Is this mold, mildew or just dirt? We just removed some molding from our floor only to reveal some kind of black substance that looks like dirt. We are not sure what it is. See the following photograph.

That appears to be black mold affiliated with a water leak or a flood.  If a flood you need to have mold mitigation done by a qualified mold company.  Drywall removal will be required as the mold you see is coming from the mold on the back of the drywall.  Mold loves cellulose as a food so the paper backing on the back of the drywall will be completely covered in mold.  If a flood situation it is recommended to cut a minimum of 1 foot of drywall above the noticed mold.  However the paint can hide the evidence of mold and can be 4 foot or higher that needs to be removed.  After removal in a flood situation it is recommended to use a disinfectant grease removal soap and scrub all areas affected to include the entire home.  I clean a minimum of 1 foot higher than flood level. .  I use Pinal lavendar sold at home depot as it has a nice smell.  Then dry the home or area to a maximum of 50% of wood moisture measured with a moisture meter.  You can buy this at home depot for about $30.00  After reaching 50% moisture then spray all wood down with anti microbial mold killer.  Soak it down completely 3 times over 3 days no fans, no dehumidifiers.  After 3 days then turn on fans to create a circle of wind in each room leading to a dehumidifier in each room.  For entire home floods, you will need more than 1 dehumidifier.  Recommended is 1 per room.  So in many cases a mold control company is cheaper as we own equipment.  It is also recommended to have a Hepa Air scrubber to remove airborne mold spores.  After the wood reaches a level of 10% or less, you can install new drywall and insulation.  However I require that my customers continue to dry under normal AC or heat for 1 week after certification.  In cases of clean water damage like fire or water leak you can paint the studs with antimicrobial paint.  In cases of flood damages, I do not recommend the paint unless you allow the home to dry out 6 months or more prior to painting and closing the walls.  Flood bacteria takes more time to allow the antimicrobials to penetrate to core .  And if you paint to soon...you will have structural failure from dry-rot bacteria (Fusarium sambucinum) prematurely.


How do I re-wire a ceiling-fan to reverse its direction? One of the ceiling fans at home was spinning in the opposite direction (clock-wise) and so was sucking up the air rather than blowing it. I live in a hot climate so we always have the fans spinning in the counter-clockwise direction all year round. I need some guidance on safely correcting the direction of this fan. It's been 8 yrs since I last studied Electrical maintenance and honestly do not recall the wiring diagram.. :)

Below is an image of the wiring of another fan that correctly spins in the counter-clockwise direction:

Observations:

Input power supply: Yellow wires to the right
Capacitor: White wires on the left
Black: ?, Red: ?, Blue: ?

Below is the wiring of the fan that spins in the clockwise direction:

a. Observations:

Input power supply: Indicated on the right
Capacitor: White wires on the left
Black: ?, Red: ?, Yellow: ?

[UPDATE]
b. Observations:

Swapped the red with Yellow.
Fan remains stationary.
Fan will start to move at constant speed in the direction I apply force in.

Product: Crompton Greaves Ceiling Fan - 220/240 V 50 Hz A.C.. SWEEP 1200mm (No lamp).
Wiring diagram: Could not locate the same. Kindly share any wiring diagrams that could help me better understand the same, Thanks..!
Kindly note: This is an Indian fan and the color codes are different from the US standard.
Color Codes: Phase: Red/Yellow/Blue, Neutral: Black, Ground: Green.
I tried checking with the manufacturer on this, but haven't received a response.. Not all single phase AC motors can reverse direction. [1][2]
Latest updates: We finally got a new fan and the old one was sold to scrap.. So while I am no longer able to test your solutions, I definitely look forward to technical explanation of the problem and possible solution(s). Thanks!

With another clockwise fan from the same maker, I was able to reverse the direction by interchanging the yellow and black wires as some answers here indicated. The explanation as I understood is that the rewiring changes the winding with which the capacitor is in series and hence the starting direction is inverted.

In 3-phase motors, each of the three stator windings carry a current out of phase with others and the phase difference generates the rotating magnetic field required to cause the motion. With single-phase ones, a phase difference is engineered by splitting the single phase current into two stator windings and putting a capacitor in series with one of the windings so that there's a 90° phase difference between the currents in the two windings. This page on electric motors explains the concept with illuminating animations.

The following figure shows my guess, based on the above information, at the internal wiring of the clockwise spinning fan whose image is posted in the question, for clockwise and anti-clockwise rotations.

A point to note here is that single-phase AC itself produces a changing magnetic field - though a pulsating one, not a rotating one. But this pulsating field can be resolved, as per the double field revolving theory (the link has an excellent video of the workings by the way), into two revolving fields rotating in opposite direction to each other. These two fields produce an equal but opposite torque. On a static rotor, they'll cancel each other out. But an initial rotation makes torque in one direction greater than the other and starts up the fan.

This is what, I believe, happened when the OP switched red and yellow wires on his fan. The result was that the capacitor was in series with both windings => there was no phase difference in the currents in the windings. When he added a slight initial
rotation, the fan continued spinning in the nudged direction.

You can change your rotation by changing the input of yellow to black wire; it will change the direction of rotation.


What are the pros and cons of Owens Corning shingles vs. GAF shingles? I am looking to get a new roof for my house. I have taken quotes from about 4 contractors and 3 of them are suggesting I should use GAF shingles. 1 suggests that Owens Corning is a better shingle and I should use that. I am really new in this field and not sure which material to go for? Does it matter which material I choose or are these both good shingles and which one I use does not matter?

More important question: Which contractor did you feel the most comfortable with and which has the best work history in your area -- have you checked BBB and something like Angies List? Who has the best relationship with their wholesaler/supplier and can get you support if you need it in case of roof damage?

Owens Corning and GAF make comparable products; the Owens Corning warranty is longer, but neither warranty is good unless the installer installs it properly with the proper number of nails at the proper spacing. Specifically, the two products that you're looking at are almost identical. One difference besides the warranty is that Owens Corning has a constant bead of sealant on the backside of the shingles to seal them to the shingles underneath; if you're in an area that gets significant amounts of wind-driven rain (such as a coastal area) to the point that you will be testing the wind resistance of the shignle, you will PROBABLY want to choose the GAF shingle because the Owens Corning shingles sometimes have problems draining after water has blown up underneath them.

Remember that it isn't the shingle that matters; the shingle really just protects your roof. Your roof is actually the tar paper and other membrane (such as Grace Ice & Water Shield) that goes on under the shingles. Those products should be of the highest quality and have perfect installations. Getting good shingles is essential, but it's almost secondary if you cheap out on the underlayments or your roofer installs it incorrectly.

One note that I'm suggesting all homeowners explore: If your attic is hot during the summer, look into the 'Cool Roof' shingles that both OC and GAF produce. They have a reflective substance in with the stone and will help reflect solar energy back out before it has a chance to enter your roof structure.

OC currently has huge problems with granule lose and sealing problems distributors are fire saling them at low prices


Confused about Ethernet wiring in new home I’m moving into a new house that looks to have Ethernet wired through it though it looks like it was being used for telephone?
I’m wondering if it will be usable for Internet and if so what changes I need to make/what exactly I need to do.
Also is there any way to tell if it’s all cat 5 or cat 5e?
I don’t know much about this so step by step on how to make it work for Internet would be greatly appreciated.
So far my guess is that I need to pull all the wiring out of that current punch panel and add RJ45 connectors to each separate wire? At that point I just need a way to connect them to my router?
Thanks a lot!

Read the jacket - I think I can see, but not make out, faint red printing on at least two of the gray cables in your picture. But there's no guarantee that all the gray cables are the same, if this system grew organically over time rather than having been all installed at once.
Even if it's CAT3, it will run ethernet (slowly by modern standards.) That will be fine for a printer that plugs into ethernet, and other uses that are not too demanding, but won't suit your faster goals - in which case you might examine how it's installed, and whether you can use the current cables to help you get new cables into the places you actually need faster connections.
Your best bet at this end would be to install a patch panel, rather than "plugs on cables" - plugs on fixed cables are iffy (they tend to fail,) while a patch panel is quite reliable, (and also easier to connect to) and helps to organize the mess.
You'll also need a switch, to get the signal from a cable leading to your router to all the other cables (or all the other cables you are actually using.)
Beware that as phone wiring, there's no guarantee that the wiring completely respects a "star" configuration (each cable here leads only one place) - some legs of the apparent star may be "daisy-chained" to more than one outlet, and that does not fly with Ethernet like it does with telephones.

Is this part of a SOHO (small office, home office ) DIGITAL phone system? the 2 large cables (trunk lines I  think is the term) are a clue it's attached to a KSU. Also, the connectors shown are typically used on phone lines. The smaller cables should have printed on them the type of cable. The blue ones look like cat 5, the grey ones look like cat 3 (not suitable for ethernet). Repurposing some of  might be possible. But, and here's the big BUT if the phone lines are not all "home runs" and are daisy chained (common for POTS phone wiring), you can't re-use them.  They're also probably cat-3, again, not suitable for ethernet.
All you can do is start tracing circuits. Get some testing equipment at go at it.


Can I install a light between two three-way switches? is it possible to add a light to a three way switch circuit between the two three way switches (ie can i tie into the three wire connecting the two switches in anyway to make them work the new light I've added)?

If you tap into the existing light box: Yes
There you will have the switched power and neutral.
If you try to tap into the triplex running from one of the switches: NO.
There you will only have the travelers and a power.

Yes if you don't need the three way functionality still and one of the boxes has power coming into it.  You can put a blank on one box, put your new one in-between, and keep one box for the current light switch.  I don't want to get into the wiring on this because it is simple (get rid of your 3-way comms wire - red one) and make sure your power/neutrals pass through, but there are tons of ways that 3 ways can be wired so don't want to get into too much detail.


Can I vent room air to the outside? The building interior gets hot during the day and stays hot during the evening when it is much cooler outside. It would be a really great option to simply vent the hot air outside instead of having to turn the air-conditioner on.

