*****This Volume is now closed. Please see Volume 70, which can be found here*****
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In this thread you may ask any question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
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I have a Philips widescreen TV that's slightly over three years old. In the past few months it's developed a strange fault. When first switched on, it works perfectly, but after it's been on for an hour or two it stops responding to the controls. When this happens, I can continue watching as long as I don't need to change channels, switch between set-top box, VCR or DVD player, or operate the volume control.
Powering off and back on doesn't solve the problem although it did the first time I noticed the fault. Now, I have to allow a period of rest before I can use the controls again. I haven't experimented enough to determine how long this takes but I suspect it's long enough to allow the set to cool down. It makes no difference whether I'm trying to use the remote control or the controls on the set, although I can still power it on and off using the switch on the front.
It occurred to me that it may be something connected to the set that's causing the problem, so I've tried disconnecting everything and operating the set with just an aerial plugged in.
I'm currently working round the problem by using a newly-acquired Freeview box which has its own volume and channel controls.
I suppose the only sensible answer is to call in a repairer, but can anyone think why the set should be behaving in this way?
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Based on experience it sounds like.......
The panel in the front of the tv probably is carrying the controls and the IR receiver. This is probably connected to the main circuit board by a ribbon cable with a mulitplug on one or both ends.
The heat thing leads me to suspect you have an intermitant connection on the plugs, or the pins on the main board plug have a dry joint.
If you are happy poking about then get the back off (mains off at the plug for two hours first please to allow the high voltages to disipate) and locate this cable and plugs and clean it up. If you are useful with a soldering iron then check for dry joints.
If not happy doing that its a repairman job or chuck it in the bin.
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Sounds like an electrical contact's not liking the heat. If so, it wouldn't hurt you opening the case and having a poke around the infra-red sensor. Try unplugging the connectors to the IR sensor if it's on a seperate PCB and cleaning connectors with electrical contact cleaner. Also look for dry (broken) solder joints while you're there. You don't say whether the front panel buttons work still, if not clean the multiplug for them too.
As I say, this is an if, as it could be something expensive, but it's worth a shot before calling in the repair man. Be careful though, capacitors in electrical equipment can stay charged for quite a while and give you a nasty shock.
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Mike Farrow
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Shows what a slow typer I am... you beat me to it RF :-)
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Thanks for both replies.
As I said in the original post, it makes no difference whether I'm trying to use the controls on the set itself or the remote control. In fact, I have a choice of remote controls as my ancient Philips VCR one can also be used.
Philips don't seem to have changed the design of their models much since I bought it and it looks very similar to the one you can see at tinyurl.com/7y5c2 . The IR sensor is below the screen and the control panel (a rocker button moved up and down for channel, left and right for volume, and centre pressed for standby) is on top. I don't know whether the fact that the two are so far apart makes it less likely that they're attached to the same connector. Perhaps the position of the control makes it more susceptible to dust but surely that wouldn't affect the IR sensor.
When I get the chance, I'll take a look inside to see if there's anything glaringly obvious. I'm sure it's caused by something infuratingly trivial.
I'm loathe to throw away something that's not terribly old and hasn't had a huge amount of use but I'm also conscious of the fact that similar sets now sell for roughly half what I paid.
I'm far too cack-handed to risk poking about with a soldering iron so if it's anything other than an obvious loose or dirty connection I'd better leave this to an expert.
Thanks again.
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I have a similar fault, also with a Philips (semi) portable - it's been suffering a screen collapse and loss of sound for at least ten years.
This can happen several times within a few minutes or not for several days or weeks and I have looked for dry joints or bad contacts several times.
It is cured by giving the case a thick ear - have you tried this remedy?
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It is cured by giving the case a thick ear - have you tried this remedy?
Impact engineering? I haven't tried it but will. Thanks for the tip.
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Ah well.. it's packed up altogether now. Or at least it turns on with a blank screen and I can't switch it to an actual channel or the set top box. Corporal punishment has no effect. I suspect it'll work if left for a few days, as it has before. Time to call out the repairer I think.
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Morning everyone,
Just before Christmas we had a new bathroom put in which was a stressful experience to say the least. Anyway, ever since, when you run a bath (this normally happens with me as I run deep baths) the hot water tap will just...stop. Obviously the hot water tap is empty. Trouble is, it did this again yesterday and there's still no water. I do know that the cold tap to the bath is fed by the header tank in the attic which apparently is unusual. This is empty too and hasn't filled.
