully used for the beige fabric.  It can a different color as you request and a textural echo of the beige fabric above.
Plus if you don't like it, it will be easy take it down.  You could do a mockup first using paper as a test run.


What's the smallest general-use tractor I can get?

The problem is, there are infinitely many jobs that a tractor can fill, if you look creatively at how to use that tractor. A small tractor can do some of those jobs. At some point, you will find that only a larger tractor can solve some more complex job. Of course, a larger tractor will take up more space to store. It will maneuver less easily in tight spaces. A heavier tractor may compact your soil more in your lawn. There are always tradeoffs to make.

It depends on what you are looking for. Large manufacturers of tractors, Kubota, for example, or John Deere, offer a huge line of tractors at all levels of size. Both of these standard lines of tractors offer many good choices. The more money that you spend, the more capability achieved.

For example, I can move stone and gravel with the bucket on my tractor, but only a few cubic feet of it at a time. Over the last few years, I've moved about 30 yards of stone and gravel. However, there is one rock I want to move, but it is about 200 pounds too heavy to budge. The hydraulics on my tractor simply won't lift it, but a tractor with the capability to move that rock simply won't fit behind my car into the back of my garage.

As an alternative to the great tractors offered by the mainstream vendors, consider something somewhat less conventional. There are small tractors that can agilely fulfill many purposes, capable of mowing a lawn of any size, yet move dirt, gravel, large stone, dig a ditch, run a trench, move a boat trailer around, pick up a pallet, grind out a stump, pick up a pile of brush with a grapple, etc., and do all of these things with only a few seconds in between tasks.

First, I'll point out Ventrac. These tractors are small enough to mow a lawn, but they offer something that can mow your lawn, but in about a minute's time can swap the mower deck for a bucket that can move dirt, stone mulch, etc.

Similar to Ventrac, there are Steiner tractors, another interesting, very capable line of small tractors for the homewoner.

Next, you might look at Powertrac. Powertrac is even more capable in some respects, with dozens of implements you can attach in a matter of seconds. Look here for some examples of a PT in action.

And, there are even relatively small walk behind (two wheel) tractors. Take a look at BCS.

A very neat line of tractors are the various Magnatrac models. For the grown up kid who wants to move some serious dirt, this is the trick.


If you're thinking of changing materials then it would probably be better to replace the whole window, frame and all. I'm not sure how well fibreglass would slide against the (painted) wood.

If you just want to replace the moving parts then it's certainly possible, but you need to make sure that the thickness of the windows match. There are companies in the UK that offer a sash window renovation service - when I last checked some of them did offer this.


Found it. It's a brown-banded cockroach

  The life stages of the brown-banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa
  Fabricius, showing an ootheca (first row), five instars of nymphs
  (second row and first individual in third row) and both sexes of
  adults (third row). Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida.


Can i use a 6amp lutron caseta light switch with a 15amp breaker?

The switches are rated for the load they can carry ....it has nothing to do with your breaker rating.
On a fifteen amp circuit you could run multiple lights so long as the sum of all the lights currents (when on) does not exceed 15 A.

For example at maximum load, if you had to run a string of 150 W incandescent lights.

You could run 12 of them on your 15 A circuit and not exceed the circuit breaker rating.
However you could only control a maximum of 4 of the lights with each 6 A light switch.

There is lots wrong with the example above since incandescent lights draw a surge current ....but I ignored that for the example ...I hope you understand the objective.

So in your particular case, where you didn't specify the number or types of light fitting you are connecting ....you need to ensure that the total load current on each switch is under 6 A ....and that the sum of your multiple cicuits does not exceed the 15 A circuit rating.


Identifying and crimping 2-pin connector

I have always referred to them as "Molex Connectors".  They are assembled by crimping the individual pins and inserting them into the plastic connector. The pins are crimped by a special tool. Using a generic crimping tool will result in a poor connection. A small tube shaped tool is used to remove the pins from the plastic connector. Unless you plan on doing many of these connections the cost of the tools makes it an expensive repair. A less expensive solution is to purchase the  connectors with a pigtail (a short section of wire factory installed). Then make the connection with a generic crimped connector available at most automotive parts stores.


