****** This thread is now closed. Please see Volume 64, which is here:- ******
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=28864
In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
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la famille de Renault is planning its vacances. Been a while since we went to France so we are looking there.
Nicole has found somewhere she likes the look of, but we have no experience of it. Anyone have experience of the Golfe Du Morbihan?
Looks like we will be going from Calais (yuk) Whats the routes like to that part?
Merci
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We went to that part of Bretagne last year and I have to report that I did not like it too much. It's a very green part of the world but this is as a result of the amount of rain they get. It rained almost everyday we were there. Most unpleasant, especially with a small child in tow. The beaches were nice enough but the sea was a bit cold. We did find a number of nice restaurants but that is of course no suprise: it is France after all.
As for driving: we went from Plymouth (or was it Portsnouth) and it took all day to get there. The rain didn't help.
Sorry to be so negative but this was our experience.
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Well, it's the sunniest bit of Northern France www.morbihan.com/index.php?page=display_page&objec...n
I remember many a happy, sunny, holiday there as a child. Yes, the sea is a bit chilly - but it's not the Med, is it! Better than Alnmouth beach anyway (for temperature). I've had freezing cold, wet holidays in Italy during August (I'm sure we all have, if we're honest), so don't let the above experience put you off.
Getting there is not too bad from Calais. I haven't got a French Road atlas to hand, and Multimap's French site is not a patch on the UK one. But drove to Dinan (near St Malo) from Calais last November (without seeing another car the whole way, virtually), and it is dual carriageway/Autoroute all the way. Don't be stingy about paying the toll - IMHO it's worth every penny. Quite a lot of this route is free, anyway (whatever the map may say). The route is Boulogne-Abbeville-cross the Seine on the Pont D'Europe: fantastic for lovers of French Bridges-Caen-Avranches-Rennes. Afraid you'll have to find your own way from there.
Don't be tempted to go round Paris. The M25 is like a teddybear's picnic in comparison.
Make room for some oysters.
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We were near there in August 1999. Weather was average, although when it was good it was very good. However, despite all that we had a nice time! Great roads and little traffic.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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RF,
We had 3 hols in Brittany when kids were younger (about 10 yrs age). For 2 we had excellent weather (v. hot and sunny) and other we had a dull and cloudy last week - were there for 3 weeks each time. Took us a day and a half from Calais but we had a caravan on the back and it was before the motorway from Avranches to Rennes - now motorway, or voie rapide all the way. Check on
www.viamichelin.com/viamichelin/gbr/dyn/controller...e?
It tells you toll costs etc.
We used to go further north-west than Morbihan towards Fouesnant, just south of Quimper. Some fantastic sheltered beaches (Cap Coz for instance where you can park in shade, free, right next to the beach). Some exposed, rocky and spectacular stretches of coast also - take your pick.
Small villages, towns, large towns, with markets to visit. Sea food is fantastic, and any price you choose in a fishing port like Concarneau which has hundreds of restaurants all competing with each other in the old town or Macdonalds and Pizza places if you prefer (!?) in the newer bit. Loads of bars and crepe places to sit in and watch the world go by and the sun set.
Inlands are ancient forests, deep valleys and scenery reminiscent of Cornwall and Devon (but much quieter)- don't remember any traffic jams!
As you can see - I like Brittany (as I do most of France!)and I suspect that Gulf of Morbihan will be lovely - we called in for a few days to the north of the gulf this year in some beautiful countryside.
Have fun
Phil
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Spent one week in the area in October 1998. Very off-season, a lot of things closed. Weather reasonable for October. Thought it pleasant enough - would go back. Vannes is an attractive town. Food fine, especially if you like creperies! Nice coastal scenery, and inland (we pottered about on backroads between Baud and Pontivy in the Blavet valley area) also pleasant.
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Hi,
I'am working as a contractor - on my next job, and was thinking of signing up with an umbrella company - for tax reasons. Anyone recomend one that offers good service at a good price?
This would be great help.
I don't really fancy setting my own company up, much rather someone else deal with the admin stuff!
Thanks for any help.
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The Chancellor of the Exchequer - not unreasonably - does not like these arrangments. Nor do other taxpayers, who have to pay extra tax to make up for the tax you do not pay.
1. Are you *sure* that you will be self-employed, rather than employed? The Inland Revenue website has a leaflet that will help you to decide this point. (Google for it.)
