How to get a stuck Moen faucet cartridge out? I have a single-lever Moen kitchen faucet that's 12 yrs old and I'm trying to replace the original cartridge.  Moen sent a replacement cartridge (1225 B), that includes a removal tool.  I've removed everything that is supposed to come apart up to this point, including the retaining clip that holds the cartridge in.  The instructions at this point look like this:

The cartridge is completely circular, nothing keyed.  It has O rings top and bottom to seal it.  The removal tool is a plastic cap that fits around some wings in the top of the cartridge.  You are supposed to use it to twist the body of the old cartridge.  The only obvious purpose for this would be to sheer any built-up scale that might be stuck in the various openings, or just to generally loosen the body.

Inside the body of the cartridge, there is a stem that moves up and down for shut-off/flow volume, and rotates for hot/cold mix.  Pulling up on the stem is supposed to pull out the cartridge.

The cartridge is frozen inside the faucet.  The removal tool just deforms.  I managed to turn the cartridge body maybe a few degrees and now it is stuck there.  I tried using a metal tool to turn it without success, stopping short of enough pressure to damage the plastic cartridge.

I've used vise grips on the stem in the up position, tapping them up with a hammer.  I've used enough force to knock off the vice grips but the cartridge body doesn't budge.  I've also tried a small pry bar as a lever between the vice grips and the body of the faucet.  Nothing budged, and I'm concerned that the cast metal body is too brittle, and that using the thin top rim for leverage is likely to break it.

There have been some other questions here about removing cartridges.  A common theme is using WD-40 or CLR.  Aside from the poisoning potential of WD-40, the cartridge is a very snug fit and O rings seal the area where scale could build up.  So it isn't obvious how I could get enough to where it could count.

Any suggestions for extracting the old cartridge?

I have a Moen bathroom sink faucet Model  Number 4570.  It has been in place for about 25 years.  I am the original owner.  The cold water faucet finally failed and I ordered new parts from Moen (the cartridge plus various adapters and also their tool to aid in removing a cartridge nut.  After removing the faucet handle and the cartridge nut, I then tried to extract the cartridge using needle nosed pliers as per the Moen instructions.  After being in place for 25 years, it did not want to budge (not surprising).
I then looked on the internet to see if anyone else had experienced this problem and it looks like it has been a common problem.  I read all the suggestions and tried putting vinegar on it to no avail.  I was impressed with one proposal from an engineer in which he suggested attacking it from the underside by disconnecting the tubing and inserting a 5/8” rod and tapping it with a hammer.
I am 82 years old (also a retired engineer) and I did not feel like getting under the sink.  I then tried to attack it from the top.  I fashioned a loop out of some old pipe strap I had and I was able to attach the loop to the top of the cartridge with the screw that is used to attach the top extension to the cartridge.  I then fashioned a lever arrangement using a block of wood and the lever that goes on my floor jack.  See the attached photos.  With this arrangement, the cartridge just popped out with very little effort.
Here is a photo of the Pipe Strap loop that I attached to the top of the cartridge.  This photo shows the cartridge after extraction.

This photo shows the arrangement of the lever with the cartridge still in the housing.

I added some extra silicone to the two “O” rings on the new cartridge and then inserted the cartridge and finished the job.  The valve turns extremely easily – maybe I did not need the extra silicone.  Moen was very helpful in sending the parts (at no charge since I was the original owner).

I'm a plumber in Cincinnati Ohio I've used a cheap pump hair spray it eats the rubber gasket and frees up the cartridge. Just pull out what you can.


What is the proper way to install a junction box above a dropped ceiling? I'm doing some remodeling in my basement and part of that work involves moving a switch.  When I was tracing the wires for the switch I found this above my dropped ceiling:

Now, I'm no electrician, but this does not look up to code to me.  Further investigation revealed this in another area of the ceiling:

I'm unsure if these junction boxes are installed to code, the one with all the wires hanging out of it looked particularly suspicious to me.

Now, for the first picture, my idea was to install a junction box in between the joists just to the right of the picture (hot wire is coming in in under the joist to the right, the switch & an outlet are toward the camera, and the load the switch controls is off to the left).  I'll probably end up re-running a couple runs of wire, but that's not a problem as everything is accessible right now.

My primary question is, does NEC allow for junction boxes installed above a dropped ceiling?

Are the boxes in the second image installed correctly, and if not what is the correct way to install a junction box in this space?

There is no problem with installing junction boxes above a suspended ceiling, as long as the box is less than 100 in.³ and securely fastened.  National Electrical Code has this to say...

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials
Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures
II. Installation
314.23 Supports. Enclosures within the scope of this article shall be supported in accordance with one or more of the provisions in 314.23(A) through (H).
(D) Suspended Ceilings. An enclosure mounted to structural or supporting elements of a suspended ceiling shall be not more than 1650 cm3 (100 in.3) in size and shall be securely fastened in place in accordance with either (D)(1) or (D)(2).
(1) Framing Members. An enclosure shall be fastened to the framing members by mechanical means such as bolts, screws, or rivets, or by the use of clips or other securing means identified for use with the type of ceiling framing member(s) and enclosure(s) employed. The framing members shall be adequately supported and securely fastened to each other and to the building structure.
(2) Support Wires. The installation shall comply with the provisions of 300.11(A). The enclosure shall be secured, using methods identified for the purpose, to ceiling support wire(s), including any additional support wire(s) installed for that purpose. Support wire(s) used for enclosure support shall be fastened at each end so as to be taut within the ceiling cavity.

Code Violations
In the first image, the wires being spliced together like that violates NEC 300.15.

300.15 Boxes, Conduit Bodies, or Fittings Where Required.  ... Where the wiring method is conduit, tubing, Type AC cable, Type MC cable, Type MI cable, nonmetallic-sheathed cable, or other cables, a box or conduit body shall be installed at each conductor splice point, outlet point, switch point, junction point, termination point, or pull point...

I've also noted some violations in the second image.

Click for larger view

I think even with junction boxes image is still illegal as there should be an insolated bearrier between the 2 junction boxes


How to protect corner of roof from rain? I have a two sided metal roof with a different grade on each side. The two sides do not meet at the center. The design incorporated vertical sky windows in the center of the roof which creates a hip joint that is only met by the steeper side of the roof. Therein lies rain leaks after years of neglect. Anyway, the original builder did not address the joints where the lower grade side meets the sky windows. They simply just left bare wood and a cavity on each side. The cavities are allowing tons of rain to get in.

Keep in mind that here in South Carolina we get severe winds and rain.

I have come up with possible solutions, but my ideas have inherent flaws. I have 10" x 10' of flashing to use and after searching the local home improvement store it seems flashing is my only choice. I want a solution that is permanent. If there was a product designed for situations like this, I'd go for that, but I have yet to find any.

Just bending some flashing around the corner seems great, but then I have vertical edges on the flashing to worry about. Furthermore, the exterior side panels are popping out about a half inch up to an inch all the way from the joint to the steeper roof side. So even with the flashing bent around the corner, rain can still get behind.

To further complicate the situation, the metal sheeting on the lower grade protrudes out from the edge about a foot and needs flashing as well to prevent rain from getting underneath. I was planning on sealing the flashing with caulking, but underneath the flashing for better results and to protect the caulking from the sun.

Please do not recommend relying solely on a sealant.

Go into the attic, if you have access, and clear insulation off the wet ceiling drywall.
Follow the leak back to the point at which it enters the roof.
Make a temporary patch with roofing tar and a piece of shingle or plywood.


Is it possible (and safe) to adapt a 4-prong dryer outlet to a NEMA 6-20? I'm considering an appliance that is 240V 16A 3500 Watt with a NEMA 6-20P plug. Is it possible and safe to create an adapter for this so that it can be plugged into a standard 4-prong 14-30R dryer outlet? The adapter would be a typical 4-prong dryer cord with a NEMA 6-20R receptacle.

Would this be possible? NEMA 14 is hot/hot/neutral/ground. Could this be wired to a 6-20 receptacle that is hot/hot/ground? What is done with the neutral? If possible, would it be unsafe because of the 30A circuit and 20A receptacle (or other reasons)?

EDIT:
To add some more info, the appliance is an an Avantco IC3500 induction cooktop. It is ETL listed and the label on the bottom states that it complies with UL Std 197, which I cannot find details on with respect to amperage.

The answer is it depends on the appliance. As long as the appliance does not expressly forbid using it on a 30A circuit you should be fine. You'll be able to change the plug and put on a 14-30P plug, just ignore the silver terminal (neutral).

You could wire a 20 amp breaker into the adapter. Something along these lines would be perfect. Easy to reset as well.


How can I find an open neutral? My lights and outlets went out in the half bath of my home and also the two recessed lights in my hall just outside the half bath.

I believe there are two feeds, one to the hall lights and one to the half bath light and outlets all on the same circuit. I had a plug tester read an open neutral though it was not positively an open neutral as the first yellow light lit but very dimly.

I checked all the outlets and switches for loose wires, etc., but found nothing.

I pulled all the outlets and switches so I had bare wires everywhere. With a multimeter I checked all the hots by touching the blacks and grounds they all read 120V. But when I check any of the neutrals with the meter - one on hot, one on neutral - they drop to nearly nothing ( like .2volts ) so I assumed the open neutral was the problem.

I went to the breaker box and pulled the neutral from the bar and tested the black coming out of the breaker by touching one probe to the black and then to the bar and I read 120. So I assume the breaker itself is OK.

But when I test it with one probe on the black and the other to the now free neutral, I get nothing. So again open neutral somewhere in the circuit, right? I can't seem to find the open neutral anywhere and it's driving me crazy. :(

Am I missing something? Maybe a junction box somewhere?

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle of the problem. Hidden junction boxes do exist but it could also be a failure along the cable.

If you've 100% ruled out all known junction boxes then you need to narrow down the problematic section of cable and go hunting between with a cable tracer.  With each section of wiring (ie: junction box to next junction box), test continuity of the cable.  You should eventually find the two points where the fault exists between. Once you have this, use the cable tracer to look for hidden boxes and other fun stuff. A flexible scope might help you look in stud cavities. If that fails you might have to open up the wall to get a better idea of what's the problem.

