What conduit and wire for an outdoor outlet directly to outdoor breaker panel?

Sure. What you're talking about is similar to the "Electrician's Outlet"... an outlet right next to the panel which is fed by a dedicated breaker. So the electrician can plug in portable lights etc. when the rest of the house is turned off for maintenance.   That's pretty much standard practice for interior panels.

The electrician's outlet just uses a conduit "nipple" (prefab short pipe) that gives you an inch or so of length, so you get far enough away from the panel so the covers don't jam.

One common trick I see is using an offset nipple, which is about 2" long and has a small zig-zag. The offset isn't used for anything, it's just a handy, pre-made 2" nipple lol.

But if you want to run conduit a little farther and make it 3' away, that is fine.   I recommend planning on water getting into the pipe, and exiting the bottom of the panel in a "drip loop" sort of deal.

Any outdoor recep is going to need an outdoor in-use cover.

You cannot use Romex (actually NM-B) in conduit because Romex (NM-B) is not rated for outdoor use.  Also, there's a size issue: you must treat any cable as a single round wire of the large diameter (because it twists), and that makes it too big for many conduits.  UF cable is allowed outdoors, but it's even thinner and wider than NM-B, and that makes it require HUGE conduit!

I'm not really sure what people's hangups are with THHN, it's really, really wonderful stuff, especially stranded.  You'll never want to alligator-wrestle Romex again!  The only snag with stranded is it's hard to hook over screws, but GFCI receps have screw-to-clamp terminals, and that makes it easy.

If you run #12 wire you are welcome to use either a 15A or 20A breaker as long as it's a dual 15A recep.  (a 20A recep is also acceptable on a 20A breaker).

All the THHN I own is 12 AWG (except for the larger stuff obviously). I don't see any reason to own it any #14. #12 works for #14 and now I only have to stock one thing.


Burnt felt pad in Whirlpool dryer - remove or replace?

That looks like a heat barrier pad that has fallen out of some strategic Location.  Would be wise to do a little research to find out where it belongs.


Easiest/Cheapest way to improve insulation of a room

For Q#1, no. It is typical, indeed expected, that they will only insulate the parts of a wall that border the outside of the home.  Insulation isn't that cheap.

For Q#2, get an IR/no contact thermometer, frequently selling for $20 online for the lower end models.  Check all the walls in the room and compare to other walls on the same side of the house.  This will give you an idea of whether the problem is real or imagined.

The reason I suggest the issue could be imagined is that people, lights, and electronic equipment put off a lot of heat, possibly more than you are seeing transmitted through the walls.  Just by working in the room, you will likely see a large spike in temperature.

The easy fixes for this problem are more weather stripping around leaking windows, outlets, etc and adding insulation to places you can reach, such as the attic.  And finally, make sure your air vents are properly adjusted to send more air to the rooms you use.  You may consider placing a fan on the floor at the door blowing cool air into the room (effectively pushing hot air out the top of the doorway).


Possible damaged fridge, low/high voltage throughout the house

Turn everything off and call your electric company and tell them that you have a floating neutral.

This is a very dangerous condition and rates an emergency response. It is beyond the ability of the homeowner to safely repair.


What is the best method to cut 'Mother of Pearl' super thin seashell tile?

With a small tile like this I would snap it off.

First, scribe the tile with a carbide scribe line where you want it to break.

Next, use a glass cutter to make a groove along the line with the help of a square or a ruler.

Put the tile in a vise with wooden jaws or otherwise clamp it securely.

Snap off the excess with a pair of pliers.


How can I replace this water pressure reducing valve?

At 140 psi, either that valve is shot, or you need to install/check your expansion tank. To know for sure, after running some water for a second, stop any running water and check your pressure again. If the high pressure only occurs after the hot water tank has been heating back up, then what you really need an expansion tank.

To replace this valve, after turning off the water, unscrew the union fitting on the bottom of the PRV (at least I'm hoping that's a union, it should be two pieces and the nut should move independently from the pipe). You should be able to work on that with a crescent wrench one partial turn at a time. Then with that disconnected, you should have some play in the pipes to pull it slightly out from the wall and unscrew the valve from the top threaded connection. Installing the new valve will be a similar procedure in reverse, just clean off the threads and apply some pipe dope to the male threads first.


Best thought I've got is to put a valance across the top of that opening, and put a middle support from the valance to the rod. Or switch to a 1" rod.


You can custom make a shower bed to utilize your drain location Or possibly find one Off the shelf, you can a standard drain or a trough drain. i have seen drains in many locations of all types and have never heard of a code specific to its location.

There is a code concerning the distance of the drain from the vent, so if you do move the drain you will need to know that code distance and where your vent is.

  ( I AM NOT AN EXPERT, I JUST PLAY ONE ON STACK EXCHANGE )

If you don't have access to underneath the floor you will not be able to move it unless you plan on putting in step up shower bed. It appears you can cut the flooring within the wood framing to access the connection of the brass to he main drain. You will need to see how the brass is attached to the trap in order to know how to go about disconnecting it. i can not tell what the rest of your flour is made of nor do i know the regulations of your condo.

Let us know once you have done some exploratory surgery on your floor.


I had a similar issue with a Hunter brand ceiling fan. Shortly after I replaced the wall switch that physically fell apart and caused some arcing on the line, the fan would run and then stop. The amount of time it ran before stopping grew shorter & shorter, until it just wouldn't run at all.

Assuming there is a light on the remote (transmitter) that blinks when you hit a key, there is nothing wrong with the remote. Luckily it was within the one-year warranty for electronic parts and I still had my receipt. So, when I called the manufacturer (not retailer), they sent me a new speed controller for free. It would be worth it to purchase the new controller if it is not within warranty, my would have been $50 and looks just like yours.


Yep, no problem to crank it open. You probably won't notice any or much of a difference, ball valves aren't nearly as frugal as knobby compression valves.

Due to your comment's additional information. A harmonic imbalance was created by the valve's position. Therefore, you need to open it more or all of the way to get rid of the sound. Alternatively, you might have to close it down further to remove the sound as well, but we both hope that's not the sound fix, as you've already noticed a slight flow difference.


How to remove this plastic pipe connector?

On the other side of the cube at the top of the white part is a clip that fits inside the cube. Pull that out and the white part will come off the brass part.


was it ever legal to use 3 wire cable to operate two circuits one neutral 120 volts?

I think you are referring to a shared neutral/multi-wire branch circuit.  These are commonly found in kitchens.  They were and still are to code in many areas, but typically I believe their use is limited to kitchens.

You should run a new cable back to the breaker box.  If you were to run an independent cable then it is possible for it to break independently of the rest of the cable, which would leave you with an open neutral which can cause all sorts of problems.  Unless your cable branches from another box, you cannot just run a neutral from one box while the hot comes from another circuit. You have to run a new direct wire anyways, so why not just pull a new cable - it's just as much work as pulling a single wire.

If you do opt to keep the multi-wire branch, the breaker should be tied together so that there is not the possibility of one half being off and the other on (a possibly dangerous scenario if someone assumed the power was cut because one of the circuits did not test live). Likewise, if it trips because of a short, there is a good chance the other hot is close by and you want the second breaker to trip too.


I think option two is better, and not that hard. Use a RACO 187 extension box https://platt.com/platt-electric-supply/4-Square-Boxes-Accessories-Extensions/Hubbell-Raco/187/product.aspx?zpid=0052108 . Option 3: You could have a qualified person replace the two pole breaker with one 30 and one 20 amp breaker with handle ties and use one L5-30 and a 5-15 or 5-20 with the above 187.


Not really sure why you’re having trouble finding a source. They’re called electric gate openers and if you have electricity already going to your gate, they’re easy to install. In remote locations, you can get solar powered ones.


Does electric wire to meter need to be in conduit?

Get something installed to protect these conductors, before your car becomes permanently attached to your electrical service!

Considering that I spy an exposed SE cable below the meter pan, well in harm's way from errant cars and with only the utility's fuses protecting it from faults, I'd flag this installation as a violation of 338.12(A) point 1:

  338.12 Uses Not Permitted.

  (A) Service-Entrance Cable. Service-entrance cable (SE)
  shall not be used under the following conditions or in the
  following locations:

  (1) Where subject to physical damage unless protected in
  accordance with 230.50(B)

  (2) Underground with or without a raceway

  (3) For exterior branch circuits and feeder wiring unless
  the installation complies with the provisions of Part I of
  Article 225 and is supported in accordance with 334.30
  or is used as messenger-supported wiring as permitted
  in Part II of Article 396

and 230.50(B)(1):

  (B) All Other Service-Entrance Conductors. All other
  service-entrance conductors, other than underground service entrance conductors, shall be protected against physical damage as specified in 230.50(B)(1) or (B)(2).

  (1) Service-Entrance Cables. Service-entrance cables,
  where subject to physical damage, shall be protected by any
  of the following:

  (1) Rigid metal conduit (RMC)

  (2) Intermediate metal conduit (IMC)

  (3) Schedule 80 PVC conduit

  (4) Electrical metallic tubing (EMT)

  (5) Reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC)

  (6) Other approved means

So, you'll either need to have this service-entrance re-run with a conduit, or see if you can get your local electrical inspectors to sign off on using bollards (i.e. concrete-filled metal poles) to protect the meter pan and service cabling as Machavity suggests.  Or you could do both, if you feel like taking a belt-and-suspenders approach to keeping your electric meter from being a hit-and-run victim.


How can I run cat6 from my basement to the second floor?

You're almost certainly going to hit the top plate of the 1st floor wall, and possibly some fire blocking and duct bracing, so doing this without opening up the first floor wall is going to be difficult if not impossible. Not only do you have insulation to worry about, but there's also the vapor barrier that you don't want to tear by forcing the fish tape down.

Best option is to relocate to an interior wall, preferably one near a closet on the first floor so you can install some access panels high and low inside the closet should you ever need to fish more wiring.