What can be done about a vanity top not flush against the base?

It would not be uncommon to install blocking around on the inside top edge of the vanity cabinet to butt up against the top assembly to hold it level without the top rocking around. Such blocking could be pieces of wood 3/4" thick that you glue or screw to the cabinet sides at the necessary height.

As far as that edge along the sides....only you the installer is apt to be looking up under there to see that. I would think that you can just leave that area open. For sure I would avoid the temptation to smear it full if caulk or sealer.

Another thing. You probably want to get the sink top all installed without general regard to where the drain down spout is located relative to the drain piping. The P-trap and the drain piping is all designed to be adjustable to fit to the sink installation and not the other way around.


Lighted switches, as with many other devices (smart switches, timers, motion detectors, etc.) need to get power for something else - i.e., they don't just need power for the light.
There are a few ways of doing that:

Batteries - This is incredibly simple but means changing batteries periodically and doesn't work well for a lighted switch because it would drain the battery pretty quickly.
Neutral - This is the preferred method. Unfortunately, many older houses (like mine) were wired with switch loops, which often (older houses: almost always) do not provide neutral in the switch box. Adding a neutral is easy with conduit but hard (usually) with cables. The NEC now requires neutral in the switch box in new installations most cases (except conduit), but that is a very new requirement.
Ground - Ground is electrically equivalent to neutral in terms of voltage level. It is not supposed to be used in place of neutral. However, code typically allows for some very low-current exceptions, including certain types of switches. This is only allowed if the switch is listed (e.g., by UL or ETL) for that installation method.
Leak through Load - This is an old method that avoids extra wires (yay!) and batteries, but it doesn't work well with LEDs. A small current passed through incandescent bulbs will normally not be noticeable. With LEDs, it can do any/all of: dim light on when switch is off, blinking, not work at all, work but cause the LEDs to fail prematurely. In general this will have a better chance of working with dimmer-compatible LEDs, but even that is not 100% guaranteed.

Your best bet in general is:

If you have (or can easily add) neutral, get a switch that requires neutral, as that will mean it is designed to use neutral and not to leak through the load.
If you do not have neutral, see if you can find a switch that specifically does not require neutral and requires ground. Note that almost all switches will include a ground screw or wire, but in many cases it is not required. You are looking here for something that must have ground.


Solar panels and batteries as primary, grid as backup with auto transfer switch

Sounds like a totally custom system that you will have to design and implement yourself.

If I lived in AZ I might be tempted to install a solar water heater tied to the existing water heaters to start with. Keeps you from having to backfeed the grid and get crossways with your utility.

Another thought is to add solar panels tied through MPPT's to secondary heating coils in the existing water heaters. Using straight DC instead of changing to AC will save you ~15% of loss through an inverter for no reason since resistive heat doesn't need AC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_power_point_tracking

With either of these methods you can use the water to store your heat / power instead of batteries or the grid.

You sound like you have thought about this for a while but make some small investments first and see if you think they are worth it before proceeding. You may be very disappointed if you are not realistic with your calculations and goals.

Happy Tuesday!


The simplest solution is a small live animal trap. Havahart is the most common brand and is widely available in hardware stores with an agricultural bent.

If it's a salamander rather than an actual lizard you may need to cover the trap so it's dark and inviting enough. That's an educated guess; I'm not an herpetologist.


Issue with powering off an MK brand 32A MCB

The handle moving to a central position is typically indicative of it having tripped and tripping when moving to Off, although not normal, is not unheard of. The part about this that is unacceptable is that it is not actually disconnecting when it does that. Regardless of whether you move the handle to Off or the breaker trips, it needs to disconnect and isolate. If your's is not doing that, it is seriously defective and needs immediate replacement.


