******* Thread now closed, please see volume 39 ********
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=21548
In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
It does not need to be motoring related. In fact, in this thread it should not be.
No Questions About PC\'s. They now go in another Thread.
No politics
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which I think is not following the spirit of the thread
Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
However, as has been said a couple of times, there is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 38. Previous Volumes will not be deleted,
A list of previous volumes can be found here:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=18847
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A quick reminder to people:-
When posting a NEW question, please \"Reply to\" the first message in this thread, i.e. the topmost one? This keeps each question in it\'s own separate segment (see IHAQ 37 to see what I mean - ( www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=20819&...t ) and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Don\'t forget to also include your question within the subject header.
Obviously when replying to any existing questions, just reply to those as per normal.
DD, BR Moderator.
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I think this has to be my favourite thread!
Hugo
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SWMBO has something called an iron. Apparently it stops clothes from looking crushed.
Anyway it has black marks on the plate of it and she has tried Kleeneze's iron cleaner but this has not worked. Has anyone got any "old wive's tales" of how to clean it?
She has threatened me that if I don't get her an answer she will put a crease in my jeans!!! (Not whilst I am wearing them I hope!)
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Has anyone got any "old wive's tales" of how to clean it?
tips.tipking.com/cleaning/tip_419.shtml
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First - DD - how do you manage to have an answer for everything?!
Secondly, Bobby, there is of course the solution that you get to know this iron thing, whatever it may be, and learn to nurture it yourself. Men and irons - that phrase will probably get pulled by the swear filter, but nonetheless it's a thought...
Good luck with your creases, however they may be formed.
HF
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First - DD - how do you manage to have an answer for everything?!
One word. Rhymes with oogle. DD has a natural talent for getting Google to spill the beans on pretty much anything.
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First - DD - how do you manage to have an answer for everything?!
I'm afraid I can't answer that.
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I have found as I have aged, that most clothes become self ironing! Especially shirts........Think about it.
Regards
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Rub the sole plate with one of those abrasive-covered foam pad thingies that are normally used for rubbing down domestic paintwork. Preferably use one that has already seen some service and has then been washed. Alternatively, give one to SWMBO and diplomatically explain to her what she has to do with it ~ if you dare! And tell her that the iron thingie has to be cold when she does it ~ just in case she doesn't realise it!
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Heat the iron up, vigorously iron a dry Brillo pad. Allow to cool, then clean off the soap powder that will have transferred onto the sole of the iron*
Never, ever fails.
V
* Or, do what I do, and don't wait for it to cool down, look all tough wiping the sole of the iron with a wet cloth, then leap round the room screaming in agony as the moisture turns to superheated steam.
I suppose an alternative would just be to use plain wire wool, so there isn't a soap problem, but that would require planning.
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What's the situation with people from foreign countries outwith Europe working in the UK/Europe? A colleague of mine has a friend from Taiwan over here doing a post-graduate degree and wants to know if his friend would be able to work full-time in the UK/Europe after graduation. I have no idea! Anybody got any useful info?
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Fairly sure they would need a work permit and possibly a change of visa if currently on a student visa. Home Office/Immigration website would probably be the best place to start. A google should find it!
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www.workingintheuk.gov.uk - should give you everything you need to know.
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I've got a rat's burrow in my garden. (I'm told that they vacate the local dyke when the water level rises in winter and they look for a dryer home elsewhere.) I've sent the residents to meet their maker by persuading them to eat poisoned bait, but I now have a question. What did they do with the soil that they excavated when making the burrow? There's no sign of it anywhere.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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"What did they do with the soil that they excavated when making the burrow?"
They dug another hole and hid it down there.
V
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Leaking Dishwasher:
It\'s a Bosch, about 4 years old. I can\'t reach the base because it seems to be sealed on. Does anyone have any ideas as to whether the side panels of this are supposed to remove so that it is possible to access the workings in the base? Have checked the outlet hose and the pump...
