How can I have the output from hot/cold water handles go to two different spigots?

I am sure such a thing exists. But it would be quite inconvenient: Set water temperature, flip diverter, go outside, decide it is too hot/cold, run back inside to adjust. Ugh!
Instead, run both hot & cold to the outside, using something like this:


If the blower in the furnace is belt driven (not likely), the belt might be worn and slipping. Most likely, the blower is direct drive, which means you'll probably have to pull out the entire blower assembly to get at the motor.

WARNING:

Before removing the blower, make sure power to the unit is OFF.
If you have to remove wiring to pull out the blower assembly, make sure you label each wire so you know where it goes.

Once you have the blower out and accessible, you should be able to locate the two oil ports. These ports are typically on the "top" of the motor, and are plugged with plastic or metal caps. Remove the caps, fill it up with oil, and replace the caps. Check the manufacturer's documentation for the type, and amount of oil to use.

Here's a good YouTube video from Grayfurnaceman that shows How to oil the HVAC fan motor.

If the motor in your unit does not have oil ports, you might have to replace the bearings, motor, or the entire blower assembly (depending on which unit you have).

As always, if you don't feel comfortable doing this type of work, please contact a local licensed HVAC technician.


Can I safely jumper between either G or Y and RC at thermostat panel to troubleshoot AC problem?

The short answer is "Yes you can", but I would hesitate giving a DIY this information without knowing how much experience he has in controls and troubleshooting. True a thermostat is simply a set of switches but you are also bypassing many protective devices used to stop a sequence to protect your equipment. This type of procedure in my circles is infamously known as a "smoke test" or a test of last resort. So if you decided to do it. Be prepared to replace other parts you may damage.

Good luck.


If I'm reading this right(and looking at the final picture), the beam itself is sagging. It may have reached an equilibrium point, and simply jacking up an reattaching it will fix it. But you'll still have a bowed beam.

My inclination is, a properly built beam should be able to span that distance and hold the weight without sagging. I have smaller, longer glulams spanning my basement, supporting two stories. But maybe someone who knows a bit more about structural engineering will chime in.

If you want to create one yourself, I would use like 3 2x12's laminated vertically. Boards are much stronger vertically oriented than horizontally. Think floor joists or door/window headers.


Is a large change in radon test results normal?

You can get the test re-done, they generally aren't very expensive, but avoid the home testing kits, they aren't as reliable, and any buyer will probably have the test done themselves anyway professionally. It is a significant jump, it definitely crosses the threshold of "safe" and "needs correction". Any smart buyer will want you to correct a value this high, too. A test result >= 4 pCi/L warrants some kind of radon abatement according the the EPA.


What should I leave in the walls to allow me to fish future wires?

This is what ENT (or any sort of conduit) is for

If you want to leave "room for installing wires in the future" in an electrical installation, you put a conduit in the wall so that the installer who is doing the pulls can actually do the pull without getting wires damaged on edges and whatnot.  For data wiring, electrical nonmetallic tubing (ENT) ("smurf tube") is more than adequate -- orange ENT is conventional for data wiring, but any color will do, and 3/4" ENT will provide plenty of room for a data cable or three.  Leaving a pull string inside the conduit is helpful for the installer as well, but not mandatory -- I doubt you'd want to do a long-haul pull through a wall on a pull string, though!


It doesn't sound like the #14 and #12 grounding wires being connected is the issue, to me.

EDIT:

  NEC 250.148 (C) Metal Boxes. A connection shall be made between the
  one or more equipment grounding conductors and a metal box by means of
  a grounding screw that shall be used for no other purpose, equipment
  listed for grounding, or a listed grounding device.

The OP uploaded a picture showing that the #12 is an independent circuit, in new 12/2 w/ground NM cable. So what you actually have is grounding via the BX armor, presuming that the BX tightly clamped in both this box and the service panel, and grounding through the #12 wire in the 12/2 circuit, and the two should be bonded together to the metal box.

The ground path through the BX is likely to have higher resistance than the ground path through that nice clean #12 copper. The metal box has to be grounded no matter what. I say leave all the grounds bonded together and to the box, and make sure the BX clamp is clean and tight at the junction box and back at the panel. If you're really concerned about the grounding through the BX sheath, try to run another lone ground wire back to the panel, or pull new NM cable to replace the BX.

Also, you would get a much tighter connection between the armored cable and the box using a better clamp than the one built-in to that old box, something like one of the following (that red plastic bushing protects the wires from sharp edges, so you never energize your grounding system accidentally):

END EDIT

All of the grounds in your house are ultimately bonded together, anyway, to zero the voltage differential all over your house (Neutrals are different! The neutrals are only bonded to the grounding bus in the main panel, nowhere else, and neutrals can only be shared by two circuits under specific conditions).

You wouldn't want a large circuit using a too-skinny conductor for grounding, though.

It sounds to me as if the original circuit is possibly BX armored cable, and the flexible conduit itself is the only grounding conductor going back from this junction box to the panel.

This not up to current code if the flexible metal conduit is the only ground path--there can be continuity problems through the flexible armor. BX was actually demarketed for a while, then came back as armored cable with a metal bonding strip that makes contact with the flexible conduit all along it's length to ensure a good ground path.

However; if you can somehow run a #12 bare or green-insulated wire back from that junction box to the panel (route it up through the attic?) and bond it to the grounding bus inside the panel, as well as to both the #12 and #14 wires, and the BX armor in the junction box by using the right metal clamps and bonding the wire to the metal box, you'd be perfectly fine.

Having said all that, I guess somebody could argue that some grounding through the BX armor is better than no grounding. But if you're in there messing around, you want to do it right and bring it up to code.


should concrete block wall be sealed on top?

Just a guess, but I'd say it was purely a cost saving measure. The sheet metal cap is sloppy, IMHO, but their might be anesthetic reasons for using metal. Personally, I would have gotten concrete wall caps and sealed up the top using those caps. I'm not sure I would fill up the inside if the wall was not load bearing or a retaining wall. Before I filled them, I'd inspect the wall thoroughly for cracks.

If the wall is not load bearing or retaining, one potential risk when filling them up with concrete is that you will more than double the weight of the wall which might trigger settling. I have never worked with foam fillers, foam would certainly weigh less but might be harder to inject.


What causes HVAC blower motors to go bad?

HVAC blower motors, which are almost always of the INDUCTION motor type, fail for a variety of reasons.  I'll list what are common reasons:

A winding failure, usually an open.  These can be caused by a manufacturing defect or just as a result of thermal cycling.  Shorts between windings can also occur often due to conductors rubbing on each other or against the pole material.
Bearings can fail often due to foreign material that collects.
The rotor laminations can rust and cause binding.

As noted in the comments, these often have a starter circuit with a capacitor which can fail.  This generally leaves the motor operational but it cannot be started.
Usually the first thing to check is the starter circuit and capacitor.


Electrical shutters crash computer connected to same power line

At first I thought it was a cheap PC supply, but it's the stereo also.  This is big enough to affect both.

It's voltage surges

When the curtain motor reaches position, it is disconnected abruptly.  The motor is an inductor.

You may know a capacitor wants to keep voltage the same and will flow unlimited amounts of currrent in that effort. An inductor is the converse.  It wants to keep current the same, and will flow unlimited voltage in that effort.

Interrupt a motor, the field current will want to keep going, and will spike voltage into thousands of volts.

This is the bane of hobbyists trying to control motors, as they usually fail to account for the voltages into the thousands of volts that can result.

It should, in theory, be inducting this onto the hot or neutral wire.  In fact, if the switch was interrupting the hot wire, I would expect it to not happen; however Europeans are super slack about hot vs neutral (their plugs flip over, even)... So the people installing them may have inadvertently wired them to switch neutral.  You could check that; it's an easy fix if it's wrong.

Fixing it

How to hack the motors to not do that is a question for electronics.se. (in DC you'd use a freewheeling diode, but that's a nonstarter in AC; but mayve some sort of VBO device in the right place to act like that.)

I have a feeling the curtains might've been built with such protection, but it has degraded, as MOVs will do.  Fixing that is not hacking, it's repair.

To stay in our bailiwick, what you need is a commercial quality surge suppressor.  The consumer jobs won't cut it; they use cheap MOVs which degrade via usage, i.e. become "used up". And this setup would "use them up" quickly.  Meanwhile in America... NEC 2020 just made whole-house surge suppressors mandatory, so massive economies of scale are hitting the quality surge suppressor game.  That's what I'd get; a whole-house surge suppressor, and stick it right on that branch circuit between the blinds and the PC/stereo.

Why is it affecting the ground wire?  Ground faults.  Consumer products typically have 500 or 1000 volt insulation between hot/neutral and ground.  Well, this interrupt voltage is so high that it's leaping not only over the insulation on the blind motors themselves, but on the stereo's as well.


Was there a NEC Code Change that disallows 14 gauge wire in a residential receptacle?

To my knowledge the only recent changes dealing with residential receptacles, says that they must now be tamper resistant, and that ALL garage receptacles must be GFCI protected. There were also some changes dealing with Arc Fault breakers in NEC 2011, but I haven't read through it all yet.

Code compliance can be a fickle bitch, and the minimum code applicable for your area will depend on what your local government has chosen to follow.  To my knowledge, there have been no changes that say you cannot use #14 for 15Amp receptacles.  But even if there were changes, say for example in NEC 2011.  Your area may still follow NEC 2008, or even NEC 2005, in which case those are the minimum standards you must follow.

The best way to know for sure, is to contact your local government to determine which standard they follow.  Then do some research into that standard.  Or contact a local licensed electrician, and ask.

So if I were you I would ask my friend to site some section numbers (then look them up if he actually can), or call a local master electrician.


Should the cold water supply be constantly open for hot water heating system?

Closed.

