Is it safe to install a three pronged cable into a four pronged dryer? I just moved into an old home that has a three pronged wall jack as shown below:

I have a newer dryer that has a four pronged cable.  Please see the back of the dryer, I've removed the four pronged cable.

Question

I bought a new three pronged cable from home depot. Can I put that cable into this dryer and simple connect it to the wall? Is that safe? Will it work? If so, what do I do about the spot for the grounding wire?
I would love to see a video/image of this being done.

In the past I've replaced a three pronged cable with a four pronged cable in a dryer and successfully connected it. But this time I'm trying to do the reverse..

I've fixed and already washed one round of clothes. Hopefully all is well :)

What you are doing is done all the time, and there is no problem with it, if done properly.   The fact is these 3 prong receptacles still exists in many older homes, and there is no requirement to upgrade an entire circuit simply to plug in a device. If you go out and purchase a new electric dryer, the seller will ask if you have a 3 or 4 prong receptacle. They will then sell you the appropriate cord, based on your answer (if you don't know, they'll probably sell you both and tell you to return the one you don't need, or offer their instillation services).
RTFM
If you check the manufacturers installation instructions, there should be a procedure for connecting the dryer to a 3 prong receptacle. The procedure can very from manufacturer to manufacturer, so make sure you check the documentation for your specific dryer.
From a random whirlpool manual:

This dryer is manufactured ready to install with a 3-wire  electrical
supply connection. The neutral ground conductor  is permanently
connected to the neutral conductor (white  wire) within the dryer. If
the dryer is installed with a 4-wire  electrical supply connection,
the neutral ground conductor  must be removed from the external ground
connector (green  screw), and secured under the neutral terminal
(center or  white wire) of the terminal block. When the neutral ground
conductor is secured under the neutral terminal (center or  white
wire) of the terminal block, the dryer cabinet is isolated from the
neutral conductor.

Click for larger view

Click for larger view

I have Moved a dryer with a four conductor cord into my home that has a 3 prong outlet. The outlet provides 240V and 120V. The house wiring for the circuit provides the two hots, the neutral, and a ground wire. the ground wire is bonded to the outlet box. I replaced the cord with a 3 prong plug and attached an external ground wire to the connection of the fourth cord wire (ground) and bonded the other end of the external ground wire to the ground wire in the outlet box. I left the internal bond wire where it was for the four wire cord. This installation IS directly equivalent to the four prong installation.

As you can see, these two circuits are the same.


What type of electrical supply is this? (Canada) I'm interested in buying a home-energy monitoring product, the type with current sensors that clamp onto one or more main electrical feed wires.  In order to determine what products would work, and how many sensors are needed, I'm wondering what sort of electrical supply arrangement I have.  It looks to me like there are two hot lines, one neutral, and one ground line.
Specifically, I'm wondering if based on this arrangement, is all of the current flowing through the neutral line (i.e. I'd need only one current sensor), or would it fit into another category as shown in the chart below?
Here's an image of the panel (I believe it is a subpanel, it is in a condo building):

Here are the sort of categories mentioned in the product literature:

This is, unfortunately typical, poor design of the instructions page. Hopefully the product is engineered better than the instructions.
I believe the instructions are supposed to show "2 CT Sensors" for the first 3 rows of the table. Instead, they only show that for the 3rd row and the table is structured so that it can be instead interpreted as "for the first 2 lines we have no idea how many CT sensors you will actually need, and for the 3rd line, 2 CT Sensors". Which of course makes no sense whatsoever. That is basically a "formatting problem" - a disconnect between the engineer's scrawl and the desktop publishing person's implementation.
Except that actually, as I think about it a little more, line 2 - 240V 3-wire is not correct. If it were a true "240V only" then it would be 2-wire and 240V. If it were 120V/240V then it would be 3-wire and 120V. Instead it is listed as 3-wire (implying a neutral wire, and therefore 2 wires with CT Sensors, each 120V) and 240V (implying no neutral wire, and therefore only need 1 wire with CT Sensor, 240V). It doesn't add up.
As noted by others, the first item really should be "120/240". If it was pure 120 (which is possible for very small service) then it would only be 2 wire rather than 3 wire and only 1 CT Sensor - so it does not match the first line, implying that first line, described as "TYPICAL", really should be "120/240".

You have the third category: 120/208 volt 3-wire. You have two hots which are out of phase and a neutral. The current through the neutral will vary between 0 and full load depending on how balanced the load is on the hots (0 if the loads are balanced to full if the load is fully on one hot).
[Actually, its a little more complex as you have two phases of a three phase supply so the hots are 120 degrees out of phase, as opposed to a 240 volt system, as in most US residences, where the hots are 180 desgrees out of phase. However, this is close enough.]
You need two current sensors.


Can I add an additional outlet using an existing outlet that has no ground wire? I am looking to add new receptacles (15A) behind my TV by running a 12/2 romex (20A circuit/breaker) from a nearby existing receptacles (15A). The problem is, the existing receptacle has no ground wire. House is old (1960s), I see the that the receptacle is grounded to the metal box (tested this by running a voltage meter touching the hot prong and the metal box).

After doing some research, I came across the possible solution of just getting 15A GCFI receptacles (over buying 2 prong receptacles) for the new outlet and only connecting the hot and neutral wires. This seems to be the "relatively safest" method without rewiring from the breaker.

Is this the best and easy option? Or are better ones out there (again, without having to rewire from the breaker)?

All suggestions are welcomed! thank you for your guys/gals time!

There are ground wires there, they're just buried in the back

In your photos, I can see some bare copper wires in the back of the box. These are the ground wires you are looking for, and you'll need to get them pulled out as far as they can go, then nut them to a box grounding pigtail screwed to the box and to another pigtail that goes off to the receptacle.

The correct installation of a receptacle in a grounded metal box is to break off all four ears leaving only the end tabs. If shimming is necessary to space the receptacle out, then the broken off ears are placed around the screws between the tabs and the box. This establishes an adequate and approved conducting path. Just the screws and threads would test OK but are not considered adequate for high currents.

EDIT
Note that any paper screw keeper must be removed on at least on one end. This allows one end tab to make face-to-face contact with the metal box.

Good quality receptacles have a paper screw keeper on only one end and it does not have to be removed. The tab on the other end has a metal wire keeper which allows the tab to make face-to-face contact with a metal box as the screw is tightened. If the box is too far back, then use the broken off ears as conducting shim washers.

EDIT2
Looks like the box is set back as much as the thickness of the drywall. If so the two ears will not shim it out far enough. You will have to get some more washers for shims. Alternatively you could use all fours ears on one end and plastic shims on the other end.

Alternatively, since you have a lot of space around the box you could leave the ears on and use a stack of metal  washers. You could also use pieces of metal bar stock or square tube stock and drill a hole for the screw.


Can I repair a shower without pulling everything out? We had a new shower put in (by a contractor who was in over his head) during a remodel a few years ago.  About a year ago the built-in-bench starting to collapse.  When we pulled out the bench we noticed that there was no shower pan under it- eek!  We need to add one.

Here's my question?  Can we simply fill it in instead of starting over.  Every contractor that has looked at it says that they have to pull out the existing floor (which includes the tile that I'll have a hard time replacing).  I don't mind having to replace wall tile... i just want to avoid pulling out the floor.

I'm convinced that there has to be a way even if it's unconventional.

Since I can see holes in the pan that look like they were used for installation purposes - nail holes. - An absolute certainty of failure - Tear the whole shower out.
Save yourself money in the long run.  I have replaced showers that are only 4 or 5 years old with small penetrations in the pan which caused major water damage to structural members.
If those wholes had been covered by a sealant compatible with the pan - that would be different.

There is no way you will achieve a water tite system with the wall opened up. - Remember - thinset and grout are porous materials.  It is not the tile that makes a shower or tub water proof.  If a surface membrane had been used you might have been able to break off a couple rows of tiles and bonded another surface membrane like Kerdi  and worked your way down - doing the same to the floor.  But that still is a chancy bit of work.
Bite the bullet and start from scratch.

You do not need a shower pan but you DO need slope to the drain.  This can be achieved by either a shower pan or a built-up base.  Shower pans are usually in specific sizes and it looks like you have a custom size shower so in your case a built up base is probably your only option.

You can build up a base over your existing floor as adhesion to the floor is not an issue.  But a custom builtup base must be properly installed with water proof membrane, usually epdm, and transitioned properly at both the walls and the drain.

You will still need to get under the wall finish so any water coming down the walls gets shed onto the floor and properly get the floor drain installed which will probably require removing the existing drain and reinstalling a new one properly.


Can I install cellulose insulation without a blower machine? I've purchased a few bags of loose fill cellulose insulation from the local hardware store (GreenFiber brand). How will the insulation work if I don't put it through the machine to fluff it and force it through a tube? Will the insulation be compressed a bit so that I won't get the coverage that the bag says, but its R value per inch should be about the same? Can I consider its R-value to be something close to the "dense-pack" R-value?

Having just done this, I'll report: doable, but a huge PITA. In order to get a good "fluff" on it, I ground it through expanded metal mesh (having tried a few other things which did not work as well first) - it's time consuming and dusty, but certainly possible if all you have to do is a bag/block or two. I've done one block, I might do another just to check the quality of a different supplier before placing a large order.

In my case it was a deliberate experiment, and the result of the experiment is that I will rent a blower ($70/day at the local rental place) and blow in (actually, I'll check against the cost of "having it done," as well); also that I won't be buying HD's "cellulose", which had a significant amount of plastic scrap in it (one does get up close and personal with the insulation when hand-grinding it through a sheet of expanded metal mesh.)

