HVAC tripping breaker - things to check before replacing?

The condition you describe is usually an indication that the compressor is unable to provide sufficient start torque to turn without drawing excessive amperage. This is frequently due to a weak run capacitor on the compressor.  Less frequently this can be caused by a contactor in poor condition or an old compressor where the bearings have worn to the point that the unit requires higher starting torque than normal.  Given what you have already eliminated, the cure to this problem is very likely to be one of, or a combination of, the following:

The run capacitor for the compressor is weak (most likely).  This cannot be determined by visual inspection.   If not already checked with a meter, then disconnect the capacitor and measure it with a capacitance meter (the main disconnect must be OFF).  If less than 90% of the labeled value, then it must be replaced.  Multi-meters with a capacitance scale are less than $20 from Amazon and others.
The contacts on the compressor contactor are badly pitted.  This can cause a high resistance connection in the contactor.  Visually inspect the compressor contactor for any signs of heat damage.  If possible (with the main power off), remove the arc-shield and inspect the contacts for pitting.  If there are many deep pits (greater than 1/32"), then the contactor must be replaced.
The compressor is a bit worn.  To provide the increased starting torque necessary, install a "hard-start" kit for the correct horsepower unit that you have (roughly, your compressor motor will be 1 HP for each 12000 BTU cooling capacity).  I prefer the 3-wire type of hard-start kit because it is more stout, although these are more difficult to find online than the 2-wire type.  The 3-wire kits are readily available at A/C supply houses and perhaps your next technician can help you with this.  If this is the problem then your unit may be on its way out; however, compressors can run many additional years with the correct hard start kit installed.
Install a 3-5 min "delay on make" on the compressor contactor coil (a $10 part).  If you install a 2-wire hard start kit, it is mandatory that you also have a 5 minute delay installed.  (Note that if you cycle the breaker for the compressor while unit is running, the delay on make will not be triggered and you may still trip the breaker with this action).


Is my plan for a shed base on pre-cast concrete supports reasonable?

What's the purpose of the two blocks in the center? Unless they're support a beam, they only effectively support the individual joists they're under. I would't use them. Worst case scenario they cause bulges in your floor.

The metal angles are also unnecessary. The fasteners you use to connect the joists (galvanized 20d nails or 3" coated screws), along with the floor sheathing, are adequate.

Finally, ask yourself whether you actually need the pyramids. Your PT lumber is rated for ground contact, and raising a shed that high makes for access challenges. You'd probably need to build a ramp at least 4 feet long. I've built two such sheds at my homes and simply rested the 2x4 floor framing on a washed rock base. If you do that, lay housewrap or poly sheeting under the floor sheathing to protect it from excess moisture.

I don't know what "cross members" are, but blocking isn't really necessary for an 8' span, in my experienced opinion.

Otherwise, I think you have a good plan.


It is typical that the flooring gap needs to be about 3/8 inch from the wall. Drywall on walls is very often 1/2 inch thick. You could this simply elect to just run the flooring right up to the edge of the drywall without sticking it underneath there.


How should a section of cast iron piping be replaced?

Cast Iron drain pipe with Bell fittings, these are packed with oakum and overlaid with hot poured lead driven in place to seal and then a second layer poured in to complete the seal.

It may only need the lead driven in to repack the oakum and a new layer of lead poured.

Contact a plumber with knowledge about old drain systems, cast iron can take a long time to rust through and may not need replacement.


Three-way bulb's brightness levels are out of sequence

17-Nov-15:  Received a response from GE Lighting:
This product (LED22A50/150) was designed to have the highest light setting in the middle position.

In other words, the order of the light settings is low(50), high(150) and medium(100).

This was done so that if you use the bulb in a single wattage socket it will light on the highest light setting.

Wonderful!  So it works in a single wattage socket AND doesn’t behave like a standard three-way bulb!


What is causing cracking and creaking noises in the ceiling and walls?

You're saying that noise occurs when the AC is running. Is it possible that your AC's refrigerant line runs through or above your bedroom ceiling? If improperly installed, it may rub against structure when the line expands/contracts as its temperature changes, creating the noise.

It's also possible that a noise could come from air ducts in your ceiling/walls, but from your description the most likely culprit is thermal expansion/contraction of a metal pipe/tube rubbing against wood.


Florescent shop light kicks off GFC wall outlet

I would swap the GFCI with another one, and see if the problem repeats. Then replace either the light or GFCI, accordingly.

No fluorescent fixture should ever trip a GFCI, if it does, it's the ballast, either due to being really cheap, or having a fault.  Given that ALL garage outlets must now be GFCI, I can't see how anyone could get away with selling a fluorescent fixture that trips GFCIs.

Like Machavity says, replacing an old one isn't a bad idea.  And the best reason is the march of technology: New ones are better.  Just don't lose that advantage by getting a bottom-shelf junk unit.


Gas Furnace Electrical Schematic Diagram - Meaning of Plus Sign inside Circle?

They're ground screws

Those are screw-head symbols (stylized Philips heads) that represent where chassis ground wires are screwed to the furnace chassis/sheet metal.  I cannot tell you why they're used for inside-the-control-box grounds though (vs. the use of the regular earth symbol for outside-the-control-box-grounds).  Perhaps it has something to do with them being explicit wire connection points?


What size and type wire should be used for 100 ft away work shop

Your voltage drop is almost the same for a 240v feeder at 100’ at a full load. 1.84% with copper and 1.91% for aluminum. I would save a few bucks and go with aluminum for a residential feeder,  code had no hard standard for voltage drop but the recommendation is 3% at the sub and 5% an the end of the branch circuit. Remember you need 4 wire , 2 hot a ground and a neutral. Since it is detached you will also need a grounding electrode. If the 50 amp GFCI panel is in the shop ok but I would not recommend a GFCI feeder from your main panel, that’s a long way to walk for trips. Keep the GFCI protection local to the shed.  The terminals on your panel and breakers are aluminum and copper compatible.


The Code requires a minimum ceiling height of 7’-0” for habitable spaces, unless 1) it’s a slopped ceiling, 2) basement remodel, 3) bathroom or shower. (See ICC R304.1)

Slopped ceilings shall have at least 50% with at least 7’ and slope down to no more than 5’.

Basements can have 6’-8” ceilings in non-habitable spaces.

Not more than 75% of a sloped ceiling in a bathroom can be less than 7’ if a space in front of toilet, sink, shower is 6’-4” high.

Summary:
Your 6’-2” ceiling height is not acceptable for habitable space. Therefore, the space is considered a crawl space and the “access” needs to be a minimum of 18” x 24”. ((See ICC 1209.1)


Requesting Evaluation of Power Plan at Rural Cabin

The bare ground + triplex is a reasonable solution, assuming we're talking type USE triplex here

Underground direct bury multiplex cables, such as the USE triplex your power company is trying to sell you on, have all their conductors (hots + neutral) insulated.  This means that you can use it along with the separate ground wire in the same trench, as per NEC 300.5(I):

  (I) Conductors of the Same Circuit All conductors of the same circuit, and where used, the grounded conductor and all equipment grounding conductors shall be installed in the same raceway or cable or shall be installed in close proximity in the same trench.

TORQUE ALL LUGS TO SPEC WITH A TORQUE WRENCH

Aluminum wire on aluminum lugs (as in a typical panel) works great -- no problems with dissimilar metals, expansion rates, or any other things that could invoke aluminum ooga-booga.  However, the setscrew-type lugs in a panelboard are sensitive to torque -- too loose is no good, obviously, but too tight can lead to problems with smashed conductors and damaged panel lugs as well, and aluminum is not as forgiving of this as copper is.

As a result (and this is a Code requirement as of 2017, see NEC 110.14(D) for details), you will need to use a torque wrench (preferably calibrated in inch-pounds, since a foot-pound unit will likely be sloppy at the relatively low torques called for on panel lugs) to torque the lugs to manufacturer specified torque in order to achieve proper reliability.

This is especially important for you as the power company can legally sell you a type USE only triplex here (instead of tri-rated USE/RHH-2/RHW-2), and that cable can legally, as per 310.106(B), be made from the unforgiving EC-grade (AA-1350) aluminum that did such a miserable job at being building wiring back in the day.  (The assumption is that the power company knows what they're doing when terminating cables.)

Expansion is a concern here

My other concern with this setup, as amended to correct the grounding issue between the pole-panel and the house-panel, is the lack of expandability.  You'll be severely constricted in the pole-panel by the "rule of six" limiting how many breaker throws you can put in it, and actual 100A panels don't come in upwards of 24 slots or so, which limits the house panel.  Furthermore, having to replace both panels in addition to re-trenching wire and such just aggravates any potential upgrades rather needlessly, and 200A breakers take up lots of panel space.