2. Even if you are self-employed, the Chancellor does not like you running your own company 'for tax reasons'. You would need to be absolutely certain that you do not fall foul of the Personal Service Company provisions. The chances are this sort of structure wouldn't save you any tax - and will cost you a lot of time, effort & frustration in terms of compliance. Find yourself a good tax adviser (search for one on www.tax.org.uk) and pay him to help you - a lot will depend on the exact circumstances of your situation.
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Is there not also an IR rule saying that any arrangement that is put in place purely in order to reduce a tax liability can validly be ignored by the IR?
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If you're only goingto be working on one contract at a time, and the work you'll be foing is paid for on a time (eg hourly) rather than a fixed price basis, you'll fall under the IR35 rules. Google IR35 and check the inland revenue site for all you need to know. In this case an umbrella company is all you need, but you won't save much on tax.
If you're working on fixed price contracts or working for multiple employers, then you need the benefit of your own company and a good tax accountant.
--
I read often, only post occasionally
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Just as a point of info here, if he is going to operate through what is termed an 'umbrella' he *will* be paying more tax than he has to. In effect he admits that he falls foul of IR35 and will take his income as PAYE (after legit deductions for expenses).
Travel expenses will only be allowed until he knows that he will be working in the same location for 2 years, even if that means for example at different companies in the city.
You can still be outside of IR35 if you work on one contract at a time, its a rather more complex bit of legislation than that.
I would suggest you trot along to www.contractoruk.com which is the best contractor info site I know, and look at the bb there p201.ezboard.com/bcuk
general has lots of rubbish but the accounting and business forums are very good.
Ask in accounting about the brolly you are considering, some of them are very poor and make misleading statements about the supposed concessions they have from the IR.
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My view is that 'umbrella companies' are a waste of time and money. Before you sign up check the fees carefully, they can charge an awful lot for what is fairly routine admin work.
Your best bet is to go and see a good local accountant, and get some decent paid for (or even free) advice at the beginning, at least you will have a starting point.
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Does anyone know (really know, not guess!) about tipping customs in the USA?
I'd like to know what is considered a reasonable tip (assuming good, not exceptional service) for
Taxi driver
Bell hop dealing with luggage
Doorman/concierge calling taxi
Bar staff - service at table and at the bar
Waiters - if not 15-20%
Thanks very much for any help/advice. This has always bothered me, and this year I'd like to get it right.
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When I first read that I thought you meant tipping the bloke who inspects your passport at the airport!
I've worked off a baseline of 20% for taxi drivers and waiters, and a couple of dollars for bell boys etc etc.
DB
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See
www.tipping.org
for chapter and verse, and an often hilarious discussion forum, on tipping customs in the good ol' US of A.
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A strange one this, but one that has always puzzled me!
Why, whenever there are very strong winds (outside I hasten to add), does the water at the bottom of my toilet always seem to recede so that there is less there than there usually is?
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This is from the Adam Littler school of Plumbing.
Pure guess - and it really is but it's so bad it may be right.
Isn't there an overflow pipe to the outside. Is the wind blowing across it and thus sort of...."suctioning the water"?
If that is right, I will not only eat my hat, but I'll agree with anything NoWheels, RF, Patently, Volvoman, BobbyG, Aprilia, StuartLi, Borasport, Cardew, and even worse...the mods say from now on.
Please be right please be right please be right :-)
--
Adam
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Adski, being a gentleman I will allow you a choice of ketchup or brown sauce to help the hat go down!
The physics is quite as you say. The water in the U bend normally has air above it on both sides of the U exerting normal atmospheric pressure on both sides and hence both sides will be level.
In the current windy conditions the wind will being moving across the top of the stench pipe and in so doing will have the effect of trying to suck air out of the pipe, this causes the air pressure to be reduced slightly in the pipe and results in a lower pressure on one side of the U bend. The air pressure being lower in the soil pipe now means that the pressure pushing down in the bathroom is more and the water level will drop. Think of the air pressure as weight on either side of a set of balance weighing scales and you have the principle.
PS I find that a pint of Bishop's Finger is good accompaniment to ones hat, has just the right body!
Cockle
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Great. Just great. Cockle, you are a gentleman sir - that wasn't patronising in the slightest! After downing copious amounts of Mr Daniel's finest, I shall now eat the said hat.
Thank you so much - and I look forward to being a sychophant to all of the above names....including Cockle of course!
