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{Moved from the recent ALDI thread - DD}
I do have one reservation about buying more expensive items from Lidl. I went into my local branch for the first time last week and noticed a sign stating that they reserve the right to check returned goods for faults and any refunds over £10 may be sent by cheque within a week.
I can see how they may want to check returned items, but I'm not sure how they can do it in a sparsely staffed supermarket. As for the possible delay to the refund: is that legal?
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>>As for the possible delay to the refund: is that legal?>>
On the rare occasion I have had to return goods to Lidl production of the original receipt has been sufficent to be given a refund.
Your question does state: "..reserve the right to check" which, I suppose, with expensive items is more of a safeguard than anything.
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I'm concerned about the quantity of unwanted paper lying around my house so I've recently invested in a shredder.
The novelty of obliterating random bits of unwanted paper will soon have worn off so I need to have a policy on what documents to keep, what to destroy, and what can be be disposed of in the ordinary waste.
This raises a number of questions:
How long is it sensible to keep such household documents as bank statements, credit card statements, bills, and pay slips? I have vague memories of a tax accountant stating that seven years is necessary for bank statements, but is there any need to keep any but the most recent bills?
What should be shredded? Just paper containing obviously confidential information, or anything that has my name and address?
What items are safe to throw away without shredding?
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We shred anything with our name and address on it, or bank account numbers. The rest goes in the recycling bin. Often we have an open fire so that is another way of disposing of things as well.
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I bought a new house last year and went through a broker to get my mortgage. They asked for the last 3 months payslips, a years worth of bank statements, 2 utility bills in the last 3 months as well as photographic ID and a few other bits and bobs.
The list was longer than I thought it would be, but luckily I had everything.
I too have a shredder, but I still keep all my utility bills and bank statements. I have over 5 years worth of pay slips as well!
I tend to shred receipts and any junk mail with my details on it.
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We shred anything with our name and address on it, or bank account numbers. The rest goes in the recycling bin.
Same here! I intend to keep bank statements running up to about 5 years, but receipts no more than 12 months, unless its part of a guarantee.
"Often we have an open fire so that is another way of disposing of things as well". A lot of our stuff used to get thrown into the furnace at the power station where my dad used to work.
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""Often we have an open fire so that is another way of disposing of things as well".
Shreddings also compost well - the little red (brandling?)worms seem to love them and the shreddings soon rot down.
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Phil
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I have an electric, oil filled radiator. It resides in my office, and I leave it on 24 hours as the office is detatched from the house and has no other heating. It keeps the ambient temperature up overnight (it has a thermostat), so also protects the computers and building from damp/cold.
Today I noticed an electrical burning smell, and found that it was coming from the plug. The three-pin plug was very hot, and when I pulled it from the wall socket, I noticed that the plastic at the base of the live pin had melted.
Presumably this was a fire just waiting to happen. The radiator is less than a year old.
I'd like to know why this has happpened. I can change the plug, but worry that it could happen again. The radiator is only a few months old. Am I using it incorrectly, or does this sound like a fault?
As well as a thermostat, it has 'low, medium and high' settings. I've had it on high, is that the problem?
It's a 2.5 KW version, 230V-50Hz.
Thanks.
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IMO the plug was the problem.
The most likely cause being the fuse may not have been tight in its fuse carrier.
Have a careful look at that first. The carrier may well be discoloured.
I have come across this before. In that case a fire did not start because the fire was plugged into an adaptor. This was burned through and the socket was damaged.
Check out the socket for damage.
When fitting a good quality plug do ensure that all the insulation in the cable is in good order. Shorten the cable a little if needed.
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Low/Med/High controls the power of the heater. The thermostat controls the amount of time it is on.
I have a 1.5kw heater. Low is 500w. Med is 1000w. High is both together. You may only need low or medium, and let the thermostat control when it fires.
The thermostat simply controls how low the temperature has to go before the heater kicks in, and what the temperature has to be before it stops.
Sorry, I can't help with the hot plug though. I'm no electrician.
------
AngryJonny (was E34kid)
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Thanks for the replies.
The fuse carrier and the end of the fuse (attached to the live pin) was indeed slightly discoloured, but seemed correctly seated.
I've never really understood the high med low power setting, surely if you set the thermostat to X degrees, then you want the heater to keep cutting in when the temperature drops below that. So with the higher setting it will be quicker (and stay on for a shorter time), conversely with the low/med setting, it will be cutting in more often and with less effect (???).
Will it be safer to leave it on the low power setting overnight as this will cause the plug to heat less? I would leave the thermostat on the same setting that I always do. I'm a bit paranoid about fire now!
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If you have the heater on "low" then you might find it's on most of the time but not drawing much power. The "high" settings will draw a lot of power and flick on and off a lot. If the heater cannot provide enough heat to reach the thermostat level it fill fire all the time.