So, going with Siemens hardware here (although equivalent parts are available in Eaton's BR line (OK) or Square-D Homeline (cough) as fallback options if you can't get the Siemens stuff from your friendly local electrical supply house), this gives us an amended plan as to the panels themselves:

Starting at the pole, we throw out the idea of using a main lug panel here altogether.  Instead, we use a convertible, 200A panel, field fitted with a 100A main breaker but factory fitted with a second pair of lugs, called feed-through lugs -- the Siemens part number for this is PW0816L1200TC, and you'll need a MBK100A kit for the field fitted main breaker.  These are normally used as service entrances to mobile/trailer homes, but provide a good slot economy in a pole-mount application like yours as well.  In the Square-D world, you're talking about a HOM816M150PFTRB fitted with a QOM2100VH main breaker instead of the stock 150A main, as there are no QO mobile home loadcenters, and putting a NQ panelboard on your pole is a mighty expensive proposition.
In the pole panel, once you have the main breaker in, the service conductors land on it, and the house feeder is taken off the feed-through lugs instead of off a breaker.  This leaves plenty of room for your GFCI (even though you won't be able to use a plug-on neutral type here, even if you go Square-D, as PoN is not available on these mobile home type panels) as well as other outdoor circuits (to other outbuildings and so forth) you wish to add later on.
Going to the house panel, you want lots of slots, and that means using a 200 or 225A panel chassis.  In the Siemens lineup, this'd be a P5470B1200CU.  If you are sticking to the Square-D catalog, you can go to 60 slots using a QO160M200PC -- Homeline has an equivalent loadcenter, but I wouldn't bother with it for your main interior panel unless you didn't have the choice.
Now that you have the house panel taken care of, your plan to run 10/2 to the shed is fine -- you might as well use 10/2 UF for the other outdoor receptacle as well, as that lets you get a straight-forward 100' of 10/2 UF instead of 75' of 10/2 and 25' of 12/2.  One problem with putting a GFCI breaker in for the shed circuit, though, is that your lights will go out if you trip it on account of a ground fault.  You'll also need a disconnecting means at the shed -- this can be a molded-case disconnect switch similar to what's used as a service disconnect for an air conditioner, though, or even a subpanel, which'd let you put a 20A GFCI breaker in for the receptacles and an ordinary 15 or 20A breaker in for the lighting, along with a main breaker to serve as the disconnecting means.


What is causing these water "trails" on inside of exterior wall?

I wanted to comment on this but don't have enough reputation.

My childhood house had these marks in the basement on interior walls. They looked just like the marks in your picture. They only occurred on walls near my bathroom where people generally took long, hot showers.

I'm not saying this is the cause, but for me they clearly had a correlation with the steam from the shower. The more long and hot showers were taken the more visible the marks seemed to be.

Again, not really intending this as a good answer, but I cannot comment.


What you want is typically referred to as a "whole home water filter".  The name isn't the best description of what it is, but basically they are high-volume water filters that only filter out sediment and relatively large particulate.  They do not bring water to a "drinking water" quality but do filter out anything that would be harmful to appliances.

The good news for you is that they can be cheap enough for a simple installation like yours:

Image from:
http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-Whole-Home-Water-Filtration-System-GXWH04F/100471282

Only $20, which is a low enough price to put it into the "why not" category.  If you have any reason to believe the water might have some sediment it in, that's enough justification to use one.

To replace the filter, the whole bottom part screws off and a new filter cartridge is put in.  This model says to replace the filter every 3 months, but with your low volume it would probably last much longer.


Is it a problem to leave a sprinkler line through concrete shed footing?

People put flexible pipes inside concrete all the time (this is how heated floors are made)

you should space it away from the floor and trench mesh so that it does not become a conduit for moisture (from the soil) and oxygen to attack the reinforcing steel

If you have more of that line and some elbows now would be a good time to move it. But if you're feeling lazy it doesn't look particularly hard to replace the under-slab section with an external loop at a later date. if needed.


How can I support an already installed shower valve?

I'd consider canned spray foam around 2 or more pipes slightly back in the wall cavity (not around the valve itself). The foam should have enough flexibility to handle expansion, and the wide contact area should provide solid stability.

Be sure to use window & door (minimal expansion) foam so you don't bulge your drywall.


How to re-attach old bathroom floor tiles

Those tiles did not adhere properly for one or more of several reasons: inadequate substrate preparation, inadequate or improper adhesive, adhesive not used correctly, etc.

My opinion is: not enough adhesive was used to bond the tiles. Also, the concrete may not have been made completely smooth and clean prior to installation.

There are two basic ways to bond that tile to concrete, the most common method is thin-set mortar (a cementitious tile adhesive), the second would be a pre-mixed tile adhesive sometimes called mastic.

You should:

use a putty knife or margin trowel to assess how well all surrounding tiles have bonded (pry up just a bit, gently) and remove any additional tiles that are not properly bonded, as these will be likely to come loose soon if they hav not already.
scrape all remaining adhesive and anything else from the concrete with a razor scraper, then wash concrete clean and let dry.
remove as much old adhesive from the back of the tiles as you can (this will be difficult, especially since the tiles appear to be so small); if you have new matching tiles available then use those instead.
install the tiles, following the directions for your chosen adhesive carefully (I would probably use the mastic because you will have a better chance of getting the tiles level with the surrounding field). I cannot tell how large those tiles are because there is nothing for scale in the picture, but it looks like mosaic so if it is and there are specific instructions for mosaic on the adhesive package, follow that.
grout only after waiting appropriate time recommended on adhesive instructions.


How should a buried water hose be winterized?

You should definitely blow out the water to winterize. Anything in that hose will definitely freeze. There may be enough space in the line to get lucky and make it through a winter, but it'll eventually ruin that hose and replacing it looks like it would be annoying. They make adapters for air compressors to do this very thing.

You can rent or borrow an air compressor and use something like this to connect (sometimes called a blow out hose or blow out plug)


Adapter: male pvc pipe to female metal outdoor faucet

It sounds like you're looking for an extender of sorts. I've used fittings like that which also change pipe size at the same time: for example, an adapter with 1/2" female thread going to 1/4" male thread. These are usually brass. I haven't seen one in which the pipe size does not change. You'd probably have to use a regular threaded coupler followed by a nipple of whatever length suits you.
The real problem, though, is that you have a plastic-to-metal threaded connection that's leaking -- is that right? You don't need extra fittings to fix this. All you need is some pipe joint compound, sometimes called "pipe dope." Choose one that includes PTFE (Teflon). Disassemble the leaking joint, dry the male thread, apply the compound, reassemble. Wipe away the excess compound and test for leaks. Chances are high this is all you'll need.


Glass rod joining/welding: temperature instead of glueing?

I doubt this will work. For starters, from what I can see online, depending on what is in it, glass melts somewhere between 2700 and 4200 degrees F (1500-2300 °C). Butane burns at a temperature of 788°F (420°C). You also mentioned nichrome wire - but this too simply will not generate sufficient heat. Nichrome itself melts at 2552°F (1400°C), so it would not be able to transfer sufficient heat to glass without itself melting.

Even if you could heat glass up enough to melt it, thermal stresses can be significant. So you may find that the glass shatters if you did heat it sufficiently. Those craftspeople who do work with glass also have torches and furnaces that are capable of significantly more heat than you can get from any simply source that a handyman can provide.

Just use glue, perhaps a decent two part epoxy to join these pieces together.


Flies (assuming common house flies) are attracted to gaseous chemicals released by decaying things. No decay, no flies. If you have removed the bin and they are still coming in, it's because there are still traces of decaying material attracting them. Clean everything with a strong household cleaner or a solution of diluted bleach.


Sewer smell in basement - missing venting or other leak?

Didn’t read entire article.  Did you poor water down the floor drain.   The water evaporates over time, I fill my monthly with a 1/2 gallon of water.


Paint over it.

Both the wood and the concrete will pass moisture more or less evenly, so there is no reason to expect that wood chip to pop out later.  And if it does, it's not exactly the end of the world.  Doing the extra work to remove it now isn't going to make your life any easier...

You might hit it with some sand paper on a sanding block, as it loos like there is sawdusrt along with the wood chips.  I would expect some of it to fall out, but probably not the larger chips.  The sawdust falls into the category of "loose dirt" potentially, so knocking off loose dirt is a good thing.


NM-B cable is rated for 15A at 60C.

60C is 140F.


Why is my breaker tripping after hooking dishwasher back up?

I would suggest when reconnecting it the must be a short somewhere. Check all the cables are neat and terminated correctly and neatly.


Which side is up for the undersink Contact protector?

The "woven" pattern faces up, the smooth side faces down (toward the floor). The smooth side will grip nicely against smooth clean cabinet floor surface, resisting slipping/movement.


Want to add sub-panel in my barn - 115v, 60amp?

If you have a main panel at the barn that would support a 60A feed, you're very likely in luck - because that would be a 240V panel, (you're thinking 230 but you're outdated) and all you need for 60A worth of 120V circuits is a 30A 240V 4-wire feed (Hot, Hot, Neutral and Ground.)
Were it my barn I didn't want to burn down, I'd run EMT (electrical metallic tube, the lightest form of conduit) because barns have rodents, but if I was not into  learning how to run conduit (or hire that part of the job out) I'd run 10/3 MC cable with a flexible metallic armor to resist rodent teeth.
I would use 20A (and 12 Ga) for the tool circuits, 15A (and 14 Ga) for the lighting circuit(s) unless planning to go terribly retro and inefficient for the lights, and recall that subpanel size (and what the breakers add up to) does not need to match the feed breaker (It's perfectly fine to put a 100A subpanel and feed it with a 30A feed breaker.) You'll only run into "size" problems if you pull more than 30A from one "leg" or hot-to-neutral (for 120V) at one time.
You may also be able to rewire the lathe motor to run on 240V (at 7.5A) and install a 15A 240V outlet (with 14Ga wire) for that purpose. Many such motors can be rewired that way.


LVL Floor Joist Notch / Reinforcement Question

The engineered lumber should be marked with the name of its manufacturer. Each manufacturer publishes information about the size and positioning of cutouts that are allowed on a "prescriptive" basis. If you can't find a cutout or notch description in those tables then you'd need a structural engineer to design something specific for you.

The steel I beam approach you proposed may work, but it may not be necessary to go that far. It may be possible to simply reinforce the joist that is to be notched, for example by attaching a plywood or steel sheet gusset to the sides of the joist extending some distance beyond the notch.