I'm looking for a more structural and long-term solution than just opening a window and propping a fan right next to it, something like a decent-sized exhaust vent to the outside with a switch-activated fan attached would be a good solution.

Is this something that has already been done and are there existing products or plans that can be referenced?

Found the answer to my own question, this seems like a great solution:

http://energy.gov/energysaver/cooling-whole-house-fan


Can anyone suggest how to connect a CAT6 cable to the incoming 5 pair telephone cable? The below image displays the incoming cable from the telephone provider. As far as I have searched it's a 5-pair telephone cable.
I was suggested by the telephone company to replace the current telephone wiring (single pair cable) with a CAT6 cable. But, I wasn't able to find any information as to how I can connect a CAT6/CAT6A cable to this 5-pair cable.
As you can see, the current telephone line uses the 2 left-most wires, and CAT6 is a 4-pair cable. So, should I use the remaining 8 wires for the CAT6?
Additionally, if anyone is aware, I would really like to understand the purpose of these 10 wires (which wire carries what signal).
P.S: I think this is the right channel for this question. But, if it isn't please suggest where it should be posted.
Edit:
Thank you all for the quick response. To clarify the use-case I am adding more context.
I live in Cyprus. Our house is located in the country-side, around 15 Km from the city center. It's a VDSL line, which is directly connected to a VDSL modem. The phone gets connected to the modem and works on the VOIP protocol. All the ethernet connections are also connected to the modem.
The available internet speed in this area is 50 Mbps (yeah, it's Cyprus!), but I was getting around 25 Mbps. So, I called a technician and he said that the analog cable is the culprit and asked me to replace the phone wiring in the house with Cat6.
I am also attaching the photo displaying the connections available on the modem. The input port is a 2-pair RJ11. And, I don't know the purpose of the WAN port.

Each of the incoming pairs in the telco's 5-pair cable is for a separate analog telephone line (or, in today's world, a single DSL channel). The pairs are identified by color: there's a solid blue wire paired with a white wire with blue stripe (also called tracer); a solid orange wire paired with a white wire with orange stripe, and so on with green, brown, and gray (slate).
The drop cable includes several pairs in case a subscriber might have wanted ability to make a voice call on one line while also using a modem or fax machine on another line. Sometimes pairs "go bad" due to cable damage, water ingress in the cable, etc so the extra pairs also provide some redundancy against that possibility.
I'd connect the blue pair of the CAT6 to whichever of the telco pairs has your primary telephone line, the orange pair to the second line, and so on. If you have only one line then connect only the blue pair from the CAT6.
As for mechanically how to carry out the connection: you need a "punch down tool." These look like 110-style terminals. A professional tool is spring-loaded, trims wires to length, and does other neat things. But you can get a simple inexpensive plastic tool as well -- these are sometimes included with CAT5/CAT6/telephone "keystone" wall plate jacks. If you're careful and attentive, you could even get the wire pushed down into the terminal using a pair of small flat-blade screwdrivers.
Here are a few examples of 110 punch down tools:

Interior wiring is a common source of trouble especially for DSL services. The cable shown in your photo is basic 4-conductor. Twisted pair CAT-rated cable tends to perform better. CAT6 is significantly over-qualified for the application (CAT5e, CAT5, even CAT3 would do) but it is commonly available and there's no appreciable difference in price vs the lesser cables.
The technician might also have recommended replacement for another reason: the home's existing phone wire might run all throughout the house, have many junctions that could be problematic, etc. A new cable that goes directly between the phone demarcation point outside to your DSL modem will eliminate those variables.
With possibility of trouble in your inside wiring eliminated, if the low speed persists the DSL provider may be more willing to troubleshoot their network to search for connection problems.
It's worth confirming whether your service is two-pair bonded or single-pair, and if bonded which one is the second pair. A bonded service with only one pair connected would get half the throughput.
The modem has a WAN port probably because it is designed to work with both xDSL and another service like fiber to the home. In the latter, some providers install a box called ONU/ONT (optical network unit/terminator) to convert from optical fiber to Ethernet. That Ethernet would connect to the WAN port of a gateway device like yours.

Old school was 4-6 wires when dsl came along the needed the extra double pair. I don’t know anyone using dsl any longer but I am sure they are out there That is the most likely reason for the extras I never saw a house with less than 2 pair and many had 3 in the 80’s then dsl and today everyone has a smart phone , not everyone but you get the idea.


How do I loosen latex paint to remove it? I have a wall with (a very rubbery) latex paint topcoat over a painted surface on drywall that it is only marginally adhering to. Trying to sand or even rub on it removes it slowly and not very efficiently. I'm afraid to paint over it, so I want to remove it. Is there any mild chemical or other process that will loosen it enough to remove it, so we can patch, re-prime, and repaint over it?

If it's not well adhered to the wall, the first thing I'd try would be heat - get a heat gun (sorry, your wife's hairdryer won't work) and a scraper and try that approach before resorting to any chemicals.

Used my Han steam cleaner with the hose nozzle, paint became soft and rubbery, peeled off in sections.


Can I use a 2x8 for a ceiling joist and rafters on a 16' span? I'm planning an addition which will be 16' wide by 27 feet long overall. the roof will span the 16' dimension. my question is, if there is no plan to use the space above the ceiling for storage or occupancy, can I have a clear span of 16 feet with no supporting beam. Again, this is the roof. My guess is that I would use 2x8's for the rafter ties/ceiling joist, and also 2x8's for the rafters. There would be interior framing inside the addition, but there would be an area of about 15 x 16 that would be clear. The pitch of the roof would be about a 4 pitch.

Edit:

Thanks for the responses,

Yes the ridge will be centered on the 16' span. I don't want to use trusses if I don't have to since I will be doing basically all the work myself, and building them in place is easier for me. Also, I am matching the pitch of a small existing part of the house that will be removed and tying the new addition into the main building. In essence, I want to make the new addition fit the existing house / siding, not have to modify the existing building to fit a truss. I know I could get them close, but I'd rather do it myself. Also trusses would be more expensive.

My real question is can the room I'm building be clear of support beams. The ceiling joist would span the 16', and basically hold only sheetrock/insulation/wire for weight. the raters above would form the tops sides of the triangle and support the roof load. I do live in CT, where we can have a lot of snow (or not). I would assume that if there was a lot of load on the roof, the load would tend to push the ridge down and the walls out (and down), and put the ceiling joist in tension.

The local IRC book would be handy for you. I have a few screen shots that may help, but only as a guide line. A building inspector will have the final say, but this is what they go by.

This does depend on where you live, for it has to do with snow loads. Roof cover factors in a bit too.

Span does not matter if it is  4/12 pitch or a 12/12 pitch. The span is not measured on the slope.

2x8's should do the trick if possible tho double two up in the middle with a piece of plywood sandwiched inbetween for an expansion joint


About how much does it cost to leave 12 led bulbs 60watt replacement burning for 24 hours? I changed to LED bulbs, and I wonder if it pays to buy a switch timer or if it is cheaper to leave it on at all times?

a "60W replacement" LED is usually around 10W actual.

10W * 12bulbs * 24 hours = 2880Watt-hours

2880Watt-hours = 2.88 kilowatt-hours

Your electric bill shows the price / kilowatt-hour. For me, with all applicable taxes and stuff, it's about $0.145 / kilowatt hour (I just paid my bill, so I have it right here)... yeah, that's 14.5 CENTS.

So every 24 hours those lights are on would cost me:
2.88 * 0.145 = $0.42

So if you were to use a timer to run them only 12 hours / day, you'd save $0.21 / day. If the timer costs $20, it would pay for itself after 100 days.

Cheers,
CList

My wife had five LED timed lights installed in the front garden to light up our home at night, until 1 AM. She reports that the electricity bill is virtually unchanged. So I installed "Bioluz" LED A19" bulbs throughout my home ($4.67 each in a 6-pack from Amazon), and my quarterly bill has noticeably dropped. The 60 w equivalent bulbs are said to last 10,000 hrs or about 10 years, so they more than pay for themselves.


Do under-cabinet outlets need to be provided above a window? We just had our kitchen remodel project inspected and the inspector told us we needed to install outlets on a wall that is essentially one long (10') window directly under one long cabinet. We have plenty of outlets on the adjoining two walls. The bottom of this long window butts up to the countertop with a half-inch reveal, for a clean modern look. The only place to put any outlets would be under the cabinets, using those outlet strips (a solution we're not wild about), but my question is this: should the inspector be looking at this wall as a wall, which would need the requisite number of outlets, or as a window, which might be except from this requirement. It seems to me that this space, taken up as it is by a large window, not a wall that would allow outlets to be installed, should be exempt from the outlet-every-two-feet requirement. Are there any electricians or inspectors out there who can offer some informed opinions on this situation? Thank you.

Not an inspector or electrician, but I was a supervisor of a job that had the same issue. With prior approval from the inspector since there is a requirement/restriction for countertop mounted outlets, the inspector allowed a pop up outlet in the countertop.
Here is a pic of the countertop with the window, sorry I can only tell you the outlet is near the red box on the counter. Wall framing did not allow it to go anywhere else to get it close enough to the sink...
As mentioned, it was pre-approved by the inspector. This was about 3 years ago.

The code is quite clear:

Receptacle outlets shall be installed so that no point along the wall line is more than 600 mm (24 in.) measured horizontally from a receptacle outlet in that space.

In other words

Any countertop space in a kitchen greater than or equal to 48" requires a minimum of two outlets.
If the countertop space is less than 48" then one outlet will suffice if it is divided equally so no space between the edge of the countertop and the outlet is greater than 24".

The Problem...

From the picture provided by the OP,  the countertop space to the right of the sink might be less than 48" but the existing outlet is not centered so that no space to either edge is less than 24".  This is a problem.

There is no requirement for outlets to be behind ranges and cooktops if the countertop space is less than 12" in depth.

Also a peninsula and/or stationery island would require at least one outlet if it is at least 24" long, 12" wide.