--
Adam
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Strangely enough, I was stood looking at a toilet bowl at the weekend watching the water level rise and fall, thinking about atmospheric pressure and syphoning and the bernoulli effect.
Strange isn't it.
Still, I now have more important things to worry about. Like whose is that gold coloured Focus approaching in the middle of the road ? ;-)))
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If that is right, I will not only eat my hat
Are the photos developed yet?
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Quiz time on the Costa del Sol, again!
This is a bit of a poser listed in a category of "dead souls". This is the only "object" as opposed to a person.
Knowing how wide is the depth of knowledge here, I wonder if anyone can tell me what it is?
The tiny URL points to my web space at my ISP, so a click would be appreciated and an answer even more!tinyurl.com/5vmtz
--
Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Its a piece of Space Exploration which as unsuccessful. Was sent out to land late last year - I think on Mars - but don't quote me on that. Cannot even remember the name - might be the Beagle one but no doubt someone with better memory than my old brain will be along with the correct answer shortly.
Happy Sunbathing for you if not for me
Phil I
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for as read was.
Brain to fingers - Wake up...
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Thanks - "Beagle" it is - SWMBO found it for me too!
--
Roger. (Costa del Sol, España)
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Roger, it's definitely "Beagle 2". Be pedantic when the marks are given. Shout loudly at the unfairness of inaccuracy being accepted if they accept "Beagle" as an answer. Be unreasonable and throw your weight about.
Alternatively, be reasonable.
V
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It's the Beagle 2 Mars lander. More than you could ever want to know at:
www.beagle2.com/index.htm
V
PS some photos have it with three solar panels, like yours, some have four.
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Is it possible to buy a 30 watt (ie 150 watt equivalent) energy saving light bulb with a bayonet fitting?
(I've seen such a thing with a screw fitting in Homebase, and I've seen a 25 watt bayonet fitting, but never a 30 watt bayonet fitting one.)
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Sorry.. it'll all be over soon!
1. How long do you keep paperwork for? I have bank statements going back to before I had a proper job in 1997, and mobile phone bills back to when 0836 was still a proper phone number. I know I can chuck most of these, but what about things like P45s and payslips? How long are you supposed to keep those for? I've just done my 2003/4 tax return, so is it safe to chuck everything up to that date?
2. Where can I get boxes from? None of the supermarkets here seem to have decent ones anymore, where they used to be stacked up for anyone to take. Is it the sort of thing you might be able to buy very cheaply on Ebay for example?
Thank you!
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Anything that might relate to taxation should be kept for at least seven years. If the Inland Revenue ever take an interest in you (heaven forbid) then they have a right to ask you to produce that much documentation. I can't think why you would want to keep mobile phone bills (or many other bills unless you're self-employed) for longer than a year or so. But keep receipts for any valuable items you own for insurance purposes.
Where are you working at the moment? If you have an IT department, they're normally stuffed with empty boxes which are the right size to use. Otherwise you could buy Winster boxes from a stationer - they are sometimes called banker's boxes. Not cheap but last forever.
ANother alternative is to hire plastic crates. Quite a few removals firms allow you to do this - so much per crate per day.
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Don't know how it is these days, but a few years ago off-licenses were a good source of boxes.
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Don't know how it is these days, but a few years ago off-licenses were a good source of boxes.
>>
Still are.
Buy some tissue paper off them to pack china/glass. Do not use ordinary newspaper or you will need to wash items.
My experience of moving two offspring to/from UNI every term for six years.
For smaller easily handled boxes
1. Baked spud boxes from your local friendly green grocer
Size 39 x 29 X 28 very sturdy with hand holes.
2. Curver brand plastic boxes. I now stack them up to 10 high in a storage unit.
They are brilliant but no lids.
Smallest 36 x 28 x 20
Medium.. 43 x 36 x 23
Large - will find out if reqd.
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Best boxes to get are banana boxes. Go to the Produce dept of your local supermarket and ask them for some, or ask them to keep you some.
Very common request in my store. In fact, the store itself stores a lot of legal paperwork in banana boxes!
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"2. Where can I get boxes from? "
When we were emptying my late father's house we bought lots of boxes from IKEA - several styles/strengths all with lids depending on what was going into them, loads of different sizes and all quite cheap (prices usually refer to a pack of 2).
tinyurl.com/4xyy3
Bit expensive to pack everything in but for "valuables" might be useful.
Removal firms also have them of course - would they sell some to you (assuming you are moving yourself - if not, they will supply anyway?)