Two reasons - main one, you need to know if it's leaking. A properly functioning system should not need "make up water" on a regular basis.

The other, related reason - if the system is leaking and constantly taking in new water, it's also taking in new dissolved oxygen in that water - and 99.9% of hot water heating systems are built with a mixture of copper and iron parts (or all iron parts) that will rust terribly if continuously supplied with oxygen. A non-leaking system rusts out what oxygen is in the water, and then stops rusting. Every time you add new water it rusts more; so the less you add new water, the less the interior of the system rusts.


Question: Want to know if lag screws will be solid enough to hold the sink to the wall. I originally bought brackets (picture attached), but I am unsure that I need them.

Yes – lag screws would be able to support the weight. And the use of the bracket depends on the points I bring up when installing this sink as a utility sink.
Your utility sink was free standing and most likely had a splash panel on the back or the area behind it was protected from water. The drywall was either backer board or drywall cover by appropriate layer to prevent water damage.
Using the lag screws with appropriate washer is doable, if the proper support is provided on the right side as you stated.  You must be careful when tighten the lag screws enough to hold the sink securely WITHOUT overtighten that the sink or coating will crack.  A heavy rubber gasket between two washers can be used, but again do not over tighten.
Use of the brackets:  After securing the two brackets flushed to the surface with appropriate long heavy screws (3” deck screws/) to the support, you will be able to just lift the sink and hook the sink to the two brackets.  The part on the left of your picture are L hooks.  Push the sink over the hooks, and the hooks will garb the sink. Using the brackets, you do not have to worry about over-tighten the screws.
Using either method of attachment, you can tile or use other design to create your splash panel above or around your sink.


What is this tool called and what is it used for?

These appear to be snap-ring pliers.
The pins at the nose go into the holes in the snap-ring, then you squeeze to compress the ring to release it from its groove, and flip the lock to hold the squeeze so the ring doesn't expand, rip the pliers from your hand and launch the ring to wherever it is that small parts go to die.


How can I mount a security camera on the outside of the house?

Outdoor Power - Do not power the camera using an outdoor outlet. You have all the problems you listed and you make the system more susceptible to tampering (an intruder can simply unplug the camera and blind the system).

Powering the camera - Let's begin by checking if the camera and its power supply is rated for outdoor use. The exposure to moisture, and to a lesser degree extreme temperature, makes many indoor units unsuitable. The connection of the power supply to the camera needs to be water resistant. If it is not, you need to consider a different camera unit.

In general, outdoor power lines need special cable or a metal or plastic pipe to protect the cable. The power to the unit is apparently low voltage, so it may not need the same level of protection as it would if it were 120 volts.

You will need to bring the wire through the wall (or through a soffit) at some point. You want to drill through an area that DOES NOT contain framing. You will go through siding, sheathing, probably insulation, and then finish material, probably drywall.

The main issue is sealing the entry holes from water and air infiltration.  This can be done on the outside using a good outdoor caulk.

On the inside, you can use a low voltage junction box to protect the wire and then route it to an outlet. The best approach might be to run the wire to a double box, low voltage on one side and line voltage on the other.

You could then have the wire exit the front of the low voltage side and have the transformer plug into the line voltage side.

Mounting Camera - Most modern cameras (at least those without heavy housings or motor mounts) are fairly light, just a few pounds, if that.  They can be screwed into the sheaving of the wall, which is located beneath the vinyl siding.  You need to drill through the siding and into the sheathing and then screw the base to the sheathing. As you are mounting, you can seal the screw holes and even the base of the camera with outdoor caulk.

If the camera is heavy, you should screw the camera to a framing member (stud). These are found at corners, regularly spaced horizontally (usually every 16 inches from a corner), and near the roof and floor line of each level. You can use a stud finder to locate them.


How can I block air flow into floor joists in knee wall attic?

I think the proper solution to this is to use an air-tight recessed can and trim; this would however require replacing the fixture.  The complexity of this depends on how accessible it is from above (I don't know of any air-tight rework fixtures).  You cannot safely add insulation around the light due to the heat build up.


Why would my plumber have installed two drain stubs for a single vanity sink?

The only reasonable explanation I can think of is that he didn't know the height of the vanity he was plumbing for.

If you try to hook up a sink on a tall vanity (~34" high) and the drain is roughed in for a standard vanity, you'll need an extension for your p-trap, and waste space.

In this situation, I would decide which fits your sink the best and cut-off and cap the other one.

Give him a call and find out for sure.


Yes, they can carry Lime disease among other things. Be sure to do tick checks until you fix the problem.

Diatomaceous Earth is an excellent and relatively safe way to deal with them. The best place to put it is outdoors around the house so that they are dealt with there and before they come into your home. In your case, they seem to be random so it would be hard to target them indoors but you can place some of the DE in corners and on carpet and rugs and it will help get any stragglers.


Which way do you run hardwood flooring to make the room look bigger?

Rule of thumb is that hardwood is installed parallel to the longest wall to create the largest feel.  Since your room is almost square, I would be tempted to install it parallel to the door or entry. The other consideration is how much subflooring is under the new floor and what kind of floor you are installing. If you are going to install 3/4" nail down over a single 3/4" subfloor, I would run it perpendicular to the floor joists and be sure to nail into the joists. If you are  using a staple down, glue down or click lock, the choice is more arbitrary. Yet another factor is the subfloor thickness and clearance to doors and adjoining floors. If you are using a thinner flooring, You should have the basic 3/4" sheathing with at least 3/8" subfloor installed over the 3/4". Paper between all wood layers to prevent squeaking.


Not really, the key is to be directed in the application of heat to the required joint, Almost certainly you will melt the solder on the adjacent joint, however the solder should re-set quick enough. Bigger concern is to make sure you don't apply too much pressure to the fixture and dislodge the loose joint (at heat) --

Remember, the solder should not be contaminated and should re-set well enough.. the nice thing is that its pretty easy to test (i.e when you turn the tap back on)  - If you are concerned, or there is a leak, you can simply add more heat and apply some solder with new flux.


How to fix gaps in shelf without a table saw?

Option 1:

Disassemble the left portion of the shelf.
Cut all shelves to the same length as the shortest shelf.

It seems that you'll need to make a notch at the back edge of the shelf to wrap around the vertical support for the right side shelves.
It appears that the largest gap may actually be at the bottom - use this gap to shorten the rest of the shelves.
If necessary, cut the left-side back to match this length.

Reassemble, ensuring that the shelves on the left match up with the appropriate shelf-face on the right.

Option 2:

Move all the shelves on the right up or down a hole or two so they don't line up with the shelves on the left, thus hiding the fact that they don't meet up.
Arrange your storage so that this mismatched height becomes "necessary" due to the mismatched height of things stored.

Option 3:

Buy wider shelves for the right side so they butt up against the shelves from the left.

Material may not be available in stock form at your local supplier in the 1/4" - 1/2" wider width you need, you may have to buy something 1" or more wider, then rip the back edge down to get the exact width you need.
Ripping the back leaves the white melamine covering on the front untouched so it still looks nice, and it helps hide any slight wobble in your rip cut of a long board.

Finally:
None of these cutting options require a table saw. (The rip cut suggested in option 3 would be easier on a table saw, but it's not required.) As a matter of fact, a table saw is the exact wrong tool to make a crosscut on a long piece of wood like a shelf.
You would want to use a circular saw, jig saw (prepare for a shoddy looking, uneven cut) or even "just" a hand saw for these cross cuts. You could do the rip cut with a hand saw, too (been done that way for centuries before they invented electricity...) if you wanted to.


Never.  You cannot splice the output of 2 breakers together, EVER.

North American wiring is done in a "tree" topology, with unlimited branches permitted.  I mention this because most of the time, you see a "vine" topology, and people think that is somehow required.

What this means for you is that your FORMER 2 circuits can be rearranged to be branches of 1 circuit.  The 1 circuit lands on 1 circuit breaker.  The other breaker then goes unused, leave it in place so you don't have a gaping hole in your panel.

With this conversion done, the way to work it with your transfer switch becomes obvious.

Since you got a huge transfer gang-switch, and even 10 circuits is not enough for you, I must honestly say you would've been better off going another way: a subpanel.   You get a $130 subpanel, two "main" breakers for $9 each,  a $30-60 interlock kit, and each generatable circuit lands on the subpanel instead of the main using regular breakers in the normal way.  No restrictions on number of 120 vs 240 circuits, and as many circuits as your panel has spaces, minus 4 for the interlock.


Sump pump size and reliabilty for crawlspace

If you have any fear of high water table of flooding you always need a backup on your sump pump. There are some options to safely knowing your sump pump system is always working such as sensors that send updates to your phone, however having the peace of mind that a backup pump instills is nice. If you are going to theoretically rely on your backup someday when the main pump fails, be sure to buy a backup that pumps a reasonable amount of water. Someone more experienced will need to add information about the sock.


One 60A 240v Breaker connected to 4 Outlets using PDB

Only if the ”distribution block” is a subpanel

Just get an 8-space main-lug panel and four 2-pole breakers.

"Just".  As if electrical is that simple.   I know you did a lot of research, but it's a broad subject.

You didn't say whether you needed neutral for 120V loads.  240V PCs tend to not need it, so I omitted it from the drawing.  It's not a big deal, just land it on the neutral bar, which is not breakered.  Neutral is not ground, and ground is not Vss.  That green thing is equipment safety earthing, which we call ground.  Note that in a subpanel, neutral bar and ground bar are separated.

If you use a subpanel that doesn't come with separate ground bars, and you reuse its neutral bar for a ground bar, mark it clearly as such, so the next guy doesn't think it's neutral.

Here, note I did a shabby job of showing separation between neutral and ground bars.

I don't know whether you're running 60A or 100A, you seem unclear yourself (uh-oh!)  #4 wire is wrong for both.   For 60A, use #6 copper wire.