Ultimately, an amount of heat will take an amount of electricity and regardless of how it's done it should cost you the same. It could be argued that a lower setting is safer as the heater won't get hot enough to burn or melt anything that it's close to.
Agree with the plug thing. Sounds a bit like a short circuit or something to me - but I'd agree with the "take back and get a fresh one" aproach, if it's an option. If the plug looks burned they should replace it without any argument.
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AngryJonny (was E34kid)
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I'm with the poster who suggested something wrong with the plug. Perhaps one of the wires was not properly fixed in the plug.
Anyway, the heater is under one year old. It was no doubt sold with a pre-fitted plug as modern legislation requires. Take it back to the shop & you'll be given a new one. They won't want to run the risk of being sued by your insurance company.
Otherwise, cut off the plug & throw it away*; shorten all wires by a couple of inches and affix a new plug.
________________-
*following usual precautions re young children etc.
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Have to disagree with MapMaker there. Take it back to the shop and get a replacement. It's possible (although unlikely) that the heater was pulling more than 13A without blowing the fuse. It's quite easy to do, and I've seen it happen where someone sets fire to the plug...
Remember that you're leaving the thing on overnight. Even if it's perfectly fine, the resultant paranoia will do your head in!
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The socket could also be at fault. Either the copper or brass spring contact has opened enough to cause arcing between it and the live pin, or the live cable into the socket is loose enough to cause arcing there. Either of these heat sources could conduct enough heat into the pin to melt part of the plug. These are commonplace occurrences that usually don't cause fires. Investigate, tighten if necessary, replace as necessary.
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Just don't leave it on overnight till you have found out the cause! I'd get it back to the shop BTW
BTW #2 what special precautions should you take when chucking a 3 pin plug away with small children around (other than not smacking them on the head when you toss it in the bin?)
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Agree with those that say take it back,I would not risk replacing plug (plus you lose the warranty ie tampered with)
if it is a problem with heater,let the manufacturer sort it out,but would get your socket checked out as well in case of any fault unknown
--
Steve
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Nsar, I always take the fuse out and bend/break/mangle the pins, preferably break so that there is no chance of any of them fitting a socket. I then ditch the thing straight into the dustbin.
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Reading the original
>>The radiator is only a few months old.
So I too agree. Take it back and let the seller sort it out.
Agree with those that say take it back,I would not risk replacing plug (plus you lose the warranty ie tampered with) if it is a problem with heater,let the manufacturer sort it out,but would get your socket checked out as well in case of any fault unknown
>>
The original question was
>>I'd like to know why this has happpened.
IMO the most likely causes and IMO some suggested actions
1. Fuse carrier. Return the heater
2. Wires not secured in the plug. Do not disturb them. If it is moulded on then do not split it open but leave it alone for the seller to see the original state.
3. Socket faulty. Replace it whatever with a quality item.
4. Heater faulty. Return it
For added peace of mind, if the house does not have a RCD then buy a plug in one. This will trip if the heater gets a fault and also distance the plug from the socket.
Something like.
www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=29769&criter...1
Ensure it copes with the Amps your heater requires.
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Take it apart and take out all the screws, pins etc and keep them separated so it can't be used again.
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2.5KW is IMO too high to use on a permanent connection to a S/O,
In works Portacabins we always had electric heaters as a hard wired connection into a fused spur outlet and never in a socket outlet for exactly the problems you have had.
In theory they should be OK but in practise they are only a push connection and with such a high load arcing is always likely to be a problem over time.
Similar to an immersion heater in a hot water cylinder which are always connected by a FSO and not simply by a socket outlet.
Replace the front of the S/O with a fused spur and there will be no problem.
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2.5KW is 10 amps. Thats fine for use all the time - except...
Where a high resistance will cause local overheating. This is what happened in your case. Something in the socket/plug combination had or has high resistance.
1/ As the heater had the plug fitted at source (as by law) take it back and get a new one.
2/ Replace the socket in the wall with a good quality (MK or Legrand) one.
Never ever use cheap unbranded plugs or sockets in the home. This high resistance plug/socket problem is one of the primary causes of fires in the home.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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That link in I Have a Question 110 to the Lancaster Bomber showing up in Google Earth. I only did very primitive aerial photography interpretation (anyone for O level Surveying ?) - can anybody explain why, when all the houses, cars and trees cast shadows, the bomber doesnt ?
Or am i just a spoilsport ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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I'm not up to speed on this image so don't know if it's a hoax. Assuming it's genuine, the aircraft has the sun behind it, so will project a shadow somewhere in the frame immediately above (north?) of the one shown as it isn't on the ground, but a few hundered feet above it. I assume that if you know the location you can scroll up and wind it. If you really want to. Is this a wind-up?
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This link to The Register throws a bit more illumination on this story.
www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/13/letters/
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Wouldn' mind a look at this where does one find it on Google Earth ? ?
