When cutting nails with dremel, can sparks be dangerous?

Cutting metal with an abrasive disk will always cause sparks, but they are so small that each spark (which is actually a very hot piece of abrasive or metal) doesn't contain much energy.  They typically can't burn your skin unless you concentrate them in one spot, and will not burn wood or other materials.

If you happen to have a gas can or oily rags or other highly flammable material, you should be careful but typical building materials shouldn't cause a concern.  Wear a hat to protect your hair (it can singe) and a face mask or good fitting safety glasses to protect your eyes.

The alternative would be to use something like a reciprocating saw with a metal cutting blade (basically a powered hack-saw).  This would probably put too much force on the nails and might cause them to loosen or even rise slightly.  It's also a heavier tool and would be harder to use.


Electrical outlet in low voltage bracket?

What sort of joker did that?

Clearly, whichever joker did that needs to be sent back to their apprentice electrician's training, because line voltage connections need to be in a box!  If you see them around again, be sure to thwap them upside the head with NEC 300.15 for me, OK?  (P.S. none of the exceptions in 300.15(A) through (L) apply to this situation.)

  300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings - Where Required. A box shall be installed at each outlet and switch
  point for concealed knob-and-tube wiring.

  Fittings and connectors shall be used only with the specific wiring methods for which they are designed and listed.

  Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC
  cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed
  cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed
  at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point, unless otherwise
  permitted in 300.15(A) through (L).


My master bedroom is hot! Should I install a return in my master bedroom?

Here it is thanks. A return duct will help the air flow into the room when the door is closed. Up sizing the supply and dampers to to help provide more flow may also help. In my last home I had 2 dampers that I adjusted 1 for up stairs and 1 for down. More air to the upstairs in summer when it was cold and more down in the winter when the heat was on. Since both seasons are not comfortable a return would be the first change then an upsize to the supply.


Buffer tank on input or output of tankless water heater?

A buffer tank must be on the output side of a tankless water heater. If you put the tank on the input side a bunch of unintended consequences happen:

The buffer tank will do the bulk of the water heating, until it is overwhelmed.
As long as hot water use continues, the buffer tank will continue running as it tries to keep up with raising the incoming water to its set temperature.
You might still get a "cold water sandwich" as the buffer's hot water supply runs out. That's because your tankless will be sitting around doing nothing at all while the hot water runs, because the water's already heated! When the buffer runs out the temperature drops and the tankless kicks on (but might need more time to warm up fully).

On the other hand, when you put a buffer tank on the output side of the tankless, sustained use of hot water will shift most of the work to the tankless. It will be heating the water before it reaches the buffer, and the buffer will do nothing during those extended uses of hot water where the tankless is most efficient.

If you want to add a timer on the buffer, the way to do that would be to both shut off the buffer tank's heating and route the water around the buffer (rather than through it), using some electronic 3-way valves.

Please note, however, that there are better solutions to the cold water delay problem. For example:

Use a demand-activated recirculation system. You have to train your family to press a button a minute or two before they want to start a shower, but it's pretty nice having the water hot immediately after.
Configure your tankless water heater to use a recirculating mode that keeps its heat exchanger warm. This will consume more energy, but is designed to ensure it's pre-heated during periods of likely demand. My Navien CH-240, for example, can be configured to run in recirculating mode during specified 30-minute intervals via its remote control panel.


Copper NPT male fitting: accepted practice to sweat to the inside?

I would not call it a hack it is more expensive and due to the metal thickness takes a bit longer to sweat but works fine. Possibly a little better as the brass will hold up better than a copper male fitting.


Skim-coated textured ceiling - do I really need to sand before priming and painting?

It depends on what you are willing to accept. Kitchens are often painted with a sheen, which will highlight any imperfections. The visibility of imperfections also depends on the lighting.
Even the most skilled plasterer is bound to have left a bump, wrinkle, holiday, or ripple somewhere. If you can live with being occasionally reminded that you skipped sanding, go ahead and prime and paint.


I know this is old, but I’ve read you can take an extra brick and basically break it up into dust and add that to the mortar to tint it to the brick color.


Leaky windows: How to know where the leak is?

I would suggest the opposite of wallyk. Instead of trying to back track the leak, which probably goes through sealed off areas, try to reproduce it. Dry it, then use a hose on different parts of the outside window, once you have identified what part of the window is admitting the water, look for any ingresses. You basically need to divide the possible areas the water could be coming entering into zones, and then test each zone separately. Once you KNOW which exterior zone is responsible, then you can look for cracks.


Do I need a header when non bearing wall

If it were me, I would use 2- 1 3/4'x5 1/2' LVLs. They shrink very little, hold up more than you will ever need for the dead load of the wall. The crown is attached to the wall, but it should be attached to the ceiling as well, at least a 5" crown should be.

Before setting the beam, cut the studs level, and if possible, preload the beam/header by shimming the cripple studs, to insure all are snug/tight to the header.


Did I install the wrong bulb, or is there a problem with my oven?

Assuming both the original and replacement were both standard incandescent oven lamps, then there is no problem installing a lower wattage other than less light. Do double check your new bulb is for the correct voltage for your area. If you bought it locally, it should be. If you mail ordered it, and you live in a 220v area, you may have gotten a 120v lamp. Putting a 220v lamp in a 120v socket would be harmless, though a very dim light source.

Even though heating elements and supply for ovens are often double the normal mains voltage, all ovens I've had experience with have the ancillary things like clocks and lights running off normal mains voltage.

Static shock is easily distinguishable from mains current. With static shock you first get a tiny little spark (which may not be visible, but feels like one) and then nothing if you continue touching the surface. Mains power throbs at 50 or 60 cycles per second, and there is not usually any spark between you and the conductor, and current continues as long as you are in contact. While mains power can kill at full strength, stray currents can be small enough to just be unpleasant, but still an unsafe situation that must be rectified immediately.


You can reuse old cable if a physical inspection reveals all of it to be in good condition.  It's inside walls, so it's not like it's had 30 years of sunlight baking it.   However if it's roached anywhere, into the trash cash-for-scrap bin it goes. Shiny copper is worth over $1/pound.

However, you can't splice except at a junction box which must remain directly accessible.  It can be behind a cabinet door that opens, but it can't be under a screwed-down plywood access panel or anything that would require tools or destruction to get to.  (the junction box cover doesn't apply, obviously).

I for one don't have any problems with splices properly executed in a grounded steel junction box.


Voltage drop for aluminum wire to detached garage

Going only 130 feet, you do not need to up-size wire for voltage drop. The usual #1 Al will suffice for 100A breaker.

Any plan requires a 125% derating of the expected load.  For instance, if you actually intended to pull 100A as a regular, frequent load, you would need  125A to be provisioned, i.e. A 125A breaker and wire.  By extension, the 100A breaker is sized to support 80A of frequent load.

Now there are a couple ways those voltage drop calc's get you. #1 is they prod you for the breaker value, not the practical load - 100A not 80A.  You should enter 80A.    #2 is that they are rather obsessed with 3% as a "very hard maximum" possible voltage drop.  That's not supported by Code; Code wants to see 8% among all voltage drops.   Definitely use a number larger than 3%, like 5-6%, and see what the result is.  Very often, you find the actual number works out to 3.34% or something, and it's just not worth paying a lot more over 0.34%.

By my math, 4/0 aluminum would support a 200A feed breaker.  However, it will not fit on a 100A feed breaker.


How can I replace garage door opener remotes?

I fixed the exact same problem with my garage door using a general purpose relay output wireless transmitter / receiver module I purchased from eBay. The receiver module for inside the garage operates from a +12VDC power supply which I purchased for low cost from Goodwill. The normally open relay contact of the receiver is wired in across the same wire pair used by the inside door open push button. The existing push button is designed to short across the two wires that run to the garage door opener. The added relay connections need to be wired in parallel to the switch so that they short across the same wires when the remote is activated.

The trigger buttons are small key fob type push button controls that operate from a standard type of coin battery.

Note that models on eBay change often and it is a good idea to search for a unit that comes with multiple fobs and to purchase a spare unit if you ever think you will need replacements. Some sellers will add additional fobs to your order for an additional small charge. The search to use on eBay is Wireless Remote Control.

The whole setup cost me about a third of the lower priced options that you have linked to. The unit I purchased was a two channel device with an A and B button on the fob and so one setup was deployed to run both of my garage door openers.

These come with the remote transmit code set to some default value and it is advisable to change that code to some random code that you select. Changing the code entails some work with a small electronics soldering iron inside both the receiver and the transmitter.


Attaching plywood to laminated particle board

You're not clear on the circumstances or the purpose for attaching them. But to answer your question any type of good quality construction adhesive is a very good method of attaching two panels of that size. you can add some screws for reinforcement.


Table 314.16.A provides box fill for standard boxes:

a 3x2x1-1/2 box is listed for 3ea 14 gauge conductors (7.5 cu inch box)
a 3x2x3-1/2 box can have 9# 14 conductors (18 cu inch box)

The calculation for #14 wire is

    # of conductors x 2 cu in. + 2 cu. in. for all the grounds. (Only count 1x for all the grounds.)
  + 4 cu in. per device
  + 1x if the box has clamps (1x 2 cu. in.) only count 1 even if there are more.
  = total cu inches or less is acceptable unless an extension ring/adapter is possible ( referred to as plaster/mud rings can add to the total value and will be stamped on the extender or mud rings).

If using # 12 wire the multiplier would be 2.25 to give an idea for different wire sizes.
Note that just measuring the box will provide the wrong value. The stamped value is usually smaller than the measured value.


Can a plug melt when unit is not turned on?

If there is current leakage between pins of the plug, almost a short circuit, then that can happen. Turning the unit on only conducts current to the rest of the unit inside its container.

If the current leakage between the pins was higher, you would blow a fuse. You need to check the fuse, or circuit breaker, for the circuit it's plugged into because it might be too large and allowed the plug to melt.

Of course, it sounds like there is a problem with the plug itself.


Is it possible to relocate my water heater?