Normally, leaving it overnight it would fill but it hasn't. Any ideas? Dad and I are going to have a look tonight which is going to be detrimental to the health of the system! It never did this prior to having the new bath installed and we're reluctant to call out a plumber as we've been stung by about 3. (The last one broke the toilet).
Many thanks
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Adam
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Adam
Feeding cold water to baths from the header tank is not at all unusual. Its normal for a house to have only one mains water feed to a tap and that normally kitchen.
And of course the feed to the header tank.
Which is your problem.
An empty tank means no cold water and no hot water
The ball valve to the header tank (actually its the feed tank a header tank is for central heating) is stuck. Now this may be the valve itsself is stuck, but more likely its going to be scale in the valve. (especially as you have had work done).
Toddle off to B&Q get a new ball valve (you can buy a new ball but the old one will screw on). Its fitted on the side of the tank by a big nut and connected to the mains feed by a special tap connector type fitting. Easy peasy to fit, just turn off your mains first.
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Toddle off to B&Q get a new ball valve (you can buy a new ball but the old one will screw on). Its fitted on the side of the tank by a big nut and connected to the mains feed by a special tap connector type fitting. Easy peasy to fit, just turn off your mains first.
I always buy one which is of a similar design to the existing ballcock. To avoid the need to disturb the pipe connection or to change the bit that goes through the wall of the tank, I separate the ballcock body from the upstream bit of the assembly and then connect the body (and innards!) to the existing upstream bit. If you see what I mean. This avoids the possibility of creating a leak at the pipe connection ~ which is outside the tank and therefore would leak onto your ceiling.
Probably this is not a procedure that a qualified plumber would use, but it's worked OK for me several times.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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<< To avoid the need to disturb the pipeconnection or to change the bit that goes through the wall of the tank, I separate the ballcock body from the upstream bit of the assembly and then connect the body (and innards!) to the existing upstream bit.
Correction:-
.........connect the NEW body (and innards!) to the existing upstream bit.
Incidentally, I think that using the old float could be a false economy.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I suspect my Dad will want to change most of the assembly anyway.
He likes replacing stuff.
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Adam
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L'Escargot,
Last week I had to replace a ballcock valve. I used a 'fluidmaster' all plastic replacement, much quieter, faster filling and a straight replacement for the original valve. Took about 5minutes once I had fixed the isolating valve.
Most new tanks and WC cisterns seem to be using these or the similar 'torbeck' valves now.
Stargazer
(in the middle of some major replumbing work and refitting 2 bathrooms and a cloakroom)
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Adam,
If you check the attic again, you may have two cold water tanks (actually cisterns) one small one is a feed and expansion tank for the CH system, the larger one is for the top up to the hot water cylinder (which is itself usually located lower down than the cold cistern).
There should be a ballcock valve on the inlet to the cold water tank, if this is depressed manually mains pressure water should enter from a 15mm pipe near the top of the cistern.
Cold water will exit the cistern from one of several pipes near the bottom. One will be the feed to the bottom of the HW cylinder, another might be a feed directly to the cold water taps (except for the kitchen) and another might be a dedicated cold feed to the shower.
This arrangement is not at all unusual, in fact it was the standard way of arranging plumping until the advent of pressurized sealed systems.
You say the cold tap is also empty, check the tank in the loft
if this is also empty then there is a problem with the mains water feed to the tank, check that this hasnt been isolated with a stopcock. Normally the tank can fill as quickly as you can drain hot or cold water out through the taps as it is fed by mains pressure.
Alternatively if the tank is full and the trick of depressing the ballcock shows that mains water enters ok then stops when you release the ballcock then the supply is OK. In this case check for isolating valves on the output pipes.
Is all else fails you may have an airlock in both hold and cold pipes, in this case the usual trick is to connect mains water to the tap nozzle and reverse fill with the tap on for a few seconds.
If it is an airlock and this is a recurrent problem then it is likely that the new bathroom plumbing arrangements are particularly susceptible to airlocks or there is a fault which is instroducing air to the pipe.
let us know how you get on.
StarGazer
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Oh and watever means you use to heat water, turn it off. If your cylinder is empty its being cooked.
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I disabled the timed central heating last night. I didn't know the tank would be cooked but I figured it wouldn't be too healthy for it!
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Adam
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It never ceases to amaze me how much everyone on here knows.
Many many thanks RF and Stargazer - I'll report back to Dad and hopefully, we'll get it done tonight.
I owe you both a pint...or three.
Thanks again,
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Adam
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How about a live webcam in the loft with you and dad with running commentary:-))
Happy Plumbing.PhilI
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In the last house we fell through the attic into my sister's room when we were looking at the boiler. As you can imagine, she was somewhat startled.
