|
I've got a backyard pagoda that the PO wired up for lighting, but then never actually connected to any circuit. It's about 5 feet away from the exterior outlet that it was obviously supposed to get connected into. I've got just enough 12/2 yellow romex...if I put it inside some plastic conduit that I bury would that be okay or do I need to get specific 12/2 romex rated for burial?
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 04:33
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 11:59 |
|
|
If I recall correctly, romex is not rated for direct burial or indeed any kind of outdoor use. Also keep in mind that proper burial will require a fairly deep trench. IIRC it varies by location but at least 24" is common. Ask in the wiring thread if you need actual expert opinions.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 04:59
|
|
|
Anybody in CO got a foundation repair company they recommend? Had a quote come in at $135k but it was a groundwork company.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 07:44
|
|
|
Jenkl posted:Yo this is sweet! I wonder how well something like that would hold up? Gotta imagine all the little cuts make water more of a problem. I would think so. IIRC the decking is supposed to overhang the fascia boards for exactly that reason. And also you get to stare at those notches every day.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 12:30
|
|
|
TooMuchAbstraction posted:If I recall correctly, romex is not rated for direct burial or indeed any kind of outdoor use. Also keep in mind that proper burial will require a fairly deep trench. IIRC it varies by location but at least 24" is common. Ask in the wiring thread if you need actual expert opinions. Ah yeah, I checked the local code and it's pretty clear. To the hardware store I go then.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 13:36
|
|
|
Justa Dandelion posted:Anybody in CO got a foundation repair company they recommend? Had a quote come in at $135k but it was a groundwork company. Call a structural engineer and see who they recommend.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 14:54
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:I have no doubt that is great advice, but I also have no powered trim nailer. I was just planning on drilling pilot holes and pounding in the trim nails like a Neanderthal.  trim screws will suck the trim to the wall. get the composite screws w the reverse threading to keep the screw hole neat (still drill pilot hole) that + couple kerf cuts + good caulking = "carpenter secrets"
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 15:02
|
|
|
PainterofCrap posted:*leaps into the gutter* Yeah, it really is case-by-case, and it's amazing the misconceptions that occur when it comes to the movement of water. The roof discharging rainfall to a nice, wide concrete driveway that probably has a decent gradient that conveys the flow away, as you mention on the right side of your house? Awesome! That's probably all you need. Concrete aprons or such that extend out some distance from the wall? Maybe... if it's a substantial distance from the wall, but water falling within probably 5-10 feet of the wall, if it reaches grade, will infiltrate, saturate, and convey along a gradient that is, for lack of a better term, the "path of least resistance" (really a major combination of geotechnical factors in terms of permittivity, porosity, etc.), which, if there is a nearby basement that has poor water retardation, is probably where it will go! Especially if there is a sump pump, etc., that is effectively creating a zone of influence in that immediate vicinity. So yeah, if someone doesn't have a nice, large, run of concrete to convey water away easily, then put those gutters up and put some lengthy extensions on the downspouts!
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 17:03
|
|
|
So, my wife and I have a little monster that is trying his best to crawl. As part of a multi pronged approach to child safety I was looking at tamper resistant receptacles. They look pretty straight forward to install without a ton of electrical knowledge. Is there a preferred brand and is there anything in particular I should aware of? Are the ones with USB outlets a horrible idea? Are tamper resistant outlets in general a bad idea? Second question - the idiots who wired this place wired a track light to the same circuit as the light over our dining room table. We’re contemplating either a remote controlled LED bar light or dimmable bar light and adding a dimmer switch. Would there be issues with two LED lights being on the same dimmer switch? I’ve renovated the rest of the place myself, replaced some light fixtures and paid my way through college fixing and curbing cars and motorcycles, so I’m generally handy but am not an electrician.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 17:16
|
|
|
I'm mostly confused about the thought that Vermont = no gutters. There are plenty of homes with gutters here. Not having them is, as said, an aspect of the architecture. I guess New England has a decent proportion of older homes that were originally designed without them, but it's hardly unique to us. As far as I know, the only uniquely Vermont architecture is the Witch Window, though you'll find a few in the rest of New England and partfls of northern NY.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 17:26
|
|
|
