How do I connect a 240v compressor with only black and white wires? I got a new air compressor that says 240 volt only but it only has a black and white wire please help.

Get some red electrical tape and wrap it around the white wire, this will make the wiring more obvious to you.  It is not properly color-coded because they are using common off-the-shelf 3-wire cordage, which is manufactured as black/white/green. It's legal to omit the marking on machinery, but it's required in wiring that's part of your house (often omitted there too).

You will need 240V electrical service.  If you connect it via cord and plug, you will need a NEMA 6 plug and a NEMA 6 receptacle.  You can also use a NEMA 14 plug and receptacle; in that case you will not hook up neutral on the plug.

If you are doing brand-new wiring for this, it may be best to use /3 cable and bring along a neutral in the wiring to the outlet point.  You would not use the neutral, but it would be installed and ready for use for some future application.

Each leg is 120 Volt. There is no common leg.


Why does this receptacle have the ground tied to the neutral? I was replacing some outlets in my house with tamper-resistant ones, and came across one where the white and ground were wired together, as seen in this picture.  Why?  Is that okay or appropriate ever?  It was clearly done on purpose.

When the house was inspected, the inspector detected significant current on the ground.  Is it possible that this wiring is the reason?

Yikes, good find! This is most definitely the reason.  The ground and neutral are only supposed to be tied together at the main panel.  In this case, instead of only the neutral carrying current, both the ground and neutral will carry it.

There is no legit reason that I know of to do this at an outlet.  I wonder if perhaps the neutral was open and the previous person was trying to cheat to make the outlet work?  Do disconnect this. I would check other outlets in the house. An outlet tester may help speed this up but they don't detect all conditions.

Grounding is an important safety aspect of your house. If you suspect there is a more systemic problem with the houses grounding, get an electrician to take a look. Better safe than sorry.

I am a real electrician and on most of the older homes a jumper from nutruls went to ground. I been playing out here with you guys. Now i will answer your last question if you run under ground plastic pvc you dont want to use a ground rod. The way your main house panel is you can come back off the subpanel nutrals with a extra wire to all your grounds in garage or shed. You need to learn the old way was just as good as the new way.l just dont ground the box and yes it does work. And yes the inspector does not mess with me any more im hard headed. And his oulet is wrong the ground and nutral should be in box and seperate wires should go to outlet. The new thing today is they have a crazy made up idea that a seperate ground is safer for lightning bullshit all most all

of the old houses are still standing or fell down from old age. When lighting strikes a main service it will go right back to ground rod. Not come back up the nutrals. Lighting does not ever take the long path on under ground power to your house if you have one hell of a run it blows out the power tranformer on pole and a small charge back the ground on the main handles it as far as it comming back a nother 150 feet plus will never happen to far of a path.you got a better chance of seeing god did it for thirty years and all my garages and sheds are still standing.over head is different change the new law every building over head needs a ground rod.


Securing rubber mats to garage floor I'm renting a house in which I have some gym equipment in the garage. I'm anticipating buying some 3'x4'x3/4" rubber stall mats to protect the floor and deaden noise from dropped weights.

I would be lying the mats side by side in a tiling fashion but I have some concern about the mats slipping on the bare concrete.

What would be the best way to safely secure these rubber mats in an impermanent way?

Once the concrete is cleaned of all dust and oils, the rubber mats should stay in place, especially once you get a few of them down.  If you want a little extra help, I'd offer two options:

"Carpet tape" is a thin, double sided tape that's usually about 1.5" to 2" wide and can be placed on the floor under the mats.  It's will be easier to remove than other adhesive options, but it will only provide a little extra grip.

If you find you need more holding power, you might want to install some type of perimeter strip around the mats (assuming they are laid in a rectangular pattern) to make a "frame" that holds it all together.  Holding the mats from sliding out from the edges means there will be less to remove when you are done.  Rather than adhesive under the whole mats, you could glue or screw down strips of wood along the edges.  Screws might leave divots in the floor, which could be unacceptable.

Velcro strips of high strength variety work well


How can I pour a concrete floor/slab with two levels? I am pouring a slab for a concrete floor for an 1800 sq foot house and would like the bathroom area to be about 3/8" lower than the rest so I can tile it and wind up with the floor and seams that are level throughout
once the tile is laid in the depressed area.  How can I do this?

I'd pour the slab, leaving a 'hole' where the bath will be. Essentially, you will make a hole in the slab using forms.

After the slab sets, remove the forms, come back and pour your slightly-lower slab in the hole that was left.

Ideally, use some rebar in the original pour to tie in the new slab for the bath.

Alternatively, maybe consider pouring it all flat and use a transition strip between the concrete outside the bath and the slightly raised tile.

Alternative option 2: if the whole house is going to be polished concrete, why not the bath too? Maybe stain the bath concrete a different color?

I believe your question is asking for information on how to set-up forms to pour for  concrete footings and floor slab. I'll assume you have the fundamentals of working with concrete already. Here is an abridged answer for forming a room 3/8 inch lower than the rest of the slab.   It will be much simpler if the bathroom is on the periphery of the slab. Stake-out to define the bathrooms outside dimensions plus 14 inches wider. Excavate to the code described depth for footings in your area and install wood forms of 2x stock or 3/4 plywood to a level height that is 3/8 inches lower than the existing forms for the rest of the house slab. Install re-bar as per code.     Essentially you are building the forms exactly like the rest of the slab forms ,but 3/8 inch lower. If the room is located on the inside of the building you will be constructing a well or step-down 3/8 inch lower than the house slab.


Why does a driver bit shank have an indentation? The part that interests me is marked in the picture. I have no tool that utilizes that part of a bit and I cannot find any clues on the net... In fact, all of my bit holders have better grip on bits without that indentation.
So what's that indentation for?

Impact (or hammer depending on your region) drivers have a locking mechanism which holds the bit in place:

Usually the drill bit will just snap right in. To remove it you need to pull the collar forward and the bit will pop out.
Typically you would buy impact-grade bits such this one which are designed to twist at a specially designed weak point so that the phillips end does not fail and break.

A hammer drill is typically used to drill holes in concrete as it exerts a hammering action to break up the material which it drills into.
You can get a dedicated hammer drill or lots of standard drills have a hammer option (not as effective as a dedicated hammer drill but good enough for small-ish holes).
An impact driver does not exert a hammering action. This can be confusing depending on the terminology in your region.

Not to be confused with an impact wrench which natively accepts sockets for automotive work.

Milwaukee also produces a 6 inch locking bit extension which will hold the bit in place using the same principle as the impact driver's collar:

So you could attach this to a regular drill and always have the convenience of a locking collar for quick bit changes.

The indent is to allow the jaws of your drill chuck to firmly tighten onto whatever driver you are using.
A dills chuck usually has 3 jaws that are able to raise (tighten) or lower (open). If you look at the inside section (the one that contacts the driver) you'll see they have an oval like profile. This gives the jaws more grip onto the bit and locks it into place.
Also, I've found that 1/4 inch shape at the driver/bit bottom fits perfectly into any bit extension. So if you need to drill a deeper hole with a spade bit it will hold nicely in an extension bit holder.


Flame sensor in Trane XV90 I have Trane XV90 that was blowing cold air while it was on heat. I have recently changed the ignitor (which seems to work just fine) and the flame sensor (which seems to be failing already). I just caught the furnace in a cycle of trying to turn on but going out repeatedly. So I turned off the power and turned it back on, and the ignition cycle was successful on the first try. Could this mean that there is something wrong with the board? This is my 3rd flame sensor in a couple of months so I think that the flame sensor itself should be fine. I would really appreciate any thoughts.

Thanks!

It might be the flame rollout switch, try resting it and see if it works.

The flame rollout switch (typically mounted on the side of the burner box) is a safety device which senses a hot flame or exhaust and shuts down the furnace to prevent a fire or carbon monoxide buildup in your house. Once it has tripped the furnace will not start unless you reset it


Doorbell transformer wiring to an electrical outlet? I just bought a new doorbell transformer (24V 40VA), to replace for current one (10V 5VA) because I bought a video doorbell.
I'm don't have any experience with electricity but I'm willing to learn (please bear with me). So I was hoping it was going to be an easy swap old for new.
Unfortunately what I see is a transformer going through an electrical outlet and no wire colors.

My concern is the wiring the new transformer properly.
The new transformer new transformer  has the Hot(black), Neutral(White), Ground(Green) wiring.
When I disconnect the disconnect the old transformer from the sides of the outlet, how can I tell where to connect the Black and White wires? In the picture of the old transformer, they are both black!
Any advice would be appreciated!
-M
=====================================
UPDATE:
Thanks all for your prompt feedback!
Just so I am being clear... I was just hoping to replace the old one with this new one.
I hope this new diagram better illustrates what I'm thinking:
I was thinking of running the the White wire from the new transformer to the silver screw on the outlet.
Running the the Black wire from the new transformer to the brass screw on the outlet.
Lastly running the Green wire from the new transformer to the ground screw on the outlet (pigtail it?).

Do you see any issue(s) with my setup?
Thanks again!

The ac going to the transformer doesn’t matter because the low voltage on the other side is isolated.
However there are several issues as I see it
The high voltage between the transformer and metal box the wires are not in flex or rated for being in the open not a big deal but a code violation.
Next with the transformer not mounted to the metal it is not grounded so a fault could end up on the low voltage side and not tripping the circuit breaker.
Most door bell transformers are made to mount on a box and the 120v connections are made inside the box, this is the case with your new one
You will have knock out one of the slugs on the side of the box )make sure it will fit first)  you may have to add a spacer behind the box so the transformer can mount on the side but the mounting creates the ground path I mentioned as the fitting on the side of the box makes it very tight in a single gang box I would wrap electrical tape around the terminals after you connect the wires again the high side the colors don’t matter if they are the same color.
If the receptacle doesn’t look like it will fit you may need to change to a single receptacle and use one of the knockouts on the top side or bottom side (not the ends as the cover usually caused problems on the ends)
The good news is you now have the correct type of transformer to be mounted on the box.