Tim{P}
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My advice is to throw the thing out!
We had a Bosch washer-dryer once and it was nothing but trouble. O.K. while under warranty, but afterwards - the nearest repairer was 90 miles away and had a 50 quid call out charge + £X per quarter hour. Spare parts purchase needed a second mortgage to fund them.
It was cheaper for us to go to the shop whose name reminds one of generic Indian food and buy a new machine whose name reminds one of the end of a poker in use!
Roger.
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Have a look at:
www.acmehowto.com/howto/appliance/dishwasher/diagd...p
This is a phenomenally useful site - it gives clear, helpful instructions and asks for a (voluntary) donation. Last week, it saved me a £45 call-out charge for my freezer. I fixed the problem in about an hour using their instructions.
V
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Thanks, both : have bookmarked site, Vin. Rushed out and bought 30 pound dishwasher from paper last night (visitors this weekend, don't want to spend ALL the time at the sink..) Discovered I could remove sides of exisiting Bosch. Moved dishwasher, and noticed gentle bubble of water underneath the cold tap "Y" piece feeding said appliance. Problem solved. Anyone in Hull or Beverely want a cheap secondhand dishwasher....
Tim{P}
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There appears to be two notations for eye test results. How do you convert from one to the other? I've tried asking an optician's assistant. She claimed to know but couldn't (or couldn't be bothered to) explain it.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Huh! New one on me, the power of the lens is usually given in dioptres plus the cylinder correction for astigmatism. I'm not an optician so I look forward to be being enlightened!
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I suppose this could be motoring related as i saw this in my car..
saw a bird today about 30ft above the ground flapping it's wings frantically but appeared to be completely stationary,now i watched it do this for at least 30,40 seconds as i drove past and it just didn't move!
Not the first time i've seen a bird do this, i'm totally bemused.. what are they doing? excersise? stuck in a downdraft?
i don't know.
anyone know?
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Its a hawk. Hovering in the thermals and updrafts, looking for prey (small rodents) that live alongside the road
So it is motoring related, Hawk=humber
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Kestrels, Kites etc., do this above mouseholes and other rodent refuges waiting for the occupants to emerge.
PS doesn't have to be motor related in this thread.
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Kestrel; they have adapted to roads and are often seen hovering over the verges.
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Our weather forecasters are predicting that this summer will be 'a very wet one'.
In view of their frequent 'success' at forecasting weather three or four days ahead, should we be preparing ourselves for their opinion on three or four months hence?
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Our weather forecasters are predicting
not mine. forecasters i rely on are from the met office and theuy have pooh poohed the forecast made by your forecasters! ;-)
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Well, that's interesting. I was quoting the forecasters on ITV midday news - I know ITV generally is a bit second-rate but I was under the impression they still used forecasters from the met office.
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Re weathyer forecasts, ITN affliated TV and Radio stations DO NOT use the Met office. However for longer range forecasts both the met office and the private forecasting companies use input from ECMWF - The European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting. (known in the trade as Early Closing Monday Wednesday Friday)
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Morning all...
I know this is a long shot, but I need some help with another (hopefully the last!) university project, and this time it's only people who live in Staffordshire who can help.
So, if that's you, and you wouldn't mind filling in a short questionairre by email, please email me at moonpiggy1@aol.com (I don't mind who knows my email address... just don't ask where it came from!)
Thanks!
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(I don'tmind who knows my email address... just don't ask where it came from!)
much more secure if you quote it in your profile and ask for it to be loked up there. adds another click to access the info, and helps prevent auto address harvesting from web sites.
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Following some work on the house I have now got significant drips of mortar on my tarmac driveway.
Any one know a simple easy way of cleaning it up, failing that any hard complicated ideas would also be useful.
Ta
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Speak to a Builders Merchant. There is a preparation with some sort of acid that will remove it. Often used to remove mortar drips from new brickwork by shoddy workmen.
DVD
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Thanks.