Next best option would be to run directly through wall to the outside of the house and down some conduit from there. Make sure to seal the wall back up so it's watertight.


Power lines can be run either through a hole drilled through the stud (i.e. horizontally) or stapled along the edge of the stud (i.e. vertically).

Horizontal runs are generally used to connect multiple sockets in the same room.  For normal outlets at about 1' above floor level, the wiring will usually be a few inches above the outlets, but you could have them at other heights too, like if you have a kitchen or bathroom on the other side of the wall, or wall sconces for lighting.

Vertical runs of wire generally bring power into a room from wire runs (that eventually lead back to the service panel) in the attic, crawlspace/basement or the space between floors.

If it's running through the stud, there should be a metal plate attached to the front of the stud to prevent you from driving nails or screws into the power line.

Of course, things aren't always done the way they should be, so you can detect if you have these plates with a strong magnet.


Is there a way to install a fan switch for a ceiling fan that doesn't have a fan wire?

There are remote modules you can purchase to control the light/fan separately.  Most remote modules are wireless but there are some hardwired remote modules.  I've used both but my preference is to spend the 15 dollars more and get the hardwired control.  One that I've used and liked is this one from Lutron Maestro.  It will use the single hot wire to control both the fan and light using a control module you install at the base of the fan.


Adding a mechanical part to a lock insert

The "knob" cylinder shown in your picture is probably as close to ideal as you are going to get. Just modify the knob so you can attach your motor, directly or via drive belt or whatever.

It sounds like a better solution would be to either install a guard over the keyway so the kids can't tamper with it, or to switch to a keyless system so the problem can't varied in the first place.

I presume the apartment does not have a second door so you can't just go around that way.


Can a furnace with a variable speed blower be used in a multistory house?

Does the ratio of static pressures between two stories differ at different blower speeds? That's a very interesting question, but I believe it's a moot point. Any dramatic difference would mean your system isn't balanced correctly in the first place. (needs zoning, split systems, or an actual balancing)

Stack effect will cause plenty of heat to go upstairs, while the cold air will settle. I'd be more concerned that it won't cool right. Except that furnaces usually only run at high speed for AC because cold air is denser, making it harder to push. If your old system heats and cools just fine I don't foresee a problem.

Without being in the correct centralized location (which is somewhere on the first floor of a two story), the thermostat will not control the house properly. In low-fire mode, indeed less air will go upstairs and downstairs, per minute. Blowing softly is what makes it more comfortable. It will run longer and more often, reducing the intermittent temperature differential, keeping the house nice and even.

So no, the same amount of 'less' air will be coming out below as above. Your contractor either is trying to up-sell you into a split system (or knows more than I do) or convince you that zoning is required (a possibility, however this can be retrofitted later at your discretion). Either of these additions would dramatically increase the cost.

Unless your house has automatic zoning and was balanced by a genius, it will always be hotter on the second floor in the winter, and colder on the first in the summer, just like everyone else's.


What would be the most economical way to run wire for a driveway light?

Your two choices if you want normal AC power out there are:

Direct burial cable. Figure something like $0.50/foot for 12 gauge cable, though it's possible that you will need to buy a roll of 500' instead of just 300' since 250' or 500' are standard lengths. If you do this, you will need to make sure that it is buried 24", and I highly recommend putting a bright plastic tape at 12" so anybody who digs will hit that before the cable. You will need to use conduit to protect the cable where it comes up to the surface.
Wire in conduit. PVC conduit is the simplest, and you are talking around $50 in conduit. You would then need three wires; two insulated for hot and neutral and a bare one for ground. Something like $0.10/foot for each 12 gauge wire these days. You will also need at a couple of intermediate boxes; you can probably pull cable through 100' of conduit at once if it's mostly straight, but 300' is stretching it, so you'd pull in sections. If you do this, pull all 3 conductors at once and use cable lube to make them pull easier. Pro tip: tie a piece of paper to a string, stuff it in the conduit, and then use your shop vac to pull it to the other end. This gets you the pull string simply and easily. PVC conduit doesn't have to be buried as deep (18" IIRC).

In either case, you are probably going to want to rent a trencher to get that deep.

Now, to figure out the size of the wire you need, and to do that, we need to know the resistance of the wire you might use. Looking at the AWG gauge table, we see the following values:

14 gauge copper has a resistance of 2.5 ohms per 1000'
12 gauge copper has a resistance of 1.6 ohms per 1000'
10 gauge copper has a resistance of 1.0 ohms per 1000'

You only have 600' of wire, so multiple each of those values by 0.6, to get

14 gauge - 1.5 ohms
12 gauge - 1.0 ohms
10 gauge - 0.6 ohms

We can now calculate how much voltage we will lose for your 300' run at each of the gauges I listed. This is where things get a little hazy; electrical code does not mandate a maximum voltage drop, it's more a matter of what the equipment on the other end can tolerate. Lights may get dimmer and motors can work to hard and die if there is too much voltage drop.

Code does recommend that you don't exceed a 5% voltage drop, so I'll use that for calculations. 5% of 120 volts is 6 volts, and using ohms law (in this case, current = voltage / resistance), we get the maximum current we could pull and stay at 5% voltage loss:

14 gauge = 6 / 1.5 = 4.0 amps
12 gauge = 6 / 1.0 = 6.0 amps
10 gauge = 6 / 0.6 = 10.0 amps

Multiplying by 120 volts gives us wattages:

14 gauge = 480 watts
12 gauge = 720 watts
10 gauge = 1200 watts

So, if you need 480 watts or less, you would be fine running 14 gauge wire, and so on for the other gauges I list. If you need more than 1200 watts, you're going to need to go with a bigger wire, but I'm pretty sure you don't want to buy 300' of 8 gauge cable; it will be pricey.

If you are going with lighting at the other end, I highly recommend looking at LEDs. Not only do you get a lot of light per watt, most LEDs should retain brightness even with a 5% voltage drop.

If you are going to all this trouble, I recommend putting a standard outlet in a waterproof box out there. You won't be able to pull too much power through it, but it could be very handy. I'd also think about whether you would want anything else out there (intercom? video? other sensors?) - if so, it's much easier to put extra cables in the trench you are going to dig.

Hope that helps.


Why are the LED lights in my ceiling fan suddenly dim?

It sounds like the driver for the LED has started to fail, I have seen this a few times , I would check to see if it is under warranty and exchange it.


Yes it is something you can sand out. Be careful you only have about an 1/8" of material to work with and with aggressive sanding that can "burn through" quickly.

You will need to sand all the imperfections out with the 80G move up to 100 or 120G when you have the surface to your satifaction with the 80G. After all the sanding marks from the 80 is gone, change the grit again to 150g and remove all the marks left by the previous grit. You can check your progress of removing the scratches from the previous cut by marking the surface with a pencil and sand until the pencil goes away. I use a large "S" pattern to cover the area with marks about 2" apart, you could do the same with straight lines too. Some people say the graphite is "chased into the grain" and makes more sanding happen than needed. I have not had that problem with oak, pine yes. You could wet the surface you sanded with a fast drying compound that acts like a temporary finish so the scratches show up for a short while. Denatured alcohol or lacquer thinner comes to mind here, but then you have fumes and getting blowed up problems to contend with.

One last important note about oak. It's hard and softwood sand differently, and because of that nature, it will create an irregular surface to the perfectionist eye. The soft pad of a random orbit sander exaggerates this nature. IMHO, it is a little late to flatten it out, the sanding would have been better with a sanding block by hand and not machine. Machines have no discretion as to how much material it removes and where it removes it.


Some sediment seems to have blocked the valve.

According to a technician, what I did was the correct thing to do. Opening the valve clears any sediment that was there and causes the valve to function normally afterwards.


What is the right way to clear the drilled plug out of a hole saw?

Ideally, hole saws have holes or slots in their sides, so you can pry out the scrap, or in the top so you can push it out.

(source: mkmorse.com)
Poke in there with a screw driver or other sharp object.  You shouldn't need to disassemble everything; just unplug the drill.
I assume yours don't have this already.  If you are going to be doing this a lot, you might want to buy a new hole saw with better holes.
Alternatively, you can try drilling holes in the top of yours.  Secure the hole saw in a vice or otherwise clamp it down firmly, and drill two holes on opposite sides in the top.
With two holes in the top, you can just push out the scrap with two large pins or nails.
Edit: some have larger side holes which may be easier to clear out.  You could possibly enlarge the holes on yours with a file.


How find out what the second switch button is for in bathroom?

I found out that the Fan and vanity light are not even on the same breaker. So this mystery switch is not for the light. I found out from previous owner that it may have been for a light before the bathroom was renovated.


How to make a flushometer toilet look nicer?

Clean and tidy is fine.

Many find the « classic » look engaging, whimsical, different so if they are working leave well alone.

Seriously though, if the toilet is dirty they will complain but I doubt they will complain « nice clean toilet, but I don’t like the flush mechanism »...

So, clean, tidy with good paper and see if you get comments down the line.


What are these parts (for an IKEA INGOLF kitchen chair)

Try searching for a "half moon nut". You'd also do fine with a regular round metal washer.


Is this gas line not suitable for direct burial?

Looks like galvanised steel which correctly should not be buried! even with the Zinc coating it is still susceptible to oxidization and corrosion!


Here is an image from the installation manual of your zone controller:

The fact that Heat 1 and Heat 2 are red means that some combination of thermostats is calling for stage 1 and stage 2 heat.

The lights on the zone are pretty easy to read as well.  A red light means that damper should be closed (no air to that section) and a green (might look yellow) light means that zone should be open (have air flow).

Now, the light pattern you describe means that if everything is wired correctly and all the dampers are functioning, you should have air in Zone 1 only.  The red zones should be closed and not have air.  However, there are two types of dampers - normally opened and normally closed, and they have to be wired differently so the controller knows how to open them.  If this is a new installation or work has been done recently, it could be wired incorrectly.