NO. This is highly dangerous. That looks like some sort of 3rd world unfused plug socket and to attach a transformer like this is simply not safe. You MUST connect such a transformer via a fused spur for safety. And the cable MUST be double insulated or enclosed. See for instance my Ring install:


Can I vent a portable air conditioner inside? I recently bought a portable air conditioner and was wondering if it is absolutely necessary to vent it to the outside. I plan on using it in a room that doesn't have a window as was wondering if I could vent it to another room in the house without doing any damage (eg mold growing in the house). I understand the air coming out of the AC will be warm and would warm up the room it was venting into.

It's possible but it will be creating a situation where your a/c is fighting against itself, because you'll simply be redistributing the heat inside your house, instead of putting it on the outside.

Why?  Because the warm air will creep back into the room you were cooling, so the a/c will be acting like a big do-nothing machine - to a degree anyway.

Mold isn't going to be too concerning, however, because you won't be taking moisture out of the one room and putting it into the other - the moisture in the air in the warm room may increase a little (because warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air, so if moisture is there, it'll get picked up) but not to the degree it would if you were, say, venting a dryer into that room, where you'd be introducing lots of NEW moisture.

All that said - I do not recommend this idea.  Better to create a vent/opening (properly, of course, but that's a different question) in the outside wall to allow the warm air to go where it is supposed to.

Vent it into the attic space making sure to cover the output hose with window screening.


Is it OK to borrow a ground wire from a different circuit? I've got a circuit in the basement carrying a handful of outlets.  This circuit has no ground wire.  I want to add a couple of outlets and want them to be grounded.  I may even want gfci outlets on them in the future.  I have no reasonable way of getting a ground wire to the panel but I do have easy access to another circuit that does have a ground wire.  Is it acceptable to borrow or share a ground wire between circuits?  If not, why not?

Both circuits are 20A with 12 AWG wire.

Yes, in most jurisdictions.

NEC 2014

The 2014 version of NEC has made a change to 250.130(C), which now allows you to connect to the equipment grounding conductor of another branch circuit, as long as it originates from the same enclosure. The new text reads as follows:

  National Electrical Code 2014

  Article 250 - Grounding and Bonding

  VII. Methods of Equipment Grounding

  250.130 Equipment Grounding Conductor Connections. Equipment grounding conductor connections at the source of separately derived
  systems shall be made in accordance with 250.30(A)(1). Equipment
  grounding conductor connections at service equipment shall be made as
  indicated in 250.130(A) or (B). For replacement of non–grounding-type
  receptacles with grounding-type receptacles and for branch-circuit
  extensions only in existing installations that do not have an
  equipment grounding conductor in the branch circuit, connections shall
  be permitted as indicated in 250.130(C).

  (C) Nongrounding Receptacle Replacement or Branch Circuit Extensions. The equipment grounding conductor of a grounding-type
  receptacle or a branch-circuit extension shall be permitted to be
  connected to any of the following:
  (1) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode system as described in 250.50
  (2) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor
  (3) The equipment grounding terminal bar within the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (4) To an equipment grounding conductor that is part of another branch circuit that originates from the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (5) For grounded systems, the grounded service conductor within the service equipment enclosure.
  (6) For ungrounded systems, the grounding terminal bar within the service equipment enclosure

So if your area has adopted NEC 2014, you can connect a grounding conductor to the grounding conductor from another branch circuit, as long as both circuits originate from the same panel.

NEC 2011

Depending on what code has been adopted in your area, you may not be able to borrow the grounding conductor from another circuit.

Here is what NEC 2011 has to say about replacing receptacles with no equipment ground.

  National Electrical Code 2011

  Article 250 - Grounding and Bonding

  VII. Methods of Equipment Grounding

  250.130 Equipment Grounding Conductor Connections. Equipment grounding conductor connections at the source of separately derived
  systems shall be made in accordance with 250.30(A)(1). Equipment
  grounding conductor connections at service equipment shall be made as
  indicated in 250.130(A) or (B). For replacement of non–grounding-type
  receptacles with grounding-type receptacles and for branch-circuit
  extensions only in existing installations that do not have an
  equipment grounding conductor in the branch circuit, connections shall
  be permitted as indicated in 250.130(C).

  (C) Nongrounding Receptacle Replacement or Branch Circuit Extensions. The equipment grounding conductor of a grounding-type
  receptacle or a branch-circuit extension shall be permitted to be
  connected to any of the following:
  (1) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode system as described in 250.50
  (2) Any accessible point on the grounding electrode conductor
  (3) The equipment grounding terminal bar within the enclosure where the branch circuit for the receptacle or branch circuit originates
  (4) For grounded systems, the grounded service conductor within the service equipment enclosure.
  (5) For ungrounded systems, the grounding terminal bar within the service equipment enclosure

Which means you can add a grounding conductor, but only at or before the service panel.

NOTE:
The grounding electrode system (of which the grounding electrode is a part), dose NOT include branch circuit equipment grounding conductors. The grounding electrode system is a collection of conductors used to connect the service equipment to earth, and is typically located at or near the service entrance only.

More from the NEC

  National Electrical Code 2011

  Article 406 - Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)

  406.4 General Installation Requirements. Receptacle outlets shall be located in branch circuits in accordance with Part III of Article
  210. General installation requirements shall be in accordance with 406.4(A) through (F).

  (C) Methods of Grounding. The equipment grounding conductor contacts of receptacles and cord connectors shall be grounded by
  connection to the equipment grounding conductor of the circuit
  supplying the receptacle or cord connector.

  (D) Replacements. Replacement of receptacles shall comply with 406.4(D)(1) through (D)(6) as applicable. Arc-fault circuit-interrupter and ground-fault circuit-interrupter type receptacles shall be installed in a readily accessible location.

  (1) Grounding-Type Receptacles. Where a grounding means exists in the receptacle enclosure or an equipment grounding conductor is
  installed in accordance with 250.130(C), grounding-type receptacles
  shall be used and shall be connected to the equipment grounding
  conductor in accordance with 406.4(C) or 250.130(C).  \

  (2) Non–Grounding-Type Receptacles. Where attachment to an equipment grounding conductor does not exist in the receptacle
  enclosure, the installation shall comply with (D)(2)(a), (D)(2)(b), or
  (D)(2)(c).

  (a) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with another non–grounding-type receptacle( s).

  (b) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a ground-fault circuit interrupter type of receptacle(s).
  These receptacles shall be marked “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment
  grounding conductor shall not be connected from the ground-fault
  circuit interrupter type receptacle to any outlet supplied from the
  ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle.

  (c) A non–grounding-type receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be replaced with a grounding-type receptacle(s) where supplied through a
  ground-fault circuit interrupter. Grounding-type receptacles supplied
  through the groundfault circuit interrupter shall be marked “GFCI
  Protected” and “No Equipment Ground.” An equipment grounding conductor
  shall not be connected between the grounding type receptacles.

  (3) Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protected receptacles shall be provided where
  replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so
  protected elsewhere in this Code.

  (4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:
  (1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter
  receptacle.
  (2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit
  type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle.
  (3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type
  arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker

  (5) Tamper-Resistant Receptacles. Listed tamper resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be tamper-resistant elsewhere in this Code.

  (6) Weather-Resistant Receptacles. Weather-resistant receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this Code.

There's a good YouTube video, where Mike Holt explains the options for Replacing two-wire receptacles

Consult your local government and/or a licensed electrician, to determine which version of code is used in your area. Codes do change, and you'll always have to follow the code adopted in your area.

To answer your question you can pigback onto existing Ground Wires with no problems. That is what normally happens in a home.

Whether the building codes in your country permit it is another story.


How do I know if my gfci is self-testing? Are self-testing gfci mandatory since 2015?
(My house was built in 2015).
Is there a way to tell if my gfci are self-testing? (Without uninstalling preferably as if I take it out of the wall, I might as well replace it.)

All the gfci I have come across have a button labelled “push to test”.
This puts a “fault” across the output and if it fails to react then the unit needs to be replaced.
The proper testing machine will measure the response time and report if it is still within the acceptable range.
There may be some that don’t have test buttons but I have not seen any.
Edit: Just for those who confuse the reset button with the "push to test" button here is an image showing one with both... I assume that that clears up the issue:


How do I source, remove, and prevent green mold on my aluminum windows? I live north of the equator in a humid climate.  The 2 north-facing windows pictured below only get direct light (lots of it) in the evening.  We get a lot of rain.  There is green mold growing from the windows for some reason.

I want to

determine why I'm getting this mold
clean off / get rid of the mold
prevent it from coming back without having to replace the windows.

The white on the stucco between the lip of the window and the stucco is unpainted white caulk that has been there for 2 years, and that I should have painted, and will once I clean off the mold.

Click for full size image

Mold and/or mildew (yours looks like mildew, but no big difference in regards to abatement) are both fungi and will grow where dark and damp conditions exist.

1) The cause is moisture.

2) You can clean if off easily with a scrub brush and soap, but to help prevent regrowth you should chemically kill it. A 1/4 cup bleach/1 gal. water solution will work or there are numerous consumer cleaners with bleach that will do it.

