Tacet

Err (not sounding so sure now) - wouldn't that change the effective ratio between the crankshaft and alternator pulleys? The linear speed of the two belts would differ due to the varying diameters of the stepped pulleys on the water pump operating as a reduction gear.

If it had two belts (which it doesn't) such that the inboard pulley of the water pump was driven by the crankshaft (which it is) and the outboard water pump pulley was driving the alternator (which it isn't) ...............

Unless the alternator was being drive by the outboard water pump pulley. Which it isn't

Glad its working. The diagram for an Outdoor Combi 90V3 (it covers various sub models) is below. Assuming your boiler is along the same lines, when it next goes wrong (it will) you could check for the CH side That the permanent live is reaching the boiler (big black plug) The switched live is calling for CH (the big black plug - or terminal A1 on the first relay) The switched live is reaching the live terminal on the PCB The PCB is outputting burner live The burner live is reaching the burner and CH pump And a picture for those that admire tidy wiring

I have one of these boilers (remember - the 24v relay etc) - and I have not been terribly impressed. It has proved difficult to locate precisely the correct manual- even the one that came with it is not 100% representative. The redeeming feature is that it is quite simple. The electrical side looks like it has been assembled from a 1970s Junior Electronic kit. I can find a circuit diagram, if it helps. From my experience, I would first be checking that volts were arriving at the CH pump - and taking a peep inside to see if the capacitor was cooked. I also had a PCB go. On my boiler, there were two PCBs - essentially one for the hot water and one for the heating. One (heating?) has a rheostat knob poking through the panel - but when you look carefully, the other one has the same spindle - but hidden away. The point being that the PCBs are the same - and if you are getting no output to the burner and relevant pump from one, you can swap it over to see if you the issue changes to the other side. About £50 online. I don't like combi boilers either. The output was slow and barely hot enough. So I installed a copper cylinder and three port valve, and now heat via the CH side. The hot water is stopped off, but if I can remember just what to do, can be reconnected by operating a few valves and stopping-off the expansion pipe. It is much better - plenty of hot water. I'd like to have a header tank rather than the pressurised system - but I don't think I can generate the 1 bar it desires.

The idea is to store surplus kwh for DHW or space heating for later use. In principle, this is just pushing the tried and tested calorifier store of DHW a bit further. It is improbable that there will be spare kwh in electrical form when space heating is required (and you are off grid) – but heat generated by engine or stove/boiler is more practical. Once the storage tank drops below, say 40 degrees, it is not going to be much use for heating or hot (warm) water. Taking 90 degrees as the maximum storage temperature, gives a usable range of 50 degrees. From it taking 1 calorie to raise 1 gramme by 1 degree – (a calorie is 4.184 Joules, and Joule is a watt second) means that the store will hold a theoretical 9.3 kwh. You could payback at, say, 0.5kw over the 18 hours that the engine/stove was not operating. But allowing for say, 50 litres for the DHW – and you are down to 6.4 kwh – or about 1/3 kw for the 18 hours. I doubt this is enough to keep a boat (well, a sufficiently sized boat to hold the kit) on even a typical winter day. It’s around the same output as a single panel radiator of 400 x 500. Maybe 1 or 2kw would be a reasonable target? Allowing for various inefficiencies and you could be needing maybe 5 or 10 x 190 litres to make this work. And, of course, you need to find the energy from somewhere to shove it back in. I am all for other people experimenting with new ideas, but there is much to be said for the solid fuel stove (with or without a back boiler) gently producing 24 hours a day. All assuming the numbers are anywhere near correct.

For high current appliances, it was better to use a plug-top where the connecting wires have a larger contact area with the pins. Like this: Rather than the type where the wire is poked though a hole, and held down by the screw. Like this

1 . British Seagull 2. .....................

What is inside the bubble in the bubble-wrap insulation? Air is a poor conductor - which is why most insulation materials have a good deal of air in them. And string vests. It is not so good at obstructing radiation (which is handy, if you want to feel the warmth of the sun). It is also prone to convection which means insulation materials have to incorporate barriers.

The principle has been messed about so as to obscure its logic and origins. It used to be a tax on the occupation of property - but then became a tax on the right to occupy property. There are now numerous exceptions and additions - but these mainly relate to the sum levied rather than the principle.. But it still remains there is no liability for Council tax other than in respect of domestic property. It should really be called domestic property tax - but it sounds more reasonable to call it Council Tax. For many years the amount paid was (with very few exceptions) a direct function of the annual value. Now the tax relates partly to capital value banding (which has some limited correlation to annual value) and 101 other factors - including number of occupants and how many are students etc etc. which means it is rather easy to lose sight of it being a domestic property tax. But it still remaisn that to get started, you have to have a domestic property within the Council Tax list.

This is rather misleading since it only apportions the Council Tax - not local spending overall. Reasonably obviously, the Coroner's Court service does not cost much the same as the education system (even allowing for centralised funding) or bin collection or roads. A significant proportion of local services is funded by central government/taxation. So it is inconsistent to get all upset because someone else is not paying one particular tax (Council tax) unless you are offering to pay each and every other tax voluntarily if not otherwise obliged. And there are a lot of taxes........

My Passat requires a cambelt change at 140,000 miles. I bit the bullet at only 120,000 on the basis that I would exceed 140,000 - but not 240,000. So I was going to pay for one change (and never two) in any event and might as well bring it forward rather than take it to the wire.

These are laudable services. But the Council tax is a tax on the occupation of property - and not a mechanism to pay-as-you-go services consumed. You are in essence, only obliged to pay if you occupy (as defined) property. If you don't occupy property - you are not subject to the tax. Non-domestic rates and other forms of taxation contribute towards the same services. There can't be many volunteers to pay capital gains tax, corporation tax, stamp duty land tax, landfill tax or VAT from the otherwise non-liable persons. So why should you expect someone to pay Council Tax - other than where it is due?