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1st ade

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Posts posted by 1st ade

  1. "Domestic" LED's (as others have commented) are designed to run off 12v +/- not much. The "Transformer" will actually contain a transformer (240 --> 12), a rectifier (AC --> DC) and some sort of regulator. The ones that allow dimming either 'chop' the power (50% means the LED is on at full power for half the time) or are very clever at sensing the current. Car / Marine 12v LED's have an internal regulator so accept 10-15v or so. The difference is pennies but when you are selling sets of eight or ten at B&Q...

     

    In the reverse direction, I once blew up a quite expensive (domestic) central heating controller on a friends boat. I spotted that it ran off 12v internally so removed the transformer / regulator etc and just let the relay switch 12v to the circulating pump. Job done I thought, now he doesn't have to run the inverter just to have central heating.

     

    All was well until the battery voltage destroyed the CH controller when he went onto shore power...

  2. For turning on the heating i have an old 5 pound sagem voda phone in a black box with a light dependent resistor and relay circuit. Call the phone the backlight comes on the LDR switches on the relay and the heating starts. No call costs but you do need an active sim in there.

     

    Sorry, Wrong number! (Or, can we interest you in claiming your wrongful PPI payment?)

  3. It wouldn't give (quite) the symptoms you describe but there are three sets of diodes in an alternator.

     

    If one set has gone, you get around 2/3 maximum charge but it's "lumpy" (for want of a better word) and can cause the warning light to flicker. It also puts more strain on the remaining two set's so the second goes bang fairly quickly and the other five minutes later!

  4. Never worked from a boat but from eighteen months ago have had at least one day a week "working from home". Employer was fully supportive; office mobile phone and an office laptop with both 3G (Vodafone) and WiFi built in.

     

    Biggest problem for family, friends, neighbours and yourself is to get the message that you are working at home, not working at home.

     

    I have a friend who runs an overseas travel company. He puts a suit on to go to work... under the stairs. His argument (which I can't fault) is that if he stops for a coffee, in his pyjamas, he will feed the birds, do the crossword, empty the dishwasher, anything but go back to work. If he stops for a coffee in his suit he carries the (hot, full) mug back to his office.

     

    Personally, I think I work harder at home for less stress. I get up at the same time as when commuting, work 06:15 to 07:15 then stop for an hour for breakfast with Mrs 1st Ade. By 08:30, some replies are already coming to earlier emails and it goes on from there. I tend to pack up earlier than when I'm in London but leave the laptop on, glance at it every now and then and reply to any urgent queries until about 18:30. To my mind (and my boss's) that better than "it's five O'clock - I'm out of here"

  5. No "appears" about it, you're obviously right.

    It never ceases to amaze me how lazy some journalists can be; look at the caption of the older photo:

    "A man sits on a wooden plank...". How did this person get a job writing for a national newspaper, when there are plenty of unemployed English graduates who'd love the job and know the language well enough to distinguish a plank from a beam?

     

    I was going to comment on the "plank" earlier but adding updates from a Samsung Tablet isn't as easy as I thought (now on a proper computer)

  6. Also realised how nosey people are!

     

    A long time ago we moored our (hire) boat at the Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port.

     

    Part way through lunch we were interrupted by a childish treble voice piping up "Mummy! Mummy! There's people on this one!"

  7. They only nasty Isuzu product I have come across was the 3.0/3.1 in the trooper.

     

     

    We have a 19 year old 3.1 Trooper - we never did like it as much as the 2.8 we had previous but (touch wood) it's never had a major failure in 186k miles. We had to take the tow hitch off to gt it through the last MOT but that's our fault for keep backing it into salt water and not washing it properly afterwards.

     

    Actually, I tell a lie, it's dangerous. It's such a good tow vehicle you can "forget" there's two ton of boat behind and only remember when a lorry flashes you back in as you pass them at over 80 MPH...

  8.  

    Yes but does it WORK?

