Search found 2864 matches

by ericmark
Thu Sep 26, 2024 10:15 am
Forum: Central Heating and Air conditioning and Ventilation Forum
Topic: Old house air vents
Replies: 2
Views: 75

Re: Old house air vents

If anything we need vents now more than ever, we fit double glazing which removes the dehumidifying effect of the windows, however we clearly do not want drafts, and so it depends on the location, this house we are sheltered from high winds, but start point is look at humidity in the home, today in ...
by ericmark
Mon Sep 16, 2024 12:40 pm
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Advice on Repairing a Broken Lamp
Replies: 6
Views: 106

Re: Advice on Repairing a Broken Lamp

There are bulb holders designed to convert a bottle into a lamp, and if one had the right die one may be able to cut a new thread, but cost of dies and stock to hold it, is likely more than a new lamp.
by ericmark
Thu Sep 05, 2024 12:28 am
Forum: Central Heating and Air conditioning and Ventilation Forum
Topic: Summer use of immersion heater, or boiler, results don't match expected.
Replies: 0
Views: 59

Summer use of immersion heater, or boiler, results don't match expected.

My new immersion heater control shows power used today, yesterday or last 7 days, and it shows just under 4 kWh, in the past always used the oil boiler, as told oil cheaper than electric, it did not keep the water as warm as the immersion heater, but did heat more of the cylinder, so the 20 kW boile...
by ericmark
Tue Aug 13, 2024 11:52 am
Forum: Plumbing Forum
Topic: Central heating upgrade
Replies: 2
Views: 134

Re: Central heating upgrade

I would agree with the advice given, but would also add in my own house rare for all radiators to be working together, all my radiators have a TRV fitted, and most with electronic heads, the system I will admit does not work A1 with my oil fired boiler, as it does not modulate like gas boilers do. H...
by ericmark
Sat Aug 03, 2024 9:43 am
Forum: Appliances in the Home Forum
Topic: Washing machine blows fuse in operation or after cycle ends
Replies: 6
Views: 229

Re: Washing machine blows fuse in operation or after cycle ends

The element in most domestic appliances is switched on with the line only, so even when not on, it can still cause a neutral to earth fault. With a mineral insulated heating element, the heat can move the moisture, so it can appear as if some random fault. I have in the past, when I had no test gear...
by ericmark
Tue Jul 30, 2024 5:27 am
Forum: Appliances in the Home Forum
Topic: Washing machine blows fuse in operation or after cycle ends
Replies: 6
Views: 229

Re: Washing machine blows fuse in operation or after cycle ends

An RCD monitors the in and out current and assumes if they don't match, the current is going to earth, There is always some loss, as we use AC, so there is some inductive and capacitive linking so typically we use a 30 mA RCD. We should when installing monitor the background leakage which should not...
by ericmark
Sat Jul 27, 2024 10:07 am
Forum: Central Heating and Air conditioning and Ventilation Forum
Topic: Anyone made the switch from gas to heat pumps?
Replies: 1
Views: 151

Re: Anyone made the switch from gas to heat pumps?

Living with no mains gas, I have looked into a heat pump, the first question has to be, if the power fails, how do you heat the house? As it stands, if I loose grid power, I have two ways to heat the house, one is an open fire, that is non preferred as it means burning all my BBQ supplies, and empty...
by ericmark
Mon Jul 15, 2024 8:33 am
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: 3 Gang Light Switch upgrade help
Replies: 2
Views: 244

Re: 3 Gang Light Switch upgrade help

Looking at your switch, there is one supply to all three switches, with link wires, so you can use a smart switch that uses a single supply, however the smart switches I have used seem to be limited to two gang not three gang. There are two ways to get a smart switch to work without a neutral, one i...
by ericmark
Tue Jun 18, 2024 8:03 am
Forum: Central Heating and Air conditioning and Ventilation Forum
Topic: Is this an air conditioning unit?
Replies: 1
Views: 332

Re: Is this an air conditioning unit?

It looks like a heat pump, however as to if it warms or cools the home or both impossible to tell. This is the problem with heat pumps, the cold bit gathers condensate, so needs a method to remove it, often just let it drip on the road below, which is a danger with legionaries. However, it could als...
by ericmark
Tue May 07, 2024 10:39 am
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Earth bonding a double insulated device?
Replies: 4
Views: 324

Re: Earth bonding a double insulated device?

The regulations refer to a tool or key, and if it needs a tool or key to change the bulb, then the person using the tool or key should isolate first, this means turn off all live feeds, which include both line and neutral, so the light switch only switches line so does not isolate. Yes I know that s...
by ericmark
Sun May 05, 2024 10:58 pm
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Earth bonding a double insulated device?
Replies: 4
Views: 324

Re: Earth bonding a double insulated device?

Yes it does seem odd, we have to provide an earth to fixed equipment even if not required, the rules say "A circuit protective conductor shall be run to and terminated at each point in wiring and at each accessory except a lampholder having no exposed-conductive-parts and suspended from such a ...
by ericmark
Sat Apr 20, 2024 10:08 am
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Smart meter monitors what good are they?
Replies: 2
Views: 294

Re: Smart meter monitors what good are they?

Now the meter has been installed for some time, I can say the IHD (in home display) is rubbish. Last night just past midnight it showed used today £0.00 which was I suppose correct but then says of which 59.3p is standing charge so clearly an error. Also I had used 5.01 kWh which since only 3 minute...
by ericmark
Mon Apr 15, 2024 7:36 pm
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Built in oven Installation Question?.
Replies: 1
Views: 257

Re: Built in oven Installation Question?.

It should be fine with a plug. British law requires items which are plugged in to be provided with a plug, so if the manufacturer says it should not be plugged in then they can sell it without a plug, so we have seen since brexit items saying they need hard wiring to get around the British law. The ...
by ericmark
Fri Mar 08, 2024 2:06 pm
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Smart meter monitors what good are they?
Replies: 2
Views: 294

Re: Smart meter monitors what good are they?

I do get a display on the in house display which can be set to show pounds, and the solar panel software shows what I use in the day and I can go back until fitted, but same does not go for the IHD so can't view what I used yesterday in pounds, and the total kWh used does not help, as midnight until...
by ericmark
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:16 am
Forum: Electrics Forum
Topic: Smart meter monitors what good are they?
Replies: 2
Views: 294

Smart meter monitors what good are they?

I have had a smart meter fitted, forced to fit one if I want paying for export, and also split tariff can reduce costs further, so totally see the point. But it came with a little monitor, we placed it on the TV stand and started to observe the readings, from sun up to sun down it alternates screens...
It is currently Mon Oct 07, 2024 8:50 pm