Webcam it is!!!
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Adam
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Annouce transmission start time so we can get beer and bickies arranged with extra cushions on sofa.
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Start Time - 18:00
End Time - 23:45
:-)
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Adam
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If fitting a new ballvalve, you will probably have to adjust the vertical position of the float on the arm to give the desired water level. In the bad old days when the position of the float was not adjustable, you had to bend the arm ~ of the ballvalve , that is!
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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I've just remembered that (yonks ago) a friend had a similar problem which turned out to be caused by a blockage in the outlet pipe of the cold water cistern. Result ~ no water getting to bath cold tap and no water getting to the hot water cylinder.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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It may simple be a bit of crud has got stuck in the valve.
To remove it you would need to undo the joint between the pipe and the valve.
The pipe to valve connector is often a "tap connector" which means a fibre washer acts as a seal so no messing about with tape or sealing compound.
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In the last house we fell through the attic into my sister's room when we were looking at the boiler. As you can imagine, she was somewhat startled.
As Oscar Wilde might have put it: for one of you to fall through the ceiling might be counted a misfortune, but for both of you to fall looks like carelessness.
Before you start tonight's job, maybe she should put up one of those signs which says: "Danger: men at work" ;-)
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If you've just had a new bathroom fitted the plumber may have tied the ballcock up to stop the tank filling and bent/damaged something whilst doing it. I thought hot water tanks worked by the cold water "pushing" the hot out, so the tank would always be full of water, therefore never exposing the element.
If I was Oscar, I would be wild if two brutes fell through the ceiling to ravish my sister!
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If I was Oscar, I would be wild if two brutes fell through the ceiling to ravish my sister!
;-)
But I guess you and Oscar may not have been the target audience for the Milk Tray ads ...
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That's the thing though - the plumber never went in the attic!
You'll never guess what though. Dad came home, taps working fine! Unbelieveable.
We're still going to have a look tomrrow though.
I'll keep you all informed.
Cheers
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Adam
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Adski, sounds exactly like a problem I had a couple of months ago.
Only became apparent when SWMBO followed both our sons to have a bath, they both got hot water fine but when she went to run her bath, no water from the hot tap. When I arrived home hour or so later, bingo, water from tap OK.
On investigation, found the ball valve feeding the hot cylinder feeder tank was sticking very nearly closed due to build up of lime scale and was therefore only allowing the tank to be refilled slowly; same effect as tying up the ball valve arm. This meant that the problem only became apparent when a larger volume of hot water was used than the feeder tank's capacity in a short space of time as over a longer time the flow was sufficient to replenish its level.
Stripped down the valve and gave it a good clean up, no trouble since. So would suggest ball valve first place to look.
Cockle
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"That's the thing though - the plumber never went in the attic!"
He does not have to. Probably turned it off at the mains stopcock. Probably not been turned in years, amount of scal and crud in it, possibly stuck so a bit of banging.
"You'll never guess what though. Dad came home, taps working fine! Unbelieveable"
I believe it. And I know exactly whats causing it.
Its the crud disturbed by the plumber, lodged in the ball valve (its quite a small apeture). Sometimes the water gets through, sometimes it dont.
Been there so many times I could right a shelf load of barbera cartland novels on it.
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No response from Adam as to whether he fixed it or fell through the ceiling....
I had to do this the day before my wedding (well, at least it wasn't the DAY of the wedding I suppose!). Darn thing didn't want to seal again though and I had to have it apart about 3 times. In that case the ball cock had a plastic nozzle in it only about 1/16 inch diameter and there was a piece of grit/scale lodged in it.
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RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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I'm considering viewing a property for sale which (according to Land Registry) is not registered. What are the possible pitfalls of buying such a property? I'm sure that my solicitor wouldn't allow me to buy anything dodgy, but I wouldn't want to waste time and money on what might turn out to be a fruitless exercise.
The Land Registry manual search reply says "No registered estate, caution against first registration or application for first registration or application for a caution against first registration is shown on the index map in relation to the Property."
What is it all about?
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L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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It usually means that it hasn't changed hands since the rules changed about 1992 saying all property transactions had to register an owner with the land registry. If it has actually changed hands in the last few years then I might be wary! You can take out such things as title insurance which make sure you're adequately compensated if some doubt appears over title. I had to do that as the house I bought had walled in some land and bagged it so it wasn't showing on the land registry as belonging to the house owner.
It might be worth ringing the land registry themselves and asking what it all means.
teabelly
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A caution is placed on a property to prevent the owner selling it without a third party being informed or even giving their permission. You need to get the 'caution title' to find out who the third party is and why the caution is on the title.