The diagram below illustrates the requirements.


Changing the input voltage of oscillating fan I have a pedestal fan which is rotating too fast. It's on the lowest setting yet it's stronger than the highest setting of any other fans I've seen. It's noisy as a drone, unnecessarily fast and i think it consumes more energy than it needs to.
Can I just use an adapter or something to reduce its input voltage so the motor rotates slower? Does it make sense? Would it harm the device?
Thanks,

Reducing the input voltage of a motor cooled by a fan (as your fan's motor is) can cause it to not get enough cooling, slowly cooking the insulation until you end up with an electrical fire.  The fan was designed for a certain voltage, and it can be dangerous to run it on another voltage.
Also, unless you were to spend a lot of money for a Variable Frequency Drive, any adapter you would put between the fan and the wall would end up using the energy "saved" from running the fan at a lower voltage.  In other words, if the fan was using 100 watts before, in order to reduce the fan power consumption to 80 watts, the "adapter", in the process of reducing the voltage, would use 20 watts.
I would recommend selling this fan and buying a new one that is not as noisy.


Adding an outlet to an existing light switch: Can the outlet be switched along with the light? Is it possible add an outlet to an existing light switch where the outlet is switched along with the light? The switch is not at the end of the run. So far I've only been able to find answers where the outlet has constant power.

Yes, that can be done.

Connect the neutral from the light, and the neutral from the receptacle to the feeder neutral.
Connect the feeder hot to one side of the switch.
Connect together a wire from the other side of the switch, the hot to the light, and a wire to the hot side of the receptacle.
Connect all grounding conductors.

If you're a more visual learner, search google for "switched receptacle wiring".

As long as the outlet is after the switch then it will work when the switch is energized. I have a 4 outlet at the end of my garage light wiring. If the lights are on it works. If it overloads the circuit it's on you'll know when the breaker pops but there generally aren't limits on outlets per circuit just be aware the amps being pulled


What type of ethernet cable do I need for outdoor use? I want to run about 100 meters of Ethernet cable out my attic and down a drainpipe. The cable will be exposed to the elements, and attached to a gigabit switch (indoors) at both ends.

What kind of cable do I need? Can I get a basic Cat5E bulk cable, or does the length and exposure mean I should opt for Cat6? Or is there some other outdoor-rated specification of wiring that I should be using?

You normally want to use outdoor flooded cable (also called gel-filled) as it is designed to weather the elements. I have a few clients who have gone with outdoor flooded & shielded cable as they were worried about interference on the outdoor runs. Also look for UV-resistant cable if it's not going to be buried or otherwise enclosed.

As for Cat 5e versus Cat 6, for home use it probably won't matter as you most likely running 100/1000B-T Ethernet and it will run fine on both Cat 5e or Cat 6. If you want to try to future-proof your cable--or the price difference is negligible--you can go for Cat 6.

There is no cable difference between 5E and 6 - only an installation is rated as cat6 - depending on how well the connections are made

Any decent cable should survive outside reasonably well. Building code-wise we are supposed to run fiber between buildings in case of lightning strike.


How to remove silicone caulk from a shower wall? I took down a shampoo dispenser and now I have several big blobs of moldy silicone caulk on the shower wall.  I bought a plastic razor scraper and a bottle of Goo Gone Caulk Remover, which gets high marks for removing silicone on Amazon, but I haven't even made a dent.  I think part of the problem is that the wall is vertical (duh :) and the remover is liquid, so it doesn't stay on the caulk long enough to do the job. Is there a gel formula out there that works well, or some other technique that would work better?

If you saturate toilet paper with the remover and slap it on your vertical surface it will stick there and hold it against the caulking. Practice a couple times with water to get a feel for the appropriate amount of moisture. Scrape off as much as possible before you start in with the remover though.  Just to clarify, you should be using a plastic blade in the scraper so you don't damage or leave marks on the wall.

EDIT: BTW, you can also use acetone (i.e. nail polish remover) to remove silicone caulking. Acetone attacks some plastics, so I'd only go this route on tile.

EDIT 2: If neither of those options work, you can also go to an auto supply store and pick up an adhesive eraser wheel. You use these with an electric drill and they are designed to take adhesives off of auto bodies without damaging the paint.  Again, this might not be the best thing to use on a plastic surround.

a name brand "skrapr" works great.They are safe for glass top stoves and all kinds of surfaces which you have to scrape but don't want scratches.


Door jamb and molding too short after replacing carpet with hardwood floor? I've recently replaced carpet with hardwood floor. The door jamb and molding are now too short. Prior, the carpet was plusher and made the gap in this one door jamb less obvious.

Door Jamb

Molding

I'm pretty sure I am going to replace the molding anyways, to a more modern style.

My question, can the jamb somehow be repaired? With wood filler that can be sanded and painted perhaps? Is it faster to just replace the door jamb.

If you are going to replace the molding, I would replace the jam as well.  I looks to me like you are due for an upgrade in all of your wood-work. With the new floors and new wood-work, I think you would see a marked improvement in the overall look of he space.

Yea, I don't really see any way of getting around replacing the jamb and molding.


Can two circuits share a neutral? I'm finally implementing the advice given in this question, I've managed to run the wiring up to the junction box, but I'm a bit confused by the contents of that box.

There are three circuits entering the box, but it appears that two circuits are sharing a single neutral.

Everything appears to work (and has done so for 2+ years), but I'm curious if this is kosher from a code point of view.  Should there be an individual neutral for each circuit?  If so, is there a brief explanation as to why this is OK?

Only if it is a split 220 volt circuit as Steven points out and it It must be on a two pole circuit breaker. This ensures that the circuit is two different legs and not just one, also the entire circuit will be disabled with only one breaker. Each hot leg returns on this shared neutral. The reasoning is that no more than the rated (breaker) current will pass through the neutral in this configuration. The two "Hot" legs will tend to balance the return current. Example: If both legs draw 5A, then no return current passes through the neutral. If leg 1 draws 3A and leg 2 draws 10A then the difference, 7A is returned through the neutral.

It is NOT permitted to share a neutral in any other situation. If you were to share a neutral with two breakers on the same leg of a panel, both circuits could draw the breaker limit (lets say 15A) making the shared neutral as much as 30A return current! That will exceed the limit of the wire size and could cause a fire. Also, GFCI and AFCI breakers will not work on a shared neutral circuit.

you definitely do not want to share neutrals from different circuits. This sets up a potential shock hazard if one circuit breaker is open and the other closed. If you assume one circuit is dead by opening the breaker the neutral on that circuit will immediately be energized if any appliance is using the second circuit. If you are doing work on the first circuit and get across neutral and ground you could be electrocuted if an appliance or a light is energized on the second circuit.


Power Panel Grounding and Neutral Bonding / Dryer hookup in an older home [1975] In my home I have the old 3 wire Dryer and Range connections.

Looking at my CB service panel; my neutrals (white) and my ground wires (bare copper) connect to the same bus bar.  Main service panel - this seems up to code for all intents and purposes (someone who is more knowledgeable correct me if I am wrong). I know secondary panels they must be separated.

So I have some questions here to enlighten me a bit more:

I have a Dryer and a Range Receptacles with the 3-Wire hookup (H-N-H) and I would like to make them 4 wire compliant (H-N-G-H).

I could run 4 wires back to the panel and connect my neutral and ground to the same location on the panel and of course the two hots to the hot lines.

What is the the difference doing that versus say connecting the ground lead to the neutral at the receptacle ? They end up at the same place.
I know you should not do that; of course I know that people do this at the outlets in some homes to pass an inspection. I have had someone tell me - just connect the wire to a metal pipe .. but that smells bad to me..

While neutrals should not carry current - the possibility is that they can in a failure situation or a bad installation, so just having a separate wire go back to the bus bar and call it a 'ground'; how is that making a difference?

I was reading here What happens if you don't bond neutral and ground in a main service panel?

The answer does not clarify this for me exactly - it states advantages and disadvantages but never specifies exactly advantage / disadvantage of what .. (bonding in the service panel  or not bonding in the service panel)??

  I guess what I am really asking is how does it make it safer to have 2
  wires go back to the same bus bar from the dryer receptacle and Why is
  it not safer to have a true separate ground at the main service panel
  where grounds are  grounds and neutrals are neutrals ?

Neutral does and should carry normal currents

This may be the crux of your misunderstanding.

240V loads are carried on the two hots.  120V loads are carried on one hot and neutral.   So a typical dryer might draw 20A of 240V and 3A of 120V.  In that case the amperages of L1, N and L2 will be 23, 3 and 20.  This is normal.

Ground is a safety shield only

The design philosophy of grounding is that grounds should never be used to handle current.

The circuit's overcurrent protection already protect from a fault between conductors.  But what about faults between a conductor and anything else? That could cause a lot of mischief.  Ground's job is to be the path of first resort for any wayward fault current. That works really well in metal-chassis machines.

"Wait. Won't GFCI do that same thing?" Kinda. Yeah. 30A 2-pole GFCI breakers can be had.

Neutral and ground should be separated everywhere except the designated Neutral-Ground Bond.

In an ideally wired panel, all neutrals land on the neutral bar, and all grounds land on the ground bar.  There is a neutral-ground bond that can be removed.

This panel can be effortlessly converted to a subpanel by feeding it from another main and removing the neutral-ground bond.

It is also easy to measure ground fault current, by clamping a meter around the N-G bond.

However builders also have a lobby with the NFPA, and they lobbied for rules that let them spam it all onto one bar.  It does no real harm, since they're connected anyway by the neutral-ground bond.  It is leeeegal, just is a builder grade shortcut, and obviously prevents any of the things I mention above.

Why not bootleg ground on NEMA 14?

Well, that is what the NEMA 10 type hookup already does, so if that is your intent, there is no need to bootleg NEMA 14... you are already there.

It's back to the same problem as NEMA 10 and any other bootleg ground - any trouble with the neutral wire will result in the neutral being pulled up to 120V by loads, and with it the dryer chassis.