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the register has copies of the image
www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/09/google_lancaster/
if you have google earth installed, click on the link in the second paragraph under the second picture
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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Google Earth - fascinating ! - haven't done any work for two days.
for those of you who remember the (deleted!) Vulcan bomber thread, the buyer never did solve his transport problems, but you can see what he was buying by 'flying to' 53.7775 -3.045
and at 51.4742 -0.4361 - just how many formst of transport are there that you can name from 10,000 ft ?
Go on, get out of the car...
www.mikes-walks.co.uk
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Both Virgin and BA offer flat beds in business class. The Virgin seat is 6ft 7in long which is longer than the BA seat and also wider. There is also a bar you can sit at. Virgin only flies to Sydney via HK. BA fly to Sydney & Melobourne via Bangkok or Singapore. QANTAS and Singapore Airlines also offer bed seating and will be more direct routes to the cities you are visiting
Best bet is to search each airlines website so you are happy that a flat bed is truly a flat bed.
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At the moment I can?t record Freeview programmes on my VCR because (I am told) my set top box doesn?t have a built-in RF modulator, and that I need a separate RF modulator. Would a Programmable Universal Modulator VH89W from Maplins solve the problem and how would I connect it? It has aerial loop-through, and scart and phono inputs.
Currently I have the following connections:-
RF cable, aerial to digibox ?RF in?
RF cable, digibox ?RF out? to VCR ?RF in?
RF cable, VCR ?RF out? to TV aerial socket
Scart cable, digibox ?TV? socket to TV ?AV 1? (This is the only scart socket on the TV.)
Scart cable, digibox ?VCR? socket to VCR ?Line 1 (Euro AV)?
In case it's relevant there's an unused scart socket on the VCR marked ?Line 3?.
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L\'escargot.
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I'm not sure that would make sense. An RF modulator is used to turn a scart signal into an 'aerial' one. As long as your settop box and your VCR can be connected by SCART, I don't see why you'd need an RF modulator. Just need to tune the VCR to AV or AUX channel.
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BazzaBear is correct. Your Freeview box is already connected to your vcr via the scart. This gives you a better picture than a signal from the rf connection. You need to make sure that the vcr records from the Freeview box by switching to that connection. It will be AV1 or AV2 and this should be obvious from the display on the vcr.
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>>At the moment I can?t record Freeview programmes on my VCR because (I am told) my set top box doesn?t have a built-in RF modulator,
Try tuning a channel in to it using say program no/6,you must have tuned the tv to it..unless you are using the scartlead
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Steve
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Our connections are as follows:
Ariel to digibox via co-axial then:
Scart: Digibox to DVD to TV
Co-axial: Digibox to VCR to TV
The Digibox is set up as a channel 0 on the VCR so digi broadcasts can be recorded, the VCR is set up as a channel 0 on the TV so videos can be watched.
This also offers the purest path for digital and DVD signals to the telly ensuring best quality.
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>>This also offers the purest path for digital and DVD signals to the telly ensuring best quality.>>
Unless you have a true digital TV set, the Freeview digital signals are converted back to analogue before you see them on TV - this accounts for the slight delay between normal terrestial transmissions and Freeview transmissions. Unless the signal was converted back to analogue you wouldn't be able to watch it...:-)
I have a 13-year-old Mitsubishi Nicam VCR (all the bells and whistles) and I use one of the two channels which were intended for satellite transmissions for Freeview recordings (they are listed as L1 and L2).
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Sorry, just noticed, doh .... aerial, aerial !!!
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>>The Digibox is set up as a channel 0 on the VCR so digi broadcasts can be recorded, the VCR is set up as a channel 0 on the TV so videos can be watched.
you mean the vcr is tuned in on program 0-- you can use any number to tune into the digibox but it has to be tuned in first,Unless using scart lead which bypasses the rf unit ie rgb
a change of box could mean the other or new box channel is different so vcr or tv using rf on its own will need retuning
you usually have the option to change the box channel to the one set in vcr-tv,saving the trouble of retuning either
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Steve
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Let me tell you what I am able do and what I?m not able to do.
Using the Auto Set Up facility on the VCR I get a list of 5 programmes ~ BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Ch4 and Ch5, broadcasting on channels 22, 28, 25, 32, and 56 respectively. There is also L1, L2 and L3. I can?t edit this list directly ~ I can just scroll through the 8 items.
The manual says that any channel which doesn?t preset using Auto Set Up can be preset manually. To do this I need to know (and input) the relevant channel numbers, and (here?s the problem) I don?t know where to find the channel numbers.
If I put a programme I want to record into the list of 5 (by swapping, using the Freeview box "programme sort" facility) I can record any programme I like, but this is very tedious and time-consuming. And I know that this is just a fudge, and is not the intended procedure.
So the question is .... how or where do I find the channel number of a channel that I want to preset manually?
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L\'escargot.