There's a bit about this on the Land Registry website under the FAQ section.
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Casually look at an analogue clock.
Notice that the second hand has stopped moving for several seconds.
Think "Oh, the battery must be flat"
Jolt back to reality.
Realise that it's ticking quite normally.
Why does the brain perceive time at a different rate in such a circumstance? No 'fight or flight' is involved, so it can't be the same cause as when I used to motor race, or these days when I am totally focused riding the motorbike, and intense brain activity has the effect of giving me 'extra' opportunity to think and make rational decisions.
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Casually look at an analogue clock. Notice that the second hand has stopped moving for several seconds. Think "Oh, the battery must be flat" Jolt back to reality. Realise that it's ticking quite normally.
You don't live in Switzerland, do you?
Stand and watch a railway station clock. When the train is due to depart it stops. When the train actually leaves it starts again!
That's how to make the trains run on time!
Mussolini's method was slightly different.......
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There was something about this on Radio 4 a few years ago.
The eyes glance at the second hand twice in one second and the hand apears not to move. Usually it would move so you think it hasn;t moved but it has.
It far more complicated than that, but the brain is tricking you basically.
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Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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Weird. I was thinking about this only an hour ago when the blinking charge indicator on my laptop had appeared to stop flashing.
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There is/was a programme on Radio 4 tonight or last night about this very subject - may be worth searching on the website and "Listen Again".
Canine perception of time defeats me. My dogs, especially the Springers can time things to within 5 mintes of their alloted time, including initial wake up through to the 9.15pm treat before going for a pee and to bed. How do they do it bearing in mind that time is a very human invention ? How does the senior Springer know that Saturdays and Sundays involve a later wake up time than weekdays ?
Clock changes catch them out on the first day and they then revert to clock timings, how do they do it ?
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Its called conditioning PU. Dogs are driven by events that make them excited or happy. Food, walkies, time for pee, mum and dad waking up for a scratch and a cuddle, walkies, food food food They also react to your action and take cues from the way you behave.
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It must be a dog thing. Our first border collie had a "bonio" and a dish of milk at 8pm. His timing was more accurate than ours.
Before the comments start, bonio is a dog biscuit.
If time flies when you are having fun, then if you enjoy throwing clocks, does it fly twice as fast?
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Senior Springer will wake up from a deep sleep (twitching, snoring sleep) at between 9.10pm and 9.20pm every night...you could almost set your clock by him.
Tome does go more quickly as you age. Ahh time for work again.
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Dogs have body clocks same as humans. simple really..
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Insects have it too! Several years ago, we had what became known as 'the nine-o'clock spider', a very large specimen which regularly strolled across the lounge carpet within minutes of the TV news.
Tempus fugit * Time flies
Indigo fugit * Blue flies
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There is/was a programme on Radio 4 tonight or last night about this very subject - may be worth searching on the website and "Listen Again".
TVM. Will do tonight. Now back out in to the lovely sunshine!
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The husband of a friend-of-friend was arrested yesterday and later released, after all his premises had been searched. I didn't get much idea of what exactly the police had been interested in, but heard later that he had been told something about "deferred charges".
I wasn't sure what this meant, and Google only threw up references to "deferred charges" as an accounting procedure. It could be that the police are concerned about his accounting procedures, but does anyone know if the term has any more specific meaning in the sense criminal charges?
I have heard of the police giving verbal warnings and formal cautions, but I had never heard of "deferred charges" before -- I thought that either someone had been charged or they hadn't been.
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Not sure of the etiquette of answering my own question, but in case anyone else is curious a police officer friend has just explained it to me. Apparently it means that the police intend to press charges, but are just gathering more evidence before proceeding.
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I haven't heard this term since before the Police and Criminal Evidence Act came in in 1984. A deferred or delayed charge was a concept whereby the Police might have had enough evidence to charge but didn't want to for a number of reasons. Once a suspect is charged it became (and still does but wait a mo) very complicated to re-interview them under caution. What PACE did was require the Police to charge once they had that sufficient evidence to do so, where before they only charged when they felt like it (hence deferred chage)- it is a phrase that died with the Act. The only thing I can think of here was that the Custody Officer was seriously retro or released the suspect on "Police Bail" (to return to a Police station after a set period of time) so that the evidence could be assesed by Police/CPS, which has become very common in recent years. Recent reforms mean that (in my area anyway which is on a pilot) that Police will consult with CPS Solicitor there and then to avoid lengthy bail dates and reduction of playing with pleas later on. The other reason Police bail is given is to gather more evidence as there is insufficient evidence to charge there and then and that the Police will try to get more (witness statements, forensic) so they re-interview later on without the "safeguards" that PACE has for interviewing people already charged. A sharp brief can avoid this by saying "charge him or release him" These briefs are in demand and end up driving nice cars !! A real blast from the past.
