Recent content by bobwilli

Thank you guys for your advice. You're a valuable resource. Here's what I did: put the water heater directly on the foam pad, which is in a drain pan on a plywood stand. The water heater went easily on the foam pad and didn't seem to compress it much. Of course it was empty. Filled it...

Do you install the heater directly on the pad, which in turn is in a drain pan? I have a GE GeoSpring 50 gal heat pump hybrid water heater to install. Thanks.

Thanks for your advice. I think I will get a professional to do the job. The shouting of MACPLUMB777 wasn't necessary, but I hear your concern. :)

I'm in Salem, Oregon. You're right, I am inexperienced in plumbing, but am rather handy. I've pulled an electrical permit and wired additional outlets, and I've worked in an RV factory installing gas appliances and testing propane lines in quality control. Thanks for answering my questions...

Is there a recommended flexible synthetic gas piping that can be used connect to the black pipe at the meter to bring natural gas from the meter though a concrete wall into the basement? If so, what size is recommended? How does one connect to the black pipe? I want to plumb for a...

What's a "3-wire homerun"?

How do I tell how many circuts there are? I will have the panel work done by a pro, but I was planning to change out the outlets myself. Is that advised? One contractor gave me a price per GFCI, so I need to know about how many circuits will be protected to estimate what the bid will turn...

I am planning to upgrade my collection of old electrical panels in my 1948 home to a single 200A panel. I have screw-in fuses and some breakers. I have been told I can convert my 2-wire outlets to 3-wire if I install GFCI breakers on the dircuits in the new service panel. Is this true? Is it...

You all have given me a good and entertaining education! Thanks. I have asked some more questions of one of the installation bidders, and he said that code requires only that there be a 30" clear space somewhere beneath the panel, not necessarily centered under it as I had thought based on...

I need to have an upgraded service panel installed for my 1948 stucco house. Since the clothes dryer needs to be right under where the new panel would be and code doesn't allow this, an electrician suggests mounting the panel on the outside of the house. I am skeptical of the wisdom of this...