Tile spacing both above and below 1/8", what type of grout should I use?

I would use sanded grout.

You will have to work harder to force the grout into the narrower gaps, but it will fill.  It will self strain the sand particles out.  Try wiping left-right and diagonally with the grout float pressed very firmly to the tile

The admix is a good thing.  It makes for better troweling properties, which means it will level better.


Is it safe to remove this wall transformer?

1 - Figure out what fuse/breaker controls that set of outlets and turn it off. That is always the official advice before removing an outlet cover, but especially important here as you don't know what you will find.

2 - Remove the outlet cover. If the wires go out of the junction box separately from the regular AC power cable then you should be able to simply cut off the wires from the adapter and push the ends of the wires outside the junction box. That way you will not have any loose wires hanging around 120V waiting to get accidentally energized and zap something on the other end.

3 - If you find that the wires from the adapter are exiting the junction box together with the regular AC power cable then do NOT cut the wires (yet). You will need to find the other end and, ideally, remove the entire cable so that there are no loose wires next to regular AC power cables. Alternatively, you could put wire nuts on the ends of the wire after cutting off the adapter.

Whether or not it is allowed by code (I suspect not), I have seen this type of connection many times. It is never a good idea to run low voltage wiring (telephone, alarm, network, security camera, etc.) parallel to (or in the same conduit as) AC line voltage wiring. Most of the time I have just seen the alarm installers cheat a little and the wire exits the box (or even goes around the box behind the cover plate, not actually "through" the box) and it is easy enough to disconnect the wires.


Painting new plaster is much different than painting old plaster, mainly because of the chemical reactions in setting plaster and the long time-frames it can take to completely cure.  70 year old plaster is much easier to deal with, although you are going to want to prime it. I use Kilz latex (not a brand recommendation - other manufacturers make a comparable product), but any high quality primer should be fine.  Drywall PVA sealers aren't necessary on plaster unless you use drywall mud or spackling to make repairs because plaster is much more water resistant on its own.  If you patched with something like that, let them completely dry and just spot coat with PVA sealer.


How do I raise my garage ceiling after spray foaming?

I'm in a temp range about 5C more in each direction. Attached garages tend to be about half as cold as outside so a thermal break is less important here. It wouldn't be a huge loss if you just screwed the gypsum board directly to the underside of the floor joists. However, it's easy to get a thermal break without much more effort, and it's almost as easy as applying directly to floor joists.

After applying the main insulation, sheath the bottom of the joists with 1/2" polyiso (polyisocyanurate) insulation board -- your thermal break. Then using longer screws, apply the gypsum directly to the joists through the polyiso.

Highest possible ceiling, thermal break if you want one, level application, no faffing about with hangers. Wins all around.


How can I find a dimmer switch *without* a separate on / off toggle?

"Slide to off" for one that works in a straight line. "Rotary dimmer" for one that is round. If you're using with led's you need to make sure the one you choose is compatible with led's.


Most areas allow the homeowner to perform your own work as long as you pull the proper permits and have it inspected.

Also, in my state, you have to sign an affidavit that you plan to live there for at least one year when you pull the permit.

However, every area has its own rules and the only way to know for sure is to check with your local Authority Having Jurisdiction.

Good luck!


Since you were not able to do it by hand rent a power chipper, these are electric and have a blade that vibrates back and forth and this makes fast work of tile. I also have used an air chizzle with a wide blade. The problem may also be your technique I have not had two much trouble popping tile off with a flat chizzle, the trick is to hit them from the side at the base, many times they will break loose with 1 good smack. If you are striking down on the tile I have seen tile hold up to a hammer dropped from 8' that was well set to a concrete floor so a change in how you are trying to chip them up may save a rental fee.


A floor lamp is a consumer product sold loose with an electric cord.  It plugs into a receptacle.  It has a light switch on the lamp.  It takes up space, people knock the lamp over and trip over the cord etc.

A ceiling lamp is built into the ceiling with special wiring in the wall and ceiling.  It is expensive to install the wiring, more expensive to buy, and you need a qualified person to install it.  It doesn't take space, nobody knocks it over or turns it off, and when you turn on a light switch, a light comes on.

Every room must have a light switch.  Normally, this light switch operates the ceiling lamp.  However, builders got an exception made in the Electrical Code in order to make houses cheaper: they can omit the expensive ceiling lamp wiring and switch a receptacle instead.  The citizen is expected to buy a floor lamp, and plug it into the receptacle, which is always in an inconvenient location.

The problem with this plan is that citizens often abandon the use of the light switch entirely. They switch the lamp off at the lamp.  They don't even use the receptacle and use other lamps switched at the lamp.  Only they know how to turn the lights on.  Visitors (i.e. firemen, EMTs and police) can't turn the lights on.  They fail to search the room for victims, give medical care via flashlight, and just shoot the kid holding a they-can't-see-what.


Is there a reason to install anti-siphon valves and a backflow protector on the main line?

I agree it seems redundant to use anti-siphon valves in combination with a backflow prevention device. But people don't always choose these valves because they needed the anti-siphon feature. Maybe the person who chose them just doesn't like operating or maintaining valves that are underground (harder to bend and reach) in a box full of spider webs. They could have preferred the up-and-down arrangement of the above ground anti-siphon type rather than the basic inline type.
Your "authority having jurisdiction" gets to have the final word on the matter, however. Call your water supplier and ask them whether you have an accepted type of backflow prevention device and whether they require anti-siphon valves too.


60C or 75C wiring for 60C/75C breaker & output heatsink

The idea of modifying the breaker so you could use smaller wire is wrong on a number of levels but I'll just discuss one.

  But what if you install a big heatsink just outside the breaker. Then you can use 75C or even 90C already?

The electrical code requires that most of your electrical system be listed by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (NRTL) such as Underwriter's Laboratories (UL).

The electrical code requires that listed equipment must be utilized according to the manufacturer's instructions;  not doing so violates the listing.  If you modify a listed device, it's effectively no longer listed.

Adding a heat sink to a breaker would be a modification, and as such would not be permitted.


I believe its turf and not real grass. You have also asked how to prevent this from moving or falling off. So in case it is real grass ; grasses Belo to the category "runners" (it is one category among the sub aerial modifications of stem). Runners don't have the ability to cross obstacles. So the edge of the stair is its boundary and it will not fall off. However if it grows long it will require mowing or cutting with a scissor.


Just installed a new light near an existing one but one stays on, any help?

You have a wire crossed. Typical series would be black to white from one light to the next, and white all the way through the series. 1st light: white wire from switch continues to the 2nd light, the black wire on the light is connected to the black wire from the switch. 2nd light: white wire from 1st light is connected to the black wire of the 2nd light and the white wire on the second light is connected to the white wire from the switch.

WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
                                 W
BBBBB(light)WWWWWBBBBB(light)WWWWW


First of all, if anything is rotted, there's a water problem. Make sure that's fixed first.

As for the piece that's circled, if that is rotted, then I'm wondering if the water problem is bigger than we think. How's the floor in that area?

As for replacing that one piece, there's no easy way to do that as it's likely screwed/nailed and glued. You can probably cut it out and replace the piece that way, though that would only look OK if you are painting everything.


I did a google search and turned up one recommendation for a maximum 4 inch spacing. That sounds right to me, and is in accordance with the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings.

  R312.3 Opening limitations. Required guards shall not have openings
  from the walking surface to the required guard height which allow
  passage of a sphere 4 inches (102 mm) in diameter.


What size wire do I need for a 100amp underground 300 ft run?

So for anyone finding this page, none of the answers are incorrect or be qualified electrician. please for any electric services needed find and ask a qualified electrician.

Basically the breaker size protects the wire, So the breaker should not be higher amperage than the wire rating, however can over size the wire to meet voltage drop requirements. load calculations are for what minimum size panel/service needed but not the actual service rating if the breaker from the service side is a 100amp breaker feeding this then wire rated for 100 amp, etc. Most ampacity charts are up to 100 feet and go up one size of additional 100 feet. So, if using a 100amp breaker at the service side, then need to minimally size the wire accordingly and there are different rating for non burial, burial and in conduit  Aluminum sizes will be larger than copper. For that service would use URD Aluminum 4 conductor cable (need 2 hot, neutral and should have separate ground to shop, grounds isolated from neutrals in shop panel. for 300 feet for 100 amp rated service I would use Aluminum direct burial 1/0-1/0-1/0-1/0, the forth can be as low as #4 for the ground (but also in conduit, even if in conduit must still be rated underground wire and required by code also) Also note the size wire the breaker can handle, cannot cut strands to make fit, no no no, so check the breaker specs first. So if not really needing full 100 amp load, can go down smaller wires sizes, but use smaller breaker to meet the maximum amperage rating for that wire. so for example could use a popular 2-2-2-4 URD Aluminum direct burial wire, but would only use a 60 amp breaker for that distance, 80 amp if needed but could experience some voltage drop at high load, bad for running motors any length of time. Copper would allow smaller wire size, bigger wire still fit into breaker but is way more expensive. best to google look at a few wire size charts better contact an actual qualified electrician.


A Ground is just that a Ground and should always be used. However, please be more specific: is there just one plug with the stacked units or separate individual plugs for each? Typically a 30 amp 220 volt double pole breaker needs to be installed, 30 amp plug and receptacle. Also, check the manufacturer's wiring diagram.


backup electrical feed to main panel from inverter's GFCI outlet without ground?

Does the ground terminal on the inverter connect to anything else.. the inverter (and car) chassis, for example? If it does, and if the ground wire from the inverter to the main panel is not connected, then there could be a potential that develops between the body of the car and other nearby metallic structures (overhead garage door track, stair handrails, ???) as a result of the current flowing in the neutral.

Working with round numbers it seems like you could get 10 A (current out of 1000W inverter) * 1.5 milliohm (resistance per foot of 12 AWG) * 100 feet (path length of neutral from car to main panel) = 1.5 volts developed between car body and anything connected to the house grounding system. If that's applied to a 1000 ohm human body it'll experience a 1.5 mA current, which IIRC is pretty close to the level of sensation for most people and is about 25% of GFCI trip threshold.