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An elderly friend is being pressed by his relatives to make a Will.
They have given him a ready made form from local stationer on which he can state his wishes.
This strikes me as being the bare minimum but it *appears* to be legal.
Can any Backroomer please comment on this subject and advise whether there is any reason why this form should be avoided in preference to using a Solicitor. My own thinking is that by using a Solicitor one would ensure that no mistakes are made.
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I'm no expert but my understanding is (or was) that you just need two non-beneficiary witnesses to sign it and it's immediately legal.
I'm sure you don't need a solicitor so long as the will is quite conventional and straightforward, and the person making the will is 'of sound mind'. I think where a solicitor is advisable is if the estate is somehow complicated or there are other ambiguous issues.
Oz (as was)
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I would go to a solicitor (i would say that as I am one...) Most high street solicitors will do wills as a loss leader, and a few will even do it for free. If a solicitors does the will, you can be sure that issues such as tax planning have been considered, and that the will will be executed properly. I have dealt with will disputes where there has been an issue as to whether the person making the will is of sufficiently sound mind to do it. The level of capacity (called testimentary capacity) for making a will is quite high.
For the sake of £50-80 I would go to a solicitor. You may have seen the report in todays papers about the solicitor who prepared a home made will in favour of his second wife. The will was challenged by his children, and the case has gotten all the way to the court of appeal and may go to the House of Lords. All would have been avoided if the will had been done properly....
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An elderly friend is being pressed by his relatives to make a Will
That sort of statement rings alarm bells. Much better to get him to a solicitor particularly if there is any doubt whatsoever about his capacity or if there are factions in the family trying to engineer an advantage.
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Q.
When a Harrier jumpjet preforms at Airshows etc doing it's hovering and tilting routine etc does anyone know why it does this with the landing gear down?
Tia.
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1. Planes land better on wheels than fuselages. They can be too close to the ground and travelling too slowly to put the undercarriage down if anything goes wrong.
2. It increases stability.
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a great homework question answered!
thanks hxj.
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Time to contribute as I have enjoyed the forum for some time....
Did you know that harriers can only hover whilst they have water on board?
They carry about a ton and it is used to cool the engine whilst hovering as there is significantly reduced airflow.
Once the water is used they should not hover as the turbines will overheat.
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Early Harriers were very very unstable on the hover and could suddenly drop without warning. Consequently they have very strong landing gear. As stated above this is probably why they have U?C deployed at air shows. Later Anglo American versions are far more stable thanks to two aerodynamic ridges below the fusalage. BiL used to fly them until he started driving proper ones (Tornados) now converting to the Typhoon and he gets paid for it......!
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I know that there are plumbers out there, could one of you help me please? Can you tell me at what pressure the main cold water supply to a domestic dwelling is? Is there a range of maximum and minimum pressures which should be maintained by the water utility? Is there a legal maximum?
I am working on a design for a machine which needs a smallish capacity water tank in it,(10/20 litres) and some idea of the pressures involved would be a great help.
Thank you.
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I don't know but your local water board will.
Hugo
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Scottish water says
Acceptable water pressure is when you can fill a 10 litre bucket in less than 10 minutes.
Ofwat says
Customers may be entitled to a payment if the company fails to maintain the legal minimum water pressure. In order to claim compensation the pressure must have fallen below the legal minimum of 0.7 Bar or 7 metres head of pressure.......
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Scottish water says
Acceptable water pressure is when you can fill a 10 litre bucket in less than 10 minutes
Surely the above can't be right? I am with Scottish Water and I can fill my 2 gallon (about 9 litres) bucket in about a minute max!
10 litres in 10 mins is a flow of 1 litre per minute! Even my cold water tank would probably do 3 litres in a minute!
Some mistake surely?
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Scottish water says.... Surely the above can't be right? Some mistake surely?
>>
Maybe, but my post was a cut n paste from their website.
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they dont ever put it this high but alkathene water pipe is supposed to be rated up to 11 bar ,in reality it probably doesnt go over 4 bar ,depending on the local geography
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Water pressure from the supplier is variable and depends on several things.
It used to be always low on a Monday morning when tradtionally housewives would be doing their weekly wash. Long gone now in these days of automatics etc.