I think that SWMBO enjoyed reading some one else calling me a 'shoddy workman' as well, although her comments would probably not have got through the pink fluffy dice!
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You could post this one one www.pavingexpert.com - it's a little belter of a site
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One off topic thread if that's ok?
Can anybody recommend where to stay in Prague - I've never been and I'm confused with regard to the accomodation options. Any hotel or apartment recommendations?
thanks in advance!
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Great place. My wife's Czech, and we've been so many times I've lost count.
I've never needed to use a hotel in Prague, as we have so many friends in the city who are always kind enough to let us stay, but the following web site is a one stop shop of useful info that you will struggle to better: www.a-zprague.cz/
Peknou dovolenou!
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Oh well. It seems that the site doesn't support non-English characters (unless there's an ASCII or HTML trick?)
The e in Peknou has an inverted circumflex above it that I so carefully entered...!
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One off topic thread if that's ok?
Er, that's what the "I have a question" thread is for.
Talking of which, this'll get moved there later today.
DD.
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Is this a common thing amongst Backroomers?! - My wife's also Czech. But not from the north - deep south Bohemia. Still, we've stayed in Prague so many times at a variety of locations.
Generally, the nearer you are to the centre (Charles Square, Old Town Square etc) the more you'll pay. But as usual, it's all down to the standard of accommodation you want. If you're prepared to rough it a bit and share shower facilities, then stay at the University student halls of residence on the hill above Prague to the west (behind the Mala Strana park). Very cheap - about £5 a night! It?s very much youth hostel style ? but at least you get your own private room. We?ve stayed there quite a few times. Really nice walk down into Prague through the park. Take the funicular back up though to save your legs!
In order of cost normally you?ll find it goes: hostel, pension, hotel. Pensions are really guest houses and a great compromise between the roughing it style of a hostel and the expense of a hotel. Expect to pay between £20 - £30 a night for a decent pension. That?ll buy you a decent bed with breakfast but with shared bathroom.
Czech out (pun fully intended!):
www.accommodationinczech.com/
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I kept an article from the Daily Telegraph of a couple of years ago about a Czech lady lliving in England (I think) who arranges apartments from a couple of days upwards. If I remember I'll dig out the details tonight.
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Martin
I've just organised a trip for 40 to Prague for the Christmas markets. In December of course. So I have griff on a number of hotels - what is your budget?
Terry
"Just because I don't care doesn't mean I don't understand"
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Have a look at one of the 'cheap' online booking people like:
www.secure-bookings.co.uk/prague/
But beware. The Prague Hotel star rating system doesn't appear to be the most reliable. I stayed once in the Hotel Central which was certainly central and remarkably cheap, but not 3 star as I know it ***! But it had hot running water and there was crisp linen on the bed. I think it's fair to say that if it is cheap, it probably is.
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Thanks for all the replies - I thought this thread had been deleted - just found out that it had been moved!
Anyway I got fed up looking at all the options so I've given my travel agent details of where I want to stay and how much I want to spend and I'll let them do the donkey work.
Planning to go at the end of April but there's an ice hockey tournament on so the hotels look even busier than usual. Thanks for all the links though. Really looking forward to going.
Any other top tips appreciated. Thanks again for all your Prague-matic advice :-)
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The Lonely Planet website is always worth checking out
www.lonelyplanet.com/destinations/europe/prague/
Or this
www.virtualtourist.com/vt/61c47/
I seem to recall a tv program that said that Prague has quite a serious problem with pick pockets targeting tourists so keep a tight hold on that wallet!
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Fill what's empty, empty what's full and scratch where it itches!
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I've successfully fitted Sheperd post/spindle fitting castors to two beds in place of the original castors, by removing the castors and leaving the original sleeves in situ.
Now that I've found out how superior Sheperd castors are, I'd like to continue the exercise with my 3-piece suite, but I can't even remove the castors let alone the sleeves.
