Richard Moore

Now that I think about it, I can't actually recall the last time I bought any of them, but I'm sure that I've been using the same yellow GB tester for the last 3 or 4 years...at least. I carry a couple of spares but, amazingly, I haven't lost one in a long time. Never had a problem with prongs "sinking into the case" on any brand tester over the years, including the decades before HI. So, John, I hate to ask, but could it it be poor "marksmanship" inserting your tool? Have you had your eyes checked recently?

I'll gladly admit to once or twice if it means I don't have to confess the real number.

I ended up finding my my own answer. Basically all new homes built in WA since July, 1991 require some type of automatic system. There's an interesting little study at ... http://www.nwcouncil.org/energy/rtf/sub ... Report.pdf I'm now more certain the timer was incorrectly replaced and should be "repaired" rather than "improved".

Specifically, the requirement to have some type of automatic air exchange method available. I ask because I had a 1994 townhouse today, unitary electric heat. It had vented windows but no timer for the bigger and quietest fan (or one anywhere else). I think (maybe?) it had been replaced by this 60 second timer when the bathroom was re-fitted. Click to Enlarge 15.73 KB Does that look like a 1994 device? Anyway...it seemed odd to have the small vents at the windows, but no daily timer.

Dried flue gas condensate. To get condensate, just add water. []

Yeah, assuming nothing else screwed up, no problem. The 200-amp breaker at the sub is now simply a big disconnect. Presumably, the sub is a 200-amp rated panel. It might be slightly more correct to say the 60-amp breaker is protecting the #2 feeders rather than the panel...but no big deal. Not common but probably what they had on hand? I'm guessing what feeds what has been moved around. Hmmm??? How would they connect those feeders (not SECs) in the main panel? I mean, if that main panel is the service equipment with a 200-amp breaker as the service disconnect, you can't just use those bottom lugs to feed something else downstream.

Right there might be your problem. Three houses in a day would stress me out no matter what condition they were in. It's very rare that I'll even take on two. I would never attempt three. Maybe if I were half my age...but I'm not and, Les, judging from your photo and the lack of cranial covering, neither are you. There's no amount of money worth the getting if it kills you in the process! Slow down a bit. You've earned it.

Thanks Doug. I now knows more better.

Just to throw in another option...is it possible that those rag wrapped cables are tinned copper and not aluminum? All the solid Al I've seen, as well as photos online, had plastic cable covering. Did they make a rag wrap solid aluminum cable?

Typically they would do that around here when one flue is no longer needed and they don't want rain and/or critters getting in. I don't mean to get on your case, but don't you think explaining to us what the house had in the way of fireplaces and/or gas or oil appliances would be helpful?

I found this "vent valve" behind laundry appliances in a 50's basement. It was connected to ABS drain piping and I think it was part of an upgrade that included a crappy shower stall and toilet. The configuration actually looked OK, if this was an AAV, but... Printing on the cap included "Watco Plastics, K.C. Mo., Vent Valve" and what looks like "#P6" (maybe #P16). Google doesn't bring up anything useful. Can anyone confirm my very strong suspicion that this is a mechanical vent and not an acceptable AAV? That's my fallback report position unless anyone convinces me otherwise. Click to Enlarge 25.15 KB

Maybe. There were a number of holes rough cut into various hallway ceilings around the complex for plumbing access and the building super/manager had a story about improper boiler grounding causing problems with various soldered joints(???). Frankly, he didn't seem to know what had really happened or what the fix had been other than it had been very recent (that's another "investigate further" for my client). So, yes, this might be someone messing with the controls. But...I guess my main question is what you would consider an acceptable minimum temp.

A small condo in a large 2006 complex with common hot water supplied by a pair of Lars 715K BTU boilers ("looked at", not really inspected). My unit was at the other end of the complex from the boilers, probably 250' as the crow flies and obviously much further by pipe. I ran a lot of hot water at the unit, including the tub, dishwasher and laundry but at no time did the water temp get above 99°F (kitchen and bathroom sinks). This was the middle of the day and there probably wasn't a lot of activity or water use going on in the complex, but does that really matter? It seems to me that water, hot enough to get rid of grease at the kitchen sink or to have a good hot shower with, should be readily available, even if it is included in the dues. I know I would want more than this unit had by feel and thermometer. I'm recommending the client seek more info from the HOA. What say y'all?