If you lived in an industrial area pressure would drop to householders at the commencement of work.
Overnight is when pressure was at its greatest with demand low.
Not entirely related but may be of interest is that some houses will find their tanks and cisterns which persistently drip through the overflow at night.
This is caused by a higher pressure during the night and the ballvalve is unable to hold it.
There are high and low (HP-LP) pressure ball valves. The HP has a very tiny orifice which the washer presses against and the LP a larger one.
In my town pressure could rise to 150psi (10bar) But I suppose nowadays the water board are better at controlling a constant pressure.
The brass type (Portsmouth pattern) which was the only type in my era had a removable brass seat which you could change to the one required.
A high pressure and I have seen them with an orifice almost needle size would be used in the tank being fed from the rising main.
The low pressure bigger orifice would be always used in any tank or cistern being fed from this tank to enable quicker filling.
The science of a simple device as a ballvalve is interesting in that the amount of pressure a Portsmouth type will hold is a calculation of the length of lever. The size of ballfloat. And the surface area of the washer against the seat. All to complicated for me but that?s how it works.
I did note on one of these new fangled plastic things I fitted for someone that it came with a HP and LP orifice piece.
There is also a ballvalve which was called a equilibrium valve and worked on the principle of the incoming water pressure being used to help close it. Very clever and used mainly on very large tanks such as the Braithwaite sectional tanks such as the water boards use on a tower.
Now you can see why I?m such a wow at parties with all the ladies cornering me to listen??
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How do they get there?
Do they fall in? And if so, why can't they climb out? They climb walls easily enough and run on the ceilings so why can't they climb up the bath side?
Do they come up the plughole? And if so, why don't they go back that way?
And how does one get rid of it without going within two feet of it?
I'm sorry but this is turning into a crisis!
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Madam, many years ago the Spider experts were saying that they cannot come up through the plughole because of the water trap and they simply fell in off the edge.
But..I read much later they had changed their minds and yes they did come up the plughole.
If you don't like picking them up with your hand which is quite painless use a newspaper (preferably the Telegraph and scoop the poor fellow up and put him through the window.
Remembering he is one of mans best friends...
alvin
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How do spiders get into the bath
Come up the plug hole!
Is that with breast stroke or crawl?
Surely the answer is much simpler?
Why should they struggle to get through water when the bath overflow pipe is a water free access?
You will be telling me the water exits clockwise in the northern hemisphere next.
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Duchess: Now you know they can come up through the waste pipe. Alvin knows everything there is to know about plumbing including spider ingress. When it comes to disposing of spiders his newspaper suggestion is ok but I fear you may not wish to see the spider dashing towards you over the newsprint. I suggest you buy a
(and heres a problem I have no idea what the device is called) plastic trap which is like a small clear pyramid with a sliding base and a handle which protrudes from the top of the pyramid. You can use this to trap wasps, bees, flies and spiders very efficiently and then take the contraption outside, turn so the slide opens, and the insect drops out. Bought ours from the Betterware lady who calls occasionally.
Happy spider catching Phil I
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Why complicate matters buying some bit of plastic junk?
Helicopter method for removing spiders - take one glass and one piece of reasonably thin card - a postcard is ideal.
Place glass over spider, raise edge of glass slightly and push card under, allowing spider to walk onto the card.
Lift glass holding card firmly against the opening and deposit spider out through door or window.
Job done.
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Try catching a fly with a tumbler.Is not plastic Junk. Had ours for 3/4 years now. Several friends seeing it in action also got their own.
Happy Insect catching Phil I
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Phil - The original questioner asked about spiders.
Flies ( if they have not been eaten by the spiders) are swatted with newspapers in the helicopter household.
Wasps are drowned in a jar with water in it plus a bit of jam or honey to attract them. There was much correspondence in the Telegraph recently about shooting them with a miniature air rifle ( I kid you not).
The Betterware catalogue is binned as is all other junk mail that appears through my letterbox..
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"Flies are swatted with mewspapers in the whirlybird house"
Who cleans your windows then? :-)
Duchess is obviously arachnaphobic so the glass technique would not be effective for her special needs.
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-Who cleans your windows then?
I do as I cannot get a reliable window cleaner in my area and helicopter jr is too lazy. Luckily I live in a bungalow so no ladders are required.
PS - see my top tip for cleaning greasy windscreens and windows by adding vinegar to the water. I use a rubber blade to take off excess and then polish the windows with scrunched up up newspaper. Gets rid of squashed flies nicely as long as you don't use the same newspaper to swat as to clean the windows.