I don't know whether a GFCI actually tests for a neutral-ground short, but it certainly does detect the condition the moment any current flows because half the current returns on the ground conductor, which dodges around the GFCI's current transformer. So you're right: if you do connect the ground, the inverter's GFCI will trip.

For any generator, in the Installation and Operating Instructions for the Generac 6294 transfer switch kit Generac recommends disabling the ground-neutral bond in a generator (or, in this case, inverter) used to power a main panel. If that cannot be done - impractical, voids the generator warranty, etc - then use a switched neutral kit accessory in the transfer switch. (see a more verbose version of the same I wrote there.)

The "switched neutral kit" is nothing more than an insulated bus bar and a SPDT relay. The neutrals for the circuits that are to be powered from the GFCI-equipped generator/inverter are moved to this insulated bus bar. The relay common also goes to this bus bar. The relay normally closed terminal goes to the panel's regular neutral bar, ie the one bonded with ground. The normally open terminal goes to the neutral of the generator/inverter. The relay is powered from the generator/inverter.

Taken to an extreme in which all neutrals are moved to the insulated bus bar the relay is effectively a switchable ground-neutral bond. This is basically a validation of what was proposed in your final sentence: "separating the ground and neutral connections onto separate busbars in the main panel, with a ready means of temporarily de-bonding them."


Replace Over the range microwave with hood

Manufacturers will generally direct the installer to minimize the number of elbows and transitions, example:

There should be no problem installing it whichever way is easier for you as long as you follow recommendations and restrictions in the manufacturer's installation instructions and any other direction from your permitting authorities (if you are pulling a permit...)

I would recommend that you retrieve the installation details from your chosen appliance supplier or manufacturer, before you actually purchase the unit, so you can ensure that you are prepared to install it properly.


3 240v circuits connected to 2 double pole 30a square d breakers?

I can't think of any way this could be code compliant wiring, but it might make more sense if we knew what the circuits were supplying.


For line voltage (120/240 - all 120V to ground, so basically the same voltage from a code perspective) you don't need a divider. A divider is needed when you have low voltage (network/TV/phone) sharing with line voltage.
Unless you are sticking in a 240/120 receptacle (like an L14-20) you'll only have one neutral, so @manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact's concern about keeping neutrals straight does not apply, but you will want to either use different hot colors or apply tape, paint, or heat-shrink (if using only one color) to keep the hots correctly grouped. You could use black & white for the 120V and red for both 240's (they don't need to be different from each other) or you could use 3 different hot colors and white (or gray) for the neutral. Or red-taped black for the 240.


Using 15 amp thermostat on a 20 amp circuit

You cannot compare this question to the allowance of a 15A receptacle on a 20A circuit. This is apples to oranges.

You can have as many 15A switches, thermostats, controls, etc, on a 20A circuit, provided the load each item is controlling is within its own rating.

So you can have a 15A thermostat, controlling a 10A load, on a 20A circuit.


Can 7 day programmable thermostats typically be programmed with each day the same without having to duplicate?

Sounds like you might want to trade in the 7 day programmable thermostat, for a 5-2 day one. A 5-2 day thermostat allows you to set one program for weekdays (Monday-Friday), and another for the weekend (Saturday, Sunday).  That way you'll only have to change one or two programs, instead of 7.

I don't think they make 1 day programmable thermostats, though who knows what you can find on the internet. You may want to consider a non-programmable thermostat, if you don't mind managing the temperature changes manually.

You also might want to read the manual for your thermostat, looking specifically for override and hold.  Typically, if you manually adjust the thermostat, it will maintain the new set point until the next part of the program starts. While the hold feature, should keep the modified set point until you tell it to stop (Run).


What benefit do plasterboard/drywall screws have?

There are several approaches to hanging loads on drywall/plasterboard.

Light Duty - The most common anchors for used for light loads are expanding tubes that grip the sides of the hole they are in and flare lightly behind the hole

Others like yours, have a wide thread to grab more surface in the drywall itself.  Some of the these threaded anchors have a flaring end, some do not.

The limitation of all of these types is they depend on a small area of drywall to stay solid to hold them. They are good for light loads and when the main force on them is shear force.  In a wall application, that means most of the force is pullin down, along the wall (as if you are trying to cut the screw in half right at the wall).

If you put a heavy load on these anchors, there is significant outward force, that is, pulling away from the wall. In a coat rack some of the load is shear (downward) and some is outward. This puts stress on the sides of the hole in the drywall and it crumbles. This is even worse when the load is dynamic (moving) rather than static (non-moving). A hanging coat is static. A coat being pulled form its hook is dynamic.  And almost all of that load is outward.

The threaded anchors distribute the load better, but not enough for any significant load. Sometimes this is compensated for by using many anchors. An improvement, but usually not a good solution.

Plastic (or metal equivalent) anchors are almost never suitable for ceiling mounts, where all the load is away from the ceiling surface.

Medium Duty - Anchors for medium duty pull against a larger area behind the drywall to distribute the load.

Expanding anchors go into the hole as a tube and are then expanded behind the hole using a screw, bolt or tool.

There are also toggle type anchors where the expanging section either rotates or springs out to cover a greater area.

The advantages of these anchors is that they spread the load far beyond the hole in the drywal itself. While the hole may be prone to crumbling, these anchors rest on an area of solid drywall, from about  1 to 2 inches around the hole. This gives the anchor much more strength to deal with outward loads of medium duty, as well as shear strength.  However heavy outward loads, especially dynamic loads, are pulling on on a few inches of thin plaster and paper. Again, adding many anchors helps spread out the load.

Some of these anchors allow removal and reattachment but some do not (for example, spring toggles fall off in the wall when the bolt is removed).

Heavy Duty - On a plasterboard wall, the heavy duty mounting of choice is directly into framing members.

The most common approach is to find studs, the upright framing members that hold up the wall surface.  These are either wood or steel. Screws are driven throught the item to be mounted, through the drywall and into the middle of the stud. An alternative is to screw into cross bracing framing. These are wooden or steel sections running horizontally to brace a wall or serve as a firebreak. These are marginally less strong than upright studs, but for practical purposes can hold all but the heaviest loads.

Studs and cross bracing can be found using a stud finder.

Screws should be long enough to reach at least 1 inch into a wodden stud, longer if the load is especially heavy. In steel studs, finer thread screws should be used (sheet metal screws) and length is less of an issue.

In wooden framing, an alternative to regular screws are hanger bolts that can be threaded into the studs and leave a bolt on the outside of the drywall for hanging the object.

The advantage of hanger bolts is the ability to easily remove and reattach the load using a nut or wingnut.

When there is no framing member in the exact spot needed, it is sometimes worth the trouble to add one. A section of drywall can be removed from the area, a cross brace inserted exactly where you want the mounting and extending horiziontally to the two supporting studs on either side. A drywall patch can be then put back to cover the cross brace (using the drywall section removed or a new piece).


Can I tilt a window air conditioner at 15 degrees when not in use?

That's unlikely to be a problem. Plenty of such units have been stored on crooked trucks and pallets without damage.
It may be more of a concern if you were to run it at an angle, as the bearings in the motor may not be designed for that type of load, and condensation drainage may be wonky.


It may be an addition built on a crawl space and not a real basement.  Buildings on Crawl spaces tend to be more humid.  Single pane windows condensate alot more than double pane which will put moisture into air.
Run a dehumidifier during colder months and A/C during warmer months to pull moisture out of air.
If you have a crawl space tell me about it. Type of vents, Flooring, insulation, how much lower than grade is it? Is it damp all time? Just after rains?


How to ground private 2/0 aerial triplex from meter to garage

Sadly, with this type of feeder, you are obliged to use the bare wire as a safety ground (unless you can get a waiver from your local authority to treat it as a service).

That gives you two options: run 120V-only, or run 240V-only and use a transformer to derive 120/240V service.   This might be sensible if the lion's share of your load is 240V only and your 120V loads comprise only receptacles abd lights.


Are four brackets adequate for an 8-foot wire laundry shelf?

I would say it all depends on how much weight you plan to put on the shelves.

Here are some "specs" on a site for Closet Maid Maximun hold 6' x 16" shelving.

Holds up to 600 lb. per shelf (total weight per 40 in. track not to exceed 900 lb.)

Weight should be distributed evenly across shelf.

Can be used with maximum load installation hardware (sold separately)

Installation in studs or concrete with standards and brackets (sold separately) no more than 16 in. apart

http://www.homedepot.com/p/ClosetMaid-Maximum-Load-6-ft-x-16-in-Ventilated-Wire-Shelf-73571/202104723


You could theoretically run an infinite number of circuits with a 50A service, provided that no more than 50A is ever drawn at any one time.

More practically, if your panel only contains full-width single-pole or double-pole breakers, you may be able to swap out one or more existing breakers in favor of half-width breakers. That would double your possibilities to a total of 12 branch circuits.

Another alternative would be to install a sub-panel, which is a standalone breaker panel fed by a double-pole breaker in the main panel. You do lose two slots in the main panel, but in return you get as many slots as the sub-panel supports - whether full-width or half-width breakers are used.

For example (probably pretty extreme, for a 50A service), you could swap out four full-width breakers in the main panel for half-width breakers and gain four new branch circuits. You could then swap out the remaining two breakers for a double-pole breaker and use it to feed a six-slot subpanel. You'd migrate those last two breakers to the subpanel, leaving another four new slots available, and then you could populate those four slots with eight half-width breakers to gain yet another eight new branch circuits - total twelve new branch circuits.

Don't go overboard, though, be sensible about it. Adding breakers doesn't increase the total amount of current you can draw. All it does is open up options as to where you can draw that current.


Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) perhaps.
To test, try a few things.
Try running the offending appliances on an extension cord from a different circuit from the other end of the dwelling.
Try the hairdryer in residence nearby.
Try using charger further away in another room.


