Search results

Having looked at various options to replace my alarm system at home, I have been surprised by how mainstream ‘professional’ alarm technology seems to lag behind that of the new ‘smart’ consumer alarms now available. Recently I had to secure a warehouse and initially chose one of the smart...

Hi I’m looking to replace an old installation in my own house. Essentially much of what exists will be stripped out, with new PIR’s, contacts etc (many are damaged / old technology) leaving just the wiring to be re-used. The system works (after a fashion). The current install uses all 8 zones...

Hi I have an automatic gate which is wired to a switched FCU indoors on a spur from the downstairs ring. The gate has a manual open/shut button for postmen etc during the day, as well as the usual gate remotes on our key rings. Ideally I would like to power down the gate at night so that...

I think this is a stupid question but I can't find an answer elsewhere. Need to install a pump for a new shower we're putting in. 3 storey house. HW Cylinder in airing cupboard on 2nd floor. Shower will be installed in an existing bathroom (sink and bath only) on 3rd floor. Hot water from...

Hi all I am the proud owner of a mid-size scissor lift, with which I can lift up cars. I've owned this for around a year, but just moved house and after a Herculean feat of removal, the ramp came with me. For the new house, I had a sparky re-wire the garage (and half the house!) to...

We've just had our third light bulb explode in about a month. Like really explode with a big bang. This time, it punctured a hole in the screw at the bottom. Last time it showered my wife with glass. So it's all pretty exciting. Different bulb, different light, different circuit each time...

Hi Was at a friends house last night and they had this remote controlled gas fire, which I have subsequently learned (bit of googling) is not unusual, but I was amazed!! Press button - flame up. Press button - flame down. We'll be putting men on the moon next. We have quite a nice LPG fire...

It's been a very exciting Sunday. Our new house is still unoccupied for reasons that pain me to explain, but we went there anyway to do some DIY here and there. I walk past the outbuilding and hear a bad fizzing noise. I look at the wall on the outside - Flemish bond, single brick. It's damp...

I've just bought a 25m reel of 2.5mm T&E. It's all BASEC approved, 6242Y, BS6004, but looks like no T&E I've seen before. The grey outer sheath is sort of in a figure of 8, a bit like big speaker wire. The inner cores are completely normal, but the PVC is not flat on the outside like all...

So... The new CU was installed 3 days ago. All is well, but tidying etc required. Sparky back today. Finishes tidying and demonstrates how CU works to wife. Whereupon one circuit starts tripping the new RCD (previously there were no RCD's). It's Friday night. The boiler is on that circuit...

Is there any reason why I can't mount a twin 13a socket in a ceiling (as opposed to a wall)? I know it sounds odd, but I have my reasons...

Hi At one end of the house we've just bought we have a full water system (gravity fed cold plus dedicated HW cylinder) supplying only one en-suite bathroom and the kitchen hot tap below. Irritatingly the installation is done in such a way that pressure to taps etc is not great (eg 15mm to...

One for those who enjoy interpreting officialdom. I want to install a socket into an existing ring main. Very easy job. The ring runs right past where I want to put it and there are two accessible sockets relatively close either side. I will need to extend the ring very slightly to reach the...

Hi Installing a new toilet to existing pipe work. The new bog is about 20mm lower than the soil pipe. No idea why, the old one wasn't that old, and was not sitting on anything. I have bought a 20mm offset connector which centres it perfectly. However, it leaks slightly. No major worries...

Removing a bathroom this weekend and installing a new one next weekend. How do we feel about push fit end stops on a rising main (it's a direct system)? Would rather leave the water on if possible and they would help enormously until the new suite is plumbed in. And would you leave a...

Hi Another post here got me thinking... We have just bought a house with 2 gas fires running from three huge propane cylinders outside the house (we are not on gas mains). The cylinders are all empty and we don't think they've been used for ages. Hate the things and we'd like to change...

Old house. Fitting new bathroom. No valves anywhere so figure I may as well install them. Find rising main. Locate secondary stop cock isolating main as it heads upstairs. Taps stop. Direct system. Great. Ready isolators. But secondary stop cock starts to leak from tap. A lot. Locate...

Hi Went to replace a pull cord with a standard light switch in a house we've bought. It's part of a 2-way arrangement and I was surprised to see that when I opened it up, the wiring was yellow to common, red to L1, and blue to L2 (obviously old colours). So I opened up the other switch on...

Hi All I am the proud owner of a new scissor lift, which is able to lift up cars. Most people at this point ask 'why?', but its probably best not to go there right now... After much grunting and wheezing, the lift has now been positioned in my garage and is ready for use. The thing is...

Sorry - it's about sheds. But bear with me - I have done some searching, but have emerged confused, as you'd expect. Despite having wired in the odd ring main in the past I am well aware that nowadays I am not allowed to touch anything remotely electrical. But I'd still welcome your help in...