Also inspect all visible wires for nicks, oxidation or other damage.

There comes a point too where it becomes easier to just run a new wire versus trying to find the exact fault location.

If you do find the issue, it would be worth thinking about if it is likely to occur elsewhere and if so, how you should deal with that (replace all the wiring, redo connections in junction boxes, etc.)

If I understand your troubleshooting procedure, I would think that you should call your utility as it appears the problem might be on the line side of the serve entrance section.  You can't go wrong by calling.


Using joist hangers to support a lean-to/skillion roof? I'm in the process of building a 14x16 tiny house with a lean-to/skillion slanted roof. I have the walls built, front wall is 12', back wall is 8'. I'm doing things a little different because I don't want an overhang in the front. I have scrap cuts of 2 by 4s attached to the sides of the studs on the tall side to hook the joist hangers to

My plan is to kerf/put a slit in the roof rafters so that they will sit flush on 90 degree joist hangers

My question is: Will this be structurally sound ?

It's such a small roof so I feel like it will be fine but I'd like to get some second opinions on this since it's not really the typical way to do these kind of slanted roofs.

Thanks

Joist hangers are fine for this application. You'd want to notch the ends of the joists with a level cut so they rest properly in the hanger.

However, the blocks are a bit hokey. It's not great to hold things up with nails in shear like that with such small pieces. it would be better to simply put a ledger across the wall at joist height.

No. Over time, the joist will split at the cut. Also, the blocking is not adequate not to mention that the hanger nailing probably won't align with the blocking.

I would solve the issue using a hanger similar to LRUZ (already mentioned in the another answer) attached to a continuous 2x6 ledger face nailed to the studs.

We have no idea what the loads are so it isn't possible to give you the nailing requirements, etc.

Also, your 12' wall could be an issue depending on the member size, roof loads and wind loads.


What is the purpose of power going into a Phone Receptacle? It is my understanding that the following photo contains a phone jack (old style 4 prong) to the left and a standard nema-15r outlet to the right.

Well, we had found some mold in our basement under some old wood paneling and when I removed the old Sheetrock I noticed Romex (that is live) going into the box. My question is, what would be the purpose of this? Obviously, i'm going to cut power at the breaker and remove this... but why would someone do this in the first place? Is this not a phone jack as I'd assumed?

From your back side picture it is apparent that no small gauge low voltage wiring goes to the box with the four prong plug. So unlikely that the plug was used for wired phone service at any time in the near history.

It is almost sure that someone at one time wanted to power some ill conceived device with power through a four prong plug. If you open up that box you will undoubtedly find that some pins on that plug are wired into the power circuit that passes through that electrical box.

Sometimes it is just hard to understand some of the schemes that folks will dream up and cobble together, whether it is safe or not.

Here's what happened

Originally the phone box was a power receptacle and the blue box wasn't there.

Look at the short run of old Romex between the phone box and the blue box.  That run used to go all the way to the other steel box, but the cable had a problem.  So the last guy cut a hole for access and installed the blue box as a splice point. (keep in mind the drywall was installed; he was reaching through.)

Why he moved the socket to the blue box and put a phone box in the old location - I have no idea.  It is illegal to put a phone jack there.

Fix it the way they intended

They gave you enough length in the new Romex for the metal boxes to connect to each other - they just didn't have the access to complete the job.  I would convert the "phone" box back to a receptacle box, and deprecate the blue old-work box, as the way it's mounted is a compromise and not particularly strong.

Open up the blue box and remove all wires from it, being careful to remove the newer Romex intact (the short old Romex can just be cut).
Open up the phone box, remove the phone socket, and finish removing the short old Romex and throw it away.
Into its hole goes the newer Romex.
Install a power receptacle where the phone jack had been.
On the blue box, fit a blank cover plate or convert it to comms use (cable TV, ethernet, phone etc.)

Now the two metal boxes are your receptacle boxes again.  They are properly anchored to the joist, so if you are wrestling a stiff plug, there's no worries of tearing the box out of the drywall.   Metal boxes don't burn or melt, and can be grounded.

If the wiring is not already grounded, now is the time to retrofit grounds to all the boxes (except the blue one obviously.)  In 2014 they greatly relaxed the rules on retrofitting grounds.


Is there a way to make my own chalkboard paint without using unsanded grout? I'm trying to create my own chalkboard paint (where I'm from, we don't seem to have any stores that sell chalkboard paint, nor unsanded grout in the entire city) and I see all the DIY posts out there saying you need "unsanded" grout. I'd like to avoid trial and error because the grout isn't as cheap as I thought it would be so my question is:

Is there a way to create chalkboard paint without using unsanded grout?

You need unsanded grout, paint, and chalk.

Mix your unsanded grout.

Then add the unsanded grout to your paint.  The ratio is about 1 unsanded grout to 10 paint.

Then you have to mix really well.  If hand mixing this could be a good 10-20 minutes.

Paint section.

Let it dry a day.

Rub chalk all over the paint very thickly.  Let it sit for about a half hour.  Wipe of chalk with rag or eraser - nothing wet.

Should be good to use.

I've not tried this but I've heard you can mix baking soda into the acrylic paint with a ratio of around 1 tsp to 1/4 cup of paint.

See here: Make your own chalkboard and paint


Which of my water heater's thermostats is broken? I've got a dual-element, dual-thermostat electric water heater.  One of the thermostats is stuck in the "on" position: it heats the water until the high limit switch trips and cuts off all power.  How do I figure out which thermostat is the problem, or should I just replace both?

If it matters, the heater is a Kenmore 153.329460 with the lower element converted for 5500W operation.  The power supply is 240-volt split-phase (so, no neutral wire; both incoming wires are hot).

The typical dual-element, dual-thermostat water heater in the United States is a "non-simultaneous" design: first the upper element heats the top of the tank to the set temperature, then the upper thermostat switches power to the lower thermostat, which uses the lower element to heat the rest of the tank.  There's never more than one element active at a time.

The picture on the left is the upper thermostat for a typical water heater; the schematic on the right shows both the upper and lower thermostats.  The switches are in the positions you'd find them on a hot tank with both thermostats working.  Note that point "T6" in the schematic is on the right and T7 is on the left, while on most actual thermostats, it's the other way around.  T6 is the terminal with a single wire connected to the upper element, while T4 connects to both elements and T7 connects to the lower thermostat.

Testing with a multimeter

If you've got a multimeter, it's easy; you don't need to disconnect any wires or anything.  Let the tank heat up for a while until the water is well above the thermostat set point, then shut off power to it.  If the upper thermostat is the one that's stuck, you'll have a pretty steep temperature gradient in the tank, so let the tank sit for an hour or so.

You may wish to switch both thermostats to their minimum setting.  This will make it more likely that the tank is hot enough that both should be switched off, but it also carries the risk of opening the stuck contact, leaving you with a questionable thermostat and no way to identify it.

Set your multimeter for the highest AC voltage range, and measure the voltage between points T1 and T2, between T1 and the tank body, and T2 and the tank body.  All three measurements should be less than one volt; if any is higher than that, power to the water heater is still live, and you should call an electrician to investigate that before you proceed with figuring out which thermostat is broken.

Now that you've verified that power is off, set your multimeter to the lowest "ohms" or "resistance" setting that will cover the 0 to 50 ohm range.  Measure the resistance between points T5 and T6 (if your upper thermostat doesn't have a terminal in the T3 or T5 position, make sure the limit switch has been reset, and measure between T1 and T6).  If you've set everything up right and the tank is above the thermostat set points, if the multimeter reads:

open circuit: Both thermostats working
less than 1 ohm: Upper or both thermostats stuck closed
20-30 ohms or so: Lower thermostat stuck closed

If the upper thermostat is stuck, you'll need to make a second measurement to see if the lower thermostat is broken as well.  Measure the resistance across the lower thermostat's terminals.  If it's less than 1 ohm, the lower thermostat is stuck closed or you didn't heat the tank up enough; if it's an open circuit, the thermostat is working.

Testing with a voltmeter

If you've got a voltmeter, you can determine which thermostat is broken, but it involves working with live wires.

Heat the tank as described in the "multimeter" section, but after letting the tank sit, turn the power back on.  Set your voltmeter to the highest AC voltage range.  Measure the voltage across the terminals of the lower thermostat, across T5 and T6, and across T5 and T7.  These measurements should be near either 0V or line voltage:

Lower thermostat: line voltage, T5-T6: line voltage, T5-T7: 0V: Both thermostats working
Lower thermostat: 0V, T5-T6: 0V, T5-T7: 0V: Upper thermostat stuck closed.
Lower thermostat: 0V, T5-T6: line voltage, T5-T7: 0V: Lower thermostat stuck closed.
Lower thermostat: 0V, T5-T6: 0V, T5-T7: line voltage: Both thermostats stuck closed.

Testing with a non-contact voltage tester

If all you've got is a non-contact voltage tester, things are harder: the results are less clear-cut, and it requires working around live wires.

Heat the tank as described in the "multimeter" section, but after letting the tank sit, turn the power back on.  Check the wire connecting the upper and lower thermostats (the "runner") with the NCV.  If it doesn't show a voltage, the upper thermostat is stuck.  If it does, proceed with the next step.

Shut off power to the water heater, disconnect the runner from the upper thermostat, cover the exposed end with something insulating (a wire nut or electrical tape), and turn power back on.  Check the runner again with the NCV.  If it doesn't show a voltage, both thermostats are working.  If it does, then the lower thermostat is stuck (or the NCV is picking up induced voltage -- I said this was less clear-cut than using a multimeter).

Try excluding the elements one-by-one and test (setting the temp low, ex: 50°C) which one is always on (see if the temp reaches 80°C), that's the guilty one.