For 100A, you'll need #3 copper wire, or preferably #1 aluminum wire from the main panel to the sub.  The ground can be a smaller size as Code specifies.

Your wire to the 30A receptacles needs to be #10 (larger is always OK).

Your wire to the 20A receptacles needs to be #12.

If you're running in conduit, white wire can only be neutral.  Neutral must be the same size as the hots.  The two hot legs don't need to be black and red - black and black will suffice, there's no need to tell them apart.

If you're using multiconductor cable the ground will be sized correctly.  If you don't need neutral, use /2 cable (black white ground) and tag the white wire with tape to indicate you are using it as a hot.  If you need neutral, use /3 cable (black red white ground).

Remember to derate the circuit, loading it to only 80% of capacity.  You have done that with 24A PC on a 30A breaker etc.

Why?

Because breakers protect wires and devices.  A 100A breaker will fail to protect #10 wire, and the wire will set your house on fire before the breaker knows to trip.   It will also fail to protect a 30A receptacle if that has internal problems.  If the PC it's plugged into has an internal fault that flows 70A, it will also fail to protect the PC.

It is also illegal to fit a 30A receptacle on any breaker except 30A (for this very reason). Likewise, a 20A receptacle can only be protected by a 20A breaker.  National Electrical Code, Table 210.21b3.


Replace duplex switch with swith/outlet? Swith will control ceiling fan w/ lamp

This isn't terribly hard now that we know what it is we want here
The good news is that you look to have all the necessary wires in place, save for a grounding pigtail to the back of the box since this is a conduit job and your switch-receptacle lacks self-grounding clips.  The bad news is it'll require a bit of pigtailing to wire this up, so you'll need a wirenut suitable for 3 12AWG wires and a couple of short (3-6") lengths of black 12AWG stranded THHN.
First off, we prepare the box by using the 10-32 screw on our grounding pigtail to attach it to the 10-32 tapped hole in the back of the box; if there is no such hole, then you can drive a Garvin GSST into the back of the box and use that to attach your grounding pigtail.
We then can move onto preparing the switch-receptacle; one of the black pigtails is attached to COM, while the other is attached to L1.  Once that's done, we can start wiring up the receptacle.  The grounding pigtail goes to one of the grounding terminals on the device, while the white wire gets untaped and connected to a neutral terminal on the receptacle part.  One of the black pigtails from the switch section goes into one of the line terminals on the receptacle portion, while the black wire from the wall goes into the other line terminal on the receptacle end.  Finally, the other black pigtail gets nutted with the red and blue wires from the wall.
Once all that's done, you can button up the box, turn the breaker back on, and enjoy your new switch-outlet!


LED bulbs in my old house are dying prematurely

Cheap $$ bulbs

This is a quality problem.  The market is flooded with boatloads of cheap Cheese junk, and "thrifty" buyers gobble them up.

These manifest on ebay and the dollar store, of course, but they also show up in bigger retailers.  And just as WD-40 made a brand out of missile juice, many junk importers make a brand simply by being everywhere. You see Feit Electric so often, in so many shops, that it must surely be a top tier product, right?  Nope.  Not at all. It's junk. Same for Utilitech and Lights of America.

Generally for quality lights you can't go wrong with Cree or the old Pheobus Cartel members, particularly GE, the only one who still makes their own LED bulbs. The big makers consider screw-in LEDs to be a dead-end business, since once everyone has fit them, they won't be able to sell any since they don't fail.  Obviously, the dollar vendors have figured out how to solve that problem!

Lost Neutral

This is improbable, but very serious, and I think of it because of your lights flickering.  Its symptoms are rapid, inexplicable failure of appliances.

It may be that your house's neutral wire is damaged, probably coming in off the pole, with about a 95% chance the problem is on the power company's side, and thus, fixed for free.

You detect this by measuring your voltage on a variety of outlets. It indicates the problem if some of them are below 120V, while others are above 120V by the same amount.  Your house has two 120V "legs" of power.  For instance, my house read 94 volts and 144 volts respectively, the two values added up to about 240V. Equipment on the high-voltage side is prone to damage. These values will "teeter-totter" back and forth depending on how much load is on each leg, with a new load causing quite a change in voltage, and thus, "flickering".

LEDs should ride right through small changes in voltage.

Enclosed fixtures

LEDs need to run cool, and they dislike heat. The LED itself needs to run cooler than 85 degrees C (185 F). The electronic driver circuit is also not a big fan of heat, especially if it's built cheaply.  The problem is, old fixtures are built for incandescent lights, which love heat. So fixtures aren't built to remove heat from the bulb, they're designed to bottle up the incandscent's heat to protect the building from it.  Given those design factors, enclosed fixtures make sense.  Not with LED.


Temporary brace for a wooden retaining wall

No need to purchase special braces, just use some common lumber.
When i set fence posts I use a 2"x 4" and wood stake.
Lay your 2x4 on your wall at angle, the farther the end that will be at  the ground/stake is away from the wall the more lateral stability you will have. Secure the brace to the wall, you may need to add some scrap wood to attach it to, another 4 foot 2x4 screwed to the wall vertically will give you a good attachment point.
With brace in place set your stake at the end of the brace right up against the side   and use a heavy hammer to drive in the ground solid. Now you can screw the brace to the stake. It is best to pilot drill the stake so the screw does not split it.
Tutorial for setting fence posts
Photo from link.

I have No affiliation with Outdooressencialproducts . com


Is it safe to turn on sprinklers in spring and just drain backflow preventer if freeze is pending?

I can't see a problem as long as you can drain the system. I installed my own sprinklers and the system is pretty unusual because I have very little lawn, mostly shrubs. I do have some low spots that don't drain properly that are a problem. However , as long as there are no undrained areas you should be good. One related problem; I tried to use a hose in cold weather but the water froze before it could get to the end of the hose . This could be a problem for you if you tried to water while the ground was frozen to a depth below your sprinkler system.


Looking for a splashback pattern in kitchen using 3 or 4 different square tile colours

There is no right or wrong way to do it.  Experiment with whatever you have on hand:  dice, marbles, squares of paper, etc.  Hint:  even if you make mistakes, just finish it so it looks like it is supposed to be that way.

Here is a sampling of some ideas to get you started (from here).


Will running out of fuel oil damage my tank?

If you run out of fuel, your burner will shut down, as there is a safety system that disables it if there is no flame when the burner is running.   You are likely to clog your filter, so plan on replacing it if you do run out (it may be good to proactively replace it if you run very low, even if you don't run completely out).   After replacing the filter, you'll need to press the reset button, and there may be a procedure to bleed air out of the line (I've seen the service tech do this on ours after the system shut down due to extreme cold clogging the filter with gelled fuel).

In other words, you'll need a service call after you run out, unless you are comfortable maintaining your system yourself.

My understanding is that diesel fuel has additives that are not needed for an oil burner, but will do no harm to the system.   You are paying road taxes that will increase the cost, but in an emergency, that's probably not an issue (I keep a couple six gallon plastic Jerry cans exactly for this contingency because we have a driveway that is sometimes not passable with an oil truck in the winter).

Edit: a web search on "difference between fuel oil and diesel" seems to suggest that they are mostly interchangeable, with some minor exceptions -- a cetane additive may (or may not) be added to road diesel in some circumstances, but should not affect your oil burner negatively.   Kerosene may be added to fuel oil (not sure why), but often isn't, so diesel would again be an OK substitute.

Here's one of the sites I read:
What is the difference between home heating oil / fuel oil and diesel?


I do not know how big they are but one idea is to use a hammer drill and a masonry bit to drill 4 holes in a square pattern about 6 to 8 inches deep, not too close to the sides (three holes would work for a smaller footer diameter).

Place a  piece of rebar long enough to make a  6 to 8 inch addition into each hole and wire them so they do not move around.  I do not think i would add just 3 inches as that may not hold up, go for at least a 6 to 8 inch gain.

I would grind the tops of the old footers, rough them up or create voids and ridges, and prime them with a concrete patching primer. The rebar is doing the holding but the primer will help make a good bonded seal between old and new to keep out water.

Place a sonotube the same size as the old footer around the old footer (if they are round) or build a form around them if they are square. The form should be about an inch higher than the tops of the rebar. Make sure the rebar will not interfere with post brackets you intend to use.

Now you can pour new concrete and add post brackets.


Before replacing a thermostat, is it enough to unplug the furnace?

So long as whatever you do de-energizes the wiring you're working on, you should be okay.

There's really just two concerns:

Shock hazard

You obviously don't want to get shocked/electrocuted, and only working on wires that are not energized is a good way to ensure this. This is less of a concern on the thermostat end, where you're only dealing with 24VAC, but there is 120V on the furnace control board.

Shorting out equipment

The other concern is when dealing with the wiring you can easily cause connections between stripped ends, which could do anything from simply turning the fan/furnace/AC on, to rapidly cycling equipment (which could damage it), to actually shorting something out -- such as the transformer itself -- and causing it to release the magic smoke, which renders it useless.


Can you identify the model of this faucet?

You say you need "o-rings" but not specifically what part is the issue. If you take the part(s) to a good plumbing shop (a "good plumbing shop" is specifically a different thing from a big-box retailer) I would bet they can find what you need. The model number will be of little to no assistance to them, they know the parts by sight.

American Standard has manufactured literally hundreds of different faucets over the recent years, and regardless of the model number many of the parts are common.

The closest in American Standard's current catalog looks like this:


Prime joint compound before latex paint?

A primer is recommended for joint compound. Using a primer seals the mud and actually uses less paint with a even finish in the long run.


How to repair an electronic igniter on a gas stove?

You didn't specify what is the failure mode of the unit..!! Did you changed its battery? Assuming its using battery, check for corrosion at battery holder/contacts.