If a damper fails, the unit could show a blinking amber light, but it depends on how it failed.  Some types of failures the controller cannot sense.  It's possible that two zones are stuck open so the controller thinks that only one is open, but really there are 3 open.

If you read the manual for the controller, there are ways to test each damper and cause the fan to run.  You can cycle through each zone one at a time to make sure the dampers work and are wired correctly.  Those instructions are on page 13 in the section named "Checkout".  I would have gone with "Testing" or "troubleshooting", but they picked "Checkout"...  I forget if it allows this or not, but be sure not to close all 4 dampers with the fan running.  The air pressure could blow out some duct joints or damage the dampers.

As far as the activity of your two Trane units - this zone controller is designed to have one unit hooked up to multiple zones.  It's not made to control multiple units.  There might be a way to use the various heat and cool "stages" to control multiple units, but then you're really getting into advanced territory.

If you do call in some outside help on this, do what you can to make sure they are very well versed in these zone controllers.  I had two A/C people give me incorrect information on how they work and really struggle to identify a problem with the system.


The supplier says I'll be lucky to get 8 years on my new water heater. Is this true? What's up?

The main determining factor for life expectancy of hot water heaters is the mineral content of your water supply.  Although they have improved the heaters to be more corrosion resistant, the drop of the water table in many drought affected areas has caused many water utilities and homeowners to use more mineral rich water sources.

Add to that the highly corrosive fracking waste that is polluting the ground water sources and the water heaters will cry uncle in 8 years.  Hot water is just much more corrosive and reactive with the added mineral electrolytes.

If your water source has not changed, don't worry, you will get 20 years out of it.  If it has changed, or if you are not sure, have the water checked for mineral content and pH level.  If you do have a concentrated soup of minerals in your tap or an acidic or alkali pH, an investment in a water softener might not be a bad idea if you consider the added cost of yearly bottled water over 8 years plus other appliances: dishwasher, washing machine, etc premature lifetimes.

The other important factor is the thermostat setting for the hot water heater.  The hotter you keep your water the less the lifetime of the water heater.  The hotter the temperature of water inside the tank, the faster the corrosive reactions.  Keep your water 'warm' instead of 'hot' and your water heater will last a very long time and you will save alot on your utility bill.  Some water heater are able to be controlled by home automation systems, especially the ones with electrical heaters.  If you are away and won't be using the hot water for a while, just turn it off from your smart phone.

The 8 year lifespan that your technician is referring to is for the worst case where the thermostat is constantly kept at the maximum hot setting and mineral soup in the source water feed.


Can I restore a bathroom sink with automotive filler and spray on enamel?

If the "time period" aspect is important enough, there are places where you can send your sink for a proper repair/refinish (if it's possible - hard to say for certain without knowing more about it) - they will advertise more (if at all) for the cast-iron tub trade. It will cost more than a new sink, most of the time.

A DIY filler/paint job has odds of performing over the long term so close to zero that I'm willing to say "it won't work" and be done with it.

You can probably find a new "reproduction" sink that will also look right for the time period, if you shop around enough. You may also be able to find an old one in good shape through an architectural salvage firm.


That is the chrome inner sleeve from a knob that is now missing its external finned plastic portion.

If it is not pulling off easily (they pull directly off, just like a knob should...) then you may need to use a faucet handle puller to remove it.

Of course there are tricks-of-the-trade, like using penetrating oil and spraying up where the valve-stem splines meet the (probably corroded) sleeve spline and tapping (gently) around the outer part to get it to break away...


Sounds as though your old system has what was / is referred to as "Thermo-Ply (which is a brand name I think, but I don't know of a generic term for it), a cellulosic press board with a weatherproof layer on it. The "good" thing about it is that the foil backing meant it was both the shear wall system AND the vapor barrier in one. It was also, despite being cellulose based, fairly water resistant in case your siding leaked. OSB would NOT be, and would require that you add a vapor barrier, such as Tyvek. In addition if you are concerned about such things, OSB will have formaldehyde in it (part of the "glue" holding the flakes together). Then again, so will the T1-11...

But as mentioned by Ed Beal, the OSB UNDER the T1-11 would be kind of redundant anyway. If you want to put anything under it, consider foam board insulation, especially if you don't already have insulation inside of the walls.


Can carpet scraps be used to repair existing carpet?

Yes, a skilled flooring installer can patch in carpet to repair damage. It needs to be oriented with respect to the "grain" and pattern-matched.

Chances are you won't want to do that more than once or twice during the life of the carpet, since worn carpet tends to appear quite different from new carpet, diminishing the value of the repair. If you're a careful person you won't need to have repairs done often anyway, and if you're not you'll have too many stains to bother repairing any.

I'd only keep two or three of the largest scraps. Use the rest as utility rugs or recycle them.


Sometimes centrifugal pumps (those with a spinning impeller) will cavitate when there is a discharge path too big to supply back pressure, and/or if there is not enough suction pressure. Cavitation will result in low or no flow, and will usually be accompanied by pump noise. You may be operating the pump outside of it's design parameters (pump curve).

See if you can recreate the "no water" scenario, then slowly close off the pump discharge partially to provide some back pressure (which is what it sounds like you did when you blocked/removed the flow path to the 3/4" pipe). If the pump is cavitating do not run it for too long like that or it could be damaged.


How can I remove a toilet brush that is deeply stuck in a shower drain?

Coathanger, cut into a wire, with a hook on the end might work.
Push the hooked end past the stuck brush, keeping the hook near the perimiter of the pipe.
Rotate the hanger 90° so the hook is under, and engages, the stuck toilet brush.
Pull up on the end of the coathanger with a pliers or vicegrips.


How hot should my hot water heater vent get?

As you just noted gas exhaust flues get "pretty hot". Which is the reason they should not be in contact with combustible material. Also they need to be 'double walled'  if they are passing through an enclosed surface. Also be sure the vents terminate to the outside, but not in close proximity to any windows or return air registers.


Can my house's electricity supply be upgraded?

This is an economics game. Electricity is #1.

So the very first conversation you need to have is with the electric company. And you need to cast your nets far and wide:  Read this discussion of this rate in Georgia and think about the impact that has on your profitability.  For instance the example I mentioned was a 2000 watt continuous load (1440kw/month) - cost $27 (1.8 cent/kwh) winter, and $84 (5.8 cent/kwh) summer.  Have I got your undivided attention?

So you need to shop, not even locally, but nationally, for rates like that.  And then, you need to go to wherever those rates are.    I suspect commercial is out of the question; they'll never give a business rates like that, but ask.  And don't give them your real name.   Now, moving to another state for those rates may seem unreasonable, but run the numbers before you say that.  If you'll make $50k/year extra for doing this in Georgia instead of California, you can learn to like Cracker Barrel and calling all sodas Coke.

Second, think about service into the building.  400A residential service is actually common where all-electric homes exist.  That's because the heat pump needs an auxiliary heater, typically 140 amps, for when it's too cold outside for the heat pump to work.  Your servers are your aux heat, and your bigger problem is removing heat; your heat pump will be running in A/C mode even in the winter, and you'll need supplemental A/C in the summer.  (or better yet, shut it off during the heat of the day; that will dovetail nicely with avoiding those peak load charges.)

Third, think about other uses of the building. I would consider several houses as your facility, to capture those amazing residential rates.  That has "AirBnB" written all over it: get a portfolio of vacation homes on a Georgia beach that have back rooms you can secure without wrecking their AirBnB value... and you're making money two ways.

I'd also think about equipment cooling.  One very effective strategy is water-cooling the relevant parts.  You interchange that outside either to an automotive radiator from a junkyard, or you interchange heat with water drawn from a ground source, or river, lake or ocean shore.  Which implies riverfront, lakefront or beach property :)

A few numbers

You want to do this at, at least, 120kw.   A 400A home has 96kw of service, so let's get 2 of them, using 60kw and leaving 36kw for household loads and the A/C you'll need.  60kw run continuously is 43200kwh.

In California (.16/kwh) that would cost you about $7000/month x 2 houses = $14,000.

That Georgia rate (.01/kwh and 6.64/kw): $830/month x 2 = $1670.

I don't know how much money you're making from the coin, but saving $12,300 a month is huge.

And even if your venture in cryptocurrency ends up a big bust-out, you've got vacation rental income, and you own some nice properties.


How do I permantely plumb 5 tiki torches around my pool by placing a T on my buried propane tank which feed the pool/hot tub heater?

Make sure you are hooked up on the low pressure side of the regulator. I would bury a roll of 5/8" of type k copper line around to all torches. Usually there is 1/4" fitting you will need. That will get silver soldered to a 1/2 by 1/4 inch reducer, so you can hook up the the torches individually. Make sure your regulator is sized correctly and that 5/8" copper is the proper size! You will need to figure distance, for the burners too. Once you have that, it is real simple.

Make sure you put concrete around the posts when you bury them. Do not get the copper pipe into the concrete, it will corrode the copper.


What kind of screws for attaching an Ikea style coat hook of an internal door?

If your door is hollow (easiest way to find out is to knock on it) then you will need to use toggle bolts.

The downside to these is that you need to make a relatively large hole to get the bolt through.  You might be able to get away with smaller or different anchors, but you specifically mentioned that you wanted to hang heavy objects, and these are best for heavy loads.  Make sure that the screw is not too long otherwise you'll never get it tight enough as it will hit the other side of the door.

If the door is solid then you can just attach it with wood screws (#6 or #8, 1/2 or 3/4" will do the trick).  You should pre-drill a small hole prior to prevent any splitting/cracking in the wood.

In both cases you will end up with holes in your door which is often undesirable.  They also make hooks specifically for doors that hang from the top of the door instead of requiring anchoring into the door itself.

The other thing I'd mention is that inside doors aren't usually designed to hold loads like this. You might find that overtime the door will shift.  You can probably mitigate this by driving 3" screws through the hinges on the wall side so that they are held up by the stud and not just the door frame.


