How do I choose the correct fluorescent ballast?

You identify the tube type, then the ballast.

The fixture decides the tube

The fixture and its lampholders are going to decide the size of tube you can use.  Within that, you may have some flexibility.

Start by looking at the fixture. Look at the length and shape of tube, and the lampholder sockets.  Often, it's totally obvious, like the ubiquitous 48" T12 or T8 bi-pin linear tubes.  Or is it?  That "48" tube could actually be a 46" T5 tube, and I've even seen 2'x4' ceiling troffers with U-shaped bulbs in them.

You still have some options.  For instance, most fixtures using linear T12 tubes will also fit linear T8 tubes, and vice versa -- and there will often be LED "tubes" also available in those sizes. There are even lampholders for T12/T8 fixtures with extensions to fit the shorter T5 tubes.

1-pin vs. 2-pin tubes.  In over-4-foot tubes, look closely at the ends. Some have a single pin (a "nub") on each end of the tube. Others have a plastic molding with 2 pins.  The latter are "high-output" (HO) or "very high-output" (VHO) and they require different ballasts.

T12 vs T8.  The old T12 tube (1.5" diameter) is obsolete.  Most T12 sizes have a T8 (1" diameter) equivalent which will snap right in, but is not electrically compatible.  You need to use a T8 ballast.  T8's are smaller, more efficient and produce more light - often three T8s can replace four T12s.  (or you can just use four T8s and have more light.)

T5.  T5 is yet thinner at 5/8". It hasn't really caught on in the US, and the fixtures and bulbs are costly.  Selection is limited.  They are not pin compatible and are shorter. That is why T5 conversion lampholders for 4-foot fixtures have an extension on them.

LED replacement "tubes". These are typically the shape of a linear T8 fluorescent tube, and will snap into T8 or T12 fixtures. They have fewer lumens, but they only light up one side of the tube. The light comes out perpendicular to the pins, which works great in most fixtures but could be a problem in some. LED emitters are very durable; the weak link is the electronic power supplies, especially on cheap units, which may not even last as long as a fluorescent tube!

Oddball tube sizes or sockets.  Some tube sizes give you only limited choice of tube.

Color temperature  These days, you can get fluorescent tubes or LEDs in any color temperature you want, including black. From 3000k halogen to 6500k blue daylight.  Traditional fluorescent colors are 4100K.

Color Rendering Index (CRI) This indicates how realistic the light looks to the human eye.  A better CRI is a breath of fresh air. Older fluorescents are 75 CRI or worse. Today, 80 CRI is mandated (higher for T12s) and 90 CRI tubes are readily available for $2.50/tube.  Even 98 CRI can be had.  LEDs aren't near these numbers, at least not at consumer friendly prices.

The tube decides the ballast

Once you know the tube you are using, you must find a ballast which is listed to drive that type, length and wattage of tube.  Beyond that, you may have freedom to make some choices.   First, ballast type has a lot to do with lamp performance and how long they'll last.  Most wear on a fluorescent light is from how it is started.

Magnetic ballasts are obsolete, and you will not see them except for odd-size, specialty or HID lighting (mercury vapor etc.) in which case you're stuck with them.  These buzz, flicker in cold, and flicker all the time for some people.  I'll assume you'd rather have a modern electronic ballast which will be silent, work in cold, and not flicker.

Instant-start ballasts connect 1 wire to each end of the tube.  Some sizes only have 1 pin, and are built extra-stout to endure the rough starts of an instant-start ballast.  2-pin tubes, not so much.

Rapid-start ballasts have a fixed "start sequence" where they preheat the filaments in each end of the tube.  (that's why each end has 2 pins, and 2 wires going to each end of the tube).  They take a second to start, but are much easier on the tubes.

Programmed-start ballasts have sensors to preheat the tube until it's actually ready to start.  This varies by conditions, so they can take several seconds to start in the icy cold, for instance.  They are easiest on the tube.

LED replacement tubes: "Plug-n-Play" are designed to work with an old fluorescent ballast in place.  The sales pitch is to "save you the trouble" of removing the old ballast, just one problem: among the above types of ballast, they need a specific one.  So you could have to add a ballast and worse, maintain that ballast forever.  Terrible!

LED replacement tubes: "Direct Wire" types require you to bypass/remove the ballast, and wire 120V supply power directly to the lampholders.  If you have the chops to change a ballast, you can handle this.  Some LED tubes want 120V on the opposite ends of the tube. Others want it on the 2 pins at one end of the tube, in which case watch out for "shorting lampholders".  More below.

The all-important ballast data sheet will tell you exactly what combinations of tubes the ballast can drive.  Many can drive several sizes.  What's more, some ballasts are able to drive 1 or 2 bulbs; if a bulb is absent, they still work fine.  All of this is in the data sheet, along with other stuff.

Ballast factor indicates how strong the ballasts drives the tubes.  A ballast factor of 1.00 means "normal" brightness for that tube type. They can overdrive to 1.10, or underdrive at 0.90, 0.74 or even lower.  When a professional designs facility lighting, he will "spec" ballast factor as part of the overall lighting plan.

Power factor describes how unevenly the ballast draws power from the line.  90+% is good.  Don't use much lower than that; a poor power factor requires the wire to carry more current, even though the light doesn't use it. For instance a 100W light with a 25% power factor, needs wiring for 400W of power draw, so only 3 of those on a 1440W circuit instead of 14.

Instant-Start ballasts vs. other kinds

Instant-start ballasts are wired very differently.  This requires some adjustment, notably in the lampholders.

Instant into a fixture wired for magnetic/rapid/programmed.  In this case, you'll find 2 wires coming from each end of each lamp.  Typically one pair of those wires is common to all lamps (usually yellow).  You simply join the 2 wires to the single wire coming from the ballast.

Rapid/programmed/LED into a fixture wired for instant-start  The rapid or programmed ballasts (or some direct-wire LEDs) need 2 wires to each end of the tube.  The fixture, wired for an instant-start ballast, will have only one. The wires cannot be joined; both these wires will need to go to the lampholders.  The problem is, they are likely to be shorting lampholders.

Shorting lampholders. Most tubes have 2 pins, so the lampholders have 2 pins. But instant-start ballasts use only one, and want them wired together.  Fixtures built for instant-start ballasts often use an ugly beast called a "shorting lampholder", which shorts the two pins together internally.  Watch out for these, they often have an "S" stamped on them, or only 2 holes when you'd expect 4.  They won't work with rapid, magnetic, programmed or most direct-wire LEDs.  Lampholders are mostly standard (mostly!) and you can buy common replacements online or from the big-box for under a buck each.

Tips

Ballasts are generally standard sizes. Sometimes the old ballast will be shorter or longer. But usually, the fixture is set up to take the other size of ballast, by using a different mounting slot, or moving the mounting screw.

Don't be spooked by the complexity.  It can be a rats nest of wires.  Hook up the "common" end of the lampholders first; then hook up the other end of each individual bulb; and lastly connect the AC power (black/white).  Remember to unplug, or if not unpluggable, add a disconnect as described below.

Save extra length.  The internal wiring is special.  It's 18 AWG, but it's not thermostat wire -- it is insulated for 600V due to the high voltage of fluorescent lamps.  It's tough to find this wire, and when you do, it's expensive.  As such, I'm not in a hurry to trim back excess length - I can't get replacement wire!

Wire nuts for the typically 18 AWG wire inside a fluorescent fixture should be appropriate to the size -- I use the "blue" size, and it's good to tie 14-18 AWG or up to four 18's together.

Longer power cord, now's the time.  Some fluorescent fixtures have six INCH cords (15cm).  I buy 10 foot (3m) cords from McMaster-Carr for $4 each and retrofit.  Always use 3-prong plugs; many ballasts need ground.

Hardwired fixtures? Disconnect plugs! The US National Electrical Code now requires that when you service a hard-wired fluorescent fixture, you also add a disconnect plug on the power supply line. This just hangs loose in the wiring.  Turn the power off when doing this!  But you don't have to do everything else in the dark: once the disconnect is fitted, you can turn power back on.  That being the point.

Pull chain? Put a disconnect on it!  When I pull ballast covers, they often dangle by the wires to a pull switch.  I put a ballast disconnect on those,  specifically the orange Ideal type, which will freely disconnect if you drop it.  Now it won't tear wires out!

If a wall-switched fixture has a pull-chain and 2 ballasts, put the pull chain  on only one ballast.  Then you can switch it high and low.


4-Way light system controled by just one dimmer

For standard switches, that is true.  Only one of the switches can be a dimmer (it needs to be a 3-way type) and the other switches are conventional on/off 3- way and 4-way switches. Each of the non-dimming switches turn the lights on at the level set by the dimmer switch. But to change level, you need to go to the dimmer.

There are more sophisticated systems that use a master and slaves. In these systems, each switch can turn on and off the lights at a preset level, or they can override that setting and each control brightness. These switches need to be a matched set, require neutral wires as well as hot, and cost a good bit more than conventional.


Open Time

"Open time" is used in two different ways.  For contact cements, it is the minimum or optimum time to leave the glue exposed before joining the pieces, because you want the adhesive to partially dry first.  For wood glue and most other adhesives, it's the maximum time before joining the pieces because the surface starts to dry or cure and bonding degrades.

Working Time

"Working time" is how long you can reposition the pieces after you join them without affecting the ultimate bond.

Working time is often different from open time.  With many adhesives like wood glue, you depend on the glue being very liquid to absorb into the material surface.  However, the glue will bond with more of itself even after it has started to dry a little.  So once the glue is adhered to the wood, you have a longer period in which you can move the parts around.

For some wood joining, this characteristic is used for stronger joints, especially on larger areas.  A thin layer of glue is applied to both pieces, which starts to absorb into, and bond with, the wood surface.  This allows more to be absorbed than might be the case if you immediately clamped the pieces and squeezed out most of the glue.  While the glue is still in its working time, another layer of glue is applied to one of the surfaces and the pieces are joined.  The second layer is in contact with glue rather than wood, so water (or other solvent) isn't being sucked into the wood, and that provides more working time.  The solvent in the additional layer also extends the working time of the first layer.