3) Take steps to keep the area dry, like rain gutters, an awning over the window, etc. Thoroughly clean, caulk and paint the stucco with a good quality exterior paint (most have mildew growth inhibitors). Chemically killing it will help prevent regrowth but be prepared to repeat if moisture cannot be controlled.

Edit:  Correction for warm climate.

Mold/mildew results from a combination of dirt/dust/pollen/pet dander, skin cells, bug crap combined with moisture.  Inside, you can filter to reduce this.  Outside, you're  have to clean more often.

Options:

Wash the window frames periodically with a disinfectant.  Ordinary bleach works, but can be tough on clothing and nearby fabrics.  Check the cleanup aisle.  Often this sort of cleanup is easier in two passes.  First pass just get the mold wet.  Do the whole house.  Next day, scrub.  Giving it a day kills it and makes it easier to remove.  You may have to try a couple of different disinfectants to find one that is really effective.
Dusting the windows edges can remove dust before it gets wet. Outside, try using a shopvac with a brush tip.  This material is very fine.  Some is going to go right through your vacuum.
There are paints that have a fungicide incorporated.  Often used in repainting bathrooms and laundries.  If you wanted to do this, you would need to clean the aluminum frames with TSP, then prime, then paint.  This is time consuming and finicky.  You may be able to get this as an additive, allowing you to use any latex paint.  You may want to use  a colour that matches the colour of your mold colony. This doesn't eliminate the problem but it makes it less visible.
Upgrade your windows. Present prices of natural gas are low enough that this isn't a good investment in terms of changing your heating bill, but if you are in a cold climate it will make your house more pleasant.  In a cooling climate, better windows may save enough on air conditioning costs to pay for themselves.

If your are in a cold climate:  your problem is winter.

In winter the aluminum conducts heat away from the house.  Moisture condenses on the metal.  (We can get 1/8" of frost on our aluminum window frames on a cold night (-40))

The air in your house is also dusty, with a substantial amount of the dust being human skin and pet dander.  The combination provides enough food for molds and mildew to grow.

Options.  In addition to the ones above, these may help:

Add dust filtration to your house. (Only if indoor problem)  If you have forced air heating, it's easiest to do this at the furnace.  In a nut shell, you are just putting in a better filter system.  This does the most good if the circulation fan runs all the time, cleaning the air.  But try both ways.

An easy dust test is to look at a beam of sunlight slanting through the window against a dark background.

Dust the windows to remove accumulated organic matter.


how to install the mounting bracket for ceiling fan I need to install a ceiling fan, but when I looked at the fan box to hang the mounting bracket, I cannot find the screw to hang it.

i have a metal mounting bracket which I like to screw to attached to fan box

The mounting screws and instructions you're looking for are staring you in the face

The fan bracket screws that go with the Arlington FB442 one-sided saddle box are pre-provisioned in the box, next to where the cable in your photo exits.  (You've started to back one out already, even.)  Once you have them out, you should be able to use them to screw the metal bracket that came with your fan into the two "pockets" just outside the sidewalls of the box that are pointed out by the arrows on the box that say "REMOVE SCREW, USE HERE", thus attaching the bracket to the same ceiling joist the fan box is mounted to.

There may be threaded holes for attaching screws in the red circled spots.

The one on the right seems to have a semi-circular notch from a previously installed screw.

edit:

Internet search reveals that the box is made by Arlington Industries.

http://www.aifittings.com/catalog/fan-fixture-boxes/

The markings on the box in the picture mean remove the screw and use in the red circled area


How do I make a Liquid-level-indicator for an overhead sintex water tank I have a 5000 ltr overhead tank atop a 20 meter tower.  I wish to make a liquid level indicator, mechanical type, which would indicate to me the liquid level therein the tank, as the tank is made of opaque material.  The indication to be at the foot of the water tower or
closer outside my kitchen window for viewing convenience from within my house.

Probably the simplest indicator would be to have a float that raises or lowers a rod of some kind. In this setup a float is attached to a vertical rod that goes through the ceiling of the tank. The rod then angles horizontally to the right to the side of the tank, then down vertically towards the ground. You would then build an indicator with lines painted for every unit of height of water in the tank. As the water level raises the float goes up, lifting the rod assembly, and as water us used the whole assembly drops.

The other mechanical way I can think of would be to use water pressure to indicate the amount of water in the tank. Assuming this is gravity fed you could install a pressure gauge on the main water feed and then calibrate the pressure levels with the water levels.

There are other mechanical ways to do this, however if it were me I'd go with an electronic solution of some kind rather than a mechanical one. You could install a low power (even solar powered) electronic system with some LEDs to show your water levels. You could even install a webcam in the tank itself and measure water levels based on lines painted on the inside.

I was going to attach a clear tube to the faucet of mine and attach it to the side. Problems: freezing in winter and algae  formation inside the tube blocking my view.


RCCB trips and causes sockets to lose power, but lights, etc. don't lose power Several times in the last month, we have experienced small power surges that cause the circuit breakers to trip. Most of the time this has been the "sockets" circuit breaker, however 15 minutes ago the RCCB "protected circuits" tripped, while the other circuit breakers remained on. During this the "sockets" lost power, but lights,  and the rest of the electrical system did not go off. Is this unusual behaviour? From what I've read, if the RCCB trips, the entire electrical system is supposed to stop working.

Yes this is normal.

Under the 16th edition IEEE wiring regulations (introduced in 1991, superseeded in 2008, there were amendments, but I don't think any of them are relavent here) in TN installations* RCD protection in normal domestic situations was only required for sockets that could be reasonably expected to supply equipment outside the equipotential zone**. Interpretations of this varied, but in practice it meant that at least all downstairs sockets and frequently all sockets ended up being RCD protected.

Some houses were wired with a RCD covering everything but this was frowned upon because a single fault could leave the whole house in darkness.

It therefore became common practice to fit "Split load" boards where some of the circuits were on RCD and others were not. Exactly what got put on the RCD side was quite variable with some electricians putting everything except lights on the RCD and others only putting sockets and showers (I don't think an explicit requirement to put showers on the RCD but it was widely seen as a bloody good idea) on the RCD side. This appears to be the situation you have.

Since the 17th edition practically all domestic wiring needs to be on a RCD. On cheaper installations it was/is common practice to use a consumer unit with two RCDs so you only lost half the stuff when a RCD went out. Higher-end installations would often use "RCBOs" which combine the functionality of a RCD and a MCB and allow each circuit to be individually RCD protected. Until recently these were pretty expensive though.

There is no compulsion however to upgrade your existing installation to the 17th or 18th edition regs. Heck there isn't actually an explicit legal requirement to follow the IEEE wiring regulations (aka BS7671) at all, just a requirement that “Reasonable provision shall be made in the design and installation of electrical installations in order to protect persons operating, maintaining or altering the installations from fire or injury.”. Most electricians however will insist (and may be bound by industry schemes they are a member of to insist) that any new work is done to the current edition. In practice this means they will want to RCD protect any new wiring when modifying an installation.

* in a TT installation everything needs to be RCD protected, but sometimes with RCDs that have a higher trip current.

** I think there may have been some requirements for RCDs related to swimming pools and marinas as well, but those wouldn't apply in the vast majority of domestic installations.

This is completely normal.

RCD protection on lighting circuits in UK is only a very recent requirement (in the last 1-2 years I think?).

RCD protection of any kind wasn't required before 2008.


Connect open neutral in box? I am adding an outdoor floodlight and when I opened the motion sensor box for the existing lights, I found the neutral wire feeding the light was not connected in the box.  I think this neutral should be connected with the other neutrals in the same box, but I wanted to make sure that is correct before rewiring it.  When I checked the light fixture itself, there are several neutrals wired together in that box.  Should I join the light neutral with the other neutrals in this box?

Note: There were several other issues with this box also that I fixed (box not grounded, not outdoor rated box, no cable clamp etc.).

I have seen two 14/2 cables used instead of a 14/3 cable. 14/2 is a hot (black), neutral(white) and a ground(bare copper), 14/3 is hot, neutral, and a load (red). It is used for three-way switches or smoke alarms where the third one is used to signal all alarms to sound when only one detects smoke.

I don't know what your setup is but it may be similar to the smoke alarms, which would mean that the neutral is not used. The original installer may not have had 14/3 for whatever reason.


How do I drill a 2⅛ inch door knob hole over an existing 1½ inch hole? I need to replace the door knob for this interior door:

The door knobs I've found at the stores require a 2⅛ inch hole.  Mine is only 1½:

Did door knobs used to be smaller?  Is there some place I can find a replacement door knob that will fit my door?

If I need to modify the door to fit a modern door knob, will the new hole completely overlap the old? and can I reuse the latch hole?

Two other options. If you need to expand the hole with the exact same center, you can get a hole saw kit that uses an arbor with multiple attachable hole saws. Place the larger size hole saw with the smaller size inside of it, and tighten the arbor on both. The smaller hole saw acts as a guide in your existing hole.

For this to work the smaller hole saw must be the same or longer height, as depicted in the picture above. If they are the same length, the thickness of the base of the larger hole saw will cause it to protrude slightly. You can also use a washer to give it more depth as long as you can still secure the bit to the arbor.

The second option is similar to Chris's suggestion. Clamp a thin piece of plywood over the hole on the door, and drill through that. Pay special attention to keeping the drill level. The plywood keeps you from sliding all over the door. Just make sure you clamp it on well.

I did this today by using a Dewalt door lock installation jig. I bought this at Lowes. It cost more than the Irwin model but I bought the Dewalt because of the clamp on the jig. It was about $30 but I have several door knobs that are over 50 years old and need replacing. The Dewalt jig worked perfectly. Line up it up, clamp, and drill. It only took about 10 min. to drill and then mount the door knob. This tool is worth the money!