Whereas that does not happen if the neutral and ground are separated. In that case the machine just doesn't work and the ground continues to protect against hot-ground faults.   Since there should be no neutral-ground faults, this becomes a non-event except the machine doesn't work obviously.  The broken machine motivates the person to seek a proper repair.

If there was a neutral-ground fault, the machine may work normally misusing ground as current return.  That is why bad repairmen create neutral-ground faults, to git-r-dun and onto the next job, safety be damned.

You can  retrofit ground

Under NEC 2014 (and earlier for dryers) it is legal to retrofit grounds.  You can run just a ground wire (#10) and retain use of the existing wires. It can go back to that service panel, or to any other ground also served out of that panel, as long it is of sufficient size (#10).

This same rule also makes a dryer ground retrofit useful for retrofitting grounds almost everywhere else, so it can be wise to plan it as a "backbone" for other ground retrofits.

It is difficult to understand to the layman.  But you will just have to trust us on this one.  It is safer to have two different conductors from the range and from the dryer, one colored white and one bare terminating in the same neutral bus bar in the service panel but it is true.  It is not a waste of time and money.  If they are bonded together at the appliance and for some reason the neutral comes loose at the panel the appliance body now would become fully and dangerously energized.


Shower Frame is leaking (at the corner) Our framed corner shower is leaking at the "seam."  At the corner where the two sides meet, the panels seems to be loose.  Whenever I spray water on the glass and framed walls, some water will leak at the corner of the walls.

We are not sure how to "take apart" (if necessary) the walls in order to caulk the corner.  Not sure if that is the correct process either.  We have called the installer, he is not returning our calls. Surprise, surprise.

Note:  water may be coming from where alumininum frame meets the solid surface ledge on top of garden tub.  Water collects in weeping holes in the inside and may be coming out on the outside.  Here are some pictures.  I have taped two areas.  Between the two "horizontal" tape pieces the side and the front seem a bit "loose."  The taped area pointing at each other is the "seam" where I believe the water is coming from.

The frame is made of aluminum.  The shower is standard glass with rubber between glass and frame.  The shower is placed against tile walls.  Top of ledge above garden tub is solid surface material.  Something like "corian."  Unsure exactly what it is made from.

well, short of dismantling the frame and welding the tubes shut (WTF????), you might try an easier approach.  never seal the vertical tubes shut.  if you have water building up inside the tubes, you need larger vent holes on the bottom of the wet side of the shower.  its common that they get plugged up over time.

having assembled dozens of these units over the years, i must admit that the one you have is a little different on the top corner detail, but they are all pretty much the same.  the wall has rails mounted to it, then decorative rails slide over those to provide the wall anchor points for the glass.  then the corner rail (either stop or hinge) is held captive by the top and bottom channels, which also hold the fixed glass panels captive.  the door then hinges off the corner rail typically.  since the left and right panels are joined at the corner, this joint tends to flex in two directions and causes the usually inadequate factory seal to fail prematurely.

so, try this (the worst you will do is make it such that if you do have to disassemble the unit, you might have to scrape out some caulking) after you have left the unit to dry for a few days (you can use a hair dryer to speed up the process if need be):

1)  clean all surfaces that you are going to seal really well with methyl hydrate or methanol.  any places that have been previously siliconed over will have to be scraped clean and then cleaned with silicone sealant remover.

2)  get a renovators bar (or 10) or a butter knife (or 10) and slip them in the joint to wedge the offending corner joint apart.  just a little, just enough to get the sealant in.  then get yourself a large bore (14 ga or larger for silicone) hypodermic needle (like the kind to refill ink cartridges with) and inject clear silicone (NOT LATEX) sealant into the gap.  go slow and inject way more than seems reasonable (the metal extrusions often have convoluted profiles that are invisible from outside the joint that will allow for the silicone to not seal well).  go from top to bottom and tap the frame often to get the silicone to settle and cling to the inside of the joint.

3)  on the wet side of the shower, and only the wet side, run a vertical bead of silicone over the joint.  i would mask the joint with tape so that you can get a nice bead with little mess.

if you do all the cleaning well and be very thorough, this will solve your leak.  you may have to do it again every couple of years, but it generally works permanently.

The shower frame is a hollow tube.
Water gets inside of the tube and leaks out at the ends of the tube. If the tube has weep holes they are most likely to high to do any good or stopped up from soap scum.
The best solution is to take the frame apart and weld ends on the bottom aluminum tubes this will seal the ends of the tubes and force the water to exit out of the weep holes.
Welding the ends will discolor the finish. That can be touched up with a can of spray paint. A lot less expensive then replacing subfloor and tile or even framing.
Another method would be to dismantle the frame and fill the bottom channels with silicone caulking.The draw back to this is the caulk will most likely mildew in time.


Are these breakers single-pole or double-pole? I'm installing a Sense energy monitor and it needs a 2-pole, 240V breaker. I know I can piggyback off an existing 2-pole breaker, but am I correct that all of these are single-pole?

Those 3 breakers are two-pole breakers.
I see piggybacking off an existing breaker is indicated as permitted in the installation instructions, installation instructions are part of the NRTL Listing. You probably wouldn't have a function problem but you could run afoul of the Code if the installation instructions for the other item requires a dedicated circuit.
Landing a second wire under the breaker termination is also subject to the Listing of the breaker, most breakers also have the restrictions on the breaker. Schneider Square D QO breakers "have pressure plate terminals suitable for single or two-wire terminations"  There is a chart that shows minimum size is #14. https://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_enDocType=Catalog&p_File_Name=0730CT9801.pdf&p_Doc_Ref=0730CT9801 .

Yes, those are 2 pole breakers. You are not allowed to piggyback off any breakers in the panel. Any connections to existing circuits must be made outside the panel.


What is the maximum load for EACH of the standard US 120V electrical outlets? I've searched the answer which seems to be 1800W (120V x 15a) but it's not clear to me whether the rating is for each of the two outlets or the pair together.

So I would like to know: what is the maximum for each outlet and what is the maximum if both are in use simultaneously?

No single plug-connected item is permitted to draw more than 80% of the rating of the circuit. That would be 12 amps for a 15 amp circuit and 16 amps for a 20 amp circuit. You will not find item sold with a 15 amp plug that draws more than 12 amps or an item with a 20 amp plug that draws more than 16 amps. However, there is nothing to prevent 15 or 20 amps of load from being connected through a power strip. Also, 15 amp outlets are permitted to be used on a 20 amp circuit. That would indicate that each individual 15 amp outlet or pair would need to be capable of 20 amps.

Edit:
What is permitted is stated in the National Electrical Code, article 210. The use of 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp circuit covered by Table 210.21(B)(1) and the 80% limitation is covered by paragraph 210.23(A)(1).

Re answer by Bryce
The main answer is direct and to the point, but the last part is not true.

AC voltage is the peak to peak maximum, so you can't multiply the current times the voltage with AC- you have to use the "RMS" or root mean square voltage which is about 62 volts when an outlet has 110V AC. So if you have a 20 amp breaker you must multiply 20 amps times 62V RMS to get 1240 Watts. The folks who say it's 1800 would only be correct if it was DC, which went out when Westinghouse used Tessla's AC to replace Edison's DC- about 110 years ago!


Should I insulate metal duct work in basement? I have a balloon frame house with an unfinished basement.  The air handler and furnace are in the basement too.  Last fall, we had the duct work removed because it was wrapped in asbestos tape that was deteriorating.  We DIYed the replacement just like the previous, except I used some online tools to make some airflow calculations and made one of the returns bigger.  100% of the duct work is metal box or round pipe, and every seam from the plenum to each register boot is well sealed with mastic.

We did not insulate anything, because the laundry and a couple work benches and a video game area are down there, and we decided some radiant heat from the ducts would be nice, but I have since read that we should have insulated the supply ducts to help control condensation.  Also, I learned that insulating ducts is required in an unconditioned space, and I think my unfinished basement with no HVAC registers meets this definition.

This is going to be our first cooling season with the new work, though we haven't noticed any condensation yet, so...

Does code require to insulate the supply ducts in this space?  If so, how does one insulate big square trunk duct? (All the tutorials/materials I see are for 6" round)

Could we turn this into a "conditioned space" simply by adding a register in the unfinished basement?

They make insulation that is like a foil and fiberglass blanket that you wrap square ducts with, if you are in a high humidity area you may find the duct will sweat if not insulated because your ductwork close to the air handler will be 20-30 degrees lower than the room temp causing the condensation. I might wait and see. Just google duct insulation and you will see the different types.

Yes code requires all devices " used in the conveyance of heat or cold air be properly sealed, insulated and protected. Such devices include, sheet metal duct, flex duct, aluminum flex duct and any and all others. The purpose is to retain heat and air with minimal loss thereby reducing energy usage. Failure to comply is punishable with a $2,000 fine and or 30 days of detention..."


Are there pitfalls to joining utility Energy Wise programs? I'm specifically talking about Duke's EnergyWise program, but I'm fairly sure utilities everywhere are adopting similar programs. The idea is that they tie into your major appliances (i.e., heatpump and hot water heater) - during high demand they can temporarily shut off your appliances (maximum of like 16m at a time) and in return you get a credit of up to ~$150 on your power bill over the course of a year.

What are the gotchas for this kind of program? Assuming I'm ok with them occasionally turning off my heat pump and hot water heater for a few minutes every now and then, should I be concerned with anything else?

This is actually a very good thing for the future of the grid.  It's just off to an awkward start (and a very late one).