High voltage spark points may have carbon or any other residue which might shorting out the arc. If its using piezoelectric generator (battery not used) very likely it may have shorted path in its high voltage side causing intermittent operations.

Electronic type using battery and boost converter. Any failure in this sections requires knowledge in electronics in order to repair it.


I cannot answer your questions regarding the wiring and why the lights do not switch on and off. But clearly there is something misunderstood regarding what wires have to hook to what in order to allow this to switch correctly. With that said there are a few things that do require comment here.

After removal of the timer box from the wall you just have the Romex cables poking through the wall. You are going to have to install a proper electrical box in the wall to secure the Romex cables, contain the electrical connections and provide means to mount the switch.
The quality of wiring workmanship in both the old timer box and the connections showing for the new switch leave something to be desired. For example the wire nut does not even cover the insulation on all the wires as showing below. Throw away those hard plastic wire nuts and get some of the softer plastic wire nuts that have longer skirts to cover the wires better.

The type of smart switch you are using is one designed to operate without a neutral connection and as a dimmer for indoor lighting. I would really recommend another type to use for exterior lighting which is the Lutron PD-6ANS-WH. This switch eliminates the dimming function and uses a neutral connection. This configuration of smart switch will provide you much more reliable on/off operation for a variety of load types (which could come into play as your lighting fixture calls for a specialty type bulb).


Installing 6-20R receptacle in the kitchen (Ontario)

I believe CEC does the same as NEC regarding you must have a recep within 2' of anywhere along the back edge of kitchen counters (following the wall). That's because kitchen appliances have 2' cords.  240V receps don't count for this, so don't convert a receptacle unless you're sure you're covered.

I don't believe CEC requires GFCI protection on 240V circuits (we add that in 2020 NEC), but that's something you'll really, really want for countertop appliances if it's within 6' of a sink.  On a 240V circuit, GFCI can only be done at the breaker.


Add combo (switch and outlet) with only two wires out of wall for the current light)

Your first diagram shows a switch loop.

Neutral and hot wires arrive at the light box, the neutral stays in that box, while only the hot is sent to the switch box (customary using white with black marking), and returns with the (customary) black wire, which is now a "switched hot".

If you want an outlet at the switch box, you need to bring a neutral from the light box. A customary way would be to wire a 14/3 or 12/3 from the light box to the switch box:
- white neutral
- black hot
- red switched hot (returns from the switch and connects to the light fixture black).

You can then decide wether you want this outlet to be always hot, or if you want the outlet to be switched.

The wire gauge depends on the breaker size. 15A breaker requires 14 gauge or bigger. 20A breaker requires 12 gouger bigger.


Relay in Thermostat: current capability \ rating

Well, the entire system tends to be powered by a bog-standard 25VA or 40VA transformer at 24 volts.  That means total amperage available to the system is either 1.04A or 1.6A.

So I think a 10A relay is pretty safe design choice.


1/2" OD Compression to 1/2" barb fitting?

There are no options short of removing the compression stop valve and replacing it, or putting in a short piece of 1/2" OD tubing connected to a new valve with a barbed outlet. threads for compression fittings are not designed to hold any pressure themselves or to mate up to anything other than the compression nut designed for them.


You have the right approach with filling it with water, especially if you can ensure that you've removed all gas bubbles during the filling. If the tank is going to be used by connecting it to a conventional oil-lubricated compressor, you can empty the water and slosh some protective oil inside. There are preservative oils for rust prevention which work. You've not indicated the use of the air, and contamination is certainly a consideration.

With an oil-lubricated compressor, one has an air-dryer and oil-separator device in the outgoing air line, which would eliminate contamination in general.

The drain option is a bit more complex. My conventional shop compressor as a plastic hose in which one end is placed in the tank low point and the other exits the top of the tank through a fitting. After the compressor reaches cut-off pressure, the valve on the hose opens, causing some of the air to pass through the plastic hose, pulling water from the tank.

This particular tank has a conventional drain and I have yet to experience any water within the tank when performing a manual drain, but I also have a Franzinator installed between the compressor head and the tank, removing virtually all the water and oil before it reaches the tank.

You'd want the ability to perform a periodic manual drain with this conversion project.

If your tank is small enough to flip over and use the fill valve opening to drain, that's one option. If you can remove the fill valve opening and drop a suction line into the tank to ensure cleaning, that's another.

My large propane tanks are cylindrical with the long axis parallel to the ground. There would be no single low point unless one end was tipped up slightly. Even a half inch would provide a single collection point.

You could modify the fill valve opening "cork" to take a hose fitting and drop the open end into the low point. Some form of retention for the hose at the low point would be a good idea, of course. On the outside of the fill valve cork, a valve with a hose to direct the water would give you the "pressurized" drain capability described above.

All of the above does not imply safety or lack of safety in the practice of converting a propane tank to air storage. I'm not qualified to make that judgement and have not performed research specific to that discussion.

EDIT: additional information for clarification.

This is a poor image, but saves typing. Consider that the rubber tube is the opening from which the water will drain. The drawing shows the tube in the stopper to be deeper into the bottle, but it should be flush with the plug. The "thermometer" in this drawing should be a hollow tube, extending some distance, just as shown in the image. When turned upside down, the "thermometer" tube will be above any collected water and will provide air to your use, while the other tube will allow water to be ejected when open.

The water ejection port does not need to be a tube, as a hole in the plug/cap will serve, and the outside will have a valve to keep the air in when not draining the water.

The clean air tube will have to be some hollow item. The equivalent of a long hollow bolt that threads into place would work, but I can't picture such an item as being off-the-shelf.

If you have fabrication skills, soldering or welding and have pipe to fit the opening, you should be able to make something that works, while maintaining the integrity of the tank.

I would hope your current valve has a threaded opening of about 20-25 mm when the valve is removed. That should give you enough working room to build an assembly for clean air.

The following images are different views of my interpretation of your drawing. The varying perspectives should provide easier understanding and/or correction.

The green disk represents the existing tank wall. The blue cylinder represents a threaded (?) plug inserted in the valve opening. The blue cylinder does not need to extend higher than the tank wall surface, but is exaggerated here. The red cylinder represents the air exit line and should extend above the tank wall, to prevent water "ingestion" when in use. The white cylinder should be as low as possible on the bottom of the blue cylinder, in order to eject as much water as possible. Of course, there would be valves on both exit cylinders to control air and water flow.

Can you tell me if these views represent correctly your current concept?


When you say they were "wireless" you must mean wireless control, wireless on/off and dimming. There must have been a wire in the ceiling or in the wall to power the light. The only truly wireless lights are battery operated and not very bright and the batteries don't last very long.


Can my home's power supply handle this tankless water heater?

Well, to simplify the maze somewhat, you have all the usual loads of an all-electric house.

50A furnace
50A range
30A air conditioning pack
30A dryer
Eleven 120V branch circuits, some MWBC, many on 30A breakers (WTH?)

Obviously we can oversubscribe this somewhat, e.g. You're not likely to run heater and A/C at the same time.

The fine art of panel subscription is not a core skill for me, but hopefully this summary will make it easier for someone else.

That panel, though

While we're here, we gotta talk about that panel.  First,  panel B top-tapping panel A before the main breaker is very dangerous unless there is another main breaker before this.   The meter is not a fuse, and there are no fuses between the transformer and main breaker. This is considered acceptable for a very short hop from the meter to the main, however, in your case this totally unfused feeder crosses your whole house.  Nothing prevents a short in the cable, or in this panel, or summed loads on this panel, from setting that cable on fire.

Second, all 4 panels are Federal Pacific "StabLok".  It has serious issues with panel fires due to bus defects, and unreliable trip. When feasible, all four should go.

The three subs will be straightforward to DIY, the main will be more troublesome unless there's an outside main breaker.  I would DIY install a 200A main service panel right next to it as a subpanel, reuse that 70A breaker to feed it, and move all the 120V circuits out of the main into the new sub.  Then bring in an electrician to cut it over to be the new main.

I see many branch circuits on 30A breakers. Those should be 15 or 20 depending on wire gauge.

Gaps in the panel covers should be patched so curious fingers can't touch buses, except finding either breakers or blanks to cover those spots will be a pain.


The blower on my HVAC runs sometimes when it should be off

That is actually a Trane/ American Standard furnace I believe. The cause is most likely the limit switch is getting so hot it is opening causing the fan to turn on to cool the limit switch. They often will open around 130-145 and yours may be a little weak.


Sump pumps are generally used to collect water that penetrates the walls or floor of your basement (concrete is porous). It either pumps the water out to the sewer (may not be code anymore) or simply outside where it can run away from your house, or is stored in a dry well to evaporate/soak. Whether or not you need one depends a lot on how your house was built, the local water table, and the ground surrounding your house. But let me give you one general principle to start with in our discussion here:
If you keep the water out, you probably don't need a sump pump
A properly built basement will have good weeping tiles and a waterproofing membrane on the outside of your basement walls. Sadly, in older houses, weeping tiles are literally tiles and they can break or clog over time. And too many builders install too little waterproofing (or none at all). The key here is you don't want to install a sump pump to handle a problem that is outside your house. If you keep the water out in the first place then you shouldn't have a problem. So I would bring in a waterproofing specialist first to make sure you have

Sufficient weeping tiles that are not clogged/broken. This means excavating the footers
Enough waterproofing on your outside basement walls (and proper basins for any basement windows)
Sufficient surface drainage. You should have gutters to catch rain water and send it to the ground where it is channeled away. Ground settles over time and can sometimes trap water by the foundation

What if the water still gets in?
Once you're sure the outside is doing its job, then you can look inside. It's even possible the outside may need to drain inside and use a sump pump to push the water out anyways. Most likely, however, if you still have water intruding, it's due to a water table issue. The water in the ground is seeping up into the foundation. If this is the case, the solution is usually to excavate the basement and install what basically amounts to internal weepers that can catch the water and give it a path to the basin where the sump pump can remove it.
Can I do this myself?
Probably not. Repairing or replacing a pump is one thing, but installing the parts to get the water to the pump is what will likely overwhelm a DIYer. You really want a reliable expert to make sure the outside is taken care of if you have a water intrusion issue. Only then can you turn to the inside. You also need experts to look at the water table and drainage.