Now my wife want to replace more worn door knobs. I've already been back to Lowes to buy more......


How to remove a stuck Sharkbite connector from a PEX tube? I have a Sharkbite stopper that I put on the end of a 1/2" PEX tube, and now I'd like to remove it. I've used both the official orange plastic removal tool and an adjustable wrench, and my fingers are sore from pressing on it trying to get it to budge. Any other options short of cutting it off at this point?

Try pushing the pipe in a bit, before pulling it out.  Sometimes the barbs dig into the pipe, so the release ring can't disengage them. Pushing the pipe in, may allow the release to completely disengage the barbs.

Use the tool to compress the release ring.
Push the tubing deeper into the fitting, while keeping pressure on the release tool.
Pull the tubing out of the fitting.

During step 2, you might feel the release ring move slightly closer to the fitting. This is a good sign that the barbs are fully retracted, and the pipe is ready for retraction. If you don't feel the release move, don't worry, it might just be too slight for your sore fingers to feel.

Alternatively, try reversing steps 1 and 2. Push the tube deeper into the fitting, then use the release tool to operate the release mechanism.

Cut it off and replace it with a sharkbite union and a small piece of pipe. Probably not as clean as the other approaches, but I'm not sure I'd want to use that PEX end after it had been mauled by the sharkbite teeth.


Is it possible to control water pressure using a ball valve? I have too high water pressure (120 psi) on the main line. If we assume the water pressure on is constant, then is it possible to reduce it by reducing the flow using a ball valve?

The reason I'd like to go this route, is that installing a pressure regulator is a lot of work, and there's not much room where the main line enters the stucco of the house. Turning the pre-existing ball valve, would be a lot easier than installing a regulator.

To answer your question;  A ball valve only controls flow not pressure. A few seconds after water is flowing a ball valve will limit the pressure based on the flow. A pressure regulator requires no more plumbing than a ball valve. A regulator will limit the maximum pressure but not flow until the set point is reached. If you can answer the question.
Why do you want to limit pressure or flow. We may be able to point you in the direction you need.

you can go with using ball valve. ball valve is commomly used to regulate flow and it will not reduce pressure. however, installing ball valve on a branch very away from desired exit and not opening it fully will give desired output


How can I temporarily seal a gap underneath my door to stop water getting in while it's raining? During heavy rain the water from the drains outside my apartment overflow. The doors have an almost 1 inch gap at the bottom, and the water floods the apartment.

How can I seal that door gap temporarily during the rain to avoid flooding the apartment?

Currently I live in a small town in Argentina. So I do not have access to all materials and do not have any tools. I was thinking about pressing some sort of modeling material into the gap. Today I was using some towels but that holds the water only if I renew them every few minutes. And I don't know what to do when I leave the apartment for a few days and rain starts while I am absent.

The pictures are from 1 of 2 doors.

EDIT: Comments above say that you have 1-2" of water.  There is no solution for this other than fixing the drain.  (Or going to marine style doors with a raised threshold.) What I've describe below can mitigate minor flooding, but won't help with the serious issue you seem to be having.

ORIGINAL ANSWER:

The proper long term answer is to fix the the drain.  However, I appreciate that you are in need of a more short term solution.

In English, what you are looking for is a "Rubber Threshold Seal"  like this:

Or Like This (this is made for garage doors):

Installing these will require drilling through the tile and concrete, installing a plug and screwing it down.  You will also need a liberal dose of caulk (silicone sealer) underneath.

If you're in a real bind, and need a quick and dirty fix until you can get better parts, get a piece of wood, about the width of the door and slightly smaller than the gap, and caulk it down.  Paint it with yellow and black stripes so you don't kick it off.  The sealant won't hold if you stub your toe against it.

You should try UPVC as replacement of old one. Few months back, I bought water proof door from Fenesta. It will keep you away from all these issues. Also, the UPVC doesn't need maintenance and painting.


Is it important not to scratch copper wire when removing insulation? I use a small cutter made for max 14 gauge wires, but I'm bad at removing insulation, it takes me a bit of time to get it right, so I end up cutting and repeating, because I see scratches on copper wire were I cut the insulation. Should I ignore it? How bad are these scratches or marks? These are power works behind sockets.

Minor superficial marking is just that. Unimportant. Deep nicks around the circumference create weaknesses. Those would cause problems. Redo.

With the right tools, careful use and a little practice, you will be able to strip insulation without nicking or scratching the copper.

Suitable tools, in the same spirit as photo in Q :-)

Small scratches should not affect conductivity of the copper wire at all.  This is common when stripping wires bare with knives, side cutters and other misc tools. When one is preparing copper wire they should get into the habit of using wire strippersthis particular tool strips wire to gauge minimizing damage.

Don't be to worried about little nicks and scratches.  Just be mindful of the plastic coating. Exposed wire could be a potential shock or fire hazard.


Is it ok to calk drywall corner joints rather than taping them? Instead of removing the popcorn ceiling I decided to just put a layer of drywall on top of the existing popcorn ceiling.
I noticed the worker used the caulking instead of taping where the old and the new drywall meets.
Is this okay?

I have been seeing this a lot lately so I don't know if there is a new caulk on the market for drywall but in my experience the caulk will 'flash' under paint so it isn't going to give you a good finish and it will be noticeable. I would ask the worker what type of caulk it is and how it handles being painted.

Only a hack would use caulk. It's not okay.


Blower motor lost RPMs after reversal of fan direction My air handler requires a clock wise rotation of the fan motor. After installing a new motor I found it was set in the counter clockwise position. I changed the wires (switched inline connection on fan wiring) for a clockwise rotation and found a great reduction of RPMs compared to those of the counter clockwise rotation. Why would the RPMs drop and how would you resolve the problem and regain the lost RPMs?

The wiring diagram isn't available but the 1/4 hp motor is reversible: yellow connected to brown with orange to purple being clockwise and yellow connected to purple with orange to brown producing counter clockwise rotation. Yellow is the common and is connected to power with a choice of Black wire for Hi speed; Blue wire for Med speed or Red wire for Slow speed. Counter clockwise rotation results in Hi speed yet clockwise (using Black Hi speed wire) seems to be no more than Slow speed. The capacitor connects with 2 brown wires, one having a white stripe and is rated 5.0 mdf 440/370 vac/b; it was purchased with the new/replacement motor. Unknowingly this motor ran for 4 or 5 months in the counter clockwise (wrong) direction. This was discovered while exploring the cause of the evaporator coil freezing-due to improper fan rotation. Thanks for your interest!!

Could be as simple as not moving air effectively when spinning the wrong way, so no load (or small load) on motor. Spin the right way, air is moved, motor slows down, work is done. Try blocking off the intake or output and see if the lack of air movement causes the fan (& motor) to speed up again.

Reverse polarity.  You are using the start coil for run.

Happy to provide more detail if this is still an issue for you.


No electricity going to thermostat Our old thermostat is working but I want to change to a new one (nest thermostat).  I have two exact HVAC unit at home.  I change one it works but when I change the second one it doesn't work because it can't detect power.

How do I fix this problem?  Where can it possibly go wrong?  Do I need to check my furnace?

With certain versions of the nest thermostat they require the C or common wire for operation. The nest thermostat needs 5 wires to accommodate the extra common wire. Check to see that how many wires the thermostat wire is. You may be lucky and have the extra wire tucked in behind the thermostat.

Another possible issue, if you do have 5 wires hooked up at the thermostat is the C wire may be disconnected at the furnace control board as it was not needed for the old thermostat. If this is the case you would have to open the furnace and add the C wire to the C terminal of the control board.

This sounds to me like voltage drop over the thermostat wires is too great. I'm making several assumptions here so I may be wrong, but old style thermostats are often simple relays that do nothing more than open or close a given circuit. The mere opening / closing of that circuit is enough to trigger the HVAC, it's not dependent on a given voltage. The NEST thermostats need sufficient power from the thermostat wires to operate, which may not be present if the wire run is long enough from the point of origin. To test this theory, get a voltmeter and test voltages on the wires at your thermostat to see if they're within the indicated operating range of the NEST. If they're not, you'll need to re-run that line with larger gauge wires to reduce the voltage drop.


Wiring a European range My brother just bought a Fagor range for his kitchen. The range came pre-wired(less the plug) with a red, black and green wire. The range is 240v, 15 amp. The wiring instructions read: red is hot (240v),black is neutral and green ground. Which is how it would be wired in Europe. My question is how do I wire this here in the states? Thanks.

Does the range have 120/240 volt hookup instructions?  They might be inside the access port where the pigtail ("cord") is wired into the range.  The hookup instructions are the authority.

However, lacking any instructions, this is likely to work:

Connect the hot (red) to the U.S. red, the "neutral" (black) to the U.S. black wire.  That provides 240 volts to the heating coils.  Connect the ground to the green.  Leave the U.S. white wire unconnected to anything in the range.

The range does not use 120 volts for anything (timer, appliance outlet), so the white wire is not connected.

There is a slight danger that the appliance manufacturer has somehow assumed that ground and "neutral" are at the same voltage.  (They should not have, but there could be an assumption that ground to neutral is not more than a few volts different.)  If so, connecting the range might blow an internal fuse or the house's panel circuit breaker.  For this reason, do not plug the range into the outlet with the breaker on.  Instead, after plugging it in, turn the range on at the breaker.

I tried to find a user manual, but Fagor's website is trying to be "smart" and routes my U.S.-based IP to something they think would be suitable.  Alas, it persistently picks a Spanish language enterprise-wide "under construction" stub site.

http://www.fagoramerica.com/my_fagor/user_manuals still might be useful.  Have a look with the specific model number.