How do I tell if an electrician is "qualified" in the UK?

Gov.UK : New website helps people steer clear of rogue electricians

  The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) authorises bodies to operate schemes under which their members are deemed competent to self-certify that their work complies with the building regulations for England. A similar scheme is authorised by the Welsh government.

At a minimum, you should expect an electrician to be registered under one of the "competent person schemes". For example Stroma, NICEIC. You can ask an electrician for their registration number and registration body's name then check them on that body's website.


Replaced Piece of roof sheathing, forgot to use 1/8th inch space - should I be worried?

The gap is to allow for expansion due to heat and humidity. If you just installed it this summer I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. It is already pretty warm and humid so the wood should be near its maximum dimensions. One sheet out of many is not likely to cause any problems.

If you are really OCD then take a circular saw and set the depth shallow at the thickness of the plywood so you don't cut into the trusses. Then cut along the butt joint with the other sheets. This will create a gap the width of the blade ~1/16".

Good luck!


What is this electrical device shown in picture?

That's a Hollywood service panel.  In the same way that's a Hollywood starship.  (pretty sure real starships won't look like that.)

Here's what a real service panel looks like.  By the way, Better Call Saul is set in 2002, six years before Breaking Bad began.

Unfinished wall area optional; all the wires could be hidden behind studs and drywall and covered right up to the edge of the panel cover,  though that makes the electrical system less maintainable. And by the way, the cables bundled like that is illegal, cables need to cool.

The switch in the upper left is the main; throwing it would do the trick.

That said, the fiction may be trying to express that there's  some sort of "smart home" equipment going on here, and that might look exactly like that.  That did exist; it just wasn't purchasable at Home Depot and didn't talk to Siri. However, this would only switch the lights; if this scene also cut receptacles and other fixed loads (HVAC?) then only a madman would build a system like that. In 2002 if you shut off power to a PC, you lost all your work.  Smart-home gear had two forks of development:

Homebrew-tier, with BSR X-10 (powerline signaling) for the hard control, and Apple II / Amiga / Windows 95/98 / Mac OS 9 for logic, scenes, that kind of thing. X-10 goes back to 1977.  (It's really common in the SCADA business to be stuck with heinously obsolete PC hardware because the vendor refuses to rewrite the software for the "platform of the week").  In this branch, the consumer facing controls tend to be pretty hokey-dokey, they are either obviously homebrew, common AC switches retasked for DC, or made-for-X10 deals that fit in a 1-gang space (e.g. standard receptacle cover).
Industrial-tier, or what they call SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition). This is the commercialized version intended for commercial operations large enough to have their own Facilities Departments, e.g. your local community college, a hospital, midsize factory, office building, etc.  That's what it's intended for; nothing prevents the super-rich from installing it in a residence.  Then you get into exotic or bespoke controllers like that one might be.  Again, heinously obsolete hardware is often seen.

In practical shooting terms, if they had built this set from scratch, they could have had this control actually work the lights.  However, I have to guess they rented/borrowed this facility to shoot in.  In that case, this is most likely a security panel and has nothing to do with the lights.  Right around the corner is a gaffer's best boy, who is throwing the lights off simultaneously.

Now here's an important fact about film/TV lighting.  The ordinary lights in a location are not nearly enough.  You need to pile on thousands of watts of additional lighting - just shooting a cozy 2-person "between two ferns" shot calls for 2-3 500W halogen fill lights. The problem is light is exponential - double your lumens and you only gain 3db of light.  Office lighting is required by law to be a certain light level...  If you try to shoot in that, you get very grainy shots and your project looks like Blair Witch or Cloverfield. Seriously, installed lighting in a room (or a desk lamp in a "between two ferns" shot) is nothing but a prop.  It doesn't provide enough light to be useful.

So in that scene, there might be 10,000 watts of additional lighting thrown onto the room behind. The down-lighting is cool, but why is the ceiling so bright between the down lights? Because down lights do not work that way, the ceiling should look almost black in a photo like this because that's how cameras see it. That considerable amount of light is coming from the TV lighting that was added to the room.

Anyway, one of two things is possible, either the gaffer is throwing the room light switches and added lighting simultaneously (which seems like it would have a chance of causing messed-up takes)... or they have pulled apart the room light switches or supply and tied them into their gaffer board so they throw together.

It's also possible they even changed the bulbs in the lights, so the characteristics matched - you can't have that copious TV lighting switching off instantly because it's LED, whilst the actual room downlights fade out because they're halogen.  That would look stupid.

I'm not even starting into matching color temp and CRI, and CRI is more critical because camera eyes aren't human.


Steel shims if shimming steel and concrete - either with holes that you bolt through, or tack weld them in place. To the extent that you can use "fewer, thicker" shims rather than more thinner ones, do that. Paint, galvanizing, or "cold galvanizing" (zinc-loaded paint) may be advisable to limit/reduce rusting over time.

The other solution, though it's not usually referred to as "shimming" would be to use mortar/grout to correct the concrete beam surface for good bearing of the steel in correct orientation.


Adding a GFCI to an existing circuit. 2 black, 2 white wire problem

It depends if you are just trying to connect that particular receptacle as a GFCI or you want to protect the entire circuit.

This would be for individual GFCI's. If you are then make a pigtail for the hot neutral and ground and connect it to the Line side terminals.

And this would be for the entire circuit.
For more drawings go to:
https://www.do-it-yourself-help.com

Good Luck.


How can I pump water from our 2nd floor down to 1st floor drainage?

You can find a manual siphon pump at any large hardware or automotive store. It will look like a hand-sized rubber bulb, or possibly like a small hand-operated bike pump, with a hose on each end.

An arrow or other marker will be present on the bulb to show you which side is the intake and which side is the outlet. You simply submerge the end of the intake hose, put the end of the outlet hose at some lower point (in your case, out the window), and repeatedly squeeze the pump until it has pulled water up to and through the pump and water is flowing freely. Once the flow is established it will siphon out all the water (until the water height is equalized, which won't happen in your situation).


Adding insulation to exterior wall; remove stucco cladding, or add on top of it?

I thought I remembered that you had asked questions about other portions of work related to your house. I checked back to it and seen you are prepared to do anything that is going to give the best result, with good reason. Shortcuts can work, and may even give the same look, but if you are going to go through a major renovation, a shortcut can cost in the long run if you plan to keep your home for years. Because of what you propose to do, if done incorrectly can cause your home to degrade before its time. My answer will tie in a bit to the question you asked about sequence of work. It may repeat some things, it may elaborate on some. I hope it will wrap it all up for a supreme product, and with the help of others comments, even pick up on some extra good advice.

First I would remove all the stucco, leaving the windows intact, since the stucco only meets the window trim and will be easy to salvage the windows integrity for now. This will give you an opportunity to inspect all the sheathing, and with that the framing too. I will hazard a guess that the sheathing is a diagonally laid 1X6 or something similar. If the sheathing has major issues, it is easy to repair at this point and when you remove the sheathing to repair it, it will then be obvious if the framing is affected as well.. then of course a call will need to be made how to approach those repairs too. As in cut sheathing, sister studs or ?? then replace the removed sheathing with plywood, just in the repair area.

Next is to decide what type of weatherproofing you will choose to place over the now bare wood subsiding and foundation prior to adding the insulation a few steps down the line. If you go with a layer of exterior insulation over the foundation as mentioned in a prior question, I would use a liquid applied waterproofing membrane (LAWM) on the foundation walls and brought up onto the wood to seal the foundation to the wood above. Backer rod and other compatible sealants may be needed in conjunction with the LAWM, with the rest of the package I will detail, wood boring insects will have a hard time getting to the wood. A word of economics, this stuff (LAWM) cost about 3 times the amount of house wraps. If you simply place the foam on the foundation wall, termites and such will have a protected haven to travel to your framing. The Tremco (no, I do not work for them nor am I a paid endorser) line of products is what the company I worked for applied to accomplish this. The thinset used to bond the foam to the wall for the EIFS system should stick to it and grab. A test spot would confirm.

Once the foam is on the foundation and the waterproofing under it, the waterproofing should extend 4" or so above the foam to tie in the first piece of through-wall flashing. Copper is best, ZT alloy is better, do not use galvanized metal, and I would question if even a PVC coated heavy aluminum would not corrode with the layer of modified cement that is used in the EIFS system. Whatever metal is used the upper leg that mounts to the wall should be no taller than 3" so it can be tied into the lower level of waterproofing and insuring crawling bugs can go no further. Above this flashing, but lapping over the 3" leg applied to the building, you can use a house wrap of your choice. Although I would still use a liquid applied membrane approved for use above grade. This material is different than what is used on the foundation wall. Both products seal around nails that go through the membrane, but do not pull the nails out if one is driven badly. The material seals around the nail shank, but will not seal the hole after the nail is pulled. This will have your walls dried in after this phase.

Next will be the window replacement. Pull your old windows after the ROs if needed, repair the last bit of framing that the windows concealed. Add 2X2s at the sides and head of each opening if you plan to have nail fins or brick molding around the windows. If the windows will have a nail fin at the bottom, add a 2X2 there also. Omit if there is no brick mold there. Finish detailing the house wrap into the window openings before the 2X2s are applied. Add 2X2s before you touch up the LAWM, and coat the RO and 2X2s  with the LAWM. If you use house wrap, install a plastic pan made for window ROs and tie it in with roofing nails with the heads overlapping the plastic flanges on the side and tie in with approved tape. What will be the drip edge of the plastic pan will be over the house wrap, so when the windows do leak, which they will in time, the framing is protected. If you use LAWM you will not need a pan, but I would set an angled sill  (7 degrees+/-) so what water gets in, readily goes out. Set your new windows, do not use replacements, if you do there will be a break in your weather envelope, since these type of windows install in existing jambs.