MrAmazing posted:Are tamper resistant outlets in general a bad idea? Tamper resistant receptacles have been required in some locations since 2008 and the ratchet has been tightening every code cycle. There are some exceptions, but at this point in the average home the vast majority of receptacles are required to be tamper resistant. So you're in good company. I'm not an electrician, so I'll avoid the rest of your questions.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 17:34
|
|
|
MrAmazing posted:So, my wife and I have a little monster that is trying his best to crawl. As part of a multi pronged approach to child safety I was looking at tamper resistant receptacles. Can't speak to the meat of your questions but I personally don't like built-in USB ports because their amperage tends to really suck compared to newer chargers, and I'd rather have that space available for regular electrical cords and be able to swap out wall warts.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 17:55
|
|
|
BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:
There is no way to conform this trim to the wall by brute force without breaking it. Now that I've been toxxed to build a steam bender, I'll make a video and it will be more clear how much it needs to be bent.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 18:00
|
|
|
BonerGhost posted:Can't speak to the meat of your questions but I personally don't like built-in USB ports because their amperage tends to really suck compared to newer chargers, and I'd rather have that space available for regular electrical cords and be able to swap out wall warts. They also tend to be mechanically large, so if you have a lot of junctions at that outlet, it can be tough to get them into a standard depth box sometimes.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 20:14
|
|
|
MrAmazing posted:So, my wife and I have a little monster that is trying his best to crawl. As part of a multi pronged approach to child safety I was looking at tamper resistant receptacles. Replacing light fixtures and swapping outlets are on par with each other assuming you did it safely. Is the wiring in your house old or modern? Basically which picture here is your house: https://www.mccelec.com/history-of-wiring/ If it's the bottom one, go for it. I would buy a contractor pack of outlets and go to town. Note that you will still want a set of in-use covers and power strip covers to prevent them from getting little fingers into exposed prongs of plugs or putting stuff into non-TR power strips. Make sure you pay special attention to any GFCI stuff that you are getting the line and load sides correct. Do not back stab, but your life can be made easier by getting the screw-clamp straight wire outlets, though I wouldn't worry about it if LowesDepot doesn't sell them. I don't like usb stuff in outlets, manufacturers on all sides (Leviton et al, Apple, Samsung, etc) are just atrocious at playing nicely with each other and I wouldn't want to spend $50+ on something that is going to become surprise obsolete or take 8hrs to charge my phone. I get tempted but I resist. Remember that little plastic outlet covers are fine as well - they will keep your kid out for a good long while and can be installed today to get you going. Check "buy nothing <my area>" groups on facebook for free babyproofing stuff.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 21:58
|
|
|
Also as far as brands go, there are a couple of major ones (Leviton, FISHMANPET fucked around with this message at 22:15 on Oct 5, 2022 |
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2022 22:11
|
|
|
Motronic posted:making relief cuts/kerf cuts 1/2 to 2/3 the depth of the trim piece. BIG-DICK-BUTT-gently caress posted:couple kerf cuts Correct me if I am wrong, but when you guys refer to making kerf cuts in 1/4 round trim, it would be done like this, correct?
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 01:38
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:Correct me if I am wrong, but when you guys refer to making kerf cuts in 1/4 round trim, it would be done like this, correct? That depends on what direction you're trying to flex the quarter round. The orientation you have this in would be if you were trying to curve it around an outside curve. If you were trying to run is against the inside of a curve you'd be taking kerfs out of the "pretty side" i.e. the front of it (bottom in your picture). You could also be trying to curve it up or down in which case.........I'm sure you get the idea. This isn't magic, it's just removing material so you have space to bend part of it without over stretching the other part of it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 01:44
|
|
|
Motronic posted:That depends on what direction you're trying to flex the quarter round. That's kind of what I figured and my dilemma is that I'm going around an inside curve. Well, not so much a curve but a shape like \____/ with rounded corners. I could see cutting on the pretty side if it was going to be painted, but I'm going with a natural finish and I'm guessing a wood filler - even if it is just 2-3 kerf cuts - would look awful.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 02:10