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If you're employing a removal company, they will provide boxes (and portable cardboard wardrobes, and packing tape) all in with the price. Pickfords, for example, will provide however many you ask for (with more at later dates if you find you've underestimated your requirements), and I can vouch for the sturdiness of them. They are invariably brand new, i.e. unused, and are supplied folded flat so there is no problem of storage until you need to use them. The last time we moved house we kept the boxes (and have still got them in case we want to move again!), but Pickfords did ask for the wardrobes back.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Alternatively, plastic boxes (with or without lids) from B&Q.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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p.g.the only thing to add is be careful how you dispose of old paperwork (you probably know this already)as its too easy for identity type fraudsters to get personal info from old bank statements,p45,s or old accounts.good luck with your move, new home etc
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Buy a good quality shredder - they are as cheap as chips amd very useful against identity thieves that prowl our bins. Keep a log of your account numbers whatever you do. I am in a bit of a dispute at the moment over a late 80s Mortgage. Can I find the account number ???
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Perhaps the relevant paperwork has been lodged with your solicitors?..:-)
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Photocopier paper boxes are pretty good for smaller items - can normally be liberated from busy offices and print rooms etc .
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One of my upstairs radiators is mostly filled with air. I have tried bleeding it but with no joy. Racked my brain this afternoon and remember from a previous combi-boiler, that there should be a way of letting water from the mains into the system, thereby creating enough pressure to bleed the radiator. The pressure in mine is now very low, approx 0.4 bar - the red marker indicates it should be about 1 bar. I cannot find anything that is obviously the mains inlet and I don't want to start fiddling around too much - the previous owners didn't leave us any instructions. The boiler is a Worcester Highflow 400 - I have tried their website and you can download a user manual but it doesn't mention bleeding the radiators.
Any advice before I call out a plumber? Cheers.
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Right,
Probably underneath the boiler you will have a feed directly from the rising main.
Trace your incoming rising main to your boiler and you will find, either;
a flexable combi filling loop, made out of what looks like braded steel, with two valves on it, or
connections in copper pipe (or plastic pipe depending on the installation) from the cold water rising main to your boiler, also controlled by valves or stopcocks.
Either of these should allow you to gently open the relevent valve/stopcock and repressurise your system. Be careful though, you shouldn't exceed 1 to 1.5 bar whilst the system is off. The pressure will be a little more when the system is on.
If this doesn't help, I can recommend the following site.
www.screwfix.com/talk/index.jspa?authInfo=430269781105819884865PS2GT3OQWR5XVCJO2C1CIIQ2042463350
Someone there will be able to help, just click on Plumbers Talk and give exactly the same infor as you have here.
Hugo
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If, as above, you have the flexible filling loop, you'll have to release the two valves to get water into the system.
Alternatively, somewhere under the boiler will be a hole for a very special shaped key. In my experience, plumbers leave the key on the top of the boiler. This key is plastic with a couple of rubber seals around it. They come in two sizes, so you'll need the model of your boiler if you go to buy one at the plumbers' merchant.
More help at:
www.specialistheating.com/faq.htm
Cheers,
V
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Thanks for quick replies. I've had another look around the boiler and can't locate this flexible filling loop. Unfortunately, the boiler is built-in to a number of units in my utility room. Tomorrow I'll remove a cupboard unit to see if I can get to the back of the boiler. I'll let you know how I get on.
Thanks again.
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did you look at the specialstheating linnk given above ? Thats a handy site, and the top entry in their FAQ is about getting water into a Worcester boiler, have a look - it says there is a key behind the bottom panel of the boiler. Sounds as if the filling loop is built into the boiler.
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Found it, bled rads, & pressure restored.
The flexible filling loop is installed at the top & rear of the boiler. After checking time and again for anything accessible from the front, I had to try another tack. As soon as I lifted the lid there it was in all its glory. I didn't do this straight away as the boiler is set amongst built-in units and so I had to move the tumble drier and lift the worktop!
At least I now have a set of user instructions downloaded from their website.
Thanks again for advice.
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Well Done Adrian!!!
The Backroom Plumbing indentures have now been bestowed onto you!
H
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Anyone out there ever used Dial A Phone to buy a mobile?
Bearing in mind our name and shame policy, what are/were your views on the service they offer?
My current provider cannot match any of the offers D A P provide, nor can anyone else I've spoken to either.
Are their offers too good to be true?