Next flash your windows and doors with the same material used at the watertable (top of foundation). As a mention, this foundation flashing is bent so it is out far enough to allow the finish to go under its drip edge, about 3/8" past the foam will do here. This will not need to be done at the windows, just the foundation. If using house wrap, flash the sides of the windows to protect the 2X2s from moisture. This can be done before the windows are set also. Then set the top flashing last. I usually run the head flashing 1/4" past the sides of the window to protect the caulk joint at the top. When I caulk the sides, I start under that small extension of the flashing:  that way rain water will not get behind the siding from the top. The flashing is not set flat either, I do not bend my flashing at a 90 degree bend, more like 80 and press it in so the flashing flexes down tightly at the outside corner of the window trim and angles up to meet the subsiding. This creates a positive fall so weather will not run back to the framing, and I do not caulk the top, caulk will hold in water as well as keep it out.
I got a little ahead of myself in some places, but after the flashing is set, install the upper run of foam, nailed in place if you like and add the stucco finish.

Depending what type of trim you use around the windows, for example, if you use a 5/4 material or brick mold, you can add 2" of foam, get real good R value, and still have a nice trim detail exposed beyond the stucco. Maybe even trim the windows with EIFS.

Just my 2 cents worth.


Automate and schedule button press on an apliance?

I've recently been experimenting with the Arduino microprocessor boards and have found them remarkably easy to work with.

I grabbed one from ebay for about $10AU along with a servo motor for less than $5AU. All software and coding was open source - free and easily accessible - communication is via a PC, once it is programmed you can set and forget. Altering the program would be quick and easy.

The arduino runs on 5V (a USB cable) so sourcing a power supply would not be difficult if you have a spare USB phone charger. The servo motors generally come with shaft attachments and all you would need to do is glue something the correct length onto the servo shaft attachment that would hit your appliance button. You would also need to fix the servo in place, if you didn't want to screw into the appliance you could construct a frame that sits under the appliance and holds the servo in place.

Alternatively, as someone else mentioned, an electromagnetic solenoid (a small unit that pokes a pin out when energised) could be simpler in terms of coding.

The arduino would need to be constantly powered to count time as it has no battery to power an internal clock. There is external clock modules that can be bought to provide for this.


What type of underlayment should be used when installing engineered wood over underfloor heating

I don't know why you would've been advised to glue or lock a floating floor down. This a very bad idea & could make the floor cup or ridge if the floor can't move. Parquet is very different in being extremely small pieces with extremely small omnidirectional movement in a whole lot of very small areas.

Having no underlayment is the typical way & allows any moisture from condensation to escape, radiant floor's secondary activity. Foremost, is abiding by the Flooring Manufacturer's written instructions & approvals (over the phone means nothing) above & beyond whatever I or anyone else tells you. Do what the Warrantor says & even file pictures away to back up your by-the-book professional installation.


HVAC system that pulls-in cold air from outside?

There is an optional add-on part for HVAC systems called an economizer.

  An HVAC economizer is a dampered vent designed to save energy and give the cooling system a break. Sensors within the economizer compare the outdoor temperature and humidity with that inside the building. –Google

When you call for cooling, the unit decides if it needs to run the AC or just open the economizer to pull in outside air.


How can I improvise a kids double bunker bed?

Kids being kids this is a bad idea. Without any means of locking the bed on the table it will slide off and someone will get hurt. One lower cost option is to check craigslist and see if someone needs to swap some bunk beds for regular twins. I admit it would be a long shot but eventually someones kids has grow out of them.


Is an ethernet cable threaded inside a metal conduit is more protected from electromagnetic interference?

You discovered wrong. Ethernet runs at 100MHz and up, your line voltage at 60Hz is virtually DC at that frequently difference.
With that said, you should still run your data cables in conduit. Not for interference concerns, but so that in 2040 you can easily replace the cat5 with something new for our 20K ultra VR direct brain video or whatever is the deal then. Plastic Smurf tube is fine, it doesn't need to be metal.


What size wire do I need to connect a portable generator inlet to my main panel?

As has been discussed many times in this forum, back feeding a generator into a double or even a single pole breaker without a transfer switch is risky business. If the main  breaker is not disabled while generator is online, you will be back feeding power to the grid and pose a safety hazard to utility workers.

With that said, look at the following link, http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm   The wire size for an 80 run at 30 amps/120vac is 8 AWG.  Use this calculator to determine wire size or determine voltage drop. 3% drop is usually considered max for 120/240 runs. Once you start to draw amperage, the drop can become greater as you tax the voltage source with a fixed or max amp output.


How do I wire a new light from an outlet, with power to the light box?

Many drawings are obsolete.  The cable from the lamp to the switch must be 14/3 cable.  This is mandatory.

Fortunately, this also makes the colors less confusing.

Black = always hot
Red = hot when light switch is on
White = neutral (current return)
Green/bare/anything metal = equipment safety grounding,  hook everything to everything else, and I won't mention grounding again.

The switch has 2 (non-ground) screws. You attach a black wire and a red wire. This is logical since the switch decides whether hot (black) is fed to switched-hot (red).

If the switch is a "smart switch" or modern dimmer, it may also need white - if so, the instructions will say.  If white is not used today, put a wire-nut cap on it and tape that on (they tend to fall off a single wire).

Now look at the lamp itself.  You see it has a black and white wire.  That's a little "off color scheme", isn't it? Black means always-hot and that means the light would be on 24x7. That's just how they're made.  A red wire (switched-hot) makes more sense, don'tcha think?  That way the light would be controlled by the switch.  Just remember that weirdness...  or spend $4 on a 5-pack of colored electrical tape and mark the wire red.

With that behind us, up in the lamp box, and in the receptacle box, just match similar colors.   Black to black etc.

That was easy.  Power of color coding and using the right /3 cable.


How to draw cross section of this plan by hand?

Get some engineering graph paper and a construction stencil , this is how I still lay out jobs for a permit, they can be done without the stencils but reviewers have fewer questions. Questions delay the permits.


Have bath tubs ever been considered "self-venting" in plumbing code?

I don't believe that the overflow was ever considered a vent for a bathtub.

The main purpose of the vent is to prevent the water in the trap from being sucked out when water runs through the trap. Therefore the vent must be located downstream of the trap. The exact location of the vent connection is determined by code and has changed over the years. However, the connection was never accepted upstream of the trap.

There was a time when every fixture was not required to be vented (there was also a time when there was no formal plumbing code) so I can’t say never, however, I can say that since traps were required to be vented, the requirement was downstream of the trap.

I’ve looked at the other question, and can say with confidence that the bathtub would have been required to be vented either individually or via a wet vent thought the bathroom sink.


Is there a significant Difference between roofing and weeding torches?

The weed burner that I have is more of a cross of the 2 torches and yes my weed burner will work but not as well as the roofing torch.
What are the differences the roofing torch is highly focused compared to the weed burner, the focused heat is helpful at not overheating the edges and starting fires where the weed burner can create the heat but tends to flame more (I hope that makes sense)
Other minor things like the cradle to keep the flame pointed up (yes you could make one) but the focused torch can be a help as I have used it not pointing down but horizontal to help put a fire out it sounds funny and it takes some practice but I don’t think you can do that with a weed burner.
(But for small jobs I would and have used my burner)


Why would the electricity intermittently trip out when turning on a light switch?

It sounds to me like the most plausible thing is that the builders installed some nails, screws or other fasteners to the wall or ceiling and punctured through some electrical wire causing an intermittent short circuit.

If the switching on of the kitchen light switch is what sets it off then you have already isolated it to a particular area of your house. It has to be a rather heavy duty short to cause it to trip your whole house breaker!!

Another thing to consider is that a fault of this type could very well be pretty dangerous. If the short was one that caused there to be live power present on the metal parts of any appliances or light fixtures this could be a very serious shock hazard.

There are tools that professionals can use to try to help find where shorts are located. Due to the potential serious safety issue involved with this I would strongly suggest that you get a professional electrician out to look into this problem as soon as possible. One reason for the urgency is that the short, where ever it is, may not be enough to always trip your whole house breaker but on the times where the breaker has not tripped the short could very well be generating a very hot connection which could lead a fire or burned out wiring. Take care of that call today.


Can I break up the floor of a raised floor basement bathroom without damaging the plumbing?

Pull the toilet a look down the drain pipe. You should be able to determine what elevation the drain is running at, as well as what material the drain is made of. Both of theses will help provide you your answer. You'll need to buy a new wax seal for when you reinstall the toilet.


Switching from dimmer to single pole, how would I do this?

The dimmer wire (Blue) and fan wire (Black) hook to one terminal on your single-pole switch. The hot wire (Black with white Stripe) hooks to the other terminal on your single-pole switch.


Does this main service panel require blocks opposite main breaker?

This appears to be a GE Panel with convertible mains. This means you can  use it as an MCB of various amperages or a Main Lug Only panel if you purchase a Main Lug Kit. They are quite common among some contractors since you only need to buy a conversion kit and stock only one panel type (much less expensive on inventory).

Alright that's enough history. The conversion kits take up 4 spaces in the panel that's why the right side cover does not have removable blanks. The reason is this is where the stab in lugs have the most power running through them and the manufacturer wants to protect this area from overheating and arcing eventually destroying the connection.

So in answer to your question no you cannot use this area to add an extra breaker in this space as it goes against the manufacturers installation instructions and might create a fire or shock hazard. It would also void the panel warranty and liability.

Hope this helps.


Does it make sense to work on the hardwood floor first, not last?

No. Modern "dustless" sanders are quite clean, and if you have to wipe some walls it is still likely less work than protecting the floor perfectly. And while you can always clean up dust, you can't touch up paint drips or floor scratches nearly as easily.

I made this mistake. I painted after doing floors in my kitchen renovation, because the floors were hired out but I did the painting myself later. There are some small drips of paint still visible on the floor. Not a huge deal, and I could have been more careful and avoided them, but if the order were reversed it would not have been a problem.

So bottom line, you can do either approach, but all other things being equal, it's preferable to paint before refinishing floors.


How to select a water pump for water feature

I have a few indoor water features and not only does this pump work well, but I like the fact it has a flow valve.