How can I access pipes in my cement shower in an old home?

There is no secret to getting to a cement shower.  I just took one out of my master bath and if I didn't have a lot of reasons for doing it then I would have left it.  They are great if done right and you can basically retile them infinitely...

So first you should try to get to your valve from the side or back.  If that won't work you will have have to cut out a piece of the cement.  I would in no way take out the whole shower.  Just a cutout where you need to reach the plumbing.

Next you have to get rid of all the tile to figure out what condition concrete is in.  Most of the time (95%) it is in great shape.  It may need to be slightly patched or smoothed out then waterproofed.  This is very easy.  Really the only thing that go "bad" with these showers is the floor.  Sometimes you will have to make a new base because of extensive water damage - this can be a big project.

But there is nothing wrong with a concrete shower.  And the mold, grime, and mildew is probably a case of poor tile install or old tile not being grouted as you have said.  If things are in good condition under just retile.  If the pan is in good condition then this is a no brainer.  Post pictures if you are thinking about demoing the whole thing (might be talking about couple thousand pounds of cement for a big shower).


How can I replace the siding on my garage when its on the property line, and 12" adjacent to another structure?

Seems like the best bet would be building a new wall inside the garage, on the floor. Do all the framing, and put the siding on the top. To make room for the jacks in step 2 you'd probably need to do it in 3 sections.

Then you have to support the roof while you demolish the old wall. Put a jack at each end, and 2 more evenly spaced across the span. Get beams of sufficient size to support the roof, and raise the jacks. Then tear out the old framing and siding.

Now the fun part. Stand up the newly built walls and get them around the jacks and into the right location. Attach them to the foundation, side walls and each other, then lower the roof back down and attach it.


It's not a problem. Pressure tank volumes add in series and this should do exactly what you want.


Position of door stop vs lock striker plate

If you have a little wiggle room this is good. You can take out wiggle by bending out (into the hole) the tab that goes into the hole. Most that I have seen have a little slot for inserting a flat blade screwdriver to bend the tab out to take up wiggle.

But be careful not to bend it into the hole too far. If you overshoot, the bolt will hang up, and bending it back away from the bolt may require some ingenuity and trial and error.


I've found from repairing and "hacking" microwaves that they all follow a flow chart when a symptom prevents it from working normally.   From what I can recall about the symptom "unit not heating" and if that is the only symptom, the primary parts that are suspect are (in order of most likely the problem): 1). the High Voltage Diode (HVD). It should show continuity in one direction only. These are subject to large jolts of energy and if they are low quality will fail. Not very expensive to purchase and quickly replaced. 2). the Magnetron has parts that if jolted or jarred will break easily. It is difficult to test with anything but special tools made for the magnetron. Check for the correct voltage at its' terminals and if all other components are working replace it. 3).the Capacitor will go south eventually no matter what quality. Visually check for bulging in the wall and replace if found. After discharging, check with a DVM by setting the dial to ohms. When the probes touch each terminal the reading should be rising. Alternate the probes and the reading should go down. Replace if it shows continuous continuity.    With todays low priced microwaves, unless you are repairing them to learn or as recreation (or your being paid), replace the non-working unit with a new one.   On a side note, I've learned a lot about repairing microwaves with this book by Homer L. Davidson, "Troubleshooting and Repairing Microwaves".


How can I fix pooling water due to my fence?