They could simply be thermal expansion and contraction, delayed due to the large heat capacity of a home. It takes quite a while for the solar gain that has soaked into an attic to be released, for example.

I'd stake out your attic Columbo-style and give it a good listen and feel. Chances are it's not a sign of structural problems, but it's surely an annoyance.


How can you attach those stair steps to cement blocks?

There are concrete block anchors that can hold substantial loads, but only if located within a specific area of solid grouted cells. Anchors into hollow cells cannot hold much weight. Assuming you have a mix of hollow and solid cells, you can't reliably anchor each tread where it occurs, but you could anchor a continuous stringer plate to the wall, anchored where it crosses solid cells. The treads or their supports can then be welded or bolted to the stringer plate.

If the wall is completely hollow your only reasonable option is to run a structural steel stringer along the wall that is supported by other means at each end.


The black collar seen on the bottom picture is what is keeping the faucet on. It is a plastic nut that screws on the threads you see to clamp the faucet onto the countertop.

That is what you need to unscrew with the basin wrench (or any other that can reach).


How can I repair my sagging shower door?

I think my approach would look something like this:

Dismount the door assembly from the shower wall frame and move it to a safe (soft) workspace.
Pull the glass entirely free of the door frame.
Pull the vinyl sleeve out of the door frame.
Clean all parts thoroughly with bathroom cleaner, then alcohol, to remove all residue.
Very gently attempt to flex the door frame back to straight. Use spacer blocks under it and go easy. If you kink it you're done.
Reinsert the sleeve into the door frame, then the glass into the sleeve. If necessary, use a dilute soap solution as a temporary lubricant.

Once it's all back together you'll need to assess whether there's enough friction to hold the glass. If not, take JACK's advice and look at an adhesive. I'd probably start with something soft but gooey, like rain gutter caulk.
Of course, any decent glass shop can probably reassemble this for you (possibly with new seals) for a reasonable price.


Carport post base connector - screws or bolts?

Well I found a table to the allowable loads here, and it doesn't seem to matter which way they are fastened as long as it used one of the methods per the instructions. I am going to use the Strong-Drive SD screws as they seem to be the easiest to use.


Wiring a new GFCI outlet and switch in same box

This is very tricky, because you have both a GFCI device and a switch in close proximity.  It's easy to miswire it so you get an instant GFCI trip when you turn on the light.

But even before that, there's a fair chance the receptacle is already GFCI protected, and you should check for that.

If you have one of the common 3-light testers (you want the simple ones with red-yellow-yellow lights), most of them have a GFCI test button.  Try it. If the power goes out, then it tripped a GFCI device somewhere else.  Search for it.

You can also turn off the breaker that supplies this outlet (since after all, you'll be doing that anyway to service it, right?) First, see if that breaker is itself a GFCI breaker.  If it does, your search is done.   Then, search the house for which other outlets lost power also.  If any of those are GFCI outlets, it's possible the bathroom has been placed "downstream of" that GFCI device, and is receiving GFCI protection from it.  You would need to test further at that point; turn the circuit back on and use "Test" to trip that GFCI.  If the bathroom socket loses power when you do, then your work is almost done.

If you establish that the bathroom or other plain outlets are downstream of another GFCI device, that outlet needs a sticker that says "GFCI Protected".  The stickers come in boxes with GFCI devices and are also sold separately.


What is the safest and quietest practical lightweight electric saw to cut 2x4 to use inside an apartment?

jigsaw.

but really i think you underestimate how easy it is to cut through dimensional lumber with a sharp handsaw.


I am suspecting that you do not have the correct power and possibly a capacitor is out as well.

I am going to state a couple observation about your video so read closely.

I am looking at your video post and watching the SLOW moving Condenser Fan and I also heard the BUZZ.

As for the condenser fan it seems like your RUN circuit is not powered up - this can be one of a couple things depending on how that motor is wired - and if it is 220V. Run Capacitor could be bad. However I suspect that you have a BAD phase feeding the AC unit.  The reason being is that your compressor is not running either.

Please Check your power coming off of your Circuit Breakers - check it at the Terminals of the Condenser Unit . You should have L1 and L2, check L1 - N(115V), L2 -N(115V), L1-G (115V), L2-G (115V) , L1- L2 (230V). I am suspecting a Circuit Breaker has high resistance and either not supplying power or supplying very little power - when measuring at the condenser watch which line (L1 or L2) DROPS when you start the unit up. That will tell you which side of the breaker is bad or possibly your contactor, You will need to measure on both sides of your contactor while doing this check (contactor only pulls in when compressor is told to run) Contactor T1 and Neutral , T2 and Neutral - you will need to verify both sides to know whether you have a bad contactor or a bad circuit breaker.

If you can post a picture of the wiring diagram found inside the panel cover that will help tremendously. Then I will know how that motor is configured for start winding or not.

When checking your capacitor (always be careful to discharge them before handling as you can get electrocuted [aka Killed] or shocked. To discharge them using a screw driver between Common and Herm or Fan (only handling the insulated part of the screw driver).

If your meter does not check Farads you can test the capacitor in the unit while the unit is "running" - well in your case on.

Measure the current (amps) of the motor start winding coming off of the capacitor (herm lead and also for the Fan lead) and multiply it times 2652 [in USA 60Hz numbers] then divide that number by the voltage you measure across the capacitor. This will tell the Farads of the capacitor and it should match the capacitor or be with in say 5% , sometimes 10% could be ok depending on the quality of the capacitor.

With the measurements you made; if you were to assume your capacitor was working you would find what current you should expect across those winding's Herm (yellow according to your diagram) and Fan (Brown according to your diagram).

From your Measurements on the Fan, I used a pseudo value of 1 amp on the winding  using that number your Fan capacitor is at 106 UF but the 5 UF capacitor is a typical proper sizing for a Fan motor. (1 AMP * 2652 ) / 25VAC = 106 UF you can see the amperage I have used is about 21 times too high so 1/21 = .0476 - I am sure that is too low of a current draw to start that motor - so I suspect Capacitor is bad.

Using the same Formula on the HERM (Compressor Side) your measurement was 240V
So just assuming a low Amperage of 1 AMP (1 AMP * 2652 ) / 240VAC = 11.5 UF your capacitor is supposed to be 50UF or about 4.7 times greater than what our pseudo value gives us. So if you measured with an Amp Meter that the compressor was drawing roughly 4.5 ~ 5.0 Amps on that winding (yellow wire going from Capacitor to compressor) the capacitor for that side would be working.

Given the capacitor is bulging I suspect at least the capacitor has failed especially given your measurements - I know the fan side can't be working if that was truly the fan side you measured.

Now a suspicion I have about the readings you gave me .. If perhaps you mixed them up and got them backwards.. ~25V was on the HERM side and 240V was on the fan side the fan side would be working and the compressor side would not be working. Bad Capacitor.

50UF should be your compressor side and 5UF should be the AC Fan side. Your part number if my search was correct should be this: PPS550440RD ; However a capacitor that is a Dual 50UF & 5UF rated for 440 VAC will work fine. While your capacitor in the image is 370V , the higher voltage 440VAC has a little more headroom and your situation requires it .. 370V is typical in a 220V circuit here is the formula  1.56 * 220V = 343 VAC, However you have measured 240V which 1.56 * 240 V = 374 VAC and that is OVER the rating of your capacitor and therefore it probably went BULGE no worky after a while. So get one rated at 440CVAC or even 470 VAC.


How do I secure this post to the structure to protect against seismic damage?

It looks like the posts are toe nailed into the beams, that's pretty common in older construction, it wouldn't pass for new construction in most locales.

I couldn't say whether slapping on some fittings is the right way to make your home more structurally sound in case of an earthquake.  This answer is just to point you to some of the fittings I've seen and used, maybe this will help you research this further.

I have had good luck with Simpson Strongtie, they make joist hangers and many other structural fittings.  They have a good web site and good phone support.  Simpson Strongtie

Some of their post caps have to be installed before the post is set, but this one can be added after the fact:

However those will only work if the post is standard 6x6 dimensions (not actually 6"x6").  These could be used with any size posts / beams:

They make holddowns for the bottom of the post too:

but I really don't know if it's wise to anchor into those post bases.  Again, just showing you some fittings, not suggesting you should just go out and install these without further research (contractor, inspector, engineer, etc.)


The original LEDs were driven by a constant-current source and were therefore wired in series.

Your replacement LEDs need to be driven by a constant voltage, and therefore need to be wired in parallel, which is how you bench-tested them.

You're going to have to figure out a way to repurpose the wires inside the wall in order to get the LEDs connected in parallel rather than in series. It may be necessary to pull new wires.

  I found out each hole in the hole has the 2 cables the old LEDs used AND 2 more cables, that were wrapped together. So now I have 4 cables. Each pair, has a positive and a negative. Any idea what I should do?

That's actually good news. It means that you don't need to pull any new wires.

What you likely have is "zip cord" running from hole to hole, wired something like this (original setup):

You just need to reconnect the wires in the holes like this:


How do I replace this dimmer switch to a conventional switch?

That is a 3-way dimmer, so you'll have to replace it with a 3-way switch.  The new 3-way switch will have 4 terminals (screws), 1 black (Common), 2 brass (Travelers), 1 green (Ground).

When working with 3-way switches, the Common terminal will always be the odd color (odd man out). For example, on your current switch the Red wire is the Common. On a regular 3-way, the black (odd color) screw is the Common.

To prevent confusion, it's often a good idea to work with one wire at a time. Rather than disconnecting all the wires from the old switch, then trying to remember what went where.

Start By turning off the power at the breaker, and verifying it's off with a non-contact voltage tester.
Disconnect the bare copper wire from the old switch, and connect it to the green terminal on the new switch.
Disconnect the black wire (the one connected to the red wire on the old switch), then connect it to the black (Common) terminal on the new switch.
Disconnect the black and red travelers, and connect one to each brass terminal on the new switch.
Turn the breaker on, and verify proper operation.
Turn the breaker back off, and mount the switch in the box.
Turn the breaker back on, and again verify proper operation.