Methodology was to pry out a chunk of compressed insulation, place it on the expanded metal (an old patio table, in this case) and use a block (or your hand, but the block is more efficient and does not mind grinding on metal) to work the insulation though the mesh - then shovel/sweep to where it's needed (open attic application, not wall-stuffing.) A better setup could be made by building a box with sides and a mesh bottom to work it through, but it's not enough better to beat just using the right equipment on a larger-scale job. Certainly possible to do, however, if you have the time and patience and a dust mask - when what needs doing is small, and the rental of a machine exceeds the cost of the insulation.

As many have said, insulation requires air pockets within the material to have any R value.  Those pockets effectively trap temperate air and reduce thermal transfer on opposite sides of the material.  So yes, it HAS to be fluffed from it's vac-packed shipping form to be of any use and this will also make the material go further.

My DIY method for fluffing and blowing without renting a machine - HD, for instance, rents the O-C Atticat for free with a 10 bag purchase - is to use a 50 gallon trash can and a 3 foot paint paddle on a drill just to stir the stuff up.  Second, I blow it through the impeller on my leaf vac/blower.  In the case of my garage where I was adding to the walls after the fact and didn't want to be doing a bunch of taping and mudding removing the drywall, I cut a 2" access hole near the top of the cavity and blew it through the leaf vac and a 2" hose attached to the blower nozzle end. IT WORKS.


Can push-in wire connectors handle 20 amp circuits? Can push in connections handle 20 amp circuits?  The box claims that 22 to 12 gauge wire can fit, but little else. Sorry if this is a silly query.

As long as it is rated for it, it can handle it.  I use these IDEAL push connectors ALL THE TIME.

Yes they can & do. Although, the only kind of "push connector" you want is a Terminal Block, it's push-in & then screw-down clamping, they're the best of both worlds & come in all shapes, sizes & colors. If it's just push alone, return it & never buy them again. They aren't easily correctable, re-usable, reliable nor long lasting & therefore not trustworthy. That being said though, I've used Wago's just a few times & their locking arm version did seem to be an upgrade to address some of my issues, but those versions aren't "really" push-ins either. I can't yet speak to Wago's reliability nor longevity.


Using a 1-pole GFCI to test half a multi-wire branch circuit I'm searching my electrical system for defects, fixing the last guy's work. He loved to cross neutrals (grab a hot from circuit 5 and neutral from circuit 19). I've found several instances, but it's really slow going.

It seems like I could speed this up a lot by turning on every load, putting dummy loads in every receptacle chain (night lights), and temporarily installing a GFCI, and see if it trips.  I'm comfortable with that plan.

However, he also loved multi-wire branch circuits. I've given them special attention and I think they're OK, but want to test them nonetheless.  This panel is obsolete, and a 2-pole GFCI breaker is prohibitively expensive.  So I want to use the 1-pole GFCI to test half the MWBC at a time. The other hot would cause a false reading, so I just want to disconnect it temporarily.

Does this seem like a reasonable plan?

I would suggest rather than leaving one hot disconnected you connect the two hot wires together. That way you can test the whole circuit at once and you don't have to deal with a loose and potentially hazardous wire.

This should only be done once you are reasonably confident that no hot-hot-neutral 240V devices are connected to the circuit.

Outlet testers are inexpensive and with their 3 LEDs can tell you about a multitude of wiring errors.  I wouldn't work on anything like this without one.

As for the neutrals, in an ideal world they should all be the same, (if they go back to the same box), but sometimes stuff happens and one may have more resistance than another.

Again, the outlet tester can usually tell you this.

The best way to test a GFCI is with the internal test and reset buttons.

And the best way to know whether it is protecting the downstream outlets is, (you guessed it), with an outlet tester.


Leveling options for bumpy basement floor I have a 125 year old townhouse with a large (700 sq ft) basement. We had waterproofing done (vapor barrier, perimeter drains, sump pumps) last year that dried everything out and made the space usable. We would like to finish the basement by adding walls and a floor. The problem is the relatively thin concrete slab that has a few spots where it swelled up, and other spots that go down, mostly in the range of 1-2 inches. I was able to knock down the highest spots with a sledge hammer, and can patch those as necessary. But I’d like to put down a vinyl plank floor and don’t know what the best way is to level everything. Self leveling concrete seems like it would work, but it would be expensive. A full subfloor with shims is an option, but that seems excessive too. I don't really care about it being actually level - I just need it flat enough for a vapor barrier of some sort, thin underlayment and vinyl plank. What’s the best option for topping old concrete in as needed between 1/2 to 2 inches? The floor right now seems stable - most of the issues were moisture related.

Leveling compound really is the way to go with this job, are there any tricks to save money on doing it - I am sure there might be. But it is always cheaper to do it right the first time than to do it right the second time.

This is the area where most people make the mistakes : COSTS.
To do something right costs this much and they don't want to spend the money, so they do it wrong, later they have issues and wish they had done it right - some then ask a pro to come in and do it right (More money) others tear up what they have and do it right the second time (More money). Then you have the others who simply sell the house to an unsuspecting soul and go their way, possibly to make the same mistake in their new home and never learning this simple rule..

Cheaper to do it right the first time than to do it right the second time.

I know it will cost you up front, but in the long run it will be cheaper both in terms of laying your flooring and having it right. You could even put heating elements under the plank if you were so inclined.

Throw some shingles to build it up. When starting out I thought this was a lazy way to do it but then found out some old timers told me it's the way to go! They don't go bad regardless of the situation. Last basement I I put my leveling compound on top of the shingles which saved quite a bit of money!


Outlets for gas range I am building a bay for a new 30" gas range.
Q1: I was wondering if there are specifications, or code requirements, for the position of the gas and electrical outlets, most specifically, is there a height at which they should be installed because I know that stoves normally have an opening at the bottom to which the height of outlets should roughly correspond but I am not sure if it is standard or varies by model.
Q2: I am planning to install this gas outlet.

Does the vertical direction matter? In the case of my pipe, it would be easier to install it upside down (if this picture is right side up) because the pipe is coming from above down? Or do I need to install it the way it is in the picture?

Typically the gas comes through the floor, so what you are planning may make a difference.
There may be some general tendencies for gas line location, most I see are close to the floor, usually within 6" or less. Whether it is on the left, right or center is usually defined by the maker of the appliance.
To insure the hook ups are in the right place, do your reasearch, check the reviews for the range you wish to use and download the install guide for that particular unit, and set up everything (gas and electric) for that unit. You can't go wrong.


Does a broken TPR valve disable the water heater? Would the pressure release valve going bad on a water heater cause the water heater to quit working?

No, a water heater will continue to heat the water with a bad TPR valve. A failed TPR valve is a safety issue since the water heater could heat the water to the point that the tank explodes and does significant damage to your home, roof, and probably the home of your neighbors. Several other components would also have to fail for this extreme situation to happen (the thermostat would have to heat beyond the normal cutoff, a check valve preventing water going back into the city water lines needs to exist, and no other valves in the house can be leaking) so it's fairly rare. But with the danger to your life, it's still a good precaution to ensure this valve is properly functioning.

if you tpr fails the valve closes and the tank gets no oxygen to fire. it will run long enough till the oxygen is depleted. time to get a new tank. thermal protection fuses are very hard to find, you can swap out the tank quicker


Plunger doesn’t stop all water I put in a pvc linkage and plunger and it’s not stopping the water from draining slowly from tub. I tried all positions on it and same result. I bought a brass setup and cannot get plunger down far enough to put plate back on. At a loss for ideas right now.

I'm willing to bet that it is dirt and grime in the plumbing that is preventing a good seal. I would take out the linkage and plunger and clean out the pipe at least to the length of the plunger unit. There are several ways to do this but it should be mechanical in nature, like scrubbing a dirty pan. Here is one example of a tool that you can buy and you can make one yourself with some stiff wire and a rag. DO NOT lose the rag in the pipe!


Mounting pull up bar on cinder block wall So, I've read through a bunch of stuff online for mounting a pull up bar to a cinder block wall and before I go out and rent a hammer drill I want to see what would be the best anchor system for my specific scenario.

I plan to mount the bar in my garage. It is cinder blocks, but until I drill I'm not certain whether it is hollow or if the blocks are filled. In either case, it is a load bearing wall as on top is a cement slab, over top some sort of metal sheeting. I do have access to the other side of the cinder blocks both from the outside and the inside of the house, but would prefer not having something sticking out the other side if possible.

I'm not sure if I can just use 3/8 in. sleeve anchors, or if it would be better to mount some 2x8's vertically with cement screws and then bolt into those, or drill all the way through the wall and then bolt it through that way. I just want to make sure it is safe and secure for years to come.

I'm reasonably handy, but I've never really drilled and mounted into concrete and I know this is a somewhat special case due to the inconsistant force being applied.

The problem can be divided into 3 parts:

A) Determine the static pull-out force.

B) Determine the dynamic to static force ratio. My gut feel is 2X to 3X, but I have nothing to back it up.

C) Determine the appropriate fasteners and/or additional interface.

This is only an answer to part A.

The problem is much easier to solve if a few simplifications are made. I have re-positioned the diagonal, this is OK because we don't care about the compression force in the diagonal member. Each member can now be considered to be a strut of a simple truss (tension or compression only, no torque).

The geometry determines the forces. The static pull-out force at the top is the weight of the person multiplied by the ratio of the dimensions (projection/vertical).

250 lbs * 30"/24" = 312 lbs

I think you're over thinking this.  You have 4 mounting holes across the top, which is going to want to pull away from the wall when you hang from the bar.  I'm not concerned about the shear (straight down) force as you have 4 more bolts along the bottom to help with that force.

Not sure how much you weigh, but let's say you're a big guy, 250 lbs.  That's 62.5 lbs per fastener along the top.  According to the Concrete Fasteners website, a 1/4" sleeve anchor embedded 1" has a pull out strength of 682 lbs.  See table below.

With 4 of them the pull out force would be greater than 2700 lbs.

Mount the bar directly to the wall.  Why bother with an intermediate support like the 2x8's you were talking about?

