Q:I got molds done a while back for my finishing wires on my braces. I'm getting them Tuesday, but I'm not really sure what the difference is between finishing wires and the wires I have now. So I'd be delighted if someone could explain:) Also, after you get finishing wires, about how much longer is it until you get your braces off? And, would you recommend the wire retainers, or the clear ones? Why? Thanks in advance!

Finishing wires are for the final stage of braces. They are pretty strong wires that snap tightly into your brackets so the orthodontist can finely control the teeth and line everything up nicely. I can't say how long until you get your braces off...that's kind of a case by case basis. Typically the wire retainers are better than the clear ones from a hygiene perspective. They can also be adjusted unlike the plastic ones.

Q:I am making a lamp shade that calls for bonsai wire. How is bonsai wire different from regular wire and what would be a good substitute for it????

Bonsai wire may be purchased with coatings of various natural colors so it will not distract attention. Also, bonsai wire is usually single strand conductor because it is stiffer and will retain its shape better than multistrand. . Generally, wire is wire. For your purposes Grasshopper, find some house wire at the local home center..

Q:When I am wiring my sub to my amp, what gauge of wire should I use? The sub is 750 rms and the amp is 700 rms. And how do I wire a 2 ohm sub DVC to a 2 ohm stable amp?

12 gauge would work fine or maybe good to an audio shop and get some thing better

Q:Ok You know the speaker wires that go to the back of the subwoofer? The metal part that comes out of the wire came out of the wire, and it makes a funny sound or no sound at all. How can I fix this? Also, I cut the wire and put the copper wires into the subwoofer, it works so so, any sugestions? lew

If it's a RCA type jack, just buy a new cable. Your method would normally work, but you really need a good solid connection. You can get a RCA cable crimper, which would allow you to attach a new RCA jack to the cable...but the kit will cost you as much as a new cable. Personally, I'd just buy a new cable.

Q:My boat came with a rule 500 2-wire auto pump. I have an on/off switch at the console. My replacement has 3 wires. How do I connect the 3 wires and still use my on/off switch?

It all depends on the function of the third wire. The instructions that came with the pump should tell you what it's for. If you're only using the pump with the switch you only need to apply 12V and a return to the pump. The switch could be in either leg, but will normally be in the +12V leg. The third wire could be an earth ground for safety or you might have a built in float switch so that you can apply 12V directly to that 3rd wire. When the internal float switch goes high enough it will turn on the bilge pump for you. Your best bet is still to read the instructions before you install it though...

Q:Need to wire three ceiling fans in series

NO, you do NOT need or want to wire multiple fixtures in series. You ALWAYS wire fixtures in parallel. You most likely mean you want to wire three ceiling fans to be controlled by a single switch. Since you failed to actually ask a question, I will guess you want to know NOW to wire them. The answer is EXACTLY the same as wiring one ceiling fan, with the 'live' wire from the switch extending to each fixture. If that is not enough to help you, I STRONGLY recommend professional help.

Q:Would crepe paper stick on chicken wire?

Crepe paper needs an adhesive to make it stick to a surface, such as white glue. However, it gets messy once dampened, as the colors may bleed. Instead, I would consider working with paper mache or plaster gauzing strips, which would provide a strong skin over the chicken wire. Both can be primed with gesso then decorated with acrylic paints. If this is a sculptural piece you want to keep, we would also suggest varnishing it for protection.

Q:The power supply is at the fixture in this case. I have 2 black wires (1 is the hot, I connected the hot to the other black to continue to the switch. The other wires are 2 white wires, 1 red wire and 2 grounds. At the switch there are multiple wires, including 3 black wires, 1 red, 3 white and 3 ground. One of the black wires I know goes on to other fixtures in another room. My issue now is I cannot get my main fixture I was trying to change the switch on to work and don't know which wire to connect to the switch. Right now I have removed the switch completely so the other rooms lights will work. Here is how I have it set up now. At the fixture black to black, white to white, red capped 2 grounds capped together. At the switch area: Black (hot from the fixture) to 2 blacks, all 3 whites connected, red is capped, and grounds are together. Which wires do I connect to the switch to control the fixture and still allow the other rooms lights to work. HELP!

The key is the red wire. At the switch junction, attach the red wire to one terminal of the switch. Combine all the black wires into one bundle and pigtail off a length of wire to attach to the other terminal on the switch. The black wires are now all constant hot, and the red wire is the switch leg going up to the fixture. The white wires should remain bundled by themselves. The bundle of ground wires can also be attached to the green ground terminal on the switch if one is present. At the fixture junction, bundle all white wires together and do the same with the ground wires. Attach the red switch leg to the black fixture wire. The remaining black wires in the junction should be bundled together to remain isolated from the fixture.

Q:Hello, I have a 4 year old Trane XR12 unit. Recently the compressor fan is noisy, and now stops when when under power after 5-10 min. The main fuses and breakers are fine, the fan spins freely when turned, the contactor pulls in fine, the dual capacitor checks out. But, the wiring of the capacitor does not match wire diagrams. Could this have caused the fan motor to prematurely fail?..............................Terminal: C red wire, FAN brown wire, HERM has both orange and purple. Schematic shows the purple wire should be with red wire on common C. The purple also leads to fan.

Hi, I looked at the schematic on-line. If you still have the original fan motor in the unit then you are correct. The center terminal on the capacitor should have the red wire from the T1 terminal of the contactor, the red wire from the compressor, and the purple wire from the fan. The FAN terminal should have the brown wire from the fan. The HERM terminal should have the orange wire from the compressor. The black wire from the fan and the black/blue wire from the compressor should lead back to the T2 terminal of the contactor. Again, that is if the motor is the original motor. If it was replaced at some point in time, the wiring colors can change from manufacturer to manufacturer, in which case it's possible that the new motor is wired correctly. There should be a diagram on the motor to show you the correct wiring configuration.

Q:Does lime wire add a lot of pop-ups and slow down your computer?

Lime wire won't do anything harmful to your computer, unless you dl a fake version of lime wire. It is the software, program, w/e you download from lime wire can mess up your computer because they might contain viruses. So, I suggest you scan the file that u downloaded from lime wire first before opening it.