This particular awkward start could do this during peak power-demand times, mainly the hottest afternoons when everybody is running their A/C:

Reduce the duty-cycle on A/C and electric heat to about 50%, which only matters if its duty cycle is over 50%. That would be an issue if the day is very hot/cold, or you program your thermostat to chill/warm the house an hour before you get home. (in that case make it 2 hours). They say 16.5 minutes worst case out of 30, they are allowing for propagation time for the "cycle" signal - transmitting data over power lines is very slow and very narrow-bandwidth.
You have hot water, but as you use it up, your water heater can't replace it, for up to 5 hours.  But who takes long hot showers on hot days? Tanked heaters hold hot water just fine for hours, but when you use it, it'll be gone.  It will extend runtime if you use anti-scald faucets and bump your heater temp as high as possible (also helps for legionella).  You may be able to exclude this from the program, but you'll make less money if you do.

You can beat the water situation with a gas water heater or with solar collectors (which heat water) - they will be at peak performance right when the cycling happens.  If your HVAC is running >50% duty cycle, insulation can fix that.

Let's talk about why.

How the grid dispatches

The power grid was designed as a one-way service: a central authority generates and delivers, and consumers only consume. "Alternative electric companies" like Enron only exist on paper, it's still the same grid run by the same authority.

The grid architecture is currently has "open demand": consumers can draw any load, and the generators must either provide it, shed load (in a gruesome way), or the grid collapses.

Load varies dramatically through the day, so you must add and remove generating plants.  Except some plants aren't made to cycle daily - nuke, coal, geothermal, any steam plant.  Others make power when they make it (solar, wind).  The top of your capacity that you only use 20 days a year for 6 hours, are called peakers.

You also need to cover second-by-second changes in load. This is done with "spinning reserve" - part of your capacity that is spun up and on the line, but doing no useful work.  Steam plants hate this, and it's wasteful with "all capital expense" plants like nuke, solar or wind. Back to peakers.

Peakers are traditionally Cat/EMD/GE diesels, or of late, jet engines driving a generator.  They are "highly" dispatchable - meaning the central authority which controls the grid can push a button and get them online in a 10-15 minutes.  (That doesn't sound very "highly", does it?)  This is only good for replacing lost spinning reserve, it can't fill an instant need for load.  And because of this, quite a bit of spinning reserve must be kept up.  And peakers are ex.pen.sive!

If only they could dispatch instantly.

If only peakers were cheaper.

If only power could be stored somehow.

Power storage

Electricity does not store, even for 1 second.  It regularly drives the spot market price to zero. That's especially a problem if your region is heavy in baseload (coal, nuke, wind) like Ukraine, France or North Carolina.

Pretty much your only storage options are hydro backpumping or batteries.

However, that says nothing about storing the work product of electricity, e.g. You can certainly store hot water for a few hours or a chilled house for a few minutes.

The impossible dream: dispatching load

A 10MW deficit in the grid can be made up either by dispatching 10MW of generators or "dispatching" 10MW of load.  The gruesome act of rolling blackouts can hardly be called dispatching, but there was no other way to cut load in a controlled way. Now, with the computer/network revolution, there is.

And load dispatching (or the industry term, demand-side management) dovetails very nicely with that thermal energy storage I mentioned in water heaters, whole house A/C and heat, pools, and other loads you can reasonably afford to pause, like washers, dryers, dishwashing, charging electric cars, etc.

Potentially they could also dispatch your generating capacity.  Not your solar; it's already the perfect peaker.  I'm talking about having your Tesla PowerWall, EV or home generator backfeed onto the grid, for which you would be decently paid.

From the grid's perspective, demand-side management that is instant greatly reduces the need for spinning reserve.  It also reduces the need for peakers generally, at a time when solar is coming on gangbusters, and solar is an inherent peaker.  It's possible if demand-side management is widely adopted, peaking plants could cease to exist - a literal breath of fresh air to the minorities in whose neighborhoods most are built.

Your duties as a citizen in a great society

I don't believe America should be a nation of leeches greedily grabbing what they can, in a national-scale "tragedy of the commons". I think each of us owes something to the social contract that gives us our freedom and prosperity.

Provided, of course, they pay us. Part of our social contract is capitalism: wealth should go to its creator.  Fair enough.

These technologies stand to make a much stronger, more robust electrical grid, with less pollution and much lower costs.  Which should come back to the consumer, preferably in proportion to their participation.

Another part is independency.  It is an affront to individualism to depend mouth-to-teat on the power grid.  While load dispatching/demand-side management does nothing for this, the enabling technology will enable other stuff that help individuals achieve energy independency, or at least choose the terms of their relationship with the grid.

Consumer demand-side management, version 1.0

Obviously from their literature, the implementation is rather cheesy... grafted on and hacked.  They aim to operate heavy contactors on your water heater or pool, and interrupt your thermostat wiring to regulate your A/C or aux heat.

Of course since all this stuff moves at the speed of government regulatory authorities, it's only now reaching the consumer.   And it's a rough-hewn and awkward shadow of what the technology and business practices could and should be.

Others have gone through the plan in the most critical light possible, with an aim to reject it out of hand.  So I'll say that the power company is being conservative (in their favor) because this has never been done before, and nobody has any earthly idea how the economics will end up working out, and they don't want to lose their shirt.  There's another factor: "I don't have to outrun the bear".  For a limited rollout, they don't need everyone - suckers will suffice. So it's no surprise their initial offerings will be... lowball.

Consumer demand-side management, version 2.0

As it proves itself and matures, I'm confident the value of demand-side management and backfed home power dispatching will become more appreciated, and become priced correctly.  Remember most delivering power companies are profit-regulated, excessive profits can't go anywhere else but back to the ratepayer.

The real beauty of this tech will arrive when it becomes integrated with the appliances.  Now your water heater knows exactly what to do when it hears Code Orange groups 1-9 on the power line signaling: let itself cool off from 160 (legionella temp) to 120 (still usable temp) which will take hours.  And when you use enough that the whole tank drops to 110, fire back up anyway.  Now you're not impacted at all, and really, neither is the grid, since draining a tank during outage time is rare enough not to matter.

Your furnace haggles with the grid: "the house is worryingly cold, I need power." and the grid goes "run in heat pump mode if able, otherwise aux heat authorized to 50%".

Your washer, dryer and EV charger have an "urgent" button you can push for when the job can't wait.

It empowers off-grid living too.  The tech can be easily extended so appliances know how to behave on generator or solar/battery. For instance the generator manager goes "Dryer, suspend because heat pump needs to run". The solar controller knows batteries are topped up and it's about to start wasting power, so it says "dishwasher GO" or "air conditioner please overcool" etc. No one would ever build this tech just for solar, but it's an easy add-on to demand-side management tech.

Now it becomes easier to build a more robust off-grid solar home, and cut the big cord entirely.

Anonymity

Some people are really, really worried about the Gub'Mint knowing they have a clothes dryer.

Okay, maybe you don't want them knowing you did a marathon washer-dryer run an hour after the coroner's time-of-death :)

Seriously though, smart meters are a big ooga-booga privacy-scare issue, especially in light of just how much data can be divined by home power monitors like Curb. You have to be politically active to deal with that, both with your legislators and with your utility regulators.

I can tell you this: The utility doesn't care.  They need load dispatching for the reasons I describe, period.  It will suffice for them to clump you anonymously into a large group at random, say group 7, so they can command everyone in group 7 to go to reduction level Yellow.  Other than that, they only need to know if you signed up and are cheating.  But there can be ways to figure that out without invading your privacy.

And as I said, the power company simply lacks the bandwidth to spy on you. Their communication network is the power line and it can't handle Big Data.  As mentioned, it takes 90 seconds to broadcast a simple demand-side management SCADA control.  It is adequate to remotely read and shut off meters and  broadcast demand-side dispatching signals, but that's about it.  If they wanted to spy, they would put cell phone modules/antennas on smart meters.  Watch for that.

Some of us believe that this is a program that lays the ground work for the government to further and further control our lives.  (And don't doubt the government is behind this.) It is estimated that soon every water heater made will include this control feature.  Someone will be able to, from a remote location, turn your water heater off without your knowledge or consent. It will be against the law to disconnect this feature.  And they will be able to monitor whether the feature is working or not.  Instead of releasing the private sector to develop energy sources as they see fit, (it has worked pretty good up until now) they think the answer is to control and to restrict.

In the novel Animal Farm the horse willingly gave the rest of his natural life to the benefit of the movement while the pigs just sat around, got fat, and rode the movement to their benefit.  The government could do a lot to encourage growth and expansion of our energy resources. But right now, that is not considered friendly to the environment.


USE MY 12V DC AMPLIFIER AT HOME How can I use my 12-DC amplifier at my house ? Can I plugged it directly to my socket that has a current of 220 Volts ? Should it be safe ?

My 12V DC Amplifier

There are a huge number of completely different devices that can be described as an "amplifier". Only a subset of them operate using a 12V DC supply. Here is an example:

However, it doesn't really matter, the advice below applies for any device which requires an input voltage of 12V DC

  How can I use my 12-DC amplifier at my house?

Find out the power rating of your amplifier. There will be a label that says how many Watts it uses. Buy a 12V DC power supply of greater wattage that is designed to plug in to a 220 V AC electricity socket.

If you can't see any mention of Watts on the device, multiple the input voltage by the input current. For example - the device in the picture above has a label with 12V and 12A on it.  12V x 12A = 144 Watts. Don't multiply input voltage by output current (or vice versa)

You will need to make sure that the plugs at each end are compatible with your 220V AC socket and with the connector on your amplifier.

  Can I plugged it directly to my socket that has a current of 220 Volts?

No, the plug for a 12V DC device should not even fit that socket.

  Should it be safe?

No, plugging a 12V DC device directly into a 220V AC socket will very likely destroy the device and cause it to catch fire.

If in doubt, I suggest you just take your amplifier to a local electrical store and ask them if they have a "power supply" or "mains adapter" that will suit your amplifier.

If your amp has a 220v input it would work other than that you will let the magic smoke out. If it is a 12 V model you will need a transformer to bring the 220 down and a rectifier to turn it back in to DC


GE convection/microwave just quit. No heat. micro does not heat either. All else works. Lights, fan, timer, etc GE Conv/Micro  just stopped heating either way. All else works.