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Useful info on set up on here:
www.radioandtelly.co.uk/
Re channel numbers, these vary from transmitter to transmitter, suggest asking a local TV shop or aerial fitter, re the latter they are friendly fellows, ours invited us to his wedding .... the reception was brilliant ! ;-)
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Useful info on set up on here: www.radioandtelly.co.uk/ Re channel numbers, these vary from transmitter to transmitter, suggest asking a local TV shop or aerial fitter, re the latter they are friendly fellows, ours invited us to his wedding .... the reception was brilliant ! ;-)
Thanks cheddar, that website is already in my list of favourites. Looks like I'll have to try the local TV shop or aerial fitter. I must say I'm disappointed that it's this complicated. Clearly Freeview is not all it's cracked up to be.
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L\'escargot.
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lescargot:
i suspect your question may have something to do with this:
the vcr cannot be tuned to receive each freeview channel individually. based on your original post, your vcr should receive all the freeview channels via l1 "line1" . the freeview channel that the vcr records via l1 will of course be the channel you are tuned to on the freeview digibox.
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It really shouldn't be this complicated. Your vcr is an analogue recorder and is basically a tv without vision. It records the analogue tv channels using its built in tv tuner.
Your Freeview box is a stand alone digital tuner. You send the signal from the Freeview box to your vcr - it's an analogue signal now - and your vcr records the programme. You have one dedicated position on your vcr for any channel coming from your Freeview box. You can't tune your vcr so that you have thirty or so different positions for each Freeview channel. You need to switch your vcr to the approriate av signal coming from your Freeview box. When you wish to record from Freeview you select the correct input to your vcr. This could be Line 1, 2, or 3, or AV1, 2, or 3, depending on how your vcr designates the line in. If the scart lead from your Freeview box goes to Line 1/ AV1, then you select Line 1/AV1 on your vcr.
When you wish to view the recorded programme on your tv then you must select the appropriate input on your tv, e.g. AV1, AV2 etc. This will be the same input from your vcr whether you have recorded an analogue channel directly from your vcr tuner or via your Freeview box.
If you still don't understand you can e.mail me.
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For a timer recording on the video:
1) Set the video timer manually (Video PLus wont work) selecting AV1, or whatever line your Freeview box goes toin Robbies example as the channel to be recorded.
2) Set the Freeview box's timer so it comes on at the right time and channel.
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If you can see the digibox signal through your video then you should be able to record it.
Turn your TV onto the VCR channel. Turn on your digibox and make sure your TV is still tuned to your video channel (a lot of digiboxes override the signal). Turn your video channel to one of the AV sources available (essentially receiving signal from the digibox to VCR SCART lead). If you see the digibox signal then you've done it.
When setting your video to record you must always choose the AV channel and make sure your digibox is also switched to it.
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Here's an industry guide on how to connect various pieces of equipment:
www.dtg.org.uk/consumer/connection_wizard.html
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Thanks Stuartli,
I've added the website to my list of favourites. My connections agree with those suggested. I'm working on finding the channel numbers of the channels that the VCR auto set up facility didn't preset so that I can preset them up manually.
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L\'escargot.
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>>I'm working on finding the channel numbers of the channels that the VCR auto set up facility didn't preset so that I can preset them up manually.
Only one channel is needed,once set up on VCR you then select program no on remote(say channel is set to program 0) press 0 on remote-then on digibox select program wanted to record from-that is all you need to do--Ps does digibox have a test signal either in menu or on a switch?
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Steve
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Isn?t it easy when you know how?!
I made 3 mistakes. I wrongly assumed that (a) you could manually add digital stations* to the preset list on the VCR, similar to how you manually preset analogue stations, (b) you could record digital programmes using the same basic procedure as for recording analogue programmes, and (c) you could record digital programmes using only the VCR and TV controls.
*My friendly local one-man electronics shop explained that the VCR preset list was for analogue stations only, because my VCR is analogue. He expects that eventually VCRs will be digital.
Briefly, what I have to do is:-
(1) Set the Freeview box as follows.**
(a) Select the EPG page.
(b) Highlight and then ?OK? to confirm the programme to be recorded.
(c) Select ?Record?, then ?OK? to confirm, and ?OK? to continue.
(d) Repeat (b) and (c) to store more programmes for recording.
(2) Set the VCR:-
(a) Select L1 in the ?programme number? list, and set the start and finish times to correspond with the total recording period required.
(b) Turn off the VCR ~ you have to do this with a timed recording anyway.
(3) Turn off the TV.
**If only I?d read the Freeview box manual more fully in the first place.
Thanks everyone for your advice ~ and your patience! At least I didn?t give up like an acquaintance of mine did with his VCR.
P.S. Give me a crystal set and I would be in my element!
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L\'escargot.
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How to get bold, italics, etc into a post?
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How do you get bold, italics, and underscored all at the same time?
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L\'escargot.
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Easy peasy.
