My cooktop is shocking me. What's wrong? [more inside]
posted on Aug 6, 2008 - 4 answers

Why do electric utilities either not take credit cards for payment or charge ridiculously large surcharges ($5) to do so? [more inside]
posted on Jun 22, 2008 - 9 answers

Electrical Estimate Filter: Short version is, is $1100 USD a proper estimate for simply replacing a 125 amp breaker and a 60 amp breaker in a standard residential breaker box? [more inside]
posted on May 25, 2008 - 9 answers

I want to charge this scooter w/o buying another bunch of crap. Can you help me? [more inside]
posted on May 22, 2008 - 6 answers

My new gas range is breaking my heart. WTF is wrong with it? And if it is a goner, should I bother trying to replace it with another gas range, or give up and switch to electric? [more inside]
posted on May 6, 2008 - 17 answers

I'm trying to get into building electronics and I need some advice. What would be a good place to start? [more inside]
posted on Mar 23, 2008 - 14 answers

How is this lantern/hanging lamp setup installed ? [more inside]
posted on Feb 19, 2008 - 10 answers

Can anyone recommend an indoor electric bbq grill with cast iron or stainless steel grill? [more inside]
posted on Feb 11, 2008 - 4 answers

Please help me identify this musician. A while ago - two years? - I saw, on my local TV news, a female piper from the north-east of England. Her instrument was an amplified pipe set, almost certainly Northumbrian small-pipes, played through a guitar effects unit. [more inside]
posted on Jan 31, 2008 - 11 answers

Can I use my three-ply (out-middle-inner) copper-aluminum-stainless steel pots and pans on an electric range? Will it mess them up?
posted on Jan 30, 2008 - 3 answers

Can you show me a photo beam sensor or a magnetic sensor that is close to the size of my pinky? [more inside]
posted on Dec 3, 2007 - 8 answers

I am trying to find replacement knobs for a stove, but cannot find a model number anywhere on the stove. [more inside]
posted on Nov 11, 2007 - 6 answers

What kind of cheap but good amp should I get for my electric violin? [more inside]
posted on Nov 9, 2007 - 12 answers

I'm working on an electric recumbent bicycle using a Bike-E as the bike part. I want to hang my batteries below the seat by building two containers to hang on the sides of the Bike-E's alloy beam body. What's the best way to build the container? [more inside]
posted on Oct 31, 2007 - 7 answers

Electric scooters---no, not rascals. Help me pick one! [more inside]
posted on Oct 20, 2007 - 3 answers

I need a power strip/surge protector that in to which I can plug 15 components. [more inside]
posted on Sep 8, 2007 - 10 answers

Experiences with an electric bike? [more inside]
posted on Sep 1, 2007 - 6 answers

2 outlets & a ceiling light stopped working at the same time. None of the circuit breakers were flipped. What would cause this, and how can I troubleshoot it? [more inside]
posted on Aug 30, 2007 - 15 answers

Which Electric razor is the best for sensitive skin? [more inside]
posted on Jul 11, 2007 - 17 answers

Searching for the smallest (lightest and size-wise) electric shaver for men. [more inside]
posted on Jul 4, 2007 - 3 answers

Lets just say that the U.S. decided to stop burning hydrocarbons (oil, coal, natural gas) completely for environmental reasons. Lets say that everything went electric. Cars, Power Plants, factories, everything. How many nuclear plants (using current technology) would we need to produce? Would there be one in every moderate sized town? Also, how long would the raw materials last before another energy crisis was imminent (peak uranium, I guess)?
posted on Jun 6, 2007 - 52 answers

I have a touch lamp, which I'm finding incredibly useful to turn off when I'm half asleep. However, I'm also a bit of an eco-warrior. I've been looking online, and found that a small amount of energy is supplied to the lamp at all times. Surely that must be costing me something? [more inside]
posted on Apr 20, 2007 - 16 answers

Househeatingfilter: Saladpants is a city boy from major east coast city, who recently moved to smaller west coast city, Portland, OR. He and Mrs. Saladpants are looking at a house which, while only 15 minutes from downtown, is essentially out in the country. This means that the house has no gas line running to it and no sewer either. In this particular house, the Saladpantses have two potential heating options: Propane or Electric. They have no experience with either, and are uncertain as to which is better. They seek opinions, wisdom and experiences of fellow mefites. [more inside]
posted on Apr 20, 2007 - 15 answers

Where can I buy an electric door strike near Burlington, Ontario? [more inside]
posted on Apr 3, 2007 - 1 answers

Is it possible that I've permanently destroyed my record player by accidentally hooking up to a 15 volt power adapter, instead of a 12? [more inside]
posted on Mar 17, 2007 - 12 answers

DryerFilter -- In an early 20th century apartment in San Francisco, which is cheaper to achieve a dryer (i.e., the appliance that accompanies a washer): hiring an electrician to install 220 voltage, or hiring a plumber to run a gas line from the stove? Which is ultimately more energy efficient? [more inside]
posted on Nov 14, 2006 - 14 answers