One hot dead
A typical big oven (as opposed to a countertop/portable oven) in the US uses 240V for heating (possibly including microwave) and 120V for controls/lights/fans. The power is connected (ideally, not always due to "old stuff", among other things) with 2 hot wires, 1 neutral wire and 1 ground wire. The 120V items use one hot + neutral. The 240V items use two hots. If the hot used for 120V is good but the other hot is out, then controls/lights/fans will work but you won't get any heat.
Check your circuit breaker. A 240V/120V oven should be on a pair of breakers. They definitely should have common shutoff (i.e., if you manually flip the breaker off, both hots are disconnected at the same time) but they might not have common trip. So turn the pair of breakers off/on and see if that helps. IF YOU DON'T have a PAIR of breakers side-by-side, STOP and don't do anything else without posting some pictures to diagnose some more.
If resetting the breakers doesn't solve the problem then you likely have a loose connection somewhere:

Wires coming out of oven
Wires going into plug (if it is plug/receptacle rather than hard-wired)
Wires going into receptacle (if it is plug/receptacle rather than hard-wired)
Connection between wires coming from oven and wires from breakers in a junction box in the wall (if hard-wired)
Wires going into breakers

Before working on ANY of those wires, turn the breakers off.


Changing a 3 gang Australian light switch to a Smart switch I am wanting to change the older style Australian 3 gang light switch with a new ‘Smart’ wifi 3 gang switch.

I just need some help in getting the wiring in the right place.  I have included pictures of the old and new switches.

Any help would appreciated.

Existing switch and wiring

New switch

Unfortunately, your switch is wired using the '3 plate' or 'switch loop' method, so you don't have a neutral available at the switch.

You will need to either get a switch that doesn't require a neutral, or run a new cable to the light that the feed comes from - the two core cable.

The way the 3 gang switch (3 way) has been wired in the picture above is not the correct way to do it as in this configuration, which is "Power to the light", you should have a seperate cable with two wires for each switch.

The Common terminal "C" being the being the permanent live wire and the one terminal "1"  being the switched live wire.

In regards to wiring the Wifi switch you can't do it with this as only the "Active" wires, the permanent live and the switched live, go to the switches
for this switch to work you need a neutral and an earth wire.

http://lrd.kangan.edu.au/electrotech/toolbox1204/resources/04diagrams/04lighting/05loops.htm


Is there any legitimate reason to have a direct vent between utility room and attic? I've been doing some sealing and insulating in my attic, and discovered a purpose built vent directly from the utility room into the attic space.  See most of these photos

The house is in a townhome/condo; it is second floor over the garages, so I don't have a basement.  The utility room (furnace, water heater, laundry) opens directly into the kitchen.  Two registers in the utility room open directly into into the wall space, the top of which space had a vent pipe attached to keep the loose insulation out.

Does this make any sense at all?  If it does have a purpose, is there a better way to accomplish it than a hole in my ceiling?

If the furnace and water heater are gas powered, it would be to provide adequate airflow for their combustion so that you don't get carbon monoxide forming in the utility room.

Here's a link with some information.  An excerpt:

  The heating appliances are fully isolated from the living space with partitions. Figure 1 provides two vents to the outside, one within a foot of the ceiling and one within a foot of the floor. If vertical ducts are used to bring combustion air to the appliance each vent should be sized at one square inch of free vent area per 4000 BTUH of the appliance input rating.

(This is based on a half-remembered long-ago conversation with a service person working on my furnace and heater, which are in the center of my mostly-unfinished basement: I mentioned framing in a utility room around them and he said not to for that reason).

Looking at your pic, I see a what look like gas lines.  The hood above the hot water heater is what is attached to that vent pipe and it goes to the attic so you don't have exhaust fumes entering your living space.  In a perfect world this would be vented to the outside of the house, but the attic should be fine to disperse the dangerous gasses.


Advice on hanging gymnastic rings in garage rafters? I have ordered this metal bracket for hanging gymnastic rings in my garage to add to my home gym ( https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-ring-hanger ). My garage does not have a second story above it, only the roof.

On it's own, the bracket will span 2 of my rafters and it appears many mount it directly to the rafters or joists without a stringer. However I'm likely going to mount a 2x4 or 2x6 stringer across 4 different rafters (it's a drywalled ceiling), to double down since I'll be hanging on these as will my kids. For what it's worth, I weigh about 170lbs.

I would like a gut check and any feedback on the following approach:

Cut a 2x to span 4 of the rafters
Use stud finder to mark off the rafters
Mark and predrill for lag screws
Mount the 2x to the outermost rafters with 6'' 3/8 stainless steel
lags (advice on smaller or shorter?)
Mount the ring hanger bracket inthe center of the 2x with the same
6'' 3/8 stainless steel lags, this time going through the bracket,
the 2x, and into the rafter
Victory?

I would appreciate any feedback or help in making sure I get a very strong and secure mount for this ring hanger. I received some feedback on Reddit that this may significantly weaken the rafters that got me concerned?

Thanks!

Thanks for the contribution from others in answers and comments. At the suggestion of @DMoore, I'm going to answer my own question.

After the feedback here and reading more, I've made the decision to not try to tackle this project and will be searching for other means to hang rings (a high wall mounted pull up bar or a tall squat rack) since I'm not comfortable enough in either my knowledge or skills and don't want to unnecessarily or dangerously weaken my rafters.

Thanks again for everyone's feedback and help.

Yes, any drilling or screw to the rafters will weaken them, and screwing into the bottom of rafters is the location that they are most affected by far. However, it's all about the -how- as in how much. Usually there is plenty of reserve capacity in joists because usually the loads fall in between the what the available size members can support and the larger one is used. To reduce the weakening effect of putting a hole in to the joist (a screw creates a hole), I advise to not use lag screws for installation such as this because of their larger size and they are simply not needed.

I would find it unusual that the weakening of the joist is an issue. The wording might be important here and it might be more accurate to say that it is almost surely that your joists are over strength and you can do what you are proposing by tapping into the extra capacity. Also, the highest stress is at mid-span and for a joist supported at the ends the stress decreases linearly to the supports. Since the joist size didn't change there is then even more reserve capacity moving away from the center. I hope that makes you feel a little better about it.

I suggest using (1) Simpson SDS at each truss w/ at least 1-1/2" of embed which means 2" of threads in to the supporting members. This provides a little over 250# per screw. Your dry wall ceiling is likely 5/8", and with the 1-1/2" of the board you want to use, that is 2-1/8" of material before you start to get embed, so a screw length that is 2-1/8+1-1/2" = 3-5/8" and therefore you'll need to use a 4-1/2" screw length is nearest next larger size. BTW, this screw is technically a lag screw as far as design is concerned. There are other structural construction screws out there and they should all work just find. Avoid any 'regular' screws, especially drywall screws.

Hit the middle of the joist width (3/4" in from the edges for a 2x), a screw very near the side will not have the expected strength

Stainless steel is not necessary here since there is no contact with pressure treatment, dissimilar metals or water/moisture.

https://p.widencdn.net/ip5oxr/C-F-2019-p060.pdf


What is the min. voltage cordless drill should I use to drill a hole in a 2 cm thick stainless steel I have a 2 cm thickness (3/4 inch) stainless steel that I would like to drill some holes on it. What is the min. voltage cordless drill should I use? Are there other alternative beside drill to create holes on the stainless steel? (The holes diameter range from 0.5cm to 2cm [3/16" to 3/4"])

When drilling stainless go slow (do not over heat the metal) If the metal gets hot it will "work harden" and is hard to drill with a drill press. It may take a while but can be done with a good quality 1/2 drill motor and good drill bits. If you are purchasing a drill get one with at least 2 speeds and a 3 speed would be best used on the lowest speed. Cutting fluid or a light oil will help reduce heat and improve the cutting. Last you will want a high quality drill bit something with a titanium nitrite coating or carbide. I have a full set of carbide cutters for stainless but these are very expensive and if you drop them on cement they can shatter. If you only have 1 battery stop when the motor starts bogging down and recharge the battery. I have drilled 1-3/8" holes through stainless with my Dewalt but it did take 2 5AH batteries and part of a 4AH battery the stainless was only 3/4" thick.

There's no way in the world that you're going to drill a 2 cm diameter hole in 2 com thick stainless steel with a cordless drill.  You should find someone with a drill press that you can use.


Water taps open and running water when I come home I've had two occurances where I've come home from work to find my bath taps open and gushing water, even though they were off when I left for work. First time it was both hot and cold taps, yesterday it was just the cold water tap. My plumber is puzzled and said the washers in the taps are fine. Anyone have any ideas or had this happen to you? Two plumbers I've spoken to have no idea. And the taps were definitely off when I left the flat.

I have the same issue with the hot water ONLY.  Done some ‘testing’.  Mark the tap of the hot water and run some water into the bath. Close the tap and realise that it still has to go about one full turn but it feels as if it is closed.
After about 5 minutes I open another hot water tap (the basin) and suddenly the hot water in the bath starts to run.
When turning the hot water tap of the bath it easily turn the missing turn as mentioned above.
I will inspect the inside of the hot water tap in the next day or two.
In the meantime I will check my marks on the tap (and wall) everytime I have used the tap.


frigidaire glasstop stove element turns off and on during use Just replaced the element with a brand new one. Using the new element for the first time, it heats up and cools down constantly, is this normal or whats going on with it? Could only find one other comment about this problem and it didnt help me. Only the new element does this , not the other three.

Smooth-top (ceramic) stoves can be damaged if an element gets too hot. To prevent this, each element has a thermostat which cuts off the heat at a certain temperature. It probably won't happen if you have a properly-sized pot of water heating up, but if you put the element on high with no pot then the element will definitely start cycling off and on at some point.

Seems normal burner will heat up and cool down to maintain temp


How to choose the correct all purpose screw driver or drill I am a widow and starting out in the world of DIY.   I tried replacing several broken trellis panel fencing last year.  I bought a 7.2V Bosch drill and used 3in screws to hold the panels onto the wooden posts.   The screws did not penetrate all the way and have been left protruding.   I wish to smarten up the unfinished job!