PPS - SWMBO is arachnaphobic and quite happily will use the tumbler method if I am not around
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Arachnaphobic. Good one there Phil. I had to get my dictionary out to check..Was hoping that the word meant fear of insects because only recently someone told me spiders aren't insects.
Buzzbee..A good name and should make you the definitive expert in this field.
However on the water free overflows from a bath. This is the case in older properties such as mine, but I seem to think that modern plastic overflows feed back into the trap.
Anyway the ones I've seen in B&Q do....?.
And why has no-one suggested the Duchess simply shouts for a servant to remove the brute. Not the Butler of course as they have a historical reputation for lechering.
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Bearing in mind that we'd be overrun with insects without them, I take a live and let live attitude towards spiders. I only eject them if their webs are getting out of hand or they're preventing me from using the bath. I favour encouraging them to crawl onto a piece of toilet paper and then dangling that out of the window. This isn't for the very faint-hearted as the spider can crawl up the paper towards you.
I seem to remember reading or hearing that there's little point in being humane to spiders by chucking them out of the window as they won't survive outdoors anyway. Apparently house spiders are less hardy than the outdoor varieties. Does anyone know if this is correct?
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Like many others, I take a live and let live approach to spiders which, IMO are more useful than nuisance.
However, the exception is the usually oversized bungee jumping variety who plop down on my bed when I am in it.
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And how does one get rid of it without going within two feet of it?
Turn the taps on and wash it down the plughole.
Cruel maybe, but I don't agree with picking them up by whatever means and placing them outside. If the spider got in once, chances are it'll get in again.
oh, yes, remember to put the plug in the hole afterwards, in case he decides to climb back up the pipe!!
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The Duchess was dirty,
So off with her shirty
to get into a bath whey hey.
Along came a spider, sat down beside her.
To get rid she asks HJ?.
....I ask you.
DVD
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Spiders find the bath sides too slippery to climb up. I have never seen a wet spider, or one with scuba gear on. If you want to rescue it alive, drape a towel over the bath so that it reaches the bottom, and leave it to get on with things. If you are waiting to use the bath, go and have a G&T or whatever, and try later!
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In our abode, we suck them into the vacuum cleaner. Using the long extension tube enables us to stay out of close proximity to the little varmints.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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what makes a tv screen flicker when you see one on the tv?
i.e just watched a program which had a tv in background which was flickering very fast!
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Most sets flash at 50 hertz (some at 100hz) when two sets flash at the same speed the one on the screen seems to flicker.
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Isn't it something to do with the refresh rates and how the t.v. cameras film them? I got told by my neighbour (who is a cameraman) that you can get around this. It's usually the camaerman who's too lazy to sort it.
He didn't go much further - probably for the best.
--
Adam
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More or less there, Adam.
As I understand it, it's simply a lack of synchronisation between the scan timing of the filming and the filmed units.
Like your neighbour says, not difficult to sort.
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Does anyone know of a cheap safe and effective stone cleaning liquid to help in cleaning the rough stone surface of my patio. Yes I also use a Pressure Washer.
Thanks
Alan
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I think I have tried everything on the market. Those that do work are expensive and leave a residue that needs copious amounts of water to wash away. In the end I always resort to the power washer.
However I would also be delighted if anyone knows of a solution(pun intended)
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Is there a reason why the power washer isn't the answer? I got one a year ago and it does a wonderful job - but if it's ruining the slabs I need to know!
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one a year ago and it does a wonderful job - but if it's ruining the slabs I need to know!
smokie
Three years ago I bought a non descript named one from Homebase that was at the lower end of the market price and power wise (about £120 and 120 bar) and it was brilliant till the interior plumbing in it disintegrated after only two weeks of use. I took it back and they gave me my money back because they had stopped selling this model.While looking for another one I saw a Karsher 120 bar on offer for £105 in Macro,This I bought and though it is the same power it does not seem as good as the one I returned to Homebase. Because of the rough gritty finish of the slabs you have to put the nozzle very close to the flags, then it is only cleaning about a one inch strip so this makes it a very tedious job. I was looking for something to loosen dirt in the rough surface of the slabs so that I can move the pressure nozzle further away from the surface thus making it less tedious.
The outer coating of some of the cheaper slabs do wear away after constant use of power washers.
Alan
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Is there a reason why the power washer isn't the answer? I got one a year ago and it does a wonderful job - but if it's ruining the slabs I need to know!
A neighbour of mine was delighted with the slab-cleaning ability of his latest toy until he realised that the slabs were becoming all uneven and wobbly. Presumably the powerful jet had been playing havoc with the material onto which the slabs were bedded.