Edit 1 1/1/2010:

Updated my back-of-the-envelope estimate for the pullout force on the upper connectors.  Here's the analysis-

Top diagram is the exercise bar with dimensions and the 250 lb load

Second diagram depicts the upper, horizontal bar and the brace.  The arrows indicate the various forces acting on the pinned joints A & C.

Method used was to sum the moments about A that, because it is pinned, have to equal zero, and solve that for the reactive force on the brace, Rc in the diagram.

Once I have Rc, I can solve two more equations to get the reactive forces on A.  Rx has to equal, in magnitude, the pullout force on the top of the bar.  Rx works out to be 312 lbs, just like Mattman showed in his analysis.

Honestly, I was surprised our answers were identical, given that Mattman had made some simplifying assumptions.

Anyway, we're now at 312 lbs total pull out force on the top of the bar, or 78 lbs per fastener, or about 20% higher that my original estimate.  Even with a 2X or 3X margin needed for shock, I don't think that's too much for a wedge anchor in a hollow block.  But I don't have anything solid (no pun intended) to base that on.


Where do I attach the Ground and Neutral inside a sub-panel? I'm wiring 100 amp subpanel to detached Garage with 2/2/2/4 copper. I'm hoping to replace the subpanel to my detached garage which was previously wired to run on a 40 or 60 amp subpanel with like 6 spaces powered by a tandem 15A/20A breaker with 10/2 cable. So far, I have already disconnected any and all breakers and sub panels that were going to my detached garage in an effort to streamline the new installation and eliminate any confusion as to what(if any) electrical wiring/circuits (is/are) going from the detached garage from the main panel.
Now that I removed the original wiring used for the detached garage,
I am hoping to run a 125 amp subpanel on a 2-pole 100 amp breaker that will be placed inside of the garage where the conduit elbow comes up through the slab.
(((Just FYI If you're looking at my main panel and wondering why I have them there, there is a 2-pole 60 amp breaker on the top right and a 2-pole 30 amp breaker on the bottom left, I point those out because they are both disconnected. the 60 amp one was from my original garage subpanel. )))
The distance is approximately 94' plus the height going from the trenched conduit to the main panel and the subpanel.
I ran copper with 2/2/2/4 and now for due diligence, I am hoping to verify from a 3rd party where I connect the Neutral line and the ground lines on the main and subpanel before I attempt it.
My understanding is that on the subpanel, the two hot wires go to the left leg and right leg and on the other end, go into the breaker itself which then goes on the Main panel.

(Here is Where I'm hoping to get some clarification)

I'm guessing (But Not Sure) the Set Screw on the top center of the subpanel that is connected to both neutral bars is for the Neutral wire. Please let me know if I'm wrong.
There was an included plastic baggy that had a roughly 5" ground bar with a Set Screw on it and I'm not sure but I'm guessing but not sure that is where I connect the ground wire. Please let me know if I'm wrong.
On the Main panel, I see there is a flat Bar on the left side with (2) Set Screws, One of those on the bottom is being used to hold the Copper Ground Wire which is connected to the (2) posts that are buried and sticking out of the ground a couple of inches. I'm guessing But Not Sure, that the empty Set Screw is where I connect the #4 copper subpanel ground wire. Please let me know if I'm wrong.

Feel Free to Roast me or Educate me. Thanks in advance.

I've had maybe 3 or 4 legitimate electricians come out over the last 6 months and they all are booked up with work and I've ran out of time. I know a half dozen other "amateur" electricians but I don't have the confidence that they have so much as heard the term NEC or comprehend safety standards/measures. I feel more comfortable checking on sites like this one so I can try to get the process personally/firsthand.

In your main panel there's a fat bus bar down the left side. It has a lug up high and another at the bottom (hidden from view behind some wires). Those lugs should accommodate your neutral and ground wires.
Unfortunately... you've kinda got the wrong panel for the detached garage. There's a requirement that all circuits in the building can be shut down with no more than 6 motions - by turning off no more than 6 circuit breakers, in other words.
Usually this is accomplished by using a main-breaker panel rather than the main-lug type panel you have there. You could add a QOM100VHCP or QOM125VHCP main breaker to that panel but it'll be more cost effective to return the panel and buy one that has a main breaker already installed.

Since you are connecting the feed from the sub-panel to the main panel, it really doesn't make any difference where you connect the neutral and ground, since they are bonded (connected) in the main panel.  Still I like to separate the neutral from the ground, just in case the main panel becomes a sub-panel at some point (Like installation of a generator transfer switch between the meter and the panel). In your case, I see the neutrals and grounds are combined on a couple of bus bars, not a big deal, common practice.
You'll  need some lug adapters to accommodate your wire sizes to connect the neutral and ground to the bus bars.
In your sub-panel, you'll need to "float the neutral" meaning isolate the neutral from the ground.  Usually that just means not installing the bonding screw that comes with the panel.   Also, because it's a separate building, you'll need ground rods connected to the grounding bus bar in the sub-panel. Yeah, it feels kinda redundant to have a ground wire to the main panel and still have to install ground rods at the out-building, but that's code.
Lastly, and this "opinion based". You might consider returning the new sub-panel for one that has PON (Plug on Neutral) capability. That way you don't need to get breakers with those curly pig tails. I recently installed a PON panel in my son's house and it made for a very clean install.


30amp dryer on a 50amp breaker? After many pitfalls, I have gotten my new dryer working.  It's a Kenmore 81182 electric dryer. (Manual from sears; Sears website).  Very long story short, the neutral wire at the breaker box wasn't tight, at all, not in the least (how my previous dryer ran 10 years is a mystery).

Got that squared away, but I am wondering if the 30amp dryer should be on a dedicated 50amp breaker.  I had it off for two days and noticed all other appliances working in the house (fridge, washer, dishwasher, oven, stove, central heat/air).  The panel at the box is not labelled, but a nice little piece of cardboard inside the box labels the slot "dryer".

Shouldn't this appliance be a 30amp breaker? Or am I misreading "minimum circuit rating = 30amp"?  Hope this question falls to DIY.SE.

Your question is a bit convoluted, but the answer is very simple. The breaker size must match or be lower than the wire amp rating feeding the circuit, and appliances on that circuit should not exceed the max rating of the wire or breaker.  In a dedicated circuit for a dryer, for example, the normal size of the circuit would be 30 amps. 30 amps requires a minimum of #10 copper or #8 alu.  With this wire size, the breaker must not be larger than 30 amps.  Do not use a larger breaker then what the current rating of the wire is rated for.

You can use the 50 Amp breaker if you use a sub panel.  In the second or sub panel the 50 maps can feed 1 30 amp and 1 20 amp breaker.  This will power both the washer and dryer from the sub panel.  Just be sure the ground in the sub panel is NOT connected to the white neutral bar.  Ground needs a clear path back to the main panel as well as neutral(white).


Locating source of excessive energy use Background Info: My house is all electric.

Last month when I got my electric bill, I flipped.  It was triple that of any month prior.  Now I know the cold (heating) can affect this so I decided to turn my thermostat back, even though I never had to before.  I've finally got the results back and to my surprise, it's still pretty darn high (but somewhat lower thankfully).  The head-scratcher is that not only did I turn my thermostat down 4-6 degrees, it also hasn't been very cold here lately.  It has ran a fraction of what it did the month prior, and that's just from the ambient temp difference.  This isn't considering the fact that the thermostat is off for half of the day while I'm at work.  I also wouldn't deem my system extremely inefficient, as I have a heat pump.

Anyways, so I'm suspecting there's something else at play here.  Perhaps another large appliance like the washer/dryer, dishwasher, hot water heater, etc.  However, I do not know how to troubleshoot this or determine how much energy any one appliance is using.

Are there any pro-tips or easy/cheap ways that I can measure, or at least get a general idea, of which appliance in my house could be causing such high energy usage?  I've seen before meters that you plug into the wall (in-between the socket and appliance), but I imagine those are not the most inexpensive route to take.  I was wondering if maybe I could see the real-time load for the entire house?  Like at the meter, and then I could one-by-one disconnect appliances and notate the fluctuations in total usage.

Anything like that would be great, or if you have better ideas, please share!

Quick Note: I recently had someone move into one of my spare rooms.  One of my suspicions that I'm looking to verify is that they take extra long showers and overwork my hot water heater.  I mainly suspect this because they mentioned that they ran out of hot water, something that has never happened to me before.

I wouldn't be concerned if I was still considered "efficient" by my electric company, but as you can see, I went from being relatively efficient to not even close.

UPDATE 3/3/2018 After doing some testing, I've come to realize that my heat pump isn't putting out any heat at all. So basically, I have been running off AUX heat exclusively.  That combined with how cold it has been may very well explain the large spike in usage.  I called a tech to come look at it. I will update and close this question once it has been verified.

UPDATE 12/10/2018 It has been a while so I thought I would share with everyone what the real issue was.  After a few visits, it was finally discovered that my heat coils were stuck on.  Even with the thermostat off, they were getting constant power.  You could actually feel the heat radiating from the floor above the coils (they're in a crawl space).  I'm lucky they found it, otherwise I could've had a fire on my hands.  So yes, in essence, my AUX heat was running 24/7 for what was likely a month or two.  CRAZY!

Since you say your backup heat is electric, I'd say that's what is using all the power. It could be that the weather is unseasonably cold and that the backup emergency heat is kicking in often.
Your Nest Thermostat could be switching to AUX heat more often than your old thermostat would have.
Since you say your nest thermostat is new (last summer), It is likely that it is responsible for kicking on the aux (emergency) electric heat more often than your old thermostat. There are settings to change how often this happens described below.
Your Nest thermostat may calling for aux heat more often than your old one would have. This can be configured with Heat Pump Balance which you might try changing to Max Savings or balanced. Note that the link below states that Max Comfort, the most expensive option, is selected by default. This is probably the issue. If changing this doesn't help, then I'd call an HVAC specialist.