Pickets should not be in contact with the ground because they will hold back water like this and they will rot out very quickly. This should definitely be on the installer to fix. Additionally, the pickets should not be installed so tightly against each other that they're sealing water in. The pickets will expand and contract with humidity and need room to move. If they're this tight against each other, they'll likely end up splitting or warping over time. Of course, that may create the space necessary to let the water out, so it could end up being a self-solving problem, however, that's not an ideal solution.
If the installer is unwilling to stand behind his work, you've learned who to never call again and can offer some negative feedback online, along with posting some pictures. Often, just the threat of doing so can get some motion...
If you have to do this yourself:
If the pickets are screwed to the rails, unscrew each one, cut 1-2" off the bottom*, then screw them right back into place with the existing screws through the existing screw holes.
If the pickets are nailed into place, wait about another year for the nails to pop, then remove the pickets, cut 1-2" off the bottom* of each one (more if necessary to get rid of the rot), then drive screws through the existing nail holes.
Each picket should go back where it came from, as each should be cut to the correct length to be in contact with the ground and maintain a consistent and smooth top arch. i.e., don't go removing them all, then cut them all, then try to figure out where each one is supposed to go back. Remove, cut, replace. If you have a spouse/kids to help, set up a fire-bucket line with someone removing, someone carrying, someone cutting to make things go faster and especially to teach the kids about work, helping and the fun of DIYing.
NOTE: You're going to want to remove the bottom of every picket on all runs of fencing. Just because it's not holding back water doesn't mean it won't rot out by being in contact with the ground.

* Pick an amount to cut off the bottoms and be consistent with it - otherwise it will look pretty sad. If you're not sure, start with 1" and put the picket back up and see what it looks like. It's easier to cut more off, it's tough to add some back on.
If you have a miter saw, set a stop-block at the right length - that will make it dead simple to cut the correct and consistent amount off each picket. If you're doing it with a circular saw, spend some time to make a jig that you can set each picket in. The time spent making the jig will more than be made up for by not having to measure and mark each picket by hand.


Try rigging up a fan control switch - pretty commonly available at most home centers and hardware stores. With a little minor electrical knowledge, you could rig one one up to a plug and put your fan on it. That'd give you a L/M/H setting, at an additional L/M/H. That's, what, 9 speeds?


GFCI outlet doesn't work after reconnecting

Actually, it was the reset button, which needed to be pressed after flipping the breaker switch on.


Do I need external rendering to protect my brick wall?

No, brick & its mortar will be fine for 100-years in the weather. You can absolutely Stucco it as well & that will last almost the same amount of time. But, unless the Stucco would be done to match the rest of the exterior, then don't bother. It's just another potential future problem.

However, you can treat the brickwork with a clear Masonry Sealer, only if the brick appears to be wet a day after being rained upon. I say that because the sealer would need to be re-painted every 5-years & you really don't want to add that constant maintenance unless & until you need to.


Some furnaces have more than one breaker

Well, most honestly.

The Air Conditioning unit has a breaker
If present, electric heating elements (e.g. emergency heat) have one or more breakers
The blower will have its own breaker, typically shared with the electronics on a gas furnace
A built-in humidifier or dehumidifer may have its own breaker
Depending on location, the 24V thermostat transformer may be on yet another breaker

Unrelated, the radon venting system has its own breaker.


Replacing light switches-- can all live / all neutral wires be grouped? Is conduit a valid ground?

To answer your questions in turn:

Your future state with all the always-hots nutted together and all the neutrals nutted together looks spot-on, yes.
You are correct -- metal conduit is a valid equipment grounding conductor (always has been and pretty much always will be save for some extreme circumstances that don't show up in residential work), so grounding to a metal box works in your case.  Make sure to use a 10-32 machine screw into the matching hole on the box (vs. one of the mounting holes, which won't be tapped properly for this) -- you can get a bag of pre-made-up grounding-screw-pigtails, even.
They're behaving like a normal switch here, so they'll figure this out on their own I reckon.
That other orange wire is simply an always-hot running to some other switch, receptacle, or outlet on the circuit, likely in some other room.


Your anchors can pass through the gravel into the soil/earth below. Ensure that you have anchors of sufficient length to pass requirement for your area and the gravel aspect becomes unimportant. By that, I mean, install the anchors, then place the gravel.

A quick search presented screw-in anchors with 66" total length. If you do not have bedrock at such a shallow depth (for bedrock), you may be able to use such an anchor to meet code.


It's ABS cement, you should be fine.