Regulations, Regulations, Regulations. However, your existing boiler should have been installed under some previous regulations so changing over to a combi and getting rid of the tank stuff shouldn't be a problem for a qualified gas safe engineer. One of the safety aspects is "Ventilation", but you already have a boiler in place so spend a bit of money on getting legal/professional advice and then invite 3 companies to quote you. Good luck


71 gallon water heater doesn't maintain hot water

This happened to me when the water heater in a rental house was replaced by the landlord's "handyman".   Check that the cold inlet and hot outlet pipes on the heater weren't installed backwards.

The inlet should have a tube so that the cold water enters at the bottom of the heater.  The outlet should pull from the top.  That way the cold water pushes most of the 71 gallons of hot water out of the heater.  If you hook it up backwards, the cold and hot mixes immediately, and quickly becomes lukewarm.


Calculating rafter size with purlin bracing

I like your drawing/sketch. Even I understand how you propose to add the "steeper" roof pitch. I even see how you plan to lap the joists at the interior "support" and fasten to the existing roof structure...nice touch.

Unless you plan on using one of those super heavy "concrete" roof tiles that weighs more than 8 lbs. per square foot, 2x8's at 24" oc or 2x6's at 16" oc. (Grade: standard and better) will support a Dead Load of 15 psf plus a Live Load of 15 psf.


When sanding hardwood floors, should I buy a rotary or oscillating tool?

Unless you love spending time on your knees, rent the drum sander and the rotary edge sander.   If you are worried about losing control of the drum sander, start with fine grit while you are getting the hang of it.  Or ask the rental place to leave the old paper on it.  It is likely to be toothless enough that it will be very hard to do any damage.

Orbital sanders are very slow, and generally are used for furniture making.

Sanding produces enormous quantities of dust.  This is one reason you want to get done quickly.  Even if you put plastic over the doors and heating vents, dust gets everywhere.

It's a good idea to have someone working with a vacuum as you sand.  Get it off the floor ASAP so the next pass with the sander doesn't cast it into the air again.  You will probably want to wear dust masks.

I have three sanders right now.  A 7" disk sander that I can also put cuttoff wheels and wire brushes on, a 3x21 belt sander, and a 4x5 orbital sander.  All 3 get used regularly, but for a floor project it would be the belt sander that would be used the ost.


Can I drill a hole in PVC conduit body to run a coax cable?

If there is a cubic inch listing on the conduit body it may be possible.
You still have to meet the wire fill requirements the CGB or clamp, x multiplier for the largest wire size has to be added to the total count of wires cubic inch.
This is the same as modifying a  listed J Box.
Your AHJ may not allow but if it has a stamped volume code has nothing stopping it.
If it is not stamped then it is not allowed to splice or modify. (Conduit body’s don’t have a approved size chart like boxes do).
Outside a cgb (cord grip bushing) that seals / clamps the wire would be required. Inside standard 2 screw clamps are ok.


Landscape Lighting Wiring: Looping vs Straight

Don't loop if you don't have to

The only advantage of the looping method is that it reduces voltage drop - this is not a problem for you. You have 95W of lights and with 12 gauge wire you can go 150 feet - your longest run is 59 feet.

Run one pair left and another right and go from light to light until you get to the end.


What to call a fitting that helps quickly release two PVC pipes?

A "union" has parts that are fixed to the pipes on either side and a nut that's tightened in the middle to join the two sides without requiring either side to twist.
A set of garden hose thread adapters, especially where the female-threaded one is the swivel type, is another option. It is basically the same in concept as a union.
A "chicago fitting" is commonly used for joining hoses - air hoses in particular, but it's also suitable for water. It requires about 1/4 turn to join or separate.
There are also many "quick disconnect" fittings designed for garden hoses, pressure washers, and so on. These usually do not require any twisting of the pipes to join them. A web search for any of these terms will yield images and suppliers of the various parts.


How can I mount K-728 diverter valve without any clearance behind it?

I have to wonder if your next problem will be that the valves are too far back in the wall to install the handles when the shower walls are installed. My experience with shower valves (not, I admit, a huge number of them) is that they normally don't sit all the way back in a 2x4 wall cavity when at the correct depth, so there's normally room for a 3/4" board behind them to screw into, at least.

To directly address the mounting issue, assuming they are where they belong, depth-wise: You can either replace a strip of drywall behind it with a board (or plywood) so you have some wood to screw into, or use a steel bracket and machine screws - either one mounts to the studs.


3 phase (delta) power to single phase space heater

Here's what 3-phase delta looks like.

This happens to be 240V and uses the common 3-phase colors of black, red, blue.

It's that simple, folks.  3 phases, No Neutral.

One error of belief is thinking every service must have a neutral.  It doesn't.   This was Tesla's genius.

Delta is used in industrial facilities where a few tools need a medium amount of power for a few larger tools.  It would be rare to see lighting or other minor loads run off it.  A motor which takes 240V 3-phase can typically be jumpered to also work on 480V 3-phase, and that is much more efficient to distribute. I would never install 240V today, I'd install 480V.

Obviously there's only one voltage.  Pretty straightforward.  Now what's this?

It's the exact same thing.  The only difference is using alternate colors. The point here is that any color may be used (except white, gray or green) including orange.  NEC doctrine is the electrician is expected to measure the circuit to determine voltages. Prince fan? Use Purple Pink Black.

Hook your heater between any two hots.

They are all 240V. Done.

The only other issue is balancing.  If you have several loads, try to put them on alternate phases so you load the 3 phases evenly.

We're done here.

So what's this Other Thing then?

This thread is dominated by discussion of some other system which is not relevant to OP.  It's a red herring.  But since it keeps coming up, let's talk about it.  This is "high-leg" or "wild-leg" delta, which is a clever rearrangement of delta to get 120V single-phase loads also - to avoid the cost of a separate 240/120V single-phase service. See how a neutral has been added halfway down a phase.

If you want to use 120V appliances, this only works on 240V delta.

Notice two mandatory wire colors.  Of course, neutral must be white or gray.  The "wild leg" - with much higher voltage to neutral - must be orange. It's one of very few cases where a "hot" color is mandated. However in any other circuit, you can use orange for any hot, and that's exactly what happened in our second example. That means if you see black-red-orange-white, it could be anything including 600V wye.  You better test it.

So when someone says "Delta" they do not mean "wild-leg delta". They mean "delta".  Don't go buying something that needs 120V or 208V expecting it to be there in delta service.  It won't be unless they specify wild-leg/high-leg.

All the 120V loads load up the A-C phase.  If there's a desire to run a significant number of 120V circuits, 208V "wye" 3-phase does a better job of it, while allowing loads to be balanced. If lighting is the primary load, 480V "wye" is a "swiss army" voltage, allowing 240V/480V motors to run in delta connection and lighting to work in wye, using a hot-neutral 277V connection.


HVAC Fan set to ON position also turns on A/C unit

The problem is that "all G wires are connected together"

According to the Aprilaire 500 installation guide the Green wire should go from the thermostat to the G on the Humidifier.

Then from the Humidifier Gi output to G on the Furnace.

This facilitates the "Test" feature for the humidifier which turns the Fan on during the test and also allows the Humidifier to run in Fan "ON" and Fan "Circulate" modes.


Plans for building a simple swing set out of wood

I will show how to build a simple A-frame swingset from pressure-treated four-by-fours and scraps, with minimal cutting.

From a six-inch-wide pressure-treated board (e.g., a 5/4-inch by 6 inch deck board), cut four isosceles trapezoids with bases that are 11 and 16 inches.

Take two legs (8-foot-long 4x4s) and align them with the legs of one of the trapezoid while touching each other on the top. Draw a line across the 4x4 legs along the short base (top) of the trapezoid. These lines are for alignment, not for cutting.

Center a scrap block of 4x4 above the trapezoid and draw lines on the legs along the sides of the block. Cut the legs along these lines.

Attach the trapezoid with screws. Attach a second trapezoid on the other side of the legs.

About six inches below the trapezoid, attach a crossbar made from another piece of 5/4x6 board. You could also use a 2x4.

Make a brace from 2x4 or 4x4. (Measure from the top of the trapezoid to the bottom of the crossbar and apply the pythagorean theorem to get the length of the brace.) Cut at 45-degree angles and attach to the crossbar.

Repeat steps 1–6 for the other A.

Assemble. Here's how to do it by yourself:

Hang swings and enjoy!


How do I connect my replacement 3-way switches?

It sounds like your setup is like the following:

You seem to have the source coming to one, and then being looped to the other switch. Often time what happens in homes is that other devices get joined at a junction box. The "extra wires" you are mentioning are more than likely going to other devices and the box is just providing a spot to do so.

You will want to turn off the power to the switches and determine which wire goes where (for the other devices) and which ones goto your light and other switch.


I'm not sure why the wires would be exposed to the elements, however if you want to seal them, wrapping in electrical tape and tie wraps is definitely not the right solution.

I would utilize heat shrink tubing:

  Thin wall heat-shrink tubing is great for cable insulation, marking or bundling, with superior mechanical, abrasion and moisture protection

Basically you slip this over the entire connection and then use a heat gun to shrink the tubing tight against the connections.  It's a cheap and effective way to protect electrical connections.


The deck builder is correct. Notching the upright provides a shelf for transferring the weight of the horizontal members onto the uprights.

I'd rather spend my time on a deck supported by thick posts instead of a certain number of galvanized carriage bolts.


What is this panel on my ceiling? How can it be opened?

It is the access panel to the opening to access the attic space above your ceiling.  It has a key lock that the Apt manager or maintenance staff has a key to.


The carpet on my stairs is worn. Should I repair it or just remove it?

I'd go ahead and pull it up and see what you've got.  It sounds like it's in pretty poor shape so you're going to have to get rid of it either way.

Depending on how the carpet was installed you'll probably find tack strips that look something like like this:

You might also find staples -- I don't know if this is common but our installer used a staple gun in some troublesome spots.  Most if not all of the staples will probably be pulled out when you rip out the carpet.

Before removing anything, take a look at the hardwood stair treads and make a preliminary decision about whether you think they're in good enough condition to leave exposed.  If they're really rough and/or you want to recarpet, leave the tack strips in place and hammer in the staples.

