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Right; as you can see there is no opportunity to fit it before the branch because they put the tee so close to the meter. Previously there was an undersized cable; I had run a new 10mm cable from the CU while I had the floor up for them to connect. Then they left without connecting it, so I did it.

Well here it is, share any observations if you want: Please forgive the dangling cables; I've said I'll tidy those up once some other things are done. There will be a shelf where the batten is. I am surprised by the lack of strain relief in both the boiler connections (opentherm and black...

Edit: Never mind, I have an alternative solution to my problem. See photo. This particular bit is protecting a recent OpenReach fibre. What's it called, and does anyone know anywhere that might sell short lengths? Thanks. Edit: you can't tell from the photo, but it's a fair bit thinner than...

Leave the doors open (or take them off) for a week and see what happens.

That’s a terible reply from Vaillant (assuming CountryFan is right). You should complain. We should be able to rely on boiler manufacturers’ “support” people to know what they are talking about, as the results could be very serious if they don’t. I mean - can anyone imagine how a “passing...

On which subject, https://electrical.theiet.org/bs-7671-18th-edition-wiring-regulations/faqs/earthing-and-bonding-faqs/ : Which is nonsense. I think they probably meant “sufficient” not “insufficient”. Or what?

I think you’re saying that you believe gas and water underground supply pipes being plastic means that bonding is now more necessary than before when they were metal, right? If so - no, that’s exactly the wrong way around. I would like to think that maybe someone has created a nice simple...

So you reckon I should be drilling relatively fast? Right, maybe we'll discuss that once I reach that point! Yes, it's not completely obvious but the diagram is right. Basically there are some teeth that pop through the pipe and a piece inside that is tightened back towards the wall of the...

And without increasing the danger of cracking the pipe? Remember the initial question was "how can I drill a cast iron pipe without it cracking?", not "can I drill a cast iron pipe at all?". Hence going slowly, using lubrication, etc.

Right, I found a Worcester Bosch note saying exactly that. I only need to worry if all the upstairs flats are empty - which is unlikely, but not impossible.

Right; I don't think this is heavy-grade and I guess that now I have a hole I can measure the thickness.

I note that e.g. this TCT hole saw doesn't mention cast iron: https://www.lawson-his.co.uk/starrett-sm22-22mm-7-8-tct-stainless-steel-hole-saw Oh, what to do? The test pipe in the garden was so easy. Drilling the pilot hole this morning with a fresh drill was so easy. Now there's actually a...

Latest update: Success, with a new Bosch HSS drill I was through in about a minute, using bursts as described. But: Brand new hole saw, same model as before. It did the first couple of mm OK but then stopped making any progress. I do wonder if it gave up when I first squirted it with water...

Thanks. At one point, I got the impression that cobalt drills might be less suitable for cast iron. Now why was that…. Ah yes: https://ukdrills.com/products/bi-metal-hole-saw Note that their “bi-metal” hole saw says “suitable for: … cast iron”. Now tap on the “cobalt” tab and it says “For...

Thanks for that! “Work hardening” sounds like a plausible and interesting possibility. Regarding drills - some include cast iron in their “suitable for” and some don’t. I now wonder if I should take any notice of that. Tomorrow, I could get a pack of 5 “suitable for metal” Erbauer drills and/or...

Is it PIR or polystyrene? Often polystyrene (EPS) is used in floor slabs, which needs a thicker layer than PIR - but it’s much cheaper, and it’s a win-win if you'd otherwise need to fill that space with hardcore.

So..... Buoyed by my success with the scrap bit of pipe (post #13), this afternoon I have attempted to drill into the real pipe. The material seems to be massively harder. After maybe 30 minutes of drilling (with breaks), it has barely got below the tip of the drill. And the drill seems to...

Compare the rated heat output.

Is it full of rust? Flush it with a hose. Consider replacing it if it looks too awful. I doubt a new one would be significantly more efficient. Right, it could be an old imperial size. You would need to replace it with a slightly smaller one, i.e. 1100mm, and then either adjust the pipework...

Generally it’s not necessary to strip back to the wood.