I had an electrician install track lighting for me. The tracks were installed on 2’ extensions so they hung down from the ceiling. I didn't like how low the lights hung so I decided to take the extensions out. I got the first one okay and everything worked fine. Then BOOM, POP, SPARK. Why? [more inside]
posted on Nov 6, 2006 - 6 answers

I just found out that I'm paying for another tenant's electricity usage (and have been for the last 4 years). What now? [more inside]
posted on Oct 3, 2006 - 20 answers

What kind of guitar is she playing?
posted on Sep 17, 2006 - 13 answers

Looking for resources that will teach me how to use capacitors, resistors, solar cells and other electrical components. [more inside]
posted on Jun 22, 2006 - 13 answers

Electric Arc of Death's video is gone, and I really want to see it again. Does anyone have a copy or know where to look?
posted on May 23, 2006 - 6 answers

Why do all my table fans eventually stop working? [more inside]
posted on May 3, 2006 - 7 answers

We have just moved into a rental condo. The laundry area is equipped for a 110V gas clothes dryer. Of course, ours is an electric dryer requiring 240 Volts. We want to have the outlet converted to the correct voltage, but I'd like to know whether we should expect to pay for this before contacting our new landlord, and how much it will cost. [more inside]
posted on Mar 16, 2006 - 6 answers

I've got a 28" CRT Television, it was left in the garage in the freezing cold and I'd like to know what I should do before I power it on again. [more inside]
posted on Jan 6, 2006 - 6 answers

WaterHeaterFilter: How much shower-time should I expect from my new electric water heater? [more inside]
posted on Dec 22, 2005 - 16 answers

MefiEngineers: Shouldn't there be a simpler solution to hybrid vehicles? [more inside]
posted on Sep 12, 2005 - 20 answers

Where can I find good electricians, plumbers, handymen, and whatnot in Baltimore? Is there a centralized resource where people can find out who's good, who's cheap, whose repair work is going to need repairing by another contractor, etc etc? Must one rely on word-of-mouth or blindly picking a name from the phonebook?
posted on Aug 8, 2005 - 4 answers

How does a toaster's light-dark control work? Perhaps something clever with a bi-metallic strip... can't believe the toast's 'doneness' is actually being tested; but from experience it seems more sophisticated than just adjusting a timer. How do dem? [more inside]
posted on Jul 17, 2005 - 12 answers

Just a stupid question that's puzzled me for years: Why is it that, on electric fans, the order of the settings on the switch is OFF - HI - MED - LO? I'm sure there's an electrical reason for this, but I don't know what it is, since I know nothing about circuitry. One would think that OFF - LO - MED - HI would make more sense. Can someone explain this to me?
posted on Jun 14, 2005 - 23 answers

What can you tell me about putting up an electric fence (to deter our dog from climbing out of the dog run)? I'd like to install one this weekend. [more inside]
posted on May 26, 2005 - 12 answers

I'm an acoustic fingerstyle guitarist. I play a Martin OOOc-15e. Lately, I've been considering buying an electric guitar for similar purposes, as well as some heavier blues stuff. Suggestions? [more inside]
posted on Mar 1, 2005 - 17 answers

My electric razor died, and I need a new one. Any good suggestions?
posted on Feb 24, 2005 - 13 answers

Which is better, a gas stove/oven, or an electric stove/oven? [more inside]
posted on Feb 18, 2005 - 32 answers

The outlets in my new apartment are two pronged. I've been tearing the third prong off of power strips in order to plug them into the wall. Is this bad?
posted on Feb 13, 2005 - 18 answers

Electricity: I'm wiring up a new dishwasher with the power cord from the old dishwasher. Just to make things interesting, the power cord has absolutely no indication of which side is positive and which side is negative. Is this because it's AC and it doesn't matter? I'm in the US on 110.
posted on Dec 6, 2004 - 14 answers

Electric Furnace Help My parents' furnace began acting funny tonight. (More Inside...)
posted on Dec 2, 2004 - 6 answers

Suggestions for getting a vintage electric guitar appraised (and possibly sold) in Los Angeles? (solo inside.)
posted on Nov 3, 2004 - 8 answers

My gear is giving me electric shocks, and I don't know what to do. [more inside]
posted on Sep 10, 2004 - 17 answers

If we can have wireless voice communication and wireless data transfer, why can't we have wireless electric current?
posted on Aug 8, 2004 - 16 answers

I drive a truck which is great for long distance, car camping and off-roading and hauling stuff but I estimate about %70 of the miles are done within a 30-mile range of home. As I recently switched home electricity to a Wind Powered utility provider (delivered via Pepco the incumbant local utility) I could now theoretically charge an electric car and be %100 pollution free. But I know nothing about electric cars reliability, maintaince, cold weather, etc... Does anyone have any experience or suggestions to offer? Ideally I'd like a car that can go 50+ mph for 40+ miles and cost under $10,000.
posted on Jun 11, 2004 - 9 answers