Metals in pool turn water green after adding shock, what's the solution?

There are several independent variables to manage in a swimming pool or hot tub:

pH balance
halogen balance
calcium hardness
total dissolved solids

Nearly everyone is aware of pH balance, but what most people don't seem to understand is that pH can swing wildly unless total alkalinity is increased sufficiently to provide an "inertial buffer" with total acid.  Then moderate changes in chlorine or bromine content do not affect the pH so much.

The other thing most people are familiar with is chlorine.  Bromine can be used instead and is just as effective at killing bacteria but with possibly less skin and eye irritation.  At my pool store, they are priced the same.  The standard home pool test kit measures both pH and "free chlorine equivalent".

Calcium should be added to soft water to prevent the water from attacking and rusting metal components of the pool and filter system.  This is a particular problem for areas such as the Pacific Northwest which has naturally soft water.  Most well-based systems will have some calcium, but if it is not adequate, some supplementation is cheap insurance for minimal maintenance.

See this for a detailed and reasonably approachable roundup of pool chemistry.  Note that everything affects everything else, so reading it twice is probably necessary to gain full insight.

In my experience, green water could be caused by either iron or copper in the water, like someone's lost jeans rivet inside the drain.  A chemical to precipitate and flocculate the metals need be done only when it is a problem.

If the history of the water is uncertain or a lot of junk has entered the pool water since it was last filled, there is no substitute for draining and refilling it.  This reduces the total chemical load to the minimum and will make it simple to balance.  To maintain that simplicity, insist that all pool users shower before entering to remove sunscreen, oils, perfumes, deodorants, etc.


How do you install a frost-free garden faucet mid-wall?

...Provide framing/blocking to support it.

Cut a hole stud to stud in the drywall, add blocking between studs (like a one-stud-bay rim joist at a convenient height) and now you have something solid to mount your faucet to.

...And, y'know, repair the wall after - put the insulation back in, repair the vapor barrier if needed, repair the drywall.


Yesterday I finally got pissed enough by the fact that I don't have a working light in the dining room that I got myself to go after this. I'm happy to say that a) I sorted it out b) I think I even understand the situation to some degree.

As you can see on the diagram, this problematic light was toggled by 2 3-way switches, let's call them switch A and switch B. We also have circuit 1 (green) and circuit 3 (blue).

From what I understand, the problem arose from the fact that switch B is connected to the live of circuit 1 while the light is connected to the neutral of circuit 3.

On top of that, the live of switch B is also shared with an outlet, also in circuit 1. Needless to say, this outlet is also wired to circuit 1's neutral. To be honest, I'm surprised all this mess actually worked until I installed the RCBOs.

So anyway, there's no easy way to fix this unless you're willing to do some rewiring and chiseling. That I most definitely wasn't willing to do, so instead I ended up eliminating switch B and converting switch A to a single pole switch. Now the light is wired to the neutral of circuit 3, and also to the live of circuit 3 via switch A. The aforementioned outlet is now connected directly to circuit 1's live, without a switch in between.

Everything seems to work perfectly. I checked the wires with a phase tester to see which one has phase and when, each RCBO powers the corresponding outlets and lights, and nothing else. Then I also checked with the "RCD tester" (shown above in OP) if the main RCCB and the circuit RCBOs are doing their work - the tester always trips the corresponding RCBO and the main RCCB, too (but not other circuits' RCBOs). So things seem to be fine now. Thanks everyone for the help!


Not level where drywall and backer board meet

Once you tile, it wont' be that far off. However, if you aren't planning to use thick tile, you may worry about that edge potentially seeing a lot of water. However, there's a lot of ways to deal with this:

Install a plastic corner bead where the drywall meets the backer board and plaster over it. (I'd probably solve this way)
Install some matching chair-rail or bull nose tile that could hide your mistake.
If your mud isn't set yet, just remove the backer board from the wall and add some strapping behind it.
Finally, you could just add add another layer of backer board.


How can I reconnect the pull chain to my fan?

Based on your answers in the questions (and the missing answers) I believe this is the answer. I'll restate the problem and if my restatement agrees with your situation then the answer is valid. If there is anything "extra" or still leaving you concerned, ask before proceeding.

Disclaimer: Without pictures it is hard to say with absolute certainty. Always hire an electrician if in doubt, or in a case like this, ask a trusted friend or family member to review the problem and the recommended solution. Hooking up wires incorrectly could be a fire hazard.

Based on your answers:

You had a switch you disconnected
Said switch had two wires going in to it, one was white, one was black
When you removed the switch, the white and black wires mentioned in #2 went with it (were a part of the switch)
Assuming #3 is correct, there had to be "wire nuts" or some other screw terminal that the white and black wire connected to, based on what you said, these were wire nuts connecting to a white, blue, or red wire that is part of the wire harnesses in the fan.
The Red wire you have since determined is connected where it needs to be and is NOT suspect nor was it disturbed nor disconnected during switch removal
The only wires that are "exposed" on the fan wire harness side is a single WHITE and a single BLUE
No other wire nuts were removed or other wires exposed during switch removal
The NEW switch comes with two wires, they are both black

If 1-8 match your situation, then (For each wire by itself) if needed, straighten the copper exposed wire ends, so they are all inline with each other (not frayed or bent up) and then twist them a 1/4 turn to 1/2 turn in your thumb and index finger so that They look like this... courtesy of Google image search

Then take a black wire from the switch, and line it up with the blue wire from the fan and using the wire nut placed over the very top of this pair, twist clockwise until the cap feels tight. It screws on and is secure. Using electrical tape for good measure can help ensure this stays connected.

Repeat the process above for the OTHER black wire on the switch, and then pair it up with the WHITE wire from the fan.

You are done.

As a quick note, the wire color in this case really doesn't matter. The fact that the switch uses two black instead of a white and a black like the old switch also doesn't matter. What matters is that we only have two wire to connect to in the fan.


Storage racks - plastic vs Bronze inside room

Based on your comment that you'll be storing heavy items, it's worth it to go with a more sturdy metal rack.  If you're worried about carpet damage, dents are relatively simple to fix with steam, ice, or other methods.  In the worst case, you'd probably prefer a few square inches of flattened carpet than your possessions broken.


You’ll need a tub drain extractor. Menards, Lowe’s, Home Depot will have it.


Is it unsafe to hide a power strip in a cardboard box?

Its not particularly risky, but its not a fantastic idea either.

The amounts of current you are talking about pulling is not great, so heat dissipation should nor be an issue.

No one will give you a guarantee that it wont catch fire, but it us highly unlikely provided none of the cables have exposed wiring (which might short and spark).

Why not use a plastic container instead? (Assuming a cable management solution as @HazardousGlitch mentioned does not do it for you.)


There is no requirement for a back splash behind an oven.   Period.  I buy a lot of houses with just drywall and painted.

To add tile there is very little prep work that you have to do to the wall.   Basically you just want to scruff it up a little if tiling with mortar and if using the peel and stick, a rough sanding and cleaning up after works.

Whether you choose the peel and stick or mortar backed tile, that is just a personal preference.   I would suggest either way to get something that is durable, cleanable (without ruining the tile), and something that won't stain.

My go-tos for backsplashes are glass tiles or small natural stone pattern (with no grout requirement).   For the glass backsplashes I only use epoxy grout.   Epoxy grouts are a PITA to deal with but for backsplash areas they "pop" and they are almost impossible to stain and require zero maintenance so I deal with it.

As for how hard of a job this is I will give you working example.

Lets assume a 3'x 8' area needs to be tiled.

Using glass tile + epoxy:

Take about 15 mins to prep.
15 mins to mix a small amount of mortar.
If you have a helper, mortar is only applied to wall.   So one person can apply mortar and the other adjust tile sheets.
Given there are cabinets a wall you should only have to make cuts to one vertical line and one horizontal line.   And really on 90% of installs I do very little cuts.  Score and snap glass.
Even for a first timer putting this amount of tile up is no more than 2 hours.   If it takes longer your mortar will dry anway.   I have people on my team that would be done with this in 30-40 mins.
Come back next day and apply epoxy grout.
Now this is a two person job because the grout will set in about 30-40 mins.   You need one person applying the grout and a person going right behind cleaning up.  The good news is even though a total PITA - you are done in about 30 mins.

With smaller stones:

Same prep
Apply mortar to wall and a very thin amount to the back of the tiles (read instructions).
Will need a saw to make cuts - still should be able to work out pattern to limit needing to make cuts.   Sometimes we break apart the sheets and try to find stones of a size to meet needs.
The cuts take longer and the back buttering of the sheets takes longer and adjusting these to line up take longer than glass.  But you are going pretty slow if at 3 hours.
You are done - some stone might require a sealant to protect from staining but that is 5-10 mins of wiping the face of the stone.

Note: I specifically would never install porcelain or ceramic tiling (unless some super cool-artsy mosaic) because I never want to worry about it.   You are lifting pots and things like that.  You hit these hard against the tile, they can and do crack.   Glass will not crack.   Small stones, you just replace.   (I am old school so not even considering peel and stick as the amount of shopping and research behind a brand would negate how fast of an install this is)

Disclaimer:  This was not meant to answer how to tile or how to apply epoxy grout or the exacts.   Please ask a separate question for each of these topics to be answered.


If the index mark is aligned with the stud when the panels are assembled, and the cam is turned clockwise, it should pull the panels together. The photo shows an unusual gap, which may exceed the pull range of the cam. It also appears that the cam has been turned counter-clockwise based on the position of the index mark. Alternatively, the cam has been turned almost 360 degrees clockwise, which is excessive in this application.

The split in the bottom panel is an indication that the cam is applying leverage to the engaging stud, rather than connecting to the collar of the stud. If you are unable to force the panels closer together, consider to back a few turns out on the stud to allow the collar to engage the cam. This will pull them together more effectively.


Is there any nice way of identifying which model of Peerless Bathroom Faucet I have?