If you do want to leave the stairs uncarpeted, you can just remove the tack strips, being careful not to damage the floor underneath.  For minimal damage I'd recommend this type of prybar available at box stores for ~$14:

Use a hammer to tap the pointy claw end (like you would hammer a chisel) under the head of each nail holding the tack strip down, then pry up the nail enough that you can get your hammer's claw under it to pull it out.  No tools ever need touch your stair tread.


What to do, half the house has no power after I used the GFCI tester

My understanding was that pressing the gfci test button when the device is plugged into a non-gfci would be a non-event, since very little current would actually flow. And yet, here we are.

Correlation is not causality.
Your understanding is correct, and the power loss was due to something else entirely.
My money's on "It tripped a GFCI that you don't know about".
I bet it tripped the breaker because it's a GFCI breaker (those have Test buttons)...  And I have a feeling it's in a subpanel, which is fed from another GFCI breaker.  So now you need to hunt that down.


Toilet repeatedly clogs - is putting toilet bowl cleaner in the toilet's tank causing the problem?

If by "clog" you mean

You try to flush,
Water flows into the bowl,
The water level stabilizes higher than the normal resting level and the toilet doesn't actually flush.

Then I really can't imagine any way the cleaner fluid could be causing it.

In any case, check the directions on the cleaner product in question. It's certainly possible for an improperly used cleaning product to cause other problems in in a device like a toilet; I'd specifically be worried about some of the soft or hinged gaskets degrading.


What this thing is

It is a triple GFCI, switch, and receptacle.

The onboard receptacle is hardwired internally to be on the protected side of the GFCI - no choice there.

The GFCI portion has LINE inputs and LOAD outputs like any other GFCI.  Most GFCIs ship with a piece of tape over the LOAD terminals that says "Do not remove unless you really know what you're doing."  Seeing 4 screws on the old thing and 4 screws on the new thing does not qualify as knowing what you're doing.   Put a piece of tape over the LOAD terminals.

It is also a switch.  The switch does not have any terminals.  It has 2 wires.  The switch shorts the two wires.  That is all.

Phase 1: the receptacle

Don't even think of hooking up all the wires at once and having it magically work.  It won't.

First, hook up exactly 2 wires (plus ground, I won't mention ground again).  2 wires only.  Only to the "LINE" terminals. This will power up the receptacle only, and will do nothing for the light.

Victory is defined by the receptacle working, the neutral (tall) pin on the receptacle being near ground potential (no neutral/hot reverse) and the TEST and RESET buttons both work.   (if they don't work, you messed with the LOAD terminals! Naughty naughty!)

Phase 2: the lamp

Now there should be 2 loose wires coming from the wall. Those are switched-hot (black or a color) and neutral (white) to the lamp.    We switch hot, so wire-nut the switched-hot from the lamp to either one of the black wires from the switch.  That was easy.

Two wires still dangle unattached.  One of them is neutral to the lamp.  The other is always-hot from the switch.  (it becomes switched-hot at the switch.) They are coming from different things, but functionally, they're a matching pair. What do you do with an always-hot/neutral pair?  Connect them to a matching hot-neutral supply pair.

And look what we have on the GFCI's "LINE" terminals:  always-hot and neutral.

Those fancy "screw-and-clamp" types take 2 wires.  So there's room.

Once that is done, victory is defined by the light working off the switch.   And the GFCI not tripping unless  you push the TEST button or plug something into it.

Phase 3: the GFCI

Oh?  You want to GFCI protect the lamp as well? People often don't bother... but sure, why not.  After all, there is a GFCI device right here, and it certainly is capable of protecting downstream loads. It has a matching pair of hot and neutral terminals for that exact purpose: the LOAD terminals.  The ones with the tape that says "... really know what you're doing."

Since you understand "matching pair of hot and neutral"... close enough.

Connect that pair we discussed to the GFCI's pair of LOAD terminals instead of its pair of LINE terminals.

If you want to see what a GFCI does, then hopscotch them: connect the hot to LOAD and the neutral to LINE or vice versa.  It's wrong, but it'll give you an education.

Once it's hooked up correctly, and the GFCI trips, what does this mean?

The GFCI must be defective, surely!
The lamp or its wiring has a ground fault.

You can pursue #1 but usually it boils down to #2.  Not a 5-minute job.


Replace "powered" dimmer switch for old (1950s) house

What you are looking for is a single-pole, 2-wire dimmer. That's a fairly standard item. An indicator light is a little less common, but not impossible to find.

Since you only have 2 conductors in the switch box, your switch is probably wired like this:


How to cover a rectangle with least number of convex polygons cut from sheets of given size

I suggest dividing the 3 m length into three even 1 m lengths. Then divide the 2.6 m width into two uneven lengths. If you want to minimize cuts I suggest 1.25 m and 1.35 m. These add up to 2.6 m.

Out of a single 1.25 x 2.5 board you can cut out one 1.00 x 1.25 piece and one 1.00 x 1.35 piece. It will require 3 straight cuts (labeled in order below).

Repeat three times and assemble. I've drawn two versions of the assembly. Which one you prefer may depend on the framing that the OSB is attached to and what you intend to cover it with, if anything.


What does 13A on my computer monitor power plug means?

That's the maximum rating for the plug. It doesn't change anything about the current in your attached device. If you exceed that current for some reason, the plug will open the circuit for protection.


Short joist not continuing through kitchen soffit foiling remodel plans

Evidently you took out a wall that was used as a bearing wall for the ceiling joists that are turned perpendicular and are not connected to the intersected joist. The few that are tied to the intersecting ones are there just to control the sag of the last one so it does not put a dip in the ceiling right where the wall is that you took out. It was all supported by the missing wall.
It was never intended to be an open space at anytime as you are trying to do. Since the span is 14+' on the joists that are now unsupported, it will need to be redone with a flush beam set in the ceiling and configured by an engineer who needs to know all the particulars about attic space, snow loads, span details and ceiling joist sizes and spacing, some of which you provided, sorta.
The way the ceiling is typically framed for an open ceiling as you desire, is the predominate run of joists are run all the way to the end wall, perhaps as close as the roof rafters allow on the perpendicular roof, sometimes as much as 4' away, not the 14+' you have, which is where some of the problem lies. Then the last joist is doubled to act as a beam to hold the ends of the what would now be very short rafters going the other way. Doubling the beam is a typical detail, it may need to be tripled, depending on the overhang conditions. Hence the engineer. Besides, this is always laid out on the building plans at the time of construction, and designed or approved by an engineer before construction begins


Common kitchen/bathroom countertop devices that use 120V20A

This Blender which is used in the "Will it Blend" commercials requires a dedicated 20amp circuit.  I have a smaller model but it still pulls 10amps!  Now most people don't have these, but there certainly are all sorts of mixers, blenders, bread makers, etc. that might require this type of amperage.

I believe that you are required by NEC (in new builds anyways) to have dedicated 20amp outlets in the kitchen.  I think that it's not so much that a single device will pull 20amps, but two devices plugged into a single outlet might.


Question about new inverter for solar power system

I suspect there's a sizing issue here because I'd be surprised if a 3000W inverter could start a 3000W motor.

If you run the inverter at its nameplate capacity, your immediate 12 VDC current draw will be 300 amps or more.  Aside from inverter losses, you will have considerable voltage drop in whatever wires you are using to connect to the batteries, and indeed, through the batteries themselves.  The inverter will compensate for voltage sag by pulling more current.

So that means you'll need 300AH per hour.  5 AH per minute.

Invert as soon as possible ... For the big loads

You'll want the inverter as close to the batteries as safety permits, with battery-battery and battery-inverter interconnects of heavy 2/0 or even 4/0 wire.  I've seen a solar project fail because they used (seemingly generous) #10 wire to carry 20A@12V eighty feet.

The goal is to cover distance at the highest voltage possible, because raising voltage both lowers current and lowers the importance of voltage drop. The benefit is (voltage/voltage) squared - e.g (120/12)^2 is 100x better to transmit as 120V than 12V, and (240/12)^2 400x better for 240V.

With 120V you must also watch voltage drop, but it becomes a factor over much longer distances in the 100-200' range (and don't forget the distance down the well, unless the motor is at the top; most are at the bottom).

Use a voltage drop calculator with your distance, voltage and continuous current draw (not startup surge).  Override the absurd 3% and allow 40% or so, merely to see how bad it will be at the minimum allowed wire size.  Anything more than about 6-8% needs remediation.

You can recompute with a 6% value and see what it says for wire size.
If it's recommending hundreds of dollars of wire, recompute for 240V.  If that number is much more favorable, then it's time to go 240V on the well pump (but do not increase horsepower!)

You don't need a 240V inverter. You can make 240V (at half the current) with 120V and a simple transformer.  The 120V side of the transformer looks like any other 120V load.  A motor of same horsepower will have the same current draw (from the 120V side). Transformers have a trivial power drop of 1-3%. They handle startup surge without worry (unlike inverters) so size for the motor's continuous draw.

Deep cycling is a problem, though

As discussed, you'll need 300A+ from a 12V battery.  That's 5AH per minute or 300AH per hour.

Beware lead-acid, as they take damage from discharging, so their practical, everyday capacity is nowhere near their nameplate capacity.  Seriously. If you draw only 20-30% of a lead-acid's capacity and then recharge it, the battery will work for years.  If you start dipping it to 50%, you shorten its life to a few hundred such dips, and if you discharge 80% of its nameplate capacity, you'll greatly shorten its life to dozens of such cycles.

So a 300AH lead-acid battery would very quickly fail.  Best practice is a 4x oversize, so now you are talking about a 1200AH battery.

Lithium batteries do much better, and nickel batteries are almost impervious.  Apple and Tesla get phenomenal performance out of lithium batteries (this 7yo iPad is run down daily and still has nearly full range) by including 20-30% more battery and not letting you use it.  Once Tesla pushed a software patch to hurricane customers that let them use the full range of their battery. This gave them 100+ more miles!

Make hay while the sun shines

If you have a location at a higher altitude than your house, you can put a storage tank there.  Water in the storage tank pressurizes your system and delivers water to the house.  The pump tops up this tank when the sun is shining and the panel is at peak delivery.