(i)(u)(b)then your text(/i)(/u)(/b)
{ Where you see the brackets, substitute ( for < and ) for > }
So it should look like this then your text
You MUST remember to include the (/i) or (/u} or (/b) command at the end of the text, as this is necessary to turn off the bold, italic, or underline command.
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Hi,
In the last 3 days I have had problems with reception on my TV - basically a couple of slow moving horizontal 'bars', wide-ish, moving up the screen slowly, then occasionally the whole image moves down a bit to reveal a black bar at the top - the whole picture 'bounces' a bit.
Oddly, this also happens when I view via the video set to the receive TV signals.
However, if I view a video or DvD, the picture is completely fine ! So I am presuming this is a reception fault - have checked the BBC site & there are no works on my local transmitter. My aerial is actually inside my loft ...
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It sounds like co-channel interference. Basically another signal is on a similar frequency. Does it go when you change channel?
If its on all channels, with exactly the same symptoms then its a set fault.
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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It sounds like co-channel interference. Basically another signal is on a similar frequency. Does it go when you change channel? If its on all channels, with exactly the same symptoms then its a set fault.
Can the OP say where he lives and what transmitter he uses?. If its atmospherics allowing signals to travel further than usual it can affect all channels. Particularly common in South and East where TV from mainland europe can creep in. Some UK transmitters (eg Belmont and Wharfedale) share the same allocations for all four main UK channels.
Also worth checking of a loft aerial got "nudged" when stowing the Xmas deccies!
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If its atmospherics then it does not affect all channels with the *same* symptoms. Not common in winter either.
The aerial in the loft is not favourable! Even putting the xmas deccies away in a different place can cause problems!
It does sound a like a phase problem. Either the phase is being changed by a adjacent signal, the same signal being relected by a longer path or the set has lost its phase lock
------------------------------
TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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>>Oddly, this also happens when I view via the video set to the receive TV signals.
sounds like reception ie aerial problem,may have moved slightly out of range of transmitter or possibly a connection is in need of looking at,presume you view through the video recorder via RF cable-or is it through scart lead?DVD will be by scart plug
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Steve
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Thanks - I'm going to have a good luck if this is exactly the same on all the channels tonight, although I think it is - I am in north Cambridgeshire so maybe it could be atmospherics picking up Europe - otherwise looks like I'll be up the loft this w/end !
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I'm having a new bathroom fitted by my next door neighbour, who is training to be a plumber.
We selected the bath, which is a double ended one with side taps and a shower head at one end (comes up through a hole so no trailing pipe).
Plumber came round to assess the job, and made the assumption that the taps would go on the "open" side of the bath, not the wall side.
This seemed bizarre to me, as they would be in the way of getting in and out of the bath (and also the shower head would be at the "wrong end" for us.
So Mrs S discussed it with a work colleague, who said "Yes, that's how mine is done".
Is this normal?
I imagine the problem for the plumber is accessing the taps to install them once the bath is in place. Howeverm I said to him to get those bendy pipes, and install the taps before the bath goes into place. Anyone see any problem with that?
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They are frequently installed with the taps on the side where you get in and out, reason being to stop leaning over the bath to run the taps. Exceptions are
However you are the customer, and you have it any way you like (bear in mind the tap set might mean you have to have the hot and cold the wrong way round)
The bendy pipes are called "flexible tap connectors"
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Exceptions are:
Open style baths (ie no panel) where the pipes would be seen
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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>>However I said to him to get those bendy pipes, and install the taps before the bath goes into place.
>>Anyone see any problem with that?
>>
I have been told that plastic push fit connectors and plastic pipe is the easy way to do it.
IMO not pretty but is hidden if taps are on the other side.
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Taps on the far side will also be a nightmare if you need to get at them.
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From personal experience, I could not recommend those flexible pipes, if you are refering to the rubber ones with the metal outer skin. We had one burst a few years ago. Fortunately we were in the house at the time. In our house it's copper and nice soldered joints everywhere, I'm not even agreat fan of compression joints although we have a few of those where it's not easy or safe to get a blow torch.
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It shouldn't matter which side the taps go. A competent plumber should be able to fit them on the far side with ease. The important thing is that shut off valves are fitted at an accessible point.
I agree that taps should be on the far side but it may be safer as previously mentioned that they are closer to you.
Flexible pipes work best if both your supply pipes work from a header tank rather than the mains as there is far less pressure.
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Have a concrete garage with that corrugated type roofing sheets. Get lots of condensation drips and have been told that best way to avoid is to stop the heat hitting the underside of the roofing sheets in the first place..
Had procured some MDF from my previous job so used sheets of this screwed to the beams but have ran out of wood so need to buy more.
What is the best wood to use? How much will it typically be per sheet - the length between the next 2 sets of beams is 50 inches and 59 inches, do they come in precut lengths that I am going to incur lots of wastage from with these measurements?