The use of flex in general is usually for short extensions called whips.  From a junction box to a motor per se.  When ran in that manner I believe the Code says "no longer than necessary" but I will need to double check.

In your case it's not the same,  plus it will be under a deck so I think you will be fine.  Just FYI, it will probably be easier to run the wires through PVC conduit instead of flex as flex will bow and twist on long runs.

Tip: Run conduit then a short piece of flex at the end.  Inside the house transition over to NM-B with a small 6x6 junction box

Addendum:

Code requires nonmetalic flex to be supported at intervals of 3 ft either by straps or wood members and within 12" of the termination points if it is not fished or if the length is <=6ft,

For example under a deck that is accessible would require straps. Through a wall or under a deck not accessible would be ok to not strap.  But as recommend, PVC conduit would be a better choice for longer runs.


AC doesn't cool room well in old poorly insulated apartment. What can I do to fix? What are the causes?

there is a proportion to be observed for the air to be cooled down, between the square feet of the whole area (home or apartment) against the basic "1 ton"
of equipment capacity.
One ton = 12,000 BTU which is barely enough force in your a/c unit to transform the air of 400 sq.ft from hot to fresh.

I hope this gives you the idea how to size the equipment properly according to the square footage.


How do I determine the exact Nature of my Sewer ventilation problem so that I can correct it?

This sounds like the classic description of a blocked vent stack.

Somewhere between your traps and the sewer there is -- or should be -- a connection that is open to the outside air. Because fetid smells may come out of this pipe, the opening is usually placed above the roof, or at least far from where anybody might be.

If this vent becomes blocked, air pressure in the sewer line may force gases past one of the traps into your house. Or, flushing the toilet may create a partial vacuum in the sewer line that will suck the water out of a trap leaving it useless.

In your case, normal weather-related atmospheric pressure changes are driving gases back and forth through one or more of your drain traps. Check the venting of your drain lines.


How to cut a piece of 2x3 wood crossways perfectly?

One of the most important things about making a stool is getting the legs the same length.  I would suggest you modify the miter box something like this:

Keep everything square when building the stop piece.  Then when you actually go to cut the legs, butt a square end to the stop, clamp it down, and cut.  You will get three or four legs precisely the same length.

Keep the stop piece.  You can move the stop around easily, and you will use it again.

Time spent making a jig or a stop is never wasted.


How to frame for a drywall ceiling with 8 feet between trusses?

I would verify your trusses have the capacity to add the additional weight of the strong ties and 2x4s on 16”. That is how I have done it on several buildings but I had the weight added in because I wanted clear span below. Your trusses look a bit lighter than mine were, but I can’t see much of them. But our span was similar.


Sump Pump float above or below the French Drain level

Doesn't sound like a French drain (which typically describes gravity-driven drains that daylight away from the foundation) so much as a conventional drain tile loop connected to your sump  pail.

Most sump pump floats only let the water get halfway up the pail's height or so. I wouldn't want it getting much fuller than that, personally. If you let the water level get above the drain inlet, the entire drain loop is now full of water. You have essentially no margin for error before your basement floods.

I've had cases where my float stuck and the water level got very close to the top of the slab. Because so much water is now present throughout the drain system, the pump has to run for 10 minutes or more to catch up. That's an uncomfortable situation to be in.


Distribution of circuits for two bathrooms

You are correct that the first two options are allowed by Code (citing from the 2014 NEC here) -- the relevant passage is 210.11(C)(3) along with its Exception:

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits
  required by other parts of this section, at least one 120-volt, 20-ampere
  branch circuit shall be provided to supply a bathroom receptacle outlet(s).
  Such circuits shall have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single bathroom, outlets for
  other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in
  accordance with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

However, this passage only applies to receptacles unless you take advantage of the terms of the exception; putting the bathroom light on a shared lighting circuit is Code-legal as long as the receptacles are on a dedicated circuit.

For the heaters, you can either put them on a per-bathroom circuit as long as they satisfy 210.23(A)(2) by not using up more than 50% of the circuit's ampacity:

  (2) Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total rating of
  utilization equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, shall not
  exceed 50 percent of the branch-circuit ampere rating where lighting units,
  cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment not fastened in place, or
  both, are also supplied.

or you can have them on a shared lighting circuit, if you decide to have a separate circuit for bathroom receptacles.  Unfortunately, putting them on the same circuit as the bathroom receptacles when that circuit is shared between bathrooms is prohibited by the Exception to 210.23(A):

  Exception: The small-appliance branch circuits, laundry branch circuits, and
  bathroom branch circuits required in a dwelling unit(s) by 210.11(C)(1), (C)
  (2), and (C)(3) shall supply only the receptacle outlets specified in that
  section.


Square D qo service panel with neutral and ground bars bonded. Any problem with adding ground only bar?

First of all, let’s deal with your neutrals. It is against code and dangerous to have more than one neutral (“grounded conductor” in the language of the NEC) in a single hole/screw terminal of your ground/neutral bar.  If it is the case that you have multiple neutrals in a single hole, that needs to be fixed.

  408.41 Grounded Conductor Terminations. Each grounded conductor shall terminate within the panelboard in an individual terminal that is not also used for another conductor. Exception: Grounded conductors of circuits with parallel conductors shall be permitted to terminate in a single terminal if the terminal is identified for connection of more than one conductor.

Why is this dangerous? This post goes into great detail. (Re-quoting the important part here because the source link within is dead and can’t link directly:)

  The connection of a neutral and equipment-grounding conductor in the same termination creates a similar issue. One of the objectives of the particular arrangement of bonding jumpers, neutrals and equipment grounds is to allow circuit isolation while keeping the equipment grounding conductor still connected to the grounding electrode (see UL 869A - Reference Standard for Service Equipment). When the neutral is disconnected, the objective is to still have the equipment ground solidly connected to the grounding electrode. If both the neutral and grounded conductor is under the same terminal, this cannot be accomplished.

Now, as to your Ground wires, it is fine to add an additional ground bar to the panel, by using the SquareD part for the raised attachment points which should be pre-tapped to make an appropriate ground connection, or by installing a ground bar using appropriate drill size, tapping, and making sure two thread turns of the screws mounting the ground bar engage with the (unpainted) metal of the box.

Note that you should use this extra ground bar for ground wires (“grounding conductors” in NEC parlance) not for neutrals. You can have multiple grounding conductors in the same hole, provided the equipment manufacturer says the hole and lug are rated for more than one conductor. See details in this post including some other good code references for why multiple conductors are permitted under a lug when labeled so. Here is the pertinent NEC reference:

  110.14 Electrical Connections ... Terminals for more than one conductor .... shall be so identified.


How can I stop the loud banging sound in my water pipes when using my clothes washer?

You may need to replace the arrestors.. they do fail eventually.  Also even with them in place there may be poorly secured pipes that bang around.  Try to find them and secure them properly.


How is ground wire handled on 240V outlet?

That outlet looks like a NEMA 10-20 or 10-50 and is an ungrounded outlet.  There are two 120V hot lines and one neutral.

This is an old outlet type and is no longer permitted in new installations.


What's the right approach for insulating the slab & footings underneath a masonry fireplace/heater?

If this will be used as a serious heating appliance, (I'm inferring from "masonry heater") not merely decoration (as many fireplaces are), I'd go with uninsulated footing, especially if the stemwall is insulated - whatever thermal bridging takes place will be to the "bubble" of dirt inside the stemwall, which can play into your thermal mass.

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/foam-under-footings suggests both that it should be entirely feasible to place foam under, and that it may require negotiations with the LAHJ for code/inspection purposes.


Are lumber prices now high enough that building with brick/concrete is more price efficient in the US?

You'd never go with brick in seismic zones.  Concrete and rebar construction is way more expensive than wood.  Even if wood is up 200% concrete is 10x more than wood.  Cost is not the biggest factor.  Wood is easier to work with, requires less skilled labor, can be reconfigured later, and is a better insulator than brick/steel.  Material cost is a factor but not "the" factor.
I have heard people are switching to steel studs.  You might want to look at SIPs ( structurally insulated panels ) that have wood members 4' oc and use ~1/3 of the wood - still probably not going to be cheaper but will perform better.  Really unless your labor is free - people won't have had the time / experience to effectively make using a different material more cost effective ( except possibly steel studs ).
Really how you cost compare depends a lot on how you are going to have your house built.  If you are acting as the general then you'd get bids from people based on your plans.  If you want to compare cost in wood vs cost in steel, again it will depend on who you are getting to do the work.  Some subs will include material others will have the general order the material and the subs just do the labor.  In some cases you have a structural engineer who could do the plans with steel or wood.  The lumber yards then sometimes have their structural then do plans and take offs.  Steel I imagine would be similar.
Given the lower availability of people who work with anything but lumber I can't see a cost savings.


I would say that this is a Makita HR4010C, but I'm not 100% sure.


What options for replacing a leaking soil pipe?

Option's include but are not limited to

cured in place, where the pipe is lined with a resin soaked material and hardens in place. I'm not familiar with it but I've heard it works well.
Pipe bursting, I did this at my house and got them to pull a 1" copper line with the waste line upgrading both services at the same time. I don't know how far they can pull. Some machines will obviously be better than others. I watched a civic project and they pulled a (approximately 20' diameter pipe) nearly half a mile.
Trenching, is the simplest method but will require a massive swath of ground to be excavated. For safety shoring needs to be erected if anyone is working in the trench. If you find anyone willing to go in a 8' trench without proper shoring, I wouldn't use them.