An alternative is to cut out the marked part of the joist completely. A beam may be installed crosswise between the joists to the left and the right of the marked joist so that those two carry the load of the cut joist. Doing this is likely to require those two joists to be reinforced in some way, such as "sistering" them by installing a second joist alongside the existing joists. The "sister" might be dimensional lumber, another LVL of same or different depth, etc.

A structural engineer could help you figure the loads carried by the floor above and choose the "best" approach based on material cost, practicality of carrying materials into the space and installing them, etc.


I looked at what was available, didn't like any of it, and simply ordered enough Tees (3/4 x 1/2 x 3/4 mostly, with a few 3/4 x 3/4 x 3/4) and valves to build my own from PEX (using a ring of 3/4" PEX as the "manifold."


Upstairs Story Not Cooling Despite Working AC?

It looks like the air handlers are both in the basement.  There will be a fairly significant friction loss due to the added distance of the second story air ducts.  If the ducts weren't carefully sized and balanced from the beginning, this could impede the airflow.

Another factor could be the return air.  If the upper story does not have its own return air, then the returns will be sucking air from upstairs down to the lower floors when the system is on.


How to get rid of smell after wood stain applied?

Once the stain is totally dry the smell will be gone a coat of varnish will make the buttons look better but the stain needs to be dry prior to applying the varnish.


I live in a log home with metal gable roofs.  They're made of metal panels, overlapped and screwed though with gaskets etc., but no insulation beneath them (there's an attic).  The metal roof does indeed add noticeable noise in a rainstorm, but we find it actually soothing.  It's sort of a soft drumming noise, except in the worst storms.  More surprisingly, we hear the panels clank and pop all day long, as the sun heats different sections of them.  Again, not a bothersome sound, but even after 6 months in the house, we still remark on it frequently.


Replace stair treads on a prefabricated staircase

I can't really tell what I'm seeing in your screen image, but I think your plan is reasonable. If the stringer isn't tall enough to add the individual 2x4 ledgers you describe, you could use steel angles bolted to it.

Were it my project, though, I'd be cutting the treads out and building three new stringers, using the existing setup as a pattern and adjusting for any variation in tread thickness. I'd cut them out of 2x12 or LVL stock and fasten them in place, using construction adhesive at all joints to add stiffness and prevent noise. It's not difficult and then you have a staircase built to high quality standards.


How should large, stranded ground conductors be connected to metal junction boxes?

You can connect in much the same way you connect anything else. The only difference is the size of the wire nut. Something like a B-cap B4 Blue would do it, or you can just go with a small split bolt connector if you feel the wirenut would be over capacity.

By the way you don't use a #8 to the box since this is a bond not a grounding conductor. A #10 would be good for a 60A circuit if that is what the #6 is for. To bond to the box you could pigtail and attach to the box with a standard grounding screw (green) and use a crimp connector (spade, loop or some such).

NEC Table 250.122 Minimum size equipment grounding conductor. You size it off of the overcurrent Device. If you feel like doing some more reading you can go to 250 Part 5 Methods of equipment grounding which will refer you to 250.30(A)(1) and on and on and on. The gist of it is go to Table 250.122 and size it from there.

Good luck


The best thing to do is replace the defective wiring. Disconnect the load side of the GFCI and at all downstream junctions. Then check for neutral/ground continuity on each segment of the wiring. Once you locate the segment that shows continuity, search for a short location inside the junction box, and failing that, replace that part of the circuit.

Short of that, depending on your situation, you may not need to wire the following outlets to the GFCI load (e.g. if they are not in the bathroom). You could pigtail the load connection to the line side of the GFCI so that the downstream devices are not protected. If they need protection, they can each have their own GFCI installed, again, only wiring to the line side of the GFCI.


Problem controlling propane free-standing stove with a millivolt thermostat

Shorting the two wires -- usually -- turns stove on but not always. When thermostat won't start stove, shorting wires will not start stove.

That might indicate a thermocouple problem.  The thermocouple makes the electricity which the millivolt thermostat is turning on and off.  That electricity opens the gas valve.

Stove turns on/off just fine using manual switch in back of stove.

Oh, well, then. If that manual switch is directly operating the gas, that still points to thermocouple.
If it electrically shorts the wires (as the thermostat does), then that would seem to exclude the thermocouple.  That would point to the wiring in the walls, and 99% of the time, a "wiring in the walls" problem is actually a "loose/corroded/faulty terminal connection".


I am more into features than power.

Most important feature is multi speed function where the trigger is a speed control.
Next is chuck size. Not just max size but also min bit size
Reversible is cool but I don't really use it.
Lastly make is a factor and generally you get what you pay for. On the DIY side drills last years. Just pay the few extra bucks, you will never regret it. But also remember you don't need pro grade that's overkill. 450 sounds ok. I have 3 - 550 watt drills and they are great.


Is 5/8" plywood over 1/2" board subfloor adequate for tile?

Your plan is reasonable, but I'd make a few suggestions...

Most tile and mortar manufacturers want 1-1/4" minimum subfloor. I'm not sure if the Ditra helps with that, but you probably want to go with 3/4" plywood.
1-1/2" screws are likely to strip in that aged wood. I'd use 2" or 2-1/2". They need to sink flush or below.
You don't need expensive coated deck screws. Plain gold construction screws will do. Don't use black oxide drywall screws. They're too brittle.
It's not so important that you screw every 6 inches as much as it's important that every board is down securely. Screw about 3/4" in from each edge of each board.
Consider a small-bead zigzag of construction adhesive under the plywood, perpendicular to the boards below. This will help lock in any movement (which makes noise). A screw pattern of about 12" on each joist should be plenty for the plywood, then.


How to install a toilet on raised flooring

Given that there is plywood on top of the foam to spread the load out, if you use even the usual lowest grade of XPS (not sure what type of foam you actually used or plan to use) it should not deform under load. That grade is 25PSI, so if the plywood spreads the load to 16 square inches of floor it should still hold up a 100 lb toilet and a 300 lb person - and in fact the load will be spread to much more floor area, with any normal toilet base and plywood. The one I recently installed was probably north of 200 square inches just for the toilet base area, but some are smaller.
You can also get higher grade foam - up to 100PSI is available, or you can use solid wood or masonry (won't rot, wood might eventually) right under the toilet if you'd feel better about those options. Cut a hole in the flooring system, extend the flange, pour concrete. That will stay put until someone remodels and comes at it with a hammer...


How can I join vinyl decking to metal door frame?

Based on questions answered in chat you have a case where the contractor didn't measure the deck properly, and built it too high, could not flash properly under the door frame, and performed a "some genius" move putting a transition strip (meant for interior use) over top of the door frame and the vinyl, with caulk under neath.

Stupid.

Two options:  1 cheap and temporary, 1 expensive and proper.

Cheap: Use proper caulk (props to @tester101)

Option 2 - and the door is old so this isn't actually a terrible idea.

Replace the door.  In the process, raise the rough opening of the door frame half an inch or so - however much is necessary to be able to put a proper piece of flashing under the door frame and over the vinyl.

You will probably have to custom order a door to fit your new rough opening, but at least you can seal the door area properly.

And props to @bmitch for pointing out that flashing needs to run the entire width of the deck.


It looks like the P117 + E117 was an intelligent system. Sort of like a NEST, but in 2 parts. This is different from the typical (in the US at least) thermostat where the thermostat - whether an old Honeywell dial, a typical digital setback thermostat, or a newfangled NEST - communicates to the HVAC equipment using a fairly standard set of wires. From the NEST manual:

Heating: one, two, and three stages (W1, W2, W3)
Cooling: one and two stages (Y1, Y2)
Heat pump: with auxiliary and emergency heat (O/B, AUX, E)
Fan (G)
Power (C, RH, RC)
Humidifier or dehumidifier (HUM, DEHUM)

You can actually see some of these wires in the P117/E117 diagram. For example, the upper right shows connections to C/X (the /X doesn't match NEST), R, G, W2; the right shows C, R, O/B, Y, W.

The problem is you can't just rip out the P117 and E117 and put in the NEST because you only have a 3-wire connection (which is all two computers need to talk to each other - equivalent to an old serial port send/receive/ground). You will likely need to find a way to run a new cable with more wires from the actual HVAC equipment directly to the NEST and then you can remove BOTH the P117 and E117.

Based on your comment that you already have a cable with the standard colors, you need to:

Find and label all connections from your HVAC equipment to the P117.
Replace all the connections from the P117 with the appropriate thermostat cable wires.
Connect the NEST to the matching wires.

One critical piece is power. If I understand the diagram correctly, power is supplied on C/X and R in the upper right. The NEST needs power and that is listed as C, RH, RC. So C/X --> C and probably R to your choice of RH or RC. But I can't say for sure. The good news is that it looks like the C/X - R is 24V AC, which is standard for the US.


Unless there are holes in the vinyl flooring it is probably getting through where the vinyl meets the tub or the wall. Just use a clear or white 100% silicone bath caulk to seal those junctions.

Make sure it is rated for resistance to mold/mildew.


What are the drawbacks of putting down pavers for an alley without a sub-surface?

No tips other than doing it properly.

Otherwise the pavers will be all wonky and wavy within 1-2 years in most cases.

You could try digging down the height of paver, compacting a little, putting pavers in and fill cracks with dirt and planting grass in the cracks. No guarantees from me on the result over time though. Chance of this working out would completely depend on your soil conditions and weather. I've done this with flagstone and it has worked well.

Also a geotextile fabric would help in keeping uniformity.