Well with 240v U.S wiring in an older house for a range (240V)The colors of the wires in the wall are black L1 , white L2 and copper ground to The connection that has a bent or L shaped outlet are used. If it is a newer home it requires 4 wires usually black, red are hot (240V) then white neutral and green or copper goes to the equipment ground (frame) of the range. to get 240V depending on the type of wiring in the wall this is how to hook it up on a range 240V outlet.


What is the easiest way to remove a large root in a post hole I'm digging? I'm digging a 36" deep post hole for a fence I'm putting up, and about 15" down I ran into a very large root. Since the root seems to be running almost directly in line with the fence, and there isn't a tree attached to said root, I'd like to get rid of the root.

I've been using a reciprocating saw to cut out hunks of it, but this has been very tedious and not as effective as I would like. Is there a better way to get rid of the root? It appears to be around 9" in diameter

A reciprocating saw works nicely, with the proper blade. You can buy a tree cutting blade for work like this, 10-12 inches long, with long sharp raking teeth.

We had an ice storm, and the clean up of hundreds of large branches and trunks was done entirely by reciprocating saw, wearing out only three of those blades in my Porter Cable. Some trunks were over a foot in diameter. (My chain saw chose that time to be singularly uncooperative.)

A breaker /hammer with a couple of sharp bits... adios root!!


How to bolt something to a wood member when can't access the back side and a carriage bolt won't do I need to bolt a solar inverter to a stud wall for three reasons.

it needs to be a few inches offset from the studs, so the bolt holes in the inverter won't line up with the studs,
I'd feel better if the load were carried by 4 lag bolts (instead of 2), and
the inverter needs to sit out 1-2" from the studs, to clear the siding - I intend to lag a short piece of 2x6 or 2x8 to the studs (first removing a couple of siding boards), and then bolt the inverter to the board.

The unit weighs 50 pounds (23 kilograms.)

The problem is, how can I bolt the inverter to the board? I won't be able to reach the back side of the board once it's attached to the studs.  Carriage bolts could work, by installing the into the board before I attach it to the studs; but I'm not satisfied with the amount of bearing surface the head of the carriage bolt would supply.  A hex bolt, with washers under the head (on the back side) and under the nut (on the front side), would work. But how can I keep the bolt from rotating as I tighten the nut on the front side?

You could install a few of these three prong tee nuts on the back of your board before it's attached to your studs and then bolt the inverter from the front. I'm curious why you'd "feel better" with two bolts instead of four.

Blind rivets.
Depending on application and the materials you're attaching things to, it might be possible to use blind rivets to attach something to a surface that you're unable to access the back side of. It's worth noting that unlike bolts, rivets can't be non-destructively removed afterwards, and you'll need specialized equipment to attach them.


According to NEC 210.52 can this receptacle be counted as part of the required outlets in a dwelling? Under NEC code artcile 210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets

...The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:

(1) Part of a luminaire or appliance, or

(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70( A) (1), Exception No. 1, or

(3) Located within cabinets or cupboards, or

(4) Located more than 1.7 m (5 ½ ft) above the floor

So my question is if I have a half switched outlet at 60" that is behind a painting, is that counted as part of the required outlets in a dwelling since it is less than 5 1/2 ft?

It can be counted as a required receptacle since it does meet the letter of the code.

Yes. Speedy is right, But....

If you apply 210.52(A)(1)

  (1) Spacing. Receptacles shall be installed such that no point measured horizontally along the floor line of any wall space is more than 1.8 m (6 ft) from a receptacle outlet.

And a little trigonometry....then your receptacle doesn't cover much of the floor line since it is 5' AFF already.

I will leave the rest of the maths up to you.


Smashed chain link fence? People have been using my back yard as a walk way for sometime. I recently bought the house and my dog goes berserk every time they come through. The fence is smashed beyond anything I have seen on the internet. What can I use to re-stretch the fence back to normal?

You are not going to be able to restretch it if it is as smashed as you say. What you will need to do is cut out the bad part and insert a new length of fencing. You attach the new piece (splice) by taking one piece of wire from the fence and winding it through the existing fence and the new fence. This wire stitches the two pieces of fencing together.

Once you get the smashed portion replaced with good fencing you can restretch the whole length and attach it to the posts as normal.

pic from fence-material.com

Yes I would just buy a new peace of fencing but if that cost too much you could hold it together with some cable ties.


What would cause the water pressure to be too high for just a second? Lately when I turn on any faucet in my house the water comes rushing out at about twice the normal pressure for about half a second and then drops to normal pressure. I am worried the pressure is building up to high in the pipes. If I turn off the faucet and then turn it back on within a minute the pressure comes out normal. Its only when the water hasn't been used for a while that the pressure seems to have built up in the pipes. I tried turning the pressure down on my pressure regulator by turning the adjustment screw on top one full turn counter clockwise but the water still comes out way too high when the faucets or the clothes washer or shower is first turned on. After a second the pressure drops way down now that I adjusted the regulator.

The problem is your expansion tank, or lack thereof. Your home has a check valve somewhere in the system, possibly included with the pressure regulator or as part of the municipal water meter. When your water heater turns on, the heating of the water causes it to expand, and that pressure has nowhere to release until you open a faucet. What you need is an expansion tank installed in your water lines. If you already have one, then it has failed (they usually have a bladder separating the air from the water, and this can fail over time or if not properly maintained). Installing a tank isn't too difficult, but will require shutting off the water to your house, cutting your pipes, and adding a T to your water line. If you have an existing tank, then they are often threaded and are simple to replace (the connection is often threaded and can be screwed off). Note that if you don't fix this, valves in your toilet and other fixtures will start to fail, or the TPR valve on your hot water heater will begin to leak water.

I have this same problem. It only started after I changed my shower valve... I suspect the valve is bleeding the hot into the cold and creating the problem.


Should I Circumvent the Pressure Regulator or Cap it for a Gas Line Pressure Test? My gas line can't be pressurized since there is a pressure regulator installed after the gas shutoff valve.

My solution was to install an additional shutoff on the outlet side of the meter, circumventing the pressure regulator.

Was there a better way to do this?

For the pressure test, should I have removed and capped the regulator, leaving everything else as is?

3/4/2020 Gas man came to the property and said my setup was perfect since everything after the meter is my property. He stated that a pressure test is not supposed to include the gas company's equipment (the pressure regulator), and that the regulator was working fine. He performed his own test by disconnecting and hooking up a meter in between my line and the meter, and there was no pressure loss.

My gas line can't be pressurized since there is a pressure regulator installed after the gas shutoff valve.

That's... not how it works. Regulators don't vent in an over-pressure situation, they just close. If it's venting, then you have a bad regulator.

You should have tested with your regulator in position. Your pressure test did not test the regulator for leaks, and it should have.

Your pictures are a little hard to see, but here is an image that I think matches your setup: regulator before the meter, test point after the meter. Your pressure test should be testing the parts I have colored red, plus the piping and appliances inside.

I don’t see your gas’s shutoff it may be on the right at ground level but I would want one.
In my jurisdiction the pressure test is only done after the meter, in fact a new system has to have an inspector’s green tag before the meter can be turned on.
I would bubble test and outside I would not be worried as long as a bubble test did not show any leaks, however I have seen bubble tests show no leaks where in a wall there was a slight leak that showed up on the pressure test. That slight leak inside a wall could have built up to a hazardous level , but not outside.
I just find it strange that the gas company did not install a shutoff valve.


How To Provide For Carpet Edging? I have a lower level hallway in my house that is currently carpeted all the way through the hallway and into the adjacent Den room. See outline drawing below:

This hallway is a high traffic area from the garage, which is beyond the laundry room, and up the stairs to the mid level of the house. I have a desire to remove the carpet in the hallway and replace with a click-lock style of laminate flooring. This new flooring would extend into the shown bathroom and the computer room.
I want to retain the existing carpet in the Den room so I would anticipate cutting the carpet along the green line in the above outline drawing.
The question here is what to do with the method to secure the carpet and provide for an edging for the carpet?
Normally carpet has a tack strip underneath the edges that would be inset some from the edge. How would I go about installing some tack strip after I cut the carpet at the green line? Would I need to rent a carpet stretcher to secure the carpet to the new tack strip. And finally, after the new laminate flooring is installed what would be the typical type of transition to use from the carpet to the laminate flooring?

There are many options for the transition from hard flooring to carpet, and the method of securing the carpet depends on the option you choose.
You could have the cut carpet edge end in a metal strip of the color you prefer. In this case, there are strips that act as a tack strip, wherein the carpet is gripped by the strip itself and tucked under a decorative cover. For these, the metal strip would butt directly against the edge of the hard flooring:

You could use a traditional tack strip and cover the edge of the wood and the cut carpet edge with a rabbeted wood strip, stained and varnished to meet your aesthetic:

I would consult a flooring company and ask them for a solution to your question. They do this every day and will know the best solution to your inquiry


How do I replace rotten Subfloor under a supporting post Rotten Subfloor goes under support post of my lanai Roof.  Best recommendation so far is to cut 3/4 inch thick end off a 2x4 (post is a 4x4) hammer under one side, scrape/chisel out other side of rotten subfloor under post, add another 2/4 "shim".  then simply cut new subfloor around 4x4 post.

Can't figure out how to post pics, but I have em...

Im Not For sure I'm Understanding What your saying But any time I have to work on a Support, Here what i do !

For Instance I Just Replaced A 6x6 Post That Is under a roof Over Hang On A House!  I took A Car Jack And  Used A 4x4 I Put It Under The Beam That is sitting On the 6x6 Im Replacing. I Lifted The Jack Just enough To Take The weight Off The 6x6.