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:Correct me if I am wrong, but when you guys refer to making kerf cuts in 1/4 round trim, it would be done like this, correct? You can probably Google a kerf cut calculator or template you can print out. Make sure it has a scale on it, there should be a box that says "this is 1inch x 1inch". That's to make sure nothing is scaling your printout.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 02:10
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:That's kind of what I figured and my dilemma is that I'm going around an inside curve. Well, not so much a curve but a shape like \____/ with rounded corners. I could see cutting on the pretty side if it was going to be painted, but I'm going with a natural finish and I'm guessing a wood filler - even if it is just 2-3 kerf cuts - would look awful. I mean, it is possible to do it from the back and just leave a lot of open air it's just......yeah lol good luck with the typical quality of quarter round you get these days. At least it's cheap enough that you can experiment until you figure it out.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 02:13
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:That's kind of what I figured and my dilemma is that I'm going around an inside curve. Well, not so much a curve but a shape like \____/ with rounded corners. I could see cutting on the pretty side if it was going to be painted, but I'm going with a natural finish and I'm guessing a wood filler - even if it is just 2-3 kerf cuts - would look awful. You should try kerfing the back like in the picture you posted. I am fairly sure this will solve your problem. You are mitering the corners at the inside of the bay window, not trying to bend one piece around the entire thing, right? If kerfing the back doesn't solve the problem, add another, smaller piece of trim (like just a 1/4" thick x 1/2" tall flat piece) over the quarter round to hide the remaining gap between the wall. That definitely will bend.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 02:28
|
|
|
Kaiser Schnitzel posted:You should try kerfing the back like in the picture you posted. I am fairly sure this will solve your problem. You are mitering the corners at the inside of the bay window, not trying to bend one piece around the entire thing, right? If kerfing the back doesn't solve the problem, add another, smaller piece of trim (like just a 1/4" thick x 1/2" tall flat piece) over the quarter round to hide the remaining gap between the wall. That definitely will bend. Correct, I am mitering the corners. The left and back sides are both straght. No problem there. The right side is the thorn in my side. I'm toxxed into building a steam bender now. Between that and some backside kerfs and trim head screws, I think it is going to work.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 03:26
|
|
|
Crap...forgot to add the picture:
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 03:27
|
|
|
Discovered while looking for damp walls in a house hit by hurricane Ian: 
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 03:33
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:There is no way to conform this trim to the wall by brute force without breaking it. Now that I've been toxxed to build a steam bender, I'll make a video and it will be more clear how much it needs to be bent. Are you painting the trim or staining it? If you're painting it you could get pvc . edit: Ok you said it's not painted. But seriously, how hosed up is the wall?
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 05:13
|
|
|
MrAmazing posted:So, my wife and I have a little monster that is trying his best to crawl. As part of a multi pronged approach to child safety I was looking at tamper resistant receptacles. Hey me from 7 years ago Tamper resistant outlets are very easy to install, but you're still dealing with electricity and need to take all of the standard precautions. Breaker off, check with the non-contact voltage tester a few times, ask thread if you spot anything funny, and after you're done use an outlet tester on each outlet. This is also a good opportunity to test your GFCI circuits, an outlet tester will make that easy. Any hardware store should have tamper resistant outlets, they usually have a little TR embedded on the face and should be easy enough to spot by just looking at the outlet holes The ones with USB outlets are fine, just use them sparingly because they are more expensive and it is pointless to have USB outlets everywhere. Have a specific use in mind. And remember that a dedicated USB to 3-prong converter gives twice the power at a fraction of the price, so really think carefully about how many USB-combo outlets you need QuarkJets fucked around with this message at 05:26 on Oct 6, 2022 |
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 05:20
|
|
|
SkunkDuster posted:Crap...forgot to add the picture: 3d print the weird shaped trim piece.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 06:12
|
|
|
H110Hawk posted:Replacing light fixtures and swapping outlets are on par with each other assuming you did it safely. Is the wiring in your house old or modern? Basically which picture here is your house: Definitely the bottom picture from what I’ve seen on the lights i swapped. It was built in 99 buy a very reputable builder. We have the little plug covers (from our local buy nothing actually) and I’ll look for power strip covers and in use covers. The only GFCI outlets are a good 3-5 years from being reachable thankfully, so it’s just replacement of vanilla outlets with TR outlets. Thanks everyone!