Also, my kids have started to use the garage as a games room - what is the most efficient way of heating it for short periods of time? Fan Heater? Or are these oil filled radiators any good?
As always, your expertise is appreciated!
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A fan heater or oil filled radiator in a detached garage of standard brick or concrete slab construction will be UTERLY USELESS. I know - I tried. i now use a Clark Little Devil space heater. It pumps out 10kW and can raise the temp of the interior of my garage to 20C in half an hour when its 0C outside. It burns 0.8kg of propane an hour at fulll blast. try Machine Mart.
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43A? Blimey! Do the lights outside dim when you switch it on? ;)
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Oops. Sorry... missed the whole "propane" thing. I blame lack of sleep.
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I tried the technique of lining the roof on a conservatory which had a corrugated plastic roof. Because the space between the roof and the lining wasn't sealed the condensation still ocurred. It dripped onto the lining, which quickly deteriorated. Admittedly the lining was hardboard.
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L\'escargot.
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The propane burner will generate a lot of moisture in its own right. A chemist will be along shortly and say how much.
MDF is not the ideal wood product as any moisture will make it swell and slowly disintegrate. I would suggest Waterproof 'roofing' board WPB or shuttering ply. A layer of insulation may be beneficial as well.
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pmh (was peter)
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Thanks for that - never thought of putting insulation in the gap!
Will check out the merchants this weekend.
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The answer to your problem could be a dehumidifier. I use one in my garage so that I can put my car in even when it's wet. Most dehumidifiers these days have adjustable "humidistats" so that you can set the level of dryness. You can get one for under £100 and they don't use an awful lot of electricity ~ mine is 200W.
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L\'escargot.
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1.6kg of water is produced for each 1kg of propane burned. I use a dehumidifer too. My garage is brick built with a lined & tiled roof - trouble is that 3kW is the best you can get from mains electricity and it just isn't enough heat when it's cold outside, so burning propane is pretty much your only real choice. The water vapour produced by the gas burning will stay as vapour as long as the garage is heated. I always vent the garage after use to let the water laden air out.
If you can insulate it properly, then 3kw may be okay.
You could always try a wood burning stove - these are very effective, but loose out on convenience!
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I've arranged to borrow a set of lights from the uni cycling club for a night ride on Thursday. No problem, you'd think, I'm more than happy to pay a deposit in case I lose them / drop them etc.
However, the lights are only worth 120 pounds (it says so on the side of the box) but the club are asking me to write them a cheque for 225 quid, which they'll cash in the event I damage them.
Is it me, or is asking for a deposit of nearly twice their true value taking the proverbial, and is it worth having a chat to them about something more reasonable?
I should add that I would have no issues replacing them with an identical set should I break them, but not with a set worth twice as much.
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Ah. The deposit would be 225 pounds because that's what their RRP is. 120 pounds is the trade price. Oops. Fair enough I suppose - I'll just have to be careful not to drop them!!
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Bicycle lights are £120? I'd want a whole bicycle, complete with lights, a reflector and mudguards for that!
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L\'escargot.
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>>I'd want a whole bicycle, complete with lights, a reflector and mudguards for that!>>
Some Back Roomers have acquired four wheels for that - and been given change...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
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Ah. The deposit would be 225 pounds because that's what their RRP is. 120 pounds is the trade price.
£225? That's even worse. I'd want two bicycles for that!
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L\'escargot.
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That's nothing - I know someone who spent 450 pounds on a HID light. These are halogen, but with a fancy battery and a sophisticated controller, which gives overs two hour run time on the 25 watt setting.
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I wonder if anyone can help? We have a Vaillant Turbomax 242/1E combi boiler which is about 6 years old, (I have a service book but I'm not a plumber!)
The CH function works fine but the DHW has stopped working 2 days ago. When I turn the hot tap on the boiler does not fire; but hot water flows if the boiler is already on for the CH. The hot water pressure is fine.
I can click the microswitch on the side of the diverter valve and the boiler fires so the switch is okay. So I think the arm that should press the switch is jammed.
The diverter valve has dripped water for months when the hot water tap is used, but we have not done anything about it because a plumber said it was expensive job if the diverter valve needed replacing. I cant be sure where the leak is coming from on it, but the plumber couldn't sort it by just tightening the pipe connections.
So my questions are:
Could the problem (DHW function and cure the leak) be rectified by just changing the diaphragm; or is it likely to need a new diverter valve?
There are a few new diverter valves on Ebay for under £40 which say they are for our boiler model, but the part number given is 011289, and in my service book it says part no. 011269. The valve looks the same as ours so could 011289 be a newer modified part that will still fit?
How long a job should it be to fit a new diverter valve? I thought about having a go myself, but the little copper pipes look a bit fragile so I best leave it to an expert; my g.f. would go spare if I broke anything else!
Any advice would be much appreciated!
Rich.