Because auxiliary heat is so expensive, running the heat pump longer is still cheaper than using AUX heat. Heat Pump Balance automatically turns the heat on early to reduce AUX heat use as much as possible and get to your target temperature on time. It can turn on the heat up to 5 hours before a scheduled temperature if necessary. So if your schedule says 70ºF/20ºC at 7pm, Heat Pump Balance can use Early-On technology to start heating as early as 2pm.
Heat Pump Balance gives you four options to choose from:

Max Savings - This is the best setting for saving energy. In Max Savings mode, the Nest thermostat gives the heat pump more time to get to your target temperature before turning on AUX and sets a lower AUX lockout temp.

Balanced - This setting will give the heat pump more time to work, but will still turn AUX on quickly if it looks like it won't get you to your target temperature on time. Balanced has an AUX lockout temp somewhere between Max Comfort and Max Savings.

Max Comfort - When you choose Max Comfort, the Nest thermostat will make sure you'll get to the temperature you want, even if it means using auxiliary heat. Max Comfort is the default setting for Heat Pump Balance and generally gives you a higher AUX lockout temp.

Off - You can also turn Heat Pump Balance off entirely and adjust your AUX lockout temperature yourself. The AUX lockout temperature can be changed in SETTINGS > EQUIPMENT > HEAT PUMP.

There might be something wrong with your heat pump.
It could also be that there is something wrong with your heat pump. IE, it is running and using some energy but not generating any heat. Eventually, this will lead to the thermostat switching on the emergency electric heat and that will use even more power. Call an hvac specialist and have it inspected.

If you have an idea of what appliance might be causing the issue, you can use a device called kill-a-watt to measure the power draw.

amazon link


My apartment has a bouncy floor, but it's the only one While we're waiting for an official inspection, I wanted to get some Internet experts' opinions.

I live in the 3rd-floor apartment of a building with two other units below me, all with virtually the same layout. Our living room floor is quite bouncy, so that we can see and feel it move a lot when our child or dog walks by, let alone an adult.

The ceiling of the 2nd-floor living room is visibly sagging and cracking, and moves when the floor upstairs is bouncing. It's pretty scary to see it from below.

Every other floor is solid, including the 2nd and 1st floor living rooms. The 1st floor living room ceiling is flat and free of cracks. This leads me to believe that there is a potentially serious problem with our floor, specifically.

Through all of this the landlord says this is totally normal and expected in an old building. I would agree if it were not completely inconsistent between the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors.

Am I reasonably concerned here?

The joists are undersize or the center distance is too great to provide the stiffness you want.It is likely strong enough unless you want large aquariums.


Can I wire a refrigerator and dishwasher on the same circuit? Can I wire a refrigerator and dishwasher on the same 20 amp circuit?

Maybe.
Branch Circuits Required

National Electrical Code 2014
Article 210 - Branch Circuits
I. General Provisions
210.11 Branch Circuits Required.
(C) Dwelling Units.
(1) Small-Appliance Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets specified by 210.52(B).
III. Required Outlets
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
Exception No. 2: The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.

210.52(B)(1) Exception No. 2 specifically says that you can put the refrigerator on a dedicated circuit (that can be 15 amperes instead of 20), but does not require it.  The rest of 210.52 says that you have to have at least two 20 ampere branch circuits to supply all the required receptacles in the kitchen, and that those circuits can only serve receptacles in that same kitchen (with some minor exceptions).
If you can meet the provisions in 210.52, and still end up under the load calculations in other parts of the code.  AND the dishwasher is cord-and-plug connected, then it is possible to have the fridge and dishwasher on the same 20 ampere small appliance branch circuit. Whether or not this is recommended is subjective, and can be debated in another place.
Load Calculations

National Electrical Code 2014
Article 210 - Branch Circuits
II. Branch-Circuit Ratings
210.23 Permissible Loads.
(A) 15- and 20-Ampere Branch Circuits.
(1) Cord-and-Plug-Connected Equipment Not Fastened in Place. The rating of any one cord-and-plug-connected utilization equipment not fastened in place shall not exceed 80 percent of the branch-circuit ampere rating.
(2) Utilization Equipment Fastened in Place. The total rating of utilization equipment fastened in place, other than luminaires, shall not exceed 50 percent of the branch circuit ampere rating where lighting units, cord-and-plug connected utilization equipment not fastened in place, or both, are also supplied.

This means that the refrigerator must be rated less than 80% of the branch circuit rating,  for it to be connected to a 20 ampere small appliance branch circuit. This would mean the fridge must be rated less than 16 amperes.
20 amperes * 0.80 = 16 amperes
It also means that the dishwasher (assuming it's not a portable unit), must be rated less than 10 amperes.
20 amperes * 0.50 = 10 amperes
If it's a portable dishwasher, it can be rated up to 16 amperes just like the refrigerator.

tl;dr
So if you have:

A cord-and-plug attached dishwasher fastened in place that is rated 10 amperes or less.
Or a cord-and-plug attached dishwasher not fastened in place that is rated 16 amperes or less.
And a cord-and-plug attached refrigerator not fastened in place that is rated 16 amperes or less.
And you meet the provisions in 210.52(B)

Then it is possible (though maybe not advisable) to have a dishwasher, and a refrigerator on the same small appliance branch circuit.

No, you cannot in the U.S.  A refrigerator must be on its own dedicated branch circuit because you don't want another appliance/consumer to trip the breaker and cause your food to go bad.  Look up NEC 210.11


How does one know if running water is enough to avoid frozen pipes? Recent freezes in southern states (Texas) have caused pipes to burst, as the pipes are not insulated for freezing weather.  I believe that running the water can prevent the pipe from freezing.

Is it enough for water to drip one drop per second?
What is the minimum water flow required to avoid freezing?
What is best practice?

Practical, actionable and measurable process is sought.  I have witnessed uninsulated attic pipes burst because of a 3 day freeze in Florida in the 80's.

An opened faucet will already lower the chance of a pipe bursting.
The typical way a pipe bursts is when it is fully shut. Since it is watertight, there is no place for the water to go. When the water freezes and expands, the only way to go is the side of the pipe, so it bursts.
When the faucet is opened, even just a little, it allows the water to drip out. Now, you say, the water is frozen, wouldn't that still burst? The answer is no.
As the water freezes and expands, the kinetic energy exerted by the ice against the pipe actually melts the ice, and just enough will melt and flow out of the faucet. This is how ice skating works. The physical pressure on the ice creates a thin layer of water, which obviously refreezes immediately once the pressure is removed. You can also easily demonstrate this by using a knife on a block of ice. The pressure from the tip of the knife melts the ice, even though it is just as cold.
So with the faucet opened just a little, as the water pipe freeze over, you'll eventually see the ice "leak" out of the faucet. This is the water melting and freezing immediately. Even though the opening of the faucet will eventually freeze over completely, that frozen opening is still substantially weaker than the pipe, and the expanding ice will continue to "leak" out of the faucet and not burst your pipes.

If it's coming out warm enough to melt ice-cubes it's fast enough.


Do I need a ground for a 2-wire BX cable to a stove? I am installing a new electric stove in a 20 year old condo. The existing BX cable has only 2 wires and both are hot legs. Do I need a ground wire or can I use the BX armor as the ground??

2014 NEC 250.118.10 all 3 examples of using Metal Clad include the use of a grounded conductor. In the 2014 NEC handbook 330.108 states. "the interlocked sheath cable construction is not recognized as an EGC." so it would not be lega. A discrete conductor is needed for the Equipment Grounding Conductor.


Crimp spade connectors in breaker box? I am installing an Eaton CHSPT2ULTRA surge protector to my Siemens QP breaker box.

The surge protector has (4) 14-gauge stranded wires to connect.  I had no problems making a tight connection with the green wire to the grounding bar, and to the white I added some stranded 10-gauge wire with a wire nut to reach the neutral bar, which is secured tightly.
The problem is that the black and red wires connected to the 50 amp breaker don’t seem too secure. If I tug on the wires somewhat they don’t come out, but I think if I pulled harder I could pull them out of the breaker without too much effort.

Taking a close look at the 50 amp breaker, it’s (of course) made for a much larger (8-gauge) wire.  Even with the screw all the way tight, there is still space at the bottom of the screw.  So it seems to me that the 14-gauge stranded wire just isn’t big enough for the breaker screw to hold the wire tightly.

What is the best way to fix this loose connection at the breaker?

Can I use crimp-on spade terminals to the two breaker wires?  Is it up to code to have this connector inside a breaker box?  Gardner Bender makes a 16-14 AWG 4-6 Stud Spade Terminal, Vinyl Blue (10-Pack) that is rated for 600-Volt maximum rating as building wiring and 1,000-Volt maximum rating for signs and fixtures, and has UL and CSA safety listings.

Is there a better way to do this?

Thank you!

You are correct in addressing this, but the ring terminal isn't the right tool for the job
You are indeed correct that 14AWG is well outside the listed/labeled range of the lugs on a 50A Siemens QP breaker -- they're rated for 8AWG through 4AWG wire only.  However, nobody's tested them with ring tongue terminals either, so your ring terminal solution is off base.  What I'd do instead is use a short length of 8AWG stranded THHN and an appropriate wirenut as a transition pigtail to adapt the 14AWG leads on the CHSPT2ULTRA to a wire size your breakers are rated to accept.  (If you insist on doing this using crimped connections, you can use a suitable closed-end crimp splice instead of the wirenut, as doing the transition with a butt/in-line splice requires a special reducing splice connector, the Panduit ESV8-ESV14-Q, that isn't a hardware store item.)

The type of screw terminals you have never makes reliable connections to stranded wires, the strands tend to come out and squeeze out when thermal cycling. Even with solid wire it needs to be thick enough to fill the hole, or it can wiggle around and get out.
If you want to use stranded wire with screw terminals, get a hexagonal crimper for $20 on aliexpress:

Get your crimp ferrules:

Thread, insert, squeeze...