IIRC, the "yellow stuff" is the typical multi-plastic version that's somewhat more commonly found (IMPE) and can join ABS, PVC, CPVC, or any mixture of them - around this area, ABS is rarely seen other than already installed in old installations, so the yellow stuff is more useful to folks who need to repair or adapt it with PVC parts.


That plan looks fine and normal. They don't like top entries because real-world, they leak.

I myself prefer a "drip loop" as it were, where I enter the bottom of both boxes, with an LR and LL right next to each other.

You must use something like #8 THWN wires.  You can't use NM-B obviously.  And you cannot use #6/3 UF-B, because UF-B is thin and wide, and that requires wide conduit... 2" for #6.  And that inlet box is absolutely unable to support an opening that large!

Generally for 1 cable in conduit, the conduit's practical ID must be 138% of the width of the cable.  With 6/3UF that puts you at about 1.65 inches, too big for 1.5".


How much weight/many people can my rooftop deck hold? 2“x12”x20' joists, 16“ on center, 2”x4" framing under

The allowable load on the deck depends on the species and grade of your 2x12’s.

You said the deck was “approved and inspected” and it met “Code”. Therefore, I’m assuming the joists at 16” o.c. are Hem-Fir No. 1 grade or better. In addition, I’m assuming you have at least 1 1/2” bearing at each end and there is solid blocking (or adequate joist hangers to hold the 2x12’s in line) in order to meet Code. Because you called it a deck, I’m assuming it’s outside and is pressure treated (incised). (Incising reduces the strength.)

Joists spanning 20’ at 16” o.c. can support a “Live Load” (people and furniture, etc.) of 30 lbs. per square foot plus a “Dead Load” (framing, decking, etc.) of 10 lbs. per square foot.

30 lbs. per square foot is slightly below Code. (Code is 40 psf). If you use Grade: Select Structural, it will meet the 40 psf.

You didn’t give the size of the deck, but you can multiply the area by 30 psf to give you the maximum load your deck will support.

The Code does not stipulate the average weight of individuals, but you might use 180 lbs. as an average to determine number of people the deck could support.

The code allows a few increases, such as “short duration loading” and “impact loading”. I suppose both increases could be taken, but I don’t know enough about your deck to use them...so let’s just use that as a “safety factor” in case you start loading your deck up with kegs too.

If you’re thinking of loading your deck to the maximum, you’ll also want to calculate the required size of the footings, required size of joist’s supports (beams), posts fixes, required diagonal bracing for stability when they start singing “for he’s a jolly good fellow” at your birthday party...but that wasn’t your question. Party on...


A dryer moves a lot of air, and requires a dedicated 4" vent.  For two dryers to operate at the same time, you would need a 6" vent.  Just as air conditioning ducting gets smaller as it splits off, the two outgoing vents will need to join into a larger vent.

The area of a 4" vent is (πr^2 = 3.14 * 2 * 2 = ) 12.6 sq in.  A 6" vent is 28.3 sq in. so it can handle the two 4" vents (you wouldn't have to double the vent size to 8"...).

Combine this with the need for an additional electric run, and your spare dryer is turning into a big expense!


Are there any safety issues with this breaker box?

The RV circuit ought to have a ground wire to the panel. It having a local ground rod means grounded metal parts of the RV won't float up to dangerous voltage levels relative to the surrounding dirt, but without a ground wire back to the panel various faults to ground might not trip the breaker. Grounding might not have been required at the time of installation, but if you have the ground wire back to the panel there's really no good reason not to connect it.
The RV circuit probably ought to have GFCI protection, given that it's outdoors and especially if you fix the circuit's grounding.
The RV circuit cable must be clamped, not loose in the knockout. It could wear against the sharp edge of the knockout and cause a short, arcing, or fire.
You probably have “alien” breakers. All breakers must be specifically listed or classified for use in your specific panel. You may not mix and match at whim. Some types may seem to fit, but may lead to arcing, bus damage, or fire. It looks like there are at least three brands present (Siemens, Square-D Homeline, something else) and so some of them are probably not appropriate. Your panel looks like a GE unit based on the model number starting with "TLM".
It sounds like you said you have no shut-off between your meter and this panel. You need one, to protect the feed wiring and panel bus. It can be legal to have a panel with six breakers and no single main, but you have seven (and room for more).
The feed wires look a bit small for the total loads, especially if there’s no main breaker protecting them.
The wire to the ground rod needs to be the full size required by code (#6 or #8 depending on feed size) all the way to the bus bar lug, not spliced down to a smaller gauge (looks like #10 at most) for any length.
There are five neutral wires coming in the right side of the panel but only four hots. What’s the extra for? If it’s for a disused circuit, it should be disconnected from the bus bar.