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 06:27
|
|
|
MrAmazing posted:Definitely the bottom picture from what I’ve seen on the lights i swapped. It was built in 99 buy a very reputable builder. We have the little plug covers (from our local buy nothing actually) and I’ll look for power strip covers and in use covers. Gfci protection is not about reachability. It provides protection for itself and all outlets downstream of it against electricity flowing somewhere other than neutral. (I.E. Through you or your child.) you only need 1 per branch or 1 breaker.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 06:37
|
|
|
MrYenko posted:Discovered while looking for damp walls in a house hit by hurricane Ian: Yes, that is how dimmer switches operate. That's why they have wattage ratings that can be down rated by snapping some of the cooling fins off of them to help with fitment.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 13:56
|
|
|
And the fancy ones that have LED support will use a SCR that gets much less hot than a traditional rheostat, but the old school 300/600w max ones get toasty.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 22:15
|
|
|
corgski posted:And the fancy ones that have LED support will use a SCR that gets much less hot than a traditional rheostat, but the old school 300/600w max ones get toasty. Dimmers have been SCRs for aaaaages. Your 300W/600W is likely an SCR. They work by waiting for a set amount of time after zero-crossing (0ms for full dimming, uhhh 16? ms for almost no power) in the half-cycle of thew sine wave before switching on the power, so you're looking at power coming on in a sharp spike and trailing off and LEDs don't like this. Newer ones are based on IBGTs instead and chop the trailing edge of the half-wave. Or they use PWM and instead can actually vary the amplitude of the sine wave.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 22:44
|
|
|
luminalflux posted:Dimmers have been SCRs for aaaaages. Your 300W/600W is likely an SCR. They work by waiting for a set amount of time after zero-crossing (0ms for full dimming, uhhh 16? ms for almost no power) in the half-cycle of thew sine wave before switching on the power, so you're looking at power coming on in a sharp spike and trailing off and LEDs don't like this. Newer ones are based on IBGTs instead and chop the trailing edge of the half-wave. Or they use PWM and instead can actually vary the amplitude of the sine wave. Coming from a major US-based dimmer manufacturer...what you're saying here doesn't line up with my experience in wallbox dimming. This might be brand dependent. For clarity, when I say wallbox dimming I am referring to a dimmer switch-type device that would mount in a normal US wallbox. The 300/600W (150W led/600W incandescent for some brands) standard dimmer is likely a triac dimmer. No major brand that I'm familiar with uses SCRs, because they're unidirectional devices so you'd need two of them. This creates a mechanical packaging problem with no functionality gain over the single triac. You are correct that with a triac device, you delay turnon at the zero crossing to limit power to the light bulb and dim it. You can't trailing-edge dim with a triac device because they must turn off at a zero crossing, you can't force them off. Trailing edge or phase selectable dimmers that I'm familiar with are FET based. A FET can be turned on or off at any point in the sine wave, allowing trailing edge dimming where you turn the load on immediately at the zero cross, then cut off the end of the sine wave. Many LED bulbs dim better with this waveform, and it can also reduce audible noise in some applications. You do need to package two FETs into the same space, which drives complexity and cost. There are also complexities with device switching speed and the tradeoff of heat dissipation vs emissions. I'm not familiar with household type dimmers that use IGBTs, but they may exist. I have also never seen or heard of a wallbox-size dimmer that pwms the sine wave, this would be a nightmare from a radiated emissions and heat dissipation perspective but it also might exist. I'd be curious to see either if you have examples.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 23:24
|
|
|
TacoHavoc posted:Coming from a major US-based dimmer manufacturer...what you're saying here doesn't line up with my experience in wallbox dimming. This might be brand dependent. For clarity, when I say wallbox dimming I am referring to a dimmer switch-type device that would mount in a normal US wallbox. I'm coming from a theatrical background and by SCR I probably should have just said Triac, you're right. I didn't realize that trailing-edge dimmers used FET, I assumed they were IGBT since that's what a lot of power controls are using these days. As for PWM dimmers, they are a lot more quieter, both acoustically and in the RF spectrum, than SCR/Triac dimmers in the theatre/live entertainment world.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 23:34
|
|
|
luminalflux posted:I'm coming from a theatrical background and by SCR I probably should have just said Triac, you're right. I didn't realize that trailing-edge dimmers used FET, I assumed they were IGBT since that's what a lot of power controls are using these days. As for PWM dimmers, they are a lot more quieter, both acoustically and in the RF spectrum, than SCR/Triac dimmers in the theatre/live entertainment world. Oh yeah makes total sense, for a theater or other application where you're not financially and physically constrained like a wallbox dimmer, I could see PWM being a very good solution. Dimming is neat! And a pain in the rear end.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 23:51
|
|
|
in the electrophysiology world, PWM is awful and I hate it
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2022 23:54
|
|
|
luminalflux posted:I'm coming from a theatrical background and by SCR I probably should have just said Triac, you're right. I didn't realize that trailing-edge dimmers used FET, I assumed they were IGBT since that's what a lot of power controls are using these days. As for PWM dimmers, they are a lot more quieter, both acoustically and in the RF spectrum, than SCR/Triac dimmers in the theatre/live entertainment world. I mean sensor racks are still mostly SCR-based and probably the most widely installed theatrical dimming solution by an order of magnitude. Their PWM modules are rare to encounter outside of brand new installations. (And largely obsoleted by the proliferation of LED fixtures with integral dimming, even houselights cans come with dmx connections these days.) E: not worth arguing the rest corgski fucked around with this message at 01:16 on Oct 7, 2022 |
|
#
?
Oct 7, 2022 01:00
|
|
|
What in the hell are you all talking about (dimmers)
|
|
#
?
Oct 7, 2022 02:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 28, 2024 11:59 |
|
|
Yenko's post showed a hot spot 10 degrees above ambient. Motronic explained that's due to a dimmer. And then things kinda spiraled from there.
|
|
#
?
Oct 7, 2022 03:05
|
|