It boils down to cost vs. inconvenience vs. quality. Also what each method is capable of doing. My plumber had pipe burst done for a customer of his. 50' under an award winning garden. In that case trenching was not an option.


Ice makers typically have their own electrically-actuated valves. The system may need to cycle a few times to purge the air.

There may also be a manual purge process, depending on the model. See if you can find your owner's manual online by model number.

In the meantime, you could fill the ice trays with water from a container to be sure the system is functioning. It should eject the ice after a while.


Etching solution vs muriatic acid to prep concrete for epoxy

I use muriatic in confined spaces, yes it is bad and needs to be vented. You are the highest risk when diluting the acid. Always add acid to the water, a 70% water 30% acid will do just about any floor. If it is clean , just needs to be etched I have used 15% acid with good results, when it quits bubbling the acid is close to consumed by the reaction.  (Note this is by volume I think the acid available at home stores and pool supplies is 36% if some one wanted to get technical so the real value is only about 10% acid).


Appropriate installation for a detached structure electrical sub panel?

One circuit or feeder to an outbuilding
If you install a 120/240V split-phase #6 feeder, you have to get rid of the #10 circuit.  Then you would feed the well from the subpanel you plan.
The only exception is if a circuit is a different voltage (no luck here), or a different usage - classically, a circuit switched from the source for yard lights, well, etc. If you wanted to do things as you plan, you could always change it so the #10 well line is a switched circuit operated by a pressure switch back at the house.
No elbows -- assemble the conduit then pull the wire
Notice how you couldn't find any PVC conduit elbows and had to steal a plumbing elbow to make that 90?  That's because elbows don't exist in conduit. Code requires you assemble the conduit complete empty of wires - and then pull the wires.  Can't pull around an elbow.  To make turns, either use a sweep, or a conduit body.
Outside disconnect not required
I see you spending some coin to provide an outside disconnect.  That's not required.
A disconnect is required for an outbuilding, but it can be indoors. In fact what most people do is choose a "main breaker" subpanel, and use the main breaker as the disconnect. When this is done, the size of the main breaker does not matter. The panel bus+breaker need only be >= the supply breaker.
"But I'm using a main-lug panel that is too small to really have a main breaker!" Um, yeah... about that...
Panel spaces: "Go Big or Go Home" as ThreePhaseEel says.
Nobody ever asked "I need to add a breaker to my panel, but it has lots of extra spaces available. What can I do?"  They always ask the other thing.
Painted into a corner because somebody scrimped on a panel, and what was their big savings?  At most, a pizza.  Spaces are cheap.
For instance in your case, I count 2 wells, a mini-split, and a presumptive need for a 240V circuit for larger tools - that's 4 240V circuits - 8 spaces so far, plus lights and at least 2 more circuits for saw and dust collector. A blink of an eye, and we're up to 11 spaces already - and you picked a 6-space panel which just goes to show how easy it is to short yourself on spaces.  So don't make that mistake - select 24-30 spaces and you won't have a worry.
Panels this size also have a distinct, separate main breaker, which creates a better aesthetic than a backfed "main".
Many panels claim "12 spaces 24 circuits" - beware of that claim. The 24 circuits requires use of double-stuff breakers, which precludes use of GFCI or AFCI breakers, which are widely required now. Get 24 actual spaces. They're cheap.
Use a breaker lock instead of well pump disconnects
You don't need a disconnect box for your wells, either.
What you need is a disconnecting means that is either a) in line-of-sight, or b) lockable for lockout-tagout. (NEC 430.102).  That way a repairman can be assured that someone thinking about turning on well power will either a) see them, or b) be unable because of a lockout-tagout.
The supply circuit breaker is a perfectly acceptable disconnecting means, and that can be a breaker.  So the breaker panel could be in line-of-sight (i.e. outside)... or the breaker could be fitted with a locking kit.
Local grounding rods
You need a ground wire for human-made current. But you also need a ground rod for natural current.  Code requires the ground rod pass an expensive test, or use 2 ground rods at least 6' apart.
However, since you are making a foundation pour, and surely including some steel re-rod, seize the opportunity to provide yourself one or more Ufer grounds.  Turns out, a concrete slab is an absolutely fantastic "grounding rod", and is automatically approved with no testing.  You just need to tie into the re-rod at the time of pour.  So make sure your concrete guys do that - they should know the drill.


How can I attach a sink drain to a drain that is higher than the sink?

That isn't how gravity works.

Drains like sinks are typically gravity drains where the water is drawn down into the drainpipe... by gravity.

This is in contrast to things like washing-machines where the wastewater is pumped out into standpipes.

In order to drain your sink via a standpipe above the fixture you'll need a drain pump or drain into a sump and pump it out from there.


Safe location rules for bathroom sink receptacle and light switch

National Electrical Code says that the receptacle must be within 3' of the outside edge of the basin, but not more than 12" below the top of the basin (210.52(D)). It also states that the receptacle can be installed in the countertop, but must not be in the face-up position (406.5(E)).

Obviously the receptacles must be GFCI protected, since they're in a bathroom (210.8(A)(1)).

See also this answer from @Shirlock Homes.

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

  Article 210 Branch Circuits

  210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.

  (D) Bathrooms. In dwelling units, at least one receptacle
  outlet shall be installed in bathrooms within 900 mm (3 ft)
  of the outside edge of each basin. The receptacle outlet
  shall be located on a wall or partition that is adjacent to the
  basin or basin countertop, located on the countertop, or
  installed on the side or face of the basin cabinet. In no case
  shall the receptacle be located more than 300 mm (12 in.)
  below the top of the basin. Receptacle outlet assemblies
  listed for the application shall be permitted to be installed
  in the countertop.

  210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for
  Personnel. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for
  personnel shall be provided as required in 210.8(A) through
  (C). The ground-fault circuit-interrupter shall be installed in
  a readily accessible location.

  (A) Dwelling Units. All 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and
  20-ampere receptacles installed in the locations specified in
  210.8(A)(1) through (10) shall have ground-fault circuitinterrupter
  protection for personnel.

  (1) Bathrooms

  210.11 Branch Circuits Required.

  C) Dwelling Units.

  (3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number
  of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at
  least one 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
  supply bathroom receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
  have no other outlets.

  Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single
  bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance
  with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

  Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use

  Article 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)

  406.5 Receptacle Mounting.

  (E) Receptacles in Countertops and Similar Work Surfaces.
  Receptacles shall not be installed in a face-up position
  in countertops or similar work surfaces.

NOTES:

As @ArchonOSX points out, there must be at least one 120-Volt 20-ampere circuit supplying the bathroom small appliance branch circuit. This circuit can have no other outlets, unless it only supplies equipment in a single bathroom and any other outlets are in accordance with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2). (See 210.11(C)(3) above)


Dimmer switch not turning on light until at 50%?

Many dimmers have an adjustment for the minimum level. You don't mention what type of dimmer you have but you can consult the instructions on how to adjust this. As @dslake mentions in his answer, adjustments might be via a knob or screw, but if it's digital, it could also be a button sequence.

Needing to perform this is more common with electronic dimmer switches since they need to work for many different types of bulbs (incandescent, CFL, LED).


how to drill through two different materials

What you need to use is a fastener called a "toggle bolt". They come in small sizes (1/8 inch, screw diameter) up to 1/4 inch. Depending on the weight of your item the larger the toggle the more it can support. A toggle bolt is a threaded machine screw that uses a pair of spring loaded wings (anchors) as a nut. Mark the location for the hole and use a slot head screw driver to bore through the dry wall. I'm guessing that the metal you encountered is most likely the lathing for the plaster (or stucco?) wall. Either way,try to make an oversized opening into the bay of the wall. Put the toggle screw through the item and thread toggle wings onto threads. Push the two wings together and wiggle them into the wall opening. The wings will expand behind the drywall. All that's left is to tighten the screwhead. Finito.


Can electrical solder be used for joining pipe?

My understanding is that plumbing flux is more aggressive (acidic) and will damage electronics, but that you can go the other way and use flux-core solder on plumbing in a pinch. A few caveats:

Electrical solder is often a softer alloy, so it won't withstand pressure as well.
Definitely flux the pipe fittings as you normally would. You won't get good coverage with the flux in the solder.
You may struggle to get enough material in the joint in a timely manner. Plumbing solder is about 5 times the diameter, meaning about 20 times the volume. You might fold the electrical solder back on itself several times and give it a twist in preparation for quicker flow.
Wipe away any leftover flux after the joint cools. It can be corrosive.


DC current for reconstructed house with new extension

It's an idea that initially sounds appealing but just doesn't work out in practice.

Unfortunately for a given acceptable power loss percentage the cable size required is proportional to the inverse square of the voltage. Running any significant power any significant distance at 5V is impractical.

Once you introduce an intermediate voltage (e.g. 48V DC systems) the losses in performing the conversion (which you generally want to be isolated to prevent currents from taking unexpected routes) from your intermediate distribution voltage to the final utilisation voltage tend to eat up any gains.

Using structural metalwork would open up it's own problems, such as poor electrical insulation, risks of shorts (a short on a high current low voltage line can be no laughing matter), galvanic corrosion and great confusion for anyone who works on the property in future.


Why do I have clumps of grass in my bathtub after a sewage overflow?

In many small towns, or towns that used to be small, when the sewer system was constructed the people in charge decided to save money by connecting the storm drain system into the sewage collection. The idea is that all the rain water will be collected at the sewage facility and treated together. What usually happens after the sewage handling has been outgrown by the population or there has been a very large rain is that the sewage system will backup into the rain water collection and causes problems. What I suspect has happened in your case is that people mowed their lawns and the grass clippings ended up in the rainwater collection drains. The rainwater emptied into the sewer system and then the system (unfortunately) backed up into your house. I don't think you have more to worry about past the fact that your town has a sewer problem. Though I probably wouldn't eat any  fish you catch nearby.