  Another concern I have is the noise. Since it will be indoors and the point of the feature is to provide ambient water noise, having a loud pump isn't ideal

Believe it or not but the water rate in which it flows is as important if not more so, because in silence, the wrong flow can make way too much noise.

It measures 2"x1.5"x1.5" with a 6' cord and is $13, with free 2 day shipping if you have Amazon Prime.

It can be seen and bought here. https://www.amazon.com/Aquascape-91023-Fountains-Waterfalls-Filters/dp/B002H5EU0W


How best to insulate/heat solid brick house (as at 2016)

The awkward truth is that you don't have a lot of great options here. External insulation or cavity fill are by far the preferred options. If those are off the table, you can apply insulation board to the interior if you're prepared to lose some floor space, but it's not a perfect solution: there will be big thermal bridges where interior walls and floors meet exterior walls. 10mm of insulation won't do much. You really need to do at least 50mm of a decent insulator to make it worth it.

This approach will be very expensive or labor-intensive (or both) since you'll need to redo all the trim and cabinets, extend electrical boxes and plumbing lines, possibly replace toilets, and things like that. You'll also need to finish the new interior walls with plasterboard or skim coat plaster, if the insulation board you use is cementitious, like Ytong autoclaved aerated concrete insulation panels. The problem with those is that they aren't very good insulators for their thickness--not as good as the plastic foams. But foam boards will need substantially more finish work.


If the vent is obstructed or becomes obstructed due to lack of protection, that is a problem that could cause a fire, so it is not OK.  In my area it is not common, but if you look hard enough you can probably find many areas where a certain questionable install is typical.  Doesn't matter at all if it's common or normal if it creates a problem.

If the vent clogs and you don't have a super fancy modern dryer with air flow detection, it could cause a fire, potentially costing everything you own or your life.  On the other hand it looks super easy and cheap to fix and the building hasn't burned down yet, so how do you evaluate bad?

For a temporary protection measure, thoroughly clean out the vent and then protect it so nothing can get in it.  You can't reduce to holes of lower cross sectional area than the pipe, so you could take a large bucket, turn it upside down and cut suitable sized holes low on the bucket.  Put some steel mesh over the vent to keep rodents out, place the bucket over top and put a brick or rock on it to hold it.  If you do buy a replacement cap, you need to dig around the base of the head and ensure both that it remains unobstructed and that rodents can't climb
into it.  Note that a layer of mesh must be larger than the pipe it obstructs proportional to the % area blocked by the mesh.
At a later date either vent it out at a suitable height or add more enduring protection for the head, like a tower to put it out of reach and a suitable replacement head.

You'd have to ask the guy who liked the method enough to repeat it.  Aesthetics, cost or the addition of a "feature" are potential reasons.  Nobody thinks of everything and product decisions are not always made by those with practical knowledge and experience.  A few seasons of landscaping and spring cleanup added dozens of things I would think about when designing a fence or a yard.  Judging from the way 80% of yards are designed, most of the people designing them for large complexes have no experience whatsoever maintaining them commercially.  Note that this could have been originally OK but complicated by landscaping/mulch being added at a later date.

A longer pipe restricts airflow more than a shorter one.  If the flexible section indoors to connect to the dryer is too long, it may also necessitate unnecessary bends which will further restrict air flow.


How to wire a light with multiple black/white/green wires from the ceiling?

Yellow (and painted white) will be switched hot, connect that to fixture black.

The white bundle is neutral, the white from the fixture goes here.

Fixture yellow/green is ground and gets connected to the green bundle.


Gluing metal and glass pieces of a lamp (Artemide Demetra)

I would repair this by using a flexible adhesive called E6000. This is advertised to be a strong adhesive for both metal and glass.

(Picture source at Amazon Product Page)

The flexible nature of this adhesive means that it will provide some isolation between the glass part and the metal posts. Before using make sure to do a very good job of removing any old glue debris, paint or finger oils. Rubbing alcohol and Q-Tip swabs are my go-to tools for the final cleaning phase.

The E6000 adhesive can bridge a small gap but it also has a tendency to spread itself out around the site where it is applied so make sure to keep you glass plate flat (horizontal) when you set it in place on the posts. This adhesive will hold on tight to non-porous materials and yet remain peel-able for removal. I have even used it to glue magnets to the covers of white board markers so I could stick the markers to the surface of a metal white board.


Dead power supply

LEDs pretty much don't fail.  Power supplies are the achilles' heel of LED lighting, and the primary reason why LEDs fail at all. (#2 being the lead-free [bad idea] solder crystallizing over some number of decades).  Unfortunately people cannot resist making [read: buying] cheap power supplies.

You'll need to find this power supply unit, identify its voltage and current output, and get another one with SAME voltage and SAME OR GREATER current output.

If you want a hand with that, get a phone camera with a flash, and shoot a pic of the label on the thing.  Then you can edit your question to add the photo.


First of all, congrats on taking up your first ever DIY project! It will be a rewarding experience. The more you do, the more you will learn and enrich your life, as well as being able to help those around you.
For the wall option, you'd want to go into the studs, which you can find with a studfinder, or just watch a video on how to find them by knocking on the drywall. Knocking on drywall to find them is very easy.
The screws you use shouldn't compromise the structural integrity of the wood; whatever you're mounting, you shouldn't have to use anything more than a wood screw that's a couple inches long.
I wouldn't try to install on the ceiling; seems like you'd hit your head on the ceiling before you'd complete a full range of motion for a pull-up. Installing one in the wall, over a doorway is ideal. That way your body can swing forward slightly when performing the motion, and you should still have enough headroom.
My favorite training tool for rock climbing is called a "hangboard". They allow various different types of strength building compared to a pull-up bar, but you can still do pull-ups on them. They have a very easy-to-follow install guide on their site.
Here's a link to one online: https://www.metoliusclimbing.com/project-board.html
That being said, you could also just get a removable one: link
I used to have one of these when I lived in an apartment, and didn't want to have to resurface walls after moving out. Be warned though, if you get a removeable one, you can't pull as hard/move as fast, for it can bounce and come loose. Also, if the walls and ceiling are wood, I'd go with this option as defacing a nice looking wooden wall is a little sacrilege IMO.
Best of luck!


Would I have flow issues if I hookup a 1hp sump pump along with a 3/4hp sump pump with a wye?

I did something similar using two pumps with 2” copper pipes.
Pumps and connections were designed to run in series and individually.
What is needed is non-return valves for each pump so they cannot backfeed.


One approach is to build up more tile mortar/mastic on the second row. Trowel it onto the wall, and also back-butter the tile, but in the perpendicular direction. This gives you more "squish" to work with so you can match the level of the first row.
You could also have rabbeted the edging into the backer board, but that's kind of a messy job.


AC Drain From Overflow instead of Main, Even with No Pipes Connected

So this morning I opened up the evaporator compartment and sprayed coil cleaner around. This evening, my patio is dry (where the overflow drain comes out) - I don't have water coming out anymore. It seems that the coils were either not draining properly or the airflow was misdirected by the dirty coils enough to disrupt the normal draining. Thanks @Tester101 for your efforts to help me.


It's possible to measure the thickness of metal with ultrasound.  Since water is heavier than oil, but has water vapor, you only need to check the bottom and top of the tank.

Yes, the wall paint is useless and in the way of proper paint prep.   Despite what certain TV ads say, you can't really paint over rust.

The ideal coating is media blast to near white metal, then MIL-PRF-26915 primer, epoxy primer which can accommodate a variety of topcoats, then a 2-part LPU coating.  We can whittle that down to something achievable.

I have had very good luck with the following:

Create very dry conditions, long enough to thoroughly remove moisture from rusty areas, i.e. Park a dehumidifier there for a couple of days.
Wire brush, sand etc. down as clean as possible.  Any paint stripper should easily take the latex paint off.
2-cloth wipedown with common paint thinner to remove contaminants
Rustoleum rusty metal primer - though cheap, it performs surprisingly well over that last little bit of rust you can't get off without blasting. Stir the can very thoroughly, the sediments at the bottom are your friend.
couple days to dry; quick swiff-sand with a scotchbrite pad to remove gloss
rustoleum is not a final topcoat. Overcoat with ideally a decent 2-part epoxy primer or paint.

If you don't use a 2-part epoxy, then finish it up with an alkyd (oil) topcoat.

If you do use a 2-part epoxy primer, you're done if the tank is shielded from the sun.  UV light from sunlight will wreck epoxy.  So you'll need to swiff-sand again and topcoat with, well, you can topcoat epoxy with pretty much anything, even that wall paint.   Maintain the topcoat, don't let the epoxy primer be exposed to UV.


It looks as though one or both sides have not been adequately fastened to a framing member or "nailer" (nailer being a wood board that is not a framing member but instead was placed specifically to facilitate the fastening of the wallboard).

You could check by gently pushing against each side along the cracked corner. If you push back and the wallboard stops up against something solid then you may have something to nail/screw to; if not then it was improperly installed without something to nail/screw to.

Tape and mud alone will not work because the wallboard will continue to move and will crack again at that spot.

The best repair option (some may say the only option) is to cut back to the next stud and remove the wallboard, allowing you to install a nailer. Then replace the wallboard and mud/sand/mud/sand ad nauseum...

I had the same situation in my own home, as an experiment I installed 4 small steel corner braces along the crack. I traced their footprint and cut and scraped the wallboard so they sat almost flush, using short drywall screws to anchor them; this held the two panels together at the corner. Then I mudded over them and sanded and primed and painted and it still looks good today (3 years later), no further cracking. This is definitely not the preferred repair method but hey, it might be worth a try if you don't want to tear out the walls.


what parameters should I look for when choosing an electric deadbolt?

First off, I make no warranty of any of these suggestions. Especially if this is actually a bank...

I would be hesitant to completely rely on an all-electronic solution, since if there is a failure (which, frankly, is likely with a budget of only 200 per lock), you don't want to have to resort to a plasma torch or something to cut open (and destroy) the door to get in.