How do I determine how my outlets and switches were wired after I removed them all?

There's two ways to approach this.
One, spend time learning about how your house was wired. You'll need to be comfortable with hot wires dangling in space while you poke at them with the meter probes and figure out what's hot and what's not. I can imagine that you're also a little bit under the gun, since most of your breakers should be off and it is getting dark.
Two, just chalk this up to experience and get a real electrician as soon as possible. They'll fix everything in relatively short order.


Identifying strange 3 way / 4 way switch wires

THIS IS A GUESS - This Explanation and diagrams must be confirmed with a tester.

I added this as a comment but I'll go ahead and make an answer so I can post 2 drawings.  This is what I think you have going on, I think the original plan was for the circuit to have just 2 switches as classic 3-way, like this:

(Excuse my Paint abilities, NOTE: GROUNDS NOT SHOWN

The Next day, Next week or Next year someone decided to add a 3rd switch, the load end of the original 3-way circuit became the 4-way, like this:

This is one explanation for what I see in your pics, but I can't see everything needed. THIS IS A GUESS AT THIS POINT, using these diagrams as a guide you need to test and confirm the accuracy.

The clues that suggest this explaination to me are the white wire attaching to the common screw in your second pic, and in the first pic a white wire nutted to a pair of black wires. The guess is that's the same white wire. A good first test would be to check for voltage where the white joins the 2 blacks, if my theory is correct that will but hot when the circuit is on and not hot when the circuit is off.


How do you feel about harsh chemicals? I'd take it off the hinges and use the worst nastiest stripper I can find. And by stripper I mean paint stripper not the other kind!

I'd stay away from anything that claims it is safe. You don't want safe, you want done! You want the stuff with the skull and crossbones right there on the front, the bigger the better.

So get your hose, big rubber gloves, and safety glasses and go to town.

Or you can use sandpaper and steel wool. You know, make a career out of it.


A few possibilities -

The pump is frozen but the motor works - The motor cannot turn the
pump.  With the motor off of the pump, the pump is difficult to turn. - Fix the pump
3 phase motor driven with just 2 of the legs - something is disconnected somewhere - I've had this issues with a loose/melted wire nut on a motor with large pump that had this same issue. - Fix wiring
The motor works without load, but is not able to work with load.  Testing is tricky - try other possibilities first - problem could be motor, but more likely the driving circuits.


Can the kitchen sink waste pipe run from where it comes out of the concrete slab to the sink by running horizontally under the cabinet floor?

Horizontal - no.
No drain line is EVER horizontal. Unless someone was an idiot and should not have been plumbing....
Perfectly acceptable to run at an appropriate slope, however. 1/4" per foot (or 2%) is the standard minimum slope for small drain lines like this.
How will you handle the venting? That is a complex process for island sinks, and if it was a peninsula before probably not arranged for. You mention having a "wall behind" - can your vent run through that (is your island not an island in the usual sense?)
There are ways far less drastic than a jackhammer to get into concrete and rearrange plumbing.


Can I move my furnace room ventilation intake closer to my furnace?

Your best bet is to refer to the owners manual of the furnace.  The manual will tell you how long the vent can be and the maximum number of bends.

