The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[The Sicatoka]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

MORE POWER! You're DARN RIGHT more power!

Oh wait, wrong Home Improvement...

... Binford 6100 ... < grunt-grunt-grunt >

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Sitting there Saturday night is when guests pointed out my WiFi extender (no longer needed in basement as I now have a better primary WiFi device) could be put in the shed ...

Mentioning WiFi, anyone have any good freeware to sniff WiFi signal strength. I used to use InSSIDer but that's no longer free.

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

... Binford 6100 ... < grunt-grunt-grunt >

http://www.dobernator.com/upload-db/2008/06/x-binford-6100-more-power.gif

 

[aparch]

Mentioning WiFi, anyone have any good freeware to sniff WiFi signal strength. I used to use InSSIDer but that's no longer free.

I had an Android app called "WiFi Analyser" by farproc that did wonders in spotting WiFi signal and strengths when I lived in my apartment.

It also locates named and unnamed SSID wifi.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Mentioning WiFi, anyone have any good freeware to sniff WiFi signal strength. I used to use InSSIDer but that's no longer free.

My laptops both tell me WiFi signal strength. If I'm in the setup mode, they'll even tell me the signal strength for the 6 or 7 networks around my house.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

The outlet is in a bathroom. GFI circuit required.
Nearest we can tell from testing lights/outlets is from breaker 9
Goes to deck receptacle
Then to master bath. All the other plugs in all the other bathrooms are hot.
All the other outside plugs are hot.

There are at least 3 other GFI outlets in the house, but none connected to breaker 9.

It used to be quite common to wire a string of outlets on two circuits by making all the tops one, and all the bottoms another. The bars on the side of the outlet that connect the top and bottom would be broken off allowing for this type of setup, making each outlet a "split receptacle." Now, you usually would see a line of outlets on two circuits alternating, so every other one is in it's entirety, on a different circuit. The most obvious thing in your case would be that someone figured they needed a GFI in the bathroom, pulled the old split one and just stuck the GFI in because after all, the wires and colors in there matched the picture on the GFI box. (This surprisingly, might even sort of work sometimes if lucky, but I doubt the GFI would work right.) Next most likely is that another "split" outlet was replaced without breaking the side bar to separate the top and bottom, connecting the two circuits instead. Again, that this worked, if it ever did, is just mostly by luck. If I understand the whole thing correctly, I would cap the feed from 7 and put it back together from 9, which would make that outlet (only) a GFI. I assume it's at the end of the line because right now you're obviously not feeding any other outlets from that one GFI as you have two power ins and no power out, and apparently no other non working fixtures.

But again I don't advise you to just do that based on my assessment without seeing the whole situation. I'm not confident in telling someone to do what I just said unless they really understand what's going on. I don't know for example if you have the need to feed other outlets in that bathroom from this one. If you do, that's not the answer. It was interesting to think about the problem though, so I'm glad you posted. Love to hear how it all shakes out in the end.

 

[joecct]

It used to be quite common to wire a string of outlets on two circuits by making all the tops one, and all the bottoms another. The bars on the side of the outlet that connect the top and bottom would be broken off allowing for this type of setup, making each outlet a "split receptacle." Now, you usually would see a line of outlets on two circuits alternating, so every other one is in it's entirety, on a different circuit. The most obvious thing in your case would be that someone figured they needed a GFI in the bathroom, pulled the old split one and just stuck the GFI in because after all, the wires and colors in there matched the picture on the GFI box. (This surprisingly, might even sort of work sometimes if lucky, but I doubt the GFI would work right.) Next most likely is that another "split" outlet was replaced without breaking the side bar to separate the top and bottom, connecting the two circuits instead. Again, that this worked, if it ever did, is just mostly by luck. If I understand the whole thing correctly, I would cap the feed from 7 and put it back together from 9, which would make that outlet (only) a GFI. I assume it's at the end of the line because right now you're obviously not feeding any other outlets from that one GFI as you have two power ins and no power out, and apparently no other non working fixtures.

But again I don't advise you to just do that based on my assessment without seeing the whole situation. I'm not confident in telling someone to do what I just said unless they really understand what's going on. I don't know for example if you have the need to feed other outlets in that bathroom from this one. If you do, that's not the answer. It was interesting to think about the problem though, so I'm glad you posted. Love to hear how it all shakes out in the end.

I had the same idea. However, something does not appear to be kosher, so he's getting the pros to take a look.

A man's got to know his own limitations.

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

A man's got to know his own limitations.

That's what she said.

 

[Wisko McBadgerton]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

I have horrible soil. It's hard clay. I've seen a garden rake bounce off the soil in my front yard after three days without water. I need to get it aerated this fall and again in the spring.

The problem with concrete on clay is drainage. If the clay is retaining a lot of moisture you can get a good deal of heaving with frost and a quickly broken slab. If it's real clay you often need to dig out, fill with sand/ gravel, compact, and then pour. If you have decent drainage to start with, then pavers are pretty easy to do, and they tend to settle more or less back in place even if they do heave, or it's easy to reset a few if they don't entirely. I'd do this as it's not as hard as it seems like it will be. It goes pretty fast.

If it's wet and it's clay, you might consider something like pea gravel. Building it up a little above grade and maybe ringing it with stone blocks or something that allows water out when it rains. It would be relatively inexpensive and give you nice solid and dry base that can heave all it wants. Just add a little over the top every year or two. I've seen some this way that are pretty nice.

 

[The Sicatoka]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

That's what she said.