Faucet pressure is based on altitude difference, 1 PSI per 2 feet of altitude.

So for instance if the solar panels are producing 2000W of power, your 3000W load is only drawing 1000W from the battery, which has a big impact on sizing.

If the solar array is 3000W then the battery sizing issue pretty much goes away (least as far as the pump is concerned), you're only borrowing from the battery for startup surge.

As a bonus to this, you can spin down the inverter when you're not using the pump, so you don't have the parasitic "standby losses" of the inverter, which really beat you up because they're 24x7.

Also, this lets you do irrigation at sensible times rather than at the height of the day when the sun is shining.  The tank size is the limit; essentially you're storing "pumping energy" hydraulically rather than electrically. Tanks are cheaper than batteries.


What is going on with these wires at the wall light switch?

You are in the conduit wiring method.

The rules here are different.

most likely, the ground is the metal conduit itself.  That's done!
it is normal to have wires pass through your box without stopping.  Those wires are not usable by you, and should be disregarded. (White and red)
Neutral will not be provided in switch loops because it is easy to pull neutral if it is needed in the future.

Your assessment of the purpose of the three black wires is correct, though more likely the 2 blacks are the always-hot, and the 1 black is the switched hot to the lamp. There are 2 always-hot blacks because power goes onward to other outlets or points of service.  The neutral you see is surely for that onward use of power.

Note that the switched lead doubles back in the same conduit. That is fine. I'm a little disappointed that the installer didn't any of the 6 other allowable colors for the switched hot, to distinguish it, or at least mark it with tape.

I gather you are not familiar with multi-wire branch circuits (MWBC).  I don't know what the red is, but it's probably an MWBC. This means there will be 2 breakers you must shut off to deenergize both black and red, and if you don't get them both, you will get electric shocks when separating the neutral.  They may already be handle-tied in the panel. They should be by modern Code.  (if it's a double-stuff, let us know!)

Getting neutral

You do not have neutral in that box.  That loop is not available to you and might as well not exist. Don't even think of trying to bite onto that somehow, if you're gonna do something that nasty, you might as well bootleg neutral off the metal chassis of the box.

To get neutral to that box, you will need to pull it.  As it happens, there is already a "rope" in the conduit fit for pulling a new neutral, so this will be easy but will involve gasp material cost.  The material is #12 THHN, THWN-2 or XHHW wire that is white. Your pick, solid or stranded. You will be pigtailing both ends, so stranded will work great.

You see the white looping through.  Follow it in both directions to whichever other box it goes to.  You may need to open up a lot of junction boxes, although it's a guess that one direction goes toward/to the light. You shove the white wire up the conduit about an inch, and see if it moves on the other end.  Also, get a handle on how stiff it moves, you are interested in the direction with the easier pull.  You are not interested in a location where the white wire "loops through" like it does here.   It needs to terminate there.   We are going to use that white wire to pull in a new white wire.

Now, you've identified the easiest pull.  All breakers must be off, don't let the MWBC bite you.  Now, unhook that white wire.  Straighten it out and lay your new white wire alongside it at least 9" of distance, so they overlap,  and tape them to each other with electrical tape the whole length of overlap. They mustn't separate!  Use tape at the lead to make sure the front of the new wire doesn't present a hard corner, or it will snag going through.

Now push this into the pipe. I prefer to push than pull, honestly, but eventually you'll hit a snag and pulling will make it easier. It's less brute-force, and more teasing it through. Twisting the wire often also helps.

You finish when you have all 3 ends of the white wire sticking at least 7" past the surface of the wall (10" past the end of the conduit).  It can now be snipped to that length.  See why we couldn't use the white as-is?

Now, we talk about a fundamental rule of MWBC.  You must be able to remove a device without interrupting the neutral. Now since I gather your smart switch will come with wire leads, forcing you to pigtail, you will need to double-pigtail the neutral here.  That way you can remove the smart switch later without having to separate the two wall neutrals. So wire-nut the two wall neutrals to a short 6" piece of white wire.  This shorty then gets pigtailed to the smart switch's neutral wire.

Presumably, the other box you just ran white from will also have been pigtailed already, if not, pigtail it.

The two blacks that were on the old switch together, get pigtailed to the (presumably black supply) wire of the smart switch.

The remaining black goes to the switched-hot lead of the smart switch.


Weird smell from electrical disconnect box when appliance is on

Both of the things you report - the smell and the hum - are very likely indications of a bad connection or bad contact in the disconnect.

Bad connections and bad contacts generate heat, the heat can damage the insulation of the wires, and even cause a fire.

I'd leave that disconnect off and if possible turn of the breaker for the circuit until it can be checked.  You'll probably wind up having the disconnect replaced, hopefully the wiring can be re-terminated without replacing it.


How long does caulk need to dry in a 1" gap?

safe to use the shower is a relative question.  when will it be safe to use it so that its use doesn't compromise the caulking seal?  never - it was already compromised the moment you did it that way.

caulking shrinks as it dries, and the speed at which it dries changes how it polymerizes.  when you make a huge blob of caulking, you seal in much of the solvent and that changes how the sealant cures dramatically.  essentially, the inside of the caulking is still wet with solvent, which prevents the material from properly linking together to make a waterproof plastic membrane.  since that waterproof membrane has to adhere to the surrounding surfaces to keep water out, it can't.  thats the key to success.

too much caulk means the membrane never fully forms.  you get a layer on the outside just thick enough to hold in the solvent.  now, when you wet it with water, the water also seals in the solvent.  since there is flex in every joint, everytime you stand on it or near it, or swing the door, or fart strongly, the joint moves.  however, instead of a strong, well adhered plastic membrane flexing and returning, all you are doing is tearing the thin outer membrane and letting in a little air to further cure a tiny bit inside the tear.  this will continue for weeks until the boundary between the new sealant and the substrate is completely sheared through, and even then you may not have fully cured caulk.  as the curing process continues, the caulk will shrink until that boundary is not only fully disconnected from the substrate, but also shrunk to the point where the boundary is a gap.  then water gets in again.

to do it right, you have to follow these steps:

1)  remove all old sealant mechanically.
2)  using whatever solvents are necessary, clean off all remaining traces of the preexisting sealants (this is important, as you need new sealants to bond to the substrate, not the old sealant)
3)  mechanically abrade (sand) the new joint areas to promote proper adhesion.
4)  if the gap is bigger than 1/4", fill it with a compatible seam filling rope or extrusion that is compatible with your sealant and the type of movement you are going to have.
5)  seal with a good quality urethane or silicone sealant.  don't use latex sealants inside showers or bathtubs, no matter how much it says you can on the packaging.

and for the love of god, do your work carefully and with some attention to craftsmanship.  it looks like you put that sealant in and smoothed it out with an old shoe.


Never heard of the brand either. In general, cracked plastic (fiberglass, acrylic, whatever) tubs are a poor installation which ignored the key "secret" (not - it's usually right there in the instructions, being ignored) of bedding the tub in plaster, so that there is no flex on the bottom of it.

On the other hand, if you can get the heavy things moved into place, cast iron is darn near permanent.


What could be causing my touch lamps to come on by themselves?

This is just a guess...a big guess.  Touch modules work by static electricity jolts. This is why a close lightening bolt can activate them!  I don't know code for amorflex, but check to see if the metal case is grounded properly AND continuously.  My guess (again, a big guess) is the neutral is finding a path to the metal shield someplace besides at the fuse/breaker panel and your static touch is traveling along the metal shield.

One other thought...does the process work in reverse?  Can you touch the floor lamp and turn on the bedside lamp? If not you may have slightly defective module at the bedside table.  If it doesn't work in reverse, switch the touch sensors if you can.  If the problem follows the module you have a module problem.  If it stays at your bedside or the process works in reverse you may have a slight wiring connection problem.  I say "slight" because static voltage goes into the tens of thousands to millions of volts (no amperage that's you it doesn't kill you).  At that voltage, the charge pretty much goes where it wants.  Fun problem.


Why are light switch designs different between Europe and the US?

Yes, because it also allows this:

Note the two sockets, which we have found to be indispensable. That's one standard yoke, and all junction boxes therefore are designed to accommodate that one yoke. Here's what it looks like naked.

That, by the way, is a 20 amp variant of that same plug, note backward compatibility.  Many circuits are actually 20A wired (for which we use stout #12, 3.3 mm2) and either socket is permitted on them, all 15A sockets are internally built for 20A.  Appliances which require 20A keying are scarce as hen's teeth, though.

Also, multi-“gang" boxes are built with a standard spacing.  Why?  Because cover plates are generic and interchangeable: there are a limited number of opening shapes, and you've just seen them all.   The small square and dual ovals are traditional, and Leviton invented the big rectangle "Decora" so they could accommodate just about anything.  Up to about 3-gang, you can get almost any combo, but then you reach a point of diminishing returns.  So if your combination is too eclectic, you just switch to all-Decora type, and do this.

by the way, if you need to plug in a Euro appliance, and it won't be spun to death by our 60Hz power, we have ways to do that in our plug/socket regimes, using NEMA 6, the 240V versions of the above sockets, good for up to 4800 watts.  Surely you don't think we'd allow a ”power gap”?

Anyway, you want to plug in a Euro style switch.  There's one gotcha.

  110.2 Approval. The conductors and equipment required or permitted by this Code shall be acceptable only if approved.

"Approved" means by your local permit/inspection office. They do not run a competent testing lab, so they delegate to agencies like Underwriter's Laboratories (UL). These marks used to be very nationally provincial.  But thanks to trade deals like NAFTA, GATT, G7 and all that jazz, countries whose standards are comparable recognize each others' approvals.

So you would need to bring over approved (surely anything sold at Wickes would be approved) junction boxes and switches from Europe.  Most likely our Romex cable would be a viable substitute for twin-and-earth, though our fat wires might have a problem fitting your terminals, especially our gratuitous use of #12 on what would be a 13A circuit in the UK.


How can I add a GFCI breaker on two circuits with a shared neutral without rewiring?