How can I connect a 10/3 range to an old 8/2 circuit?

No. You cannot connect a device neutral to ground.  If the range has no 120 volt components such as as a light or fan, you may be able to cap and not connect the neutral. Check the installation guide for the range.


What type of mortar should I use to repair masonry joints on a building exterior?

Sounds like a pretty standard repointing job, other than the location - rake, chisel (or "grout-saw") out all the loose/deteriorated mortar to some convenient depth, wet the joints, pack in new mortar (keep it damp so that it cures, rather than drying out) and tool the surface. You'll find more information in general on "repointing brick" but it's essentially the same other than your joints may be a bit wider than a typical brick joint mortar-line.
1970's era construction is probably normal modern Portland cement based mortar. i.e. what your masonry supplier will have as mortar mix, not some weird old lime-putty stuff you might need for historical preservation, where using the modern stuff will cause problems since the wall was built with the old-style stuff.


Should I replace an old breaker or add a new one?

I would definitely have the two circuit separated. In fact, they should have been from the start.

If the water heater is a "standard" 4500 watt tank-type then a 20A breaker is not adequate anyway. You'd need #10 wire with a 30A two-pole breaker.


How can I support a large aquarium built into a wall?

Static load affects structures much differently than dynamic (moving) load. A dynamic load will give periods of relaxation for members to return to their previous shape. A static load will promote bending. Considering the pressure and surface area, you basically need this to sit on your slab.  The tank can't take pressure, and you don't want the tank pulling your house down via the wall it is attached to, so for the house, you're basically building a 12 foot wide door, and a tank that's just under the door frame.

The rest is planning for eventual water spill and easy maintenance.

Most aquarium frames capable of holding a 2 foot by 2 foot cross section aquarium are made from 2x4 with 3/4 inch plywood facing.  They use a ladder frame for the top and bottom, and have vertical members spaced every 2 feet.  The exceptions to these rules include removing every other run in the floor frame (to accommodate sump equipment) and ever other riser on the access side of the frame (to accommodate repairing / replacing the sump equipment).  Reinforce the frame as you see fit (most are very overbuilt), as skimping on a little extra 2x4 can buy you a lot of sleepless nights.

Build a pan into the frame if you can.  Build a drain into the room if you can.  Keep in mind that you'll need storage space for water treatment, and access to the top of the tank.  The best solution is a "aquarium closet" with an extra tank just under 1/2 the size of your aquarium.  If possible, build that room like a shower, with a central drain, and greenboard around the floor area.  In the event that your aquarium develops a leak, it will probably do so when you're on vacation :)

Pay attention that the frame is level and solid on the floor.  After you fill the aquarium it will not rock, but those warnings about static load apply to the frame too.  If the frame bends, the glass sheets will encounter stress along the seams, and you will get a leaky seal between the sheets.

Ironically, at your size you really shouldn't be messing with anything except a reef-ready tank, which conveniently comes with holes drilled in the bottom :) (for those who don't know, that's a good thing as sump equipment is stored below the aquarium)


Those cheap Chinese lights need to be thought out better. There is no one stock part to simply mount them to a proper box. You'll need to make something up on your own. Some of the ones I've seen at the supply house have been put together with a plate from the manufacturer with a rubber sealed connector already installed.

You'll need to mount the bracket to a gasketed weatherproof blank place, then knock out or drill a hole for a rubber cord connector of the proper size to pass the cord through the metal plate.

If you do not have the light yet my strong recommendation would be to find one that is already set up to mount to a box properly.


Mounting a window air conditioner on top of a sliding horizontal window

I did this, almost exactly as you have drawn (in my mothers home when I was a teenager). You will need to support the back end if you cannot support the bottom "lip" of the AC from sliding forward. In other words, the AC will have torquing-force.

The reason I used a shelf for my AC was because I couldn't support the top. But since you are putting the AC at the top of the window, then you need to support the bottom from pushing both down and inward (or set it on a shelf). You will need to build/cut a groove (not just a front lip).
A front lip is bad for two reasons: 1. A front-lip-only would mean that you would be able to lift the back of the AC up (when lift it, the bottom lip will slide out of the back of the window). 2. If you plan to unscrew the lip to remove the AC, it may slip forward suddenly (when the last screw comes out).

You need to consider taking the AC out of the window (and putting it in). So leave a little slop/space/room in the groove to lean the AC forward and lift it out. Normally it's not a problem, because you can lift most windows... but you will be at the top of the window. If the bottom lip is 1 inch wide, you will probably need to cut the groove 1 1/4" wide.

Also, I would add one or two more studs under the "ledge", so that it can't fall.


Why is there still power to my oven after the breaker trips?

What size is the breaker? An electric stove will normally be supplied by 240 V through a 40-A double pole common trip breaker. If the range is still getting some power, but the oven is not heating then it could be that one leg is tripped and the other is not.

Do all the surface burners heat at full heat. I am sure that these are supplied at 240 V so if you turned them each on singly to high and they all work, then you are getting 240 V to the range. If you turn them all to high at the same time and the breaker does not trip, then I would say the oven is malfunctioning (shorting). Does the broiler work?


How do I discharge the capacitor of my refrigerator?

Use a light bulb.  Besides being more than capable of dissipating the power, it has the bonus of telling you when the capacitor is empty since the light will go out.

The best way is to use a spare light socket and touch the two wires to the capacitor leads. Lacking a socket, some wire and electrical tape will do the trick if you're careful.


Confused by the circuitry in the switch box for my basement lights (installing 1st smart switch)

I tried hooking up the smart switch grabbing a random white for neutral from that twistie, but the switch doesn't work. I'm kinda thinking that those twisted whites either are not neutral or that they're not all the same and one of the other white ones is the actual neutral.

That is exactly your problem.  Collectively the bundle is neutral.  You can't however "grab a random white for neutral" out of the bundle and just hook it up one on one.

The reason is that one of those white wires is the neutral that goes back to the panel, the rest of the bundle is going to the lights plugs etc that these switches are controlling.

To hook up your new switch you need to get all the whites together and capped with the same wire nut.


Can I just cut this part of the door frame out and replace it?

I think the easiest thing to do would be to remove the doors and sand it down so that it is all flush and even.  A belt sander would make quick work of this it can be done by hand too if you're willing to put in some sweat.  After sanding it, chisel out material for the hinges, prime, paint and re-hang the door.

It's hard to tell for sure but it looks like the hinges are recessed too far into the door which might be why it didn't close properly.  The hinge should be flush with the edge of the door.  Place a couple washers behind it to bring the hinge out flush with the door.


How do I pre-wire for in-ceiling speakers and give a clean finished look without installing speakers for several months?

There are low voltage boxes used for stereo equipment that may suit.

These can be covered by blank plates that are then painted to match the ceiling. When you are ready, remove the cover and either attach the device and wire through the box or cut a larger hole for the device.

As an Alternative, you could use a bushing like this, and wedge/glue the wires inside the tube

Then you can fill the center hole with taping compound or spackle. When you are ready, pull the bushing down with the wires attached.


Should I be concerned that the sill plate is not lined up with the foundation?

I would be concerned. Have the general contractor figure out who is out of specification and have them fix it. (My guess is that the concrete is to blame, but I'm not there with a measuring tape.)
I strongly suggest that you don't let the house be built out of square. Among other things, it'll cost a bit more at just about every step.


How do I stop a sharkbite brand fitting from spinning?

Epoxy.

Really. Epoxy the fitting right to the pipe.


Any advice on unthreading old Brass pipe?

Try it
Before you assume it's not going to turn, give it a try. You might find that even though the pipe looks like it's in rough shape, it unthreads without too much trouble.

Put a pipe wrench on top of the pipe with the jaws open down, and the handle to the left.
Tighten the jaws down on the pipe.
Try to rotate the pipe in an anticlockwise direction.

Give it a tap
If the pipe won't turn, tapping might break it loose. However, you'll want to be gentle, so you don't break anything. You're not looking to apply extra rotational force, you're looking to knock crud loose from the threads.

Apply gentle anticlockwise pressure to the wrench on the pipe.
Gently tap the handle of the wrench and/or pipe with a hammer.

Two wrenches
If the pipe still doesn't budge, try putting a second pipe wrench in the opposite direction on the outlet of the tee. Then push the handles of the wrenches together.

Put a second pipe wrench on the bottom of the tee outlet, with the jaws open up and the handle about 45° below the first wrench.
Holding the second wrench stationary, push the first wrench handle towards the second.

The second wrench reduces the amount to torque transferred to the fitting, and gives you a bit of extra leverage.
Gunk buster and lube
If the pipe is still being stubborn. Soak the joint in penetrating oil, and allow it to soak in for a bit. Then repeat the steps above.
Heat it up
If the pipe is still not moving after repeating the steps above a few times, It's time for more drastic measures.

Wipe down the joint to remove any excess penetrating oil.
Heat the joint with a torch.
Using a pipe wrench as described above, try to rotate the pipe anticlockwise.

Cut it out
At this point you'll be at your wits end, so it's time to get destructive.

Use a pipe cutter to cut the pipe off close to the tee.
Using a mini hacksaw, carefully make a few cuts into the interior of the pipe.
Using a wrench, try to break the pipe nub up in to pieces.

Be careful when making the cuts, as you don't want to cut into the threads of the fitting.  Usually you can break or deform the pipe nub enough, so that it can be removed from the fitting.


How can I get the hinge pin out of the refrigerator door?