This does not solve your small wire in big hole problem though. For that I'd use a 8ga crimp ferrule since that's the size that goes with the hole, stuff it with enough stranded wire to fill it (including the wire from the surge protector) and crimp the whole thing.


Green residue on the joints of copper water pipes I was renovating my house and have to open up the ceiling. Once the ceiling was opened up I see that our copper water piping has some green residue only on the joints. I was doing some research online and seem that the conclusion is mixed, some say not to concern while other think that it needs to be fixed.
There is one or two drops of water on the joint where there is green. Do I need to worry and replace the pipe with PEX and copper fittings? If I were to do something now is the time as the ceiling is open up. I have attached a picture for reference.

The connection is leaking.  What more do you need?
There is water on the outside of the pipe.  It has been leaking for possibly decades and evaporating as quickly as it leaks.  The moisture, along with the solder and possibly flux, has corroded the outside of the pipe, leaving the characteristic green-blue color of dissolved copper.
More importantly, the leakage flow is verrry gradually eroding the sides of the small opening.  The opening is growing, the flow is growing, and eventually, it will start dripping and then pouring on everything below...
I've seen this in a pinhole leak in a copper 90 degree elbow.  The elbow had been installed for at least 30 years in the ceiling over the entrance hall.  The first visible symptom was water dripping from the ceiling light fixture.  When we opened the ceiling, there was an extremely fine mist coming from the pinhole.  All the nails and screws in the joist space were rusted out...

Lighting traveling through the ground and exiting through the roof can create pinholes, especially in concrete foundations. As you've likely learned in school lighting travels from the earth to the sky, or from one cloud to another. These pinholes are Too expensive to find and repair. New plumbing should be installed through the ceiling. Happens quite often in Florida in older homes.


Crack in concrete floor slab I recently pulled up carpet/padding and discovered a foundation crack. It looks to be larger on one end. It appears to be slightly horizontal, about less than 1/2 inch at it's largest end. The foundation is poured concrete, no basement. The house was built back in 2009 and is located in FL. There are no recorded sinkholes in the area. It's the only crack in the house and seems to be localized to one side. I've noticed a slight tilt in the door frame (that's always been there) located next to the crack.
My question is: Is this something to be concerned about? Do I need to call a company to come in and evaluate it, or should I just keep an eye on it?

This is typical and poses no danger.  It's just a superficial crack in the floor slab.  I suspect if you remove more carpeting, you'll find more.
The biggest concern is that sometimes insects (like ants) can find their way up through these and start invading your home.  I'd seal it with some silicone caulk to prevent insect infiltration.
Other than that, as long as it doesn't start opening up more you should be OK.


What can I put over drywall on a garage firewall? I want to add a wall covering on top of my 5/8" type-x drywall in my attached garage in Minnesota.  What limitations do I have other than not to use flammable/vinyl/plastic material?

What materials would anyone recommend?

The Code does not restrict material installed on top of “Fire wall” materials. (Btw, the 5/8” type-x gypsum board is only required on the garage side. It’s not required on the “living space” side.)

Also, you can have “holes” in the gypsum board, including electrical outlets, electrical switches, a door if it’s fire rated, etc.

Also, the garage cannot have a door opening directly into a sleeping space.

UPDATE:

Oops...actually the Code does restrict what can be installed on walls and ceilings. They can’t have a “Flame Spread Rating” greater than 200, unless it’s less than 1/28” thick and cemented to the surface and has a flame spread rating less than paper. (See ICC R302.9). Also, they can’t have a “Smoke Development Index” greater than 450. (See ICC R302.10)

It is a "fire wall" only in that the requirement for 5/8" drywall is there so that if a fire starts in the garage, it will take 60 minutes before it burns through that thicker drywall and gets into the rest of the house (as opposed to 30 minutes for standard 1/2" drywall). What is on that wall in the garage is totally irrelevant to that issue, so you can cover it with napalm if you are so inclined (actually you cannot, but I was exaggerating to make the point).


What is this type of interior wall? I don't know much about what I'm doing, and I need help. I'm trying to cut a hole in my wall for a 1 gang low voltage bracket. Do you know what type of wall this is? It's very hard to cut into with a drywall saw. Do you perhaps know how I can cut into this easier?

That's a normal wall, sheetrock over plaster. That's how you save money when you want to renovate your home with plaster walls in bad shape, you just screw gyp board on top instead of paying for demo/dumping then gyp.
run your finger around the back side of the plaster inside the wall, you should feel some lath or if the lath is nocked away, you should feel flat/bulge/flat/etc.
Also, that's not insulation. Insulation is like cutting through butter. That's plaster. Delicious dusty plaster.
It's fine to cut into with a drywall saw, and it's normal that it will destroy your drywall saw. Most people just use whatever they have on hand, and you just have to decide which tool you want to destroy.... you can get purpose made masonry blades for your tool of choice, but then you have the tool of choice cost on top of the blade, and a drywall saw is so cheap to begin with. Cost of "replacing" drywall saw you already have if you're really sad it's not sharp as new versus: Cost of reciprocating saw and masonry blade; or, Cost of masonry reciprocating saw blade and replaceable blade handle that accepts that type of blade; or, Cost of oscillating multi tool and masonry blade.

It looks like standard drywall with polystyrene insulation. You can cut that like normal drywall, with a drywall saw. Preferably a very short one, so the blade doesn't bend too much.
The outlet is probably going to be fastened by little "tabs" that grab the back of the drywall. Since you want them to grab the drywall and not the polystyrene, you'll have to remove a little bit of polystyrene where those tabs are.
Now if these panels were glued to the wall, as they usually are, it's a real headache to run the cable conduits behind.


Feeding half the panel with generator? Maybe I could get some help?  I bought a 8.5kW (10kW peak) generator and made a 6ga. cord with L14-30 plugs—one for the 240v on the generator and one for the inlet box.  Inlet box is wired to the panel onto a 240v/30a double pole breaker that is off when the main is live and on only when the main is off and generator is on (I have an old box with the main switch in a separate box than the breaker panel, so no interlock switch is possible).  I tested it out and did this:
1. Turned off the main.
2. Turned off all breakers
2. Turned on the generator
3. Plugged in the cord gen—>inlet box
4. Turned on the gen breaker
5. One by one, turned on the breakers

And then I sat and wondered why the generator was humming along nicely but roughly 40% of the lights/outlets weren’t on, while the other 60% were?
Then I reversed the process, went back on company power and all the light were on.

So I figure I’m only feeding one bus in the panel somehow, right?  And that’s bad. So I need to check the voltage through my “generator system” (thru the new breaker, the wires to the inlet box, the inlet box, and the cord to the generator. And I’ll check it using utility power, not generator power.
Presumably I’ll find a loss of voltage at some point as I test out to the end of the cord to the generator.  Am I close?
I appreciate any help you might have, thanks.

This is a super hard problem, because you are renting and seem to be "at war with" with your landlord and AHJ, rather than working with them. That's a shame, because what you want is reasonable and it should be possible to get all to agree to it.

What you have done so far puts the landlord in a no-win situation: he absolutely must positively end the practice by shutting off the power and evicting you.  If he does not, he becomes liable for it just the same as if he did it, for lawsuits if anyone is injured, and if the city finds out, fines and paying a pro to rip it out and search for any other gypsy work. Meanwhile, if the city gets wind, they will condemn the occupancy and again you will be evicted. The landlord might even "drop a dime" so the city is evicting you (not him) and to avoid the fine.  Any costs for him would come out of your deposit.

That said, I think a proper generator inter-tie is something most tenants would find valuable.  So from the landlord's perspective, he has a more marketable property if it is so equipped.  So there is certainly room to work out an agreement.  In your shoes that is what I would seek to do.

Of course all work would have to be to Code and inspected. Depending on the jurisdiction, it might have to be hired out unless the AHJ recognizes you as qualified to do the work.  I assume that would zorch the deal.  But you don't know 'til you ask.  I suspect outside the big cities, where everyone is just trying to get along, the AHJ may abide reason.

Do keep in mind that all tool-installed modifications become property of the landlord the moment you install them.  You must do good work because it is electrical, but you must also be prepared to leave it (intact) for the next tenant when you move.  That is the price of being a tenant, just like having to suddenly drop $2000 on a furnace is not.

Many ways to get a generator interlock when you don't have one:

Convert each load to be cord-and-plug connected

And just run an extension cord to it.

For instance your furnace wiring probably ends in a simple $1 Handy-Box.   Stick another one 3" away from it, and use the furnace wiring to fit a receptacle there.  Then add a short cord with proper strain relief coming from the furnace which, you guessed it, plugs into that receptacle.

Power failure comes, run an extension cord down there and do the obvious.

This is Code legal because Code allows utilization equipment to be cord and plug connected for special applications like this.

This will set you back about $10 per circuit.

On each circuit, add a DPDT switch

A DPDT (double pole, double throw) switch has 6 screws and has an A side, a B side and a common. It's a mini transfer switch and costs about $10.

find an appropriate location along the circuit where this will be possible.  Wire the common on the DPDT switch to the downline circuit,  the "A" is wired back to the service panel, and the "B" goes to an inlet.  Or alternately, wired to a subpanel exclusively powered by the generator.

Switch both hot and neutral.

The trick to wiring this is you lose about 18" of wire with the 9" of wire that needs to be inside the box so you can work on it... so you need to make that up somehow.  You can do this near the service panel or a load and simply replace the now-too-short section.  Or you can put two boxes 18" apart, and have a 3' jumper between the two boxes.  The second box can be a good place for the inlet.

I know I went real fast by the part where the generator has a cheapie subpanel all its own.  This can be a tiny thing, it is just to provide correct overcurrent protection for each branch, e.g. A 14 AWG-wired branch needs 15A breaker protection. Or you can use inlets and extension cords to the sockets on the generator.