Are there any tricks of the trade that will ensure that no damage is done to the suite and that I'm not left with an armchair with only 3 (!) castors? I've tried levering with two screwdrivers but this didn't work. My local DIY upholstery supplier has suggested ?brute force and ignorance? but that sounds to me like a recipe for disaster.
--
L'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Shepherd with an aitch methinks Snail. Have always succeeded in this fix. Sharp cold chisel in between edge of sleeve and as tight in to the spindle as you can get it. Whack with heavy block hammer Always works for me:-))
Best Castors you can buy . Last forever.
Happy Furniture fixing Phil I
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Sorry Snail. Should have also mentioned if lightweight leg will need support before hitting chisel with hammer. Heavy suites are no problem but would hate to see your best Chippendale shattered by following my advice .(For which I now claim absolutely no responsibity at all)
Phil I
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I bought something at auction four weeks ago and sent my cheque off same day. The seller banked it as soon as it arrived. After ten days, I emailed to enquire whether he had mailed my purchase and he responded to the effect 'no, but I will send it in a few days' - all casual-like.
He didn't send it when promised so I mailed something a bit stronger. He sent me an 'offended & outraged' email AND the item, the following day.
I was amazed to see him then leave positive feedback for me and request me (twice) to leave feedback for him! I previously thought it would be an act of kindness to 'forget' to leave the negative feedback I think he deserves, but this guy is imo a bit simple.
Am I being hard, or am I right, and should I leave negative feedback?
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Be accurate in the interests of other buyers. Yes leave negative feedback; that's how the system is supposed to work.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
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Buyer's perspective: Would you have had to go through the hassle you've obviously been through if someone else had left the feedback you're tempted to leave? Probably not. Leave accurate, factual feedback (given the minute space you're allowed) and let the next potential buyer make their decision based on the facts.
Seller's perspective: If there are no consequences to messing people around, why should I change my behaviour?
V
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I understand your frustration, but at the end of the day, you payed for the goods, and received the item. In my view, a neutral feedback is probably better, listing why.
The number of times I've seen people with -ve feedback for slow delivery etc, when I feel that -ve should only be left for someone who hasn't sent the item, won't replace a broken item etc.
Just my thoughts on this! :-)
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For the first time I recently used a set of noise reduction headphones on a flight. - these were made by Bose and are handed out by American Airlines with a portable DVD.
I found that they worked superbly. The cancelled out a lot of the background noise and I could hear the dialog on the DVD and even the in-flight movie.
The downside is that Bose charge £275 for them. Has anyone experience of other(cheaper) models?
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Should have bought them whilst you were in the States - saw them for $250.00 there.
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I've used the Bose ones - fantastic. I haven't tried the ones below, but the review looks good and they are a great deal cheaper.
www.thetravelinsider.info/2003/0620.htm
V
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Definitely worth reading comments in here:
www.thetravelinsider.info/forums/viewforum.php?f=5
If you can't get there from this link, it's a forum attached to the page mentioned above - gives user's views of all the noise-reducing headphones on the market.
V
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Take a look at:
www.headphone.com/layout.php
www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=13&subTopicID...9
They recommend passive noise cancellation but if you want active noise cancellation then:
www.headphone.com/layout.php?topicID=3&subTopicID=...1
If you fancy a set of these the best price I can find is at:
www.unbeatable.co.uk
The give a better sound than the Bose and (unlike the Bose) work when the battery is flat (but the noise cancellation doesn't work then!). The Bose does give better noise cancellation but I think the Sennheiser is a better headphone. Only used on a train and they do seem to make a difference. They are also a lot more compact than the Bose.
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The Etymotic ear canal type phones are great if used with an equaliser circuit see here:
www.linkwitzlab.com/reference_earphones.htm
The Etymotics are not cheap. I have used the EC2 headphones mentioned on this page before, and are great value at $100. They are designed to be used by musicians on stage so have reasonable isolation from external noise.