What seems like an interesting option to me though would be some of the RF-controlled keyless locks on the market. These look like a normal deadbolt, but have an RF remote.

What would be needed in whatever is chosen is the ability to hook into it, specifically, you need two things:

The ability to remotely control lock/unlock
The ability to sense if it's locked or unlocked

I'm going to assume that you have some type of microcontroller running the rest of this setup. You didn't specify.. but presumably you have something that has some I/O on it, the ability to connect it to the locks, and some software running to handle what I describe below. I'll also assume that you have an alarm and monitoring.

To control the lock, ideally, you could hardwire in to it, and be able to apply a signal to lock/unlock all the deadbolts. Less ideally, you could hack apart the remotes, and have your controller effectively press the buttons on the remote(s) to lock/unlock. This adds unreliability since you're dependent on an RF signal.

Since these are keyed locks, you have a nice backup mechanism if everything fails: use the 4 keys to open the locks (and note, you'd need to be sure they're 4 separate keys).

Of course, since they're keyed locks, they're also susceptible to being picked/bumped. To try and combat that, what you can do is have your controller monitor each lock individually. If any of the locks ever open when the controller didn't tell them to, then it should trigger an immediate alarm (consider: someone is likely to pick/bump one at a time). If this is an exterior door, then this is your first line of defence, unfortunately. If it's an interior door, then you should also have motion and other door sensors that will hopefully trigger before someone gets to this door.

You also need to consider all other aspects of physical security. You're only as secure as the weakest point, so if someone can break through a window or wall or vent then it doesn't matter how good the door is. Physical security is also just a matter of time: eventually, you can get through anything. That's why I suggested having an alarm system connected, which is both a deterrent, and triggers a police/whatever response. Consider: safes, even high-end ones, are rated by the time it takes to crack them: your door will be no different. Having video cameras probably helps as well, both as a deterrent and to help catch people afterwards. Your video and security system also need to be protected, so that they can't just be disabled/destroyed.

On the other hand, too much security and you actually can attract attention. I've heard that the houses with extra locks, security cameras, etc, are often targeted by thieves since they look like they have something valuable worth protecting.


Creaking / Clicking noise coming from wood / cardboard

I hear the same noise and have done in a few houses. After years of chasing sounds round rooms I'm pretty sure the culprit is a tiny brown beetle I've found a few times, 1-3mm max. I'm struggling to identify it. My ex wife could hear it so I knew I wasn't going mad! It can really keep you awake for such a quiet sound!

I live in West Wales in the UK.


How should I insulate around pipe/cable holes in drywall?

I am proceeding on the assumption that these aren't visible areas, so looks do not matter.

I think you were right the first time, I'd use expanding foam for those jobs. I've used it in all sorts of cases like yours and it has done well. It isn't going to crush anything, even flexible dryer hose.

The alternative would be to cut pieces of drywall with the right diameter holes and to screw and/or glue them into place around this material. You'd need to move those wires around some if you have enough slack. Once the drywall is in place you'd just use caulk or silicone on the remaining small gaps.


I get where your endgame is just to plug in 3-prong plugs; OK, the easy shortcut there is fit GFCI receptacles or breakers.

However, if you want real grounding that  you will depend on for safety and equipment protection, then you need to start at the grounding rods.

The source of grounding (earthing) is the grounding rods going into the earth. These could be water pipes if metal, an UFER ground if built into the foundation, or grounding rods driven into the earth at the correct locations.

From these rods, a grounding electrode carries the ground to the main panel.  At the main panel ONLY, there is a bond between ground and neutral. Allowing them to bond anywhere else can create a safety problem.

From the main panel, ground wires go to each subpanel and up each circuit.  Ground wires can be retrofitted, and we have questions which discuss retrofitting grounds.

Again, it must start at the grounding rods and go via the main panel.  Do not "island" grounds; don't have an area where the house where the grounds connect to each other but not to the main panel and earth.  This only spreads the danger: if one device has a ground fault, it electrifies the chassis of all of them.

It sounds like you are struggling with some of the things we are talking about.  We can't provide a full explanation of all things electrical which relate to this issue; that is not our format here. But you'll need that to be successful. Blundering ones way through electrical work is a fire or shock waiting to happen, and knowledge is such an easy thing to acquire.


Why do we need multiple coatings of polyurethane?

The sanding of coats in-between is to give the new coat something to adhere to. It roughs up the surface just enough to give it a bit of grip.

Multiple coats is the same as anything else. Multiple coats makes the coating thicker, stronger and more lustrous.

Cars have multiple coats of paint to protect the body; you paint your walls with multiple coats to ensure even coverage; you poly furniture with multiple coats to ensure durability.

Don't sand to much. Use a very fine grit and just rub over it. The grit should feel like loose leaf paper. You'll have white dust when your done. Make sure to wipe the piece very well with a soft cloth before applying the next coat.


Why do lag screws have the unthreaded body between the head and the threads?

In many cases an unthreaded shank provides a better, more secure fit when mating to the components that it connects. Where lateral movement is a concern, this type of bolt should be used.

In other cases, it's important that there be no pull on the upper portion of the material being joined. Threads would create drag that may counter the bolt's ability to bring two parts together with force.

There are two reasons that the unthreaded portion has the same diameter as the threaded portion. The first relates to what I mentioned earlier--a close-tolerance fit to the other parts of the system. If the threads were raised with respect to the shank (and some bolts are like this for various reasons), the bolt would be sloppy in the bore after insertion.

The other is more mundane--it's easier from a manufacturing standpoint. Threading machines typically remove material by cutting. This obviously leaves threads that have inner diameters smaller than the bolt's shank.


When re-siding a house, where should I start?

Have you thought about using hardy board siding?  You can get the same look and feel of wood without the risk of mold or termites.  The price would not be much different than a good quality wood siding.  It is not that difficult to install either, so labor cost should be no different.  It is also easy to remove and replace incase there are any future problems with the house(ie electric or plumbing) that would require you to have to remove your siding.


Shower drain removal with no rubber gasket


Is it stupid to replace redwood siding with Hardi board or LP SmartSide?

I'm with your painter. It's like throwing out a pair of Allen Edmunds because there's a hole in the sole and replacing them with a pair of Timberlands.

Find out what it would cost to repair/replace the split boards. It'll probably be cheaper than redoing all the siding in a new/cheaper material. In addition you might lose some value in your home by removing the redwood siding.

Have the insulation contractors blow the insullation from the inside. Much easier to repair drywall and you don't have to worry about poor repairs causing water infiltration.

Maybe find a better contractor all together. Some people just do what they know and they may not be familiar with other materials and methods and they wind up talking you into paying more in time and meterials to do things their way.

I was just talking to someone the other day about their garage door. They used to have a very nice wooden garage door but when they got an automatic garage door opener installed they were talked into replacing the door with a poorly insulated metal one. Something about the opener not being able to handle the weight of the door. This was for a single car garage so that shouldn't have been the case. Anyway point is... This was many years ago and they still regret the decision.


Why does my 3-way dimmer circuit show low voltage on one traveler or the other?

This is indeed normal. Modern, high-impedance voltmeters can measure voltage that has no actual "oomph" behind it. What you are seeing is a capacitive "phantom" voltage coupled to the inactive traveler from the active one.  If you have a Low-Z range on your voltmeter, it will indeed not show this "phantom" voltage, nor will it be indicated by an electrical voltage tester ("wiggy" or equivalent device).


Honestly you might be re-drywalling the whole room.  If you smell sour that is basically mold.  If you can smell it then it must be producing mold in the air which affects your family.  So you have two choices:

Tear down drywall and start over.
Go through a grueling process of using lacquer and paint removal products that are just horrible.  And now you have two more coats on top of it.  This will make your whole house smell and is just and absolute mess.  And the kicker, you could do this and still have smell problems.

Obviously using the paint was really dumb.  My rule is if I have to ask myself if I should use something or not, I don't unless a pro or research says its OK.


Wood bit vs Forstener bit for cam connector holes

You can simply grind down the point of the bit you have to suit this job, rather than purchasing another tool and hoping that it will conform to the geometry you need.

Nothing says that  a tool is unalterable once you own it.

Note - do not remove it entirely (that will prove VERY hard to use) and do keep it centered.


Well, does your roof leak now? If it leaks and they put in new drywall, and it rains, the new drywall could get leaked on & possibly ruined.

Even if the roof doesn't leak now, they have to tear off the old roof to put a new one on, and they really should wait for good dry weather to do that but sometimes they don't, or unexpected storms appear. So without a roof you almost certainly will have leaks inside the house, again possibly ruining new drywall.

So, with good weather it shouldn't matter. But if it rains & leaks, it will matter. Why not do the roof first?


Will my wiring setup work with the Nest Thermostat?

You should take a look at the Nest Compatibility Checker to be sure. Based on having G, Y, W, R, and a jumpered Rc wire, it looks like your setup is compatible.

Note that Nest has an internal battery and does not require a C (Common) wire, but it is better to have one if you able to add it (with a currently unused wire, for example).


what steps to take after removing a cable from a breaker box?

You can plug the knockout hole with a knockout seal (or knockout plug).

(source: homedepot.com)

You'll likely need either a 1/2" or 3/4", depending in the knockout size.

WARNING: When working in the panel, take your time, be careful, and manage loose wires and hands to keep them away from energized parts. Be especially cautious of the main lugs, and the ungrounded (hot) bus bars. Use insulated tools, and wear appropriate safety equipment.


Is the PF error on my microwave caused by the home or electric company?

If your appliances are regularly malfunctioning when there are lightning strikes it would be wise to consider installing breaker panel surge suppressor. Or a lightning rod. Or additional grounding bars.


Bumped into a joist while drilling for a toggle bolt

Running your 1/2" bit into the joist a ways may give you the clearance you need to get the toggler to expand.

Otherwise, I'd drill a hole in the joist slightly smaller than the toggle bolt, run that bolt (without the toggle wings) into the hook, and thread the bolt directly into the wood. It'll hold as well as the drywall would have if you keep it snug.