What are their customer services like should things go wrong and I need to contact them?
If you'd rather email me because your opinions are bad, you know the address.
Cheers, DD.
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DD never had a problem with Dial a phone. Fast efficient above all cheaper than anyone else..If you do have any problems C/S is always helpfull..at least for me anyway.I would recommend
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Steve
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I can't answer the question directly, but have you shopped around on the web? There's a bewildering range of deals listed at www.reestitmutton.co.uk/ .
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I've had two phones from Dial A Phone and no problems whatsoever. In fact, when the first one went wrong within the warranty period (waterlogged when the pocket of my bike jacket leaked) they sent a replacement round by courier two days later.
I'd certainly use them again.
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Dave
I bought two mobiles on the 3 Network though dial a phone. We received the £20 rebate from having bought the second.
The deal was half price line rental for 12 months. 3 months direct from 3 then the remaining 9 months via voucher redemption.
The first voucher was sent off after month 7 (which gave us a rebate from months 4 to 6). Within a few days or so both mobiles received a text confirming receipt of the vouchers and to say that the rebate would be in our accounts. And it was!
Their customer service is good.
I'll be seeing what deals they do next year when our current contracts run out.
Hugo
PS you have mail - private account
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I have used them a couple of years ago to get phones. Next day service was good.
My only problem was that the rental agreement was with a company called Singlepoint and I experienced very bad customer service with them. However, this was a couple of years ago so things may have changed.
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I'm with Singlepoint now - on the recommendation of a friend. They worked ok for me - including a welcome phone call from them when the phone was first powered up. Phoned them up to ask how to power up some feature or other, they were ok.
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My current provider cannot match any of the offers D A P provide,
Thanks for your views of D A P.
However, I spoke with my current provider today about ending my contract and they go and virtually match D A P's offer. So looks like I'm staying with them for another year.
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But only a casual one:-
My stat is in the hallway. Opposite the stat is a digital thermometer, and the hall radiator is about six feet away from both, by the front door.
I have frequently noticed that the indicated temperature on the DT actually drops when the CH starts from cold, by about 0.2-0.4C after 20-30 minutes running.
Why?
(it does recover & increase eventually)
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Your DT may be in a convection current.
When the CH starts up, warm air will rise but needs to be replaced by colder air from somewhere, so where is it coming from and is it being dragged past your DT?
H
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Frostbite,
Probably due to convection, the CH starts warming the radiator which starts the air near the radiator rising, cold air is drawn in from the floor area to replace the rising warm air. So it is possible (I dont know the exact placement of the DT and radiator) for the DT to 'see' cooler air from near the floor before it starts to 'see' air that has been warmed by the radiator.
StarGazer
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Frostbite, Probably due to convection, the CH starts warming the radiator which.......
Got there first na na na na na (apply approriate playground tune).
Well I'm bored :)
H
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Amazing site. Bearing in mind its Einstein's theory's 100th this year I think he would be suitably impressed.
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Hugo,
OK you get paid (well 1/4 of a ploughmans) to answer within 7 minutes, I am supposed to be writing a progress report and preparing a talk for tuesday....so I took a whole extra minute.
seems we at least agree!
Ever your humble physicist
StarGazer
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"My stat is in the hallway."
Maybe the stairwell, as well, so warmed air rises one or two stories and replaced by colder displaced air & outside air infiltrating around the door.
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The village in which I live has had fishing rights over a section of river that passes through the village for 200 years plus. These rights were once jealously guarded, and the river and its environment well kept. We are in the process of setting up an angling club to look after the river and its inhabitants (otters have recently returned). We also plan to learn any interested villagers how to fish. No monies will be exchanged, membership and lessons will be gratis. In this age of litigation do we have any concerns with public liability, eg if someone drowns or gets a fly in their eye?
Regards
Sigma
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Yes. You do have concerns.
IMHO you would be unlucky:
1. For anything adverse ever to happen
2. For anybody to be so ungentlemanly as to claim from you as a result of an adverse happening as a result of a gratis lesson from a kind & interested person.
However, you might be unlucky. You should at the very least consider public liability insurance - it shouldn't cost you more tahn a few hundred pounds for some tens of millions of cover, I'd guess (but an insurance broker would be able to tell you).
You may, if you are sufficiently paranoid, consider setting up a Limited Company to run your fishing lessons.
It is perfectly possible that the members of your fishing club would be liable for any claim against your angling club.