Since the cartridge is out, take it to a plumbing supply house not your local big-box home improvement center.

Odds are very good that they'll either

know off the top of their heads,
be able to find a part number that you're missing,
or just simply walk to the back and open 12 boxes looking for one that matches and sell you that one.

One additional tip: Call ahead. Some places will only sell wholesale, i.e. to commercial plumbers. Others will sell retail, i.e. to you.


Are you sure your steel beam is a W16X26?
I doubt that beam needs lateral bracing, because that size beam will support about 31,000 lbs. per foot for a 20’ span. (That size beam can support my entire house and 3 of my neighbor’s houses.)
Lateral bracing is required when a beam is fully stressed (or overly stressed) and you need to keep the beam from buckling and “laying over”. This beam is not overstressed.
If you start drilling holes in the flanges, you’ll weaken the beam...don’t. If you need to attach something, drill holes in the vertical web.


Best method for painting textured walls?

You just need a little more pressure. It looks like you have enough paint on the roller, and just need to press the nap into the texture more assertively. The texture isn't extraordinarily deep or sharp, and those dots appear to be a matter of nap reach, and not of smearing.

If the latter were the case, you could use a wet re-roll strategy--after you finish a wall, go back and re-roll it right away. I've done this with great success when painting bold colors over light colors, for example.


Once a person has bought a house (not new build) what are things to be done to maintain the house?

Answering this question fairly would take volumes. In fact, volumes upon volumes upon volumes.

But we all have to start somewhere, so thank you for asking us here. You'll find quite a few of us are enthusiasts, electricians, plumbers, builders, engineers, etc. This StackExchange forum is geared towards a question or a problem for home improvement or repair, but that said, a high level answer is a good start, and your next visit might be one of upgrades vs. repairs!!

Take the Tour: https://diy.stackexchange.com/tour  to get some info on how to get the best results.

A home needs to be protected from the elements, so a sound roof that can carry water off of and away from the house is vital. Windows that close and doors that close, and seal, and keep weather out is vital. Think of the area you are buying all seasons, and decide if things look durable enough for those seasons. Look at neighboring structures and see if this place is "as good" as the rest.

A home also needs proper and functional electrical, water supply, sewer/waste removal. You aren't necessarily going to 'know whats right' but you can certainly tell when something is wrong.  If something breaks, ANYTHING, EVER.... fix it. If you ignore it, it will cost you more money.

For all of the things I listed above, notice that for anything that MOVES (and I do mean anything), pay attention to it it it gets weak, deal with it. If it cracks, or doors and windows dont open and close properly, address it. Be sure to close doors "with a healthy closing" and ensure the entire wall doesn't shake. If it does, it's probably "cheap".

All appliances, and furnace, fans, etc, should be checked regularly. Schedule them for cleanings on their maintenance cycle. You could hire a general contractor to do a walkthrough of your house each year, they would love to sell you something, but chances are, you'll know when something breaks.

Pay attention to creaks, definitely pay attention to drips, wet spots, and slow draining or slow water supply. Pay attention for smells of gas, definitely change filters. Wash your windows.

Always inspect your property after any kind of storm. Look for damages. Get a ladder or someone you trust with a ladder. Wash your windows at each season, and always look at areas that have caulking, or where pipes and wires enter the building.

Trim back trees, cleanout gutters. etc.

When you are shopping for a house, keep a notebook. Make notes of the things you see that scare you! Trust your eyes, your nose, etc. If you think you smell moisutere (mold or mildew), you probably do! Look for water stains and loose fixtures. Write these down, these are all things you someday may experience when you are an owner.

When you get ready to buy, take another walkthrough or two. Bring a friend that thinks they know a lot (preferrably one that does haha). But, Even if they dont - A second pair of eyes and opinions can really help spot issues. Then pay for a home inspection. It doesn't hurt if a freind is a contractor.

Good luck.


"I don't have a good explanation besides why" -- this is a common "way of thinking" for people who do electronics, or auto repair.  You're used to having a big "common/return" bus (often called "GND" but let's not go there today!).  Either you're dealing in electronics which is very tiny current, or in automotive it's a massive steel chassis with unlimited current capacity.  *So, "return" is out of sight/out of mind.
In AC mains, everything is wired as full loops - both hot and neutral are wired in every case.  (for instance you would never use a steel building's structure as the neutral current return, holy smokes that would be bad!!)
However, AC power has one throwback to automotive mentality -- We do not "fuse" the neutral wire.   After all, why fuse it?  Since we run full loops, neutral cannot possibly have more current than its partner hot... or hots in the case of a "Multi-wire Branch Circuit".
Of course, this presumption relies on the neutral being monogamous to its partner hot(s).
What was in their head?...
I'd imagine that the above person logicks out that the L1 loads sum up to 60A and the L2 loads sum up to 40A, so neutral flow is 20A and that's within limits.  This ignores the fact that not all circuits are loaded 100% all the time!
Suppose you plug in 13A loads into the three L1 circuits and a 1A TV into the one L2 circuit.  You have 39A on the L1 side and 1A on the L2 side.  The neutral carries 38A.
"But but but... there are 5 neutrals here with a combined ampacity of 100A.  Shouldn't they be plenty to handle 60A of differential current?"
First that's "Paralleling", which has special rules... but let's wind back to "Neutrals don't have breakers".  Yes, if all 5 neutrals stay intact you'd be fine... but what happens if 3 of them fail?  Now you have 30A on each surviving neutral, overloading both.
Neutrals don't have breakers, so nothing would warn you of this. This is why the special rules for paralleling require individual fuses/breakers per wire, including neutral. But that opens another can of worms: What if the neutral fuse/breaker blew, but the others didn't?  You'd now have a "Lost Neutral" situation - which is a nightmare.  So yet another design rule requires if the neutral is breakered, it must trip the hots when it goes.
What to do
Since all these cables have their own neutrals -- they are just improperly tied together -- they simply need to be separated so that neutrals are only shared among cables that share hots.
If you mean that the white wires from 2 cables have been re-tasked to be hots, all sharing the third cable's neutral, then these 5 circuits will need to be refactored to be 3 circuits.  NEC 300.3(B) requires all related circuit wires be in the same cable or conduit, This is AC -- if they are in different cables, it will induce EMF between them, eddy current heating, vibration, cracking and hotspots from the reduced conductor cross section from the cracking.
If 3 circuits is not enough, that's too darn bad.  They could have supported 6 circuits with 3 cables, but they would've needed to be 12/3 cables and multi-wire branch circuits. (2 hots per neutral).   I hope they enjoyed the latté they bought with the "big savings" on wire. talk about a false economy...
"Couldn't we get 4 circuits out of this by remarking 1 white to a hot, giving 4 hots 2 neutrals, and wire proper multi-wire branch circuits?  Nope, 300.3(B) again.


Is it OK to draw different current from L1 and L2 on NEMA 14-50?

Drawing Uneven Current Is Fine

On a NEMA 14-50 plug, it's typically the case that the load on the two hot legs are uneven, and the neutral is used to return the difference current.  If the load on both hot legs was exactly the same, neutral wouldn't be needed at all, and you could use a NEMA 6 series plug instead.

Connecting 15/20A Receptacles to a 50A Circuit Is Not

You don't mention how you plan to break out from your 2x50A feed into individual 120V circuits to send to your servers, but if you're intending to directly wire from the 14-50 plug into some standard receptacles, don't do that.  Those receptacles need to be breakered for 20A at most, so that if one of the server power supplies suffers a short circuit, the breaker can trip before the receptacle melts and catches fire.

If you're using standard electrical distribution hardware, you should fit a subpanel between your 14-50 plug and your receptacles.  Alternatively, some server power distribution hardware has circuit breakers built into the receptacles themselves; this is also fine.

Consider Feeding Your Servers 240V

You mention that you're using standard commodity servers -- in 2019, that means they will have universal-input power supplies designed to be used anywhere in the world, and will accept a voltage input of 100-250V.  Double check the labeling on your servers, but it's extremely likely that they will be perfectly happy with 240V instead of 120V. If you do this, you will guarantee balanced current on your two hot legs, and you will make maximum use of the power you have available.  Most likely, your servers power supplies will run a few percent more efficiently as well.


You will need to use something other than your box store hi temp paints if you want really good results. They are more like Hi-temp Coatings than they are paints. Before Painting you will need to do a really thorough cleaning of them. Your preparation work is the HARDEST PART and the MOST important part of a good durable paint job. Anybody can squeeze a spray can - the prep work makes all the difference.  Take your time in the cleaning and PREP and you will have results as good as or better than a 'professional'.
A couple suggestions I have for you is to purchase something meant for hi-temperatures 500 to 1500 degrees
http://www.stovepaint.com/ .. although this says their paint is not for cooking surfaces or direct flame contact.
https://www.kbs-coatings.com/XTC.html


How do I know if my wood front door's finish is weather proof?

All exterior wood finishes that are "suitable for sun exposure" still slowly degrade in the sun (it's worse than water, actually) and need to be renewed - Just ask the folks with wooden boats. So whether or not the current finish is "weather resistant" (since "weather proof" is not really accurate) it will need to be renewed.

The simplest approach is to re-coat it now with spar varnish or some other exterior clear finish (spar urethane would be the other common one) and then you know what it's got on there. Then plan to re-coat before significant damage accrues - it's easier to maintain a finish than to try and restore the look of wood that has been damaged or discolored by weathering.


Wiring a reliable temperature switched outlet

Unless you go to more expensive industrial products, you'll have trouble finding thermostats that operate reliably at near freezing temperatures.  Using a space heater to heat up the entire crawl space is going to be inefficient when all you need is to keep the pipes above freezing.
Heat tape seems like a much better option, it's made for this exact purpose.  There are lots of options available if you shop around.  Many work without a thermostat, the heating element automatically stays at a temperature just warm enough to keep the pipes from freezing.  The heat is applied exactly where it is needed.  You run it inside pipe insulation so very little of the heat is wasted heating the crawl space.