If that's not suitable, your local hardware store may have a longer version of the other (dual-thread) bolt.


I doubt you will find one. For simplicity (fewer SKUs), you will generally find "everything the same". So that would mean "3 regular switches" or "3 3-way switches". But due to box fill limits (see Looking for triple 3-way switch ) plus I suspect limited demand to figure out a solution, a triple 3-way doesn't seem to exist.

What might work is a smart switch. Many smart switches have "remotes" that are either battery powered or just use a few wires to get power, control power and communicate to other switches. But in a quick search I didn't see any single gang triple switches.


You can use either or both halves as separate single pole circuits as long as the amperage rating is correct for the wire size and receptacle type.


Can I retrofit ground to a two wire outlet from a nearby grounded outlet?

Retrofitting grounds is only allowed on old work.  For instance if you have an old circuit where you have already retrofitted ground, and you want to extend a new outlet off of it, you must use 12/2 w/ground cable. Meaning ground is included in the new cable.

Yes, I don't see any problem tapping another circuit for that ground, so long as it's fed out of the same panel and the ground wire is equal or larger than is ordinarily required for this outlet.

If you're just fitting an outlet where a switch or lamp was, then you can do that, provided you have the needed wires available.  You can continue using the ground you retrofitted.


(Sorry I'm not Metric, we use 2x material)
Dado out a wooden Post for the pole, then add a 2x to the side you dadoed out to cover it and screw it to the dadoed post and bolt the whole thing together

Depending on the Diameter of the post, you can also wrap it in 2x. We have also done 2x6 Left to right (So you see the 2x6 face on the fence, I like 4x6 Fence Posts.  Then between them, also flush against the post, cut a 2x to fit between the 2x6 and bolt though the side 2x4s.

Sizing might be off, but I think you can get what I'm describing?
We use Carriage bolts on the side you see and counter sink the nuts.


That's what I've done in similar situations. Cut off the top half of the shingle (using the piece without the glue line) and 2-4 nails right through your last shingle. Cover the nails with a drop of roof cement.


You will need 3/4 as a supply for the 3/4 at the shower to do any good.  If you are talking pex, then the 3/4 would be mandatory because inner diameter of pex is smaller than copper.  I'm guessing you have 1/2 copper as your main?


Why does hot water only last a couple minutes?

Regarding the crossed pipe, I think that your friend meant the hot pipe is connected to the cold port (and cold to hot) on the water heater. As Madura commented above, this question sounds similar to, "Why is my hot water running out quickly regardless of other household water usage?"
Essentially, if the cold and hot are reversed at the tank, or if the dip tube has been lost, that could explain things. I'm not actually suggesting that this is your problem (it sounds like you know better than to connect the pipes backward); I just think that this could be what your friend meant.


I recommend BOTH. You need to disconnect at the top (green arrow) to remove the existing faucet, but while you are at it you should disconnect those flex supply lines and replace them with high quality braided stainless steel flex lines.


The laws of physics cannot be ignored, water doesn't flow up hill...
If the condensation is building up in the pipe to where is drips out of the top of that first Tee fitting, it means it is not flowing out to the outside. Either something is still blocking that pipe, or the pipe is going up hill. How long is that pipe going outside? If it's relatively short, try running a sink snake through it to see if mold or animal nests have blocked it.


Can we apply Formica directly to bare drywall?

Sure you can.  It will be a better water deterrent than painted drywall and will certainly be easier to maintain and clean.

Is it recommended?  Probably not.  But not everything has to be approved.

I would adhere Formica with the same mastic for applying vinyl tile.  It is easy to apply and work, and has more than adequate adhesion.


should I replace slightly broken iron toilet flange or switch to new ABS

Option 2, definitely.

Height issues aside, a damaged flange gives a high risk of loose toilet syndrome, which turns into leaky toilet syndrome, which turns into angry spouse syndrome when you have to re-tile.


Good choice on the antenna. Lots of high quality reception for free. In fact, OTA (over the air) TV signals are often of better digital quality than TV through cable distribution. Cable TV is compressed/decompressed one more stage, to reduce the digital data rate, squeeze more channels, and make more money.
And OTA latency is lower: you will cheer for a goal before your cable watching neighbours. Just the right excuse to buy an air horn!
And to your question:

Is there any reason to ground the antenna?

For reception, Yagi antennas (the one you bought) are not grounded. This applies to the connecting cable (shield/core) and any of the active reception conductors: the rods/bars/arms/spokes of the antenna, not its mounting hardware.
Half dipole antennas (Ground plane monopole and Marconi antennas) are different, they have parts that must be electrically grounded. Theses are sprout antennas like the one on a car, and wire antennas for showrt-wave and HAM radio.
Exterior antennas must have their mounting rod grounded to provide electric discharge in the event of a lightning strike or static accumulation from other causes. The mounting rod is insulated from any of the active reception parts.
Air movement in your attic should not pose a problem.
You can use the "outside of the electrical conduit" provided the conduit has a continuous reliable electrical connection to earth-ground. You have to inspect it along its full length until you reach a working ground wire.
Grounding of mounting hardware is not required indoors. In any case, do not ground the electrical parts of the antenna.


Does composite decking hold more solar heat than wood decking?

No, you're not mistaken, you are perceiving the main drawback to composite decking material; compared to real wood it gets hot and stays that way longer.


spraypainting - is it hazardous to spray paint metal in your bedroom?

Once the solvent evaporates, the only source of odor or gases would be the plastic resin in the paint getting hot enough to cook.

The outer shell of the heater isn't a problem, and if you were careful to not get paint on the heating element, you have nothing to worry about.  Be aware that when the heater is hot, it may initially expel some more solvent from deep in the paint that normally evaporates too slowly to smell.  But this will be temporary.

If you got paint on the heating element inside, the result will depend on the type of element.  If the internal heating element is a pipe of hot water or hot oil, that won't get hot enough to cook the paint (although you might get some initial odor like from the shell).  Those elements often rely on metal fins to radiate the heat, and a lot of paint on the fins may cut down a little on the efficiency.

If the heating element is a metal ribbon that gets hot, that will char any paint you got on it.  It will stink (and may smoke or ignite), and those vapors won't be good for you.  But that will happen within the first minutes of use, leave some charred paint on the ribbon, and be done; it won't be a continuing problem.  If any paint does burn, that should be contained within the heater.  But you might want to move anything flammable away from the heater when you turn it on for the first time as a common sense precaution.


How to properly vent attic in windy/snowy areas to avoid snow infiltration?

This is a common problem here in the north country. Normally, soffit vents are fitted with Styrofoam tunnels called "proper vent" that rest on the soffit vents and snug between the rafters and extend apx 3 feet up the roof. Your insulation is then placed around the bottom of the proper vent. Snow rarely will make it all the way up this Styrofoam vent extender. Does your roof have a ridge vent? Most houses that have soffit vents also have a ridge vent. The idea being that the cool air enters at the soffit and warm air exits out the ridge.  The only other suggestion I would have is to buy a few rolls of ridge vent filter material. Cut this material into pieces to fit over the exposed soffit vents between each rafter.


how to deter children from opening an interior door

I think the most simple solution is this installed close to the ceiling:

Assuming the surrounding paint is white, this really shouldn't require painting since it's one small hole and you could just use white wood filler to make the holes disappear once removed.


Couple problems with that particular product. #1 it's $480.  #2 using it means you can't use an AFCI or GFCI breaker there, and you will need a lot of them in a rewire.

The latest whole-house monitoring systems don't put a clamp ammeter on every circuit.  They put them on the main feed for that panel, L1 and L2.  They distinguish one load from another by the type of noise it places on the line, inrush current, interval it operates on, that kind of thing. They really don't care which circuit the load is on.  The installation is fairly neat.


Yes that is a ceiling joist if that is in a room over your head. If there is another space above that as another floor then that it probably also serves as a floor joist as well.

It is somewhat conventional to refer to the joists seen overhead in a basement as just the floor joists for the first floor that caps the basement.


I'm replacing a motion sensor light switch.There are two switches to contol this light. I swapped wire for wire

That sensor doesn't support 3-ways, so you were correct to replace it
The Topgreener TSOS5 doesn't support 3-way operation, only single-pole use (note the lack of a traveller wire/terminal on it), so you were correct to take it back and replace it with something suited for 3-way service.  (Trying to adapt a motion-sensor to 3-way service using a relay would lead to somewhat...counterintuitive behavior, I suspect.)


How do i hook up a new 5 wire cable to an existing 4 wire furnace

The thin blue wire at the thermostat is connected to the Y terminal, which means it is used to call for cool (air conditioning).  You'll notice at the furnace, that the thin blue wire connects to the thin red wire. The thin red wire goes to the contactor coil in the A/C unit outside.

Once you have the new cable run, you'll connect the wires as described below.

At the furnace

Remove the old thermostat wires (leaving the wires for the A/C unit alone).
Connect the green wire from the new thermostat cable, to the thick green wire from the furnace.
Connect the red wire from the new thermostat cable, to the thick red wire from the furnace.
Connect the white wire from the new thermostat cable, to the thick white wire from the furnace.
Connect the yellow wire from the new thermostat cable, to the thin red wire from the A/C unit.
Connect the blue wire from the new thermostat cable, to the thick blue wire from the furnace and the thin white wire from the A/C unit.

At the thermostat

Connect the red wire to R
Connect the green wire to G
Connect the white wire to W
Connect the yellow wire to Y
Connect the blue wire to C


The best I could do was to dig up a fine print note (FPN) in the National Electrical Code (NEC). In theory, there is no limit (as stated in other answers). In practice, the limit is when things stop working. In this FPN, the limit is 3-5%. In reality, the limit is around 1-2%.
NEC 2008

210.19 Conductors — Minimum Ampacity and Size.
(A) Branch Circuits Not More Than 600 Volts.
(1) General.
FPN No. 4: Conductors for branch circuits as defined in Article 100, sized to prevent a voltage drop exceeding 3 percent at the
farthest outlet of power, heating, and lighting loads, or combinations
of such loads, and where the maximum total voltage drop on both
feeders and branch circuits to the farthest outlet does not exceed 5
percent, provide reasonable efficiency of operation. See FPN No. 2 of
215.2(A)(3) for voltage drop on feeder conductors.