5.5 kw electric water heater... that's a crazy waste of energy! if it's failed suggest you to replace it with a heat pump one (it'll cut the energy usage by 66%)


How should I decide between an HRV and ERV for a northern climate home? I have a 33 years old house in Bedford, Nova Scotia, Canada. The existing air exchanger is out of order and need to replace with something newer. Question is should I get a HRV or ERV system.
As I understand:

HRV only recovers heat
ERV recovers both heat and humidity (C$200 more)

That kind of easily makese sense to go for an ERV system so that in winter it doesnt get too dry and in summer it doesnt get too humid inside the house.
But at the same time it may not make significant difference depending on the weather in my location. Thats where I need an expert opinion or someone already have a previous experience on this.
Question is:
Which one would be a good choice to go with HRV or ERV? How can I make the decision?
Thanks

I'm in the same situation. I think it depends on size of your home and number of people. If you've many people and do lots of cooking, shower, laundry etc and have smaller home then HRV is better because it will get rid of excess moisture. If you you've a large home, few people and air is very dry in winters then ERV is better. Also read ERV is better for old drafty homes (1960s old).
We opted for HRV because it is cheaper, we've a small house and we already have vented hood and exhaust in bathrooms.

An HRV pre-warms the incoming air during winter months. At low continuous speeds, this mingles with existing interior air and does not reduce the inside humidity. An HRV adds so much comfort to the interior climate.
In summer the air movement equalizes temperatures throught the interior space, adding to the comfort level.
During the 90s I installed over 1000 HRV units, mostly new homes and many retrofits. More critical is good locations for intake and exhaust hoods outside. On the inside place the exhaust grills in bathrooms and laundry, and place supply grilles (whisper grilles) in each bedroom and in common areas. Use a low, balanced airflow 24 hours a day, and use 20 minute timers in each bathroom to step up the speed when needed.


What can cause a never-frozen indoor copper drain pipe to crack? The 1-1/2" copper waste pipe than runs from our kitchen just up and cracked two days ago along its length, and for no apparent reason.

The crack is in a section of pipe that runs vertically through the kitchen floor down into the basement, where it connects to an angled length of pipe (two 45-degree elbows) and then a section of pipe that connects to cast iron sewer pipe (lead and oakum seal).

I would venture to say that this cracked pipe is from the 1970s (when former owners remodeled the kitchen) and that the section of copper pipe (which didn't crack) going into the cast iron hub dates from around 1948-49, when the house was built.

Could the crack have been  the result of twisting forces when the pipe connection was made to the garbage disposal beneath the sink? Or does copper waste pipe just eventually give out, perhaps because of corrosion over a period of 50 years?

I would inspect the entire property for more such pipe and replace any that was found.  That's almost certainly a manufacturing defect and likely to be pending failure wherever that batch of pipe was used.

That is not a natural crack, nor a corrosion crack, it's too straight and uniform.

Typical "natural" cracks look like:

Possible ways it could have formed:

There was a defect/contamination in the extrusion die for that batch of pipe, propagating weakness down the length of pipe as it was extruded.
The pipe was rolled rather than extruded and then poorly joined (trying to make it look seamless).
Something/someone else uniformly scored the length of the pipe before it was installed.

Then after some years of thermal cycles and possibly mild corrosion, a crack formed and rapidly propagated along the rest of the weak line.

Looks to me like water hammer!  Over the months have you heard "bang bang bang...", for instance when the water that's been travelling along the pipe has had to come to a sudden stop?


Recommended way to bolt toilet tank I've read variations on what hardware to use in bolting the toilet tank to the bowl. From a top down sequence with optional/variation items indicated in parentheses:

bolt

(metal washer)

rubber washer

tank

(rubber washer)

(metal washer)

(nut)

bowl

(rubber washer)

metal washer

[wing]nut

Observations:

metal washer under bolt head seems discouraged due to possible leaks, but some feel it will provide more even pressure on the rubber washer
some avoid anything (nut, washers) between the tank and bowl, perhaps to avoid clearance issues between the tank and bowl; this means the lower nut is both providing the pressure for the seal in the tank and securing it to the bowl
the rubber washer under the bowl seems optional, maybe to help mitigate overtightening/cracking the bowl

Comments?

What sequence is recommended?

The proper way is:

Put  the rubber washer on the bolt
Put the tank on the toilet base
Put bolt through tank and toilet base
Put metal washer on bolt and then screw on nut
Tighten accordingly

Based on nothing but "never having leaks" I do:

Bolt -> metal washer -> rubber washer -> tank -> nut

This lets me tighten the tank washer to prevent leaks without squashing the tank <-> bowl gasket too much.

On the bottom side I do bowl -> rubber washer -> metal washer -> nut.

The rubber is just to keep from cracking the porcelain. I don't like metal on porcelain. It seems to be "looking for trouble"

This doesn't have the official blessing of anybody, but it works.


Is it ok to have mixed grounds and neutrals on bars in a breaker box? So to continue my line of electrical questioning (and perhaps narrow down my flickering light problem), I took a look through the two panels in this house.  There is a 200amp main service in the basement, which then feeds up to a 100amp sub-panel for the main floor.  This 100amp sub feeds a kitchen (fridge, microwave, dishwasher, gas range), a bathroom, 3 bedrooms, and a living room.  The 200amp main feeds the 100amp sub, 2 bedrooms, a living room, a washer/dryer (gas dryer), a utility room (well pump, pressure tank, gas water heater, gas furnace), and an A/C.

My first concern is that the main service panel has the bare ground and neutral wires mixed on the two bus bars.  Reading around, some say this is OK, other's say it is bad.  Any thoughts?  The sub-panel is wired with grounds and neutrals on separate bars.

My second concern- is a 100amp sub sufficient for the main floor?

The wiring issue is not a matter of pride, neatness or whatever... it's a safety issue. :)

At the service panel (ONLY AT THE SERVICE PANEL - HUGELY IMPORTANT) the neutral bus bar is bonded to ground.  You should see the ground lead and neutral tied to the same bus (the neutral bus bar).  Based on your description, it sounds like your panels are wired correctly. It just doesn't "look right" based on how the other panel is made up.  I can completely understand how this can seem incorrect from a common sense perspective.

However, any sub-panel after the primary service from there MUST have an isolated neutral.  DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT bond neutral to ground in a sub-panel.

Why is this?  When you tie neutral to earth ground in a subpanel, you create a potential parallel path for current to return via earth (ground). In the event of a fault, your ground conductor has assumed the role of the return path for current and now everything that you've grounded (sub-panel, appliances, metal fixtures, etc) to that sub-panel is now hot.

All it takes is a preexisting fault, one rainstorm, or wet feet, whatever... and you touching something energized - and you're doing the 60 cycle shuffle.

If you tie both neutral and ground to earth ground, or both to utility ground (AKA neutral),
you have then defeated the purpose of having redundant grounding paths.
You have in effect removed the fail safe by combining them and placing them on one leg/ground.


Is there a trick to opening a tube of caulk? Is there a tool especially designed for opening a tube of caulk, silicone, or construction adhesive?

Yes! the tool is called a caulk gun. Use the spout cutter for cutting off the tip of the tube; then use the seal punch tool for poking holes in the foil seal.

With your teeth! It's a little known fact that per consumer ease mandates, all products sold in a cylindrical tube longer than 6 inches with a graduated nozzle must have a "yield" extending down at least 5/8" along the nozzle structure. The yield, by regulation, must tear cleanly when penetrated by a dull edge at less than 120psi. The statute was put into effect after it was revealed that certain containers housing solvents used in medicine could not be opened in the case of an emergency. The specific technique, referred to as "occlusive puncture" employs a combination of the lateral incisor and upper and lower cuspids, and is taught primarily to medical professionals and military personnelle. If performed properly, it will even be effective on potato chip bags and DVD packaging.


In knob and tube wiring, how to identify neutral wire vs a dead wire? I'm in the US, Ohio if that matters.

I have an old house with many circuits still on K&T wiring. I haven't been able to find information on how to identify a neutral wire - most guides just tell you how to identify hot wires, and whatever is left must be neutral.

Some of my K&T wires are disconnected but still in the wall.

Is there a way to identify which ones are neutral vs the ones that are simply disconnected from the electrical box in the basement?

Thanks.

Plug in an extension cord, and bring its socket end up to where you're working.  Measure voltage from extension cord "hot" to the mystery wire.  120ish volts - it's a neutral.  Significantly less - phantom voltage on a dead wire.

To sanity check what "120ish" volts should be, measure hot v neutral on the extension cord itself.

Take a loose piece of wire and connect one end into the neutral bus bar in panel. Take the other one with you to the test site.  First check for voltage.  If you have voltage you have a live wire and presumably in use.  No voltage.  Check for continuity.  No continuity you have a dead wire.  It can come out. Zero ohmes. You have a good neurtal.  Some ohmes present you are on a switch leg turned off.


How many concrete piers do I need to support a 10 x 10 wooden floor supporting a 1600 lb shed? Aptos, CA, United States.

As you've probably noticed from my prior post, I'm in the process of building a foundation for a garden shed.  My specific county/region does not have strict restrictions/requirements on shed foundations or concrete use.  Good news: I'm on my own.  Bad news: I'm on my own.  At this point, I'm pretty sure I want to go with a concrete pier foundation.

The floor measurements are as follows:

I was originally planning to set three rows of 8 inch piers (three piers per row) with a pressure-treated 4x4 lining each row... but now I'm wondering if that's not enough or too many...

My questions are:

How many concrete piers would you suggest I use in order to support a floor of this size and an empty distributed building weight of 1600 lbs (without people standing on it).
Do piers always need to be at the very end? Or can there be a small overhang of wood? Ideally I'd like to have the piers away from the edges of the perimeter so they're not as visible.

As with any advice you get here, keep in mind that you must stay within the bounds of IRC building codes adopted by your local municipality.  Obtain a building permit and a local inspector will give you guidelines on minimum requirements for posts, beam spans, joist spans, etc...
Your concrete piers must be a set depth to go below the frost line in your area.  You must set the posts on top of concrete with a post base to protect from rot.
When in doubt always make it stronger!  Increase to 12" piers with 6x6 posts.  Consider using 2x10 or 2x12 beams doubled or tripled on each row.  Make sure that each beam span is no longer than 7' if you are worried.  When you submit your plan for the permit then the inspector will point out any flaws or deficiencies that you need to address before you start.
NOTE: Any specific sizes I use are merely examples of how one can increase the strength of a structure.  Nobody can say for sure without more specifics about the shed design.