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Rich
It's invariably the diaphragm that goes within the diverter valve. I would start there. They are not impossible to change (I've done my own and I'm no plumber). It's certainly a lot cheaper than changing the whole diverter (£140 for mine).
Call the manufacturer and they will give you the part nos.and prices you should expect to pay. Plumbers' Merchants shoudl carry the parts in stock.
If you don't want to do the job yourself, it may be worth getting the part anyway to avoid any delays with your plumber.
PhilDS
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Thanks for your reply Phil. I dont know whether a new diaphragm will cure the leak we've got, so dont want to have to buy both. I'll ring Vaillant today and ask about the part numbers; then if compatible I might get the complete diverter valve from Ebay. DV for our boiler from a trade supplier is £125, may be able to get an ebay one for under £50.
cheers,
Rich.
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I'm just this week put a new diverter valve into my Vaillant combi 824E. Took me 45 minutes including tea break - mostly spent trying to find all the various valves to turn off and drain. I could do it again in 10 minutes. By all accounts Vaillant DVs are particularly susceptible to failure. Whether any of this is help to you or anybody else is for the reader to judge... If your boiler blows up, don't blame me.
www.pricerightheating.com/Shop/ShopProducts.asp?
www.mjtcontrols.co.uk
were the most competitive, though if I'd searched 'vaillant diverter valve' on eBay I'd have saved another 30% or more. They both have good catalogues to find the part number.
The vaillant website allows you to download all relevant service manuals & instructions if you do not have them.
On the vaillant website is a number for a helpline. If you are a private customer it directs you to a premium rate line. Don't. Just hang on for the trade helpline. They'll confirm what you need. You are supposed to have a CORGI reg no. for the trade helpline, but they didn't ask me - presumably to confirm they are dealing with a bona fide trade person. Apparently the yellow pages, under 'gas' often lists the corgi number of businesses anyway.........
Don't forget to turn off the electric supply, and to isolate all the feeds (cold water in; CH in; CH out; gas)
The only non-completely obvious part of the process was draining the boiler. I opened the drain cock (which was on the isolating valve) and got about 6 pints out. (The drain cock produced a jet of water under pressure. I had to turn the cock until it was pointing into the bucket.) On undoing the DV joint, I got out another two pints from the joint.
I refilled the boiler up to pressure before opening the CH feeds; I imagined this would minimise the quantity of air taken into the system. Following reopening the CH feeds, I imagined that running hot water for a moment or two helped to drive some more air out through the release valve in the boiler itself, but I didn't want to do that for too long for fear of burning it out, so started the CH.
All is now working properly for me, and I must get round to bleeding that radiator.
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Thanks for the info Mapmaker, esp. the bit about re-commissioning it.
Vaillant say the later part number will fit my boiler so I might get the one on ebay thats currently on £16 (one has just sold for £42). Then I'll decide whether to get the plumber to do it or not.
I quite enjoy doing minor spanner jobs on the car like changing brake disks but I'm new to plumbing. When you re-assemble it all, do you have to put PTFE tape on the fittings, or do they have gaskets?
I've got a service manual which explains it well, and all the feeds on the wall look like in the diagram, so I might give it a bash. (And if I muck it up I know Ive only got myself to blame!)
cheers for your help,
Rich.
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Please can any one advise? I have checked the deeds of my house and the section issued by the Land Registry lays down certain activities which may not be done on the development, things like parking other than on the driveway, not running a business, not annoying the neighbours etc. Do these conditions apply to people who rent a house from the original owners and, if they do, how can I get breaches of the terms stopped? I am thinking of approaching the letting agents, in the first instance, but they have been hopeless so far. The man's conduct is so dreadful that I am thinking of applying for an ASBO against him but that might inflame the situation. Any thoughts abd comments would be most welcome.
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Approach the letting agents first, if the behaviour really is bad a call to the local Council's Housing Department may be worthwhile - you need to speak to the team who deal with privately rented houses.
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I think you are talking about restrictive covenants. I am assuming that the house occupied by the neighbours from hell is also subject to these restrictions (that is often the case on a development)
I believe that if a restrictive covenant is being breached, then liability will attach to the freehold owner. You could therefore try, through the letting agents, to make this the landlord's problem.
If the job has been done right, there ought to be terms in the tenant's lease which mirror the restrictive covenants in the landlord's own title, so that the landlord can put pressure on his own tenant, and ultimately sling him out. If he is on an assured shorthold tenancy, he would rather sling the tenant out at the end of the term that face a court action from the other disgruntled owner occupiers on the development.
~i doubt that you can get the authorites involved for things which in themselves are not crimes, but rather breaches of restrictive covenants, but you never know.
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You need to speak to your local ASB Officer. Suggest you phone your council (or vist their website) and ask for/look for the Community Safety Dept or Partnership Office. You don't need to prove any crimes just a history of Harrasment,Alarm or Distress. Your local Police should be pretty big on this, first stop in this case is the Council I would suggest.