Wiring a blank face afci, gfci and a regular outlets in a circuit, made a loud noise in gfci box

Remember: the run from service panel to first AFCI must be either metal-jacketed cable or metal conduit.
I would find that drawing very confusing.  It's always a struggle to show neutral on a white background (hint: don't), but what ere they thinking?  White is the legally required neutral color, and black is the conventional hot color.   So that bung drawing is certainly inviting a hot-neutral reverse sort of mistake.
Anyway, it sounds like your "ka-boom" happened either due to a wiring error, or due to a ground wire touching a hot terminal screw on the "Line" side (if it was on the "Load" side the GFCI would've tripped obviously).   It became a "race condition" between the AFCI detecting an arc fault, the circuit breaker tripping for overcurrent, or the short condition burning itself out.  It sounds like the latter won.

Those 3-lamp testers are rather useful for doing 3 "neon light tester" tests simultaneously... but the sticker's opinion of what the problem is, is so laughably wrong that I call them "Magic 8-ball" testers.

What you have is outer yellow (hot-ground) and red (neutral-ground) lights lit.  That is a typical sign of a lost neutral, with a load plugged in and turned on that is effectively connecting the hot to the dead side of the neutral.
Here's that drawing, fixed.  The creator of that drawing should not be giving AC mains wiring advice in North America.


Attaching a fabric/ribbon border to a bamboo shade

I think hot glue would be the easiest and would do a fine job of holding the fabric in place.

The drawback is that hot glue can change the appearance of the fabric. I recommend using a swatch of fabric as a test piece to ensure that any change caused by application of hot glue is acceptable to you...


Repainting Exterior Doors - Grill Paint vs Appliance Paint

You do need to have a primer for sure.

Just a tip from someone who paints 20+ metal doors a year.  Use automotive spray paint.  Cost a couple bucks more and you can pick it up at local parts store or online.  The colors are better, then finish is better, and they make some great looking clear coats.  Two coats of apple red auto paint + 2 coats of clear and I can turn a $20 door into a $500 door.  Sean is right too after your first coat you should give it a sanding.  No matter how well you think you cleaned it there will be dust that binds.  (you can also take your door to an autobody shop and most will paint it for $100 - trick of the trade is to take in 5-6 at a time for around $250 if you use common colors)


Can I make a post and baluster railing terminate into a wall?

You can attach the top of the railing to the wall with a handrail bracket:

You should consider that a safety railing must do its best work during accidents and emergencies. At some point during its lifetime a stair railing will suddenly be subjected to over a hundred pounds of force in some random direction, and it will be because someone is already in trouble and is counting on the railing to save his bones.

Of course you need to locate the bracket on a wall stud.

But even with hefty screws driven into the stud, the bracket will eventually loosen and wobble because it will crush the plaster or wallboard behind it.

You need to cut a plug out of the wall material and replace it with wood or plywood patch to support the bracket. A bit of spackling makes the patch invisible.

Proper installation is a bit of work but necessary for complete safety.

I mounted the stair rails in my house this way and they have not shifted a millimeter in thirty years.


Just a gut feeling, but based on what I've seen that will hold a brick patio flat for a long time, two or three three inch lifts of packed crush under a 5" slab with 10mm rebar at 12-15" should be adequate.  If you want something set on dirt to stay flat and the way you set it a long time, multiple layers of tightly packed gravel give a flat, long lasting high strength base with good drainage for the brick or slab on top.  I don't know enough to be sure of slab thickness but 125 PSI seems like nothing.  It's about 0.86 MPa and Wikipedia says regular strength concrete is good for at least 10 MPa.  If you do a solid base, you can probably even get away with a 4" slab as a hot tub has fairly wide weight distribution and what usually breaks 4" concrete is a wheeled vehicle that concentrates its weight.
Fair warning I'm only aware of electrical codes for hot tubs and my solution might be overkill, but I try to build things to last.  Gravel is relatively cheap, digging, placing and packing are hard work, but you only have to do it once.


For the main deck, I would recommend a floor sander, similar to what's used for finishing hardwood floors. Put a 100-120-grit belt on it and take it back and forth along the deck in the same direction as the planks until you see bare wood. Once you have bare wood, I would apply whatever stain or sealant you want very quickly thereafter, as you have just removed a large portion of both the artificial and natural weather and bug resistance the wood had.

A handheld orbital or belt sander will get most of the stuff off the vertical components (handrails and pickets). You'll need a "corner cat" or other detail sander, or some elbow grease, to get the paint out of crevices and detail work.

You will not be able to avoid taking off some wood along with the paint. Paint (especially a product designed for this kind of outdoor application) will seep into the grain of the wood, and you will be removing wood before you see the color disappear and bare wood show through.

By the way, you will still need to maintain the deck after staining and sealing. The stain will last for quite a while, but you'll need to re-apply the water seal at least once a year, once every 6 months if you get a lot of rain.


Switched receptacle to fully powered receptacle withuot losing light function

You move the hot supplying the receptacle from the downstream connection FROM the switch to the upstream connection SUPPLYING the switch.
However the word "bathroom" should be a huge red flag here.  Do NOT touch a bathroom wiring project involving an outlet unless your intent is to replace said outlet with a GFI.  They do make GFI's with an outlet on one side and a switch on the other.


Trying to change out a ceiling fan need help... 5 wires

Note sure of how you connected them. If Load if attached to neutral its going to make a short circuit and Breaker flips.

Bare Copper wires is usually earthing. Usually black wire is Load and white wire is Neutral. If Black is joining to black(also white with white) then it represent a serial connection that may be used in some other place using the same switch.


Do I need to cover the pipes that will be under the shower base with concrete?

The only requirements are that the pipes and shower base be properly supported. To accomplish that I wouldn't go less than 3" thick with the slab. 4" is more standard. It's only going to take a few bags anyway, so there's no good reason to cheap out. I would want a good air/moisture barrier under my shower.
If you add fill soil be sure to use inorganic material (not black dirt). Sand or gravel are good, as is washed rock. I would run some water in there after the plumbing is finished to compact the soil--just enough to saturate it. That will help prevent settling after the concrete is installed.


Honeywell RTH9585WF Thermostat wiring question

The RTH9585WF should have a Rh/Rc jumper from the factory, if it is missing then you must add one. If you use the green wire as a "c" wire you need to change it on the thermostat and in the air conditioner. You will lose the "fan only" option at the stat.


Running UF-B cable in PVC conduit along house exterior 6/3 for 100'

Since this is for a spa you have no choice but to use individual insulated conductors in conduit since code requires it (with few exceptions).

If it is exposed and above ground most inspectors would require Sch80, unless as you imply it is totally out of harms way.


Will a galvanized tin roof act as a ground for a magnetic rooftop antenna

I take it that you are talking about a cellular reception antenna. if so, then yes, depending on the specific make of antenna, the design is to ground through the metal to enhance the reception.

The metal acts as a ground-plane , which acts as a secondary antenna, using this technique should vastly improve performance.
The larger the metal surface, the better the performance
The device will work fine with no metal surface, however you should notice a performance degradation on a non-metal surface


How can I route an in wall dryer vent through double top plate?

2015 INTERNATIONAL RESIDENTIAL CODE
CHAPTER 15
EXHAUST SYSTEMS

M1502.2 Independent exhaust systems.
 Dryer exhaust systems shall be independent of all other systems and shall
convey the moisture to the outdoors.

M1502.3 Duct termination.
Exhaust ducts shall terminate on the outside of the building. Exhaust duct terminations shall be in accordance with the dryer manufacturer’s installation instructions. If the manufacturer’s instructions do not specify a termination location, the exhaust duct shall terminate not less than 3 feet (914 mm) in any direction from openings into buildings. Exhaust duct terminations shall be
equipped with a backdraft damper. Screens shall not be installed at the duct termination.

Answer.
You can go up or down. It's not advised to cut thru both top plates. The sole plate penetration is prefered. A cleaning access panel is not needed as cleaning can be performed from termination or connection point providing its installed to code.

M1502.4.1 Material and size.
 Exhaust ducts shall have a
smooth interior finish and be constructed of metal having
a minimum thickness of 0.0157 inches (0.3950 mm) (No.
28 gage). The duct shall be 4 inches (102 mm) nominal in
diameter.

M1502.4.2 Duct installation.
 Exhaust ducts shall be supported at intervals not to exceed 12 feet (3658 mm) and shall be secured in place. The insert end of the duct shall extend into the adjoining duct or fitting in the direction of airflow. Exhaust duct joints shall be sealed in accordance with Section M1601.4.1 and shall be mechanically fastened. Ducts shall not be joined with screws or similar fasteners that protrude more than 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) into the inside of the duct.

M1502.4.5.1 Specified length.
 The maximum length of the exhaust duct shall be 35 feet (10 668 mm) from
the connection to the transition duct from the dryer to the outlet terminal.


Why does my furnace need power resets all the time?

It sounds like a safety circuit is telling your furnace not to turn on again until it is serviced. A dirty air filter can be the cause, your control board usually has LED’s that indicate what the fault is by a sequence of flashes. It is best to find the cause of the fault not just powercycling. The brand and model of the furnace and the sequence of flashes could tell us what the fault is. A dirty filter is a first thing to check as they are most often overlooked.


Window unit AC installation in narrow window

The accordion side panels should be removable (in fact the AC is probably sold with them detached to make a more compact box).  To seal the window you'll need to put something else to fill the gap between the side of the AC and the window frame.  A small piece of plywood cut to fit would probably work.


What is the minimum distance required between handrail posts and opposite wall?

This answer depends on where you are in the world and if you are in the USA what state you live in.

Section R311.7.1 IRC 2009:

Stairways shall not be less than 36 inches (914 mm) in clear
width at all points above the permitted handrail height and
below  the  required  headroom  height.  Handrails  shall  not  project  more  than  4.5  inches  (114  mm)  on  either  side  of  the
stairway  and  the  minimum  clear  width  of  the  stairway  at  and  below  the  handrail  height,  including  treads  and  landings, shall not be less than 31.5 inches (787 mm) where a handrail is installed on one side and 27 (698 mm) where handrails are provided on both sides.
Exception:
 The width of spiral stairways shall be in accordance with Section R311.5.8.