When it comes to C02 I get really nervous and venting is important.  Call A pro.  It should not be a hard job.


A/B switch for Two 240V connections into Electrical Panel

Assuming that your load calcs were based on actual load and not breaker sizes, the DPDT switch idea has merit. What I would look at though is the physical location of the loads. For example is your 240V dryer in the garage? If so, then I would put the DPDT switch in there to feed either the dryer or the car charger (assuming the sizes match), because you are going to manually connect the car anyway, so you throw the switch when you make the connection. It does mean not running the dryer and the car charger at the same time, but you are going to be giving up one load in any case.
What I would get is called a "Double Throw Safety Switch", like a disconnect switch except the handle is On-Off-On, as in Dryer up, Off in the center, Charger down.
This is a picture of a 3 pole version, you only need a 2 pole, but it gives you the idea.


Without using dowels, how do I join 2x4s edge to edge to be 1.5" x 7"?

I would definitely use Pocket-hole joinery

My brother got me a jig that is very easy to use, and the joints are incredibly strong even without wood glue; also if you use glue the joins are "self clamping".

Basically this allows you to edge-join, or do 45 degree angles, etc. just by drilling a couple of perfectly angled holes and screwing the pieces together such that the screw doesn't protrude from your work.

Obviously, I wouldn't get a jig for just one project, but I have totally stopped using dowels, biscuits, and other fancy techniques in favor of pocket holes.

Hope this helps!


Deal with stripped washing machine inlet

Despite being a different brand, the outgoing washer used the same inlet valve assembly. I was able to swap the parts, and the stripped inlet is going to the metal recycling center with the old washer.


Plans for running new 8/3 NM-B service for oven

OK here we go.

1) There is no violation to splice the conductors as long as it is "mechanically and electrically sound". Just remember that the splice is where things can go wrong, and they must be done in a junction box and accessible for maintenance.

2) It is alright to use a junction box for a transition. Just remember that when you are bring the romex out of the box with no conduit, the opening must be bushed. You can use a plastic snap in or a connector or a chase nipple with a lock nut.

3) In this case your are really not using the EMT as a conduit per say, but as a chase for the romex and to prevent damage to it. You can also buy pre manufactured 90's if you need to use them rather than expensing out a bender, and fitting them may be easier for the non skilled. See my remarks on bushing in 2). Also see your own remarks on the 1 1/2 in 2) as far as nail plates go. I prefer the overuse of them than take chances.

4) It's always a good idea to match the breaker with the Panel manufacturer although other manufacturers breakers will match up in certain panels.

5) There is no code requirement to use an AFCI with a range circuit.

Hope this helps, good luck.


Please help me choose: single phase vs 3 phase HVAC compressor

That's a crazy-large unit for a house.  That's why he was stuck with 3-phase.

Stand-by power consumption on that inverter is 240 watts.  That will cost you between $240 and $500 per year in electricity simply to have it idle depending on your local electricity prices.

Generally there's no earthly reason to go from single-phase to 3-phase (variable frequency drive for tools notwithstanding).

Single phase motors aren't significantly less efficient; if they were, they'd need enormous cooling fins. Because inefficiency turns into heat.

I think you're better off with 3 units instead of one. Not least, if one fails, it's not such a big deal.


In this scenario is my electrician giving good advice?

Would changing the fuse box mean that I can use energy saving bulbs again?

No, you can use energy saving bulbs on a 30-year-old fuse-box.

Fuse-boxes don't contain fuses any more, they contain circuit-breakers (of varying types), so you'll find that "consumer unit" is the current name for what were once fuse-boxes.

Replacing a consumer-unit would be expensive.

  replace one switch (a dimmer that makes a buzzing sound

Most dimmers are incompatible with energy saving bulbs (CFL). Unless you really want a dimming capability, you can just have that replaced with an ordinary light switch. This should be a very low cost (a competent person should be able to do this in 10 minutes, the parts would cost less than a sandwich and a coffee).