Do piers always need to be at the very end? Or can there be a small overhang of wood? Ideally I'd like to have the piers away from the edges of the perimeter so they're not as visible.

When the beam extends past the last post this is called a cantilever.  IRC building codes specify the maximum allowable length for live load for different types of lumber, and different sizes.

I'd go 4 rows of 4. The piers are cheap and will distribute the load much better.


Will a bryant compatible 60amp breaker fit a #2 wire? I looked up size for #2 and it says just over a quarter inch.   I'm concerned a 60amp breaker won't fit a #2.  I have an older Bryant panel.  Maybe breaker manufacturer makes a difference or I must order a special one?

I have along run 100+ft which has forced me to use aluminium and a #2.

On the side or front of the breaker, there is a label that says what the maximum wire size is that you can use. This label is required by UL when the breaker is made. It may have fallen off however. If so, you can look on-line for a similar breaker. Bryant is now part of Cutler Hammer, their version of that breaker is called a BR series with the BR standing for Bryant. The breaker is unchanged from when Westinghouse owned the Bryant line (Westinghouse was bought by Eaton years ago, Eaton owns Cutler Hammer). So any technical specs on a new version are going to be the same.

If in doubt, transition in the panel

A proper electrical supply house will cheerfully sell you an inline insulated lug splice made of plated aluminum.  Aluminum-bodied lugs play well with both aluminum (obviously) and copper, hence their broad use.  You then continue with #6 copper for the last 8" from the splice to the breaker.

I go to electrical supplies because they have good selection and I prefer insulated lug splices that barely fit the largest wire - that way the wire opening is just the size of the insulation, and I don't have to do any additional work to insulate it.  Torque 'em!


How to loosen a nut when bolt and nut move together? I have a sofabed whose back is fixed to the bed by bolt and nut. When I try to loosen the nut by wrench, the bolt and nut move together. There are no rust. How shall I loosen the nut?

Update: the head of bolt has a shallow hex hole. I have got help from another who used hex wrench to stick into the hole of the bolt head and fix/rotate the bolt, together with a regular wrench to rotate the nut.

Best way: put a wrench on the nut and the proper driver or socket into or over the head of the bolt, and turn one while keeping the other stationary.

Second best way: put a wrench on the nut, and a pair of locking pliers on the shank of the bolt. You WILL damage the threads of the bolt; just try not to cause so much damage the nut won't come off. This is the only way besides cutting to remove a carriage bolt, which has a flat or a smooth dome head that can't be "locked on" with a socket or driver, or to otherwise remove a nut from a bolt when you can't get to the head.

You could get a hacksaw and cut a notch in the end of the bolt, then use a screwdriver to hold it.


What is the simplest way to create custom decorative LED-lighting? I have always wanted to build decorative lamps with LEDs (application example: imagine a model boat with Xmas lights).

Is there a way (commercial, or custom-built) to power several LEDs, so that:

The power supply is compact, elegant, and wall-pluggable (not battery-powered)
There are simple and robust ways to wire the individual LEDs
The whole thing doesn't cost much ? (in the order of tens of USD for the power supply + LEDs + connectivity)

I know that I can buy plain LEDs from electronic manufacturers, build a power supply with my bare hands, recycle an AC/DC adapter from a phone charger, solder everything and have it running cheaply. I know (more or less) how to do this, but it would take me a long time and the result would be ugly and dirty.
On the other hand, I know that there are now LED systems that can be screwed just like a light bulb, but this is not what I am after either.

Are there any intermediate solutions that would be adequate for the above needs ?

I'm not sure how you define elegant so I'll leave that parameter out.

You can buy LED power supply on ebay, the LED-strip or other LED-array on ebay and connect them. There is somewhat of a standard that doesn't require soldering for LED-strips.

I tried this website when I was looking for some made to measure LED strip because I couldn't be bothered with all the hassle of soldering. All I did was email them with my spec and they got back to me with a great solution. Hope this helps you http://www.downlightsdirect.co.uk/led-strip.html


repair ceiling leak stains After a heavy rainstorm, I saw stains on the ceiling of one of my rooms.  What’s the proper way to repair stains on the ceiling caused by rainwater leak from the roof?

After fixing the leak, you might want to try bleach.  I had luck with 25 percent bleach in water.  I put a sponge, saturated with the solution, in a plastic tray and pressed it up onto the ceiling.  The stain returned in a few months and so I did it again...it is now gone.  You could try a small test area to see if it will work.
Bleach is nasty stuff.  Take precautions.

There are products such as Ronseal Damp Seal, that are almost like a gloss. You paint over the stained part with it, and when it dries you paint it with emulsions as normal. It is supposed to seal in the damp and stop it coming back through the paint. I have used the Ronseal product and it has worked well


What should I do about a crack in the concrete slab in my living room? We purchased the house about 2 years ago. The house is about 50 years old. Today we removed the carpet and the hardwood floors under the carpet.  We found out the slab has an approximately 10ft long crack. See the picture. The crack goes from hairline and branches off to bigger cracks. See photo. It's about 5 inches deep from what I could measure.

The house is in Granada Hills, California. I was thinking it's maybe due to earthquakes or earth shifting. I know a major earthquake happened in 1994. The walls appears to be fine and show no sign of structural damage.

What type of crack is this? How can I fix it and should I be concerned? Should I use cement, Emecole 555 or a bottle of concrete filler? Any help or insight would be appreciated.

This is not going to be the answer you wanted to hear, but here goes.

Although I cannot see the cracks up close, it appears that the cracks were created by the floor flexing in a fairly straight line.  The cracks wander in a band about a foot wide with some parallel and joining cracks.

My first plan of attack would be to remove a rectangle of the damaged and weakened concrete apx one foot wide by the length of the crack, apx 10 feet. This can be done with a small hand held jackhammer. ($30 to $40/day at rental store). Slightly bevel the edges back from the surface to create an inverted "V", so it is slightly wider at the bottom than the top.  Once the edges are clean of dust and chips,  carefully fill the open void with a mixture of concrete mix equivalent to a 5000 pound mix.  You can use a ready mixed in a bag, just add water. Keep the mixture a bit to the stiff side, not too wet. Fill the entire void  be sure to push the mix tightly against the existing concrete. Wetting the existing concrete isn't a bad idea. Trowel smooth.  Done.

The reason I would not recommend a quick fill fix is that there may be lots of other cracks below the surface. If you don't get a good solid patch, water could wick up through cracks or the hidden damage could compress or further separate in future shakes. Although it seems like a big job, a 1 foot by 10 foot removal and repair is not as bad as it sounds. With the proper tools, you should be able to do the whole job in 4 to 6 hours.   Good Luck

Don't worry about it. Just put some crack filler and put your new floor over it.
Every house has cracks like that. It's on the slab, not the foundation.


14/2 line with 12/2 outlet? I'm doing some remodeling on a river cabin. It was built 50 years ago and most of it is not to code.

It's not mine and I'm trying to get my family to look at upgrading all the wiring. It doesn't even have outlets with grounds in them.

Also, for those who might be concerned, I do have some experience wiring. My uncle wired his whole home and came down to wire my dad's shop. He taught me and an inspector said it was wired better than some homes he'd been in. I know how to safely wire this project in, just not issue like this. If I can't find a satisfactory answer or I don't feel confident, I will call in a professional.

My issue is that I'm working on redoing a wall in the bathroom. There is currently a light fixture with a built in plug for plugging in something like a hair dryer. I'm replacing that light fixture and would like to add a gfci outlet in the wall before I add the FRP board I'm covering it with. The current gang box for the light is free floating and I'm going to replace it with a plastic one with the little wings that hold it in place. Being able to push it back I can read that the wire says 14/2.

Ideally all the wire would be 12/2, but I don't know when or if that will happen. I'll never use 14/2, so instead of buying a roll of that, can I use a piece of the 12/2 romex that I already have, and wire off the light to the outlet?

I understand that the outlet would only work when the light was on. I just want to make sure I'm not going to burn the cabin down. In my mind, it would be fine, because it's already wired correctly for 14/2, with the correct amp breaker, so if it hits a load too high for the 14/2, then the breaker shuts off. It just has the capability to run more power. I wouldn't be able to do the reverse, but this seems okay.

Am I correct on this or is there an issue I don't know about? Thanks. I did see similar questions, but none that I thought were exactly this issue.

I would say you are ok for now. Would be different if the current wiring was 12/2 with 20amp breakers and you were splicing in a piece of 14/2. But there is probably a section in the code book somewhere that states this is not acceptable practice.

You can run 12 gauge wire tying in to 14 Gauge. You can always go to larger gauge - but not here. The issue is amperage and grounding.
With the 14/2,the light is going to be 15 amp, or at least should be. You're required by code to have 20 amp outlets in bathrooms and they need to be GFCI protected. This is required for good reasons. Hair dryers, for example, all have high loads.
Then, the grounds, you don't mention them but this outlet once it's wired as 20 amp should be grounded with 12 gauge if grounding is available. Either way you need a GFCI.
What you should do is run a separate 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge and a GFCI either at the outlet or breaker for the bathroom. You can run other bathroom outlets from it where needed.


Why is there a beaded tie on new fire extinguishers? When I see fire extinguishers these days they seem to have some form of the yellow beaded tie as shown in this photo.

What purpose does this serve? It looks to me like it prevents the pin from pulling out. Hardly something you'd want in a fire. I've never had to use a fire extinguisher in real life, so please forgive my ignorance. Shouldn't the yellow tie be cut off?

The plastic ties are a tamper evident device, which lets you know if the fire extinguisher has been used.  It also helps to prevent the pin from accidentally becoming dislodged, and potentially lost. They have a very low breaking strength, and can easily be broken by twisting (or pulling, but more difficult) the pin from the extinguisher.

The ties are there to make sure that the pin is harder to pull out.  When tanks are filled the pins are put into place and then the ties are put on so that the pins don't bounce or wiggle out.

You get them with the ties in place because they don't want pins coming out during shipping or whatever.

You see them on walls and under cabinets "ready to use" with the ties because the people putting them up there are too ignorant to think about the ties or they have had people "accidently" play with them and want to make this harder.