Above snippet from:
http://www.co.stevens.wa.us/landservices/documents/STAIRWAYSECTION.pdf


April Aire 600 powers off while furnace is firing

Humidifier must run while the furnace runs

Aprilaire model 600 operates on the principle of evaporation. It's an evaporative cooler ("swamp cooler") installed in the heating system. It's installed as a bypass between the furnace outlet and the cold air return; a portion of the hot air coming out of the furnaces goes through the Aprilaire 600, picks up moisture, and goes immediately into the furnace air return.

Because of its operation, it's very important that the water valve can operate while the furnace blower and burners are running. Otherwise, each heating cycle of the furnace can add no more water than whatever is left standing in the humidifier's pad.

ecobee could control the humidifier

The ecobee3 and ecobee4 thermostats can control that Aprilaire 600 directly. Is yours one of these? Do you prefer to use the Aprilaire controller instead, or is this arrangement simply a result of not knowing the Ecobee has this capability? It's not impossible to make everything work correctly with the Aprilaire controller but it's simpler to let the ecobee manage humidity for you.

Wiring for ecobee control of humidifier

When the ecobee is installed there's a setup wizard that figures out whether and how you have a humidifier connected. After getting the wiring sorted out we'll circle back to fixing that configuration (I'll edit it in after you confirm this is the direction you want to go).

If your ecobee model is one that supports accessories there's an easy way and a less-easy way to wire it. The easy way involves the transformer that came with the Aprilaire unit. Make a ring: one transformer wire connects to one water valve wire, the other water valve wire connects to one of the ecobee ACC terminals, the other ecobee ACC terminal connects back to the second transformer wire.

The less-easy way powers the Aprilaire 600 water valve using the transformer that's already in the furnace. This is how I have mine set up, but I don't recall exactly which wires I used. I'll have to edit to add detail on that..


How can I reduce drying time for alkyd paint?

For oil-based paint, what you are looking for can be called a hardener, accelerator, catalyst, drier, and I'm sure other things.

Paint (coatings) chemistry is complicated. With oil based paint, I find a more helpful mental model of the "drying" process is less the liquid drying/evaporating away, and more of a chemical reaction happening to make a polymer (plastic if you would).

Japan drier is an old-timey product, readily available in your regular hardware store that is supposed to be used for this.  Getting back to the "paint chemistry is complicated part," it is strictly best to use a product recommended by the paint manufacturer as compatible.

Valspar and Majic both sell hardeners that speed drying time, intended to work with tractor/implement paint, which are pretty basic oil-based paints.  EX: Valspar 4625 Enamel Hardener

You mentioned you are working with wood.  For primer I would suggest you check out something like BIN from Zinsser, I think Kilz has a similar product.  I think they are generally shellac based (in which case solvent evaporation is the main process), are intended to be fast drying, and to work with a variety of top coats including oil-based.  Usually used for cover up jobs in things like rentals.

Anecdotally, I've thinned run-of-the-mill oil paint (Rustoleum) with acetone, and it did get to the hard state much faster.  Rustoleum recommends a very low amount of acetone be mixed in.  I used more than the recommended amount, because I just needed some temporary surface rust protection, but wouldn't want to make claims about the long term durability.


<disclaimer>
Unless you're an electrician or someone who has had some experience with electrical work and you're working on your own home, do not try to connect a generator yourself. You could endanger not only yourself, but also anyone that might be working on the mains. </disclaimer>

Use a search engine and read up on "how to safely connect a generator". It's interesting stuff to read, but see the caveat above.

If you're considering doing this without a transfer switch or interlock, you should consider whether you would willingly put another person's life at risk. Notice that you yourself admittedly accidentally messed up the order. Imagine what might have happened if you were under stress and you forgot some other important step.

Your generator may have lost one of the windings due to the error. I suggest you have it checked by someone who knows what they're doing with generators. That said, measure the voltage at each phase to neutral. 120VAC is nominal. Check out the TM, too. I found this reference that might get you started: http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?146273-MEP-004A-No-output-after-starting (although I admit this points to the voltage regulator and you said you have none.) The TMs for the various models are here as of this writing:
http://igor.chudov.com/manuals/Military-Generators/MEP-004A/

Good luck. Hope you didn't fry something, but from where I sit it really sounds as if may have done that.


Best bet is to take a small section to the place you plan to order from. They might be able to match it up to what they can order. Color, size, shape, etc.

Measure the areas to be repaired and convert that to square feet.


tub overfowed, didn't realize floor and pad are wet. pulled up thought was dry. when i cover with pad and carpet gets wet

If you dry up all the water, and then the water comes back, then you have a leak somewhere. It was probably just a coincidence that the tub overflowed and the leak made itself known at the same time. You need to find the leak.


Yard Smells Funky When It Rains-I have a Septic System

It has nothing to do with rain water, but rather atmospheric conditions when it rains. Septic tanks rely on anaerobic bacteria to break down waste. Their activity emits foul smelling gases. Normally, these gases work their way up the main drainage line to the venting system and out up through the roof.

Normal atmospheric conditions carry away these gases unnoticed. In certain conditions, the air over the roof containing the foul smell is denser than the surrounding air. It then slides down the roof slope onto the ground level where you can detect it's foul payload.

There's no a lot you can do about this. You could install a house trap with a vent that could be directed somewhere where odor release would be less objectionable. The house trap would prevent odors from coming out on the roof, all odors will go out the house trap vent. Traps prevent the passage of gases past the trap, but they must be vented or the water gets siphoned out and the trap no longer blocks gases.

Depending on the tank location, you could directly vent the tank. Most odor will come out at the tank instead of the roof. Tank venting in some jurisdictions is actually required. If the tank is near areas you spend time in, this would not be a good solution.

Septic tanks smell. All you can hope to do is manage where the smell is released.


How to prepare new stucco, for a later heavy duty item attachment?

Possibly 'Trex' block build-outs to stucco up against.  The blocks would set proud of the stucco finish surface a bit.  Secure the blocks  to the sheathing and on into a stud and or 2x4 backing.  I would cut an octagonal or diamond shaped block for appearance. Paint it the same color as the stucco.

Another option would be a pattern of threaded rod anchors. (Sammy) Fill the thread to keep clean.


Why do shared apartment homes have two sets of individual circuit breakers?

Circuit breakers protect the wiring in the home from starting fires due to overheating, because when a fire starts in the walls, you can't put it out because you can't reach it, and the house is done for.  Overheating is caused by overload.   The purpose is not to punish people who enjoy electrical appliances.

It is not the number of appliances, but the sum of their current draws per circuit. You can't run 2 kettles, but you can charge 100 iPhones.

(If you want to wire a kitchen so you can use 2 kettles, coffeemaker, hot plate, grill, sous vide, toaster and microwave all at once, that's no problem, just wire a separate circuit to every socket.  That's why they make 12/2/2 cable.)

Why are there separate breaker panels?

To avoid Tenant A having to ask Tenant B to reset their circuit breaker, because that begets ugly hacks like extension cords under rugs, which begets house fires.   The Electrical code is written by the National Fire Prevention Association.
So that Tenant A cannot shut off Tenant B's power, either by accident or as a prank.
In many jurisdictions, it's a legal requirement that loads in commons space must be separately metered, i.e. One tenant can't get socked with the bill.  A lot of legacy installations are grandfathered, but then, they have to fix it when they remodel.


How to wire a solid state relay according to code

You can mix Class 2 conductors with power conductors in boxes if the power circuit conductors are introduced solely to connect to the equipment connected to the Class 2 circuit.

Class 2 circuits voltage and current limits are well-defined by National Electrical Code (NEC.) Also, NEC defines spacing between the class 2 conductors and power inductors.

See NEC article 725 for more.


Modifying a plastic electrical box for structured wiring usage

google MPLS. that's what we use in commercial buildings it's also called a "mud ring"...basically a thin metal ring that is threaded to hold the faceplate on. use a level, trace an outline, (very carefully)cut  hole with a drywall saw, bend the tabs align the screw and tighten down. holds like 10 lbs in drywall. least expensive option, can't see it when faceplate is installed.


How to run electrical wire in concrete under the tile

FMC "flex" isn't allowed in concrete. In 362.10 ENT (smurf) is allowed to be embedded in concrete, so I think it would OK, but the inspector could have issue with meaning of "embedded" with such shallow cover, which could be  up to interpretation of "similar finish" by AHJ.

NEC 300.4(F) Cables   and Raceways Installed in   Shallow Grooves.
Cable or  raceway-type    wiring  methods installed   in  a   groove, to  be  covered by  wallboard,  siding, paneling,   carpeting,  or  similar
finish,   shall   be  protected   by  1.6 mm  (1∕16   in.)    thick   steel   plate,  sleeve, or  equivalent  or  by  not
less  than    32-mm   (11∕4-in.)  free    space   for the full    length  of  the groove  in  which   the cable   or  raceway
is    installed.
Exception No. 1:
Steel plates, sleeves,    or  the equivalent  shall   not be  required    to  protect rigid
metal conduit,    intermediate    metal   conduit, rigid  nonmetallic conduit,
or    electrical  metallic tubing.
Exception No. 2: A    listed  and marked  steel
plate less    than    1.6 mm  (1∕16   in.)    thick   that    provides
equal or  better  protection  against nail    or  screw   penetration shall   be  permitted.


How to connect backyard cover to existing roof?

