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1500 questions
17
votes
1 answer

Metal braided cord in the wall

I was expanding a hole in what I think is drywall in between two closets. When I took the drill out I noticed some metal protruding and it looks like I went through a braided cable, but the metal looks pretty thick. No idea if it's electrical or…
msj121
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Scientifically speaking, how and why does sweating (soldering) copper pipes work?

A few years ago I remodeled my bathroom and learned how to sweat copper pipes. I've always been able to do it successfully since then, but I've always wondered exactly how and why it works. I've done some searching on the web but most of what I find…
Mike Willis
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3 answers

Are both legs of a home's power supply equally used?

This is basically just to satisfy my curiosity. Please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this: I believe power supply to a home's main panel usually consists of: A neutral wire A hot wire 120 volts AC above the neutral A hot wire 120 volts AC…
dbracey
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5 answers

Is there an ideal height for a workbench?

Is there a universal standard height that people try to go for when building workbenches? Should DIY tabletops be tailor made to the height of the user and how does the ideal height of the tabletop correlate to the person?
Ambo100
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17
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6 answers

Should I hire an architect to design my house?

I am planning to build a house for my family. It's relatively simple and modest by modern American standards. I plan to do much of the work myself, and want to keep costs down. I have been working on some designs, but I wonder what a professional…
Jay Bazuzi
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5 answers

If I install a GFCI on the first outlet in a circuit will the other receptacles on that breaker circuit have GFI protection?

I have three electrical outlets in my garage which appear to be connected to one circuit breaker. I am assuming the outlet closest to to the panel is first in the three receptacle circuit. How can I test this assumption? If it is, will…
provlima
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3 answers

Strange mud-like formation on ceiling

I live on 4th floor of a seven-storey building. It's been a month since I noticed these strange things growing on my ceiling. It looks like mud when observed closely. At first I cleared it with brush which can be seen in the picture as light stains.…
Saikat Ashraf
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6 answers

How do you push a cable through a standard conduit inside the wall?

I want to expand my network and transmit it wired through my home and office (in another floor). I know the IT part kind of well, but don't know how to push the network cable through a conduit (already know where's the entry and exit). Do you need a…
Anton Dylan
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17
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9 answers

How do I "fix" a bad sweat (solder) joint?

I tried soldering some 1/2" copper (to make something like this) and some of my joints are horrible. I tested it with water and some of the joints leak. What is the best way to fix the joints? What is a quick and easy way that will work? These…
Tim
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7 answers

How can I change light bulbs in a fixture located 20ft above the ground?

We made the unfortunate decision of having a ceiling fan with lights in our two story family room, so the ceiling fan is about 20 feet above our heads. At the moment, all four light bulbs in the unit have burnt out and need replacing. Safety wise,…
LarsTech
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17
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2 answers

Can you rout plywood?

I have some applewood 13 ply 3/4" plywood that I'm using for a desk top. I was wondering if I took a router to the edges if it would turnout ok.
Luke
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16
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4 answers

How can I override a motion detector light?

I am going to be installing one or two motion detector lights to cover my backyard. I would like the ability to "override" the motion detector. What I mean by this is that I would like to be able to flip a switch that turns and keeps the lights…
Kellenjb
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7 answers

How can I stop birds from hitting my sunroom windows?

Over the last three days, I have probably had over a dozen birds try to fly through my sunroom, only to be stopped by the 72"X52" sliding windows; three of the birds have died. What can I do so that the birds realize there is a window there,…
Dan McClain
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16
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6 answers

Can I connect ground to neutral in a 3 wire outlet?

I have a 3 wire outlet with the entrances for hot, neutral and ground. But I know that the ground entrance is not really grounded, so in effect useless. Now, since the neutral is grounded, could I connect the ground entrance with the neutral…
Mr. Roland
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5 answers

What is "pipe dope"?

People often refer to "pipe dope" when talking about sealing threads of pipe fittings, but when I go to Home Depot or Lowes or whatever, I've never seen anything on the shelf labeled "Pipe Dope". This seems to be an old-fashioned word that people…
JPhi1618
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