Did I need a stronger Drill?   What type of drill would be advisable for small and larger jobs?

Most low voltage drills are targeted toward hobbiests than anyone else, and a 7.2V drill is likely not going to be much use for driving screws.  It will likely do fine for drilling holes, but there is generally a pretty strong relationship between voltage and torque.

If this is something you'll be doing enough to justify the purchase, I'd look for something 14V and higher from a reputable manufacturer (Bosch, Dewalt, Makita, and Milwaukee spring to mind). Avoid the cheap store brands or cheap imports (I'm looking at you, Harbor Freight), and read some reviews from websites or magazines that are aimed at contractors (I usually start at FineHomebuilding - they do a ton of tool reviews).

Finally, keep in mind that the majority of what you are paying for are the battery packs.  This means that you can generally get better deals on tool combo sets than individual tools because they'll share batteries.

BTW, on your protruding screws you'll want to back them out about a quarter inch before setting them the rest of the way - it's easier if the driver isn't at full torque when you start.

Personally, I never use battery powered drills and would advise against them.

The drill bit should be the size of the screw minus the threads. In other words, if you filed off the threads of the screw, the rod left behind is the diameter the drill bit should be. Machinists call this the "root diameter".

In many cases you need to actually drill three pilot holes: one for the threads (root diameter), one for the shank (the unthreaded part at the base of the screw), and one for the head of the screw (for which you need a countersink).

If you wipe the screw with soap using a paper towel it will go in easier.


Small branch stuck in electric wire A few weeks ago a small branch became stuck in the telephone and cable wires leading to our house. I hoped it would blow out, but the latest snow storm has put it in it's current position.

Is this a concern? Could it mess up our electricity or anything? If so should the power company take care of it since it's before the meter? This is in Ohio if that matters.

Absolutely do not try to remove this yourself. You have no way of safely disconnecting the power or being 100% sure you have protected yourself from electrocution or arc flash.   The power company is typically responsible for the wire from the pole to your house. I would contact them about having it removed. I am sure they would rather remove the stick than have to replace the cable in the event it came down.

You should get that stick out of there. It could cause problems.

The wires there are insulated, so the risk of being shocked is minimal. Just to be safe, use a wooden broom handle to push the stick out of the way.


How to connect Nest in Europe I found a question regarding the Nest thermostat here. But that is only a question "Will it work?". Thanks to that I know it WILL, the problem is...HOW. I know the wire naming conventions are different etc, and also that there is a "OpenTherm" protocol over which thermostat and boiler are communicating.

I found a way how to supply the Nest thermostat with separate transformator power supply(24V) and I hooked up a relay on heating and it simply does not work. My question is, can Nest do this and if so, how should I connect it in order to make it work?

Check out my blog,

Humble, just trying to share my experience implementing nest on a 220 240 v system

http://usingnestthermostatineurope.wordpress.com/


Trying to Replace 3-Way Light Switch I'm aware that the WeMo light switch does not work as a 3-way switch, but I had purchased it before opening up the existing light switch plate and understanding the wiring I would work with.

Anyway, I removed the light switch plate and discovered what appears to be a 3-way switch.  (I recently moved into this house with a whole bunch of sketchy wiring, and actually DO NOT know the location of another switch that controls that same set of exterior lights on my detached garage!)  A red jumper cable is connected to the common terminal of the switch, and two black cables connect to the other terminals on the light switch.  The box didn't exhibit any obvious sign of a separate (white) neutral cable.

On a lark, I decided to wire the WeMo as follows:

Red jumper cable to the expected white, neutral terminal on the WeMo,
Black cables to black terminals on the WeMo, and
Capped the green/ground terminal on the WeMo.

To my surprise, the WeMo had power and booted up.  However, when I pressed the WeMo button to turn on the lights, none of the garage's exterior lights turned on.  I swapped the black wires and encountered the same dead end, so I restored the old switch and can turn the garage's exterior lights on/off.

I'm certainly disappointed that I didn't successfully install the WeMo, but I'm also confused.  If the WeMo had power, clearly I had both hot and neutral correctly wired to the WeMo.  Assuming the WeMo isn't defective, why wasn't it actually acting as a switch?  What are some theories on how these lights are actually wired?

I'm just thinking out loud here.  It is hard to state anything with certainty in a situation like this where there is no guarantee of what somebody else did with the wiring a long time ago...so forgive me if this suggestion isn't even worth what you paid for it.  ;)

From what you have said here, it sounds to me like that red wire makes its way back to the lights, and acts as the "hot" for the lights.  Who knows where the lights are getting their neutral side connection.  Doesn't really matter.  Obviously it is getting there somehow.

So to make the lights light, your existing switch is getting "hot" from one of the two black wires, and is supplying that to the red wire.

So think of your red wire as the "hot out", and ONE OF the two black wires is your "hot in".

So you need to use a meter to see which one of the two black wires is your "hot in", and treat it that way and cap off the other black.  Then use your red wire as the "hot out".

Again, this is just me thinking out loud about what I would try.  I take no responsibility for any bad stuff that might result from it.  All possible disclaimers apply.  ;)


Can manufactured countertops warp I have a friend with a seam in a countertop that has misaligned after about 4 years. It's man made stone but I'm not sure what material. I would like to fix it but I'd like to know more before I try. It looks like the two sections are flat and could be removed and reinstalled but that would involve redoing the sink and backsplash. I would like to know if it's a bad idea to simply shim up the low corner 1/16th of an inch. I don't think it's from the weight of water in the sink, but from a poor leveling job from the start.

The difference in height can be from 1) bad initial installation, 2) someone sitting on one of the panels, 3) warping of one panel,

1) Leveling two pieces of plastic laminate (Formica, etc.) is mostly an “art” and patience. Yes, the initial installer could have given up after a few tries.

2) Settlement...ugh...I cringe when my teenagers decide to “help” in the kitchen. An easy test to determine if this is the cause is to pry on the two pieces (gently) and see if they move independently from each other.

3) I’d look under the counter and verify that both panels are particle board. We generally use plywood near sink installations. If it is plywood, it could continue warping with additional water splashed on it, change in humidity, etc.

Here’s an article that explains: https://homeguides.sfgate.com/laminate-countertop-put-over-plywood-particleboard-99004.html

Removing and reinstalling the countertops is difficult because the base will be deformed from prying the tops loose. If the problem is truly just a difference in height, (and not that the two panels have twisted, rotated, moved out of “square”, etc.) then I’d try slowly raising one panel with wedges (shims).


Is there a cheaper alternative to plexiglass? I want to cover a small area to be  usable in the winter / rain.
I am thinking of using some transparent or semi/transparent material to allow light to pass and to be discreet.
I found Plexiglas, but I still think it's a bit expensive per square/mt for the work I want to do. I am not even really sure that will work the way I want to. Is there a cheaper alternative?

There are all sorts of translucent roofing products, mostly corrugated.
Some are cheap, others ridiculously expensive. Any large building supply company should have the stuff.

Plexiglass is just another name for an acrilic sheet. Although the price is still quite high, it's cheaper than plexiglass. I would recommend looking into it!


Can I save energy costs by turning off the refrigerator for 1-2 hours every day? Now that I'm looking into home automation, I'm thinking about automatically cutting off the fridge power from 3am ~ 5am. Given that modern refrigerators are well insulated, it should be able to withstand 2 hours of non powered cooling.

If I proceed with this project, will I see a big reduction in my monthly electrical bill?

You'd need to run an experiment to confirm this, but I think it would be a false economy.

Even though the fridge is well insulated it will warm up by some amount. Then when it's switched on again the cooling would have to work harder/for longer to bring the temperature back down again probably using the same (if not more) energy in the process.

Let the thermostat do it's job and keep the fridge using a little energy over the 24 hours to keep the temperature constant.

You'll save more energy by opening the fridge less often during the day.

Switch off the fridge for three hours from 06.30 pm . this will not harm the food stored and will save upto 15percent in consumption.

First of all let me explain the importance of the issue and the benefit to the nation.
The country is facing acute power shortage during the evening hours which lead to load shedding in almost all the areas of the country. It is creating difficulties to students, housewives and the public at large. I was suggesting an easy solution to the stalemate with the co operation of the public.

Moreover the peak power costs much to the individual electric supply agencies and hence this solution will reduce the financial burden on them and there by tend to reduce the tariff.

The friends who made the comments unfortunately overlooked the greater national interest and concentrated on the difficulty to individuals.

Anyhow scientific studies and close examination of the technical issues have shown that the concerns raised by my friends are baseless.

The research wing of Kerala State Electricity Board has made detailed research on the subject. It had discussions with experts of different areas including microbiologists.
The food materials stored in fridge undergo a cooling process which involves much time depending on the size of the material. At first the surface gets cooled and then it gradually goes to its core. Fish and meat of normal size takes 5 to 7 hours for this. Even if these materials are exposed to atmosphere it takes at least three hours to lose cooling to the core and will take much more time for the bacterial action leading to decay to start.

In the case of switching off the fridge for three hours is much safer. By three hours the temperature rise has been observed to be less than 2 degrees. Hence I can guarantee that nothing will happen to the food materials. On the other hand this time will be utilized by the fridge to defrost the cooling tubes and it will enhance the cooling capacity of the fridge thereby helping to keep the food materials safe for more time.
As the phrase “switching of the fridge for three hours during the peak hours” has to be repeated several times let us use the term “Save-switch” hereafter to denote it, as we had done during the research  project.

Now let us see how consumption is reduced by save switching. During peak hours the voltage and frequency of the supply will go below the rated values. This will seriously affect the efficiency of the compressor motor of the fridge. Thus the amount of cooling can be done at off peak hours with smaller amount of electricity. We have observed that a saving up to 15 percent can be achieved in the total consumption of the fridge through save switching.
At lower voltage and frequency the motor current will be higher and it will reduce the life of the motor. Save switch avoids this and will increase the life of the fridge.
Automatic defrosting uses heaters to defrost causing double wastage of precious electricity on for heating and the to remove that additional heat. save switching avoids the need for automatic defrosting thus again helps saving electricity.