Patching small-medium drywall hole with wall cutout

You are on the right track.

Do I need to use drywall tape, or could I get away with just using the drywall mud? Use tape. It bridges gaps and reduces cracking.
Will I need the standard 3 coats of mud? And the wider knives? (I only have a 2" now.) Maybe. Try 2. See how it looks. I would get at least a 4" knife though.
How do I avoid bumps from the patch (i.e. tape & drywall mud raised on the wall)? Care. Slightly bevel the edges of the insert and the existing wallboard before tape and mud. Sand between coats. If there is a lump, remove it before you let it set. Mostly, practice.
What would happen if I just used the furring strips, and filled the gaps with spackle? Don't. The texture will never be the same. And a spackled hole that size will shrink and expand at a different rate than the surrounding wallboard, leading to cracks. Your current approach is a good one.
Anything else I should be asking? Sounds like you are on track. Patience is the key. Let the surface build slowly and dry in between. Damp sanding of mud is often most effective. Don't forget to prime the new mud.


Small area of siding where adjacent pieces are not overlapping

You have siding overlapping to shield the house and direct water away. It seems like judging from the picture that the piece is so close to the overhang that the place will be free of water and therefore I would ignore it. If that is not true I would get a wider piece and overlap it with the first real siding piece.


Can I leave my home's water shut off overnight without damaging the heaters?

Since you mentioned gas I would turn the water heater to pilot. Turning the water heater to pilot will keep it from running and when you are ready turn it back to the temp you want. I think it may be fine just over night to leave it on but why take a chance.


How do we remove a 1940 Crane tub spout base adapter that is inside the wall?

FIXED IT. I found a better solution: heat-shrink tubing. I couldn't get gasket material to reliably adhere to the metal with epoxy, as Tim suggested.

I used heat-shrink tubing with an expanded diameter of ~1.5 inches. It's 3M brand, but I'm not sure which specific product. I used a hair dryer to shrink it because I don't have a heat gun.

It seals well and has held up almost a year already with no obvious signs of wear. When it does wear out, I'll cut it off and shrink another piece on.


Remove a nail-in box with 3 romex cables and not cut drywall?

I removed the box making two surgical cuts with a dremel tool and cutting attachment (not going too close to wires). Then i broke the plastic the remaining distance. Twisted and pulled the box out.


How can I tightly join two perpendicular pieces of wood in a loft bed from the inside corner without access to the outer side?

I'd be cautious with anything holding up the top level that's not a bolt going all the way through the wood. The Ikea stuff tends not be overbuilt at all, so the wouldn't be a lot of extra wood to screw into to get a good hold. The extra braces are fine, but if it was my kid sleeping in the bed, I wouldn't want to rely only on some screws in <= 1" thick particle board.

My gut reaction is this can probably be built largely as-designed in an 80" room (so long as the other dimension is at least as wide, anyway), though without actually seeing it in person it's hard to say for sure.

Here's how I'd do it, and for reference, I'll label the corners A,B,C,D:

Throw away the instructions. Or at least, don't follow them in order.
Build the longest edges first -- A--D and B--C -- by building them at an angle in the room. Basically any screw that go into the narrow sides need to be installed first.
You'll also have to assemble the piece you showed from the instructions running across the middle of the bed, even though the cross-braces it's screwing into aren't attached yet.
Now, with the frame in the middle of the room, do the remaining connections, attaching the A--D and B--C pieces together.
Push the bed back against the wall

I have no doubt it'll involve some head scratching, coercion tools (aka hammers/prybars/etc) and some swearing, but it's a relatively simple design so it should be possible.

Good luck!


Switching wiring from one transformer to another

The other transformer is for some other system - another doorbell, an alarm system or (small possibility) HVAC. So even if you can move the wires and power the NEST with that transformer, it is possible that (a) the combined loads of the two systems may be too much for the transformer, as it is rated at exactly the value recommended for the NEST by itself, and (b) there could be some unexpected interaction between the two systems - i.e., one switching on/off might somehow induce a problem into the other one.

Transformers are cheap. A quick search finds them at around $10 on Amazon, and you may be able to get one in a regular store (which has overhead but doesn't have to build in the Free Shipping to every little product) for less. Just make sure it is UL Listed as one side of the transformer is connecting to 120V AC.


I've never seen a qualified electrician leave twisted and taped up wires in 30 years on the job. And that is because it is a ridiculous way to form a connection. The tape will degrade over time and turn into a sticky mess. Put the connection into a proper junction box rated for the job, they cost pennies.

p.s. I could nearly live with it, if the wires were soldered and then the whole thing put into a box, but even then the tape won't last forever.


How is the phase of 120V AC established in a North American home?

How it's done by electricians is that they are familiar with the busing inside the service panel in question, and they know what they're punching down into.  Also, anytime phase matters, they are using a multipole breaker (or at least handle-ties) which enforce phase choice for them, via keying.
Generally, there are only four different regimes: the standard alternating stabs (CH, BR, QO, HOM, Siemens), standard with space-straddling (GE and FPE), side-by-side busing (Pushmatic), or both-at-once busing (Zinsco). Pushmatic is obsolete, and FPE and Zinsco are dangerous.
By the way, in a modern North American/Philippine panel, prudent choice of circuit breaker and respecting keying will guarantee correct attachment to the prefab buses.  On the other 5 continents, breakers are often "DIN Rail" mounted and hand-hardwired on both sides, meaning miswiring is possible.
Don't even think about it
What you're trying to do there is extremely bad at a variety of levels.
And it isn't going to work anyway, because the outlets you're trying to tap can't possibly deliver enough power.  Not by a long stretch.
The best you can hope for is to rearrange the dryer's wiring so its heating unit runs on 120V instead of 240V (whilst the tumble motor and controls continue to get 120V).  This will give 1/4 the heat, so drying will take much longer, but will draw within the delivery range of a 120V outlet.
You could also do something outlandish with AC-DC-AC double conversion using fully isolated DC supplies, but we're over the moon at this point, and it would be cheaper just to pay the landlord to fit a 240V circuit.  (And no, you can't run the heating element on DC because the switchgear can't handle that because DC is a very nasty customer above about 40V.)
Buying an electric dryer was just a bad idea.  Sell it on Craigslist and get a gas dryer and hook it up the normal way.  If you weren't paying attention when you bought the dryer, welcome to the world of people who bought 3-phase machine tools without thinking that mattered.
Why suicide cords don't work
The first problem is one they share with any cord that has 2 male connections (like a generator cord built by someone who has apparently not heard of inlets): When one is plugged in, the other is lethal. Even if they are on opposite poles, you can't rely on unplugging the load first, because someone might knock out a cord by mistake.
Then you have the various sides of the circuit not running together in the same cable - making a big loop. (This blindsides DC electronics people everytime because it doesn't matter in DC). AC circuits throw considerable EMF. That's why we run conductors together, so the EMF cancels out.  And this is a lot of current - a reed switch can operate on 10 ampere-turns, and you'll have 23 ampere-turns anywhere along the wire!  Everything in the middle becomes the core of a transformer.  This causes vibration, wire chafing and eddy current heating on anything nearby that's metallic. Like the receptacle itself!   This vibration and heating takes energy, which reduces the effective capacity of the circuit.
Length is also an issue. Unequal lengths means phase and echo differences, that can themselves cause wire heating. It's complicated, but another energy loss.
There's just not nearly enough power on the circuits.  A typical 120V outlet is good for 1800W intermittent, and your dryer is pulling 5600W or so continuous, which calls for a 125% derate, so 5600W becomes 7000W.
Even paralleling two 1800W circuits to make 240V, you're still only at 3600W - not even close.
I gather this isn't for a one-time use, so now you have the problem of routing all these cables.  I gather the core issue is that a landlord won't give permission for a 240V connection, so I gather they won't give permission to fish or run Legrand Wiremold all over the walls, so no competent wiring method will be possible.  So this becomes an ad-hoc connection with extension cords draping across doorways, which is a wretched fire hazard.  This problem will also haunt the AC-DC-AC conversion method.  The only way that can work is if a huge storage battery is involved, but 5600W for an hour is a whole lot of storage.


How to properly add another outlet off this box?

Tie into the existing nuts for the pigtails

You'll notice that the hot and ground are pigtailed already -- simply nut the new black and bare wires into the existing junctions.  As to the white wire, it does not appear there's a pigtail for it, so you'll have to make one from a short length of white wire of the appropriate size (if in doubt, get a piece of 12AWG stranded THHN from the hardware store) and nut the existing white neutral with the new white wire and the white pigtail, then connect the new pigtail to the silver neutral screw on the receptacle.

Don't forget to stick a flag o' black electrical tape on the white wire
that's connected to the various black wires while you're in there -- that will make it plain what that white wire is doing if things need to  be undone again!


Function of a phase angle adjustment in a light dimmer

There is a good general description of different types of dimmers here:

http://www.olino.org/us/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/principles_of_dimming.pdf

As Kris commented, I suspect it is a type of inductive dimmer that you have.  If that is correct, then the applicable section in "The Principles of Dimming" would be "Dimming Wire-wound transformers for low voltage halogen lamps."  The adjustment of the phase angle of the light bulbs in this context would correspond to the length of time that the thyristor in the dimmer control must be hard-fired to overcome the inductance of a magnetic step down transformer.  It is a compensation circuit for the lag time required to drive an inductive load.  I do not think it has anything to do with noise control.


How to cover area under vanity with PEX exposed?

