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Mar 29th, 2024, 9:39am
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1  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Using a solar panel and battery system in powercut
 on: Mar 13th, 2024, 9:15pm 
Started by Alex Renovatish | Post by Alex Renovatish  
Hello all,

I'm due to get solar panels and a battery system fitted to my house.  I'd like to know: is it possible to then set it up so that I can run my house mains off only the battery and solar panels, if there is a power cut?

I've been informed that normally, the system would switch off in a power cut.  But that a certain type of switch can be installed?  If anyone can tell me:
1) Is this possible?
2) Rough cost?
3) Can I hire an electrician to make the change after the solar panels and batteries have been installed?

Many thanks!  Alex.

2  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Re: External wall - cavity fill? What are these?
 on: Mar 4th, 2024, 9:48am 
Started by Jeffers | Post by Jeffers  
Many thanks for the reply @woodsmith. I presumed they were something to do with damp but nothing conclusive came up on Google…
There are a few damp issues I found- as a complete novice I do have concerns it may be a money pit but there again may be an easy fix/ due to the fact that the house hasn’t been fully used and the owner doesn’t use the heating etc… will upload some further ‘issues’ when I have some time! Thanks

3  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Re: External wall - cavity fill? What are these?
 on: Mar 3rd, 2024, 8:10am 
Started by Jeffers | Post by woodsmith  
If they are equally spaced around the building then they are fitted as a form of damp proofing. The plastic covers normally cover the ends of a porous tube which, in theory, allows dampness in the wall to evaporate away. I have never used them and, from what I hear, are only marginally effective. They do get blocked up with salts over time, which can be cleaned out, and it looks like they have been partially painted over which won’t help.

I would suggest having a very careful look for any dampness in the property and get a good surveyor to have a look at it.

4  DIY Forum / Building Questions / External wall - cavity fill? What are these?
 on: Mar 2nd, 2024, 10:04am 
Started by Jeffers | Post by Jeffers  
Hi,
First post…
If we buy the house we viewed yesterday I may be on here a LOT!

Saw these plastic plugs which seem to have foam around? Image 1

They are low down on the outside wall.
It is an old property around 1900
Thanks!
What are they and do they look OK…any issue?

5  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Re: Cutting notch in roof beam
 on: Jan 31st, 2024, 8:07am 
Started by DIYme | Post by woodsmith  
Tile vents are great although they are a lot more work than just cutting a hole. One problem people find with them, because they run uphill, is condensation forming in the duct and then it running back into the fan. I put some insulation around the duct to keep it a bit warmer which seems to help. Best of luck with your project.

6  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Re: Cutting notch in roof beam
 on: Jan 30th, 2024, 6:28pm 
Started by DIYme | Post by DIYme  
Thanks for your reply Woodsmith.  Apologies for the drawing error.  It's hard to work out exactly what's going on in the loft from the restricted view I can get of that area.  But I think you're right in that it's probably going to be best to have a tile vent rather than potentially disturb any asbestos in the soffit.

7  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Re: Cutting notch in roof beam
 on: Jan 30th, 2024, 8:58am 
Started by DIYme | Post by woodsmith  
It not exactly clear from your photos but I don’t think your drawings are correct. Typically the ceiling joists and rafters rest on a wooden “wall plate” which runs on top of the internal wall, the outer wall would not normally have any timber on it at all. It’s possible that the wood you can see is the barge board which supports the tiles. If you Google wall plate and bargeboard you should find loads of images showing you the detail. If space is tight you could run the vent in rectangular section plastic ducting rather than risk cutting something you later regret.

Another thing to be wary of is that soffits are often asbestos and can cause a severe health risk if dust is inhaled. It would be wise to find out what it’s made of before you start cutting it and if it is asbestos then get a specialist firm to replace it.

8  DIY Forum / Building Questions / Cutting notch in roof beam
 on: Jan 29th, 2024, 7:07pm 
Started by DIYme | Post by DIYme  
Hi all.  I'm wanting to install a bathroom extractor and opting to run the duct through my loft space and out through a hole in the soffit with a new cowl on the exit point, directing the steam away from the house.  I can just access the inside of the soffit from the loft as shown here (at last, I assume this is the inside of the soffit  Embarrassed)...

Image 1

Image 7

So what I'm wondering is whether I can improve my access into the soffit by cutting a round notch in the horizontal wooden beam so I can get the ducting past it? So I've done two drawings - the first is the current view of the roof, and the second is showing my question of being able to cut a notch in the horizontal beam (please excuse my hastily drawn images!).  I wasn't sure if this would affect the integrity of the roof or impact any building regulations etc?  

Current view of roof space

Can I cut this notch in the beam?

Hope I've managed to get my question across with the help of these pics but if any more info is needed please let me know.  

Many thanks,
Lee

9  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 25th, 2023, 8:17am 
Started by Flashbang | Post by woodsmith  
Thanks for letting me know how you got on, glad you got it sorted in the end.