Install a subpanel with onboard transfer switch

The general idea here is that you install a new sub-panel near the main panel (or wherever else convenient).  You then take each of the circuits you want to power off the generator, and permanently relocate their hot, neutral and ground (the whole cable really) to the subpanel.

This type of subpanel has a "sliding piece of metal" interlock which prevents both the utility supply breaker and a breaker in a very particular location from being on at the same time.  Obviously, you put the generator backfeed there.

Where it differs from the "retrofit this" example that I moved from the bottom, is that in this case, the manufacturer has engineered the whole kit-n-kaboodle to work together - subpanel, breakers and interlock - so it costs far less.  It fits the breakers and the breaker bolt-down feature (discussed below) is present.  Often the top 4 spaces are occupied by two 2-pole breakers; and a simple bit of sliding metal sits between them.  It's super simple and easy to understand.

Yeah, but with a lot more spaces.

This is big-box's offering. A real electrical supply house should have much better options.

As always with subpanels, spaces are cheap, so don't scrimp on the spaces. 30 is not excessive, running out of spaces is seriously frustrating.  With 4 used, that leaves you 26 spaces to put loads on.  I myself would go 42, but I'm crai.

The tie from main breaker to sub should be the biggest wire-breaker match-up you can stand to pay for.  The breaker in the main panel must match the wire you are using since it protects the wire. The breaker in the subpanel is really just there to be a cheap high-current switch.

The breaker on the generator side should be sized for the generator, unless the gen has its own onboard overcurrent protection, in which case again it's just a switch.

When moving a circuit, if it doesn't reach, I simply put a large box where it and other circuits can reach - typically a 4-11/16 deep box - and bring the cable into that box, then extend the last few feet to the new sub.  I do this all the time for other reasons.  Use good wire-nuts (Ideal) and nut quite firmly (it is one place "gorilla tight" is appropriate). I've never had a splice problem.

When using the subpanel, simply cut all the breakers off including the interlocked main breaker, hookup and start the generator, turn the generator-side main breaker on, and throw on circuits one at a time as desired.

A subpanel with an external transfer switch

This option may be more expensive since it isn't using $10 breakers as cheap switches.  Or maybe; the above pictured "micro subpanel" would totally work as an external transfer switch. It certainly doesn't work as a subpanel.

This has one big advantage: you can switch neutral. That matters if it's downstream from a GFCI or AFCI, and many generators have integral GFCIs these days.

This is a large DPDT, or 3PDT (double/triple pole, double throw), changeover switch.  You can use ones specifically made for generators, or ones made to switch 3-phase power. (neutral as the third "phase".)  The point is they are double throw, so the "common" position is connected either to source "A" or source "B", and A never connects to B (hence the interlock).

A and B go to mains and gen; common goes to the new subpanel.

Made for 3-phase.

Again, a real electrical supply house will have much better selection and price. The switch, and the mains to subpanel wiring, should be as heavy as you want to pay for.  The switch-to-gen wiring can be sized for the gen.

Here, you use a perfectly ordinary subpanel, with no special features needed.  It can have a main breaker, or not.  Then as above, you cut over to the new subpanel the circuits you want to have on generator.

An external automatic transfer switch

As the last case, ditto ditto ditto but with an automatic switch that senses mains power and cuts over to it when it's present and stabilized.  You can also get switches which will auto-start the generator.

You can guess the huge gotcha: since you wouldn't be there to throw over circuits one by one, it slams all load onto the generator.  That requires a higher "tier" of generator product, not a $1000 model with wheels but more like a $5000 job that bolts down to a slab and takes natural gas.

You can't do this, but for others...

Retrofit an interlock on an existing panel

There are several companies that make aftermarket interlocks for almost any panel.  These work about like what you're doing now: you retain your existing main breaker, fit your generator backfeed breaker in a very specific location, and then they supply a sliding metal bracket which interlocks so the main and this backfeed breaker cannot both be on at the same time.  Done and dusted.

There are two serious hitches with this: First, they don't make such things for every single panel, so it's luck whether your older panel is supported.  (cooking up your own [that works] is far better than having no interlock, but it isn't listed, which means it isn't legal.)

The other hitch is a special rule in Code for backfed breakers, which is that they must be "bolted down" so they can't easily snap out (most breakers on most panels snap out) and nail somebody with their exposed metal bits.  That requires a design concession in the panel.  Or simply a panel where all breakers normally bolt down, such as some Siemens panels.  (doing it anyway isn't legal, but again is far better than not having an interlock, can't tell you to break Code.)

What not to do: octopus "transfer switches"

You will see these multiple-circuit "transfer switches".  They look like something out of an RV, very impressive with an entire row of 6-10 switches, sometimes breakers too.  They are aggressively marketed, and all too easy to buy.  However they are a nightmare to wire.

Because for each circuit to be put on generator, they require you intercept the circuit on the way into the service panel. Divert the load side to the box, divert the line side to the box also, so it can be on "A" and common on the switch (we're up to 6 wires so far), then also the wires to the generator.  And that again for each of 6-10 circuits.  It's crazy bunches of redundant wiring, hard to understand and unnecessary.  But like I say, the generator salesman practically won't let you leave the store without one.  He gets a commission on those hokey things and not on subpanels.

Not pictured: 52 wires going in and out of it.

The only nice thing these transfer switches do is allow some circuits to be on "line" while others are on "gen".  I fail to see the usefulness of that. If utility is available, just use it.

In Canada...after you  turn off the mains breaker and after turning off all breakers... take out the dryer plug and short the two hots together with an extra dryer plug wired with the 2 hots shorted... You will be connecting both hot rails in the mains fuse box by doing that.. Then feed 120volts into any standard wallplug and only turn on single breakers that are not 240volt breakers and that do not total over 15 amps because the whole house will be energized with 120 volts...put a note on the mains breaker to remove the dryer plug before restoring mains power!!!!!!!!!!


How to install an outdoor outlet in new stucco (not retrofit) -- with details done right Previous questions pertain to adding an outdoor electrical box to old stucco (How do I install electrical through existing stucco (e.g. "old work") ).

What are the ways it's done on a wall that will be re-stuccoed?

In this case I'm interested in a design suitable for a weather side wall with heavy blowing rain and baking hot summer sun.  It could be flush mount or surface mount.

How can the all the details be done right: flashing, penetration, and protecting the house should the crappy foam seal on the outlet cover eventually fail. I prefer using metal, as I know plastic boxes get brittle in such conditions after only a few decades (short compared to the life of an old house).

These boxes by Arlington Electric are wonderful for exterior stucco walls.

Arlington In-Box

Arlington In-Box

Quickflash part E-AIB is matching flashing product, for helping water behind the stucco pass the box without damage to the wood:

Just hear me out, you'll see. You'd still use an exterior grade plastic box & matching cover, because you can't get those in metal or any metal that you would want. The matching box & cover are crucial as you need the mounting holes to lie-up & sandwich the stucco on both sides.

Like the box pictured below, you'd screw through its side or back into a stud or blocking. Then, the cover assembly would be caulked or siliconed to the stucco prior to screwing, with Stainless Steel Screws, it to the box.

This, keeps the stucco as an impervious barrier to protect the in-wall box & allows for water to only flow around the separate cover assembly. In the future the cover assembly could be easily removed & re-caulked or siliconed, if needed. Also, bevel the bottom of the stucco opening outward like a windowsill to ensure water can't enter.

Now, the final trick is to cover all of the exposed plastic with a Stainless Steel Blank cover plate with Stainless Steel Screws, Bolts or Pop-Rivets attaching the cover plate to just the hinged door's face. You'll need a gap at the top for door operation & at the bottom for a finger pull. You may have to go to a 2-gang blank cover plate or sheet Stainless Steel to cut down & bend the edges in for a proper fit & clearances. But, all UV damage will be eliminated.


Can 14/3 wire, with all three conductors hot, be the only cable in a switch box? I currently have a bathroom light and a single pole switch at the door. The power for the light first comes into the ceiling box directly above the light. The hot is tapped in right there by using the white wire of 14/2, said 14/2 then runs to the switch where both the white and black are used to run through the switch and then back to the light with now the black wire hot with switch on.

Now I'm putting in a light that has a vent fan attached. I will be installing a 2 function switch instead of the single pole so I can control the fan and the light separately. So, I'm thinking, why not just replace the 14/2 that runs through the switch now with 14/3 wire. I can do that in the attic. I'll use the white from said 14/3 to carry the hot to my switch securing on the  the black switch screws (and not break off the tab). I'll then hook up the black and red from the 14/3 on the other side of the receptacle so they carry the power back to the fan or light. I will put black tape on white wires to designate hot.

It's better (and to code for new construction) to run a 14/4 wire to get a neutral to the switch. In case you want to upgrade it to a smart switch or timer that needs that neutral.

You could leave the 14/2 in place as the unswitched feed and run a new 14/3 in parallel to carry the switched lives. However when you do so you must ensure that the neutral goes back to the through that 14/3 and that the lamp/fan is connected to that neutral and not the one feeding the 14/2.

There is 14/4 (white, black, red and blue) usually used for smoke alarm interconnect, but not necessary in this situation. Use 14/3 from ceiling junction box to tandem (twin) wall switches; one wire (lets pick white, to carry the power from the ceiling box to both switches. Pigtail this white wire with two short pieces of black wire inside the switch box on the wall. Give power to both switches with these short black wires. Tape both ends of the white wire with black tape to identify as HOT conductors. Now you can power the fan and the light independently with their own switches. Use black and red wires to give switched power back to the individual devices on the ceiling. This is known as a switch loop, actually its two switch loops. That being said there is a new code requirment in the U.S. that I am not familiar with. I'm in Canada.