Get some fireblocking foam and fill the hole

Since the thing on the other side of the wall with the hole in it is your garage, IRC R302.5.3 kicks in, which requires penetrations in the house-garage wall to be sealed in accordance with R302.11, item 4, which in turn requires an approved fireblocking material to be used for the job, albeit not necessarily something fully tested for firestopping (as you'd find in a commercial or institutional building).  Most jurisdictions will accept a garden-variety fireblocking spray foam for this job; these materials form a char layer on their surface that cuts off their innards from further combustion, thus keeping the fire from getting to the other side for a little while.


How many bathrooms can be connected on a 3 inch vertical stack?

Referring to the International Plumbing Code, a bathroom group requires 5 Drainage Fixture Units.
As a horizontal branch 3" is good for 20 DFU's or 4 bathroom groups.
In vertical stacks the number goes up with multiple branches but each single branch is limited to 20 DFU's
Good Luck and check the tables here:
https://codes.iccsafe.org/content/IPC2018/chapter-9-vents


four way swich setup to control 2 outlets from 3 locations

I don't know why you want to run power to the outlets first, but here's one way to do it:

Note that modern electrical codes usually require a neutral wire be available in all switch boxes, against the possible future installation of smart switches.

White wires that are not neutrals, such as the travelers in this diagram, must be marked with paint or a bit of colored tape.

EDIT: For future reference, here is a good way to wire this installation with power brought to the furthest switch box first:

I would prefer this way because it requires less material between all the boxes.


Connect C wire for nest thermostat on a zoned HVAC system

Connect a spare wire from the thermostat to the M1 terminal for that thermostat's zone
The wiring diagram posted for your zone board specifies that thermostat C wires should be connected to the M1 wires for their corresponding zones, along with the return from the zone damper motor.  So, I'd take a spare wire (black maybe? or purple/blue) from the cable from the thermostat and connect it to the corresponding M1 terminal (far right terminal in the zone block) on your zone board, then hook up your Nest, turn everything back on, and enjoy!


Can I shut off the water supply by unplugging the water softener?

The power to the softener is only used to run the backwash and recharge cycle. It will continue to operate without power, and will even continue to soften water for a while (though it does eventually need to be recharged, depending on the hardness of your water and how much you use).

Certain types of bypasses can be used as shut-off valves.

A custom-built one with 3 valves is easy: just close all valves.

There's a type with two valves that can also be used: close one (so the valves are in opposite directions).

Other types that only have one valve/control handle don't shut off the water flowing through them.

Separately, you should have a main-shutoff that is reliable. If you have a leak in your house it will likely cost much more than a valve will. Install a ball (quarter turn) valve, rather than a globe or gate valve -- very reliable, and will easily last at least a couple decades.


Detecting voltage at garage door opener control panel wire

Contactless testers are notoriously unreliable.
The best thing to do is to locate the other end of the wire, which should have been connected to your old opener, and check continuity between the BLACK on each end and the WHITE on each end.  There should also be no continuity between the BLACK and the WHITE wires.
These are typically just a simple momentary pushbutton switch that shorts the BLACK and WHITE and that triggers the opener to cycle.
Unlike furnace control wires and doorbell wires, garage door opener controls do not have external power supplies.


What's this connection in my garage? (UK)

That is the drain point for either the heating system ie radiators as it is the lowest point or it could be the drain for the boiler.

What is on the other side of the wall - that may help, but I would go with the drain for the radiators.


Can I install a flow through humidifier on either side of the duct?

It does not matter if it's on the skinny or wide side, as long as the surface the unit mounts on is 10" wide. There may be issues if the duct were say, 3x10, but any duct large enough for the whole house will be fine with the unit installed on any surface at least 10" wide.


It'll make its way out eventually as well.

Moisture will migrate through drywall until equilibrium is reached. The short term wetness of mud/wall putty is of no issue.


How do I prevent my stove hood from sucking heat out of my kitchen?

There should be a vent cover on the outside of the house, at the end of the exhaust with a damper or louvers.  Something like this

The damper or louvers will be shut when the hood fan is off, preventing air from coming in or going out.

If you don't have a vent cover like this, you should install one. If you already have one, you'll want to inspect it to make sure it's functioning properly.


How can I create an "invisible" transition between different flooring types?

Solid hardwood is a tough one because unlike the other materials, it expands and shrinks. Laminate and especially engineered hardwoods with a plywood core are much more stable, but they will still expand and shrink a little bit. Certainly more than tile!

I'm in the middle of installing plywood core engineered hardwood in my own house and I have tile transitions. Here's what I'm doing: I'm leaving a 1/2" gap between the tile and the engineered wood and putting grout-colored silicone caulk in it. That way any expansion or contraction of the wood won't cause it to buckle against a more inert material, but there's still a visually-pleasing material in that transition.


How to properly close a chimney hole in the basement

Assuming the flue is not shared by any other devices of combustion on the first floor or above, you can use anything temporarily to block the draft and keep vermin out. you can use some mortar with a metal backing plate. Cut a piece of sheet metal in a rectangular shape slightly narrower than the hole diameter and a few inches taller than the hole. Put a long skinny bolt in the center to use as a handle.  Insert the metal and move it until it is flush against the back blocking the hole. You can then put a scrap of wood with a hole drilled in the center over the bolt and use a nut to secure the metal plate against the back of the hole in the flue.  This will stop your mortar from falling down into the flue and allow you to fill the void completely.  To make it look OK until you renovate, cover the repair with a thimble cover.  There is no need to remove the flue adapter ring.


What could cause my sink to drain slowly?

Remove the trap from the tailpiece of the wash bowl and see if it needs cleaning.
Check your main vent stack that goes through the roof for any obstructions. Verify that a bird has not made a nest there.
If the sink was not installed by a plumber and has always had this problem, an air vent pipe may not have been installed or was installed incorrectly.


What is the minimum safe distance between two induction hobs/Stovetops?

We have now completed the build on this project.
The hobs/stove tops were installed with a 50mm gap by the sparky/ electrician.
Building control/ regulations certificate and safety certificates have been issued.
Therefore it is acceptable to all parties to install a hob with a 50mm gap.
We used a 900mm wide exhaust fan to cover both hobs.
See a photo:


If I am reading this question right, you couldn't find the main for your panel, so you decided to try to replace the breaker for a dead heating circuit in the live panel.  Lee Ho Fook.  That could have gotten ugly.

No offense intended and I may be reading the question wrong, but do you realize breakers are not one-time protection devices like fuses?  You can reset a breaker by turning it off then back on if it trips.  You should do this just once and if it trips again, leave it off until the fault that's tripping it is diagnosed and rectified.  Don't reset it over and over hoping it will hold.

If that doesn't work for you, call in an electrician.

Replacing a breaker in a live panel is never ideal, a safety conscious electrician will avoid it if at all possible, it might be unavoidable in a some critical facilities, never really ought to happen in residential.  For DIY, just don't do it.

I reiterate, if you can't figure out how to de-energize something to work on it, DON'T WORK ON IT HOT, call in reinforcements.


How to turn a cut component video cable into coax?

OTA DTV antenna cable is commonly RG6 (replaced RG59). This is a 75 ohm coaxial cable with an F or BNC termination (probably F). The better quality component video cables use 3 separate RG6 cables with RCA connectors at the end. They are simply attached together in a bundle. My original answer assumed this is what you had.

With the picture you've added it appears you have the more compact 3-way coaxial cable. Each conductor of this cable is 75 ohm and suitable for (composite) video over short runs. Whether it will support the higher bandwidth of OTA Digital is not certain. There's only one way to find out . . .

Solder on a BNC connector F-type coax connectors are crimp or twist on since they don't supply their own inner pin. BNC is fairly common for antenna connectors and has the right bandwidth for the signals you are trying to pass. Only expose as much of the conductor as you need to do a good solder job.

Given that your cable does not have the more common dimensions of an RG6 or RG59 cable it may be difficult to make a mechanically stable connection to a male cable connector.

I inferred from your question that the antenna cable is already in the living space (not in the wall, per se). Your best option to terminate this cable is a wall plate.

Connect the antenna and component cable directly. If both cables are already in the same wall cavity you can connect them directly (otherwise use a jack as below). Cut off the existing connector on the antenna cable, strip it back a little bit, and connect the inner conductor to one of the component cable conductors and the outer ground sheath to the component cable ground sheath. I would use a small heat shrink tube to insulate the inner conductor and a larger heat shrink tube to cover the ground sheath and give the joint some mechanical strength.

Install single-BNC wall plate jack(s) You can find these for BNC fairly easily (link). This allows you to make a clean and mechanically stable connection at each termination of the component cable. Or one side only if you directly connected to the antenna cable.

Plug the antenna cable into the wall jack at location B Assuming your antenna cable has an F-type connector use a BNC Male to F Female adapter. These are fairly rigid so probably no need to cut off the connector and replace with a BNC Male connector. You might even find one at a right angle so you cable hugs the wall.

Use a patch cable to connect your TV at location A Use an RG6 patch cable and another BNC Male to F Female adapter.

I should emphasize that I really don't know if a single conductor of your component cable can pass an OTA Digital TV signal. In fact I'm somewhat skeptical. Most OTA Digital stations are UHF so 400 - 800 MHz. NTSC video (single 480i signal) runs at 4.2 MHz. HDTV (single 1080p signal) runs at 25 MHz. We moved from composite video (one conductor) to component video (three conductors) to handle a single 1080p signal. And the connection I proposed above may only support the bandwidth of a composite video cable. Caveat emptor


Is it OK to use washed, smooth gravel under a pier block footing?

Really Jay, that is the wrong stuff. I wouldn't use it alone.  It will not pack properly and will have a tendency to shift and let water rush through and undercut the surrounding soils.  You really need a good sandy gravel that will pack hard. I'm absolutely sure you will regret using washed round stone without a binder.  You could add Sacrete mix to it to firm it up.  That would help.  Mix the sacrete with the stones dry and just wet it down with a hose or a couple of gals of water, let it set up and continue. The stones will become the aggregate in the concrete mix and make an excellent base for you.