The photo does indeed show the patio cover extending up over the existing roof. This is not the normal way to do this sort of thing but apparently had to be done that way because there was next to no clearance between the tops of the windows and the existing roof overhang to attach a more conventional ledger board onto the side of the house. With the conventional ledger board it would be screwed into the wall studs and then the rafters of the patio cover would attach to the ledger using hanger brackets.

Using the method showing in the picture it is necessary to open up the existing roof covering so that the upper ends of the cover rafters can be tapered and fastened down to the roof structure. The the roofing material of the cover is installed followed by replacement covering of the existing roof overlapping the upper end of the cover material. Sometimes the cover rafters may even be extended and nailed to the sides of the existing roof rafters. Doing this requires removing the sheathing of the existing roof at the point where the join is made.

In that picture, the roof of the house is so flat that it is possible that they extended the roofing material of the patio cover all the way to the ridge of the house roof.


How to run chlorine feeder at the same time well pump is running

Use a relay with a 240 coil (connected to the well pump circuit) and 120V contacts (connected to the feeder.)

Use the pressure switch only to switch relays (at any convenient coil voltage) and use (suitably rated for the power) relays to switch both devices. But the first option will be cheaper - only one relay, and that for the low-power feeder.


Which style transition/threshold do I need for carpeted stairs to meet floor boards?

My recommendation would be to terminate the carpet on the last riser.  If you put in a threshold, yes you'll protect the end of the carpet, but you'll still have a lip for people to trip over and fall.  Not fun.

If your flooring has no terminal piece at the top of the stairs, you can certainly get pre-shaped "noses" with proper support built into the shape.


Will low well water pH cause plumbing damage or health problems?

A pH of 6.0 is not unreasonably low for a well-water system.  That's at the low end of the "normal" range but not anything I'd worry about.

Copper pipes will not be "dissolved" at this pH level and the minute amount of Cu that you are consuming is not a concern.  It's a common mineral and it is not generally harmful to humans, certainly not in the quantities you're talking about here.

I'm sure the installer you talked to has a solution to this "problem" and he's trying to sell you one.


Wall outlet discovered to only use one white and one black

There is no reason to question these connections. Four hots in the same wire nut and four neutrals in another wire nut is perfectly acceptable. All this means is the the incoming line feed (one black hot and its accompanying white neutral) is connected to two other outlets besides the receptacle in this box.

The old red ScotchLoks I have are rated for 2 to 4 #12 wires.


If the crack is occurring where the new remodeled walls meet the older existing walls, it’s due to shrinkage in the new lumber.

New lumber has moisture in it that will slowly evaporate causing the stud to shrink. It may shrink only a 1/64” or so, but that’s enough for the new gypsum board to pull away from the existing wall.

You can fix this by removing the stud (only the stud adjacent to the existing wall needs to be replaced) and install a “dry” stud (a stud rated “KD”...kiln dry) which is very expensive or wait about 1 year until most of the shrinking has occurred. Then patch and paint the crack.


Obviously, I can't simply stain over the existing stain

I dunno why not. The simple solution to making the wood a darker stain is to add more coats and/or use a darker stain. It's quite common to apply more than one coat, mix stains to get the color you're after or apply different colors in sequence. Most of the wood trim in my house has multiple coats in multiple colors, and some has been applied with many years between the trim being applied, so the color match was simply done by eye.
If you have some scraps, do some testing on those as follows:

Apply one coat of the same stain, using the same technique as was used on the existing woodwork. This will give you a baseline that's as close as possible to what you currently have.
Apply a second coat of the same stuff to a small portion of your sample.
Apply a heavy second coat of the same stuff to a small portion of your sample.
Apply a slightly darker stain to another small portion.
Apply a much darker stain to yet another small portion.

Rinse. Lather. Repeat. Until you have the color you're after. Replicate those steps on the rest of the trim to replicate the results.
You may end up having to buy 3 or 4 different color of stains to try things out until you finally wind up with what you want. Just make sure you keep detailed notes on each sample section so you know exactly what you did so you can reproduce it when you find what you're after.


Remove drilled out venturi tube from base in thermador gas range?

OK, I did it.

Here is how:

Remove the jet holder from the stove, put it in a vise (gently)

Insert spiral bolt extractor. Tap it in with two hammer taps.

Attach socket to end of bolt extractor. Use electric impact wrench, short bursts, and break it free.

Was able to remove three of four no problem. The fourth was frozen completely, and I will replace the whole thing.


How to deal with bedroom condensation/moisture on winter mornings?

Indoor humidity levels are high in the fall, making window condensation more likely. Where I am, we have to wipe our windows each morning for the first few weeks of cold weather. After that, it's less of a problem. It's important to exhaust moist air using bathroom and kitchen fans to reduce this effect.

Mold is a slight concern, but not as much so as during warmer months. More of a concern is liquid water damage. If water collects on the sills the wood will begin to swell and decay and the finish will degrade. This is your primary concern. If you wipe them each morning you'll mitigate the problem.

If you still have regular condensation a few weeks down the road, look into the source of the moisture and whether you can improve ventilation or room-to-room air mixing (possibly using a fan-only cycle on your HVAC system). The appropriate indoor relative humidity level depends on the outdoor air temperature, so it needs to decline during colder weather.


How to reverse a door's opening direction

Swapping a door's left/right swing direction involves moving the hinges to the opposite side and then moving the door pull/latch/lock to the side where the hinges used to be. Doing this ends up creating a need to patch up all the old hinge mount locations (both in door and on jamb) and the holes left by the door knob and lock set.

It is possible to do all this and make the result look fresh if the door and jamb will be painted. It can be very tedious cutting, fitting and gluing in wooden inserts for the holes and old hinge insets. If it is a stained or naturally finished door where the wood grain shows it would be close to impossible to make the door and frame look decent and unpatched. If it is a steel jacketed door expect the patching job to be more difficult.

My recommendation, to minimize the labor involved, is to purchase a new door and jamb and install it with the door swing direction that you want. This will result in the ability to finish the door to the way you want without all the patching work.


An epoxy may be your best choice for a problem such as this. Most epoxies do not react with foam products. On the negative side, cold temperatures are not conducive to good bonds, which may result in days or weeks of cure time if the refrigerator is in use.

Even though you reference not using a CA type of glue, you'd be applying it to the plastic surfaces and not to the foam. You would have no strength by applying adhesive to the foam regardless of your selection.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djtKXkTqPUI

The above video shows a series of tests performed on plastic being attached to steel, using various types of epoxies and a couple of CA glues. The winner, in my opinion, is the Loctite Gel Control Super Glue. I've used this product and it's easy to apply exactly where needed.

You would be able to avoid applying it to the foam and even a bit of overflow would cause no problem. If you want to ensure no contact, consider to apply a layer of ordinary wood (or paper) glue aka PVA glue to the foam (only) to seal the surface, but I think that's overkill.

Another super glue type adhesive with which I've had success is DAP Rapid Fuse, which is a bit more expensive, but good product often costs more.

If you absolutely have to avoid CA glues, it appears from the video that the old standby, JB Weld may have sufficient strength. I can attest that it's strong stuff and has worked well for me in the past.


Yes they appear to be. The two on the right looks like they are holding a 2X to the underside of the roof rafters. I was brought up in the trade calling this a "strongback". The closest one has a notch around the strongback which strongly suggests a structural connection. The picture does not show clearly the far side to tell if it is notched as well.


Leather and/or pigskin gloves are washable:

knock loose dirt/soil from them
while still wearing them, apply a dollop of mild dishwashing soap to the palm of one glove then rub them together with cold water and rinse; a brush can be used for extreme soiling
lay them out flat to dry, indoors or out (do not machine dry them)
the washing/drying process can make them stiff so after they are dry, apply saddle oil, Neet's Foot oil, mineral oil, saddle soap, or some type of oil that won't go rancid. This will make them supple again.

A good pair of leather gloves will last for years if you take care of them.


It sounds like your outlets are daisy chained. This is a very common problem and easily repaired. Over 95% of the time when I am called for this exact problem the outlets with backstabs were used, however in the kitchen the circuits should be 20 amp and back stabs will not work with 12 gauge wire so it may be a loose wire nut or broken wire in the box. Turn the circuit breaker off. Pull the noisy outlet you will probably immediately identify the bad spot by finding some melted insulation or soot covered areas from the arcing (that is what is making the noise) I usually replace outlets with spec grade back and side outlets they cost a few more dollars than the 98cent cheap construction grade outlets but are worth the few dollars extra. The clamps are very solid compared to construction grade. Replace the outlet and any damaged wire. This may require pigtailing the whites together and blacks together if the wires are damaged (I prefer pigtailing any way) then put the white wire on the silver screw side and the black on the gold or brass colored screw side bare copper to the green screw attached to the yoke and reinstall the outlet. Now turn the breaker back on and everything should work again.


Can I apply full-sized brick to an interior wall if shared with a fireplace?

The chimney is not supported by the floor system, it is built from the ground up with a foundation of concrete under it.

Full 4” brick weigh 40 pounds per square foot so a wall that is 9’ tall and 15’ long would add 5400 lbs to the floor system.

I would want an engineer to approve the area in question to be certain that it can support this added weight with out compromising the integrity of the structure.


U brace/bracket to hold vertical 2x4 over wood floor?

If there is a header, this connector from the Simpson Strong-Tie could be what you need.


Can I connect multiple outputs into a single output?

