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1500 questions
15
votes
9 answers
How do outdoor mist-cooling A\C units fare in real-world usage?
I live in Phoenix where summer outdoor temperatures regularly exceed 110°F and humidity around 15% or lower is not uncommon. In this environment a mist system can easily pull the temperature down 20 to 30 or even 40 degrees in some cases. I've been…
tylerl
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15
votes
4 answers
How do I install an outdoor receptacle box on vinyl siding?
Any tips for adding an outdoor receptacle box onto a house with vinyl siding? Shouldn't the box be attached to a stud? How do I seal around it? J Channel? How can I accomplish this without tearing off large chunks of siding? I can handle the…
BrianK
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15
votes
3 answers
How can I unscrew this nut with little clearance?
I am trying to replace my kitchen faucet and have encountered a nut that I don’t know how to get at. As you can see the nut is bounded by counter (green) on one side and sink (red) on the other. I’ve tried various wrenches but can’t seem to get them…
BinaryTox1n
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15
votes
6 answers
Why would there be a 50 amp plug on a 30 amp appliance?
I have an old conveyor dryer, which my office purchased used some time ago, just sitting in storage. The dryer is for silk screen t-shirts and has a large heating element and a variable speed conveyor that runs underneath, rather like a small pizza…
DavGarcia
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15
votes
2 answers
What's the term for a hole with a screw thread?
I'm replicating a drawer handle that fits on an M4 screw. If you'd look inside the plastic hole, you can see a gold-colored metal tube that has screw threads. That's what the screw screws into.
My question is: What is the technical term for this…
Ram Rachum
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15
votes
4 answers
Is there a device that will allow a bathroom fan to run for 5 minutes after it is switched off?
There is one switch that controls the lights and fan in the bathroom. Users turn the light/fan on when they enter, and off when they leave.
I'd like for the bathroom fan to run for a time after they leave, after turning off the lights.
Is there a…
Adam Davis
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15
votes
4 answers
How do I fix a broken power cord
My dog chewed through the plug end of a air purifier that I have in my house. I was wondering if it was possible to buy a plug by itself connect the end of this cord into the plug safely. Below is a picture of what the end of the cord now looks…
Justin Todd
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15
votes
3 answers
A guest pushed in my shower wall tile. How can I fix it?
Some guests stayed over at our house a couple days ago and one accidentally leaned a little on the shower wall. Leaving behind a gap between what seems to be the drywall or backing and the actual tile!
Now we’re not up to the idea of spend hundreds…
domErving
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15
votes
3 answers
Condensor went, HVAC guy is blaming electrician, is this possible?
My brand new HVAC unit, the condensor died. The unit has a sticker that says the following:
Minimum Circuit Ampacity 32 amps
Max Fuse / Breaker 50
The electrician ran a 8 gauge wire with a 40 amp breaker to the ac. The HVAC guy is telling me…
CD Brian
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15
votes
4 answers
Are rechargeable 9-volt batteries suitable for use in smoke detectors?
Lithium-Ion rechargeable 9V batteries are now readily available.
Are they appropriate for use with hardwired smoke detectors, which typically use 9V batteries as battery backups?
What about for use as primary power in battery-powered smoke…
End Anti-Semitic Hate
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15
votes
1 answer
Running cat 6 networking cable in the attic: what is up to code?
I plan on adding a Cat 6 network in my single-story detached home. It would consist of home runs from each of the 3 bedrooms + TV room to a central patch panel in the garage, which is close to the center of the home. The cat 6 cable runs will follow…
funkadelic
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15
votes
5 answers
How do I improve Pergola Stability?
The deck is nearly finished but I have a small structural problem with the pergola. A left or right force near the top of the pergola (such a a tall person leaning on the post) leads to a bit of noticeable wobble. Everything is rock solid at the…
Chris Cudmore
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15
votes
4 answers
Is there any danger in pulling a washing machine forward?
Our washing machine broke, specifically it stopped draining water. The water has been in there for a few days now and has started to smell. I researched this problem a bit and all possible solutions involve having access to the back of the machine.…
joon
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15
votes
4 answers
How can I tell if these pipes are gas lines or water lines?
I recently moved into an in-law unit of a large old house. In the kitchen, there are two pipes coming out of the wall (one protruding out a little more than the other). I had assumed they were gas lines to connect my stove. But since the stove…
Erica
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15
votes
2 answers
Splitting a 240V line into two 120V lines
In my garage I have wiring for a 240V outlet. It is a four-wire setup (two hots, one neutral and one ground). It is set up on a 20 ampere double breaker in the circuit breaker box. I want to remove that outlet and install two 120V receptacles in its…
Kevin Bright
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