Stabliser used with the fridge makes several switching during the peak load because of drastic variations in the supply voltage. This cause inducing of high voltages in the inductive circuits of the motor and agin it affects the life of the motor which can also be avoided by save switch.

Thus we can see that save switch helps the country to face the power crisis and helps the consumer through saving in consumption and increased life of the fridge.
I am ready to clear any more doubts on this.


How should I install a new water heater? I have recently shifted to San Diego. I am planning to install my own water heater. Can anyone guide me on below questions:

Should I place my water heater next to furnace?
Should I have a common vent?
What should be vent material?
Should I place the water heater within the premises or outside?

Since you talk about venting, I'm going to assume you're talking about a gas-fired water heater. First thing you should know is that in many jurisdictions, gas pipe fitting may only be performed by licensed gas fitters. Based on that and the fact that you are asking these types of questions leads me to believe you are probably out of your depth on installing a gas-fired water heater.

Instead, I would strongly consider an electric water heater. Installation considerations are much simpler.

And don't forget that you have to follow earthquake code, in additional to all of the other usual codes (electrical, plumbing, etc.)!

As per my opinion You should place your water heater outside premises.or you can also keep your hot water heater in a shed as long as it's properly ventilated and meets the minimum clearance requirements for distance to combustible material.


How can I center a drill bit so that it drills absolutely straight down rather than perhaps a little off to the side? In Googling "drill bit guide" came across this and other tools like it:

Something like this seems perfect for being able to drill a straight hole through wood.  However, I can't seem to find anything like it at Lowe's, Home Depot, or Menard's.  Surely, I must not be searching properly as it would appear that such a tool would be a very handy addition to one's arsenal of precision tools.

What, exactly, is the industry term for such a tool that makes for the easy centering of a drill bit?

Update 5/12/2013

While my jig below does work, this product is even better!

Big Gator Tools V-DrillGuide Standard Size Portable Drilling Guide

Original Answer

I am answering my own question here with an awesome, home-grown solution to my problem.  I fastened two pieces of wood together at a 90 degree angle.  Corner clamps made it easy to get it perfect.  I then took a third piece of wood and cut a 45 degree bevel off the corner.  This piece is my drill bit adapter that fits a number of larger-sized drill bits, but was made with my 3/8" bit in mind.  I also made another for smaller sizes (not shown).

To hold the adapter firmly in place and tight against the bit, I use one of my smaller c-clamps.  Using this custom guide, I was able to drill a near-perfect hole into the subject.  I also used another similar custom assembly that works with a plug cutter bit for my power drill.

No expensive equipment required!

Drill a larger hole into a base board and set the ball in the hole.  It'll hold the ball steady.  You may want to make a pilot hole or dimple in the ball but you could also sand a wee bit of a flat spot on the ball as long as you know the hole you ultimately drill will eat up the entire flat spot.  You could also use painter's tape to steady the drill tip against the smooth surface of the ball and possibly even around the diameter of the ball in the "cradle" hole to both keep it from sliding and to use as an eyeball gauge to keep the ball upright.  Good luck!


My GFCI trips when fluorescent light turn off - light will turn back on anyway This has been going on for awhile, but it is intermittent - about every 3 - 8 times the fluorescent light in a closet off the bathroom are turned off, one of the two GFCI outlets in the bathroom will trip. 95% of the time, it is one particular of the two GFCI outlets in the bathroom.  The fluorescent light will still turn on with the GFCI tripped.  This will also happen - about every 3 - 4 times - with fluorescent lights in my garage.  The lights there will also still work with the GFCI tripped.

The bathroom GFCIs seem easily tripped by what I am 99% certain are non-faulty appliances (hair trimmers, electric tooth brush, etc...)

Ideas?  Thx!

Anytime a thing on circuit 1 trips a thing on circuit 2, you have a crossed neutral.   That's bad wiring.  On ground wires, it is ok to just twist all the grounds together (if they're all from the same panel) even if they are different circuits.  Some people think they can do the same with neutrals.  That was always bad... and with GFCIs, it does not work.

Another sign of sloppy work is two GFCI receptacles on the same circuit.  Occasionally a wiring topology makes this semi-necessary, but usually it means the installer does not understand how to install GFCI's.

What's happening with the crossed neutrals is that current to an appliance, now returning to source, has a choice of two directions: directly on circuit A's neutral, or through a GFCI device on circuit B's. Actually, it follows all routes at once, in proportion to their conductivity (1/resistance). That conductivity is influenced by loop effects and eddy current heating, because those occur at the cost of conductivity:  in short, it prefers to go back the way it came.  That still means some current is going the wrong way, and that will still tend to trip a GFCI.

So you need to untangle those neutrals.

The  florescence lights are not on same circuit as the GFI Outlets.  When a GFI trips it kills the entire circuit - nothing connected to that circuit works.  Something else is tripping the GFI.

Next time it trips, try to figure out what is on that circuit.  Probably only outlets.  If only outlets, is anything plugged into those outlets?

I had a GFI circuit outside than tripped whenever it rained.

A GFI outlet works my monitoring the voltage entering and leaving the outlet.  When the variation between those two measurments exceeds a certain threshold, it trips.


How to move a washing machine? I need to move my washing machine for a couple of days to a friends place due to some construction in my place.

I remember that when I first bought it the seller, when delivering it, removed a security brake, that is used to transport the machine without damaging it.

I would like to know how important it is to brake the machine for transport and how to do it.

Packaging braces are used because shippers aren't concerned about being careful, and appliances may travel thousands of miles by any number of carrier types.

Use reasonable caution when you lift and convey the washer and it'll be fine.

After making sure all waste water is drained first, I always use a length of old stair carpet -- usually about 3 times the size of the washer.  Say if the washing machine is 30 inch deep (front to back), then cut a length of old staircase carpet 90 inches long.

To get the washer out of the house and into the vehicle:

Lay the carpet piece out on the floor from the front of the machine with the carpet pointing in the direction you intend to go, with pattern face down, and gently lower the machine onto its side at the back end of the carpet, with the feet at the rear, leaving a few inches of carpet sticking out at the rear.  If it is a front loader make sure the machine door hinge is at the top of the machine door (once you have it on its side that is) and the catch/latch is at the bottom -- that way, the washer door won't come open due to it hanging down from the hinge.
Pick up and grip the long free end of the carpet firmly and drag the carpet with your back facing the direction required and it should just glide across the floor with the machine as a sort of genie on a magic carpet.  No expensive dolly or hand/sack truck to buy -- just an old length of carpet.
If there is a threshold across the doorway on the floor, keep pulling the carpet over the threshold until the washer is able to rock like a seesaw over it, then apply a bit of left pull of the carpet and then a bit of right pull, and left, right,  left, right, only inching along bit by bit until the very bottom/back end of your cargo has only a little lip left to go, and stop.  If the threshold is too high to risk allowing the machine to plop over the obstacle by your magic carpet trick, then have a few bits of wood or even a rolled up old bit of carpet to act as a sort of cushion on the ground (nearest to the outside of the threshold), and just ease the magic carpet, with the machine still in position on the carpet, and ease the load outside with the small left pull, right pull, bit-by-bit method and away you go. I can assure you that whereever you pull the old carpet to, the washing machine will follow.
Hopefully the transport/car or van will not have a floor height higher than the top of the washer when it is stood upright. Place something like a bath towel over the vehicle threshold to avoid scrapes or scratches to either washing machine or vehicle.  Now your muscles get a workout.  But always please slowly, slowly, position the now uprighted washer with its least sticking out bits facing the
vehicle and at a bit of a distance from the  vehicle (about two thirds the height of the machine) so that when you tilt/lean the washing machine towards the transport, only about 3 or 4 inches sit on the vehicle threshold.  The washer should be positioned at such a tilt that it sits there already inside of the vehicle at about 45 degrees on its own with about 3 to 5 inches -- possibly more but not  less than 3 inches.
If you feel that its a big ask to lift and push the washer at the same time, have a milk crate or sturdy wooden box of a height that you feel you can lift up t, then you can do it in steps.  Always lift with knees bent, back straight.  Have the box handy so that you can kick/slide the box with your foot twixt ground and washer.  Then you can lower your heavy end onto the box whilst the washer's other end sits there until you get your heavy end to a height where you can slide the washer into the vehicle (another seesaw on the vehicle's lip twixt inside and outside).  You can lift the washer in increments of only a couple of inches at a time as long as you have a box/wooden block for each 2 or more inches of lift.  But watch it, don't let the washer push you backwards, don't rush, and it's best not to bend right down to lift the washer by the feet nearest/sat on the ground -- just lift from what should be the uppermost edge, approximately a couple of inches below your waist height.  Lift and push at the same time for the last couple of inches, and once the balance occurs (seesaw), tilt your end (with your finger) and the washer will slide almost all the way into the vehicle.
Once it is sitting in the vehicle with its feet sticking out, climb inside and pull, remembering that you need to soft-fill any drop inside, so that the end that you lifted up doesn't have to drop too far when pulled from the other end.

Sorry it was a bit long winded but I move a heck of a lot of domestic appliances and I never go on a job without my magic carpet, which polishes wooden floors a treat if you place the piece of carpet pattern face down. I could have just said stick the washer on an old carpet and drag the bugger out.

But there you go, it works a treat every time, and to be honest this method is not exactly a strain like most folk seem to think. Slowly, slowly and a bit of balancing (seesaw effect). I am only about 5' 5" and 140 pounds in wet clothes and I wouldn't use any other method, because it doesn't cost me a penny.  The only "equipment" I need is an old carpet and some milk crates or wooden crates or anything that will act as a place for the washer to sit on in increments of a couple of inches per lift.

See ya, hope it helps, all my best wishes, Kenny, Padiham, Lancashire, England