Leave Dr. Mrs. out of this.

And save time by abbreviating: TWSS!

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Leave Dr. Mrs. out of this.

And save time by abbreviating: TWSS!

I would but correctly it's twss, and when you go all lowercase stupid Cafe coverts the entire post including quotes into lowercase for some reason.

 

[joecct]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

That's what she said.

My PP is over 80%!!!

 

[St. Clown]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

I'm breaking basement my floor. A crack developed in the concrete of my basement - the utility/storage room, and water started seeping up when the soil got really wet. I've started cutting out the crack, which totals about 14ft in length. That might have been a mistake, and I should've just chiseled it instead. Pieces are getting stuck in the crack, I think it's due to a, more or less, ribbon of concrete that feels a bit like really strong, inflexible paper.

At any rate, assuming I can clean the crack enough to fill it in correctly, I bought some sand to fill in the deepest portion of the crack, and some Quikrete concrete crack repair/filler.

Add to that, it turns out the water that seeped into the room had some salt content of one type or another. So the concrete started flaking a little towards the edges of where the water pooled. I've been scrubbing it with a wire brush to clean what I can. Once this whole thing is done, I'm going to get some concrete floor paint, perhaps that'll help protect it a little in the future. That'll probably be next year, to give everything time to set and see if my crack fill worked.

 

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

I'm breaking basement my floor. A crack developed in the concrete of my basement - the utility/storage room, and water started seeping up when the soil got really wet. I've started cutting out the crack, which totals about 14ft in length. That might have been a mistake, and I should've just chiseled it instead. Pieces are getting stuck in the crack, I think it's due to a, more or less, ribbon of concrete that feels a bit like really strong, inflexible paper.
.

Just can't imagine what you have just described, but it would be interesting to see. What are you cutting it with, a concrete saw? Are you thinking you could have chiseled out 14' of concrete with a cold chisel? Can we come over and drink beer and watch?

 

[St. Clown]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Just can't imagine what you have just described, but it would be interesting to see. What are you cutting it with, a concrete saw? Are you thinking you could have chiseled out 14' of concrete with a cold chisel? Can we come over and drink beer and watch?

I only need to widen the crack so the sealant/filler can be applied consistently. The chisel is about two inches wide, and only takes a single strike of the hammer to make the cut. It actually goes pretty quickly. It's just nowhere near being fun.

Yes, I started with an electric saw, handheld 4.5" masonry blade. The cutting went fast with it, but it left that ribbon. And the ribbon is catching the debris that I can't clear out of the crack. It has me doubting how effective/leak proff the filler will be.

 

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

I only need to widen the crack so the sealant/filler can be applied consistently. The chisel is about two inches wide, and only takes a single strike of the hammer to make the cut. It actually goes pretty quickly. It's just nowhere near being fun.

Yes, I started with an electric saw, handheld 4.5" masonry blade. The cutting went fast with it, but it left that ribbon. And the ribbon is catching the debris that I can't clear out of the crack. It has me doubting how effective/leak proff the filler will be.

If the water has any pressure behind it, I doubt Quikrete will work. As long is it's just a utility room, though, no harm in trying.

Before you commit to filling it with something, though, call a waterproofing expert for a recommendation--like an injectable epoxy.

 

[St. Clown]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

If the water has any pressure behind it, I doubt Quikrete will work. As long is it's just a utility room, though, no harm in trying.

Before you commit to filling it with something, though, call a waterproofing expert for a recommendation--like an injectable epoxy.

I don't think there was water pressure to create the crack. The crack formed on the surface since shortly after I bought the house, because, as we all know, concrete cracks as it cures. I don't know how deep that crack has been or for how long. Regardless, for 11 or 12 years I saw no water. Then last winter I had water seep into the house. I think the water just followed the access.

 

[walrus]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Tough to fix cracked concrete. I think I would use water plug, it expands as it sets. Make sure everything is clean.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Kepler]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

Menards and Home Depot are being sued because a 4 by 4 doesn't exactly measure 4 inches by 4 inches.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/nation-w...wsuits-over-lumber-size-description/451196391

At the Home Depot we bought all our house crap at there were signs that clearly indicated this. (It was, by the way, news* to me.) I would think the presence of signage nullifies the argument.

IINM when it says "4x4" there are no units specified, anyway, so for all one knows 4 Rigelian skulpulshanks equals 3.5 Earth inches, and the name is correct.

* Here is the reason, for everyone not born on a workbench.

Lumber manufacturers typically cut a tree into dimensional lumber very shortly after the tree is felled. Then, the newly-sawn (but soaking wet) lumber is kiln-dried until it reaches the desired moisture level. As lumber dries, it shrinks (as the moisture in the wood is reduced, the wood cells shrink, particularly across the grain). While the 8' length won't change much as the wood dries, the 2" width and 4" height (cross-section of the grain) will shrink considerably.

Because of this shrinkage, a typical 2x4 will usually measure out to around 1-1/2" x 3-1/2".

 

[burd]

Re: The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

At the Home Depot we bought all our house crap at there were signs that clearly indicated this. (It was, by the way, news* to me.) I would think the presence of signage nullifies the argument.

IINM when it says "4x4" there are no units specified, anyway, so for all one knows 4 Rigelian skulpulshanks equals 3.5 Earth inches, and the name is correct.

* Here is the reason, for everyone not born on a workbench.

If plaintiffs' counsel can pull this one off, they're good. I wouldn't advise them to carry their clients' costs.