Electrical switch for outdoor security light(motion activated)

If both sets of lights are on the same circuit at the same location, a 3-way switch is all you'll need. Since neutrals will be tied together, connect the feed to the dark screw (common terminal) and the load, usually black or red, from each set of lights to the two remaining terminals on the switch.


A skylight (and any hole in the roof) needs flashing, not caulk. The flashing should be overlapped so that shingles above are on top of the flashing, and as it goes down the side, each piece is on top of the piece below, so that any water runs down the roof rather than in your home. The flashing should go up the side and under any lip from the top of the skylight so that rain from above cannot get in behind the flashing. And then all nails should be covered in a roofing caulk and under a shingle/above flashing/other protective layer.


The box on your house marks the end of where the phone company services. That wire in the box will run to a nearby box or pole, where the phone company has their equipment. If you do not have service with them, I would not expect you to have any dial tone, as it was likely disconnected there.

If there is a problem with this existing wire it will be fixed during service Install.


Can I safely disable a three way fan switch to use for providing ground to remote three way box?

Since you posted the model numbers of the switches, now I can be specific.

Remote switch:

Unwrap the tape from the white.
Connect black terminal to black wire, white terminal to white wire, and the red wire to the yellow/red terminal of the remote switch.

Main dimmer:

Unwrap the tape from the white.
Connect all whites together, including the white wire on the dimmer.
Connect the red wire on the dimmer to the black wire going to the light.
Connect all remaining black wires together including the black wire on the dimmer. (Do not connect the black wire going to the light).
Connect the yellow/red wire on the dimmer to the red "traveler" going to the remote switch.
Cut and cap both ends of the red wire going to the light.


What information about a house is required to get a quote for a fire sprinkler retrofit?

Floorplan is not enough. They need to visit and take extensive measurements to engineer the system.
If you want "bells and whistles" (there's lots of options) you need to decide on those too.

They will need to investigate the location, size, and routing of the service main as well. They should be able to determine minimum requirements for your locale by contacting the AHJ. NFPA has specific requirements too, but they only matter if adopted by your building code. This could be a very expensive gift. Significantly cheaper to get a high-end alarm system.


How to fix gaps between bamboo flooring planks

I would NOT glue anything in those gaps. You'd want loose & free floating double beveled flooring strips in there. The fillers would be shaped like the crust end of a pie slice, so as the flooring expands again it pushes the fillers out so they can be removed & stored in the closet for next winter.


Need Help with border for pavers, fence is too high!

The few that I use are: 1/4 inch Bender Board. This is a 10 foot length of Redwood that is 4 inches wide. It is mostly used for the slight radius it can be shaped to. Paver retailers should have a plastic boarder that will easily conform to any shape. If needed and possible use the pavers you presently are installing by turning them on edge. Or halving them and installing them as a border.


remove/replace door hinge on wood door frame

Yes the screws can be taken out and reused as long as you are careful and the holes and the heads of the screws are still in good shape.

If the holes are a little to large, the screws do not tighten down well,  you can jam a wooden toothpick or two into the holes and break them off flush, then install the screws for a tighter fit.


How can I troubleshoot faulty carbon monoxide and fire alarms that give false positives?

You can procure carbon monoxide test gas with a known PPM (parts per million) concentration. Place your CO detector in a small plastic bag that can be sealed tight but squeeze the bag down to reduce the amount of air that is in the bag with your detector before sealing it. Spray the carbon monoxide test gas into the bag that houses the alarm and seal the bag. Wait... Without testing with a known quantity of gas you may always wonder. A short Youtube video demonstrating this can be viewed at www.coexperts.com


How do I frame this oddly spaced rough in

Given multiple issues there, I think the correct and possibly simplest, albeit messy, solutiion is going to be cutting the floor open and putting the pipes where you need them.

Concrete is not forever.


To oversimplify things, a shower control has two parts: the fixed part attached to the pipes in the wall, and everything else (which is usually the cartridge and possibly some O-rings if they are separate).

If you've replaced "everything else", then the problem is the fixed part in the wall.


Is there a way to prevent sliding window from freezing?

My suggestion would be to pull out the window and clean everything really well to make sure nothing is gumming things up.  Then I would use a clean rag and wipe all the areas where the window contacts the frame with a good quality silicone lubricant.  A little goes a long way with silicone lubricant, you don't need to saturate things with a direct blast.  I would avoid wd-40, or other cheap oil sprays, it could make things worse.


Why does my GFCI receptacle trip when I connect the load wires?

It sure sounds like you have a ground fault on one of the down stream outlets or devices. Check the load side devices for proper wiring etc. Hook the circuit up without the GFCI and use a plug in tester to determine if any devices have reversed hot, open neutral, etc. Also check to see if there are any motor loads on the load side circuits, motors can cause nuisance tripping.


Since neutral is connected to ground how is current kept off of ground?

Current doesn't want to return to ground, but rather it wants to return to the source.  The ground isn't a great conductor and while it is in parallel with the service, the amount of current returning through the ground is so small it is effectively zero.  However, if you lose your neutral then the ground becomes the only viable return path for the current to get to the source.

I replaced a residential service and the neutral on the service drop broke on the service drop-side of the point of attachment.  The house still had power because the system was grounded and current was taking "plan B" of returning to source through the ground.  Luckily the home owners just purchased the house and hadn't moved in yet.


The door or frame could be warped, which means replacing or rebuilding one of them.

It's also possible that the door is simply poorly installed, in which case moving the hinges around would solve it.

When you close the door, if TWO corners (out of four) of the door and frame meet, then you can probably get by with moving the hinges. If THREE corners meet, then you've got a warped door or frame.


Replace MR16 downlight bathroom help please!

Normally you need to pull down on the silver ring to get access they are commonly spring loaded and even tension on either side downward will pull it about 3” down then the lamp has a spring clip holding it in place. Some have fancy levers that lock the power socket and hold the lamp in place when it is pushed back up. I would be trying to find an LED replacement because these lamps have a very short life for the cost.


how to clean up black paint that spilled on exterior bricks

You might consider soda blasting.  It's like sand blasting but uses industrial baking soda.  One of the suggested uses is for removing graffiti from brick.


Per NEC 410.10.B there is a restricted area 8' above the rim of the tub and this extends 3' to the side of the tub this is why you usually do not see lighting in this location. But it can be done with a fixture listed for wet locations. These fixtures usually seal so water cannot get in. If this is only a tub not a shower a damp location fixture could be used (not getting splashed) but I prefer the wet location fixtures.


Is vinyl flashing as easy to work with as metal flashing?

It's actually easier to cut and you're less likely to cut your fingers on it.  I've never used rolls but the pre-cut sections and they were easy to put in.  Just follow the directions.


How to connect a 230V jointer to a pre 1996 dryer circuit?

First, remove that NEMA 10 from the wall with great authority and conviction, and strike it many times with a sledge.  Set the resulting fragments on fire. Spread the ashes on the pitch of your town's rival football team while screaming "Demons begone!!"

Convert to NEMA 6

Now here's the illegal part.  Get some green tape and wrap it around the white wire, on the insulation near the end.  Do this on both ends.  (it is illegal to mark colored wires as grounds, with an exception for very large wires).

While you're in the service panel, move the wire from the neutral to the ground bus.  (On a MAIN panel, they may be the same thing).   You have now redesignated the white wire as ground.

You are now wired for NEMA 6.  Put a 6-20 receptacle on the wall and replace the 30A breaker with 20A.  Done.

Or, convert to NEMA 14 by adding a ground wire

This is 100% legal.   Get some 10 AWG bare or green wire (single conductor, solid or stranded). Run it from the connector site back to either:

the panel from which this circuit is served, or
any junction box that has a 10 AWG or larger ground wire running back to that same panel.  I.E. your water heater, stove, A/C etc.  This has to be a ground wire, not a neutral wire.

If you pull your NEMA 10 off the wall and discover there's already an honest-to-gosh actual ground wire tucked back unused, awesome!  Just pop the cover off the service panel and make sure it's actually connected.

Neutral is not ground

All of my advice will fail you if you believe that Neutral and Ground are just two flavors of the same thing.  They are not.  They serve completely different purposes.  Crossing those purposes gets people electrocuted, which is why NEMA 10 is a bad connector.  In the 1950s when they wanted to start grounding things, NFPA very foolishly made a compromise with appliance manufacturers, who were afraid appliance sales would go ice-cold if NEMA 14 upgrade was required everytime you bought a new dryer.  They compromised at allowing NEMA 10 to continue in service, and use the neutral as ground.  The reasoning was an appliance failure (hot-chassis fault electrifying chassis) was more likely than a connector failure (neutral failure guaranteeing chassis is electrified even on a good appliance).  Their reasoning was that NEMA 10 circuits serve large appliances which are rarely ever moved or unplugged.  Didya catch that part?

Plugging a 15A appliance into a 30A receptacle

You're not allowed to. The issue is overcurrent protection (fusing).

NEMA 6 follows the exact same rules as the old familiar NEMA 5, because the rules do not specify voltage.  Any number of NEMA 5-15 receptacles can go on a 15A breaker.  Due to a special exception, any number of 5-15 or 5-20 receptacles can go on a 20A breaker.   Same rules apply to NEMA 6-15 and 6-20.

A 30A breaker can only feed a 30A receptacle.

So, changing the appliance cord to 30A is right out.

If you must build a 6-30/14-30 to 6-15 cheater cord, it needs to include overcurrent protection (fusing) at 15A or 20A.  If you use 20A, you might as well use a 6-20 receptacle, since 6-15 plugs go into it.  All the wiring up to the fuse must be 10AWG.

Or, convert the dryer to NEMA 6

You heard right.  The trick is, they probably sell this dryer in the Philippines and other east Asian countries that have 240V power. And so they probably make a 240V-only version of this dryer.  They designed the dryer from the ground up for this to be possible, and the difference is adding a small step-up/down transformer to power the internal 120V loads.