Is there a way to unscrew a light bulb that has broken? The recessed light in my bathroom broke while trying to unscrew it, and only the metal collar remains. What is the best way to get that remaining part out?

With the power off at the breaker, and verified with a non-contact tester, I've always just used a pair of needle nose pliers to grip the rim of the bulb base and turn it to remove. If the bulb is really stuck you might try spraying some WD40 around it.

A similar alternative, as others have mentioned in the comments, is to expand a pair of pliers inside of the base in order to grip the inside and turn it.

I've removed dozens of broken light bulbs. I use a partially used bar of soap. cut the bar in half, press the soap against the remains of the bulb, then unscrew it. Toss the whole mess in the garbage. I like Ivory(tm) soap for the tool box, it's cheap and lasts for decades.

When you replace the bulb rub a light coat of soap on the threads of the new bulb.

A piece of bar soap in the toolbox is very handy for lubing screws before using them, lubing drawers, door latches, cabinet latches and in dire emergencies one could concievably use it to wash one's hands.

Nah, that's just crazy talk.


My 15 amp hair dryer has a 20 amp plug. Can I put a 15 amp plug on it? I have a 14.85 amp portable air dryer with a 20 amp plug - vertical/horizontal prong. Can i replace this plug to standard 15 amp both vertical prongs, and use safely on a 15 amp circuit? Assuming it will be used continuously for no more than 10 minutes?

I know about the 80% rule over 3 hours. But don't want to throw it out if it's reasonably safe.

Thanks for all the help. Not going to change it. I should have clarified that this is a animal blow dryer (dog). 10 kg. quite expensive.

Of course you can't.  The 20A plug was put there for a reason.  Believe me, the manufacturer would much rather have put a 15A plug on there to make it more widely usable - they didn't use a 20A plug to annoy you... It's because they can't use a 15A.

The 80% rule also applies to portable appliances.  No portable appliance using a NEMA 15A plug can draw more than 1500 watts (which is presumptive that the working voltage is 125V).

As George points out, modern bathroom receptacle circuits are supposed to be 20A.  There's an exception in Code that allows you to put any common-as-dirt 15A duplex receptacle on 20A circuits; that's just so you only have to carry 1 receptacle on the truck instead of two (x 4 colors x normal/Decora; 8 is enough!) It also allows builders to use the 50 cent outlets instead of the $5 ones.

If your bathroom circuit is 20A breakered and wired with 12 AWG copper or 10 AWG aluminum wire, then you are at liberty to fit a 20A T-slot receptacle there.

please DO NOT never go smaller for sure. best to use as the manufacturer states. and Im just guessing they would state its broke. get a new one! I personally would never advise tampering with electricity without having a good sense of how it all works. For thats very dangerous my friend.

Wondering why you just dont replace it for they are not expensive. And this is coming from me who is broker than most. :(  But Im willing to help in getting you a working one thats safe to use if you would like. Please don't put yourself or others in a unsafe position. I had a dear friend die from getting electrocuted with using tore extension cord!! so let me know if you would like my further help.


How do I run wires for a wall-mount flatscreen TV? Like a lot of you, we have several wall-mounted LCD HDTVs in the house. The TVs have two wires -- power and HDMI -- running down the wall to the power outlet and cable box.

I've historically been too timid to try to run the wiring inside the drywall and too cheap to pay someone to do it... and I'm hoping diy.stackexchange.com can come to the rescue.

What is the easiest and least-destrictive way to run cables from behind the TV (about 4-6 feet high, depending) to the electrical junction boxes on the floor (usually about 3-4 inches high).

Solutions that are too hard/destructive for me:

Removing and then patching large swaths of drywall. I would like to keep any drywall holes to a size that can be repaired with a small drywall patch kit.
Installing an electrical junction box behind the TV. I'm not an electrician and this scares me. Also, it doesn't help with the HDMI table.

Is this possible for a novice DIYer, or do I need to call in a professional?

Monoprice has a complete kit that will allow you to cut two holes in the drywall, and then get power and also run your signal cables vertically. I believe you need to install an 'old work' (aka 'retrofit') box for the power side, but that is pretty straight forward.

Once you cut the holes, these things fit in, and have wings that tighten down onto the drywall.

Sewell Direct recently started selling their Recessed Wall Plate Kit.  The kit comes with two wall plates to give quick access to drop cables down inside the wall.  It includes a power cable to run between the two plates, as well as the power cable to connect to a standard outlet.  You can view images at their site.

I installed it and it was very simple to do.  It doesn't require an electrician to install it.  Just get a drywall knife and a screwdriver.  Finish by watching the Youtube Tutorial of installing it.

Good Luck!


Insulation for Entertainment Shed I have a shed that was just built with the idea of being used as an entertainment shed.  Although we call it a shed, it was built more like a 10x12 house. I currently am getting the electric installed and am trying to figure out what I need to use for insulation. It will be climate controlled.  We live in southern Ohio so we have all 4 seasons and a fair bit of humidity with quickly changing temps from day to day.

The shed has vinyl siding with Tyvek wrap underneath and a metal roof.  The floor has a layer of rigid insulating board already.   My question is do I need to use faced or unfaced insulation?  My main concern is development of mold.   With the moisture barrier on the exterior and sealing up any openings with spray insulation, will having faced insulation create a problem with restricting air flow?  Also, the ceiling is open (like a cathredral ceiling), so do I just install the insulation then drywall directly over it like we are the walls?

Housewrap isn't a moisture barrier. It's an air blocker and drain plane that allows vaporized moisture to escape. Use either faced insulation or bare insulation with poly sheeting on the inside. Modern homes are build with poly sheeting sealed at all edges with specially-designed caulk.

I'm not sure I understand your ceiling question, but typically it's done the same way unless it's blown insulation, in which case that's done after drywall.

You can use faced or unfazed batt insulation, but make sure you fill the stud space...if it's a 2x4 stud then use 4" batts...if it's a 2x6 stud then use 6" batts. However, do not use poly sheeting.

Poly sheeting will allow VAPOR to pass, even if the sheets are taped, (I.e.: around switches, outlets, etc.) but does allow that same vapor to escape back into the room when it turns into MOISTURE. That vapor turns into moisture when it hits the dew point. If we find poly sheeting when we remodel, we cut it out.

Ceiling insulation needs to be vented if it's in an attic. If it's truest open beam and decking system, you need to install rigid insulation on the roof with a good peel and stick vapor barrier (like ice and water shield).


How can I use a 16A appliance in a UK 13A socket? I have recently moved from India to the UK and carried a Philips air fryer with me. The plug on this appliance is marked 16A 250V. Wattage is 1425. The UK house I have moved into has standard 13A sockets. Is there any way to use this appliance?

Addition after reading your answers - thanks for the replies. seems like this appliance can be used after all. I'm not too comfortable cutting into the power cord and replacing the fused plug. Do you think this product will work? http://www.cableuniverse.co.uk/13a-16a-fly-lead-converter-13a-plug-to-16a-socket.html it says it's used for hooking up caravans to household mains but it seems the end purpose is the same i.e. plugging 16A into a 13A source?

According to my calculator 1425 watts at 240V is 6 amps, well within the 13-amp limit.

Are the round-pin 16 amp plugs standard in kitchens in India? If yes, that's probably why it has that particular connector. You should be able to get a 13-amp fused plug at any hardware store.

we do have the BS546 system here in the uk what goes upto 15a, if you wanted you could get an electrican to install a 15a bs546 socket in your kitchen as if the cable is rated for 16amps you coud probarbly get away with having a 15amp bs546 socket as if you had a short the fuse should trip at your consumer unit  before you have a melted mess of cable and/or fire!, make sure you rewire to a 15a plug as the pins maybe slightly bigger as we differnt sizes of plugs and sockets for the maximum aperage on the 546 system so you know what amp socket you have, heres a link to a 15 amp socket and plug,

socket: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BG899.html?source=adwords&ad_position=&ad_id=315107931576&placement=&kw=&network=u&matchtype=&ad_type=&product_id=BG899&product_partition_id=303574709739&version=finalurl_v3&gclid=Cj0KCQiAw4jvBRCJARIsAHYewPP0aaD1QYFBwIL90XSdfoXuiidgFUwwEc_X7CvL0dG2suZlB3xMHv8aAmurEALw_wcB

plug: https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/TLPT15.html
just so you know the plugs are unfused so your only protection is the fuse board/consumer unit make sure your electrician installs a MCB as if you get a short circuit it will trip you can only get a 16a MCB which should be fine but do check with your electrican first as i'm no expert in this feild and if you dont know this allready its the amps what kills you not the volts! just so you know if you do take my advice and it goes wrong i cant take any responsibillity, as common sense should be taken.


What do I do with the neutral wire when there isn't a place for it? I'm trying to replace a 3 prong dryer cord with a 8 gauge wire. The control box has a three prong dryer wire that was originally connected to it. I don't have that type of outlet so I'd like to hook it directly to the 8 gauge wire which is already there and connected to a 50 amp breaker. My wire has a neutral but the wire I'm replacing did not. Not sure if I can cap the neutral, not hook either of them up. Stuck. Please help. Thanks

Electric dryers are typically designed to be protected by 30 ampere breakers, so I'm not sure why you would have a 50 ampere circuit. You'll want to check with the manufacturer to be sure what size overcurrent protection is required. If 30 ampere protection is required, you can simply swap the 50 amp breaker for a 30. Since the conductors are 8 AWG copper, there's no problem with using a 30 amp breaker instead of a 50.

A 3-prong dryer cord typically uses a NEMA 10-30 plug, which has two "hot" and one neutral prong. So I'm not sure why your setup wouldn't have a neutral.

3-prong dryer cords do not have a grounding prong. When using a 3-prong cord, the dryers chassis is bonded to the neutral via a bonding strip/wire. There should be instructions for this in the manufacturer's documentation, or on a label on the unit.

If you're running all new wire for this circuit, I'd recommend that you (or you may be required to) install four conductors instead of only three. This will allow you to have two "hot", a neutral, and a grounding conductor. You'll then follow the manufacturer's installation instructions for a 4-prong cord.