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Thanks everyone for all the links. I quite like the look of the PlaneQuiet. I think I'll try them
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Can you post your thoughts/comments on these headphones if/when you buy them please? I take it that you'll have to order directly from the US?
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Martin,
Have ordered from USA(got 10% discount) and they are being delivered to my place in USA. My son is there at moment and he will 'road test' them on his trip home this weekend.
I will also be flying quite a bit over the next few weeks so will also post my impressions.
C
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In my dotage, my hearing is, shall we say, not what it was!
I would like to find a set of earphones for use in listening to the TV without cutting off the sound for SWMBO, as the standard jack plug does.
I am living in Spain and subtitles are less available on satellite TV than they are in UK.
I understand that there are wireless models, but they seem to involve using the aforesaid jack plug, which defeats the object!
Any specific advice please?
Roger.
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It should not be difficult to find someone to solder a bridging wire for the contacts which are pushed apart by the insertion of the plug.
Would do it for you, but I'm not exactly adjacent to Spain...
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\"I would like to find a set of earphones for use in listening to the TV without cutting off the sound for SWMBO\"
Television sets often have a means of getting the sound signal from the back of the set rather than using the jack on the front. Using what is available on the back does not normally affect the sound out into the room, which can be controlled independantly, as usual, via the hand control.
With some sets the back sound channel access is via a pair of phono sockets. You can (in the UK) also get adapters to convert the twin lead from these to a jack socket and plug your phones into that. Or you can use the twin lead to connect to a pair of radio or infra-red headphones.
If you don\'t have phono sockets, you can get a SCART plug that has them. That assumes your tele is fitted with a scart socket, but these have been on Tele\'s for some years now.
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Sorry about the italics, must be something to do with the brackets I used round a piece of text.
fixed for you. M.
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Dear All,
SHMBO picked up a flyer for the local cattery, which appears to feature an uncredited picture of our cat in their advertising. Our cats have stayed there.
The picture is a certainly a surprise to us!
Does the backroom have any comments, observations thoughts on this?
Regards
Vercin
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Cats have no right to privacy (See Human Rights Act) - no redress
other than very bad commercial practice.
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Boasting or complaining?
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Pugugly, Thank you
Frostbite, a little bit of both.
Regards
Vercin
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I am plagued by these destructive little beasts in my lawn and would welcome any advice to get rid of them. I have tried mole traps, sticking brambles down into the runs, pouring creosote down and small windmills which vibrate, all to no avail. Any advice would be much appreciated.
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I had a problem with a mole some years ago. I read that one those small battery operated music boxes that you get in birthday cards rigged to play continuously and stuffed down the hole into the run would drive the mole away. Except it didn't - I guess I picked the wrong tune.
I got lucky with a mole trap. An old boy up the road told me to bury in soil for as long as possible before it was used so it picks up the smell of the soil. This way the mole is less suspicous when it comes across it the first time. If the trap goes into the run straight out of the box, the mole can sense/smell it and knows there's something new in his run that was'nt there before and tends to avoid it.
I acclimatised the trap in this way for several days before digging a small section out of the run and carefully positioning the tube part of the trap so that the tube ends touched and lined up exactly with the exposed ends of the run and back filled with the remove soil. The trick is to try to make the mole think the trap is part of his run so he passes into the trap without being suspicous. Within a few days, I'd got him (or her).
I think there is luck involved in using these mole traps but there are people who have a lot of success based on using very old traps and knowing where to position them. There are electronic "thumpers" you can buy that are stick in the ground and generate a continuous thumping that is supposed to drive the mole away but I don't know how successful these are.
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We have moles at our place in France.
We tried one of those poles that blasts a noise into the soil, worked for a while. Then we moved into gassing them!! Some of the local farmers put gas into the holes for us. That too worked for a while, but then they came back. Next up was glass in the holes. Haven't seen any since so fingers crossed...