As the hinge pin appears to be flush with the plastic bushing, the first attack would be to pry at the edges of the bushing. If you can wiggle it out, the pin becomes more exposed, allowing for more prying directly on the pin.
If you can get a tool between the bushing and the pin, there's another wedge pry point.
If you have access to strong magnets, you may be able to secure an attachment to the pin and tap on the frame while applying exit force. If the pin is stainless steel, it may have minimal or no magnetic attraction.
Along the lines of a last resort, using a rotary tool such as the one frequently called a Dremel™, cut a slot into the center of the pin and use a straight blade screwdriver to rotate the pin and pry it out.
But wait, there's more, also along the last ditch effort concept. Thoroughly scuff up the surface of the pin and clean well. Apply an epoxy product suitable for the surface. There are some paste/clay looking epoxies I've used, specifically for steel, as well as the tiny tubes of epoxy known as JB Weld™ that would provide for a sufficient grip. Go one step further and epoxy a grip of some sort, perhaps a keyring type, to make it easier to ease out the pin.
It would be necessary, of course, to grind away the epoxy once the pin is extracted, unless you are able to purchase a replacement pin.
If the pin is threaded into the mount, consider also to use an anerobic adhesive such as Loctite™ or similar, to prevent a repeat complication.


Can a butcher block countertop be rounded with a router?

Any common butcher block countertop can be cut and rounded to fit.  You'll have to refinish the sections you've cut, but there are no other special considerations.  Cheap tools are often OK for one time jobs, there are also tool libraries where you can rent or borrow better tools.  Some home stores offer rentals.

For finishing butcher blocks, the traditional materials are some form of food safe oil.  For a desk you have the option of sanding and using any sort of furniture finish from a wax to a varnish to polyurethane.  It's best if you buy the butcher block unfinished, so you don't have to match finish.  An excellent discussion (focused on food uses) is at http://www.thewoodwhisperer.com/articles/cutting-board-finish/


Required to put roof or door overhang on a sliding door?

I know that in the USA sliding glass doors can leak if directly exposed to rain, which can be windblown.


The velocity, flow rate, and pressure will be nearly identical at the inlet and outlet of that assembly.  The only difference will be energy lost while moving through the pipe, e.g. pressure drop due to resistance.


Remote Triggered Switch for a Water Heater socket

You are describing a 3-way switch, which is among the most cheap and common electrical elements you will find.

You can pay up a bit for a 3-way switch with "pilot light" which will illuminate the switch when the circuit is closed (or open, depending on how wired), so that users will know whether toggling the switch will be turning the receptacle on or off.

Given the purpose you describe I would actually run the receptacle off of two single-pole switches wired in parallel so that it is on if either bathroom is calling for heat.

And yes, there are plenty of wireless solutions to toggle power at a wall receptacle if you want to spend the money for them instead of hard-wiring a 3-way switch.


You say that after the rain and some period of drying the GFCI returned to normal working condition. Indicates your problem is "outside" related or influenced. Take a real good look around the outside of your building. Look for any plugs that may be catching moisture from above as the rain comes angling in.

Often as an electrician I come across previous wiring in homes where they jumped the inside GFCI to outside plugs to save money on spec homes. Home owners complain that outside plugs are not working yet breakers are un-tripped. I always say go look for a GFCI in one of the bathrooms, if it is tripped then reset it.

So if you have a non-contact tester you could turn off the breaker that supplies the inside GFCI, and test to see if any plugs on the outside of house are off. If so, make sure that any waterproof covers are in good state and replace them if they appear to be in poor state. If you have a cord plugged in for any length of time you should have a "in-use cover" installed.

Even a small amount of moisture leaking over the receptacle will cause small current leaks to neutral and therefore trip the GFCI and you will not be able to reset it till it is dry. Also any foreign materials will exacerbate the situation. So surfaces should be dry and clean on the receptacle.


You have it backwards

While I can't explain the breaker trips in your setup, the documentation for your timer has the line in going to 0 (with the jumper to 3) and 1, with the load (the wires to the shutoff) connected to 2 and 4.  The way you have it wired won't work anyway, as the motor would be powered through the timer contacts, which would cause the timer to not time 99% of the time.


Your electrician was thinking further ahead than you thought they were
As it turns out, your electrician did think of powering outbuildings when they put your 400A service in, after all.  The cheapest way to do a 400A service is to use a Class 320 socket feeding two 200A main panels; however, your setup is a bit more sophisticated and flexible, and that's a good thing in this circumstance.  In particular, you have a Class 320 meter-main outside, with two main breakers fitted and room for up to 4 secondary mains, under the old NEC 230.71 "rule of six" provision, feeding two 200A subpanels (which have main breakers of their own that serve as convenience disconnects) inside your house.
As a result of this, you do not have to worry about having the inside of the house opened up to install the feeder for your shed; your electrician can simply fit a suitable breaker in the meter-main's subsidiary section instead and call it a day.  They probably should move the spare breaker from slot 2 to slot 3 and add a QO1HT to clean up the minor situation with the existing spare breakers, or replace both spares with a QO215 or QO220 if there's nothing hooked to them to begin with, but that's really just a divot in the grand scheme of things.
That 400A service has plenty of space, too
Running a quick Article 220 calculation on your house, consisting of:

3200 ft2 at 3VA/ft2
7 small appliance branch circuit allowances at 1500VA each between the two kitchen countertop GFCI circuits, the laundry circuit, the two dishwashers, the microwave, and the garbage disposal
a 12kVA oven allowance (this number is kind of arbitrary, but there's so much excess capacity here that it doesn't matter in the end)
a 5kVA dryer allowance as per NEC 220.54
a 4.5kVA hot water heater
1/2HP sump and ejector pumps
a 1/3HP septic aerator pump
and a 27.8A compressor unit

gives us 195A of service load at the moment.  Obviously, this is easily within the capacity of a 400A service; even if your shed pulled a full 100A, something it certainly won't do given your description of the loads inside, you'd still have room to spare.  This also means that you don't have to downsize either interior panel in order to "make room" for the shed at all.
And that 100A figure is quite generous for your shed, too
Running another Article 220 load calculation on the shed, given that we're dealing with a 1500 ft2 shed here and two 1500VA allowances for garage door openers and shop tools, gives us a mere 4575VA, or 19A of feeder load at 240V.  As a result, I would have your electrician run a 1.5" PVC conduit to the shed; that's a sufficiently sized conduit for a 100A feeder, but gives your electrician the option to run smaller wire now and let you (or the next owner) upgrade the circuit later if the need for more power arises, instead of grossly overprovisioning the wiring now just to avoid an expensive dig-up-and-replace job later.


Sub panel and neutral and ground bus bar

You are probably in violation of National Electric Code, article 250.32(B)(1) states that the grounded conductor(neutral), shall not be connected to the equipment grounding conductor(ground).

The general rule of thumb is the only point the ground and neutral get bonded together is at the first point of disconnect for any incoming system, be it utility, generator, or some other source. There are a few exceptions for specific situations but none of which I feel apply.

Easiest course of actions is to kill panel, un-bond bars, drive screw through one bar into chassis and make that ground bar, use the other isolated bar for neutral. With no other knowledge of your installation I would advise you be careful of the loose neutrals while making the swap, if any are somehow being used by circuits from the other panel(it happens) they could shock you.


Why would you even try to save this mess?
New drywall (which could be proper water-resistant drywall) would be much faster than extensive repairs to a suspect substrate, and result in a better substrate for whatever you do next than patching that mess.
If you intend to tile, replace with cementboard/backerboard (at least in the tub/wet areas.) Far superior, at slightly increased cost.


How to make a second story floor fire proof?

You can install cement board on the subfloor and then any flooring you'd like on top of that.  The cement board isn't that thick and is typically used to firm up the floor before installing tile, but you could put whatever you like on top.

However, rather than making the place only able to contain the fire, I'd consider installing sprinkler heads in the room to put out any fires before they have a chance to spread.


The input voltage to the driver must be the same as the voltage required by the driver. If not, the voltage variation can cause flicker or flashing. The driver should have a sticker or imprint showing the voltage requirements. Also, if you have 10 connected to the same power source it may be causing the voltage to drop just enough to cause the flickering. Use a meter to check the voltage at the point just before entering the drivers. If the voltage is correct, the drivers may be going out. I do a lot of work for hotels and electronics tend to go out at the same time if they were installed at the same time.


What to watch out for when using lithium grease?

Wikipedia mentions nothing of what you are worried about, and I have never heard of it having an issue staining or dissolving anything.  I've used it on many things including plastics, and never personally had any issue.  I know it is used on the plastic moving parts inside things like VCRs and DVD players, and I know it is used on many different types of metal machinery as well.


How can I route a trap when the drain inlet is too close to my disposal unit?

This is really difficult to explain. For starters, you can't use the tail piece attached to the left basin. It's wrong. I've put an image together, but it's ugly. It still may help tho.


The joists should be at the squeak, you just need to determine the direction of the joists. Typically, this is the shorter distance between exterior walls, unless there are interior load bearing walls used to break up the span. Some stud finders have a deep penetrating settings that might find a joist through carpet. And you can also try finding the joists in the ceiling below and measuring the distance from a common wall.


Are there code restrictions when adding an access panel in the ceiling below a bathroom?

You can add the access you want in the basement without worries unless your basement is a garage (like a daylight basement). If it is a garage then it would need to meet fire code, but if just an environmental space you could create your access similar to a standard scuttle hole for attic access, but hold it in with a few screws. As far as creating access in the wall of the living room, I have seen some very artistic covers for electrical panels in walls (that do not need tools to open) but could do the same for plumbing access. Think of a picture frame on a hinge that could be opened as a possibility.


Disconnected Loud (IMO Useless) bathroom exhaust fan

The accumulated dust is going to have minimal affect its performance as a fan. But feel free to vacuum/brush it if that makes you happier. Lacking a description of the noise, it probably needs bearing lubrication.

In many apartments, the bathroom exhaust fan is most of the ventilation you get. Not running it may lead to mold problems due to excess moisture build-up. Aside from being unsightly, mold can be bad for you.

The "big, hole-less square light cover" almost certainly has a gap around the edge to permit airflow.


Jay's plan to use beam pockets in the front wall will work fine. Dbl. top plates with no additional structure supporting a roof over a SIX foot span (as per Tester101's first suggestion) is entirely inadequate. Whether a 2x beam on edge is adequate, and how deep it is, depends on what the roof snowload is, if any.