     

    I've encountered two recently that didn't.

     

     

    MtB

     

    In the interests of precision, I'll take my BWB key when I walk the dog today and check (although the fact I had to step over a hosepipe yesterday says either the tap works or I met a very optimistic boater)

  9. We're at wolverton works mooring, new concrete Wharf, rings, overlooked by modern apartments, but really close to shops, Tescos and Asda. Quite happy here,

    Sat and 3 signal, didn't want to come this far, but cosgrove is nearest now for water.

     

    Potential noise not just from flats but the adjacent station (why do they insist on telling you about the trains that don't stop here?)

     

    Don't be put off by the derelict looking buildings opposite the flat's - they are (very expensive) apartments built inside the shell of the old railway works

     

    Cross over Bates Footbridge (70B) and take the second rather un-inspiring right turn into what looks like a car park. Buskers music shop and cafe does good food seven days a week (but possibly a bit pricey for more than celebratory tea and cakes).

     

    Get up to road level (stairs at both ends of the complex at the South end of Bates Bridge), turn right and both Asda and Tesco are at the first roundabout. Assorted takeaways on the main road including Silver Sea Chinese; people drive for miles so it must be good...

     

    Parallel to the main street is Church street. More shops including a fish-and-chip shop, a fishing tackle shop, a jewelry shop (Mrs 1st Ade works there) and a cycle / motor spares shop. The latter is the sort of little gem that won't actually have a socket to fit a 3/8 Whitworth but will know exactly what you mean and will have something to fit.

     

    Further along Church Street are pet supplies and hardware shop. Avoid the Agora at all costs unless you need the Post Office; the remainder is tacky Indian fabric boutiques.

     

    If you have a few minutes spare head away from the town when you get to the main road, cross the road and drop into the Wolverton Secret Garden, nestled between the canal (non-towpath side) and a big distribution depot.

  10. ..

     

    General note, on the bank password, my bank asks for three characters but not necessarily in order, it might, for example, ask for the 3rd, 8th and 5th characters.

     

    Which is a bit of a bu**** if the password you thought it was has only seven letters!

     

    Drop me a PM if you are still stuck. I have a few nifty password recovery tools (and second the advice NOT to allow your computer to remember any sensitive passwords)

  11. Lol, well don't understand how they haven't missed them yet???

    BW key

    Engine key start key

    Boat door key

    Pad lock key

    And others keys

    Cork Ball and a small knife

    A charm

    And a Kerry key fob, telling me Kerry means child of the dark one!!

     

    Col

     

    Boat might be nowhere near Gifford Park...

     

    When we walk the dog, we always take our BWB key with us. Comes in handy if we get caught short walking home from (say) the Barley Mow at Cosgrove

  12. Didn't think of a smoke alarm. Noise sounded as though it was from under tarpaulin covering rear deck / engine controls.

    We moored in Tewkesbury a couple of weeks ago and whilst were out sampling the wares in the town Wetherspoons our smoke alarm failed and started beeping. The boater on the next boat got concerned and not getting a reply from his knocking called 101, we got back just as Gloucestershires fine constabulary were about to break into the boat!

    Tim

  13. Do you own or do you know who owns Timlynn, moored in North Milton Keynes?

     

    As we walked the dog tonight (Thu, 19:45 or so) there was an alarm audible. Not burglar, more like low battery; two separate devices each giving a double 'beep' every fifteen seconds or so.

     

    Covers looked sheeted down hard and boat has not moved for at least a day (wasn't making the noise last night - same location)

  14.  

    In theory not hard....you do need a good high wattage soldering iron, a de-solder pump to undo the "small " terminal, a pair of needle nosed pliers to straighten the wire so that it will pull through the hole in the small terminal

     

    Thanks - I'll give it a crack next time I'm somewhere near Lutine Bell (and brother doesn't mind being left with no starter for an hour or two... or three ... or)

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