One of the funniest sights was the neighbour sitting on a little wooden stool, gun under arm, waiting in the darkness for one to pop his little head out. Needless to say, none were hurt in this episode!
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Calor gas is very effective. It is heavier than air and so fills up the run. Use a 5-10 second or so burst off a high pressure cylinder via a hose into the hole sealed with rag or clay. Only used it twice, many years ago. Never had moles since. Pity, they look such charming looking little beasts in the books. Would rather have taken them somewhere and let them go.
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I had some moles---dug up my carefully tendered lawn---- the Springer found them, now I have neither moles nor lawn, don't use a dog. Just to give you an idea, the body count was 15 from a very small area. The dog won't eat them just, with infinite patience, dig out each mound then wait,capture and then tease them to death.
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My built in dishwasher has finally given up the ghost, to the extent that the door hinges are severed.
This is not a full size one, nor a slimline, this is the type that actually fits into the standard size of kitchen cupboard 470x700mm ? or thereabouts.
I got it out of Currys years ago but they and Comet only seem to now have full size integrated dishwashers. Anyone any idea where I might get one from? I don't want one of these tabletop ones either!
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Comet do stock integrated dishwashers. tinyurl.com/yphty
They start at £349.
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Unfortunately they all seem to be the full length dishwashers right down to the floor, whereas what I am looking for is one that is not as tall so actually fits into the cupboard, leaving the plinth under the cupboard still in place.
If you know what I mean?
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You could these ones at "The Appliance People"
tinyurl.com/26m92
They seem to feature two heights, suggesting an allowance for the plinth. These are described as "Fully Integrated" as opposed to simply Integrated.
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Hiya,
NEF certainly used to do a dishwasher that fitted your bill of allowing for a plinth and I would be surprised if Zanussi did not do ne
regards
Vercin
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Cheers for that, can't find one for Zanussi but I have sent a couple of emails to companies mentioned by yourself and ND and hope to get an answer from them.
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Who makes the best cookers? My mum is after a 70cm wide dual fuel cooker. I have looked at SMEG in the showroom but was not that impressed with the build quality- wobbly knobs, and flimsy side panels etc.
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Mine is a bit of an HF question, but I don\'t suppose there is any outlet that does fridge doors?
Question is because mine has lately started a habit of falling off every time it is opened. It\'s been building up, but now it is to the extent that even getting the milk out is an extremely stressful affair. (Picture HF on hands and knees trying to hold fridge door in one piece with one hand whilst attempting to sort out the breakfast with the other. Much swarthy language and stamping of the dainty HF feet accompany this picture).
If the summer remains as cold as it has been up till now, I might just get away with this. But otherwise we are going to have to go back to the war-time thing of buying daily milk etc and risking food-poisoning from everything else.
I am in the midst of a few financial crises, and now is NOT the best time to buy a new fridge, to put it lightly.
Is there a Fridge Door Man out there anywhere? Alternative is Ebay for a 2nd hand fridge but I would imagine the postage might be quite high on something like that.
HF
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I picked up two quite reasonable fridges for free (had to collect them) from the local free ads paper. OK, one had been used by a fisherman for storing his maggots, but I just didn\'t tell anyone! (They are used by my party which goes to le Mans 24h race every year). Might be worth trying...
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Question is because mine has lately started a habit of falling off every time it is opened. It\'s been building up, but now it is to the extent that even getting the milk out is an extremely stressful affair. Is there a Fridge Door Man out there anywhere?
I had the same problem so check this out first.
Many fridges are made so that the door can be \"easily\" swopped from LH or RH opening.This is achieved by undoing a bracket underneath and above the door and refitting it on the otherside of the opening etc. etc.
(The bracket may be installed too low or has slipped.)
If your fridge has this arrangement then try undoing the screws of the bottom support just a couple turns, then lift the door and the bracket, retighten the screws and release your grip.
Lash the top of the door to case with tape to stop it falling on you while you are flat on the floor looking for said bracket?