I then Pulled It Out and Put the new one in! You Could Probably Use That! If your support Is Holding More then Just One spot youll need to support what ever it is supporting! Just take take the weight off the post change the subfloor under it and put the weight back on!!!

Hope that was help full    Good Luck


Sauna heater wiring help needed I bought a heater from amazon : https://www.amazon.co.uk/ECO-WORTHY-Electric-Heater-Controller-Shower/dp/B01B2IWJNO/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8
I want to do a DIY sauna and need help with wiring as this thing comes with external control unit and is for 220V AC.
This is what I get in manual :

Wiring diagram:

And this is physical heater and controller:

Can anybody help me out as I am not professional electricial, and could somebody show how to wire heater properly? I will be using 220V AC , as my household does not support 3 phase 400V.
I would appreciate any help, but maybe a list of what else do I need, and some diagram how to wire it, as i do not understand fully how do i wire heater to controler and input to heater.
Thanks a lot!

Well you better return it because it is designed to be run off 3 phase not single phase.  You can contact the manufacturer and ask if it can be run off single phase using different wiring they may support that but I seriously doubt it.


Wiring requirement for small kitchen I am in the process of renovating an older home where I require just two or three counter top receptacles. I discovered in the NEC that:

  The countertop receptacle outlets in kitchens must be supplied by no
  fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits.

Unless I am mistaken, it seems that this requirement primarily pertains to counter top receptacles. Considering the limited electrical requirements of the kitchen, would I still need two circuits for the two or three counter top receptacles that I am to install? Additionally, there is a wall outlet on the opposite corner of the kitchen as the L-shaped counter top and it is branched off of the living room circuit which doesn't have much connected to it. Is this a code violation?

Looking at the actual code...

National Electrical Code 2014
Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection
Article 210 Branch Circuits
210.11 Branch Circuits Required.
(C) Dwelling Units.
(1) Small-Appliance Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets specified by 210.52(B)
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
(3) Kitchen Receptacle Requirements. Receptacles installed in a kitchen to serve countertop surfaces shall be supplied by not fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits, either or both of which shall also be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the same kitchen and in other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). Additional small appliance branch circuits shall be permitted to supply receptacle outlets in the kitchen and other rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1). No small-appliance branch circuit shall serve more than one kitchen.

The receptacles supplying the countertop, must be supplied by at least two 20 ampere circuits.  However, these two circuits can also supply receptacles in a "pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit", as well as "receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment". One of the more common ways to meet this code, is by splitting the duplex receptacles. One circuit powers the top outlet of the receptacle, while the other powers the bottom outlet. Another option is to supply the countertop receptacles with one circuit, and the refrigerator with a separate circuit.
As for the receptacle in the kitchen, supplied by the living room circuit. While this is likely not a violation. This receptacle does not count towards the two 20 ampere small appliance circuits required in the kitchen.

As you say,

  "Receptacles installed in a kitchen to serve countertop surfaces shall be supplied by not fewer than two small-appliance branch circuits."

So, you can't have one circuit for countertops and one for the fridge. No outlets can be shared with other rooms. This of course only applies to new remodel jobs and new construction. But this has been in the Code for a long time.


What is the purpose of this inverted Philips head screwdriver bit? I have a set of jewel screwdriver bits, for torx, Phillips, etc. However, there's one bit that looks like a Phillips head that's inverted or backwards, and I can't figure out its function.

The bit is a female Phillips head, and the label in the kit just says "PH 2", which I imagine means Phillips head, size 2.

What do you use this for? Getting another screwdriver out of something?

Edit: Here's most of the set, in case it helps. The top left bit (not in the handle) is the one I'm talking about. The set is filled with various bits that you would use on small screws.

Here's the web archive for the amazon product. I bought it in the U.S., whose page has been removed, but the same product is on the U.K. page. According to the product details, the screw bit is a Cross size: PH2. Maybe it was simply a miscommunication with the manufacturer when the bits were milled?

The bit that you are asking about is what is called a "concave Phillips" or "inverted Phillips" bit. They are used for removing screws that look like this:

(picture found at ebuy7.com)

The cross pattern on the screw head is actually raised.

maybe used for a specific size thumb screw


New Whirlpool washing machine has locked door and non responsive buttons I just installed a brand new Whirlpool front loading washing machine, Model number W10656476A. We put in our first load, pressed start, and realized we forgot to turn on the water supply lines.  We cleared the low water supply faults, but now the machine just makes a humming noise like a motor is running whenever it is plugged in, but not doing anything. The doors are locked and the buttons are non responsive.

What should I be doing?

Also, what size bit driver do I need to take the screws off of this thing to make sure the drain pump isn't clogged?

Double-check that you followed all the installation instructions in the manual, no matter how trivial they seem. If it still doesn't work after that, call the manufacturer; that's what warranties are for.

Re checking the pump: That is NOT a normal maintenance action. You should never need to do so, certainly not while it's still under warranty. If you have to ask, don't.

Your main PCB is bad. Unplug your water pressure switch and that should turn off the drain pump. Check your pressure switch; if that's OK, replace the main board.


20 amp circuit and GFCI outlets everywhere Except for money saving is there any reason why you would not put 20 amp wiring and 20 amp GFCI receptacle (=1 per circuit) everywhere?

It's wasteful.

I realize that most folks think with their wallets and not much further, but #12 wire contains 59% more copper than #14 (source). That's (nominally) 59% more energy wasted and pollution created in mining, 59% more chemical pollution from refinement, and 59% more weight to lug around as you work.

It's also much less pleasant to work with in a box, and fills boxes and nuts much quicker in terms of legal capacities.

I believe it's a preference. Originally (1960's) there were only three required 20A circuits in a single family dwelling. 2 small appliance and 1 washer receptacles. Over time other circuits are added 1 for bathrooms, we always installed a 20A for the newer microwave due to increased loads, also larger and more sophisticated dishwashers, disposals and refrigerators. So you may wind up with 6 or 7 20A breakers. Now most of the work I have done in the past is commercial and industrial so we always run a 20A circuit as minimum. Any house I have done were strictly high value custom homes so we always just installed 20A circuits. And I am not really interested in any arguments whether it is right or wrong.

On the second part of your question. There is really no need to run GFCI circuits throughout the whole house since the 2014 NEC now requires all outlets to be AFCI protected anyway. There are differences between Ground Fault and Arc Fault but both are used to prevent shock and burn hazards. So at this time the idea of extra protection by adding GFCI's is not necessary. Just follow the NEC on new construction or upgrade to the most recent NEC.


R302.7 Under-Stair Protection - does drywall need to be below stringers or just treads and risers? I am finishing a room in my basement, and a wall will butt up against where the stairs are. I'm planning on making a small door to access the volume below the stairs for a small storage area.

The building inspector said I needed to put drywall below the stairs for fire protection.

The stairs have a middle string. If I place the drywall over the stringer, that will significantly reduce the available volume.

Can I fulfill this requirement by putting two tightly fitting drywall panels in the spaces between the stringers, leaving the middle stringer exposed?

Text of relevant ICC code:

  R302.7 Under-Stair Protection

  Enclosed accessible space under stairs shall have walls, under-stair
  surface and any soffits protected on the enclosed side with 1/2-inch
  (12.7 mm) gypsum board.

Otherwise, simply "coating" the middle stringer would be a compliant alternative to maximize accessible volume, would it not?

Here are some pictures from under the stairs. The difference between the plane of the bottom of the stringers vs the bottoms of the treads and risers is a significant amount of space to store stuff.

No, you can't leave the center stringer exposed. That would leave a path for fire through the drywall. You must create a continuous break, with all seams taped.

I can't see an inspector flagging either of your other ideas, but you should probably just ask first. You don't want to do the job twice.

If you noticed, Section 302.7 is a sub-section (and only applies to) Section 302: Fire Resistant Construction.

Therefore, you first need to determine if the stair needs to be “fire resistant”. It only needs to be “fire resistant “ and have the 1/2” gypsum board, if 1) the stair is exterior AND falls within the fire separation distance between buildings, or 2) required egress located in garages next to the residence, or 3) required egress from townhouse unit.

I doubt if your stair meets these requirements and needs to be “fire resistant” with 1/2” gypsum board.

There is also an exception for all three conditions if the house has fire sprinklers.

Also, if the Building Official determines that you meet one of the requirements, you do not need to cover the stringers if they are solid sawn and a minimum size of 4x6’s. (This is called “Heavy Timber construction”. See Table 602.1)

In summary:
You may enclose the underside of the stair without 1/2” gypsum board, unless it needs to be fire resistant construction.


How can I drill a 2" deep hole, 1/16" in diameter? Does a 2" (5 cm) cutting depth 1/16" (1.6 mm) drill bit even exist?  If not, is there any way for me to make this hole?  I'm drilling a fiberglass/foam sandwich if it matters, and I want to make a hundred holes. My cheap standard drill bits cut the fiberglass just fine, but are half the length I need. And yes, I'm aware that the reason they're kept short is so they don't break all the time.

This probably sounds weird – it's for installing a starlight ceiling effect in a fiberglass float tank.

A quick visit to a metalworking supplier website finds 3" long (overall length) ones with 1.7" cutting depth (presumably the flute depth, so for light-duty drilling if you "peck" (pull out to clear chips) when you get deep you could probably get it done. "Extended-Reach Drill Bits" A more extensive search might find a longer one. Buy them by the dozen, you probably will break some and they are usually cheaper that way.

A different metalworking supplier website has 6" and 12" OAL listed (under "aircraft drills" which the other site calls "Short-Flute Extended-Reach Drill Bits") but only 7/8" flutes, which would be a lot more pecking to get the chips out.