--
L\'escargot by name, but not by nature.
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Never found much better than a mild bleach solution and hard work with a deck brush.
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Hard work? is that not some sort of swear word. Where are the moderators
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we ran away when we read what he wrote.
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Aldi are selling a 130 bar power washer in their sale on 31st Mar for £79.99.
Produced by Kärcher exclusively for Powercraft
2.1kW long-life induction motor
450 litre/hour water flow
130 bar pressure
Spray gun with 6m high hose
Spray lance with variable high/low pressure regulator and dirt-blaster for 30% more cleaning power
Soft-bristle, water power rotary wash brush
Integrated detergent tank (comes with 0.5 litre concentrated detergent) for instant feed
Garden hose coupling
Automatic stop/start spray gun trigger feature
Automatic detergent suction (when rotary spray or spray lance on low pressure setting)
Full instructions provided.
Also several other motor related items including real chamois leathers for £2.99. - No I am not suggesting you use these on the patio!!
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One for the legal eagles amongst us.....
I won an item on eBay from a seller with a smallish amount of good feedback. I paid immediately after the end of the auction using Paypal. I had no response from the seller and no goods. After about 10 days and many polite emails I started the eBay dispute procedure which in this case was through Paypal. Paypal have had no luck with the seller either and have repaid my money minus a £15 admin charge. Fair enough. I would like, on principle, to sue the seller through the Small Claims Court to get back the £15 I am out of pocket. I know it isn't much money but the principle matters to me. eBay/Paypal won't release his name and address to me giving the Data Protection Act as an excuse, but would release it to 'my legal representative'. As the whole point of the SCC is not using a legal representative added to the fact that said representative would tell me anyway, where do I stand?
I think the DPA would allow disclosure as at the very least a contract has not been honoured, at worst a fraud has been commited.
Are eBay/Paypal within their rights?
Any comments gratefully received and of course, I won't quote you!
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I have been in a similar situation, and what strikes me as absolutely ludicrous is that when you pay via Paypal you get a receipt telling you your own name & address, but not that of the seller!
Paypal recently recovered a very small amount for me and charged nothing at all.
An alternative route, which has also worked for me, is simply to bypass Paypal and ask your cc co. to chargeback on the transaction - not much help to you in this case though.
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".....when you pay via Paypal you get a receipt telling you your own name & address, but not that of the seller!"
Which is why many sellers choose to use Paypal. There are many crooked purchasers, as well as crooked sellers (present compnay excepted, of course!).
Two other points. Why just the £15 you're out of pocket? I'd assume that the item would cost a lot more in your local retail emporium; this is the main reason for buying on E-bay. If you're going to pursue it through the SCC, wouldn't you claim for the retail cost of the item, minus £15, plus costs, i.e., the costs of putting you where you'd be if the seller had honoured the contract?
Secondly, having said that, it's quite likely that the seller is untraceable, so a SCC summons would only put you further out of pocket.
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It's a shame that because of prople you're talking about many find it hard to startup on ebay, particularly as a seller, without people being highly suspicious. It's all too easy unfortunately to find somethings going for a quid each and buy them up to boost feedback, then sting unsuspecting persons like yourself.
Couldn't you tell them you're representing yourself? I'm concerned about the £15, isn't there a minimal amount you can try to claim through SCC?
--------------
Mike Farrow
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Thinking about it some more, I am more than a little convinced their citing the DP Act is a smokescreen and could be considered an abuse.
I bet if you wrote to eBay and said as much, and that, in the circumstances you had no choice but to enter an action against them, they would probably suddenly discover it wasn't against the Act after all.
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Check their status on the Information Commisioner's website at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk. I managed to "convince" a major national chain of Sporting people that it was they that had breached DPA in not making a proper statement. They settled before they went to Court. Put it like this we both (the Client and I) did very well out of it !
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Thanks for all the replies so far. I'll check out their status regarding the DPA and I'll check out the DPA too. I'm not inclined to take it too far, after all it is only £15, but I'd love to be able to send the guy a recorded delivery letter telling him he had 7 days to refund the money or I'd take him to the SCC. Even if I didn't do it, it might cause him a little bit of angst. I hope he doesn't read the Backroom!
I'll be more circumspect about using Paypal though.
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Something I tried a while ago is looking at the feedback and contacting some of the sellers or buyers he's had contact with recently, one of those may have the address.
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Certainly, in this respect, it appears not to be a good idea to use Paypal (which I invariably do).
If you opt to pay by cheque, then you have to be supplied with the name & address to complete the transaction.
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