There are also hardware beam hangers available that support the end of the beam and are nailed or bolted to the supporting studs in the front wall, eliminating the need to frame pockets. Tester101's second suggestion to use a ledger to support the beam end is a viable idea, but the connection of the ledger under the beam, into the studs needs to be carefully detailed.

A metal plate tying the two walls together is an important detail. Alternately, extend the dbl. top plates over the beam, lowering the beam 3" so the plates can still lap in a conventional manner. If you go with a hardware hanger or a ledger, the beam should be strapped to the sidewall top plate to hold it to the main structure in a wind storm or possibly an earthquake.

Along wind storm lines, be sure the beam is well connected to the outer post, and the post tied into the foundation, as there can be significant uplift forces on an open porch roof.


how do I change the lightbulb in a pendulum lamp?

On the one I had in the past there is a nut at the top, loosen this nut and the globe can now be shifted, holding the globe shift it around moving the nut to the side of the opening. At 1 or 2 positions the edge of the support plate will come out of the globe, now move that to the other side and the fixture will be released. Place the globe on a safe surface hold the fixture and unscrew the lamp and replace. I usually wash the globes with warm soapy water as they usually have dust and grease buildup in and on them and reverse the process to re assemble.


Can a dry p-trap in my laundry room cause a sewer smell in my bedroom on the other side of the house?

I rather suspect that you have a venting problem that is periodically forcing air back through the p-trap in your master bath. A venting problem can also result in the water of a given trap being sucked into the drain line.  When this happens you will get odors through that trap.  The likelihood of the restoring of water in another trap in the house affecting the traps effectiveness in your bath is almost nonexistent.


In general, if you're looking to keep things clean, a pipe cutter would be the least messy.  If you want to keep tool purchases cheap, and can handle a little mess, then a hacksaw would likely work.

All that being said.  If you want to put the bed knobs back on after you're done, you might find that you have to do some welding/brazing.  If the bed knobs screw in, then there's likely a threaded insert inside the post.  Once you shorten the post, you'll have to find a way to remove and refit the insert into the shorter post.  Obviously if the knobs simply slide into the top of the post, then you won't have any trouble at all re attaching them.


When stopping and starting a tile job, what to do with the extra thinset from previous row's cleanup?

I used a 3" scraper - nice flexible blade which left the minimum possible.

When continuing the next day, just de-dust and fresh stuff straight on works a treat and did that for small tiles, big floor tiles and a wood parquet...

I would also put guide lines on the wall or floor to show the "glue" limits per section to be worked on...


Plugged in computer, sparks went off in outlet, now 2 rooms are without electric

I have to agree that calling in an electrician is your best bet. The problem is most likely in the first dead receptacle or the last working one. The trick is knowing where to look and for what. I suspect a failed back-stab connection in a receptacle.

There also me be other problems you can't see. Best to have it all looked over.


How should I fix this drywall hole for my bathroom paper towel holder?

Yes, you need to add drywall if you want to fix it so it's strong enough to hold the TP holder.

Since you have to make the repair anyway, might as well do a better job. You'll have to remove the other side of the TP holder too.

Find the location of the studs on either side of where the TP holder and make a mark 3/4" past the edge of the stud so it's in the center of the stud. Measure the distance between those marks. That's the width of your patch.

Next measure the vertical distance of the damaged drywall area. Not just the hole put poker your finger to test if there's any damaged gypsum that's still held together by the paper. This should be less than the vertical distance between the screws that mount the TP holder to the wall. If not then use that distance as a reference.

Cut out a rectangular piece of drywall to those dimensions. They sell partial sheets of drywall at the home centers so you don't have to buy and transport a full sheet. Place the patch over the area between the 4 marks you made and trace out the shape then cut out along those lines with a jab saw.

When you're buying the drywall also get a piece of lumber at least 1.5" wider than the height of the patch. So if the patch is 4" high get a 2x6 (5.5" height) cut to fit between the two studs. If you have any plumbing or wiring it might be easier to get a 1x instead of 2x. The can cut it to length for you at the home center if you don't have a saw and provide them with the measurement.

You're going to attach that piece of lumber behind the patch. You can toenail it to the studs but I think it's easier to use pocket screws. A Kreg Mini Pocket Hole Jig is fairly cheap and comes in handy for a number of projects. (I have written a comparison of Kreg Pocket Hole Jigs on my DIY blog if you're interested in buying a different model for other projects.)

Drive a long drywall screw part way in the center of the face of the lumber so you have something to hold on to. It may be helpful to draw some guidelines along the top and bottom 3/4" in from the edge to help align the piece if you don't think you can eyeball it.

Slide the lumber into the hole you cut out, align it so you have enough space to drive drywall screws into it from the existing drywall top and bottom and secure it to the side studs by either toenailing or driving screws through the pocket holes.

Place your patch and secure it with screws. Drive some screws around the existing drywall into the lumber you added to keep that from moving around and cracking the joint. Then tape and mud the patch. You may need to carefully remove the side of the door trim to do this.

When you reinstall the TP holder use wood screws that are long enough to securely fasten into the lumber you installed. It will now be strong enough to hold up to someone's death grip on it because they didn't have enough fiber or water or if they use it for some support getting off the throne.

Here's an illustration that might make it easier to understand. The drywall on the front is semi-transparent so you can see the framing behind it. Actually I just remembered you don't need to cut past the edge of the stud (the width) if you're putting framing behind it.


Can a 20A GFCI be added to beginning of a 20A circuit that serves (8) 15A receptacles & light fixtures?

There's two problems I see here

There's probably no need for a 20A plug. Let's be honest, how often have you looked at your outlets and gone "Man, I really wish I had a 20A plug right here!" in your laundry room? Washers are 15A, gas dryers are 15A and electric dryers need a dedicated 30A two phase plug. What are you going to use that's 20A? Don't add 20A just for the sake of having 20A. For a shop or garage, maybe, but inside your home you'll rarely need anything more than 15A.
I would just GFCI the outlet you need, and 15A at that (remember, a 20A GFCI will be more expensive). Too many people think that they must use the LOAD side of their GFCI because it's serial wiring. Or we're wasting the plug somehow if it's only protecting that one outlet. NOT SO! Wire in series only those outlets that need a GFCI. If they don't need GFCI protection then just pigtail the connections and leave the GFCI out of the series.


Should I fill nail holes in a roof deck before installing underlayment?

Correct; no need to waste time filling them in. The underlayment and roofing materials themselves act as the waterproofing. The nails for the shingles are going to penetrate the roof deck anyway.


The box must be large enough for the wire fill and device by code since you are installing a 20 amp circuit it should be #12 wire. #12 wire has a volume of 2.25 per conductor and 4.5 for the device so if you use a shallow box and only run the 3 wires into it the box volume would need to be 11.25 sq inch (listed value not measured) if there is enough room to put the wire to the back of the box and still have 1-1/4" to the face of the stud this would be legal. If you run through the box without a splice the volume would need to be 15.75. You only count 1 ground wire in the box. I did not add a clamp volume of 2.25 because these look like non clamp boxes. And the cables will need to be stapled within 8" of the box, 12" with clamps.


What country is this from? I'm guessing Netherlands as Attema is located there.

Looks like it's a simple two wire terminal block and hanger hook. Under magnification, I can see the screw threads protruding into the opening where the wires insert.

You strip the lamp cord back about 1/4". After turning off the power, loosen the screws, slide the conductors in each terminal opening and tighten.

The lamp hangs from a chain attached to the hook. Allow for slack in the cord so it doesn't pull against the terminal block.


How to repair door frame from animal damage

Replace the moulding and get a little wood filler to fill the other scratches the paint. This isn't that bad.
Jonathan


How do I remove a flush mounted ceiling light fixture dome?

I had a very similar light, and the key was this:

Any upward pressure exerted from grabbing the glass created friction that made it not turn.

You want to touch as lightly as you can, near the edges, and try to apply rotational energy only, with no pushing up.

Unfortunately, that is roughly impossible to do if you're reaching so high that you need to press up on the glass to maintain balance. So, you still need to solve the problem of getting higher (and you should NOT climb on anything placed on a bed unless it's highly stable).  But if you can get a bit closer, try less pressure, rather than more.

It feels very counter intuitive, but it helped me in a similar circumstance.

One other thing that may help, suggested by none other than @Joel Spolsky, was to try using rubber or latex gloves to allow you to produce more friction without more pressure.


these are an aftermarket filter designed to reduce dust and debris entering your ductwork at the intake vent.  they aren't necessary - your furnace filter will keep the air clean before it gets to the fan and heat exchanger.  in my experience, the vent filters do nothing except retard air flow and reduce the efficiency of the system.  don't bother with them, do bother with a new furnace filter every 3-4 months - twice as often as suggested.


Insulate back of high and low voltage gang boxes in attic

There's no harm in using more insulation than you technically need, and it's cheap. I'd do one of these things:

Hang batts vertically over the wiring; tack them along the top (and maybe at the the bottom depending on what's down there) and let them bulge out over it all. As long as they fit snugly together they'll do a fine job. There cannot be gaps or it does almost nothing.
Frame out an offset wall and move the insulation to that (or just add more and leave the existing). You could leave yourself enough space to get in an do later wiring work.


How to safely install drywall anchors near wiring

Position the rack so you can screw into the studs. If that is not practical then mount a sheet of decent thickness plywood onto the wall surface and fasten that to the studs wherever possible. The rack can then mount onto the plywood. If you use a plywood that is 3/4' inch (19 or 20mm) thick then the screws for the rack need not even penetrate the drywall at all.

BTW. It is generally (if not always) discouraged to mount anything that will carry significant weight just on drywall anchors.


How do I move a support post for a 4x5 stair landing?

In a commercial building, you have a duty of care to your clients.

The only place to get this kind of advice is from an accredited source, such as a professional engineer or architect.