This is an old post, but the correct way to do this is to drill larger holes (1/4 inch would be enough if there is enough space between holes) from the back side of the part, then drill the 1/16th holes in the same positions from the font side.


Can a 40amp breaker be used safely and without issue with a 40amp device on 6AWG wire? We are installing a Cooktop that calls for a 40amp circuit. I was given 6AWG wire (instead of the 8AWG wire I asked for) by mistake. The electrician saw the 6AWG wire (that I had already run) and used a 50amp breaker. The Cooktop installer requires that the breaker be 40amp. My electrician was concerned that using the larger 6AWG wire would lower the resistance therefore affecting the amps; he cited Ohm's law. He has refused to change the breaker from 50amps to 40amps for fear of damaging something or affecting safety. I thought the amp requirement was dictated by the device (it asks for 40amps) and the 40amp breaker would ensure that 40amps is all that it would get. Does anyone know of any dangers/issues if using a smaller breaker with 6AWG wire?

Your "electrician" is not one of the brighter bulbs in the pack.

The 40A is to protect the wiring and the device.

If the wiring is AT LEAST 8Ga then it's adequate to protect the wiring. It also protects 6Ga, (or 500 MCM for that matter) just fine, and it properly protects the device at the end of the wire just fine.

"Ohms law" has squat to do with this. You could have a cooktop located 3 feet from the breaker panel and connected with 8 Ga or one located 100 feet from the panel and connected with 6 Ga - the 8 Ga would have (much, about 20 times) lower resistance, because of the wire length. Upsizing wire for longer runs on heavy circuits is actually quite normal. As stated, not a particularly knowledgeable electrician you have there.

You are lucky you got a 50amp circuit for your commercial kitchen.  Enjoy.  You can also plug a waffle iron in at the same time!  Think of this as an upgrade.

OP is wrong electrician is correct using a 50amp circuit.  It won't damage anything.


How do I wire a light fixture with two white wires to a ceiling box with three white wires? I am trying to install a new light fixture. The ceiling mount has three white wires and one black one. The problem is that the fixture has two white wires and one black wire. They do not match up.

(I previously had a disco strobe light in the basement.)

This fixture is not wired per code, you should have only one white wire for each colored wire, you should never have only one colored wire and more than one white wire.

What the previous posters are suspecting is you have a three-way circuit so  that two or more switches can control the fixture.

You can use a multi-tester of test light to see if you have current between the black wire and one of the white wires when the switch is turned on.  If you have current through more than one white wire then stop and call an electrician.  You might inadvertently overload a neutral.  If your switch does not read on and off then you probably have a three-way circuit and you may need an electrician to sort it out.


How do I dig a 3 foot deep narrow trench in soft clay I need to dig a 3 foot trench in soft clay to put in a new water pipe.

If I use I drain spade to dig it about 16cm ( 6 inches) wide will I have enough space to do the digger?

Is there a better type of spade to use?

About what length of trench can fit people did in a day?

(I hope I will only need to dig about 12 feet of length, but may need to dig about 30 feet if I am forced to connect to the other road.)

It's physically very difficult to dig a very narrow but deep trench. You may have better luck just renting a ditch digger/trencher, which is kind of like a big chainsaw for dirt. You can dig trenches that are very narrow, and the only thing that really slows you down with it is large rocks.

You should have utilities marked before you dig (whether using a trencher or not). In some areas, this is enforced by law (eg: in Ontario, Canada, it is law under the Ontario Occupational Health And Safety Act).

How big is your pipe?  Trying to dig a 12 to 30 foot long trench manually will be a nightmare.  My recommendation is to bite the bullet and rent a trencher to do the work for you.  Even at 12 inches, your work is cut out for you, but 36 inches is really deep.  Regardless of what you decide, you may want to wet the area with a sprinkler before hand.  You don't want the ground wet, but you want it moist.  I can't speak for your area (I'm in Portland, OR), but of it's hot and dry then the clay in the ground can harden and make penetration difficult.


Making a 4" hole in my foundation , will cutting the rebar cause the foundation to crack? Making a 4" hole in my foundation , will cutting the rebar cause the foundation to crack ?

Cutting the re-bar so you can complete your 4 inch hole could cause your foundation to crack. I suspect that you already know that or else you would not be asking this question.

The problem here is that there is no way to provide any answer regarding assurance that cutting the re-bar would not be harmful to your foundation. There are just to many unknown variables to be able to make any prediction. Some of these unknowns are:

Are there other re-bars in the foundation
What part of the foundation, wall or footing
Type of construction of the foundation, cement blocks, poured concrete, stone or bricks
How thick the foundation is
Where the hole is located relative to edges, top, bottom or corners in the foundation
Hole location above or below grade
Past history of building structure foundation
Temperate zone location
Seismic zone conditions

If you are talking about a typical foundation for a house on even grade with a crawlspace (no basement) and no retained wall then disregard the other answer here. You're probably not going to ruin anything or cause a massive issue.

If you drill though one piece of reinforcement in your foundation wall then it won't cause cracking, though existing cracking, even if not yet visible to the eye, may widen some. It will expose the cut ends of the reinforcement to the air and therefore it will not be protected from rust anymore. Over longer time frames, this can become an issue.

Generally for this type of foundation the reinforcing is simply there to keep the concrete together as a single unit as the concrete cures and micro-cracks. This is called tension and shrinkage (T&S) reinforcement.

The T&S reinforcement does give the foundation an inherent baseline strength that is often considered in design in windy or seismic areas. For example, at shear wall holdowns the forces must often be resolved over some distance of the foundation and often that uses some of the extra capacity of the T&S reinforcement.

I assume that you need to drill this hole through the foundation as the only realistic solution to your situation. Your best option is to not hit reinforcing when you drill the foundation. For commercial construction the wall would be x-rayed or otherwise scanned in order to determine the location of reinforcing and locate a place free of it to drill the hole. You can make some educated assumptions to help locate your hole vertically, as the top piece of reinforcing is likely about 3" down from the top of the wall and the next piece 12", 15" or 18" below that (15", 18" or 21" from the top). Locating the hole horizontally to miss the vertical reinforcing is more of a guessing game. Likely it is 15" oc or 18" oc (the maximum allowed) and the layout probably starts about 3" from the outside face of one of the adjacent corners (but which one of the two is a best guess).

General Information About Reinforcing and Concrete Cracking

Reinforcing in concrete foundations is located in both the vertical and horizontal orientations.

Reinforcing is NOT to prevent cracking, it is what provides the tension strength of the concrete/reinforcing composite (concrete (usually) provides the compression strength). Concrete as very little strength in tension when not cracked and absolutely none when cracked. For design it is assumed that the concrete is cracked and the reinforcing is taking all the tension forces.

Concrete shrinks when it cures (dries) and that alone can cause cracking. Other times it cracks under load. Cracking of concrete in itself is not always, or even often, a design issue or failure, as long as the cracking is within certain limits.

While it may not be a strength issue it can still be an serviceability issue if the crack allows water to get to the reinforcing which can then oxidize (rust), and then later become a strength issue. The minimal cover of concrete over the reinforcing is 1-1/2" to properly protect it.

Sometimes cracks are visible and often cracks are not visible to the naked eye.


Adding an outlet to a light switch, just want to make sure I have the right idea I am in the process of replacing a dual light switch with a smaller switch and an outlet. I have the switch wired and working properly, but I am worried about the next step. The way I understand it, I need to:

Add another wire to the two twisted white wires, and that will go to the white on the outlet.
The leftover ground wire, will go to the ground on the outlet.
Add one more wire and connect it to the existing black wire and that would go to the hot in the outlet.

The black wire is a little odd in my opinion. It's a single one that's connected to both "hots" on light switch. That's how the old one was wired as well.

Am I missing something? Also, what is the easiest and correct way to add those two additional wires? I have no desire to but a 100 foot spool for just a few inches.

All the bare safety ground wires in your box should connect together. It is not sufficient to take the ground from one romex and connect that to the switch and another one from another romex bundle to the outlet. It is best to tie them together at the back of the box with a good quality wire nut and have pigtails that come out to each unit.

The method to join into the existing white wires will be to use a short piece of white insulated wire that is stripped on each end (pig tail). One end will attach to the existing white wires with a wire nut and the other end to your outlet.

For the black wire remove one end of it from the switch. Then attach two pigtail lengths of black wires to it with a wire nut and push that to the back of the box. One pigtail goes to the switch and the other to your outlet.

To get the stray bits of wire for the pigtails you can either open up a length of surplus romex cable and pull out the individual wires from there OR you can visit a decent hardware store where they very often will sell individual wires by the foot.

Looking at the photo, here's what you need to do:

Connect the Gold screw on the outlet to the small black loop of wire on the switch
Connect the Silver screw on the outlet to the two white wires (that are twisted together)
Connect the Green screw to the bare copper wire.

This will place the outlet on the same circuit, but independent of the switch, i.e., the switch doesn't turn the outlet on and off.

Basically, wherever you go, black is hot, white is neutral, and bare/green is ground (for AC at least).


Comapatibility with dedicated hot water recirculation plumbing Can this Watts Premier hot water recirculating pump (0955800) be connected to a dedicated plumbing (already intalled in the house) that recirculates water back directly to the tank and does not go through the cold water line? Or does this only have to be connected to the hot water pipe out from the tank and has to use the sensor in the farthest faucet in the house for the return?