This Fine Print Note (FPN) says that to provide "reasonable efficiency of operation", the voltage drop of the branch circuit to the furthest point should not exceed 3%. And that the total voltage drop, including the feeders should not exceed 5%.
120V * 3% = 3.6V
120V * 5% = 6V
Given this information.  You should start to examine your wiring, if you measure anything near 3V neutral to ground.
Note: Fine print notes are informational only and are not enforceable as requirements of the National Electrical Code.


If you see indications of a sloppy installation such as a hole being cut too large there may be some steps you can take, but otherwise I'd probably just leave it alone. (Though it would be useful if you could post a picture or at least describe what type of light fixture it is.)

Bugs are going to get into all sorts of places regardless of what you do. Even indoor, fully-enclosed light fixtures in my house get bugs in them. It's not a big deal to clean them out when you notice they need it.

If you do try to seal them off, make sure you're not creating a fire hazard in the process. Some gaps may be desirable to allow heat to escape, and certain materials may catch fire when in close proximity to a hot light bulb.


framing in a new doorway and split out the bottom plate. now what?

Looks good, keep going. It will not be a problem.


No, this receptacle doesn't have to be GFCI protected

The primary clause that requires GFCI protection in residential kitchens only applies to kitchen countertop receptacles (there's also a GFCI requirement for dishwashers, but that's a different thing):

  (6) Kitchens — where the receptacles are installed to serve
  the countertop surfaces

However, it does need to be installed correctly

The problem with a receptacle in the floor, though, is that putting a regular box and receptacle in the floor yields a hazardous installation (due to crud getting into the receptacle), and is prohibited by 314.27(B), which requires a listed floor box and matching faceplate be used instead:

  (B) Floor Boxes. Boxes listed specifically for this application
  shall be used for receptacles located in the floor.

So, you need to make sure the box is listed and labeled as a floor box -- these will generally have a distinctive faceplate that has flip-open covers over the receptacles themselves.


Is fast setting concrete heavier than regular concrete?

The person that told you that regular concrete is heavier than fast setting concrete may be referring to the weight of the bags that they come in at the big box stores.  The weight in concrete comes mostly from the aggregate, not the cement.  Any difference in weight between the two types of concrete would be immaterial in your application.


Connecting 7200 watt generator to fuse box

No, one outlet does the job

You're forgetting that the outlet you're talking about is 240V not 120V -- 30A * 240V is indeed 7200W, so you only need the 4 pin outlet (NEMA 14-30) and matching parts (generator-cord and inlet).

(The other outlet might be a NEMA 6-30 for 240V-only loads -- we'd have to see a photo of it to be sure.  Anyway, you don't want to use it for a house hookup because it has no neutral prong, just two hots and a ground.)


Why is turning down the heat during day and night considered more efficient?

Your assumption is incorrect. More heat is lost when the difference between inside and outside temperatures is greater. So, if you keep the house at 72F (22C) it will lose heat faster than if you kept it at 62F (17C). Thus, your heater will need to run more often and/or for longer to maintain your desired temperature. It therefore uses more energy to maintain the higher set point than the lower set point.

This effect becomes more pronounced the longer the lower set point is maintained, but may not be noticeable at all for short periods. However, it's important to note that it doesn't become less efficient if you turn down the heat for short periods, since the heater is not running at all while the house is cooling to the lower set point.

Heaters (and AC) in general do not have an intensity setting - they're either on or off. The energy from the sun does play into things a little bit, but not a whole lot and not really in the morning. Opening curtains during the day can certainly help to make the house feel warmer.

All of these effects apply in the summer, too, although then you want a higher set point when you're not home, not a lower one, close curtains during the day, etc.


What tools should I use for hand carving and whittling?

Have you considered one of the portable workbenches such as the Workmate?

They fold to a pretty small package and come in a variety of sizes and prices.

Black and Decker used to make several Workmate vises in a benchtop and toolbox version such as these

They appear to be discontinued. I found mine at yard sales, but they show up online occasionally.

If one of these suits, you may be able to continue to use your preferred tools.


Custom pocket door with insulation, water pipes and tile!

3/16" is an awfully fine clearance for a pocket door.  Unless the door is moisture-proof, the door is going to bow (and therefore jam when moved) whenever there is a humidity difference across it such as when there is a shower in use.

That is a completely unacceptable place to run plumbing.  Heck, getting 3/4 inch galvanized pipe crossing each other inside a 2x4 wall is a challenge and not something a mechanical inspector wants to see unless the circumstances are truly difficult.


It depends on how much you plan on using the solar backup.  If your battery can handle the router for a few hours, and it will only have to power it once every 2 or 3 months for an hour or two, yes, it should be fine.  If your electricity goes out for long periods of time, or if it goes out often, I'd say no... however, you can always string them up in parallel, increasing the amperage output.


Yep, the black is mold baby & the white is drywall residue or "maybe" some water marking, but that is one straight edge. Bleach & scrub-off the mold & increase your attic ventilation to rid the place of mold.


Is it ok to pigtail different gauge transformer wires with a 15 amp circuit?

Just fix this with a pigtail + wirenut
Your breakers are GE breakers that do not support a "double tap" connection.  Fortunately, this is easy to fix; since this a 15A breaker, a length of 14AWG THHN and a wirenut suitable for the wires involved can be used to combine the new pigtail with the existing branch-circuit and transformer hot wires, while the other end of that pigtail simply lands on the existing breaker hot terminal.  Make sure to do this with the breaker in question turned OFF, of course, and you'll want to use an inch-pound torque screwdriver to torque the breaker and neutral screws to spec, as well as cranking that wirenut down tight!


Samsung Front Load Gas Dryer, plastic connection problem

It's possible that the plastic part is intended to spin like a female garden hose end does. To check for leaks, drizzle soapy water over the connection. Without photos or a better description of the problem I can't say much more.


Running a New Telephone Wire For Master Socket - Cross Over Electrical Cables

Crossing power lines at a 90 will have no affects on the phone or data quality on the low voltage system.


Do I attach kitchen cabinets when installed overtop of a hardwood floor?

Yes, there are many good reasons to finish laying the hardwood floor, and then screw cabinets into the floor and subfloor.  There are also some reasons not to do so.

This is an area of ongoing disagreement about the topic:

Hardwood Installer
Patch.com forums
Hardwood Flooring forums

My neighbor was a professional cabinet installer for decades and specialized in high end luxury houses.  His way of telling if the general contractor was a cheap b*stard or a quality contractor was by whether the hardwood was laid wall-to-wall in the kitchen or stopped for the cabinets.

My neighbor is a proponent of laying the hardwood wall-to-wall and placing the cabinets on top of it, screwing where necessary through the hardwood into the subfloor.


How to find a deck sealant that is compatible with some old sealant that I can't find anymore

According to your link, they sell this strictly at Lowes in Canada. I'm assuming you're not Canadian as you're using the .com instead of the .ca link for Lowes:
https://www.lowes.ca/exterior-stain/olympic-378-l-wood-protector-toner-stain-and-sealant_g1346222.html?searchTerm=Olympic-Wood-Protector-Honey-Gold-Toner-Exterior

In terms of mixing, don't. You'll waste a perfectly good can by mixing an older batch with questionable quality and an impossible to replicate colour (assuming it properly mixes).

Here are the potential situations: throwing away 20$ of stain, or spending your time applying 60$ worth only to find out you have a patchy deck/doesn't adhere to the surface forcing you to clean it all off and buy another 60$ worth followed by applying it. They could blend, but is it worth the risk?

In terms of a hand spray application, if you go with another product/brand check the labeling as some strictly avoid spray application.


Can I move a drain without moving the vent too?

You don't provide much context to this question, but the short answer is there's a maximum distance between the trap and the vent (should be specified by your local code). If the vent is too far away, the sink won't drain well.

As you can see, for a 2" pipe (typical), you can only go 5' (but of course: check your local building codes for specifics). 10' is definitely too far.

Remember also you need to maintain a slope on the waste line (typically 1/4" per foot).

If you can run the vent line over to the new location as well, it may be acceptable. A picture/diagram of what you're doing would help provide a better answer.


Why is neutral wire connected to the right side of a plug?

There are two fundamental requirements for safety unless the design of a device guarantees that no electrified portions will have a path to ground other than via the neutral:

The hot wire needs to be fused unless the wire can pass 20 amps continuously.
If the hot wire is disconnected, the neutral wire must be disconnected as well.

If a device didn't have a fuse on the hot wire, nothing would control the over-current in the event something shorted to ground.  If the device fused both sides and--under a different failure condition--the neutral-side fuse blew before the hot fuse, the device could appear to be inert while its innards were all connected to the hot wire.

There are two says a device could be constructed to be safe without a polarized plug:

Design it so that there is no plausible accidental current path anywhere except between the hot and neutral (whichever is which).
Use a double-pole fuse which will open both sides under an over-current condition.  While it's possible to construct fuses in such a fashion, such designs are much more complicated and expensive than fuses that merely need to open the wire carrying the excess current.

Using polarized plugs is often easier than doing either of the above.


Is my plan for mounting a child safety gate feasible?

The metal brackets near the points of your red arrows are intended to be mounted to the wall and act as hinges for the entire gate. I would turn them 90° to the gate and mount them to the green cabinet where you had planned on using the screws. This will allow the gate to swing in one direction at least. You may not be able to swing it into the kitchen as it will bind. At least the gate will function as it was designed.


Insulated lug connectors made by Polaris, Burndy, and others are what you're looking for:

They are expensive but if you follow the directions to the letter they are not hard to use.


What is the difference between heat lamps and infrared space heaters?

The exact space heater in question would effect answer, generally both use invisible light to heat surfaces rather than heating the air. What varies is how much of the IR is reflected and how much is absorbed by the fixture or lamp then locally projected by the device.
Electrical heat is not very efficient, any watt produces the same heat no matter how dispersed, 3412 btu's per kw/hr.