The answer is NO:
It may be possible in theory but it may also create a direct short. In either case it would violate code (NEC).
If you have 4 receptacles on 1 120v circuit the maximum that could be used would be 20 amps,,, if wired with #12 wire and a 20 amp breaker.
As stated above this would be a code violation.
installing a 20 amp receptacle would allow for 20 amps and this would be the maximum current allowed by code.
If there are 2 circuits they are usually a Multiwire branch circuit and 1set is on L1 breaker the other on L2 combining them is a direct short.
There is no legal way to combine multiple standard 120v receptacles to provide more current than 20 amps.
Edit — added for further clarification:
Not just for code reason but electrical short circuits.
You cannot combine a receptacle that is part of a multiwire branch circuit OR receptacles that are fed from odd & even breakers. Yes they are 120v
But combining ether of these 2 independently fed and legal circuits creates a dead short on the service.
They should be protected at no more than 20 amps but still may trip a main breaker and the branch circuits. independently wired they are code compliant but combining them as the OP wants to do can create this hazard.
See NEC 210.4 and for pictures exhibits 210.1 & 210.2
Last if you had 2 different breakers on L1 let’s say breaker number 1 & 3 these would be on the same leg and in theory you could get 40 amps.
However this would be another code violation as the smallest wires that can be paralleled is #1
So again the answer is NO.


What material can I put on my wood kitchen island to make the surface smooth and waterproof?

Alaska Man's epoxy suggestion is what came to mind for me as well, but it might be difficult to get a nice edge without a lip of some sort. I admit that I've never worked with the stuff.
I think I'd be ordering a sheet of 1/4" glass with a pencil edge. It would probably look great and wouldn't cost much. Wouldn't have to be tempered if you're careful folks with dishes that aren't too heavy. I've used such on my desk since childhood without issue.
It might help to wipe the surface with a wood stain or color in the worn streaks with a colored marker before you set the glass down.


How do I remove this marker mark on painted drywall?

Once it's been painted over, there's no way to remove a stain - you'd have to remove the paint to get at the stain, which is definitely not "minimal effort".

The simplest thing to do at this point would be to call back the contractor and have him actually paint the wall, rather than just slapping on some paint-like substance and calling it good. There is simply no way those marks would still be showing through if the contractor had done a proper job, with a stain-blocking primer and a good-quality paint.


Solar gain in the cooling fins is negligible. Air temperatures in the sun and in the shade are not substantially different if there's any breeze at all, and as soon as the fan starts up the fins reach operating temperature regardless of initial temperature. Ongoing solar gain is minor compared to the overall heat transfer taking place through condensation of the refrigerant.

More important is access to a fresh air supply so recirculation is minimized, and you could always install a sun screen or small pergola if you think otherwise.

More reading


The inspector should have red-flagged 2 or more circuits to the same outbuilding.  That's not allowed.
There should be a subpanel alright, but it needs to be on the garage, and then the mandatory grounding rods are a straightforward matter.
The grounding rods are no substitute for a ground wire; they do different jobs.
Since Code does not allow multiple circuits to an outbuilding, it is difficult to advise how to attach them to a local grounding electrode system.


How can I fix pinewood flooring that got skewed after oiling?

First thing is to try and remedy the situation. Adding finish to one side has caused an imbalance in the woods ability to absorb and release ambient moisture, causing it to twist.  If at all possible pull up the offending members and oil the underside as well to help mitigate this affect.

Once that's done reset your base moulding by shooting finish nails into the studs where applicable. In the areas with the cement wall, use a quality construction adhesive and (if possible) spring board the trim in place off the opposing wall until the adhesive cures.

Otherwise try a combination of adhesive and double sided carpet tape to secure your trim. Hopefully the tape has enough oompf to keep the trim held down and there by keep the flooring where it belongs.  Cheers!


How do I tell if my kitchen range space is set up for gas?

Look behind the stove. If it's set up for gas, there will be a gas pipe+valve behind it. If not, then you'd need to get it added.


Clothes washer , fridge, electric dryer , electric range not working

You apparently have a serious intermittent power circuit. It could be...

A fault in the utility drop to your property
A problem with the meter or meter socket wiring
Faulty connection between the meter and the mains breaker in your power panel
Bad mains breaker in your panel
Loose connection between mains breaker and the bus bars in your panel

There obviously could also be other problems but I focused on likely issues that would be affecting multiple circuits to appliances in your abode.

Intermittent circuits are very dangerous and can lead to arcing and heat build up in the faulty connection that could result in a fire. In your situation it is strongly recommended that you contact a professional electrician as soon as possible to come out and inspect your electrical installation and hopefully correct the problems before any serious injury or damage occurs.


Drywall taping/floating steps if finish will be skim coating

Read the datasheet for the compound you want to use to skim coat and see what's the maximum allowable depth for a layer. (For European products I'm familiar with it's about 2 or 3 mm.) Then you can decide what dimples need pre-covering and which can simply get covered in the skim coat. If you exceed the max depth you might get hairline cracks, but [in my experience] that only happens on larger areas, not screw-size... and you can fix it anyway by filling the crack(s) with the same compound, which usually takes less time than strictly following the prescribed layer depth. YMMV.


Can I hang this heavy and deep cabinet on this wall safely?

It looks like the cabinet is intended to sit on top of a base cabinet. You are right to be concerned about the structure of the cabinet. You can add a discrete support below it. In addition to the suggestions above I would add a couple of L brackets on the bottom.


Should I cut-in the whole room at once, or only the portion I'm working on?

It really shouldn't matter. In the end, it's the exact same paint so it should match.

What can cause the halo, though is if your brush vs. roller technique lay down different amounts of paint. In my experience, it's easier to lay down a thicker coat of paint with a roller than brush, so after doing one coat of cutting in, and then one coat of rolling, you may notice the edges look lighter because there is less paint there. That said, I've yet to find any magical wall paint that only takes one coat so by the time you get the second (or sometimes 3rd coat) on you shouldn't notice it.

The only reason you may not want to cut in well before you roll is if you want to reduce the amount of brush marks as much as possible. While the color won't change based on what you are using, the texture may.

What I typically do is do them both at the same time. I'll cut in around a window, then roll as close as I can get safely with the roller to even out the texture. Then I'll cut in the ceiling on the same wall, then roll that, repeat.

Also, if you just hate cutting in, or have so much to do it's daunting, consider not doing it all at the border of the ceiling and walls and instead roll close to it, then when finished, tack up some crown moulding. It doesn't have to be fancy moulding at all...even a 2" bit of slightly tapered door casing can look sharp.

That's the technique I usually use on already painted rooms that I'm repainting. Often the previous paint job at the border is just sloppy enough that even if I carefully go to the edge, there's enough spots of the old color that creep out that it just looks tacky. In those situations I go get the pre-finished window casings from Home Depot (can be found for less than a dollar a foot) and tack them up with a brad nailer. For a slightly more modern look you can use plain dimensional trim (such as a 1 x 2).

Yet another technique to avoid all that cutting in at the corner of the ceiling and wall is to simply paint them the same color. I'm redoing a bath that needs new paint on both the walls and ceiling so I'm going with a very light gray for both.


Conventional stick framing in North America has you build the floor first, then build a wood wall on that platform. If your pretend world doesn't have lumber mills, then google yurt.


Replacing 3-Way Light Switch with 4 wires

Identify the travelers

First, the partner switch is the power source.  You can tell because its common terminal is hooked directly off a dual receptacle.  Unless the receptacle is switched, that must be the supply.  The other two screws on the supply 3-way are the travelers and there is a black and red wire on them.   That is also consistent with the lamps being at the far end; since neutral would be present then, neutral must be white.  So that all jibes.

Your testing reveals that when you throw the switch, B1 and R wires alternate which one is hot.  So confirmed.

I am a big fan of marking wires with tape to indicate their function. I prefer to use yellow wire for both travelers, since it isn't useful to distinguish them from each other.  I would mark both travelers at both ends thusly.

There would be no use for any other wires to land on a traveler terminal.  The only remaining terminal is the "common", and assuming this is a 3-way, the remote common is the switched-hot wire going to the lamp.

I see a /3 cable (containing the travelers and a white) and a /2 cable on the left side of the switch box.

Loads

Now, in the back of that box I see plain separation between the wires to the left switch, and the wires to the right switch.  With one exception: one neutral crosses over from this group to the other side. That shouldn't happen:  currents should always be equal in each cabLe, and that means a second wire would need to cross over too.  The house may be miswired.

Obviously B2 goes to the lamp.  But its partner white should be going to the white from the other 3-way, and that's not the case.  Now it would be proper if:

the lamp was powered from the other box: in that the white wire from the /3 cable will tie to the common terminal, and carry switched-hot back to the other box, where it's tied to a cable to a lamp.  Or
The /2 cable in this box went on to power a lamp, in which case the black wire from the /2 cable goes to common, and its white wire ties into the neutral brought over in the /3 cable.  (because of the equal currents rule, the neutral should not be poached from the neutral bundle in the right side of the box).

My working theory is that both of the above are true.  W carries switched-hot back to the other box in the /3, and the B2 is the hot from the /2 cable going on to a different lamp.  This circuit powers 2 lamps fed from both boxes.  Or did.  Since W is being used as a switched-hot, B2's partner white cannot return to it; instead they bootlegged neutral from the clump of cables serving the switch on the right. This is bad wiring and should be corrected one way or another.

If you don't see  where this second lamp would be, look for switched receptacles somewhere in the room.


Is a soundproof stud wall made of 38 x 63mm CLS strong enough?

You could always use the lumber you have and reduce the spacing to something like 5 3/4" (that's the actual spacing ratio for a 2x4@16"oc) to get an equivalent amount of control over the deflection.

I would not use anything less than a 2x4 at 16" on center, or it's equivalent. The main reason for this is because if someone were to lean on that wall they could crack the boards on either side. This would not only ruin their appearance but it could reduce their acoustic performance. Additionally, if a seismic event were to occur the weight of all that materials you have on there would begin to move with the earthquake. It would bend the wall out of plane causing cracks. 2x4s at 16" is the code recommendation to avoid these cracks.