Yes, you can do this. The 14/2, with a ground, would be run into your 3 gang box. The black hot would be connected to the three black dimmer switch wires using a wire nut or appropriate connector. Then the load wires from the switches would be hooked up to the appropriate black wires from the lights. The white wires, neutrals,from the lights would all be connected to the white wire from the feed. The ground wires from the lights would be connected to the ground wire from the feed and from the ground wires from the switches. Good luck.

Since the dimmers are separated, run a 14/2 with a ground to the second and third switch box. In the first switch box connect the black feed in with the black feed out with the dimmer hot, connect the white wires together, connect the light load to the dimmer and connect the grounds. Wire the second box the same way. The third box connect black feed to dimmer, white neutrals together, light load to dimmer and connect grounds.


Why does this night light cause the GFI to trip?

A GFCI device compares the current flowing on the "hot" to the current returning on the "neutral".  In principle, the only way a GFCI can trip is if current finds some third path.

What about battery charging? Isn't the current going into the battery and not returning?  NO.  Think of a battery charger like an irrigation water pump driven by a water-wheel.  All the current going into the water-wheel falls out the bottom.  That turns a shaft.  And on the other end of that shaft, the pump pushes a completely different stream of current.  The GFCI is akin to having current meters on top and bottom of the water wheel proper, to make sure all the water that enters the wheel, exits.  It has nothing to do with the pump current.

So, if your nightlight has only 2 connections, hot and neutral, then there is no third path - every electron which enters via hot must exit via neutral.  A GFCI trip should be impossible.   That would seem to leave 2 possibilities.

Something about the electronics of the night light is creating noise or signal delay in a way which is irritating the GFCI.  This could be exacerbated by a defective or poor-quality GFCI.
There actually is a ground fault, but it's somewhere else and the problem is being triggered by the presence of the nightlight.  Picture a broken receptacle where the neutral is very close to the ground, and plugging the nightlight in shorts neutral to ground.


Dimmers don't like shorting

The dimmer indeed should be black to black and red to red, with green to the grounds and the red/white striped wire capped off.  The light fixture though needs to go from wall box red to fixture black and wall box white to fixture white, with the grounds connected and the black wire in the fixture box capped off.

Connecting the light to black and red won't work because there's no return path for the current (i.e. no connection to neutral).  Your dimmer burnt because you grounded its output (the red wire) -- you should never ground a wire you don't know what to do with.  Cap it off by itself instead if in doubt.


Can screwdriver tester detect ghost voltage?

Yes.
A "neon screwdriver" has to operate at very low currents for both safety (you don't want to give the user a shock) and functionality (the capacitive coupling between the user and earth may be weak) reasons.
Therefore it can detect voltages that are only weakly coupled, for example by cable capacitance.


Considering portable a/c vs our old Central Air, from 1992, in 2 story, 2300 square foot house, High Desert

I can't provide product specs, but can share that when my central AC died last summer in a heat wave I bought a couple of very small (I could lift and install by myself) window units.  $tressed about fixing central - until my electric bill came in at a fraction.
Similar, only need to cool a couple rooms to be comfortable


What are the pros/cons of using porcelain over ceramic tile in a bathroom?

I am going to give you a very short answer to a very involved topic. Ceramic and porcelain are basically similar products. There are very good and very cheap versions or each product. When you go to your supplier, ask about the hardness rating. Softer cheap tile usually has a redish tint on the back side and is made from softer clay, typically in Mexico. Some of the better grades come from Turkey, Italy etc. and have hardness ratings of 5 or above and have a gray or whiteish back.  Most ceramic tiles have a thinner glaze finish than Porcelain. I usually prefer a porcelain glaze on a good hard base in shower and bath applications.  Rather than hitting the box stores first, go to a few tile specialty tile stores where a good knowledgeable sales person can give you a good education on the differences.  If and when you feel comfortable with your knowledge about tile, find a professional flooring liquidator in your area where you may save anywhere from 40 to 80% on overages, returns or closeouts.  I recently purchased 600 sq feet of Turkish porcelain grade 5 commercial tiles for 60 cents a square foot that retailed for over $8 a foot, at a local flooring liquidator. (overages from a hotel job) Huge savings.


Using conduit from ceiling to wall for closet switch?

Why conduit? You should use metal raceways. They are designed to have a finished appearance.


How much pulling force will this plug withstand in gypsum bricks?

Is it really worth engineering a coat rack as if you're building a bridge?

Do this as an experiment.  Choose a spot that will be behind the coat rack but not where you'll put an anchor.  Install one of the anchors, screw in the screw, and see if you can get it out with a medium pull on a claw hammer.  (Put a scrap of wood between the wall and the hammer so you don't damage the wall.)    If you can pull it out without a lot of force, use a stronger anchor.

My guess - in soft gypsum brick, you'll want something longer.


Kasa “Smart” Switch does not turn off the light

The whites and greens are pretty straightforward.
However I believe this switch has two black wires.  One of them should be identified as "Line" or "Supply".
Also, 2 black wires went to the old switch.
I want you to connect the "Line" black wire to one of the 2 black wires that went to the switch - preferably the one that is nutted to other black wires.
Cap off the other 2 black wires (1 from switch 1 from wall).
Now, see if the smart switch will power up and identify itself on the Internet.  If it does, go to the next step.  If it doesn't, you got the wrong black wire.
Once the switch powers up, there you are with 2 black wires capped off and unconnected.  Connect them to each other and the light should now work.


How to connect Washing machine output water to WC seat?

Get an extension pipe and an extension 'connector' for the current pipe
Get a 'U' guide for the dump pipe and run it to the toilet  or the sink

I'd run the 'extended' pipe behind the toilet and I'd hook it to the sink.


The bare wire is grounding/earthing the metal frame of the lamp, while the green wire which is part of the cable is grounding the handing pendant itself.
Since the frame and pendant are presumably connected only by the insulation of the hanging wire otherwise one or the other would have been un-earthed. Hence the two earthing wires need to be attached together and then to the earth from the supply wire.


Wet venting of added bathroom sketch -question is this layout OK?

Found this at https://inspectapedia.com/  Which references Maryland plumbing codes.  You should check your local code for what's appropriate in your situation.

The second table, which shows trap-vent distances says that for a 2" trap (shower) the maximum distance to the vent is 5 feet.  You're way over.  It also specifies a minimum vent size of 3"


DIY option:

rent a skid steer
scrape off existing driveway
buy crushed rock
spread with skid steer, rake
rent a compacter and compact crushed rock layer
bring in sand, spread, screed and level.
buy concrete pavers
start laying them
depending on your age/health, buy lots of Advil

Good luck!


My experience is that the brushes sometimes become stuck in their channels so that they no longer contact the commutator.

Remove the brushes (if the spring pops off, pull gently with tweezers).
Clean the channel with a cotton swab.
Put a single drop of lubricant on the brushes.
Reinsert, keeping the curve of the brush so it conforms to the curve of the armature.

That often fixes the issue until the brushes are worn down.


Identify/troubleshoot this millivolt furnace valve

Since this question was asked 1 year ago, I have to assume you have solved the problem. If you have not I will give some ideas. first the 360 millivolts  you show should have been 750 to 800 millivolts since this is a pilot generator. You can test the rest of the system by temporarily replacing the generator with a 1.5 volt standard flashlight battery. The condition of the wiring is also suspect; loose connections, old oxidized control contacts, an old thermostat, are all potential problems. I would recommend replacing all the wiring and controls and the pilot generator. As for the gas valve it is probably a "general controls" valve but any 800 millivolt gas valve can be used as a replacement. I recommend you call a heating expert. For the battery test above only connect the battery for a second or two just to see if the gas valve works.


There's a blockage farther down the line somewhere. It is most likely right where the trap arm connects to the vent and vertical drain. Try to auger this fitting out. Access by removing the trap and hopefully the adapter that turns down into the trap. If the adapter does not come off, you'll have to work through it's bend.

If you can't get a clean running drain by working at this fitting, it is time for professional assistance.


Are lightbulbs in a wooden range hood safe?

You need a heat shield if your fixture is capable of taking an incandescent bulb.

It is an immutable law of nature that if your fixture has an Edison or halogen socket that an old style light bulb could possibly screw into, someone will try that.

If you want to engineer that concept out of it, then look at IKEA or other LED lighting, particularly low voltage lighting, which is socketless and cannot possibly be accidentally swapped for an incandescent. Given the unbelievable versatility allowed in LED lighting, there's no reason to stay with rather sad omnidirectional "acts like an incandescent" screw-in replacements. LED light is the first kind of light that is not omnidirectional, it's conic, and that's awesome because most applications actually want a cone of light, not a sphere.  You might as well make the most of that feature - for even more efficiency and cool running.

Speaking of cool running, watch your temperatures. LEDs do not like being hot.


How can I tell whether this roofing material is hazardous to tear down?

That looks like asbestos - the age would be about right. I'd get your local authority to have a look. They'll be able to advise on what you can and cannot do.

Asbestos is "safe" as long is at remains in one piece. It's the dust generated when it breaks up that's dangerous. If (and it's a very big if) you could remove it without it breaking then you'd be safe. However, that's unlikely to happen.

It will depend on your location but it can be expensive to have asbestos safely removed and the usual approach is to leave it in place if there's no danger of it breaking up.


Can I connect the R and C wires directly to the HVAC transformer?

Based on the ladder diagram, it looks like the R terminal is only energized when all the limits (main limit and however many rollout limits there are) are closed. So if any of the limits open, the thermostat loses power (maybe).

I can't say for sure; since I'm not familiar with that board, but if that's how the furnace disables itself during a problem. Then bypassing that safety system can be quite dangerous.  I'm not sure if the board monitors the limit circuit, or simply cuts power to the R terminal in the event of an open limit.  If it's the latter, then connecting the thermostat directly to the transformer would be hazardous.

WARNING:
The following procedure requires working on energized equipment. If you're not comfortable with that, please contact a local licensed HVAC technician.