Don't want to plug/unplug? Sub-panel!

You need a real ground for this.

Remember that bit how those fat 30A connectors are not made for frequent plug/unplug?  There's a way around this.

Install a sub-panel at the old dryer plug site.  Use one with a main-breaker, any size over 30A will do since it's there to be a switch not a breaker. Don't scrimp on the breaker spaces. 20-30 is not too many.  The neutral bus must be separate/isolated from the ground bus, because say it with me, neutral is not ground.

Then install a 30A breaker and bring it out to a 14-30 for the dryer.

Then install a 15A GFCI breaker and bring it out to a 6-15 for the jointer.   The 5/6-15/20 receptacles are made for frequent unplug.

This setup has some sizing problems obviously - you can't run dryer and jointer at once for instance.  Your local inspector may have an issue with that. But this is certainly the safest of available options.  Also the most expense and work.


Is it safe to pass a natural gas hose under a wooden step, and to keep it pressurized?

Before we get in to the answers to your specific questions, you first need to read the instructions that come with the hose and whatever you hook it up to. For example, the hose may not be rated for continuous outdoor UV exposure. And your grill probably says to turn off the gas at the source; the burner valves are not designed to hold up against supply pressure indefinitely.

  Is it safe to take a flexible natural gas hose such as the one pictured and pass it under a patio's wooden stairs to reach a BBQ? Can it simply lie on the concrete under the patio?

That should be fine. Just make sure it's not easily stepped on, or rubbing against an edge. And don't let water freeze on it.

  Can you ever leave a hose such as the one pictured pressurized overnight, or must you always turn off the incoming gas, rather than simply turning off at the BBQ?

No. You need to turn the hose off when it's not in use. If this were connected to a cylinder it would be less of an issue since the cylinder has a fixed volume of gas. But since this is hooked up to a gas supply line, it could be days or weeks before a leak is noticed, potentially creating a huge pocket of trapped gas.

  can such a hose be left outside over winter?

Check the ratings on the hose.


My shower tile goes past the drywall on an outside corner

Say hello to joint compound (aka mud); it covers a multitude of sins. Mud it up until it's even with the tile. Start with hot (dry powder, mix with water, sets) mud.


For that much weight, I would try to drill into the studs. You can find them using a studfinder, or sometimes knocking and listening for the change in pitch will be enough. If in doubt, find several, and assume they are evenly spaced. Make sure the drilled holes and screws are long enough to penetrate well into the stud, say at least 2 inches.

Of course, to do this, you need to be able to adjust the distance between the screws to match the distance between the studs. If, for whatever reason, this isn't possible, you can use a small board as an interface. Cut a narrow board long enough to span the studs, or the length of the shelf, whichever is longer. Screw it into the studs. Then use short screws to attach the shelf to the board.


Will a board blocking my air conditioning break it?

It's pretty hard to say without knowing more.  The general idea is that the fan that's blowing hot air at you is supposed to be drawing cool air through a series of fins.  The fins are full of hot liquid, and the cool air blowing through the fins draws heat from that hot liquid.  Then it exhausts that now heated air.

So it should be drawing in ambient ("normal") air and exhausting heated air.  As a broad generalization, exhaust air is noticeably warm, but not so hot that you can't stand it on your skin.  One situation that can occur is the intake and exhaust air can be so close together, or be in such an enclosed/confined area that the heated exhaust air gets pulled in as intake air, gets heated again, and exhausted as even hotter air.  And then pulled in and heated again, etc.  This condition makes the unit very inefficient, and if it's bad enough, it can even be dangerous.

It's a matter of degree, so if the discharge air at your unit is so hot that you can't stand it, then there's probably a fair measure of this unwanted exhaust/intake air recirculation going on with your unit.

I said all that to say this:  You're fine to deflect the hot discharge air in any way that you wish, as long as you don't cause (or worsen) a case of exhaust/intake air recirculation.


Flush the toilet and I hear gurgling in my shower

it means that your shower is plumbed up with an absent vent line or a vent that is blocked or plugged.  if it just showed up recently, i would look for an ice cap on a roof vent pipe.  if its an ongoing thing, then i would suspect an absent vent pipe.  you can quick fix it with a rubber drain cover.

http://www.amazon.com/Do-it-Rubber-Sink-Stopper/dp/B000DZD3QA/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1457233324&sr=1-1&keywords=rubber+drain+cover


In addition to Jim Stewart's answer, you can buy self-adhesive felt pads to place on the bottom of furniture legs.  These allow the furniture to be slid across the floor from time to time, without scratching.


Electrical issue, breakers not tripped but outlets dead

It sounds like the heavy load caused a failure. I usually start at the closest outlet to the breaker panel that is not working if that one is good the last working one on that circuit. This is where I find 98% of all failures of this type and it is usually from back stabs (the #14 awg wire is stuffed in a hole in the back of the outlet) it could be a bad connection from a wire nut or even a broken wire but my experiance is it is usually a bad backstab. If you pull an outlet out and everything starts working replace the outlet or this will happen again.i just read this again and the one issue I did not discuss was the broken tab. This could be to support a multi wire branch circuit 2 breakers 1 on top outlet and the other on the bottom outlet , the second case is if one of the outlets was switched usually for a light when a ceiling fixture was not installed.
If OP has abandondened this question I would vote to close, so we don't see it come up again and I did try to answer the first time, now a second if no OP comment or up vote it should be purged as this is a waste of our time imo.


Is it safe/compliant for one circuit to supply grounded wall outlets in both a kitchen and a living room?

National Electrical Code says no.

National Electrical Code 2008
ARTICLE 210 Branch Circuits
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
(2) No Other Outlets. The two or more small-appliance branch circuits specified in 210.52(B)(1) shall have no other outlets.
(3) Kitchen Receptacle Requirements. Receptacles installed in a kitchen to serve countertop surfaces shall be supplied by not fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits, either or both of which shall also be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the same kitchen and in other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). Additional small-appliance branch circuits shall be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the kitchen and other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). No small-appliance branch circuit shall serve more than one kitchen.

210.52(B)(1) basically says, that all the receptacles in the kitchen should be supplied by 2 or more 20A circuits. 210.52(B)(2) says that there should be no other outlets on these 2 or more circuits, which means no lighting outlets and no outlets outside of the kitchen.  210.52(B)(3) says that the 2 or more circuits, can be used to supply receptacles in other 'related' rooms (pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area).
Even though the kitchen and living room may share a wall; according to NEC 2008, they cannot share an electrical circuit.


Two layers of underlayment for sheet vinyl?

The goal is a smooth, flat surface for the vinyl to lay on.  If you can do that with 1/4, then that is great.  But in your case it sounds like you need to step up to 3/8 or 1/2 depending on the gap.  Once you put that down, then there is no need to add 1/4 plywood.


Well, I'd suggest selecting a new subpanel with a lot more than 8 spaces.  For expansion room, mainly; if you get busy you can fill it.  (you can run a LOT of stuff on 50A feeder).
You probably weren't imagining a 24-space panel, but the fact is, panel spaces are laughably cheap... whereas running out of spaces is a major frustration.  So it really, really is "false economy" to scrimp on the size of the panel.  Buy spaces like you never want to buy them again. Because you don't.
The new panel will be taller and you won't have any trouble getting all the cables fully into the panel and 1/4" past the cable clamp while they are still in the sheath.
A new installation would require a separate neutral and ground.   Also, ground (alone) can be retrofitted.  However, simply replacing the panel to get rid of that Zinsco should not oblige you to upgrade to a grounded feed.  Also, adding individual circuits should not have that effect.


Can I take a 240 volt 33 amp male plug an slice

Yes, you can use existing wiring to feed a sub-panel.  (you cannot put a plug on a sub-panel as far as I know.)  If the wiring is not quite long enough to reach your sub-panel location, put a junction box there and splice to an additional cable.

Your sub-panel absolutely requires a ground wire to the main panel.   Grounds can only be bare wire, green or green/yellow.  If the inspector sees any insulation other than that color, it cannot be a ground wire.

If your wire also has neutral, then you can make your sub-panel a 120/240V sub-panel.  Here's the trick: In the sub-panel, neutral must be isolated from ground.  Most panels give you a way to do that, by removing bonding straps or removing green screws.

If your wire does not have neutral, your sub-panel will be 240V only.  Use 2-pole breakers and NEMA 6 receptacles.  If you power anything hard-wired, make sure it is 240V friendly - most new fluorescent ballasts are multi-voltage, as are many other products.

If you need to run 120V-only appliances out of a 240V-only panel, they sell step-down transformers for sane prices.


What you're talking about is a Multi-Wire Branch Circuit.  There are two problems with you trying to take one of these on.

They are effectively obsolete, as GFCIs and AFCIs are now required on the vast majority of 120V circuits, and MWBCs do not play well with GFCIs and AFCIs.
They are for wizards only:  You need to know many more things to do an MWBC safely, and there are many ways to mess up and create a dangerous situation.  Yes, at the very least a 2-pole breaker is required.  A classic blunder is going "Gee, a double-stuff has 2 breakers/screws, so it'll let me put an MWBC in 1 space". No, it won't - this will set your neutral wire on fire.  These are the kinds of pitfalls that exist with MWBCs.

Given the difficulty of doing these circuits safely, and the fact that you probably can't even use them due to GFCI/AFCI requirements -- I would say that they are an obsolete/deprecated method, and advise you to simply run two 14/2's.

The technique is allowed, you can google "MWBC" but I'd spend at least several hours "learning up" on the various gory details and what those mean.

Even if you do the MWBC textbook-perfect, you could find at home sale time, your AHJ sweeps in and says "Where are your AFCI breakers?" and "Where are your GFCIs?" And you find you are now painted into a corner and have to rewire just to sell your house.


what sort of cable should I use to add extra tv outlets

Well, if you are going to split it 3-ways, buy a 3-way splitter not a 4-way.  I agree with the comment from Mikes about buying a more expensive model if possible.

