Recent content by Gary_Funwick

If you have eighteen cast iron radiators I suspect the water volume is very high. You need lots of inhibitor. We have steel column radiators and have a similar situation. We had seven (big ones) removed for decorating. When they were refitted and the system refilled we were getting gas in the...

My understanding is that oil boilers gain less efficiency from condensing than natural gas because of less water vapour in the exhaust. Is that true?

@winston1 This is precisely why I asked the question - do you have direct experience? At their simplest these bulbs could just be a bridge rectifier and a resistor, neither should be stressed by a PWM signal. However I suspect that there is a voltage regulator/buck convertor ic which for me is...

@flameport Thank you. That agrees with my understanding of what is in most G4 LEDs (at least the "micro" silicone potted ones). Do you have any input on my question about longevity, I am looking at the Meanwell PSUs which operate on a 1.47KHz or 2.5KHz duty cycle? @winston1 Thanks for that...

I am looking for 12V G4 LEDs for a large light fixture. The choice of (current) dimmable LEDs is minimal. However can I dim "non dimmable" G4 LEDs using a constant voltage PWM dimming driver? This appears to work with a single G4 LED in a test setup but I am concerned about longevity of life...

I use one of the cheapo ones from Amazon for F connectors. It is metal, seems extremely strong and came with 20 F connectors and a cable stripper. https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=f+connector+compression+tool&crid=2SK81A2VV32O6&sprefix=f+con%2Caps%2C159&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-a-p_4_5 I think all the brands...

@Jake_M We have a Dab Esybox and it works very well. It's in an insulated shed fed by an insulated tank (500l, maybe in reality 400l; I think the rule of thumb is 2x the capacity of the hot water cylinder). The inflow to the tank and the outflow from the pump differ at most by 1 degree Celsius...

@Lucid Thank you for your reply. I'm trying to work out how to get my extra-big A-frame ladder up stairs to mount an assault on the loft (its been up their once, so it must be possible but I cant remember how Mrs Funwick and I managed it). BTW, with your experience will I always have problems...

@Sureitsoff, @Rodders53 Wolfbane reports the following for Sandy Heath to my location (it actually prefers Crystal Palace) Field strength: 47dBuV/m Distance: 26 miles Bearing: 298 degrees (this is straight into the setting sun and I do reliably get breakup just before sun sets - is this...

I had a loft aerial install around 5 years ago. I have lost the paperwork but I believe that it has a masthead amplifier (there's power in the loft and the original spec probably involved feeding a multiswitch). I don't recall it ever provided a flawless signal but because I use a PC based...

@Lucid You are absolutely correct that it is a DIY product. Of course it's price as such. My 5 Harmony remotes cost a collective GBP300. I'm not pricing my own time of course (I am an inveterate fiddler). I will say that it handles controlling BT stuff extremely well (I have FireTV, NovTV and...

FWIW the price that Amazon quote for the companion remote includes the hub. I use five of them (four TVs, one music only). They do have some limitations but I get on with them pretty well. In my case they control the TVs, all sources and an hdbaset matrix pretty seamlessly (though I will hit...

@tadcad Our bathrooms only have towel rails and simple non-TRV valves. They are fine for the winter months as one or other part of the house is invariably calling for heat when you need towels drying. It would be a problem for summer except that they have electric elements also that we switch to...

@tadcad From the smartphone app it is <settings> <rooms> <measuring device>. If you have separate rooms set up with only TRVs in them you should be able to fire the boiler by raising the set point in any of them irrespective of whether the wall thermostat is master in its room (hall?). If...

Stem is correct; the Tado system is functionally equivalent to Evohome or Drayton Wiser. There is no master thermostat. All of the radiator TRVs can call for heat creating (potentially) a system in which every room can be considered a separate heating zone. The Tado app should show multiple...