The bracing seems to be applied randomly. When we design lateral bracing, it is uniform throughout the structure, (or each section of a structure).

I doubt the bracing is "required". It was probably installed during construction to keep the components aligned.

Structural components are designed for "worse case scenarios". So, one way to test my assumptions that it's not required is to remove one diagonal brace and then stand in the attic and shift your weight from side to side. If the structure seems to "move" then it is required. (You should not be able to move the structure.) Then, remove one more brace and test again...

Another way of checking to see if the diagonal bracing is required (designed), is to check the nailing pattern from the bracing to the vertical studs. If it is the same, (say...2 nails into each stud,) then its more likely to be required. However, if it's random, (maybe 1 nail in some studs and 2 in others) then it's definitely temporary.

By the way, take a picture of each area before you start, in case you have to replace the braces.


How to cut stainless steel sheet without burning it?

As you have implied, heating the metal is actually changing it near the cut and causing it to discolor.  There's not soot or anything you can clean off - the metal is changed.  You may be able to sand off the surface of the metal near the cuts to remove the discolored metal on the surface, but this will lead to a cut that doesn't look very clean and some discoloration may remain.

The other choice is to cut the metal without heat.  Angle grinders don't really cut - they sand their way through the metal creating a massive amount of heat.  One tool that actually cuts through the metal is known as a "nibbler".  They come in many forms.  Hand operated, air powered, electric, and as a small attachment for an electric drill.

They are basically a small punch that nibbles of small bits of metal.  They do this very quickly so the result looks like a straigt cut.  The issue is that many of the tools that I found top at at 16ga (1.5875mm) or 14ga (1.984375mm) sheet metal.  Your 1.5mm sheet is going to be at the top end of their capabilities, but if you choose a quality tool and don't try to move too fast, I think you'll be ok.


How can I reattach this pivot bracket for bifold doors to the wall?

I would expect that behind the drywall at the bottom is a 2x4 plate running horizontally that the vertical studs rest on.  The bracket should be low enough that you can use a 2 inch screw and anchor to that.

You may want to repair the drywall before you put the bracket back.  Its hard to tell from the photos if the damage is light enough that you can fill it with joint compound or if you will need to patch the drywall. See this question for drywall repair tips.


My kitchen cabinets were mounted with drywall screws. How can I better secure it to the wall?

Don't Replace, ADD
Removing the screws is a lot of extra work, for no real benefit. In fact, you might even find that some of the old drywall screws snap when you try to unscrew them, and then you have no practical choice but to add other screws anyway, leaving the partial screws in the studs.
Just add proper cabinet screws. Depending on the layout, you should be able to move a little up or down or left or right from each existing screw and put in a cabinet screw.
Predrilling holes slightly smaller than the new screws is highly recommended. That will make it easier to drive the screws, minimize the risk of any cracking, and also let you easily tell if you are hitting a stud (which you want here).
Thinking about this a little more, this is definitely a case where having two charged up drill/drivers would make the job much easier - one with a drill bit, the other with a screwdriver bit. If you've only got one, I'd pre-drill a bunch of holes then come back around with the screws.


Is there something wrong with this energy efficient window?

Condensation between the glass on multi-pane windows means the seal is compromised and the inert gas between the panes has escaped. So, yes... something is wrong.


How reliable AFDD switches are? (fire protection switches)

In my opinion AFCI / AFDD are not nearly as good as they ought to be, but that's another matter.
I also do not know what codes would apply in your locale but in many, even if the AFDD reduces the hazard, it does not bring you up to code, leading to problems with insurance, sale of the house, etc.
But aside from those problems, I don't believe it's a sufficient remediation.  AFDDs are intended to detect the "signature" of arcing faults, that is, to recognize electrical activity in the circuit that indicates arcing is occurring.  With a bad screw terminal connection, you can get a high resistance non-arcing fault, where the connection will heat up and possibly start a fire, without ever causing an arc and without ever triggering an arc detecting device.


Gas line pressure testing, is there an acceptable limit for losses?

You have a leak, and given that it's gas piping, you need to fix it.
For an air compressor, you might live with that sort of leak, but you don't have to.
For gas, it's unacceptable.
"Nothing is going to stay pressurized forever without maintenance" - for adequate values of forever, sure, the pipe will rust away. My "properly assembled" portable air tank, with a gauge and a quick-disconnect and a hose left on the quick disconnect with another quick-disconnect and a tire chuck holds pressure for (at least) months. If your gas piping won't hold pressure for a week, that's going to be a problem.
Small variations (which can go up as well as down) may be seen due to changes in temperature. I very much doubt that's the case for your pipe. Add more pressure, get out the soapy water (plus glycerine if you can find some, or buy "leak detector fluid" if you like - or just bubble solution for blowing bubbles) and start checking every joint. At least one is bubbling and needs to be remade properly.


The main panel appears to have a nice fat braided ground on the ground rod.

For the 60A subpanel and 50A A/C service, a 10 AWG ground wire is perfectly adequate.  Not seeing the problem.

The 30A sub is a Zinsco, which some very serious fire-starting problems with its buses, which can't be fixed by swapping breakers.  Since it appears to be configured as a disconnect switch anyway, maybe you can replace it with that.

I could do without the artiste "runt"-ing off all the wires to barely long enough to go where they're going right now.  You'll hate that guy if you ever have to put in GFCI or AFCI.


My brother was shocked plugging in an HDMI cable, what could be the cause?

If he received burns, it doesn't sound like static electricity. Another common source of sparks is the so called Y-filtering capacitors in ungrounded power supplies, but I've never heard of them causing burns, just a mild tingle.

It sounds more like he ended up shorting mains phase to ground or neutral. Which would most likely mean that one of your safety ground wires is actually connected to mains power, an installation mistake that is very dangerous. I suggest you get an electrician to check it out as soon as possible, and avoid touching the equipment in the meanwhile.


This requirement is to provide a good clean standing area when accessing it.
If the inspector would give you flack for it (call them in advance whether they would) you can build out the bit of wall the electric panel is mounted to such that the water line is actually under the panel inside the wall instead of in front.


Can I sand and re-varnish a flawed area on my staircase?

Of course you can do it, and you probably can even get the polyurethane to look pretty good. The trick might be how closely you can get the stain to match. If it's a very light stain or an extremely dark stain it will be more forgiving.

If it's a tone somewhere in the middle, you will need to judge your skill level, and make sure the color is spot on before re-applying the varnish.


A 1" T fits the pipe and a 1" valve does not, why?

That valve is for a different type of piping system called CPVC and the sizes and fittings are different. The difference is deliberate because CPVC is rated for hot water whereas regular PVC is not; they don't want people to accidentally (or deliberately, to save money) install regular PVC pipe or fittings on a hot water system.
Look at the valve label.


Can I glue a sleeve over a cracked dishwasher inlet line on my brand new garbage disposal unit?

With your inlet line cracked it might be possible to repair depending on how much of that inlet line exists.

as an FYI fro a better route: If you purchased that thing via HD or Lo - take it back for an exchange - they generally will do it. even if you are outside of 30 days. Damaged in shipping file a damage claim with the carrier.

Now on to the answer if the better route is not possible for you.

Repairing ABS plastic is not the easiest and I do not know if ABS is weldable like PVC pipe is.

What I would do is insert a small piece of Thin Wall copper pipe on the inside of the inlet for support and on the outer side maybe fit PVC or a tight fit Rubber Hose over the outer side with and connect my dishwasher outlet into it. You can use a high temp gasket sealant with this setup as well but don't use too much. Make sure you provide some strain/stress relief on the pipe as well.

See below for an example.


Can gas water heater thermostat temperatures drift?

Yes a thermostat can malfunction and it's certainly possible that what you're seeing is related to a bad one.  You might consider replacing it because an erratic thermostat can be dangerous.

At 15 years old, however, you might consider replacing the entire unit.


Looks like a Linear Halogen R7s but you need to measure it to get the right length eg 78mm/118mm.


My pump has a small outlet that is covered to capture the oil that may spray out if the pump is turned on without a load, or when first pumping down a system so the oil doesn't get blown out of the pump but is drained back into the pump. Most mechanical high vacuum pumps are rotary vane these use a fiber plate and the oil to make the seal. If there is no load the pump pulls more oil in and pushes it out the exhaust (some pumps do make big oil messes if not loaded for long or allowed full flow at the start of a pump down. Some less expensive pumps have a port to direct the oil into a container (vacuum pump oil can get expensive). There should be a warning if the pump doesn't have an oil reclaim system because it can be very messy.


What are these things on my window frames?

I removed one of these devices, and behind it I found two voids in the frame leading to some more foam. I believe that these are "trickle vents", which are required in UK building regulations. In a modern, well insulated house, there is little exchange of air with the outside, which can cause moisture to build up in the air leading to condensation and damp. Trickle vents are intended to prevent this from happening. The protruding thing in the middle of the vent pictured allows the vent to be sealed shut.


how can I drill a 1/2" diameter, 1/2" deep hole in 3/4" particle board?

Forstner bits (as mentioned by @keshlam) have much less of a protruding point, and would do an adequate job of drilling a 1/2" hole without poking though the remaining 1/4"

If you pick them up cheaply (bucket-o-bits at the flea market or yard sale) you can also grind off most of the point on a spade bit - start the hole with the normal "long-point" version, then change to one with the point severely shortened.

In the event that you want a truly flat-bottomed hole (which does not seem essential here), and if you happen to have the tools (buying them for the sake of making holes for cabinet legs is not economically sensible) a 1/2" plunge (or "end-cutting") router bit and and a plunge router will get you a totally flat-bottomed 1/2" hole 1/2" deep (if you set the plunge depth to 1/2", and hold or clamp the thing firmly in place so you son't cut a slot.)


How could one create a man sized cylinder be created with woodworking?

If you want near perfect circles, rig a router with a trammel beam rotating around a fixed point. You'll get repeatable sizes with a good edge.