If you are asking if you can double tap the breaker in the panel (#1), the answer is no.
GFCI Breaker
My first thought in this situation, would be to use a 20 Amp double pole GFCI breaker.

These tend to be quite expensive, but it will protect both legs of your circuit.
Single GFCI Receptacle
The next option would be to install a single GFCI receptacle to protect all the downstream receptacles, and leave the lights unprotected.  Though you'd have to check your local codes to know if the lights need to be protected.

Just remember, you'll have to pigtail the neutral before the GFCI receptacle for this to work.
Two GFCI receptacles
The other option is to install a GFCI receptacle to protect downstream receptacles, then install another GFCI receptacle to protect the lights.

Again, you'll have to pigtail the neutral before the first GFCI receptacle.  This also has the disadvantage of having a receptacle on the light circuit, which can lead to overloading the circuit and standing in the dark because of it. However, it does insure both legs of the circuit are protected.  You could install the GFCI receptacle that protects the lights in an inconvenient location (while still keeping it accessible for resets/tests), to limit the temptation to use it.
Remember to check all local codes and regulations before doing any work, and never be afraid to call an Electrician if you feel uncomfortable at all during the installation.


What are the risk of floating a solid hardwood above grade floor using a clip system?

A product called 'DRIcore' (or similar) would work. DRIcore comes as 2ft x 2ft tongue-and-groove panels made from OSB with a solid plastic bottom. You fit them/install them on top of your substrate (concrete in this case), and then the material they're made of can be nailed into.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DRIcore-7-8-in-x-2-ft-x-2-ft-DRIcore-Subfloor-Panel-CDGNUS750024024/202268752


Increasing flow rate on a whole-house humidifier

You can take the line off after the solenoid and clean out the orfice carefully (do not enlarge the hole) and the strainer. Shut off the water supply, remove the tubing to the solenoid, place the end in a bucket and flush out the tubing. Reconnect the supply tubing, turn on the water, get a catch basin or cup to catch the water and turn on the humidifier for a few seconds to insure that the solenoid is opening and not plugged. Reassemble the solenoid discharge tubing, and anything else that you had to take apart. Turn on the dehumidifier' Water should run into the humidifier distribution tray and drip onto and thru the filter pad. The excess water will drain out the bottom of the humidifier through the tubing and into the floor drain. If you have a manual that came with the humidifier read it first to get familiar with the layout and parts you will be cleaning. The service company should inspect and service this humidifier yearly.


What kind of paint should I use to paint a field stone foundation wall?

Don't!

"Painting a stone wall to make it look nicer" is "good" for a few months, perhaps. Forever after, it's a mess.

Stone walls don't need paint, don't benefit from paint, and look like [bleep] when the paint peels. Removing the parts of the paint that don't peel is difficult, so they look like [bleep] ever after.

Don't go down this road. Your house will look much better, as it has for 117 years.


Any issue with using 16 gauge speaker wire for powering LED light strips?

Quality and safety

The cheap Cheese stuff you linked is unspeakably awful, and you really need to stop buying safety related equipment from Amazon Marketplace/eBay/banggood/the other outlets of the Alibaba junkstream.   All of those either involve direct ship from China, or dropshipping via the Amazon warehouse which is effectively the same thing.

The Amazon Basics product at least reflects some nominal effort by Amazon to deliver a product which meets its product claims, since Amazon is a bricks and mortar direct seller with boots in the USA, making it easy for consumer protection agencies to hold them accountable for their own stuff.  We can't vouch for the insulation quality, but it is unlikely to break down at 24V, because if it did, it would fail its mission as speaker wire.

If you are confused by the difference between Amazon proper and Amazon Marketplace, that's the plan.

Anyway, the real question with this AmazonBasics wire is whether it is a type fit for your use, by which I mean visible vs in-wall, outdoor, etc. The cable rating will tell the tale.

They do make correct cable for such tasks made to go in-wall; thermostat cable comes to mind.  Thermostats are 24VAC RMS(about 35V peak) so that's not a problem.

Sizes needed for LED lighting

Low voltage LED lighting is a contradiction.  On one hand, you need fairly heavy wire (e.g. 16 AWG) to go any appreciable distance without getting murdered by voltage drop.

On the other hand, LED strips are so delicate that if you solder stiff, fat 18AWG solid wire to their solder pads, the "tail will wag the dog" as it were - the wire will be so much stiffer than the strip that you are likely to tear the solder pads off the PCB. So you are better off pigtailing off the LED strip with #20 or even #22 stranded wire, then come out to a wire-nut to splice to the long-haul cable.


What could be the source of an intermittent, unlocatable rotten egg smell?

Think I found it, this time, at least. Turned out to be some rotten, moldy food that managed to get hidden away in the back of an infrequently-used pantry.


You just need to sand it down. Tile mortar is fairly soft and a common sanding block should do. Be careful not to scratch your tile (mask it if you like). Skim it with drywall joint compound if that doesn't yield satisfactory results, then sand it again.

Next time, either be more careful troweling the mortar or apply masking tape to the wall first. You don't have to have mortar right to the very edge of the bullnose. In fact, you're better off leaving it back slightly so you can grout against the wall and have a clean look without mortar showing through.


Should I bond neutral in sub panel- there is no electrical ground

If you're in an area that has adopted National Electrical Code, you'll have to run a 4 wire feeder. You'll also still need the ground rods at the shed, which you'll bond the grounding bar in the panel to.
If it's an existing 3 wire feeder, and there are no other conductive paths between the buildings. Then yes, you'd bond the grounded (neutral) bar. However, if there are other conductive paths between the buildings (water pipe, conduit, gas pipe, etc.), then you'll need a 4 wire feeder.
tl;dr
If this is a new installation, you'll need a 4 wire feeder.


It’s not structural. It’s just a design we use for “clean lines” without the grooves and notches in the trim, etc.
If you were to remove the entire frame, you’d see that there are shims along the head and jambs. Any structural load can’t be transferred to the jambs if there’s shims in the head, AND the frame can’t be “squared” without the shims.
This design makes the frame look more like hollow metal frames...


How can I remove ridges from a concrete shower pan?

You probably don't need to concern yourself.  The thinset plus tile should smooth out the imperfections just fine.

If you really want to remove them, you'll probably need to use a concrete grinder.  But that's pretty expensive.  As a "lightweight" alternative, a 4" angle grinder with a  masonry wheel would knock the top off of the ridges.  But it would take a lot of time and make a lot of mess to really remove much material that way.


Wiring a rocker switch with pilot light so light is on when switch is off

You have a pilot light switch. Some are on when the circuit is on, others are on when the circuit is off and some can be set either way. It sounds like what you want is an illuminated switch, one that guides you to the switch in the dark so you can turn it on.

While some pilot light switches can do that (and yours might), the simple illuminated switches generally look better, and the toggle itself is usually glowing.

Links are for illustration only and not an endorsement of products or sources.


the rim joist does not rest on the beam... Should I do that?

You don't need to, the beam is supporting the weight bearing joists.

  How should I connect this rim joist?

In the "Joists" section of the document you linked it tells you: "Attach a
rim joist to the end of each joist with (3)10d nails or (3)#10 by 3-inch wood screws."

You have to fasten the rim joist to each joist as directed (with 10d nails or screws). You also have to strengthen the rim joist wherever it will be supporting a guardrail post, as directed, with anchors.


Install new wall outlet few feet to the left of existing outlet

You can carefully remove the cove at the bottom of the wall. Then cut the drywall out from the area behind the base cove. You will need to notch the plate back so you can fish the NM behind the dry wall. Run the NM to the new location and repeat the notching up toward the new hole you just cut to install the cut-in box. Connect up the new receptacle put on the cover plate, then make up the connection at the old receptacle location (make sure the circuit is turned off). Replace the base turn on the power and you're good to go.

Stay safe and good luck.


Building a wood gate too hard for DIY newbie?

In order to build a gate properly you need the Z/reverse Z frame and build everything around that.

How to design your fence properly

The key points are the intersections where the 45° lumber meets the horizontal and vertical lumber. You need good solid joints there. The rest is just decorations. For gates that wide I'd still put wheels on just because it'll be difficult to secure such a heavy load to the wall without some serious lags in very good brick.

Here's an example of one:


Faint sewer smell in highrise bathroom during high winds in one direction?

Strong wind gusts here in Toronto will cause the water level in my toilet bowl to move up and down, almost as if it were being plunged. I'm on the second floor of a century factory loft. The wild variation in air pressure during strong winds must put pressure on the vent stack. Sometimes the water level in the toilet drops low enough to allow air from the stack to gurgle into the apartment. This is the kind of scenario that could be alowing sewer gases into your apartment, either through the toilet, tub, lavatory sink or kitchen sink.


Which valves should I close when blowing out my sprinklers for the winter?

Your plan seems reasonable.
Some things to note:

The four little stubs sticking off the bottom are valves - probably ball valves. They could have water trapped inside the ball, so you'll want to blow those out and/or leave them open when you're finished to prevent the valve itself freezing.
The main valve is also a ball and will have water inside it too. There should be another valve somewhere in a freeze-proof location -- either inside the house or a few feet below ground out in the yard. It's find to close the right-hand valve here while doing the blow-out, but you'll want to leave the upstream valve closed and this one open when the job is finished.


You can just cover the window with a heat shrinkable window insulation kit such as this one below available at any home store. It will come with the needed tape to affix it to the window frame (from the inside of the apartment) and then all you need is a hair dryer to tighten it up to a nice clean and clear view. Once summer comes again, it will easily remove without any paint damage as the adhesive is similar to a PostIt notepad type system.


Cold air from gap underneath kitchen cabinets

Usually cabinet makers don't try to seal the gap between the toekick and the cabinet box.  What's most likely happening is there is an opening in your drywall behind the cabinets for plumbing or electrical that the installers did not seal, and that is your source of cold air.

Since getting to that is near impossible (without dismantling the cabinets) your're going to have to settle for plugging the gap.  Maybe some fiberglass cut to fit, and some plastic tape to seal.  The space under that cabinets may run the whole length of the assembly.  It will be a kludge no matter what.  Just make it look semi-reasonable.