A 50A dryer circuit is running at 240V. You have two hot wires (each at 120V) coming out of that 50A breaker. One hot wire goes to one prong of the plug, and the other hot wire goes to the other prong of the plug. There is no neutral wire needed. The alternating 120V legs give the 240V. The ground wire goes to the ground prong.

You need the neutral wire when some component of a 240V appliance runs on 120V power, like clocks and lights on electric stoves do, and then you would have a four prong plug, the fourth prong for the neutral wire.


Tried to remove one GU10 bulb, afterwards lost the entire fixture We are in a new-to-us home, and the breakfast nook has a hanging fixture with 5 GU10 (or at least I think they are GU10) bulbs, all in a row. The 4th one has been dark since we moved in so I decided to tackle it earlier today.
After much wrasslin' and cussin', I ended up breaking the bulb despite trying the rubber gloves 'push and turn' method.
After getting most of it out, glass shards and all, some of it was still left in there so I tried some pliers, only making the problem worse.
Left it for another day, but as I was about to close up for the night I dimmed this fixture (the fixture uses a Lutron I believe) and after working as normal for a few minutes there was a sound like something between a loud click and a snap, and the entire fixture went dark.
The dimmer switch does not respond at all, and nothing lights up on the little dots in the switch. The breaker panel is all fine, nothing tripped.
I am concerned this could be a fire issue, and of course I'd like to get the fixture working again, even with 4 out of 5 bulbs.
What is the likely problem? Is the fixture toast, or the dimmer, or both? How do I go about troubleshooting? I've done light electrical work before (and one time, in a foolish prior life, actually added a 20 amp breaker to a box but I won't be trying that again). I do have some tools but before trying anything I thought I'd check here first.
Thanks in advance!

Just replace the stupid fixture.  The entire point of the GU10 was to force people to stop using filament bulbs and replace them with Compact Flourescent bulbs.  This was in the days when the cost for CFC was higher than filament and the lifetime was the same as filament so naturally nobody was interested in buying them except California who was struggling with the shortage of generation capacity due to their stupidity in electrical regulation.
Today, with LEDs the Edison-base replacement market -DWARFS- the GU10 market and with LEDs costing the same as filament and the lifetimes of them so much longer, there is no need for goofy sockets to force people to replace lights with LEDs the cost savings and reduced replacement intervals are plenty good enough for that.  The final nail in the GU10 socket was when CA stopped requiring them in new construction.
I haven't seen a new GU10 fixture at Home Depot for quite a while now.  Everything is Edison-base and the vast majority of LED bulbs are Edison-base.  They have a few token GU10's in basic sizes for apartment dwellers stuck with this strange deviation from what has got to be the most foolproof light socket ever designed, but the cost of GU10 bulbs is rising as the demand has been falling and we all know where that vicious circle is headed.
The former owner of the home knew the future of that light in your nook was fixture replacement and left it for you to do.  Take your wife shopping at HD and let her pick out a new fixture and get some good husband brownie points for this one.

It may be on an arc fault breaker and if you're not familiar with that type breaker wouldn't notice that it tripped. Another possibility is that it tripped a gfci so you may need to reset any of those thats tripped. Check bathrooms and kitchen area or even outside or garage receptacles. You can disconnect the individual socket from the other 4 in the light fixture itself if you want to keep using it for now.


Use Rivets for old corrugated Metal Roof I have an old barn with an rusty corrugated roof. The rafters are pretty rotten and the corrugated sheets come apart and I have slow leaks. The roof is nailed and some of the nails have worked their way out.
My plan is to hammer the nails back in (where they still would work) and use rivets to rivet the sheets together on the seems to tide me over until I have time to repair the rafters.
I am wondering if that is a good idea and if rivets are actually water tight or how I can make them watertight and if there are special metal roofing rivets. Any better suggestions?
Easy to see where the sheets are lifted at the seams.

I know aluminum boat manufactures use rivets with rubber seals. I have not seen rivets used on corrugated roofing. I would convert the leakers to screws with washers that’s how most metal roofs are put on and if the wood is a little compromised at the leaky nail hole a screw will hold better than putting in another nail the seal on the screw makes it dry.

I did some investigation and found stainless (don't use aluminum) steel Rivets with thick neoprene washers (I bought them seperate) and tried them on an old piece of corrugated metal. The outcome is quite encouraging and the rivets show a nice holding power and it looks like they also will be watertight in the valleys and ridges. Here are some pictures


Do I need to update the wiring in my bathroom to replace the gfci receptacle? I upgrading each of my receptacles to tamper resistant. The house was built in 1970. In the lower level bathroom it has a 15 amp gfci circuit receptacle and a 15 amp light switch.
According to Nec, bathroom today need 20 amps separate receptacle. Do I need to rewire it to comply?
What does the code say about older homes or can I switch out the 15 amp gfci bathroom receptacle with another 15 amp gfci?

Bathrooms frequently have high wattage appliances such has high-wattage hair dryers or space heaters.  And just because YOU don't have one of these, you might eventually have a guest that brings their own.

Plan for success, and comply with the code.  And make sure and get a good name brand GFCI, as there are Chinese knockoff's out there that are known to be bad.  I was having problems with my GFCI's in a new home, and when I pilled one out chd looked up the UL listing code, I discovered that the UL number was fake, and my new home had a half dozen fake gfci's... replacing them with properly certified Leviton's solved my gfci issues...

Of course complying with the code could mean you have to run a new wire, if your existing wire isn't to code.

My rule of thumb is "things are in the code for /good/ reason, and electrical is one area never to skimp on..."  If you skimp, you can cause a fire or death...  Don't do it!

Sure, you may be grandfathered in, so what?  the code is for safety, and many many lives are lost to grandfathered old wiring.  Just having an old outlet can cause a fire.  I'm a firm beliver of periodically replacing outlets that are subjected to heavy loads.  A hair dryer, space heater, microwave, toaster, window unit, etc...  All of these draw maximum current through the plug.  As the plug ages resistance goes up.  The resistance generates heat under max loads.  That heat softend the metal contacts, so that they have less spring pressure, as well as more surface corrosion.  With time the contacts can become bad enough to start getting hot, and eventually starting a fire in the wall, a fire that may take some time to notice until it is too late.

The bathroom outlets are among the ones most subject to current related wear, the next are in the kitchen, and everywhere you plug in the vacuum cleaner, or potentially a space heater.  All of those outlets should be replaced every 10 years or so if they get routine use.  The fact you have old wiring under an old code set is your first clue that your wiring is old enough to need upgrade/replacement for safety.


How do I get rid of mold from the bottom of a bath mat (where the suction cups are)? We have a bathmat that we use to line the tub when we bathe our daughter. After the bath, we remove the mat and suction it to the shower wall (which is some sort of frosted glass)

I've noticed black mold growing on the suction cups.

I tried to use vinegar...sprayed it and tried to wipe off the mold. I tried a little bleach too.

Nothing seems to remove it.

Is there something else I should try?

My experience is that the black growth actually gets right into the bath mat material and cannot be easily removed. I suggest that you replace the mat and then use an alternate procedure when stowing the mat after use.

After use always rinse it off well so no bath scum and other things are left on it. Then hang it up over a towel bar, suction cut side up, so that it can fully dry after each use. When you suction cup the wet mat to the wall you are leaving it there as a perfect breeding ground for mold and mildew growth to occur.

There is nothing you can do once black mold grows, I've tried everything. Just throw it away and buy another and do this. When you get your new one after using the tub remove the rubber mat and roll it in a towel to dry it. When thoroughly dry no mold will grow. Sorry to say there is no easy way to keep your mat mold free other that to keep it completely dry when not in use.


Are supports for spot lights required? If I am planning to install this spot light on the ground (in dirt), are support beams or things like that required or can I just place this in the dirt and it would be fine?

A lot of outdoor light comes with a stake or something to stabilize it.  I have ran a lot myself and basically I have two rules.  Run all of your wiring through PVC all the way up to fixture.  Second, if it doesn't come with something make your own stake.  If this thing is just a rock with wiring sticking out I would get some thick wiring, glue it on the bottom and stick that in the ground like a fork.  For more traditional type of lighting we put half cages over them but since this was made to look like a rock that would probably kill the aesthetics.

I have put the lights on the ground.  I buried the wires in mulch being sure NOT to bury any connections.


Can I combine two power lines from power company My house used to have two residents. So there are two 110v power sources from power company. Now I want to combine them into one so I can have bigger current. Is it possible and how?

There are 2 questions here:

Can you convert one panel to a sub panel so that both sides are on the same service

Probably. You should be able to get an electrician to do this. It won't require ripping out any existing wiring and shouldn't be too expensive - though some big (expensive) wire needs to be run between the panels.

Can you connect the wires before the meter to get twice as much service capacity

I don't think so, but anyways this is none of your business. Call the electric company and tell them you want to cancel one service and upgrade the other. They will charge you the same whether they run new wires or not.

A simple solution is to allocate your existing circuits to one or the other supply.

If you are not sure how to do this then, as has been suggested in the comments, get a qualified electrician.


What should we do about asbestos tape on heat ducts? My daughter just had a home inspection of a home from 1900 and there was asbestos tape noted on the seams of the duct work. What should we do?

And I am assuming it is not only on the visible ducts.  What is the danger with ducts between the walls that can't be seen, and what should we do about it?

In many jurisdictions, a plumber is allowed to remove a limited amount of asbestos pipe insulation or tape.

Or put on a mask, douse the whole thing with water, and cut it off.  Not rocket science here.


Can I use 14/2 wire on a 2500 watt heater Can I use 14 Guage wire on a 2500 watt baseboard heater.

Heaters must be derated to 125% when provisioning service for them. So 2500 watts gets derated to 3125 watts and that is what you must provision.

That is within the 3600 watt capacity of a 15A/240V circuit.