10  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 24th, 2023, 2:37pm 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Flashbang  
Hi
I tried PTFE tape but it was almost impossible to get the tape up the thread far enough.  However, I tried and refitted the nut to the sinks underside. Result... Still leaking, but a lot less!  
So Ive taken the proverbal Bull by the Horns, ripped it all out, cleaned off all the silicon from the top and undersides of the sink and purchased a new Click Clack waste.  Re applied more silicon before fitting the new waste outlet and Bingo...  No leak!   I guess the former outlet was faulty in the thread area and just wouldn't seal 100%.
Thanks for the suggestions anyway.


11  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 20th, 2023, 7:57am 
Started by Flashbang | Post by woodsmith  
As you’ve done such a thorough job on sealing round the washers the only option is the threads. I’ve had the very occasional leak this way, I think the thread is cut too loose allowing water to track down. PTFE tape should fix it.

12  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 19th, 2023, 11:55am 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Flashbang  
woodsmith wrote on Oct 19th, 2023, 8:23am:
The ones I’ve fitted had a softer thicker washer at the top yours maybe different? Where exactly is it leaking? It’s possible it’s a faulty fitting and it’s leaking around the screw threads, in which case you could try winding PTFE tape around the threads to create a seal.

Hard to say exactly where the leak is coming from as its almost impossible to see, but the thread is wet. Will try some PTFE tape on the thread and refit nut.   Smiley   What I cant grasp is why its leaking in the first place, as there are two separate layers of Silicon mastic used, one under the rims washer around the bowls upper surface and the second underneath behind the thicker washer!

13  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 19th, 2023, 8:23am 
Started by Flashbang | Post by woodsmith  
The ones I’ve fitted had a softer thicker washer at the top yours maybe different? Where exactly is it leaking? It’s possible it’s a faulty fitting and it’s leaking around the screw threads, in which case you could try winding PTFE tape around the threads to create a seal.

14  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 18th, 2023, 4:33pm 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Flashbang  
Hi
Thanks for the reply.
The wastes instructions (copied below) clearly show the thinner washer against the ceramic basin top and the thicker washer underneath against the basin underside and immediately behind the locking nut?

Click Clack installation

15  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: waste sealing
 on: Oct 18th, 2023, 8:14am 
Started by Flashbang | Post by woodsmith  
Unfortunately you’ve put the washers the wrong way round! The soft thicker one goes under the rim of the waste, the thin one goes between the nut and the sink. If the washers are ok then you shouldn’t need any sealant. If you do need to add sealant use it very sparingly and just smear a thin layer on each surface of the two washers. Some sinks are manufactured in a way that makes getting a good seal unreasonably difficult but using a lot of sealant is usually counterproductive.

16  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / waste sealing
 on: Oct 17th, 2023, 6:11pm 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Flashbang  
Hi all,
I'm being driven made by a leaking click clack waste.  Originally a new waste was fitted to a sink wash basen and only the supplied two sealing washers were used. One thin one between sink top and waste undersides the other thicker washer to the sinks underside and the plastic fixing nut tightened onto this washer.  The fitting leaked!  
I removed the waste and applied a bead of white mastic to the sinks dried and cleaned waste hole and also around sinks underside. Then refitted the waste with the two washers. Left it for some 16 hours before testing with water and It Leaked!  
Should the two supplied washers be used? Or should the waste be seated top and bottom in just a fresh application of mastic?

17  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: Curious as to price plumber charged.
 on: Sep 6th, 2023, 5:22pm 
Started by juco | Post by Lectrician  
Far too cheap!  You be looking at £105-145 around here for 2-3 hrs.

18  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: LED Ghosting
 on: Jul 21st, 2023, 5:40pm 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Lectrician  
Decent branded light bulbs won’t glow.  Cheaper ones can.  The capacitor snubbers don’t need to go every fitting, just one per switch.

19  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / New cooker needs 45amp fuse
 on: Jul 8th, 2023, 10:34pm 
Started by Brendan1985 | Post by Brendan1985  
Good evening.

I am needing to buy a new electric cooker and we are looking to upgrade from conventional element to one with a fan oven. On the website we are buying from it says it needs to be hard wired to a 45amp fuse.

My question is this... does that mean 45amp at the cooker switch on the wall or 45amp at the consumer unit?

20  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: Curious as to price plumber charged.
 on: Jun 20th, 2023, 7:49am 
Started by juco | Post by woodsmith  
That seems incredibly cheap. I’ve just been quoted £262 to service my oil boiler which is a lot less work. Not going to pay that though but £40 is a bargain. Wish he lived near me.

21  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Curious as to price plumber charged.
 on: Jun 19th, 2023, 11:48pm 
Started by juco | Post by juco  
Problem has been sorted just curious as to the price charged.
Micro bore to radiator `weeping` to the point boiler pressure would drop too low around 7-10 days.
Plumber drained system, repaired pipe, (it had been tightened a couple of times over 2 years for same issue) filled system + inhibitor, checked system for leakage.  Total time 2-3 hours approx.
Charged £40

Plumbing is not something I like to DIY.  

Fair price (Scotland) ?