That register; is it a return or a supply?   A return may just come up in the floor, and they cut the toekick to provide flow.  A supply should be ducted to the register cover.


How do I know if blade fits the miter saw?

The diameter is important, as that's the maximum size blade that will physically fit in the saw.  The arbor size is important, because that's the size hole that will fit on the saws mandrel. If either of these sizes are wrong, the blade simply will not fit on the saw.

The thickness of the blade doesn't typically matter, as far as fitting on the machine. Unless you're talking about a dado stack, but you'd not be putting that on a miter saw anyway. The blade thickness, or kerf, only tells you how much material will be removed when cutting.

The number of teeth influences the speed of the cut, as well as the smoothness of the cut.  Generally, more teeth give a smoother cut.


Primer is generally used for one or more of these reasons. If they apply, use it. If you're unsure, use it.

Save cost (cheap sealing and color/texture uniformity coat)
Improve adhesion over glossy or dirty surfaces
Block stains


So you have a 4 wire feed if the barely wire was the bare copper. First you will need to open the panel and verify the neutral is tied to the neutral buss. Next you will need to install ether a single pole 20 amp breaker or a common trip double pole 20 amp breaker. Now if you used a double pole you will have 2 ea 120v circuits wire the black white and ground to 1 outlet and the same white pig tailed, red and ground to a second outlet both circuits share the ground and neutral the neutral will not be overloaded because they are sperate legs that are 180 out of phase with each other. If you only want 1 circuit a single breaker just cap the red or the black at each end.  I suggested a 20 amp breaker because most of the 240v outlets are 30 amp or larger using #10 wire or larger. If the wiring is larger than #10 you will need to pigtail the larger wire with #10 or #12awg because 120v outlets usually are only listed for #10 awg max. Last depending on the location you may need GFCI protection, multi wire circuits sometimes do have problems with MWBC's. Make sure that the neutral is split, or pig tailed prior to the gfci's or the first outlet will trip every time the second outlet is used you can even break the bridge connector on the outlet hot side of a duplex outlet and have 1 circuit on the top outlet and the other circuit on the bottom outlet, this is how I have wired many kitchens in the past.


Since the damage is at the end of the cord, you can just cut off the chewed part, replace the plug, and lose a few inches of cord length.  There is an endless selection of replacement plug styles at any big hardware store.  A few things to note:

This answer is focused on the plug style used in the US, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and some other countries.  Plug designs vary in other countries.  To the extent that there are other considerations that apply elsewhere, I encourage readers to comment or post other answers to better address requirements in other countries.
The cord in the picture is commonly called zip cord or lamp cord.  It's used on low power, indoor appliances.  Plugs are designed for different types of cord.  Some cords have a round outer insulation jacket covering individually insulated wires.  The replacement plugs designed for that type of cord, especially for higher-power appliances or outdoor use, are big and contain a clamp sized to grab a thick, round cable.  You don't need a massive plug like that.  There are light duty plugs designed for the type of cord on your air purifier.
It's a two-wire cord, so get a two prong plug.  There are polarized and non-polarized plugs (the polarized plugs have one blade wider than the other).  Match the style of the original plug.
If the original plug was polarized, the cord should have one side identified by ribbing or a white stripe.  That side goes to the wider blade, which is the neutral connection.  If the original plug was not polarized, it doesn't make any difference which wire goes to which non-polarized blade.
If the store has only polarized plugs and the original was not polarized, it won't hurt to use a polarized plug.  But if the original was polarized, do not replace it with a non-polarized one.
The plugs come in two attachment styles.  One requires you to strip some of the insulation and wrap the wire around a screw.  The other is "insulation displacement"; you put the intact wire in a slot and closing the cover forces the wire onto contacts that cut through the insulation and grab each wire.  Either style is fine.  As FreeMan notes in a comment, some insulation displacement plugs may require you to separate the two wires for a short distance, with each wire going into a separate channel inside the plug (just follow the package instructions).

Make sure there is a mechanism to secure the wire so that pulling on it can't pull it out.  If there is not some type of built-in clamp (a situation more common in the screw-type, like the plug shown below), tie a knot in the cord inside the plug to keep the cord from being pulled out.

There is a knot called the Underwriter's Knot designed for this purpose.  The picture below (courtesy of this web site), shows it inside a lamp base:

You can get right-angle replacement plugs.  This can reduce the clearance required at the wall if the outlet is behind furniture.

all pictures courtesy Home Depot


Stain-grade wood repair for door mullion?

Unfortunately, I'll be surprised if you can effect a very successful repair.  Restoring the outer corners like those is tricky at best.  And having it stained only makes it worse, since the wood grain will be easily visible.

Most likely any attempt to repair will make it worse looking not better.  I'd opt for something low-impact, such as a scratch-cover product like Olde English, which essentially re-stains the now-exposed wood fibers.  It at least conceals the bright colors of the underlying wood and makes the damage a little less noticeable.

But ultimately I'd confess to your landlord and let her decide how best to proceed.  It's her door, and her call.


Can a poor application of driveway sealer be corrected?

A photo would help identify other ways of fixing the problem and identify what kind of sealer was used.

But in general as it has been applied to thick the only way to fix it is sand it down (or chisel it away if possible) until it is nice and smooth. If any deep scratches happen during the removal process you should fill it with something that will bond to either the driveway or the left over sealer.

You will then have to re apply it in the correct way.

Trying to apply more on top of the already badly applied could be an option but I would not recomend it and could be more difficult than trying to flatten /remove it.

Be sure to use some sort of industrial sanders or get some other profesionals in and the sue the other company for bad workmanship


Should I sand each layer of mud when joining drywall?

Yes, knock off any bumps between coats, but there's no need to get it perfect. A screen sander on the end of a pole is the best tool for this job. And it goes without saying that you should minimize any bumps while the mud is still drying to avoid having to sand it later. Some even recommend using the premix joint compound on the last coat and, just before it dries, going over it with a slightly damp sponge to take off any bumps.


A/C Emergency Cut-off Cleaning and Maintenance

Ok, that appears to be the condensation drain pipe.  If you notice above the trap, you will likely have a removable cap.  I pour a small bit of bleach in that trap every year to prevent anything from growing and to keep it flowing, but you may need more or more often depending on your location.

The other key self maintenance step is to replace your filters regularly.  The thin blue fiberglass filters that are likely installed at the air handler will probably make it a year.  My friends refer to them as rock catchers since they hardly do anything to catch dust.  The thicker filters that you may have at your air returns should be changed more often, possibly monthly, depending on how much dust you have in your home.


What can I use to repair a crack in a plastic AC Condenser Drip pan?

I think you're on the right track - a strong, waterproof epoxy and a piece of rigid plastic or fiberglass should seal that crack nicely.


How can I repair a toilet that is leaking at the base?

This is a tough job and it may be worth it for you to call a plumber as there are numerous complications you might encounter. However, you will have to learn somehow:

1) Forget about the "higher pitch dripping sound" for now. The leak at the toilet base is big trouble and your efforts should be focused there.

2) shut off the water supply, flush the toilet, use a plunger to force remaining water out of the bowl and down the drain, use sponges and towels to sop up all remaining water in the bowl and tank.

3) Pull the toilet: your toilet is held down to the floor with two special bolts (closet bolts) that are either hooked under a ring set in the floor (closet ring) or screwed into the floor itself (less common). You need to remove the nuts by unscrewing them or cutting them off. Pulling the toilet off is a two person job (I have done it alone but I hurt my back doing it). Make sure you have an open area with a tarp or something to set it down on.

4) there is a donut shaped ring, usually made of wax but sometimes foam or sometimes wax with a foam core, which seals between the toilet and the closet ring. Scrape all remnants of the old wax seal off the bottom of the toilet and the closet ring. Inspect the closet ring so you see how the new bolts hook under the slots in the ring or screw to the floor. If the ring is broken, if the floor is damaged badly, if the piping is compromised: stop and repair any of that stuff prior to reinstalling the toilet.

5) reinstall: attach new closet bolts to the ring (or floor if that is the case) using threaded clips or nuts to secure the bolts to the ring. Place new wax ring in the sun for a bit to let it soften some (or warm it up with a hair dryer), than press it onto the bottom of the toilet at the waste outlet OR place it on top of the closet ring. Carefully lift the toilet and lower it down over the bolts (2 man job perhaps). let it gently squish down onto the wax, crawl up on the toilet some to bed it firmly. Hand tighten the nuts on the closet bolts, moving back and forth from one to the other, ensuring even tightening on both sides. Snug them up with a wrench, do not over tighten or you may be buying a new toilet.

There are a lot of issues and complications you could encounter. Buy a couple wax rings when you are at the hardware store in case you wreck one.


I would cut off the timber in the ground using a Sawzall type tool (reciprocating saw) that has a long rough cut blade installed. You can get blades as long as 12 inches that can easily reach into tight spots and cut the wood. Soil will wear the teeth away fairly quickly and so be prepared to replace the blade.

I've used this technique to cut roots free from stumps when removing a tree. Works very well.


Wiring a ceiling fan with different wires from the ceiling

This deal is sorely in need of some colored electrical tape.  Seriously.

There is one /3 cable (black white red) since ground is not counted as a conductor.   It is the same cable both in the fan box and the switch box.  On this cable:

Mark both ends of the white wire with black tape, to designate that it is for "always-hot".  Use of the white wire for always-hot is mandatory in this case, but also mandatory is the marking I just described.   This is the only mandatory marking; the rest a done for sanity's sake.
You see in the switch box where the white wire joins a black and red wire in a wirenut.  They are both short pigtails, also mark the red wire with black tape near each end, which will reduce confusion in that box.
The red wire exits the cable in the switch box, and hits a wirenut to connect to a red pigtail that goes to a switch.  We'll leave that all red.
The black wire exits the cable in the switch box, and hits a wirenut to connect to a red (!!!) pigtail that goes to a switch.  Annoying!  So we will:
get blue tape, and on the /3 cable, mark both ends of the black wire with blue tape.  Also mark the red pigtail with blue tape.