I would avoid a booster at all costs - power boosters add noise to the line - so yes you get a higher signal, but its noisier.

As far as minimizing signal loss, here are the top items to keep in mind:

Keep runs as short as possible
Don't splice cables together - always use a single continuous run (where possible)
Buy a high-quality RG6 cable.  Quad Shield (usually you will see RG6-QS on the cable) provides the most shielding and helps reduce interference
Use high-quality compression fittings instead of crimped connectors (Thomas & Betts Snap-n-seal is my product of choice).  Also make sure you install them correctly (end of internal plastic insulator flush with the inside of the fitting, ground braid properly folded back, cable stripped correctly, no nicks in wire, etc.).


Where should shielded data cables be grounded?

The industry practice is to ground the main panel end and leave the field end ungrounded.

If you ground both ends you create an antenna for RF interference. Search the web for dipole antenna design.

Good luck!


Do I need to use silicon seal (caulk) and a sealant strip around the base of my shower

The sealant strip is supposed to cope with some movement of the shower (or bath) by being flexible.

However, what usually happens is that it's not quite flexible enough or loses it's flexibility with age so water starts seeping around it. This is when caulk or other sealants are added on top.

If you can get a good seal with the caulk (which you appear to have done) then you don't need to add the strip.


Does a water softener only need to be plugged in to recharge?

Correct, no "real" problem at all. But, of course, a timer activated recharge won't work, you'll have to start the recharge manually by advancing the timer.


How to extend 1/2" shower connection just a little bit

There's a one-peice extension fitting that's a bit shorter. Might or might not be shorter enough; or too short. You'll probably have to order it or try a comprehensive plumbing supply.
Search on 1/2" pipe thread extension and you should get results. Male threads on one end, female threads on the other, one solid piece.
The other likely options would be select a different product more adjustable to retrofit installs, or fill the space between the wall and the fitting on a "too long" extension with some sort of accent tile of appropriate thickness.


Exposed Aggregate Concrete Walkway - replacement or pour over

My suggestion would be to blast away the surface dirt with a pressure washer, then clean it off with something strong like muriatic acid. (Or hire a neighborhood teen to do it. ;-> )  Then apply concrete bonding agent and leveling compound. Leveling compound is pricey, but it can be applied in thin sheets and it sets up fast (very, very fast).

You'll have to put some sort of forms up, but you can use cut up cardboard boxes, because you're only adding 1/8" (3 mm) or less to the thickness.

If you DIY this, please, please do an experiment with about 1 square foot of compound on some cardboard or something, first. It's really a mix-pour-spread-set product, so you want to be ready.


Thawing partially accessible frozen pipes with a hairdryer

Your best bet is to prevent the pipe from freezing in the first place. Once the pipes are frozen, a hair dryer will heat up a copper pipe slightly and that heat will travel down the pipe melting the outside of the ice column and breaking it free and it will travel down the pipe. To melt it completely would take hours. A propane torch would do it much faster but they could be a fire hazard waving it around and then there's a chance of ruining a solder joint.
There are pipe heaters especially designed for preventing pipe from freezing. You wrap them around a pipe, plug them into a wall outlet and set the thermostat to the desired temp. They come in different lengths and operate on about 5 watts per foot.  See the picture below.

This one is from LingRan Industries, which I have no interest in.


Can I use a combination of two mobile air conditioner units to cool house?

In terms of just "can two mobile A/Cs cool a 1000 sqft area", yes, they certainly can. I lived in a similar-sized apartment for a couple years and did just that -- one unit, a monster mobile A/C, was in the living room and cooled the living room, dining room, office, and kitchen; the other was in our bedroom and cooled just the bedroom.

However, you mentioned that you have three bedrooms -- if those are occupied, I assume the occupants will want to close their doors at night. At which point, the cool air won't be able to get into the bedrooms.

I would carefully consider if the investment you'll have to make into the mobile A/Cs is worth the trade-offs (especially the noise, as Jeffrey commented), considering that you'll eventually want to fix the central air anyway.


Are my trusses capable of carrying the load of insulation and drywall?

Yes, your trusses will support insulation and gypsum board.
The Building Code requires the bottom chord of trusses and ceiling joists to support a minimum of 10 lbs. per square foot. (See IRC Table R301.5)
Gypsum board weighs about 3 lbs. per square foot and insulation (depending on the thickness and type) weighs between .3 and .5 lbs. per square foot per inch thick.
Your trusses were made by a truss manufacturer certified in your state. This requirement is built into their software for the construction of trusses.


My LED strip lights just went boom, how to diagnose?

Typically, LED lights are Diodes which are sensitive to polarity (+ vs -) you can blow them if you connect incorrectly or if you over-power the circuit. Other than that, a LED strip is typically quite robust.

My guess is that the power source has blown, (since the leds will require a DC input. You can check this by connecting a 12v battery directly to the LED strip (do you have access to the led wires?)


Unable to remove faucet handles on widespread bathroom faucet

I highly suspect that this faucet is very similar to the Kingston Brass style KB961/2/3/4/5/7/8/9 as shown in this specification sheet.
https://s1.img-b.com/build.com/mediabase/specifications/kingston_brass/574937/kingston_brass_kb969_m.pdf
The faucets are secured via wide flange nuts from the underside of the sink/vanity. Each faucet assembly has an inlet water connection and then a separate small flexible hose connection from the faucet to the mixer connection on the bottom of the spout assembly. The following picture is from the above specification sheet.

Removal of this type of faucet necessitates the disconnection inlet supply line, the flexible connection to the spout mixer, and then the removal of the flange nut on the bottom. Once the nut is removed the whole faucet assembly lifts out of its mounting hole from the top.
Note that many of the more modern quarter turn type faucets from multiple manufacturers mount as shown here.


Do USB sockets draw power when not in use?

It is very unlikely that they won't.  Nearly all AC to DC converters, by design, draw a very small idle current when you aren't charging any devices.  Cheaper designs consume more while some good designs consume less, but unless there's a physical switch on the USB socket it will always consume some power while waiting for a device to be plugged in.

These are new sockets to the market, and unless you have a compelling reason to avoid a plug in USB charger I would recommend holding off anyway.  Not only do you have the continuous current draw (which, honestly, is going to be less then $5.00 per year even if the device is terribly inefficient) but there's the likelihood of the socket failing, and it's not nearly as easily or cheaply replaced as a plug in charger.  Further it may not charge all devices at their full current.  While the USB association has suggested designs for high power charging (above 500mA), many manufacturers (notably, Apple) still use their own scheme for detecting 1A and 2A charging currents.

Most phones and PDAs will only charge at 1A or greater when connected to their own charger, and at the slower 500mA rate when they can't detect their own charger.

There are probably some applications and situations where it might be useful, for those prone to losing their chargers, for instance, but there are many reasons to reconsider using them.


Is it okay to put an instant hot water dispenser on the garbage disposal wiring?

The main rules that I am aware of (but I am not a professional electrician) are:

Total planned usage should be < 100% of total and < 80% continuous usage

With a 20A circuit, 80% = 16A. 15.75A < 16A, so you're good there. Actually, the disposal would likely not count as continuous anyway, but since the numbers work, no problem.

If hardwired loads are > 50% of the capacity of the circuit, then you should not have any receptacles for plug-in loads.

This is where you could get to a problem. 9.5A is under 50% of the total, but more than 50% if rated at 80% for a continuous load. I don't think that is a problem. It is certainly not a problem if you either have both loads hardwired or both using receptacles. However, the instant hot manual only shows plug-in and the disposal only shows hardwired. Unless there are alternatives officially supported by the manufacturer, you should not be switching things around - i.e., don't change the disposal to plug-in or the instant-hot to hardwired. The switch you linked is specifically for use with a receptacle.
My recommendation:

If power goes from circuit breaker to disposal to switch, then you already have power in the right place.

If power goes from circuit breaker to switch to disposal, you will need to run an additional cable between the switch and the disposal and move things around a bit. But unlike many other situations, this should be pretty easy since it is all near the sink and should be easily accessible. We can outline all the specific details if needed.

Below the sink, you will have a box with:

Power coming from the circuit breaker
Switch loop going up to the switch
Disposal connected to the switch loop
A single receptacle for the instant hot


After scoring, place the sheet on the floor as usual, then cover the thin strip with a stiff board or straight stud as long as the score line. Align one edge of the board with the score. Kneel, or have someone stand, on the board. Pull up on the larger piece.

In other words, score and snap as usual, but trap the thin piece between your work surface and a stiff strong board.


Should I use a dedicated circuit for a towel warmer?

This is a pretty small load, so it probably won't be an impediment, but you need to follow all the rules for wiring in bathrooms.

If the circuit powers hardwired loads only, this with the other loads can't exceed 80% of total capacity.

If the circuit powers hardwired loads and receptacles, the hardwired loads can't account for over 50% of capacity.

If the circuit powers receptacles in the bathroom, then it can only power things in that same bathroom.  NEC 210.11C3


This could be an issue with the thermocouple. A thermocouple is used to sense whether the gas was ignited by the glow coil and is burning. If it isn't burning, and the thremocouple isn't heated up by the flame, the gas valve is shut off to prevent excess gas buildup.

Although this might not be the exact problem, it might lead you down the right path to find it.


What type of pipe joint is this, and how do I repair it?

That's known as a slip joint. If you remove the slip nut, you should find a beveled washer on the pipe.

To put the joint together, you'll slide the slip nut onto the upper pipe, followed by the beveled washer (bevel side down). Then you'll slip the upper pipe inside the lower pipe, and use the nut to tighten the joint.

Looks like it's a waste tee similar to this.

The trap should be attached to the bottom of this piece, probably using another slip joint.

When tightening this type of joint, you want to be careful not to overtightened. Hand tight is usually all it takes.  It should be just tight enough, so that the pipes don't easily come apart.