If you have none to assist then good old Yellow pages under the door while you \"fix\" it.
Good luck.
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Thanks Smokie and Henry.
Smokie - I guess the maggots would be unnoticeable amongst some of the older and less appealing contents of my fridge anyway!
Henry - it looks like you are right about being able to change from left to right opening. The bracket fixings on the other side are covered with plastic bits, but they look removable. I'll give it a go when I'm in DIY mood.
Thanks again,
HF
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Just coming back to say to Henry -
Thanks to your advice, me and my Yellow Pages, plus a bit of slightly unfeminine sweat and grunting, *seem* to have done the job!
Yellow pages tip was brilliant, just the right size!
Thanks,
HF
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Well done and thanks for reporting back so soon.
Glad my low tech solution was understood and it worked.
Happy finances but sorry Ebay!
No bottling out in future?
I will not dwell on your description of your efforts.
A less stressful breakfast tomorrow I hope.
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Thank you, Henry.
Low-tech is good for me, and I am feeling disproportionately proud of myself for achieving this!
No more bottling out, and looking forward to tomorrow's breakfast. :)
HF
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At friend's house just now so a quick reply would be appreciated.
Have telephone through Telewest, daughter has tripped over cable and yanked socket and wires out the wall. Socket seems to be a double type , the first part has 4 wires, - blue/white, orang/white, white/orange and white/blue, but there seems to be only 3 terminals for them to fit in - one terminal called A, the other B, and the middle no identification.
Can anyone advise me which wires should go in which terminal? The second part of the socket is the standard phone type which has numbered terminals 1 to 6 and the wires are in 2 to 5 respectively.
Any quick wins?
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I remember a post on this.maybe dl will find it giving site of wiring code.I found it handy.
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the socket the wires got pulled out of - is it the master? (has a capacitor and a diode on the circuit board, slave sockets have nothing.) Orange/white + white/orange are the normal pairs used for the carrier and go in A & B or 2 & 5 doesnt really matter which goes in where,
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RF, sounds, from the description, that he's talking about an NTE5, that's the one with the half plate on the front for the telephone jack and subsequent extension wiring that plugs into the full front plate which will have the A & B terminals on the back.
Cockle
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OK BobbyG, here goes:-
Incoming line will go on the terminals A & B, the other terminal is nominally for an earth but 'never' used. Standard telephone convention is that the line will be on the first 'pair', this is white/blue and blue/white, second pair will be the oranges. Can't be sure for Telewest but BT nominal voltage is 50v DC across the pair if you have a voltmeter handy, if not, a little spittle on the end of your finger with the bare ends of the wires about 2-3 mm apart in the spittle will result in some bubbles appearing on one of the wires, this tells you the voltage is on that pair. Don't worry you can't electrocute yourself on a phone line.
The second part of the socket is to connect extension wiring, if your friend has no extensions then ignore, if he has an extension then undo the cover of the extension socket and make a note of which wire is on which terminal, only 2,3,and 5 do anything but you might as well keep it neat and connect them all. THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO KEEP THE WIRES STRAIGHT i.e. if blue/white is on 1 at the extension then it needs to go on 1 at the main socket and so on. If you connect it and you get a continuous ring then you have a cross between 2 and 5, if you get a continuous ring when you lift the extension handset then you have a cross between 2 & 3, or 3 & 5.
Cockle
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www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wiring/UK_telephone/uk_...l
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OK, RF you beat me to the draw, aaaaarrrrrgggghhhh.......
Cockle
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thanks RF been waiting for that.can now set up my second phone.
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Bobby, if you find my explanation confusing then try this link:-
www.wppltd.demon.co.uk/WPP/Wiring/UK_telephone/uk_...l
Cockle
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DD, don\'t mind if you delete this but just wanted to say thanks to the guys who helped solve the above problem at tail end of Vol 38. Unfortunately it is now closed and I can\'t reply to them.
Phone now working again!
{Moved here for obvious reasons. DD}
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