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I think Mapmaker is probably right here but the sad thing is that this will almost certainly have to lead to some fees unless wealthy philanthropic individual(s) are involved.
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Consider it. Voluntary groups are just as liable as Public/Private companies. There are plenty of Angling Clubs accross the country - I know that one of my local ones take young kids fishing as a Crime Diversion initiative. Depending what part of the country you are in there must be a process for setting up such a group without crippling yourself with support from local Councils and or local voluntary group, there are some very effective practices in my corner of the UK.Cracking idea - go for it.
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Thanks to everyone who responded. It looks like some form of insurance is a must. I will investigate the costs then try to involve the parish council (usually a font of ideas). Pugugly's suggestion is also a possibility, I didn't even realise such schemmes existed.
Cheers
Sigma
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sigma,who is the landowner where this will take place as possibly they will already have liability insurance already in place as long as you are not doing it for profit.its a good idea though to give people an interest in what is round about them and help look after it ,hope it succeeds.
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Hi
My girlfriend moved out of her student accomodation in June 2004. Having phoned her internet/telephone provider (one company) to cancel internet/telephone, she was told that both accounts would be disconnected at the end of the month. Only the Internet one was. She didn't notice until October that the telephone was still being charged.
I have tried several times to get a cheque sent out to her new address and each time I am told it will be. I hear nothing and phone up again. I hear nothing, and phone up again. On we go, round in circles, and I just don't know what to do!
So, do I write a letter? Do I persist with the phonecalls? Each time I ask them about the previous amount that was raised, the note seems to have mysteriously vanished from their system.
Help!!!!
Mike Farrow
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When making calls of this nature always make a note of the time/date and the name of the person you spoke to*.
It can provide useful ammunition when you (usually) end up writing!
*Does not apply when calling DSS - their staff give out false names and when you phone again say 'Nobody of that name here'.
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Today, Monday January 17th, saw every commercial station in the UK broadcast UK Radio Aid - a day of very special guests, presenters and activity to raise money for the Tsunami appeal.
All the stations were linked to give the same output.
How is this possible?
Is there a central facility that all broadcasting is routed through so that in times of emergency, say, Public Information can be broadcast?
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bog standard telco pipe
no big deal
its 2005
v easy to hook people up if they are near enuf an exchange and the will is there
likely most of the studios already linked to appropriate exchange, lots of backhaul is currently unused in UK so no probs between exchanges etc
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"Is there a central facility that all broadcasting is routed through so that in times of emergency, say, Public Information can be broadcast?"
Yes there was, all BBC stations could be linked up to broadcast from whatever bunker (corsham was one favourite - had its own siding from the london to bristol line) was being chosen as the regional or national government.
However nowdays its no big feat. All radio stations and transmiters can be linked by data lines, in fact they are. You think that radios play cd's or records now? nope they all play digital music from central repositories.
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Today, Monday January 17th, saw every commercial station in the UK broadcast UK Radio Aid - a day of very special guests, presenters and activity to raise money for the Tsunami appeal. All the stations were linked to give the same output. How is this possible?
Don't know but it can't be much different to the chart show on Sunday evenings on commercial radio (if they're still on)
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BBC local tv must be something similar, as sometimes they forget to switch something over to Yorkshire Look North and I end up watching news from a random region in the country.
On a similar vein...
How do hotels manage to push multiple Sky channels down to a standard TV?
I'm sure they are too stingy to have multiple recievers.
Does it then goes down some converter to a UHF frequency for the tv to tune to?
I've sat in too many hotel rooms thinking about this.....
Simon
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Its multiplexed down the aerial (or digital data)feed to the set. Sometimes its piped into the hotel over a data feed and not from aerials or dishes at all.
At one place I was working at they even had Sky and terrestial over the local area network to be picked up by your PC or Lap top. (CISCO IPTV - if you knew how to set it up) Handy, it was during the last world cup.
I had a quick peek in the computer room cabinet that fed it. Its used a lot in financial dealing rooms where the traders need instant world news, so you could have CNN playing in a small window on your trader screen.
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We have recently had our old back boiler replaced with a combi boiler, all is fine apart from one of the radiators (the highest one) needs to be bled quite frequently. I have now bled it about 4 times since the boiler was fitted at the beginning of December. Does this sound like too much of is it normal?
Also, after reading all the other boiler threads, it has occured to me that when the system is "topped up" it is getting fresh water direct from our supply, will this cause long term problems with it having no inhibitor(?) in it, or am I missing somthing obvious?