I think you would use the watts/voltage = amps.  Keep in mind you should only use 80%. So if it is 120v then you are slightly over 20A and would need 10 gauge


Connecting 120/240 receptacles on the same circuit breaker I want to add a branch circuit to the control panel using 12/3 wire and protected by 20 amp double pole circuit breaker. Is it safe to connect multiple duplex receptacles 120 volts and 240 volts on the same circuit? In this setup, I'd use black, red, and ground for the duplex 240 volts 20 amp receptacle and I'd use black, white and ground for the other 110 volts 20 amp duplex receptacle.

I live in Ontario, Canada.

This works, as long as your breaker is common trip (most are)

The mixing of 120 and 240V loads/receptacles on the same multi-wire branch circuit is permitted, provided the breaker is common trip (so that a fault on one leg can't be backfed by the other leg of the circuit via the 240V load(s)).  From an electrical standpoint, this is no different from a range or dryer circuit, and the resulting imbalance is not an issue from a safety standpoint.

This is permitted (in the US at least) by NEC 240.4(C) Exception 2:

  (C) Line-to-Neutral Loads. Multiwire branch circuits shall
  supply only line-to-neutral loads.

  Exception No. 1: A multiwire branch circuit that supplies only one
  utilization equipment.

  Exception No. 2: Where all ungrounded conductors of the multiwire
  branch circuit are opened simultaneously by the branch-circuit overcurrent device.

Just so there is no confusion, I am only answering this question.

  Is it safe to connect multiple duplex receptacles 120 volts and 240
  volts on the same circuit?

When you say safe do you mean will it cause a burn or shock hazard causing an injury or death? Probably not.

But if you are asking is it safe use this circuit and not cause any damage or failure to the circuit or the equipment used on it? It is not safe.

In simple terms. Using two different pieces of equipment one a 240V and one a 120V on the same circuit will cause an imbalance in the circuit.

Example: One piece of equipment is a 240V motor pulling 4.7A and one the other is a flood light pulling 3.3A. One leg of the 240V circuit is pulling 4.7A and the other leg is pulling 11A. This creates and impedance in the circuit which the causing overheating and an imbalance in the 240V motor reducing its life and over heating in the conductors reducing their life. I know there is more than that, but as I said I want to keep it simple and short.

So, from a design standpoint, it is never a good idea to have multiple voltage device circuits unless all equipment is designed to work in tandem.

Hope this helps.


How can I fix a garbage disposal with crushed glass in it? I have a garbage disposal that had a shot glass fall in. It got ground up. The disposal got jammed; I unjammed it and now it makes a glass grinding noise because of the shards inside.

How do I clear the glass?

What do I need to do to fix this?

The easy way: remove the large shards with tongs.  If you're having a hard time, cut up an old kitchen sponge, make sure it's soft (moist) and put it in the tongs as a bait for all the glass shards.  They'll stick in the sponge just like they would your hand.  Then, just hope that the small pieces will go down the drain with time.

The hard way: unhook the disposal (turn off the power first), take it outside, turn it upside down, and really work on it with a garden hose.  Wear gloves and verify by operating it via the screw on the base to make sure you got everything before you take it back in.  Don't do this anywhere someone would go barefoot.

I found this thread when I faced a similar problem: A baby-food jar had shattered inside the garbage disposal.

I saw all the advice above on using potatoes, sponges, shop-vacs, etc. -- but I am by nature lazy.  I used my fingers to remove the larger pieces, and then I simply ground-up whatever was left.  It's true that the disposal became jammed at one point, and I had to use the Allen wrench to unjam the disposal manually.  Still, I was able to clear the glass with a minimum amount of effort.  (In the interest of full disclosure, I did cut two fingers slightly when I was removing the larger pieces of glass).


My dryer heating element broke in two: Can I just wrap the ends together? I have a Whirlpool Estate dryer that recently quit drying. I narrowed the problem down to the heating element, then removed the element assembly and found a clean break in the coil at one end. A replacement element is 50 bucks online, which isn't a problem, but I wonder: Can I fix the element myself?

I don't have a lot of tools, but I do have a wrench and some 18 gauge aluminum wire. I thought maybe I could scrape the soot off of the element near the break, then wrap the ends together with the wire. I'm not much of a handyman and I'm certainly not an electrician. But I'd like to fix something for a change, rather than just throwing it away. Can the element be salvaged?

Edit: Thanks for the informative answers, guys. I ordered a replacement from Amazon.

Sorry to be the Nay Sayer here, but trying to repair a 240VAC heating coil element is just plain dangerous. You mentioned using aluminum wire, WRONG! That wire will melt in a heartbeat as soon as you turn it on. The heating element is probably made of tungsten or other hardened heat producing metals and trying to use copper or aluminum is no substitute.

Don't risk burning up other parts of your dryer or even your entire house. Order the correct part or go pick one up at a local appliance repair shop and do the job properly and safely.

I personally just did this yesterday. I took a strong steel paper clip with needle nose pliers and wrapped tightly around the coils two back on each side and it works just fine. I have ordered a new part should be here next week but should  i discontinue use or just use it till the new one gets here any way


How to start a generator from a relay My goal is to turn on an electric generator remotely. I have a SMS (text message) controlled circuit board that has 7 relays. I can control each relay independently.  I want to send a text to essentially turn this generator that has a keyed, electric starter on it.

So, the first text should close a relay that allows energy to flow (ie. key in 'run' position). Second text will close a relay that initiates the starter for a few seconds (ie key to the 'start' position). The last text would interrupt the energy flow (ie key in off position) to stop the generator.

My question is: What wires do I need to use to allow energy flow ('run') and what wires to I need to use to initiate the starter ('start')? I have looked at the physical wiring and also the diagram but cannot figure it out. Before I do something that may harm things, I thought I'd post.

Below is the wiring diagram:

According to the schematic.

The unit is OFF, when IG and B are connected. To start the unit, connect ST and BAT. Once it's running, none of the contacts should be connected.

You're going to want to find a way to monitor the engine, so you know when it's running and can stop cranking the starter. You'll likely want to crank the starter in shortish intervals, rather than simply cranking until the engine starts.  You'll want a way to stop cranking the starter after x number of tries, so you don't keep cranking an engine that won't start. You'll also need a lockout mechanism, so that the device cannot start the generator when somebody is working on it or the system.

As for connecting to the homes electrical system. You're going to want to use properly installed transfer equipment. And you're going to want to make sure the installation is code compliant.

Finally... If you're going to be working on projects like this, you're going to want to learn how to read schematics.  It makes me slightly nervous that you're asking this question.

The relay that is on a short "crank" timer can go from your +12V to the starter solenoid in parallel with the switch that way you could still start it by hand.
I hope you are installing an automatic transfer switch for legal and safety reasons.


How do I prevent older paint peeling off drywall when applying new paint? We have moved into a house where the drywall walls were painted about 15 years ago.

When I paint over these walls, the existing paint develops patches of bubbles and peeling.

So, I don't know whether the cause is walls that were poorly primed in the first place, but I guess it doesn't matter so much as what I need to do now to repaint. Clearly I can patch the specific areas which have peeled but I would like to avoid this as much as possible.

Is the best thing to do to re-prime before painting? If so, should I use diluted PVA or is there a better alternative?

Many thanks!

Ooh. this problem is one not easily answered without more info:

Heat Blisters:

Paint bubbles can show up pretty quickly, from within a few hours to a few days after application. The blisters are only in the top coat of paint and appear most often in oil-based paint. A quick rise in temperature, like sunlight shining directly on the newly painted wood, causes a thin skin to form on the outer surface of the paint. The skin traps inner wet paint that produces vapor when it heats up. The vapor expands and causes the paint to blister from underneath.
To repair blisters, scrape them off, smooth the edges, and repaint, being sure to avoid direct sunlight while the coat dries. Experts suggest establishing a painting order that follows the sun around the project. Thick coats and dark colors are more likely to blister than light colors and thinner paint.

Water Blisters:

Moisture causes problems for paint. Rain, dew, ice, and snow on the outside or vapor and moisture buildup from the inside can cause problems with exterior paint. When moisture penetrates the paint, blisters can form and paint can peel. Moisture blisters, unlike temperature blisters, go through all coats of paint down to the wood. To stop moisture blisters, you must locate the source of the moisture and repair it. Improper construction techniques and lack of flashing can cause outside water to pool at joints, on window sills, frames, or on the end grain of the wood.

Intercoat Peeling

Another type of peeling occurs when a newer coat of paint separates
from the coat underneath. An inadequately prepared or dirty surface
is one cause for a weak bond. Another is that the two paint layers
are incompatible. For example, an oil-based paint may have been
applied over a latex-based paint. They are incompatible and can peel
away from one another.

Peeling can also occur when too much time has elapsed between
applications of the primer coat and the top coat. If more than two
weeks separates the primer application and the paint coat, the
primer’s surface can begin to break down and prevent proper bonding
with the paint. To correct the problem, you must remove the paint and
properly clean the surface.

Cross-Grain Cracking or Crazing

Too many layers of paint or one layer that is too thick can result in
an interconnected, uneven pattern of cracks. The thick paint is
unable to expand and contract with the wood, so breaks result,
starting in the outer layers. If the problem is not corrected,
moisture enters the paint layers, causing deeper cracking and
deterioration.

Surface cracking may require sanding and repainting. Deeper cracks
will require a complete removal of the old paint. Once the wood is
bare, clean it and treat it with a paintable, water-repellant
preservative. Once the preservative has dried, apply a primer and top
coat at the recommended spread rates.

Chalking

Some exterior paint has a powdery coating. Chalking comes from the
disintegration of the paint resin due to exposure to the sun’s
ultraviolet rays. This gradual deterioration is how paint is supposed
to age. Too much, however, can cause discoloration of other painted
areas below as rain washes off the chalk. It also signals that the
paint is rapidly deteriorating.

Chalking was more of a problem with older paints that contained
excessive pigment for the amount of binder, but other triggers
include the failure to properly prime and seal exterior wood,
spreading the paint too thinly, or thinning the paint too much. To
correct excessive chalking, the surface must be cleaned and
repainted.

Staining

A stain is typically caused by moisture. The most common source is
rusting metal nails or anchoring devices in the wood. The second
cause is a chemical reaction between moisture and wood, such as red
cedar, which results in color buildup on the surface.