Looking at the pump here and at a Lowes store, I would have to say yes to your question. I see nothing on that pump that forces you to install it on the tanks discharge or under a sink, per instructions.
I have a re-circulation loop I installed in my home. I brought a dedicated 1/2" line from the 3 bathrooms in my home. I soldered in a "Tee" and brought all 3 dedicated lines back to the hot water tank. After each tee I added a check valve to each line to stop any back feed through that line. All 3 lines were collected into a 3/4" copper line that went to the smallest B&G pump I could find (38 watts) and connected it to the tank at the bottom drain. I added a cheap timer so the pump runs 15 minutes per hour, except at certain times when more hot water is needed for things like showers and turn it off at night.  Hope this helps.

A hot water recirculator basically just bridges the hot and cold side of your hot water loop .Your water sources need to be a closed loop , you have to use the same water circuit that feeds the cold water line to your hot water heater, which would apply to the faucet/shower you want constant hot water.
Eg cold water input -> heater ->  hotwater output ,-> pump -> cold water input to heater.
You probably need to contact the manufacturer for their sensor equipment because they design it with particular environment to be operated in.
Things like ,
fitting thread pitch
max pressure
sustained heat load
max distance from hot water
max head pressure for a given distance of pipe
operational conditions (dual water source) ,etc


What is the purpose of tape when finishing drywall? Sorry if this is a stupid question, but it doesn't seem immediately obvious how a thin strip of paper tape actually helps the taping process in drywall installation except for perhaps reducing the amount of mud needed between panels.
This, from eHow:

Embedded in a layer of drywall joint compound, drywall tape creates a physical bond between adjacent sheets of drywall. Although the bond does not significantly contribute to the structural support of the drywall sheets, the bond reduces the movement and cracking of the sheets.

Wouldn't simply mudding between the joints have the same strength without the tape, albeit requiring more mud?

Nope. Go ahead and try it if you don't believe me! I certainly did...

The problem with wood frame houses is that they shift in weird ways as the wind hits them and as the foundation settles. The 8 foot long side of a standard drywall panel has a LOT of mechanical force to it if it moves even somewhat independently of the sheet next to it, and the joint compound rapidly turns to powder without tape to back it up. The same can happen if there is too much or too little compound or the compound is the wrong type, you can also see this problem.

This is akin to the reason that drywall is gypsum between two sheets of paper... All you have to do to break or cut the gypsum is to disturb the paper.

The best practice I've seen/used is to use Durabond to bed the tape, and then normal green stuff over it to feather the joint.

Way too many guesses here.  Drywall tape serves a single purpose:  To help make the seams invisible.  That it!  Drywall tape does not offer an mechanical strength at all.  If you skipped the drywall tape and just used joint compound to fill in the seams, the seams would become visible again after the compound dried.  Joint compound shrinks!  Tape does not shrink!  So applied tape first, and then joint compound.....results in a smooth finish because the compound doesn't need to be as thick (aka deep) because it rests on the smooth tape.


Water heater flush leaving pilot on is it safe? I have to do a water heater flush. From what I read, most websites said to leave water heater on pilot also leaving the gas on. Is this even safe?
would the water heater kick on when draining if left on pilot? will the tank be damaged if there is no water in the tank if left on pilot?

Yes it is safe to leave the water heater in pilot mode while flushing. You do not want the burner to fire while the tank is empty as this can damage the tank but the pilot will not cause a problem.
Added: most gas valves with a standing pilot have the temp setting and “pilot”  then off settings. Rotating to the pilot mode will keep the burner from turning while flushing. Some valves have a button to push to go into pilot mode.
For gas models with igniters just turning the valve off is fine as it will relight automatically.

I have flushed (NOT drained) my heaters several times with the pilot and burners on, no problem.


Looking for termites when thinking about buying a house I'm buying a house in an area where termites are a serious problem. I know most people are honest but most is not all. When I'm with a Realtor, at a showing of a house that I'm thinking of putting an offer on, how can I tell if there is a serious, obvious termite problem? I realize I can't tell for sure without a professional but strong signs or ways to "estimate" would be helpful.

I know there are other posts about checking for termites but they all assume that you already own the house. I will not have so much time or freedom to look around.

Other than learning how to look for exterior telltale signs of termite damage, such as spent casings and holes in the wood or in the ground, you need to write in a contingency on your offer to purchase for a complete home inspection and/or an additional pest inspection.

As mentioned above in the comments, hire your own home inspector and/or pest control specialist. DO NOT succumb to the pressure of Realtors to use their favorite inspectors. Find inspectors that truly work for the person that hires them, you! If you are not trained in building construction, inspection, or pest control, do not attempt to evaluate the condition of a home on your own.

Some Home Inspectors, such as myself, offer screening inspections. This is a simple walk through (apx 1 hour) and initial evaluation of a house before one even makes an offer. This type of inspection is not as comprehensive as a full inspection that can take 2 to 4 hours in home and documents all the aspects of the house, rather it is an hour spent looking for obvious major flaws or situations that will help you determine if you actually want to consider placing an offer. Once you have found a house you are serious about, this screening inspection is usually much cheaper than a full inspection, but since the inspector should be acting as your advocate, can advise you if there are any major issues that would influence your decision to make an offer or not.  For the hundred bucks or so, it can be a huge time saver, allow you to make a more realistic offer, and give you a better feeling of confidence about the home you are making an offer on.   Good Luck.

This is a very valid and concern and very good information has been offered. However, inspections don't find 100% of infestations and if an owner is crooked, irresponsible or ignorant, they may have termite and 'fixed' the warning signs.
The only almost perfect answer is Beagles. Before you slough this off spend a moment and Google "Termites Inspection by Beagles" or perhaps "termite detection dogs."
Good Luck and good hunting.


How can I align 2 holes 1.5m apart? I need to drill 2 holes in a concrete wall, about 1.5m apart and I need the line between them to be as horizontal as possible.

I have a level, not that big, and few other basic tools.

How can I align them properly?

Borrow a laser level
Borrow a 4 foot mason's level
Don't use a level -- use a plumb bob and HS geometry

Make a plumb bob by hanging a heavy and centered weight from a chalk line and snap it in the center of your desired holes..  Now pick a point on the wall that will be your left hole and two points on your chalked line.  Use a wire and measure the distance from the hole to the upper point on your chalk line.  Draw an arc on the opposite side of the wall.  Repeat for the lower point on your chalk line; where they intersect is the location of your other hole.

2m piece of string with a 1kg weight in the middle and hanging scale (or Newton measures or other substitute) when the 2 scales read the same the hole is level.


Pipe Size from well to house I'm new to owning a house with a well and am looking to clean up piping and well equipment as it is all from the 70's and I'm experiencing strong sulfur smells in my water.

From the specs I've gathered my well is 1/2 HP about 80' deep in the well with static water level at 14'.

Pipe from the pump is 1" poly however by the time it makes it to my utility room under the slab the pipe goes down to 3/4" in copper.

is 3/4" inlet sufficient to up-size my existing 40-gallon pressure tank to an 80 gallon? I will probably be staying with 40/60 pressure switch.

Thanks in advance!

I lived in a house 20 years ago that had your exact installation. I lived there for 24 years and had no problem with water flow or water pressure. Since I do plumbing I thought I could improve water flow, big mistake, all that time wasted. It worked fine with or without my tinkering. The sulphur smell is probably iron. Have your water tested; Home Depot and Lowes have test kits. You take a sample and send it to a company. I would also get a second opinion from a local water softner co. Also ask your neighbors if they have the same water smell and ask how they addressed it. I had to get an iron filter and a softner from Culligan. The salesman was from the same town and had a great reputation. I was well pleased.


One GFCI outlet to protect them all My house was built in 1981, we have a small U shaped kitchen with 5 outlets, along with a switch for the garbage disposal.

I do not see any GFCI outlets or any indication any of them are.  With a 4 month old now in the house, I am thinking it is a good idea to look at the electrical.

My question is if the outlets are all on the same line (they all go off with one switch in the breaker), can I install one GFCI outlet and it would protect al of them, or do I need to replace all 5?

I am fine either way, just do not want to spend the time and money if it doesn't serve a purpose.   Is there a way to identify if they are in series or parallel?  And if so would that impact if I need to replace them all or one?

I have read some basics on GFCI but get some conflicting reports on if one will protect them all.

If you can locate the outlet at the head of the chain, then you only need to replace that outlet. Just make sure the the incoming power is connected the the LINE terminals and the downstream outlets are connected to the LOAD terminals. The instructions included with the outlet should explain this.

Alternatively, if the only thing on that circuit are your kitchen outlets, you could replace the breaker with a GFCI breaker.

I would simply follow the code, which would state that you need a GFCI within so many feet of the water outlet.

Electricians stop reading here... :)

It sounds like you don't want to pay the extra money.  You would be "safer" to use GFCI outlet as close to point of use as possible, but as long as outlets are close together, I don't see the harm.  You can daisy chain a standard outlet to a GFCI outlet.  It has a place for it to be wired on the back.  I would just do this two times, so you would just need to buy three of the GFCI outlets instead of five of them.  They come in three packs at a discount as well.  Mark all standard outlets with a label stating "GFCI PROTECTED" and an indicator of what GFCI outlet feeds the standard outlet (a small number or letter)

GFCI have backwire connections for both the line and load terminals for a reason.


What is this bracket or tool made from steel bar? What is this? A tool? Shelf hardware? Something else?

It's a single support for a staging plank.
It would require at least one more like it (plus a plank to run between them) to be useful.
The angled slots suggest specifically for holding a toe board (keeps workers from sliding off the edge) at the edge of roofing work, since that allows the support to be shingled over and removed without direct access to the nails holding it in place, but it's not (what I would call) a "Roof Jack" with a similar holding arrangement and a board support that can be adjusted to be level or near level on the slope.

source

the hook is pretty much a giveaway that is from furniture hardware / shelf hardware.