Ok, now counting the tape color, black = always hot, blue = switch 1, red = switch 2 and white is neutral.   This just got a whole lot easier.

Up in the fan box,  black gets nutted to black (which is the white wire remarked black, and NOT the black wire remarked blue).

Three wires remain: blue, red and white which is actual neutral.   That is what your fan needs.


New Build - Bowed Lumber & Holes In Sheathing

You've asked about two distinct things here. I'll address them both, but in the future please ask just one question per post.

First, bowing in lumber is unavoidable. It's a natural product, after all. The question is one of deflection tolerance. My family's company wouldn't use anything that was bowed on the strength axis more than about 1/4" in 8 feet. Even with good culling, it's critical to "crown" all lumber--align the bows to the same direction--to minimize variance from one stud or joist to the next.

Bows on the thickness axis can and should be straightened to a reasonable degree when sheathing is installed. They don't have an impact on strength or rigidity, but unaddressed deflection makes everything more difficult, from drywall installation to cabinet setting.

What your builder considers acceptable is at his/her discretion, and is ultimately up to you and your contract. Bring it up for discussion in a respectful manner if you're not satisfied.

Secondly, gaps in wall sheathing aren't necessarily a concern. Most sheathing specs call for an expansion gap, in fact. If the sheathing has an integrated air/moisture barrier the joints will probably be sealed with specially-made tape anyway. Read the literature for your product and raise any issues with your builder.

As to the holding power of the sheathing for siding fasteners, they'll just need to fasten to studs. Soft sheathings (fiberboard, gypsum) have been used for decades and this is how it's done.

Finally, OSB is still commonly used for exterior wall and roof sheathing. Why your builder is using a different product is another point for discussion. How does it integrate with the rest of the insulation and air barrier plan? What's the final R-value of your walls going to be? I'd have expected that all that would be in your contract and had been discussed before now, but it's better done late than never.


Why not build your closet wall along the dotted line, but end it at the inset near the window. Build a short return wall to the edge of the inset.

Then on the short wall to the left of the window, build in a bookshelf ceiling to floor that is slightly less deep than the closet wall (inset about 2-3") and just short of the window trim.  You could also build a companion bookshelf on the right side of the window to make it look symmetrical.

The small step back from the edge of the closet to the bookcase would likely look planned rather than makeshift. You also could have the edge of the closet rounded as it moves back to the bookshelves.  There are pre-made curved edges, called bullnoses, available for plasterboard that would make it fairly simple.


How to maintain a Saniflo waste water macerator pump?

White Vinegar, as in regular household, kitchen variety. Vinegar will do the job without harming rubber seals.  It will easily descale most lime build ups.  You should likely mix with plain water in a 25x75 mix, depending on how much you intend to use.  For mine, I use just enough total mix to completely cover the base of the pump base. up above the grinding blade, so, roughly 2 gallons total mixture with 1/2 gal US or 1.5 liters metric of vinegar with 3 times more of water.... so 1/2gal vinegar, 1.5 gallons of water, is enough for the fluid level to be above the actual grinding blade in my particular pump.  I let that stand for at least an hour, then flush the whole system with clear water.

The advantage to vinegar is that while it is acidic, it is not enough to kill off the useful bacteria in the entire waste system nor is it so strong as to damage plastic or rubber seals.


How can I test a three prong dryer receptacle for open neutral/ground?

The dryer itself is the only load that is needed. Open the panel where the cord connects to the dryer and try to turn it on and measure the voltages from both legs to the ground/neutral and across the hot leads if the voltage drops out you will be able to pinpoint the loss with any meter. You may need to have someone push the start button while taking the measurements.


Insulating inside on an exterior brick wall

The chart I have shows the R values of compressed insulation. My take away on this is that you have only an R value of 3.3

Going with the foam would be a nice step up.


The "normal" outlets that lose power have been wired to the LOAD terminals (i.e. downstream) of the GFCI -- if they are in a location that requires GFCI protection, this is normal to find.

They are considered equivalent to grounded outlets for shock protection purposes as well; however, without knowing how they are actually wired, we do not know if they are actually grounded or not.


Dual GFCI/AFCI breaker to support regular TRR USB outlets on kitchen counter: to code?

You're not on NEC 2020 yet, unless your state just adopted it. (MA has so far).

Under NEC 2017, Code requires GFCI only in certain places (kitchen being one of those) and it generally does not require AFCI breakers in those places. The rationale being that providing both can be a technical challenge. So you probably do not require AFCI protection in the wiring to a kitchen, but it is a good idea if (in order of importance) roached wiring, aluminum wiring, old wiring, or wiring in non-metallic cabling or conduit. IMO.

Keep in mind despite the similar names, AFCI and GFCI do totally different things. AFCI protects wiring from burnup due to bad connections, and this mainly guards in-wall wiring, particularly backstab connections. Originally they were conceived to protect electric blankets, but "backstabs in plastic boxes" proved to be the main thing AFCIs defend from.  Whereas GFCI protects humans from shock, hence the requirement anywhere within reach of a sink.

AFCI is only constructive at the breaker.  GFCI can be anywhere, however. And at the breaker is just fine.  Your plan is perfectly fine.

Keep in mind that making an outlet USB does not erase any requirement for Tamper Resistance.  If TR is a requirement, then you need a recep that is TR and USB. There is a lot of junk on sale on Amazon Marketplace and other outlets of the Alibaba junkstream, which uses direct mail to circumvent the laws which assure the supply chain contains safe, UL-listed products.  Such things are best bought at a bricks-and-mortar retailer; if you don't like Home Depot's pricing, try a genuine electrical supply.

Do your level best to keep refrigerators, freezers, fire alarms, radon systems and other "needs power for safety" appliances away from both GFCI and AFCI.


Safety Razor Disposal in Medicine Cabinet

Many homes had the slot to drop used razors into. I use a magnet to pick up the old razors. Even rusty they can be sharp.
I used to wrap them in a newspaper so they would not cut through the trash bags.
Today I would probably put them in some cardboard because we always have Amazon boxes to recycle.
If you find old Gillette razor blades, the coating on the blades makes a makeshift diode if you want to experiment and make a WW2 radio out of a coil of wire, an ear bud and razor blade - or that’s what my dad said. I was a sparky and we were told to rip out components, but that probably would only work on Hogan's Heroes.


I want to replace this old shutoff valve under my sink, but I don't know what kind to get or what precautions to take

I can't say I have seen those before. Does it looked like they are glued on? Then it would be PCV or CPVC (if its hot water). You could try going to home depot (yes, they can help) during the day when the best plumbing associate will be there. Also you could try a plumbing supply store.
Have you heard of the SharkBite system? Those may help you out. You can get a valve that will slide onto to the pipe if you can get the old one off. Also, you can get cap that will slide on. I recommend buying the sharkbite removal tool if you put on a cap and want to take it off.


What is the best way to install speakers to interior/exterior of house?

Your interior speakers are the easiest. Unless you already have cabinets, ceiling mounted speakers will provide good ambiance while being the least visually obtrusive; you can get ceiling mounted speakers with equivalent power and frequency response to a set of cabinets. If you choose to do wall mounts or cabinets, you'll need fish tape or a fish rod in order to run the wire through the wall. Here is a fairly decent video explaining how to fish wire through a wall. I recommend you install a wall plate with a terminal where you can connect your speakers. If you're a true audiophile, there is no substitute for a properly aimed set of high quality cabinets.

For the exterior speakers, ceiling mounts are (obviously) not an option. Fishing through an exterior wall is complicated by insulation as well as code requirements regarding weather proofing. You'd follow essentially the same process for an exterior wall as for an interior wall, but your holes need to be smaller and sealed. Fishing wire through fiberglass insulation is a bear, so be patient. There are gaskets and grommets that you can use along with silicone caulk to seal the hole on the exterior wall. Since you won't have any flexibility for pulling extra wire through once you've sealed the hole, I recommend mounting a terminal inside a weather proof low voltage junction box. You can then run any length of speaker wire from there to wherever you mount your speakers. If you mount the junction box high on the wall, it will make fishing your wire through an insulated wall easier, but reconnecting speakers more difficult.

In both cases, you can and should run your wire through the attic. To avoid interference from electrical wires, make sure that your speaker wire never runs parallel to an electrical cable. There are also cable organizers (raceways) for running your wires that shield your speaker wires from interference and keep your attic from looking like a mess.


Search for "structural pipe fittings".

Here is an

example.


Should I insulate steam pipes in the basement?

Insulate the pipes.

You are likely losing a lot of heat into your basement if they aren't insulated. Unless your basement is finished (and therefore you want the heat there) you want to keep as much heat in those pipes as possible so that it gets into the main part of your house.  The heater (and other similar equipment like hot water heater) should heat the room enough to avoid freezing or being a drain on the rest of the house, which is all you really need to worry about.

It can also be safety concern if those pipes are running places where you might inadvertently touch them.


If black mold is discovered underneath the siding, does that necessarily imply interior air quality problems?

Older homes without vapor barriers may not necessarily have black mold problems, but they probably do not have very good insulation or air conditioning either.

Houston, TX is a humid subtropical climate with average summer conditions of 95 degrees F and 75% humidity, so lack of a vapor barrier on the outside walls of this new home will lead to IAQ mold problems inside if other conditions are correct.

The dew point for 95F air at 75% RH is about 85F.  Without the vapor barrier, hot humid outside air in summer will likely make contact with internal surfaces cooled below 85F by the A/C, causing condensation well inside the wall.  The better insulated the wall is inside, the farther in the condensation will occur, since the dew point will move toward the direction of the insulation.  During summer the exterior wall without the barrier could be wet internally, not just underneath the siding (depending on indoor and outdoor conditions and how the insulation is constructed within the wall).

It might be possible to mitigate this somewhat by making certain the A/C system creates positive static pressure within the house; however, if the A/C system causes negative static pressure in the house, then the problem will be especially bad.  I suspect that is how this guy in New Orleans got into trouble: How to solve new condensation in bathroom exhaust fan ducts?

