If you have a sump pit I would highly recommend 2 pumps and a battery backup. Nothing fails when it isn't working, they always fail at the worst time. Bad storms that bring lots of rain and wind knock out power and leave you flooded. I see it often enough to feed my pessimism to adopt the motto that "everything fails eventually."Doorbell circuits are fairly simple. The bell itself might be the problem. Whole kits shouldn't be too expensive to replace the bell and button. Just shut the power source off. Often a transformer is wired on with the furnace say switch or off of a junction box neat the panel

Can't edit on phone...bumped submit before finished.*SSY switch...thanks auto correct.*Near electric panel or off of a junction box light fixture in the ceiling. Just follow the wires.

The doorbell I am familiar with have a normally open switch. When you press the switch the contacts close and the bell will ding. Some of them will make the dong sound when the switch is released. It should be a low voltage circuit, so either wire you choose could be wired to the switch. The other wire is connected constant from the transformer to the bell. If you have another button on the back door of your house it should be wired in parallel. I don't think I am helping much. What doorbell is it? Maybe I can look something up and explain it better, more specific to what you have.

twelvepoint wrote:wotown wrote:twelvepoint wrote:Similarly, is it common to have battery backup for sump pumps? I imagine I'd want to prepare for power outages if there are rains heavy enough to flood the basement? When I bought my house there was a car battery next to the sump pump, but no one's explained to me how to connect it, so I've just had a car battery sitting there for 8 1/2 years. I do know it's a standard practice and I really ought to learn how I'm supposed to hook it up.Imagine if you had a car battery with a sump pump you'd need some way to keep it charged off regular 120VAC, as well as a pump that ran on 12VDC? Off to Google I go....yes, they make specific pumps for this type of thing. I have one. The battery pump is typically mounted off the AC pump...mine has a bracket that mounts the pump to the discharge pipe on the main pump. Leads from the battery pump come to a box that houses the battery and charges it when the regular AC pump is in service. I got it as the pump with the battery box, and then had to get a marine grade battery to put in the box. Took about an hour to hook it all up including the plumbing to tie the battery pump discharge into the main pump discharge line.

I've replaced the doorbell AND the transformer... but I need to figure out what exactly I've wired incorrectly. The doorbell only chimes as long as you're pressing the button, and the "test" function on the doorbell doesn't work. So it seems like power is only getting to the doorbell while the button is pressed. I'd think there should always be power, and the button should just tell it to play a full chime?

Swapping out old two-prong receptacles w/ three-prongs, and adding some new ones. Which means cutting 12x6 (give or take) chunks out of 1950's gypsum board around said boxes.Any hot tips on patching?

ErikG wrote:Swapping out old two-prong receptacles w/ three-prongs, and adding some new ones. Which means cutting 12"x6" (give or take) chunks out of 1950's gypsum board around said boxes.How do they run the extra ground wire between outlet and the electrical box without making bigger holes? If the aesthetics of those walls really matter and/or you're married to someone who thinks they do and if you're not a REAL drywall guy who does a lot of patching, I'd suggest paying a pro to do the patchwork. Those guys are quick and good.

I got some front porch issues. Anyone got a guy in Chicago they would recommend?

tbone wrote:I got some front porch issues. Anyone got a guy in Chicago they would recommend?These guys installed a new porch for me. Passed inspection, etc. Decent price.https://www.porch-builders.com/

barndog wrote:tbone wrote:I got some front porch issues. Anyone got a guy in Chicago they would recommend?These guys installed a new porch for me. Passed inspection, etc. Decent price.https://www.porch-builders.com/Thanks!