Thanks
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From my non-expert knowledge (since no-one else has replied yet).
I would say the air could be quite normal - it's appearing at the 'top' of the system and should steadily reduce in volume as the system gets more use.
The inhibitor is probably in some safety excess of requirements when first added, so a modest addition of untreated water should be OK.
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I dont have personal experience of combi's - being an indirect self taught by experience person, but I would agree with Frostie.
It was major surgery, a lot of air would have entered the system so I would exspect a fair degree of bleeding at first. The fact its apearing at the upper most radiator sounds quite healthy, good flow.
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Thanks for the replies chaps.
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Mmm, I'm not so sure that the amount of bleeding is ok. I have a new system put in, which surely is as likely to need bleeding as anything, and it needed bleeding once.
Actually twice, but the second time it had actually sprung a leak.
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If the rest of the system is old and it's only the boiler that is new, it may be possible that there is some sort of chemical reaction somewhere inside the system that is producing a gas.
I don't know a lot about this but we had a similar problem with a system in our last house. We changed to a combi system and changed 3 radiators at the same time. We had no trouble since.
One option you have is to use a flushing compound in your systen, then refill with the correct additive. I did this to a client's system recently and the difference in performance was simply astonishing!
To be honest there are several possibilities, but in the absence of any visable leaks, this is the next I could think of.
Hugo
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Cheers Huggy
When the back boiler was replaced with the combination boiler, 4 new radiators were fitted at the same time, thus a lot of chopping of pipes etc. I put this down as the cause of trapped air.
The gaps between bleeding the radiator are cetainly getting further apart and it has now been a couple of weeks since it was last done, so I'm not too worried.
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This may or may not be relevant, but a few years back I had to start bleeding a radiator on our CH system once a week rather than once a year. Turned out the float operated valve on the boiler header tank in the loft had jammed up, the header tank had emptied, so bleeding the system was actually introducing more air into the system rather than less.:-/
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IIRC all combi`s have an in built expansion vessel/auto air valve on top..Sometimes Auto air valve gets stuck..This getting stuck pushes air back into system.first point of entry is usually highest rad..But may cause the same problem..as its new ask the fitter/co to check it out
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Steve
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Did you watch this last night ?
If so;
Why did they all go to the pub just before they decided the problem was in the Church ?
Was the pub landlord legit or a conman ? Was he related to one of the families ?
Was the final card guessing and fruit machine bit supposed to prove that the Landlord was genuine/conman or that Little Mel/Mal was ?
Who was the "gypsy" supposed to be mysteriously phoning on her mobile as Barnaby walked away from her caravan ? Just the bookmaker, or was it supposed to be more sinister than that ?
Yeah, I know, I know, but I enjoy it. However last night I was also half asleep.
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Recomendations please.
RF needs a new shower pump, the bearings I have lovingly kept going for the past 12 months are now getting beyond it.
So determined not to buy the same useless lump of metal I have now I am looking for a new shower pump.
1.5 bar, able to tolerate temperature fluctuations above 60c and tolerate some cavitation (as its not isted in an ideal place)
Thanks
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I've just had a sky digibox installed and connected up with SCARTs to the TV, VCR etc. as follows;
Scart from Digibox TV socket to AV1 on TV
Scart from Digibox VCR socket to (in/out) AV1 VCR
However, when the digibox is on and I turn the VCR on, it does say "look at me" to the TV and there is audio but no picture. So currently I can't tape anything that's on SKY. The terrestrial channels work OK with the VCR when the digibox is off.
What am doing wrong?
TIA.
p.s. I haven't changed any of the coax connections....and though I doubt it makes a difference, I also have an AV amp/DVD player that is only connected to the TV AV3.
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hi on my set up you have to nominate an av channel on your vcr ie av1 or av2 to record from sky.
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Have you tried swapping the leads over to see if you've got a dodgy one?
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You don't seem to say what us the connection between the VCR and the Television.
Run your cables Digibox to VCR to TV. This will enable you to see on the television exactly what the VCR is seeing.
It could be a loose/duff connection, but at least with the units daisy-chained you can see what is going on.
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I've just installed a Panasonic system with DVD recorder. Not only was the cabling complex, but so is the fact that there are two remote controls, with no apparent logic over which you use for which function (and no, they are not completely interchangeable).
