The DYI Help Thread

[RuggedRick]

Rugged Rick's DIY Tips and Tricks

I thought I would post a thread for those that have the households problems.
I work @ Ace Hardware and I have for 13 years. I help folks do the DYI jobs all the time. If anyone has a problem with something and unsure what to do about it. Feel free to ask here. I will answer asap. If I do not have the answer I'm sure I can get it for you pretty quick.
If anyone has any tips or tricks that they want to post feel free to do so.
I do not know if this will go or not but figured I would give it a shot.

 

[koalabear]

I have one light that I want to control from 4 different locations....how can this be done.....

 

[koalabear]

The metal ends keep falling off my fluorescent tubes...where can I find a repair kit?

Also where can I find left handed thread light bulbs?

 

[RuggedRick]

I have one light that I want to control from 4 different locations....how can this be done.....

Install 4 way switches lol
That was an easy one

 

[koalabear]

One more question: Is a Homotron really a Queer Electron that goes around blowing fuses?

 

[RuggedRick]

The metal ends keep falling off my fluorescent tubes...where can I find a repair kit?

Also where can I find left handed thread light bulbs?

Left handed light bulbs are located in isle 10,287 on the left hand side half way down.

 

[koalabear]

Install 4 way switches lol
That was an easy one

wiring diagram please.....

 

[koalabear]

Left handed light bulbs are located in isle 10,287 on the left hand side half way down.

Damn! You do know!!.....

 

[RuggedRick]

Left handed light bulbs are located in isle 10,287 on the left hand side half way down.

Yes it is lmao

wiring diagram please.....

The best way for you to do it is make sure everything is still hot then using your fingers only hook to each switch while standing in a bucket of water bare footed

 

[koalabear]

Yes it is lmao




The best way for you to do it is make sure everything is still hot then using your fingers only hook to each switch while standing in a bucket of water bare footed

Uhhhhh........hmmmmmmm......NOT!!!!! and it takes 2 three ways switches and 2~ four ways....

 

[RuggedRick]

Damn! You do know!!.....

I stocked the place wth do ya expect lmao

 

[RuggedRick]

Uhhhhh........hmmmmmmm......NOT!!!!!

Live a lil have some "fireworks" in ya life lmao

 

[koalabear]

Live a lil have some "fireworks" in ya life lmao

Had enough of that. Worked around high voltage for 35 years.....

shocking!!

 

[RuggedRick]

Had enough of that. Worked around high voltage for 35 years.....

shocking!!

Oh then in that case lil ol 110 should not bother you lol
You will get a kick out of this one
I posted it on the idiot ppl thread
A few years ago had a lady come into the store to buy a dryer cord
I printed out directions on hooking up and all for her. She said she's done it before and it will not be a problem. Well about 45 mins after she left she was back. The cord was FRIED from end to end. I asked her what she did. She replied "I did everything I was supose to do I pluged it into the wall then hooked it to the dryer" I asked about the power she said oh I left it on.
Needless to say my chin hit the floor. I told her what she just had going thru her body and how lucky she was to be a live let a lone standing there telling me how freakin stupid she is. I then asked her what happened to your screw driver her reply was "Ya know I still have not found it"
I convinced her to call an eletriction most likely saved her life

 

[koalabear]

Oh then in that case lil ol 110 should not bother you lol
You will get a kick out of this one
I posted it on the idiot ppl thread
A few years ago had a lady come into the store to buy a dryer cord
I printed out directions on hooking up and all for her. She said she's done it before and it will not be a problem. Well about 45 mins after she left she was back. The cord was FRIED from end to end. I asked her what she did. She replied "I did everything I was supose to do I pluged it into the wall then hooked it to the dryer" I asked about the power she said oh I left it on.
Needless to say my chin hit the floor. I told her what she just had going thru her body and how lucky she was to be a live let a lone standing there telling me how freakin stupid she is. I then asked her what happened to your screw driver her reply was "Ya know I still have not found it"
I convinced her to call an eletriction most likely saved her life

Roflmao...it is surprising how ignorant some people are....it only takes .0001 of a milliamp passing thru your heart to kill you, that ain't much...lol

 

[JagFarlane]

Roflmao...it is surprising how ignorant some people are....it only takes .0001 of a milliamp passing thru your heart to kill you, that ain't much...lol

Yea it takes only about 30V to actually kill you. And considering the average human has about 300 ohms of resistance...

But anyways heh yea...I worked in the electrical section of Home Depot...ooooo boy.

Remember one guy wanted to run bare copper wire for a 440V hot tub...he wanted to use the copper wire so he could hide it under his siding...that was an interesting conversation indeed.

 

[koalabear]

Yea it takes only about 30V to actually kill you. And considering the average human has about 300 ohms of resistance...

But anyways heh yea...I worked in the electrical section of Home Depot...ooooo boy.

Remember one guy wanted to run bare copper wire for a 440V hot tub...he wanted to use the copper wire so he could hide it under his siding...that was an interesting conversation indeed.

Voltage does not kill you. It is the amperage.

 

[JagFarlane]

Voltage does not kill you. It is the amperage.

This is true...however I was implying to do the math Thus why I included the average humans ohm rating

 

[INeedLove]

Good idea for a thread!!

Is it easy to change a regular plug to a gfci one? I have a couple that should have the gfi but don't. They are right next to a sink. The house was built in 77 so I guess it was before those codes.

 

[JagFarlane]

Good idea for a thread!!

Is it easy to change a regular plug to a gfci one? I have a couple that should have the gfi but don't. They are right next to a sink. The house was built in 77 so I guess it was before those codes.

As long as it has the right connections, which it should...yea shouldn't be a problem at all

 

[koalabear]

This is true...however I was implying to do the math Thus why I included the average humans ohm rating

Math means little to dead people....

 

[JagFarlane]

Math means little to dead people....

-sigh- Ok...ya like being a smartass...gotcha however to a living person...most people don't know amperage ratings of things. Feel free to ask them..really. However pointing out to them that something that is 30V can kill them makes a point...because lets face it...most of us have been shocked by 110v...and btw 450V really fucking hurts

 

[koalabear]

Good idea for a thread!!

Is it easy to change a regular plug to a gfci one? I have a couple that should have the gfi but don't. They are right next to a sink. The house was built in 77 so I guess it was before those codes.

You can also install a GFI breaker in the panel to protect that outlet. If you change the outlet some of the old boxes are not big enough to hold a GFCI outlet, but yours probably is since it was installed in 77.

 

[koalabear]

-sigh- Ok...ya like being a smartass...gotcha however to a living person...most people don't know amperage ratings of things. Feel free to ask them..really. However pointing out to them that something that is 30V can kill them makes a point...because lets face it...most of us have been shocked by 110v...and btw 450V really fucking hurts

Try 277V,4,160V, 13,800V, 38,000V......110 volts is single phase, 480 is three phases......450 is a bastard voltage and I have never seen it or worked around in 35 years of far more experience than you will ever have at a hardware store.

 

[RuggedRick]

Good idea for a thread!!

Is it easy to change a regular plug to a gfci one? I have a couple that should have the gfi but don't. They are right next to a sink. The house was built in 77 so I guess it was before those codes.

Yes it is
All you do is shut off power of course lol
Pull the old outlet out and then install the GFCI You will use the same screws and wire.
You should use the GFCI outside and around all sinks rather it's kitchen or bathroom.