Is it required to electrically ground rebar in an exterior concrete slab?

You need to bond the rebar (note the difference!)
The issue at hand here isn't that the rebar is way out at some voltage far above the "earth potential", whatever that means, but that that the slab and rebar can have a potential on it that's different from the potential of some other nearby conductive object (such as some part of the spa/hot tub).  This potential difference means that someone touching the conductive object while standing on the slab will complete the circuit and equalize the potential between the two objects, getting "bit" in the process.
To keep your hot tub setup from growing shocky teeth, all the non-current-carrying metal parts, as well as that in-slab rebar, need to be bonded together and to the hot tub's central bonding point (located at the hot tub pump most likely) with  #8 copper.  The NEC will let you omit this bonding for self-contained hot tubs that are listed, labeled, and identified for outdoor use without bonding and have rims greater than 28" above all perimeter surfaces within 30" of the perimeter of the hot tub, but I would call it a wise investment to at least have a bonding provision in the slab, in case a future hot tub that gets put in requires the slab to be bonded.


Ceiling Fan and separate ceiling light fixtures

You would appear to have the lights connected to BOTH the dimmer and the fan switch. Presumably this means that things are not really wired the way they were before. You'll need to figure out where this happened and correct it; it's difficult to speculate from afar, but when you get beyond what you can sort out yourself, call in a pro.


Weird brown line behind bathtub caulking

Rust... you have a cast iron tub, the edges are which are up under the wall board and often exposed, so they rust a little and it runs down to the corner but stays there because of the caulk. Cast iron rusts a small amount, then the rust itself stops (or severely stalls) further rusting, I would not worry about it.


You can use a 90 degree, type C plug

And then fasten to the wall, with a couple of cable clamps

A clamp close to the outlet and it will be difficult to remove, and clamps down or along the wall will keep it safe.

Hope this helps


Can I run multiple wires through conduit for a hot tub and an outlet?

You can, yes (provided you respect conduit fill limits), but usually there's an easier way.  Since hot tubs need a local disconnect anyway, you can use a small subpanel (often called a spa panel) to supply both the hot tub and the outlet, and that will also serve as the disconnect.  Just make sure to get one with more than two breaker spaces.
Here's an example of one:

Simply add a second breaker for your outlet.  If you anticipate using some high-current load through the outlet at the same time the subpanel is on, you'll want to size the subpanel's feeder wire somewhat larger (e.g. use a >=70A feed for a 50A spa + 20A outlet).  If you'll only be plugging light loads into the outlet, or you can turn the spa heater off when the outlet is in use on high current loads, then you don't need to bother up-sizing the feeder.


What's the best way to create a wood elbow?

I hate to have to rain on your parade but there is a reason you do not find ready made wooden curtain rods as you describe. At a span of 76 inches even the straight part of a dowel rod that is less than an inch in diameter will sag over time. Add to that the extra weight of black out curtains and the straight part of the rod will be even less effective. This is the reason that the usual straight wood curtain rods that you find will be at least 1.5 inches in diameter if not even 2 inches. And at your span such rods still need to be supported in the middle which leads to ring hung curtains having to be center opening toward two sides.

You have the additional consideration that ring hung curtains on an open rod leave considerable space at the top for light to come in negating the effectiveness of the black out considerations and your stated objective to want to have the curtains seal off light at the side returns to the wall. Top sealing for light shielding can be done with a box type valance structure this hides the curtain rod assembly so there is little point to try to design the curtain support to the aesthetic of the ring hung style as you pictured in your question. And if you try to avoid the look of the box and use a double rod structure with the outer one hanging a valance it has to fit tight up to the ceiling and that would hide the other rod the curtain hangs from....so it just as well may be a ready made metal one even avoiding the the ring hung style.


Removing old linoleum and replacing with tiles

First you generally won't tile over plywood.  It will contract and expand too much and your tile will eventually crack.  You will need to put backerboard (size dependent on what is beneath it) over the plywood.  Generally you don't need to repair the plywood unless it is no longer flat.


As long as it dries & fills, good enough. If it doesn't do those things then just door & window foam over it or minimal expanding. No biggy. Mineral Spirits will help to get it off the skin, applied & scrubbed several times, but it may still have to wear-off some.


What type of wire for sub panel to detached shed in Colorado?

Use a fat conduit and appropriately sized THHNs instead

Direct-bury wire (UF) is vulnerable to excavation damage and difficult to upgrade if you want more power at the shed later.  Hence, it's better to slap a fat PVC conduit in now while you're digging the trench for the first time -- conduit's cheap compared to the cost of renting a trencher.  Inside the conduit, you'll use 3 THHNs of appropriate size and color for 2 hots and 1 neutral (voltage drop control will likely mandate a larger size than the 10AWG minimum you were thinking of) as well as an appropriately sized bare copper ground (10AWG for a 30A feeder, 8AWG for a bigger feeder up to 100A) wire.

Don't skimp on the subpanel either

Buying small electrical panels is penny-wise and pound foolish as a larger panel now is always going to be cheaper than upgrading later.  I'd recommend a 100A/24slot subpanel at a minimum here (you can always feed a large subpanel with a small feeder, just not the other way around -- remember that the protecting breaker must be the bottleneck so it can keep you safe from overloads). You'll also need a main device (it can be a breaker or a molded-case switch) at the subpanel to serve as a disconnect switch for the shed in addition to the breaker in the main panel protecting the feeder.  (That's so you, or the FD, can shut power to the shed off quickly if it catches on fire -- "firemen don't deal with wires" after all.)

Last but not least, you'll need a ground electrode (Ufer ground if you haven't poured the foundation yet, rod if you have and need something you can put in now) in addition to the grounding wire -- the grounding wire provides a fault path (safety drain) back to the source while the ground electrode dissipates built-up static charges, induced voltages from lightning, and the likes.  Don't forget to pull the bonding strap or screw from the subpanel when you put it in!


How can I repair a toilet that leaks at the tank/bowl connection?

The washers inside the tank can leak, and the body of the valve that empties the tank to bowl can crack, making tightening the gasket pointless. There is a nice set of tank to toilet bolts on Amazon that are solid brass, and have extra nuts and washers so that you can seal the upper tank independently of squeezing the tank to bowl connection.

You can get very affordable toilet rebuild kits that supply all of the necessary hardware to eliminate all leaks except for the bowl to floor connection.


That copper tubing has been brazed with silfos or a similar type of solder. separating that joint will take a lot of heat. The standard soldering torch will not get hot enough to melt this product. You will need a "turbo torch" or an oxyacetylene torch to unsolder this fitting. If you are not versed in this type of equipment you better call a plumber. However if the copper is only kinked on the side shown you may not need to replace the kinked piece unless it is leaking. It probably is not restricted enough to reduce the water flow by very much.


If wiggling (which is the correct technical term) can make it stop, or start again, the problem is most likely a broken or mostly broken wire.

The wire can be broken inside of the insulation, and look fine.

I have the broken wire inside the insulation all the time, my cats love my rubber phone charge cord, and will chew it. When I go to charge my phone, the charger will not work sometimes, and i can find a single cat tooth mark that was able to cut the wire.


Retaining wall back fill/base rock and pool base rock

The rock under the "stack block" wall is different than the rock behind it.

The rock under the wall needs to be crushed rock and compacted. In my area around here, we'd use 1 1/2" minus (with fines) or just 3/4" minus. Compaction is important. Tamp it down or drive on it. (Usually the stack block manufacturers recommend a base course of 8" - 12" deep and a width equal to or greater than the blocks.  Read their instructions.)

The rock behind the wall needs to have lots of voids so water can flow through it.  So, we use river rock (or some call drainrock). It's smooth (from tumbling around in a river for a few centuries) and does NOT compact.


How many wattage is your bathroom electric heater actually?

I doubt anything drawing 8kW is going to have a plug, but if it did it would be a very large plug like an electric stove or clothes dryer.  That said, these heaters typically have multiple heating elements.  It's possible that not all the elements are turning on based on the water flow or that some of the elements are bad.

From what I could find on that product, it seems to be sold in Malaysia.  If it was sold in the US, it would have a label or plate that listed the electrical requirements on the back or on the inside of the wiring cover.  I'm not sure if that's true in your part of the world, but I would look for such a label rather than relying on information from the internet.  For simple devices like a heater, those electrical requirement labels tend to be accurate.

Edit based on internals:

The large copper "tank" on the right is the heating unit, and there seems to be only one.  The label indicates that it could use up to 6000 watts at 240v. The label in the bottom right also seems to indicate 6kW is required.  To me, that indicates that the wiring going to the device should be rated to handle 6kW (25 Amps).  If the plug it's going to is protected by a 15A breaker, then you wouldn't have to worry about melting wire - you would just trip the breaker if too much power was used.

The two tubes at the bottom would be the water inlet and outlet.  There might be a flow sensor on the inlet side behind the bracket.  The wires connected to the bottom of the heating unit look to be a high-temperature cutoff switch that's common on heating appliances - or even just a temperature sensor.

The copper stubs at the top of the tank are the ends of the heating elements.  It's hard to tell, but it looks like there might be 4 stubs which would be the two ends of two heating elements.  Because there are so many wires going to the top, there could be some multi-stage electronically controlled magic going on that only uses the current needed to heat the water to a set temperature.  Incoming water temp and flow rate could determine the amount of power needed.

The black box with the two red wires on top of the heating element might be some type of high-pressure cutoff.  I don't think you would need red, thick wires for a temperature or flow sensor.