You say the frame is broken. I can't tell from the photo, but is that top rail cracked at the attachment point? Openers are supposed to be attached to the center of the door, so I would not move it off to one side as that could cause the door to rack. A sizable piece of angle or channel iron would be my own fix (as in Marc's photo) but I wouldn't try to specify anything in particular, rather have them get a garage door contractor to correct it. Any extra weight can and should be be easily accommodated by adjusting the torsion bar/spring. One re-balanced, the perceived weight at the opener would be the same. It's not going to get too heavy.

Me too, but only if Rob can't do it. Whatcha got?

I would say you are missing a sediment trap and, instead, have a valved and capped off tee for a future appliance. I'll dig out my books, but I thought a sediment trap had to be configured as in the diagram or photo in order to be (most) effective. Click to Enlarge 13.05 KB Click to Enlarge 34.28 KB

Bank owned probably means it was winterized. I suspect you still have air trapped, at least partially, at a fixture or line near the tub and sink, but not directly "in line" with the heater. Presumably there wasn't a washing machine, and you didn't attempt to bleed that supply line, so that would be my first guest as the culprit.

You are mixing up pressure with flow. In a normal household system, with all faucets closed, the static pressure in the hot lines is equal to the static pressure in the cold. The pump is simply moving water around what is effectively a closed loop. It wouldn't be working against any incoming flow unless you had the cold faucet open.

Those seams look more like 3' apart to me, which would be in line with your common, basic mod-bit torch-down roof. That's what that appears to be (see photo). The white color is probably some low-end reflective coating that was applied some time after the fact. Click to Enlarge 42.26 KB

The twin, tandem, 2 wafer breaker, whatever, is in a single, full size slot and therefore on a single bus bar tab so, yes, it's all the same 120-volt leg. But, no, the load does get split between the breakers. There's probably going to be some unevenness, so you might not get a full 40-amps before one of them trips at 20, but it will be a lot closer to 40 than 20. Some (Siemens for example) 200-amp main breakers are actually four 100-amp breakers tied together as two pairs. Same thing, 2 x 100 = 200. My best guess (because, offhand, I can't think of any other sane reason for doing it) would be a change from an electric range to gas and they moved one leg of the original 240-volt feed to provide a 120 receptacle for the new range. Trouble is, the way it's hooked up, that 20-amp receptacle is way overfused. Maybe they too thought it would be 20-amps that way, but they were wrong.

Hmmm....I've never heard them described as wafers before. But, it might just be me(?).

All things being roughly equal, yes, 40 amps. You are splitting the load between the two breakers. At 40(+) amps, one breaker will trip followed very, very quickly by the other. All things being exactly equal, then I guess both could trip simultaneously. But, you just can't do that! Among many other questions; Assuming this is part of a 240-volt, 40-amp circuit, where the hell is the other leg? Oh...and whats a "20-amp wafer"? I've never heard that term.

I've been doing "dorky" for the last 6 years or so and, while I've had clients say they weren't expecting someone to turn up in a Mini, I've never had anyone say it looked "unprofessional". In practice, I rarely use the LG as I seem to manage to get onto most roofs using nothing but the Telesteps I carry in the trunk. Download Attachment: troll2.jpg 217.18 KB Not for everyone though. The back seat sucks, it's useless in deeper snow due to very low front clearance and while I can get 33 mpg on a freeway (without the ladder), it's just a little too much fun to drive hardish around town. I only average around 21 mpg overall unless I have long trips. You should see it with the kayak on top!

If this was the 70's I would expect to find speaker wire inside! But...talking of the 70's, whoever added those on top and around the existing deck had to be smoking something. I particularly like the slab "balanced" on top of the left post. What to call them? Crap That Needs Removing?

While Charlie's answer is correct, it's not the main reason that your "solution" is wrong. The main purpose of a circuit grounding conductor is to reliably pass current from a short or ground fault back to the utility's grounded (neutral) feeder via the service panel and thereby allow the circuit's overcurrent device to function. A ground rod is not a reliable path for circuit ground fault current.