Can solder be used instead of quick disconnect terminals? Current state:

Original:

I am repairing a cordless kettle's base plate whose the power cord was cut. The new wires need to be connected to the contact pins in the base. Originally, quick disconnect terminals were used with two crimped sections, one on the wires and another on the insulation, all covered with heat shrink.
Is there any safety concern with soldering wires directly instead of using crimp terminals?
I don't have the same type of quick disconnect terminals or the required crimp tool. The options I can think of are:

Buy general purpose quick disconnect terminals which can be crimped with a regular crimp tool. The insulation is probably not rated for 105C like the power cord, though I don't think the base of the kettle should be reaching such temperatures.

Try to reuse the old quick disconnect terminals by uncrimping the wires and then soldering the new wires into the terminals, and using heat shrink over the whole thing to approximate the original assembly.

Solder the new wires directly onto the terminals and cover with heat shrink.

The power cord is 16 AWG and rated for 105C and 300V.
Option 3 would be the easiest for me and require no new purchases. Option 2 would take the most effort and time, but require no shopping trip. Option 1 would look the best, but I don't know if the insulation used is suitable in this case. I would think it should be passable, but... what are your thoughts?

Soldering this connection is illegal and unsafe; it's prohibited in AC mains wiring by NEC, and in appliances by the UL White Book; both proscribe conditions in which soldering is OK, and this is definitely not one of them.
Feel free to do exactly what they did: use uninsulated crimp terminals and then shrink-wrap over the works once it is crimped.
I get uninsulated crimp terminals by removing the insulation from insulated terminals.  There goes the temperature limit!
After you crimp it for a complete and secure physical and electrical connection, feel free to solder it also if you really want to. This is how NEC tells you to use solder.   You can't just hork-a-dork solder like you do on hobby electronics projects; this is a high-current connection.  Solder has a low melting point, so voltage drop across the solder is something that matters quite a lot.  And that makes the resistivity of solder matter a lot.  In this application it combines rather adversely with the high temperature operating conditions and high current.

As long as it's properly applied (i.e. not giant globs of solder everywhere) I don't see any issues with soldering the wires to the kettle base as long as you put an insulator like black electrical tape around the wires and connector to protect any contact between the terminals from water.  The quick connects pictured are insulated, so I'd follow this same design with a repair.
Solder is generally a better connection than a crimp on quick-connect, and protects from any potential corrosion.  The quick-connect was likely used because it's cheaper, not safer.
Be sure to connect the hot wire to the proper terminal, and don't mix up the ground with the neutral.  It's possible reversing the hot/neutral could make the kettle more dangerous, and certainly you wouldn't want to connect the neutral to what's supposed to be the ground.


How should I fill in a missing strip of drywall that I uncovered after removing a piece of trim? I'm redoing my back landing area and pulled off a piece of trim off the wall and a piece of quarter round off the staircase because I want to sand and paint the wall and don't want random pieces of trim anymore.

Turns out there is nothing behind the trim. Do I need to cut a strip of drywall first or could I fill it in with some sort of plaster? If I need to cut a strip of drywall how would I screw it down then? The wood visible inside this strip of wall is the hardwood in the room next door, I don't really want to screw into there.

Thanks :)

If that's actually subfloor (softwood t&g) and finished floor we see in the photo, you really need to strip back some of the remaining drywall and mount a patch that spans the gap to solid framing. There's almost certainly a wall plate on top of the hardwood (odd, but explainable by past renovations), and a floor joist below.

I'd cut 3/4" from both the top and bottom of your channel to find those, and then install a strip of drywall to them. Tape both joints in a nice wide, tapered manner and you'll have a good result.

Use drywall joint compound rather than trying to plug in a strip. It will take several applications of increasing widths. let each layer dry thoroughly and sand between each application (lots of on-line tutorials). Done properly you will not be able to see the repair area.


Does this 2x4 support my gable ridge? I'm installing a floor in my attic.  To open up the space and simplify the flooring I'm removing temporary construction bracing.  Most of the bracing is easy to identify, since it clearly does not support anything:  It doesn't touch the ridge or rafter, has no real structure on the lower end, and is some cases is actually being held up by the roof.

One 2x4 post gives me pause, though.  Rather than just being toe-nailed into the ridge it is supported (poorly) by a sistered 2x4.  It is sitting on the top plate of a wall with some continuity down through the house.  It's actually twisted as if it might be buckling from load.  And the gable ridge does not run into a header.  The valley rafters are massive, though, so perhaps it is supposed to be cantilevered.

Questions:

Can I remove it?
If not, should I replace it?  With something heavier?
Does this application have a particular name?  (I thought perhaps "king post" but this doesn't have struts)

Front view:

Reverse view including the opposing valley jack:

Artsy shot showing the twist in the board:

You can sister another 2x4 that's turned 90 degrees on it's side to help with the twist (basically make an L with the two boards).  To get them to pull together, first clamp them together and then use some deck screws to attach the two.

It's hard to tell if the twist is from buckling under load or if it's just warped from a moisture change.  And from looking at this on a web site, I think it will be difficult for many of us to say if it's necessary.  (Though even if I were to see it in person, I may be clueless since we outsource all of our roof work to someone with a crane and even they use pre-manufactured roof trusses where every board is load bearing.)

However, it is safe to say that nothing bad will happen if you reinforce it, while it could be disastrous for you to remove it.

They are called rafter ties.  Rafter ties are needed for resist tension when ceiling joists are perpendicular to the rafters. You may be able to take them out if your ceiling joists are parallel to the rafters.


How much less power does a three-phase air conditioning unit use than a one phase unit? I'm planning to install a 5 ton central AC. I'm deciding between a condensing unit that runs on 220V and a costlier unit that runs on 207Y three-phase.

My understanding is that three-phase motors use less power, and that this is their primary advantage. But no one seems to be able to tell me how much less power. Without knowing that, it's hard for me to make a decision.

I'm sure the answer is some form of "it depends," but can anyone give me a ballpark? Should I figure 10% less power consumption, or more like 50% less. Any guidance is greatly appreciated.

Also, the wikipedia article on three-phase power claims that three-phase motors vibrate less. Is this something I should care about? Will a three-phase motor therefore last longer than a single phase motor?

Think I'll chime in here and add my two cents to these other good answers.  There are two components to the original question:

How much less power does will the 3 phase A/C compressor unit use?
Longevity of three-phase motor versus single phase

Power
Motor Efficiency = Power Output / Power Input
It takes a certain amount of power to run the compressor regardless of single or three phase power... this is the power output.  The power input is what you are trying to minimize, thus you want to increase efficiency as much as possible.  The trouble is this metric (efficiency) is a hidden combination the components inside the compressor unit (compressor, fans).  It is not necessarily true (but it usually is true) that three phase is more efficient than single phase.
I would look at the SEER rating which 'automatically' includes the motor efficiency for a better indicator of "cost to cool".
Longevity and Reliability
Three-phase motors and compressors are generally more reliable than their single-phase couterparts.  But like anything else, there is more to it than that one attribute.  Using Philps' automotive engine example, a 4 cylinder Honda might be more reliable that that old smallblock V8.
Vibration
Certainly less in the three-phase motor.  And generally less vibration equals greater reliability.
Motor Starting
Three-phase motors have lots of starting torque and don't (typically) require any special circuitry to start (capacitors, centrifugal switches).  And of course fewer components means fewer things to go wrong.
Cost
Is disappointing that the three-phase equipment is more expensive.  Almost always, three-phase motors are actually cheaper than an equivalent single-phase motor.

Three phase with current=1, current vector sum is 1.5.
Single phase motor, I suppose it is two phase driven, with 4 poles and 90 degrees pole pitch, to generate a vector sum of 1.5, the phase current must be 1.5,
2-phase power consumption=1.5*1.5*4 (4 windings) = 9,
3-phase = 1*1*6 (6 windings) = 6,
So 2 phase motor consumes 9/6=1.5 times more power than a 3-phase motor with the same torque output.


Why does my microwave trip my AFCI only when it's mostly empty? I live in a recently redone home and I'm having a very odd electrical issue.  My microwave is intermittently tripping a combination arc fault breaker only when it is mostly empty, e.g. one slice of pizza.  When the microwave is fuller, it works fine.  The breaker does not seem to be the problem: I've moved the microwave to a different circuit and had the same results.  I have a new Panasonic Inverter microwave; my old microwave exhibited this same problem.  No other appliance in this home has caused any trips.

Breakers involved are Siemens QAF2 CAFCI.

Any ideas?

Most microwave ovens will generate arcs and sparks inside their cavity if they are run with an insufficient load, or no load whatsoever.  The high-frequency content from these arcs is being coupled (likely capacitively) through the HV transformer section of your microwave onto the AC line, where the AFCI can then see it and proceed to freak out, thinking the arcing is actually an AC mains arc, not a microwave cavity arc.

Suggestion: throw a coffee mug of water in with the slice of pizza.  This does the same thing as Keshlam's sacrificial bread slice -- i.e. provides more load to absorb the microwaves instead of letting them bounce around the cavity until they arc, just without having to waste a slice of bread.