Rusty nails can be hand sanded and coated with a rust inhibitor and
finish coat. Unless the wood is too fragile or the exposure of the
nail head is related to the original construction system, it’s best
for nail heads to be countersunk, primed, and filled before painting.
Stains from wood extracts need to be cleaned, rinsed, dried, and
primed with a stain-blocking primer before applying the finish coat.
Check with a knowledgeable local paint retailer for the best cleaning
mixture.

Incompatible Paints

If you are using two incompatible paints.  Generally, paint
manufacturers like to match primers with top-coats This is more
applicable when painting metal surfaces (enamel paints). The reason
for this is that there are a few acidic or highly alkaline or soluble
salts primers, which could be water based, oil based or acrylic some
combinations don't play well!. generally sticking with a certain type
is ok i.e water based primer with water based top coat.

source: Dictionary of causes of paint blisters

Add water to the water based paint.
Less-thick means less stick, so will not pull the old paint off.


Are there any health concerns with using copper green wood preservative indoors? So we had a roof leak and water was slowly dripping through the exterior wall and drywall. It had been going on for years, but until recently it became noticeably during a heavy rainfall when the water dripped through the drywall.

So my contractor came out and fixed the roof leak and replaced the drywall and insulation. However underneath the drywall my contractor used Copper Green Wood Preservative (contains 10% copper naphthalene), as he claimed would help maintain the wood since it had been getting wet for years.

When he sprayed the Wood Preservative there was a noticeable strong odor, which he said would go away. It has been a three days since he sprayed the internal wall with Wood Preservative.

I researched online that this product is supposed to be only used for exterior use only. Is there any way I can mitigate this issue.

I am thinking about calling my contractor back and having the dry wall removed and re-installing a new one with painting an odor remover primer behind the drywall and adding HVAC tape.

Let me know if it is worth the extra money I put into this? Also just curious if I leave it as it is, is there any concerns I should have like side effects on health issues for using this product indoors?

Your contractor should not have sprayed that stuff inside your wall for a number of reasons:

1) it says on the label that it is for exterior use only.

2) It will not really do any good. That product is similar to many traditional wood preservatives that utilize copper napthenate to treat wood before it is exposed to moisture. Putting it on after the fact is arguably useless. It is commonly used for wood that will be left outside without a protective finish. Pressure-treated lumber is treated with copper napthenate, that's why it is green.

3) The stuff is smelly, and covering it up before it was dry (if that's what he did) will prolong the drying time.

The product "carrier" is mineral spirits (paint thinner); oil-based paints using paint thinner or turpentine as a carrier solvent have been used indoors for a long time. The "danger" to you is likely minimal. The TLV (Threshold Limit Value; which is how much an average worker can be exposed during an 8-hour work day with no respiratory protection and no significant health effect) is 500 PPM (parts per million) for Green Products Co. Copper Green. Without a detection device to measure you can't really assess your exposure level, but opening a window nearby to provide ventilation will significantly reduce the concentration.

You will have to make a "trouble vs. gain" decision on whether to have it ripped out. Opening the wall and providing ventilation to ensure it dries would fix the issue. Once dry, there would be no real reason to further "seal" over it unless irritating odors persist.

Material Safety Data Sheet

Copper II once dry is like pressure treated lumber with Copper II on it and can be used indoors as long as the area is well ventilated.

You are not going to drink Copper II and neither are you going to put your tongue over fresh pressure treated lumber.

How do you think they apply copper II in the lumber mills to the lumber indoors? They ventilate the area and the workers wear safety gear.

People are going crazy and never use common sense these days.


Replacing a switch where power comes thru the fan to the timer switch, with only 2-wires? I can see an answer where it suggests a 3-wire run from the fixture but I'm hoping to use existing wiring and it only has black and white wires coming from the bathroom fan to the old timer switch.

The new modern timer switch has red, white and black wires out (and green of course).

Which wires connect to which wires please?

and thanks
Scott

You got the wrong timer switch.  You grabbed one of these digital jobs because you're too cool for school.  Unfortunately your wiring is not.

What you need is the trusty dusty mechanical model, available in any "max time" you like.  That one's an hour, you can get 15, 30, 2 hours, all the way up to 12.

The black wire on the timer would connect to the power (hot)  wire in the junction box, the red wire is the switch leg to power the fan and the white wire is combined with the 2nd wire from the fan and is connected to the neutral wire in the junction box. The green wire is the ground connection.


Flushed cat litter, maybe clogged? I stupidly flushed some cat litter a couple times yesterday( 2-3 flushes so i didnt do it all at once and clog it). I now realize i should not have done this as it causes major problems. Im in an apartment.

The toilet seems to be flushing and filling back up fine, but once the bowl fills back up with water and once it stops running i notice the water recedes about 2 inches or so. I even noticed when the neighbor flushed there toilet more got sucked out of mine a bit. I am assuming it is just cloged and thats what i need to fix?

Any tips or suggestions or has this happened to someone else?

The litter has probably gathered in the piping underneath the toilet in the closet bend. You might try forcing a water hose down through the toilet until it stops. Make sure you get all the way through the toilet and near the closet bend. The more pressure you can get, the better. Run the water at high pressure for a considerable period of time to wash the clay as far down as possible. That might help prevent more issues down the plumbing line. If you know anyone that has the skills, remove the toilet first and see if you might be able to use a shop vac and suck out as much of the clay as possible.

Chemical drain openers will not dissolve clay. Don't waste your money.

Well first off don’t ever do that again. Cat litter carries heavy volume like material. There’s a reason why people use cat litter to clean oil spills. However it sounds like you’ll be ok. Your toilet and neighbors toilet are probably different toilets. As in one has a more powerful flush than the other. However it won’t hurt to get something like rid x (if you have a septic tank) or drano will help.


One of my glass shower doors shattered! How can I get it replaced? We purchased a small house that was built in the 80's, and the master bathroom has a shower equipped with sliding glass doors. All of the hardware seemed to be in fair condition at time of purchase, though I'll admit I didn't thoroughly inspect it.

A couple of weeks ago, while showering, one of the doors exploded. When I inspected the damage, it appeared one of the aluminum pins holding the track in the door had failed. I believe that this might have caused the tempered glass door to fall an inch or so onto the track, shattering it. Research into this problem seems to lend credibility to this being a rather common occurrence.

The other door, and the framing is still in great condition. Therefore, I'd like to not have to purchase a complete assembly. Unfortunately, I cannot find any markings on the door or framing that indicate who manufactured the door or any model numbers.

I took the dimensions for the door down to Home Depot, hoping to find if they sold just a single replacement door, but the department specialist said they did not. His advice was to buy a complete new assembly with framing, as he believed it would be near impossible to match the door.

I was wondering if anyone else who has gone through this issue, or something similar, has any advice on how I might be able to just get a single door replaced, rather than buying an entire shower door assembly kit. I still have the hardware from the door that broke, and have the measurements from the remaining glass door.

Are there shops that do this kind of custom work? If so, what am I looking for? Would the cost be less than buying an entire new assembly (roughly $300).

Check the yellow pages for custom glass shops.  They can make or custom order the tempered glass and may have common sizes in stock.  I replaced a large door a few years ago for on the order of $100 IIRC.  Many will do free estimates, and know the market well enough to tell you if you're wasting your time.

It may also be worth looking at some older, pre-Home Depot hardware/home improvement stores in your area as well.  You'd be surprised how static some of these product lines are, and many manufactures do in fact support their products with parts.

It's probably a long shot, time vs. money and all.  But the help at the box stores typically have no clue, so I wouldn't base much on their opinion.

Even if you found the manufacturer of the door, they would not sell a part to a retail customer. Such things are made in batches and change every season, so the door model you have is probably long gone. In fact, the company is probably long gone.

To make the door custom would probably cost way more than $300.


Is it safe to use a 100 watt LED bulb in a 3-way lamp that specifies using incandescent bulbs only? I purchased a 100 watt LED and a 3 way lamp, but now that it is all assembled I have just read in the instructions:

  Lamp is rated for max 150 watt incandescent, Type A E-26, 3-way bulb. DO NOT USE HALOGEN BULB WITH THIS LAMP. Halogen bulbs operate at a higher temperature and pose a fire hazard

They don't mention LED. Is it safe for me to use the LED bulb? I just don't want to start a fire and I didn't see anything posted about safety warnings in the instructions.

I'm assuming this is a 100 watt equivalent bulb, that is actually only running 18-20 watts.  Using a 100 watt equivalent will be safe as they run much cooler than even an incandescent.

In general yes. Use an LED bulb that is marked 'dimmable', and do not use it in an enclosed glass fixture -- many of the bulbs are made of plastic and can melt.

Also, look for a bulb that has more even light distribution; older bulbs often had the LED elements on a rectangular bar that created 'stripes' of higher and lower intensity light, all of which looks terrible in a lamp.


Low water pressure at toilets after main supply valve replacement Just replaced my main water valve that feeds the house. It's copper line and I used shark bite fittings. Kitchen sink, master shower and both toilets have very low pressure now. All other faucets are fine. Tried clearing the braided lines in kitchen sink. Got some sediment out but still nothing. What else can I do?

Some toilet valves can be taken apart to flush the sediment out. Turn off the valve that supplies the toilet and flush it. This will allow the fill valve to depressurize. I have been able to clean two types. Both had some arrows / instructions, one you pushed down and rotated the top of the fill valve and it pulled straight up then slight turn the water on--this clears the stuff in the line (I found putting a glass on top allowed me to turn the water up and really clear the line).

The second type I have only had ~75% luck with they have 2 plastic clips that you slip a small screwdriver under and lift the cap same as above for flushing, but use caution the plastic breaks very easily and a valve replacement is needed. As for the other valve / tub, if it has a shower head or arrestor they need to be cleaned also. If it has washerless valves you may need to disassemble the valve flush and reassemble.

I'd blame the SharkBite, since that's all that changed. They reduce the pipe diameter dramatically. This doesn't affect pressure but could very well be affecting volume or replenishment of evacuating water. This would appear to be a drop in pressure for longer runs & higher outlets. Replace the SharkBite Ball Valve with a Compression Fit Ball Valve to see if that remedies the situation, it should.