It took me hours of trial and error to get it working satisfactorily.
I would have thought that Mark's suggestion would result in not being able to record a channel other than the one you are watching. Mind you, there's something called "pass through" whch I don't understand.
I would go along with the dodgy cable theory - swap 'em and see if the problem moves too.
I'm guessing that the VCR is SCART'd directly to the TV too, otherwise the TV wouldn't recognise that the VCR had woken up...?
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>>I would have thought that Mark's suggestion would result in not being able to record a channel other than the one you are watching.
Since he can't record anything at the moment, that would be a step forward !!
Actually, my point was that you need the television and the VCR looking at the same feed to be able to determine what the VCR is seeing, rather than just what it is recording - not that you need to leave it that way.
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Double check your SCARTs. They need to be really fully home as even the slightest degree out will result no sound.Also depends on the software in your telly. Mine has three input SCARTs (as well as digital co-ax and optical feed) and each SCART "channel" needs to be programmed to the application connected from the telly's on screen menu e.g. SCART 3 is the nominated DVD in and is programmed (by me) to be for Digital Audio Input (optical feed for the best sound). The SCARTs' relationship to each other can then be tweaked so that when the telly is first switched on it automatically picks up the Sky feed and defauls to that. Complicated ? Yes....now I want to transfer my VHS archive onto DVD, now that is difficult....back of the telly is also subjected to a spider hunting dog which does not help one bit.
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You think that's complicated huh? :-)
I also have a TiVo in my setup, which is a PVR (disc based recording system - like Sky+ but better) wired into my home network. So TiVo does the donley work of capturing all those series and programmes and suggestions - the recordable DVD is used for conflict management and dumping stuff we want to keep from TiVo. Luckily as the TiVo is on my network I can also dump programs onto my PC and burn them to DVD there too.
But despite this technology all my VCR tapes went in the bin last week, as I no longer have a VCR in the lounge.
Transfer of VCR to DVD should be easy enough, just very time consuming...
PU is dead right about SCARTs needing to be fully seated.
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"Transfer of VCR to DVD should be easy enough, just very time consuming... "
Yep. 25 years of TV History on tape. its part of my broken leg fallback plan.
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Chad.. your connections are ok..Make sure one of the scart plugs hasnt slightly pulled out.Common problem with scart plugs is the lead is too heavy for the plug and causes them to pull away from socket..If pushing home has no effect try another scart lead..
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Steve
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Thanks for all the replies and sorry for not replying sooner....
I already checked all the SCART leads and they are OK. I've just checked the VCR(Aiwa FX8200) manual online and that says to connect the VCR, via AV2, to the digibox's TV output!
OK, so I've done that and the TV's AV1 is connected to the VCR's AV1 (TV has no direct conn. to digibox).
Switch on the VCR, select AV2, select AV1 on TV and hey-presto I can see (and record) SKY. However as soon as I switch off the VCR, I can't get SKY on the TV....I do get a very wavy/blurred pic with no audio which seems to be SKY.
According to the VCR manual it seems that I need to set the "tuner type number" in the satellite set-up screen and it say refer to supplied "Satellite Receiver List" - there doesn't seem to be an online version of this document.
Cheers,
Chad.
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Lack of pass-thru.
It is entirely possible that the scart leads will not allow pass-thru when the unit is switched off. This would not impact the co-ax leads which absolutely will allow pass-thru irrespective of the switched-on-ness of the unit.
Now you've got it working, why not use two leads from the digibox, one to the VCR and one direct to the television ? Simply move the television lead out of the VCR output and into the Digibox TV output. The television will then see the picture irrespective of what the VCR is doing, although they will both see the same thing, so you'll not be able to watch one station and tape another.
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Have you tried to connect the TV to the digibox VCR output?
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>>Scart from Digibox VCR socket to (in/out) AV1 VCR
If the VCR has a scart socket marked 'Decoder' try that. AV1 may be output only. As for scart plugs getting pulled askew, this is a consta, which don't cost a lot. Check that replacemnt scarts have all 21 pins connected. Some have only audio and video, so won't carry any switching signals etc.
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Sorry -- a chunk got deleted. The affected sentence should have read
'As for scart plugs getting pulled askew, this is a constant problem. The answer is locking scarts, which don't cost a lot.'
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PS. You can get locking scarts (and other stuff) at cpc.farnell.com/jsp/home/homepage.jsp . I'm lucky enough to have CPC's trade counter locally.
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