I had the same problem; one of these solved it

https://www.tripplite.com/isobar-2-outlet-surge-protector-direct-plug-in-1410-joules-3-leds-black-housing-5-in-height~ULTRABLOK


electrical lightng earth wire and neutral wire the same colour i'm in the uk, and I've taken the wall lights off and the earth wire and the neutral are both black, how do I tell which is which. thank you john

Most domestic fixed wiring in the UK is done with what is known as "twin and earth" cable. Normal twin and earth cable has two insulated conductors colored brown and blue* on cable produced today and colored red and black on earlier cables. In addition it has an uninsulated earth conductor.
Unlike the americans, we brits place sleeving over bare earth conductors inside boxes. This sleeving would normally be green/yellow striped, but on very old installations it may be plain green**.
Some properties are also wired with single wires in conduit, in the case of single wires in conduit there may not be a dedicated earth wire as the conduit can be used as the earth path.
If the light is fed with a cable, then what has most likely happened is that someone ran out of the proper earth sleeving, so they used a bit of black insulation stripped off another wire to sleeve the earth conductor. If this has happened it should be visible on a careful visual inspection, it's almost impossible to push tightly fitting insulation back onto a wire, so if this has been done then the insulation will likely have been taken from a large size of wire and will be a loose fit on the conductor.
If the wiring is in conduit then things get much more complicated. It's possible that someone used the wrong color wire, but it's equally possible that neither of the wires is in-fact a ground. For example one could be an incoming neutral and the other could be a neutral going out to the next light.
To test earths, I would suggest the following. First turn off power at the main switch, do not use the MCB for this as MCBs normally only provide single pole isolation***.
Then attach a long lead to the earthing system. I would suggest wiring it to the earth terminal of a plug and plugging it in is the easiest way.
You can then use your multimeter on continuity mode to find stuff that is connected to the earthing system.
P.S. It is always good practice to look carefully and label stuff before disconnection to avoid confution later.
* Normally live and neutral, but twin and earth cable is also used for switch drops with live and switched live. In this case the blue/black conductor should be marked with red/brown sleeving, but that does not always actually happen.
** In UK fixed wiring green/yellow replaced plain green for Earth long before brown/blue replaced red/black for live and neutral.
*** This advice on how to isolate both live and neutral applies specifically to the UK, n some countries even the main switch does not disconnect neutral and the only way to disconnect it would be to remove wires.

Make a test lamp ( a simple bulb connected to two wires). Connect one wire of the test lamp to the live wire and then using the other wire touch the black wires one by one. The bulb will turn on normally and brightly when joined to the neutral wire. It will be dim when you touch the ground wire. Or there are chances that the bulb will not turn on in case the ground has been disconnected in your house.


Is my furnace operating normally? I just moved into my house and I am wondering if this is normal for a furnace.

So I have my furnace set to 68 degrees. The temperature on the thermostat says 66 degrees. The furnace is on, but does not appear to be blowing warm air (I guess I would describe the air as not warm, but not cold).

So then I turn the furnace up to 71, and the thermostat still at 66 degrees. The air coming out of the vents is warm.

I have not tried this long enough to see what happens as the thermostat approaches 71 degrees.

Is this normal? As the temperature on the thermostat approaches its setting does the temperature of the air coming out of the vents decrease?

It sounds to me like you've got a two stage furnace.

Stage 1, low heat, just enough to maintain temperatures.  Won't produce warm air, just warm enough air - much more efficient than running full burn.

Stage 2, high heat, for when it's actually cold.  Produces WARM air intended to raise temps.  Less efficient than stage 1, but gets the house warm.  Stage 1 follows.

The alternative is a 1 stage furnace that's full on, full off, and thus must cycle on and off over and over again.

Try taking the thermostat off the wall and checking the temperature in the hole the thermostat wire is coming through. Sometimes cold air will pull up the wall cavity and being that digital thermostats are 99.9 % accurate the thermostat will get confused thinking it's colder in the house than it actually is. Stuff cotton or a piece of sponge in the hole.

Also check and make sure your return is fairly close to the thermostat. If it's far away from the thermostat your differential will be off. Again that will confuse the thermostat.


How can I identify a neutral wire? I'm trying to install a WeMo light switch in the place of an existing switch. I'm unsure which wire is neutral, or if I have one at all. Below is a photo of where I'm at currently. There are two switches in this one box, one of which is a fan and the other is a light. Both have only two wires coming out of them currently. There is a cap over a bundle of wires visible in the photo, but one of each of the wires from the switches is tied into this bundle. Is this the neutral wire or should I be looking for something else?

The tone of your post scares me a little. Meaning if you are working in this box and cannot even identify the neutral, and are asking if one of the blacks is it, you should really get some experience or read up on basic home wiring before you start pulling things apart.

Bottom line is, the bundle of spliced whites in the bak of the box is your neutral.

Do you have more than one switch that controls the fan?  The light?

If this is new construction, typically a red wire is used for a 3-way switch, along with the typical black, white and bare copper.

White - common
Black - "Hot"
Red - 3-way wire
Copper - Ground (Not common!)

If this was a prior re-wire, you may have a case where the person doing it did not follow code.  Also, on a single switch system, you usually connect only the black (hot) wire as the switch will either open, or close, the circuit.  The whites will usually be all nutted together in the back of the box and not connected to the switch.  You may, or may not, have a bare copper wire connected to protect you from getting shocked should something breakdown inside the switch.


rubber seals in unheated shed over winter have broken down, I hooked up my hose for the first time this spring, intending to water some of my garden. The first nozzle was a wand style and was leaking horrendously at trigger area. I then switched to a gun style nozzle and it was leaking even worse, every orafice was spraying water. Both these items were stored in an unheated shed over the winter. Am I looking at a weird coincidence? I've never stored any of my hoses or nozzles indoors but the items in question were just purchased last summer. Has something changed in the rubber formulas they use these days?

The water in the attachments froze over the winter and broke the valve bodies.  thats why they are leaking now.  next year, take them and your hoses inside before freeze up.


Gas clothes dryer is venting into the crawl space I have been living in a house in Southern California for 18 months and while crawling around under the far end of the house I found that there is about 2 inch deep lint over a 200 sq ft area where my gas clothes dryer vents into this crawl space. I would like to find a way to put in a lint trap rather than change the whole layout of the garage.

I don't like the "OMG" abbreviation and seldom  use it, but in this case OMG! It would have been bad enough to vent an electric dryer into a crawl (lint, moisture, fire danger), but to vent a gas dryer into a crawl is unconscionable. Gas dryers vent carbon monoxide. It interferes with your body's ability to transport oxygen.  If that seeps into the house it could create a myriad of problems, not the least of which is killing the occupants.

Get that thing vented properly, regardless of the cost. Risking your lives on this failed setup isn't worth it. And clean out the lint, it's a fire hazard.

To answer OP's question;

There could be a hole in the exhaust pipe that is allowing the lint etc. to leak out before reaching the exit end of the pipe. Repairing that with a tape appropriate for the conduit may solve your problem.

If the pipe simply terminates once it's in your crawl space, and you can access the exit end of the pipe, a length of Nylon Stockings closed at 1 end and a clamp appropriate for the pipe would solve the issue, noting you will have to remove this collector periodically to remove the collected lint.

Hthado.


sump pump discharge pipe connection broken inside basement I just bought a house and now discovered the sump pump extended discharge pipe is broken at the elbow going out the basement wall about 5 feet from floor.  Can you help with suggestion to repair?
I saw a sump pump discharge hose on a YouTube video; do you think I could change out/replace the 5' pvc pipe for a sump pump discharge hose?

Cut the pipe in half and put a cuppling on it.


Why is there a copper wire attached to this water pipe? The outdoor faucet was turned on today(45 degrees), shortly after we discovered a leak in the house. We're not sure if the faucet broke or the pipe fractured/burst. After pulling back the drywall we noticed that there is a copper wire in conduit bracketed to the water pipe at the faucet. Would it be safe to try to find the leak by turning the water back on, if we turn off the electricity?

I was under the impression that grounding to a water pipe occurred outside of the house, is that incorrect?

In the UK, current regulations require all metallic pipework be connected electrically, this is called equipotential bonding.

(images from electrician2hire)

By law, the connections must be labelled (typically with an embossed metal label)

I believe current regulations require this equipotential bonding in every room that has metal pipework. This helps guard against loss of earth bonding when a small section of copper pipe in between locations is replaced by plastic pipe. The clamps must be in a place where they can be inspected - which rules out hiding them under the floor or behind plasterboard (drywall.)

This is so totally wrong on all levels. I don't know whom ever thought up a code or standard that it is a good idea to ground the electrical panel to the cold water pipe in the building. But that is a very good way to electrocute people. The electric panel common or ground should always be connected to a copper stake driven into earth ground. What's the diff you say? Big. If you run the electric panel ground to a water pipe then you are using the copper water pipe as a path to earth ground. People touch water pipes! Take showers. As copper pipes age, the solder between the joints ages, corrodes, becomes much more resistive to the flow of current. On the other hand, the water flowing through the pipe with its chlorine content and acid rain content is a fair electrolyte. So, now put a person under the shower head, standing on earth ground, with the water flowing over him, and he becomes a parallel path to earth ground. In our development, we had a resident complain that he was getting electric shocks while taking showers. We found an Air Handler green ground connected the cold water pipe of the water heater just below it. We measured 12V AC to earth ground from the water pipe. That is enough to get your attention. Had lightning struck the compressor on the roof, that would have really gotten his attention. Never ever connect an appliance green ground to a water pipe. If you need a better ground, run a heavier green wire back to the common on the electric panel. In an apartment environment, the electrical inspector should assure that all commons in the electric panels in the apartments, are tied to an independent building ground stake hammered into earth ground, and not to the water supply.


Why is my lighting circuit tripping the breaker? I have several MR16 2 pin style light bulbs in my kitchen - The other day the trip switch for the light bulbs tripped when turning these bulbs on - I went and flipped the trip switch and tried again to the same result.  This happened three times, the same number of times as the number of MR16 lights.  Now the trip switch doesn't trip but also none of these bulbs turn on, and replacing the bulbs with new ones doesn't work.  I don't know much (anything) about lighting, these bulbs were in my house when I moved in, and was wondering if anyone could help me work out why this is happening and what I can do to fix it.

Somewhere in your light circuit there was a short circuit that caused the breaker to trip. By repeatedly trying to reset the breaker, the point at which the fault occurred finally blew itself apart. Now instead of having a short circuit you have an open circuit. Proper troubleshooting will allow you to find the problem's location, but explaining this procedure is somewhat challenging in this forum.

You killed your breaker. And there was a fault that needed rectifying. It could have been one lamp that developed a short- which has since been replaced. Or a wiring short- which may still be there.

If you have a multimeter AND your old lamps see if any show a very low resistance compared with the rest of them.

If so your wiring will be OK, and all the same resistance lamps will be OK to use. If they all show the same resistance the wiring needs help.