22  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Baxi 105e Pump Proving Switch Issue
 on: May 22nd, 2023, 8:49am 
Started by mcguirestick | Post by mcguirestick  
Hi,
I have an issue with this Boiler the Pump Proving pin is not rising. (One on top of the Diverter Valve)
I have Rebuilt the Diverter valve. Cleaned the bypass pipe.
When i turn the Water on the pin does not raise But the Hot water Priority one does come out. If i push the micro switch on the top of the diverter the boiler fires.
Could it be the pump? The pump is spinning.
Or Anything else as got no hot water and feeling a bit of a hermit stuck in our boiler cupboard Smiley
Thanks in advance.

23  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / LED Ghosting
 on: May 18th, 2023, 2:43pm 
Started by Flashbang | Post by Flashbang  
Using a dimmer and LED lamps I often find the LED lamps produce so called 'Ghosting' when Off. i.e. they glow slightly.  Today, my 25watt LED R7s tube arrived and was fitted to a Daughter and Child floor standing up lighter in place of the 150watt Halogen tube, in an attempt to save energy/money! But LED ghosting occurred. The same happened when I replaced two parallel wired ceiling light lamp fittings with LED lamps instead of the 6 x 40 watt filament lamps. Here I have had to replace one LED lamp in each fitting with a standard filament lamp, which immediately stopped the ghosting effect. See topic herehttps://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1646071303

It seems there are two fixes 1) Use a dimmer with neutral capacity or 2) Fit a special capacitor across the load. But this means several capacitors would be needed - one for each light fitting!  These are not cheap either.

Question...Is it a case now in the UK that having a neutral at the wall switch is a common wiring practice? I have always seen and used loop in wiring at the ceiling rose with just line and switched line being at the wall switch.  To add a neutral and a specal dimmer would involve a lot of work rewiring, chasing walls and the special dimmer costs!  Hardly any saving then!!  Angry

Or am I missing something??

24  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: Hotel room style lighting
 on: May 8th, 2023, 12:41pm 
Started by mills85 | Post by Lectrician  
It's two way switching, or two way and intermediate to switch from more than one position.

It's common to have the centre light switched from the door and both sides of the bed, and then bedside wall lights switched either just at each side of the bed, or also from the door.

So you would have the centre light 2 way and intermediate switched (3 positions) and the wall lights 2 way switched (each). a 3 gang switch at the door, and 2 2 gang switches at the bed.

If you use Click Mini-grid, you can have an intermediate switch mixed with the 2 way switches.

25  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: Hotel room style lighting
 on: May 2nd, 2023, 9:32am 
Started by mills85 | Post by woodsmith  
I’m assuming you will want a central light controlled by a switch by the door plus two bedside wall lights each controlled by a switch by the door and a switch by the bed. For that you will need a 3 gang light switch by the door and two one gang light switches either side of the bed each controlling the light at that side of the bed. If you are not going to be there then clearly mark the walls where you want the switches and lights to be fitted.

26  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Hotel room style lighting
 on: May 1st, 2023, 8:00pm 
Started by mills85 | Post by mills85  
Hi,
I’d like to have a switch at the bedroom door which will switch both bedside wall lights off or on with individual light switches each side of the bed which will switch on/off the light above.

I’ve tried to explain this in an email to an electrician who is quoting for work but have failed to convey what I want as I don’t know what correct terms are I won’t be at the house when he comes over to quote.

27  DIY Forum / Plumbing Questions / Re: How do I tighten a loose top-fixing toilet seat?
 on: Apr 16th, 2023, 8:30pm 
Started by Fraser - Ex Member | Post by MaryM  
I found this thread useful when trying to fix a GSI Panorama seat. It is a case of pulling out the horizontal metal pegs, which have no cap at the end or screw thread inside. I was able to extract one trying a series of tools:pliers, screwdriver, hammer. The other refused to budge, even using a mallet and screwdriver to try and chisel it out with some force. I ended up pulling out the whole fixing from the hole in the ceramic part of the loo. It was very corroded and I think this type of fixing is unsuitable for a hard water area.Even with the seat off I couldn't get the peg out.I ordered a new seat with soft close hinges and this while also having the awful butterfly clips, which I dreaded losing down the hole forever, at least does not have the same problem with the hinges

28  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: making a light to rent out
 on: Mar 15th, 2023, 4:57pm 
Started by Natedog | Post by CWatters  
Looks great.

If you ever need to make much smaller lights, you can buy loose "filament" of the sort that you see in the filament style LED bulbs.  

Only issue is they cant be cut to length. But they are available in different lengths and can be chained together. Excess can be painted black etc.

29  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: Ceiling Light Wiring
 on: Jan 2nd, 2023, 8:03pm 
Started by PCooper | Post by Lectrician  
Bulbs not seated correctly, or lamp holders/bulbs faulty.

30  DIY Forum / Electrical Questions / Re: Ceiling Light Wiring
 on: Dec 30th, 2022, 9:42am 
Started by PCooper | Post by woodsmith  
It should make absolutely no difference which way round a light fitting is connected to the live and neutral supply so my guess is the light fitting itself is faulty.