Home Improvement/Repair Questions

[Road Guy]

so last week our microwave died (under cabinet -built in whatever its called)

I go to the home depot and after looking at one that closely matches our stove I ask the dude where I can find one "in the box"

Home Depot dude - "We don't stock these (Any 'built in' microwave) anymore in the store, they are in the warehouse and we can ship them to you or you can pick them up at the store in 3 days"

Me - " Your F'n joking right?"

Home Depot Dude - "Most people want these installed so this way its just easier, we deliver and install it, its a failry complicated install"

Me  - "Your F'n joking right? A blind Monkey can install one of those"

Home Depot Dude - " No Sir, most people want them installed"

Me - "Does Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank know this is going on"?

Home Depot Dude - "Who are they?"

Turns and walks away, drives to Lowes, picks out same model, puts it in buggey, takes home and installs in around 20 minutes..

sad times...... I mean if I wanted it delivered I would just order it via amazon prime for nuttin!

 

[MA_PE]

I installed/replaced one of moicrowave/range hood units for my Aunt.  Thank god she had saved the instruction manual for the original one because I would've had a hell of a time reverse engineering the connections that held that one to the wall.  IIRC, it had a wall-mounted hanger type bracket on the back wall and tilted forward.  The main fasteners were hidden under some ttrim.  Not really intuitive.  The new one however bolted from above and was pretty obvious.

 

[Supe]

That's why I usually go to Best Buy if I need an appliance ASAP.  They always stock them.  I wish they would just standardize the damn mounts like they do on TV's...

 

[Road Guy]

no kidding, same brand and at first glance the brackets and holes in the cabinet top were the same, but oh noooo lets change them by a half an inch just for shits and giggles!

 

[Supe]

That's exactly what happened when I switched from a GE to a Whirlpool.  Of course, nobody was home and I had to do it all holding it with one hand...

 

[tj_PE]

So i've installed ceiling fans before / I understand the basics of the wiring, but I currently have a single hideous light fixture in my cramped powder room, which is severely off center of the vanity/mirror, and definitely not centered in the wall/room... how difficult is it to shift a light fixture over like 6 inches? 

also, the room has what I can assume is some sort of vinyl/plastic textured paneling? I'm curious what is behind it. does anyone have experience with this kind of wall covering and what it was usually put over? The house was built in 1910 and I am not sure this was always a bathroom? 

 

[MA_PE]

so you're moving a wall fixture laterally.   First thing is to remove the fixture and see how it's hung and f there's an electrical box behind it or if the wire just comes through the wall to the fixture.  Then you need to see  if there are wall studs between the existing location and where you want to relocate to.  If there's a stud in the way, you'll  need to open the wall enough to drill a hole through the stud to get your wire to the other side (and hopefully you have enough wire to reach the new location).  If the existing wire isn't long enough then you'll need to trace it back to the nearest box and run a new wire.  You can't splice a wire and bury it inside the wall.  Splices/connections need to be inside a box or fixture.

If there's a box where the light is you need to move the box too or cover it with a blank switch plate (again you can't just bury a box inside wall).

Of course you then have to patch/fix and paint the wall.

Could be an easy task.....could be a PITA.

Disclaimer:  I'm a DIYer without any formal electrical/wiring training but have installed fixtures and run new wires in my house.  My reply is how I'd approach your problem.  Let the flaming arrows begin.

 

[Master slacker]

Remove the fixture from the wall and discard the screws that held it there.  Move it over to where you want it and, if you have a helper, have the helper hold it in place while you hammer two 10d nails through the fixture to temporarily secure it to the wall.  If you don't have a helper, get your framing nailer out and use your free hand to pop a few nails in place.  Now, while the nails are curing, quickly apply Elmer's glue (the kindergarten variety is fine) to the border of the fixture where it meets the wall.  If it seeps behind the fixture, keep applying glue until it doesn't.  If you're at this point, well, grab yourself a metal coat hanger and fish the wires out of the wall because you should've thought about this ahead of time.  Metal works best because it's thin and can really get in those tight spots you'll be jabbing and yanking in.  Get some extra wire from a ceiling fan kit (colors don't matter, copper is copper after all) and cut / splice the fixture wiring using the same glue you used between the fixture and wall.  Money saving and no special trips to the store for the expensive stuff.  For any holes or other openings left in the wall from this project, grab yourself you masking tape and tape over them and then paint over it to conceal your patch.  Pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

 

[jeb6294]

You can't splice a wire and bury it inside the wall.  Splices/connections need to be inside a box or fixture.

:rotflmao:   I'll bet you were "that" kid...."oooh, teacher, teacher, you forgot to give us homework"

 

[MA_PE]

:rotflmao:   I'll bet you were "that" kid...."oooh, teacher, teacher, you forgot to give us homework"

so what's your point.........??

 

[Bot-Man]

so what's your point.........??

I’m trying to figure that out as well. Your post was accurate. The splice needs to be in a junction box. I’m not familiar with the rules nationwide but I’m still willing to bet that it’s code everywhere. 

 

[jeb6294]

As mentioned in the T-Giving post, got an electric smoker the other day.

It's a digital controller, which is one of the only things people seem to have problems with, but usually it's from being exposed to the elements.  So, I would like to build an enclosure for the smoker on the back patio.  My question is, how tight should said enclosure be?  Does it just need to have walls and a roof to keep the rain out?  Would it be better to have something insulated that keeps most of the elements out?  I'm leaning towards something simple thinking that it's better to keep air circulating to prevent condensation.

 

[Supe]

Humidity and freezing temps can damage those controllers.

 

[knight1fox3]

Time for a change to the unfinished portion of the basement! @Road Guy, if you're willing to share, when all said and done with everything you recently did, how much did it end up costing?

Before:



Progress so far:

 

[Dexman PE PMP]

^^^ No floating walls in the basement?

 

[Supe]

So no more leg lifts or pull ups?  I didn't think you of all people would build a basement that wasn't Tony Horton approved.

 

[Master slacker]

Whatever animal you keep down there must've gotten A LOT bigger.  Either that or you got a new pet that ate the other.

 

[JayKay PE]

Will there be one of those cool fireplaces made of glass so you can look in-between the two rooms?

 

[Road Guy]

^^^ No floating walls in the basement?

I think that's soil dependent, we never did that in the SE either - but had to do it here

 

[kevo_55]

KF, did you have that inspected?

If not, I won't tell.