Connect the thermostat as normal, with the system powered on, and the thermostat not calling for heat/cool/fan.
Open the access panel for the furnace, and locate one of the limit switches.
Remove one of the low voltage signal wires from the limit.
If removing the panel cuts power to the system, replace the cover.

In this state the furnace will not work. But what you're looking for, is whether or not the thermostat has power.  If not, then you're not going to want to bypass the IFC. It also means that whenever a limit opens, the thermostat is going to reset. Which is not a terrible thing, as it makes it obvious that there's a problem with the furnace.

Right now the thermostat is connected to the IFC terminals like this.

If instead you connected the thermostat directly to the transformer, then it would look more like this.

You'll notice that the limit circuit (highlighted in red), is completely bypassed by connecting the thermostat directly to the transformer. Which means even if one of those switches open, the thermostat will still be able to signal for heat/cooling.
Again, I'm not familiar with this IFC, I'm simply basing this on the diagram provided.  The IFC may in fact monitor the limit circuit, which is why I recommend testing it.


Convert Front Door Entry Mailbox to a Front & Rear Door Entry Mailbox

What you're going to want to do is this:

That back of the mail box is going to be crimped on in such a way that it can't be removed without cutting the back of the mailbox off.  This would leave sharp edges, so you could round those off and then attempt to re-use the back as a makeshift door, or you could just get another mailbox and use the door from it.

There's several ways you can use the two mailboxes to make one double-ender, so that bit of creativity is up to you.  I'd probably cut the back 40% off of each one and join the fronts to end up with a slightly longer "limo" mailbox.

I see what you mean about finding a "medium" double door box.  They also have replacement doors that are made for bricked in mailboxes that might work for this, but they seem very expensive for what they are.


How would I go about identifying and matching this wood stain color?

Well first off: that's not oak. It's larch or southern yellow pine (maybe even hemlock) from the look of it. As for color, that looks very near to the natural color of softwood after some yellowing from age but its hard to say. It appears to be production grade furniture (although of a fairly high quality) which means the colorant(stain), if any, is a proprietary blend mixed specially for the manufacturer by a finish supplier (i.e. Sherwin Williams) so trying to track it down will be difficult or impossible. But don't desperate, most furniture makers have a "natural" color blend and most of them are very similar.


Can I use green(lid) all purpose joint compound to skim a plaster wall?

I would patch cracks with general purpose , any large cracks use paper tape or mesh so it won’t crack in the same place after being painting. To give a really easy nice finish after the patch work is done is to use “topping mud”, it is much lighter than general purpose and way easy to sand. I used this method on “quick skim” jobs where I wanted to change the texture type, you can use general purpose for skim but it takes longer to dry and is a bit tougher to sand. (Topping mud is not hot mud it is lighter and softer than general purpose and not for cracks).


How can I access the water in my pipes during a supply outage?

You are correct that you should be able to get a dribble of water out of your pipes this way. But you are probably overestimating the usefulness; my guess is you have less than a gallon in your entire household plumbing. (Of course it depends on your home and you can do your own estimation based on pipe size and total length.) One toilet flush uses about 1.5 gallons (or more, depending on the design).

If you want to have access to water in an emergency I would suggest storing some yourself. You can buy large water jugs at most supermarkets. You can refill a toilet tank yourself by just pouring water into the tank until the float lifts up. And/or if you are expecting a service outage you can fill a bathtub with water.


What is a good way to protect the low voltage wiring on a doorbell transformer?

Given it's low voltage wiring, you could put pretty much any sort of box over that mess.

Sure, you could wrap it inside a nice electrical box with an appropriate sized hole in the back for the transformer. It will cost some money, but it will also give you conduit options, etc.

Then again, you could cut a hole or 3 in a plastic shoebox and screw it to the wall, because it's low voltage and does not technically need any protection.

Or you could put a wooden box over it (but it has to be one you can open, as you can't make the junction box inaccessible) - say a free removed cabinet, and you remove the back and screw it to the wall over the mess. Or you build a simple open box, screw it to the wall, and add a door to cover the front. Possibly just a shelf below would make it less likely to be hit/snagged (with cleaning up the wiring.)

You could also tidy the mess up and staple/wire-tie it close to the wall, without all those loops just waiting to snag things, and call it done. Or you could get some adhesive-mount plastic wiremold to cover the wires, but you still need to tidy up those loops.


I would call a few fencing firms and have them give suggestions and pricing for a type of railing or fencing you like. The ones that have been in business for a long time have probably seen and installed any thing you can think of.


Assuming you can pipe the water somewhere downhill, you can use a french drain if you don't want to have a exposed trench or visible drainage grates in the middle of your yard.

A french drain is a low maintenance underground trench filled with rocks and gravel around a perforated pipe, and it is usually used to pipe the water away to a lower spot or some kind of sump pump.

They also make prefabricated french drains which is easier to install, its basically a "pipe" that you can bury and serves the same purpose without needing rocks and gravel.


Can a bathroom fan be vented just outside the bathroom?

We have dry cold winters as well, -35C, but not arctic. We exhaust bath moisture outside, but our fuel costs are pretty cheap. It would be worth estimating just how much extra heating costs are incurred by exhausting outside, it may not be that bad. Or a good argument why not to go outside. Excessive fan use can be limited by installing timer or occupancy switches.

I suspect the air exchanger doesn't work well because it ices up. It's worth investigating the cause though, in case it is just a clogged filter. A direct exhaust ices up outside around the outlet instead of inside the exchanger. The ice build up can be dramatic after many weeks below freezing and no sun. Another reason against outside exhaust besides being inefficient.

I don't think exhausting from one small space to another is a good idea. If your idea is to work, it would need to exhaust into the largest space. Perhaps above a heat source. I think some will find this objectionable, it's a bit unsanitary sounding. Sort of like using your roommate's damp bath towel. Nothing really wrong with it, yet quite unappealing. Especially if someone used the fan to remove odors instead of moisture! Eww. It's also possible that despite the dryness, heavy moisture load may just be too much to be dispersed within the dwelling.

You should focus on a workable air exchanger solution first. It is the only solution that is both energy efficient and fully sanitary. A direct exhaust may turn out to not be overly expensive, but it's still inefficient and should be avoided. Moving the moisture around inside may work, but should be the last resort, it just sounds a bit unsanitary, and it may not even work in all cases.


Propane - Putting liquid propane in a vapor canister?

Propane liquefies under pressure.  All propane tanks hold liquid propane.  The pressure is maintained by a small amount of the propane that turns back into a vapor in the tank.  Propane appliances draw off the pressurized vapor, which reduces the pressure in the tank, and more of the liquid vaporizes to replace it.

If you read the description on your link, you get the tank filled at any propane refiller, and it's refilled with ordinary propane.

BTW, that looks like a regular propane tank.  The thing that can vary is the connector.  If you take your weed attachment to a hardware store like Home Depot or Lowes, you're likely to find that it fits one of the standard connectors on their tanks.


Most engines have several weights of oil that are allowed, typically with one of them being the recommended weight. In addition, outside temperature affects which oil weights can be used. Most manuals will have a chart with temperature ranges for each oil weight.
My Toro snowblower lists 10W30 and 5W30 with the following temperature chart:

I'm sure your snowblower's manual would list all oil weights that are allowed. I would suggest following the manual rather than some generic advice.


Tankless heater that only works in the morning

Shot in the dark here, but is it possible it only works when you don't have other gas appliances running (furnace, dryer, stove etc.)?  Some of the tankless units draw massive BTU's (199,000+) and you might not have enough of a supply to your house to run the tankless and another gas appliance.  I wanted to recently upgrade to a tankless but didn't because it would have required replacing my gas meter and about 50ft of blackpipe just to get enough gas capacity for everything running at once.

Also, your intake should really be using outside air.  Is the unit installed in a confined space?  Or is the space it's installed very tightly insulated/sealed from outside air penetration?


Add new lighting before previous lighting doesn't work

"It works" is not a measure of quality.  The first problem I see is that someone has confused black and white coming from the power source and they go the opposite places from where they should!  Exchange them.

Power supplies deliver Always-Hot and Neutral.
Switches require Always-Hot and deliver Switched-Hot.
Lamps require Switched-Hot and Neutral.

If you are wondering "What is the difference between hot and neutral? This is AC Power" that's beyond the scope of this answer, but it has a real answer.

Now you notice all cables come in black, white and safety ground. Yet we already have named 3 wire functions - how do we get 3 wire functions on 2 colors of wire?  If any random wire can have any random function, this rapidly becomes exactly the dizzying nightmare you are dealing with. Anyone would lose their mind!  The way to regain it is something not required by Code (much):

Now let's see what our wiring looks like.   Now, white = Neutral, black = Always-Hot, red = Switched-Hot.  We will tape wires as-needed.  Wires marked with tape are now that color.

This is legal/correct.  I fixed the crisscrossed supply wires.   Note how white is remarked black when there's already a black there, that satisfies two Code requirements.  (Actually, since 2008, Code requires real neutral also be supplied in switch loops.)

Marking the Switched-Hot wires red is not Code mandatory, but boy, does it make this diagram clearer!

Now let's do that to your second diagram and see if it gives us any clues.

Well there's your trouble!  Lamps don't take Hot and Switched-Hot!  This can't work. Lamp needs neutral, and it has to go get it from somewhere.

Perhaps it's time to modernize the switch-loop wiring to the /3 cable which provides real neutral also. E.G.


Can I use an outside feeder tap to run power to a garage?

I would install a 60a fusible disconnect to the right of that enclosure using a PVC nipple. Then polaris tap or insulation piercing tap both ungrounded and grounded conductors. Probably 1/0 between the tap and the line side of the disconnect would be sufficient. Also reemember to install a ground lug in the disconnect, keep the ground and neutral isolated in the disconnect and run the ground al the way back to the can on your picture.


You can use the Sagulator. Putting in some quick numbers for Ponderosa Pine, I found a single 2x6 on edge to be acceptable for an 11' span holding up to ~1000 pounds total. Laminating 2 or 3 together will be plenty acceptable, and may be overkill, depending on the wood you're using.