Recent content by DIYorBust

You'll never believe what showed up in my youtube feed, this guy repairs nibo valve that looks like yours with stem from bluefin valve. Let me know if it works, I'm curious.

But to be fair, he cannot legally work on a system unless he obtains 3 out of the most recent 5 years experience working under an LMP, which is the requirement for a PE to become a master plumber, kind of an unlikely path for an engineer. Which means the engineer who literally designed a boiler...

Makes sense, if you run a countertop microwave and an electric kettle at the same time on the same breaker you will trip it, but both will usually have a short runtime, unlikely you would trip the main breaker if you ran them on two different circuits.

Thanks Bigb, yes I think I understand what you are saying. It would seem better, from a practical perspective to have more SABCs to avoid tripping the branch circuit breaker, but too many SABCs could risk increasing the service load calculation. It sure seems better not to have your fridge shut...

Wow super helpful. I had no idea this was possible. I was looking to replace my emporia VUE that died anyway, if I bundle with this I might get exactly what I'm looking for without doing a very expensive service upgrade. Thanks Wayne, and thanks to the forum.

Thanks Fitter, sorry for the rant, and Sylvan, I apologize, I didn't mean to imply you don't do field work. But I'm pointing, and I think you are aware, how a lot of other plumbing work is done in the city, including under LMPs. I'm not really talking about pricing, I'm specifically talking...

Thanks Wayne, you're right I double counted the demand reduction in the optional method, missed that. The 8 SABCs, I wasn't sure what to count since I have other circuits where we use things like garden tools, bench grinders, etc. I don't think it changes the story much. I think your insight...

It's my understanding that the heat pumps can down modulate From a practical perspective, in NY the heating load will be much larger than the cooling load, and I believe the heat pump systems commonly installed are designed to account for this, and can reduce the compressor speed based on the...

Hey just to be clear, I'm not knocking you at all. But there aren't too many guys like you left in the city. And at 78, if you were just doing paperwork, and supervising people, I think that would be totally appropriate. I'm not anywhere near 78, but I can recall a short time in my life, when...

Let me take a shot(see below, rough estimate). The result doesn't surprise me a ton. Using the more generous method, the load is technically close to what the 200A panel can take, maybe dropping one or two appliances, or making some other changes it could get under 200, or maybe a 225 panel...

Right now we probably have a about 5 tons of cooling. We have a 240v 2200btu window unit, on the upper floor, the other has a ducted central system. The house is from 1920 and is not well sealed, although some improvements were made in the 80s. The extra capacity is not for cooling, but for...

I'm contemplating whether I could, or should undertake a service upgrade to 400A. I was pleased when I bought the home almost ten years ago now, to see that a previous owner had upgraded to 200A service, and installed NM-B in many areas of the home. However some circuits are still wired with the...

First question, do you need the stem, or can you rebuild the stem? Washers and bibb screws easily available online. If the stem is no good, and it's difficult to replace the valve, you might try ordering a new nibco valve with a multi-turn handle, I think they still make some. It might have the...

So you're saying they cut a hole in the pipe to snake the line? I mean, that sounds like a lot more work than the solutions you proposed. Surely the pipe must have been damaged and that was why they did it? Still a short section, so easy to replace. But Sylvan, around here it's so difficult to...

If you are wanting to test the pH, consider using a phenol red test kit, these are not too expensive and more precise and easier to read than litmus paper in my experience. But my thinking is that microbubbles introduced with the makeup water is unlikely to accumulate in such a large amount in...