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Many thanks for the helpful and informed comments to date. I thnk I now have a clear way forward and will post an update or outcome, when I have one.
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New development! I got back from shopping, argument ensued about parking in fron of our 2 houses; |I was offered a fight and had my shopping kicked all over the front garden. Sitting at home in a mild state of shock waiting for the police to turn up! Watch this space!
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Jeeez. I hope you get it sorted pretty damn soon AS.
If the Police don't do anything, do you have any...ahem. Big friends?
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Adam, thanks for your comments and support. The police have been and we decided not to go and talk to next door, for various reasons. They will have seen the police car outside my house so they can sweat a bit! It is being logged as a crime and I shall have the choice of dropping it or proceeding, in about a week which gives me the opportunity to think it thru and also for the letting agents to take action on the letter of complaint that I sent them before this incident. It raises points about the terms of the tenancy and statements in the deeds of things that people are and are not allowed to do in the houses on this development.
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AS
The Landlords are responsible for the actions of anyone using the house. If the occupiers are in breach of the covenants, then so are the landlords and you can sue them.
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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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Has anyone entered into one of these schemes or know anything about them? The ones where you buy half and rent half from some sort of housing association (I think the proportions are flexible)
I have a friend who is skint and instead of paying rent for years we need to find a way of getting him into some sort of ownership scheme with my finacial assistance. What are the pitfalls? There is no way that he can buy anything outright, properties here in the south are too expensive.
Any thoughts please?
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>>instead of paying rent for years
Shared ownership schemes are a method by which Gordon Brown is going to make sure that the skint (who normally live from hand to mouth, and week to week and aren't saddled with houses that can go down in value) are going to be stung at the next house price crash, in the same way as are the wealthy.
It's also a way that he's keeping the castle in the air that is the country's house prices, on which the current boom is built, up in the air a little longer.
Currently, gross yields on rental property in the south are about 5%. His mortgage will be likely to be higher than that. And on top of that he will have to contribute towards repair costs etc.
He's much better off renting.
I'd guess they're not that easy to sell on. And if house prices drop then they really won't be easy to sell on. Who will need shared ownership then?
Oh yes, and if he wants to buy a bit more of the house in the future, the price will have gone up and it will cost him even more...
JMVHO
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If your friend wants a foot on the property ladder they are a good idea, but have good and bad points.
Shared ownership has been around a lot longer than Gordon Brown has been in his job and thousands of people sell theirs every year to move on to 100% ownership.
Take a look at: uk.biz.yahoo.com/ftb/goodpoints.html for some basic information.
You will note that the landlord is reponsible for structural (generally external) repairs.
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"who normally live from hand to mouth, and week to week and aren't saddled with houses that can go down in value) are going to be stung at the next house price crash, in the same way as are the wealthy."
"Oh yes, and if he wants to buy a bit more of the house in the future, the price will have gone up and it will cost him even more..~"
Pardon? you cant have it both ways
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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As long as house prices rise at all it is surely better to own whatever % of your house that you can afford and ride the inflation wave, after all if you buy 50% of a £200k house it will cost you £100k then in a few years time if it is worth £300k it will cost you £150k to buy the other 50% however at least your initial £100k investment is then worth £150k.
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As long as house prices rise at all it is surely better to own whatever % of your house that you can afford and ride the inflation wave,
Except that shared-ownership schemes tend to become popular at or near a market peak, because at other stages in the business cycle fewer people need them.
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>>because at other stages in the business cycle fewer people need them.
Or can afford them more likely
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Steve
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It doesn't matter which way you look at it, switching rent payments to mortgage payments has to be the most logical choice in the end.
One payment is down the drain, the other is an investment.
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This question goes out to the limitless wit and comic talent of the BackRoom.
A friend has written a guidebook to bars here in Frankfurt - it´s sold so well he´s had it translated for the expat market. The book is a bit different in that it focuses on human characters connected to the bar - maybe the barman, its architect, the regular singer/pianist, a regular punter, the prozzie in the corner etc etc.
The only problem is finding a snazzy, snappy title.
His idea was ´Bar Tales´, but I think we can do better.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance,
Barchettaman
{Moved to the correct location in the thread, as per the "Please Note:-" message at the top of this thread. DD}
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"The old bar-steward and his mates"
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Bars
Bars in Germany
Bars, Bars and more Bars
Bars, Bars and more Bars in Germany
Bars Where You're Guaranteed a Good Time
Bars Where You're Guaranteed a Good Time in Germany
Let me know if you want any more - I'm on fire tonight.
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Bar Bar - Black sheep
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Bar Bar - Black Sheep In Germany
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Eine grosser bier bitte, schnell!
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Why not just call it "Bitter, bitte"
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Why not just call it "Bitter, bitte"
Because some of us prefer cider!
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{I'm not transfering this question over to Volume 112 for obvious reasons. DD}
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