The following link points to a helpful essay titled, "How to Avoid Moisture Damage to Walls from Condensation":  http://www.tlpca.org/images/articles_condensation.pdf   See the description on page 9 for damage that occurs to a Florida home when there is not a vapor barrier on the outside and vinyl wall covering is installed on the inside.


Hanging up large whiteboard in rental property

Buy a small buffet or sofa table cheap -
Buy two metal flat rods or even a 6 feet length of 1 x wood  -

mount the flat rod or 1x to the sofa table as mounting rods for your whiteboard.
place the white board on top of the sofa table up against the mounting 1 x's mount the white board to the 1x's you are done.
place it against the wall and study till you drop... or until you have had enough caffeine to keep you going another week.. :-)


What should I pack behind a cast iron fireplace?

a picture would help, but i sense that no matter what i will recommend you to use cob - that is, building with earth. i didn't understood exactly what gap you need to fill but cob can fill everything, it's cheap (cost nothing!) it's fixable, and it can stand the heat (with guaranty - in the past i have built some ovens with it).


Attic Blow-In Fiberglass Insulation with air handler

Contact with insulation will not directly harm your air handler. However, there are a couple of reasons you should try to keep the insulation away from the air handler:

Insulation under the air handler could be a problem if you ever have a condensate leak.
You should be able to access the air handler for any future maintenance or repairs.

Condensate drainage: when used for cooling or dehumidification, your air handler will collect moisture from the air that flows through it. For attic units, this is usually drained through a small PVC pipe to the outside of your house. If this drainage pipe ever develops a clog, the condensate water can back up and leak from your air handler. Because of this, air handlers installed above living space should have a drip tray underneath, along with a safety float switch. Should your air handler develop a condensate leak, the water will leak into the tray (instead of down into your ceiling), and the float switch will detect the pooling water and shut off the cooling. This gives you a reason to go inspect the air handler, so you can detect and fix the condensate clog before it leaks down into your ceiling and causes other damage.

If you place insulation under your air handler, it would interfere with the flow of any future leaks into your drip tray. The blown insulation could soak up the water itself, channel the water off the tray, or physically interfere with the normal operation of the float switch. Depending on the plumbing layout, it could also be carried into the condensate drain piping and cause a clog. For all those reasons you'll want to keep the underside of the air handler clear. And if you don't already have a drip tray with float switch, consider getting one -- way cheaper than cleaning up from a major leak.

Maintenance access: you may need to access your air handler for maintenance, such as filter changes (though your filter might be somewhere else, such as on the return air grille) as well as occasional repairs. Make sure you can still navigate around any insulation to access the air handler, and that any access panels on the air handler can still be opened.

So: don't surround the air handler with insulation. If you can simply avoid that area when blowing insulation, and you're maintaining access, that's probably good enough. For bonus points, build an enclosure out of rigid foam boards around the air handler. That will not only protect it from the blown insulation, but provide some extra reduction of any heat loss or air leakage. The foam boards can act as wall board with minimal structure, but make sure you have a simple way to open the enclosure if needed.


Based on the information you provided:
- Compressor is running
- Freezer is not cooling
- No freon loss
- Condenser fan is working OK
- Low compressor temperature
- Condenser coils at room temperature

First of all, check the condenser coils and if they're dirty clean them as much as you can, THE CONDENSER COILS SHOULD BE WARM!!! . If that doesn't work, check the condenser and the evaporator fan motors.

If not, Could be an array of things related to the compressor and coolant:
- faulty solenoid valve of the compressor.
- blocked filter at the expansion valve
- Evaporator inlet solenoid closed
- Compressor capacity control faulty leading to less coolant effect across the thermostatic expansion valve.

The way fridges/freezers are built today if there's a problem with the compressor, a valve or something is wrong in the circuit, you should go for a new one.


Switching from a Mercury Switch Thermostat to a XT500C Thermostat

You need to jumper the red wire to both Rc and Rh. The Rh powers the heating side and the Rc powers the cooling side. Since you have a four wire system, they use the same power supply therefore they need to be jumpered. I believe your XT500C takes batteries. If so you don't need to connect the common (C) terminal. If you do need the C comment back a I will guide you to a resolution.

Edit

I suppose you should safely dispose of the mercury at a waste facility. My Dad and I have been keeping mercury from old thermostats in a jar for collectively 70 years.


Make a wide power connector fit in a narrow slot

I might get some flack for this answer, but if you are only connecting a set of mini Christmas lights to another set, this should be fine.  I had to do it as well...

For those that don't know, mini light sets have a male plug on one end and a female plug on the other so you can string several strands of lights together.  Unlike every other extension cord sold, a light set has two narrow blades on the male end and two narrow slots on the female end.  This means that polarity doesn't matter at all, and has the bonus effect of making sure you only plug another polarity-doesn't-matter strand into the end.

All cheap extension cords that I could find have one wide blade and one narrow, so if you need a "gap" between strands of lights, you're out of luck.  Unless you have a Dremel or wire cutters or even a decent file to make one of the blades narrow.

That said, I only use my modified cord with mini light sets, and I labeled it as "Christmas lights" so I don't use it for anything else.

Disclaimer: Modifying electrical components such as extension cords is in general, a bad idea.  They are made a certain way for a reason, and if you think you need to modify it, you're probably trying to do something dangerous, and there's a detail or a special part that you don't know about. In this case, the modified cord could allow a device requiring a polarized connection to be plugged in the wrong way, which is dangerous (the mini lights, as discussed, are not polarized).

Update:  I did find this one company that sells (not sold in stores!) a non-polarized plug for around $12 each.  They only sell this one product...


Drill 3 more holes in the wall and insert and plumb 3 more sillcocks. If it helps, put them not all next to each other (distribute them around the house close to where you use hoses,) but if you need them all in one place, line them up next to each other.

Or even dig a trench and put one or more frost free hydrants out in the yard.

Or: attach one quick connect to the faucet and 4 (or more) mating quick connects to your 4 (or more) hoses, so you can easily attach the hose you are actually using. Unfortunately those are subject to failure as well. Then again, so are hoses.

I have two sillcocks at present, one at front, one at back, and if I find use for another I'll happily add it.


Do I need an upgraded meter base when changing 100 amp service to 125?

Yes, but only if the meter base isn't already 125A.  I find it curious that they'd run 1/0Al when #1 would have sufficed for a 100A seevice.  It was like someone intended to go to 125 later.  Perhaps this same thinking guided the selection of the meter base.

Now,  as far as that service panel.  Far and away the most painful thing about changing a service panel is physically fitting all the cable entries and conduits to the edge of the box proper.  Yet, the working innards are what makes a panel 100 vs 125A, main vs sub, 2-pole vs 3-phase etc.  But think about it.  Manufacturers make hundreds of panel sizes but only a few box sizes.

So it's worth the legwork to see if the manufacturer can sell you a box with the guts you need that fit the same bolt pattern on the box you have wired-in.


That is a junction box, and must remain accessible (plastic or metal cover, cover can be painted.)
NEC 314.29
If the wiring is completely removed, you can remove the junction box, but usually the wiring is serving some purpose and that is not practical.


Why are some of the outlets and lights on a breaker not working?

Since you checked the light and it looks fine, check the first receptacle that doesn't work. It may have gone "bad", or it may have a loose screw or a backstab connection (which should be moved to a screw connection).

If you are not sure of the sequence of the receptacles, check them all. When nothing has changed (e.g., no construction that could have cut through a wire inside a wall), the problem is at one of the receptacles or other devices in the circuit.


Polaris type electrical connectors terminology

Your wire is #8 AWG, copper since it's a 40 amp circuit. So you need a connector that will fit that wire. The sizing on the connectors states what wires will fit in the individual holes in the connector. So in your question you have a connector that is rated for "1/0 - 14 AWG", it will handle a 14 AWG to a 1/0 AWG wire. Since your wire is a 8AWG, this connector would work. A sample wire chart is shown below.

Since these are expensive connectors, you want to get the smallest one that will accommodate the wire sizes you are using.
There are other connectors available so you might want to ask another question about this and explain what you're connecting and you might get some better ideas.


Yes it is reliable and very common with municipalities to extend the life of their sewers and water mains.

The only downside is that the inner diameter is reduced.  Also they do still need to dig at least two holes to install the liners.

When I had this quoted, the opposite was true - digging up the sewer was cheaper than a liner, so make sure to get a few quotes from reputable contractors.


Difference between Distribution board main switch and mains

Distribution box (aka distribution board, breaker panel, electric panel, breakerboard) is the the enclosure where the main power feed comes in and is distributed to individual circuits
Main switch is the master switch that shuts off all power, and is the first thing the power runs to that comes into the panel.
"Mains" (aka mains voltage) refers to main line-level voltage (generally 120V or 240V, depending on where you live) and is used to refer to things connected to the electrical system and thus subject to code. It's often used to distinguish from something that is "low voltage" 1 (eg, 12 or 24V circuits)

1 Note, technically this is called "extra-low voltage", and is anything <50V AC or <120V DC. "High voltage" is anything >1000V AC, and "low voltage" is everything in between, but really only linesmen that work for the power company call it that. In a house or commercial situation, you basically never see anything higher than 240V so we just use the terms "mains" or "low voltage".


It's more commonly known as a wire saw.

Wood cutting variants are sold as a survival tool for sawing off branches.


what is this load center amperage total?

In a case like this the easiest way to gauge service size is simply looking at the main breaker. Keep in mind, every part of the service; riser, meter pan, entrance cable, etc...must be sized and rated for the service size.

In this case it looks like a 200A service. What you have there is a 200A, 20/40 main breaker panel. 20 full size spaces that can all accept twin, or tandem, breakers.

Not sure what you mean by what amperage the service "has". You can tell the service size like I explained, and you can tell what the load is at one pin pint in time by using a clamp-on amp meter.

You can tell what the calculated load is by doing a load calculation on your home, although this is not an accurate number of actual draw. Here is one example: http://www.nojolt.com/load_calculations.shtml
You can do a web search for lots of info on load calculations.

Bear in mind, adding up the breakers in the panel is a completely meaningless number and will NOT give any kind of assessment of load. It is not uncommon to see 600-800 amps worth of breakers in a 200A panel.