welsh dragon
Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
I'll have the sprogs. Don't like the others though.My Xmas present from the eldest lad has finaly got here, my Good Lady is threatening to confiscate the Pontefract Cakes.
View attachment 566378
The Retirement Thread
- Thread starter Dirk
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I hope the plumber sorts you out pretty quickly, @dave r.
If you remember, I had a boiler repair done a few months ago. The engineer said at the time that there might be other problems and we'd just have to see.
It turned out that my CH system has a pressure leak too. I had to repressurise it a few days after the original repair and had intended to arrange a second visit but the pressure held up well that time. It lasted about 3 weeks before I could see any pressure drop on the gauge, then there was a very slow drop for about 1.5 weeks. It got down to about 0.75 bar and then it lost what was left overnight.
I have been through this cycle twice now so it seems consistent. Obviously, the fault needs sorting out but I don't want to be told that a new boiler is required in the middle of winter so, if I can, I will limp through to the spring this way and get it sorted out then.
Another reason is that the engineer seemed completely unaware of the Covid-19 situation. No mask, no sanitiser, no hand-washing... I'd rather have my jabs before letting him back into the house!
I'm quite intrigued by how this fault is manifesting itself. I have all sorts of theories, but I should find out for sure once the system has been seen to again.
I've been watching videos by central heating engineers explaining how the different parts of the system work. Interesting stuff.
I watched my engineer (from a good distance!) repressurising the expansion vessel . The vessel has a Shraeder (car tyre type) valve on the side of it and he used a floor pump to top it up to 1.0 bar. The pump was very similar to my bicycle track pump, only the hose was about 4 times as long so it could easily reach boilers mounted high on walls. It strikes me now that the Shraeder valve itself might have a slow leak. I've had that on bicycle inner tube valves. Some of the engineers in the videos sprayed a soapy liquid into the end of the valve. Any leaks would show up as bubbles. I don't remember my guy doing that. If he does it again, I'll make sure that he checks the valve. It might be possible to replace a faulty valve, but otherwise it might mean a new expansion vessel.
If the expansion tank lost pressure then putting more water on the other side of the diaphragm would increase the pressure again but would be putting more stress on the diaphragm, and also there wouldn't be so much of an air cushion to absorb water expansion. (The reason for having the expansion vessel is that the water in the CH system expands when hot. Old-fashioned systems were 'open' so that was not a problem. Modern systems are 'sealed' so without the expansion tank, pipes might burst, or joints between pipes be pushed apart.)
I haven't been able to find any water leaks anywhere so I don't think there are any holes in radiators or pipes, but for the pressure to leak that slowly it would only take a minute pinprick of a hole so maybe leaking water would NOT be evident.
Anyway, enough of me rambling on about things that most of you are probably not interested in...
Time for me to get back to working on my game. I had it set up to work well on my phone, but it then occurred to me that there would be a problem with phones with different screens. A few tests showed that indeed to be the case. I spent a day getting thoroughly confused by pixel densities, aspect ratios, virtual viewports, automatic stretch modes... I THINK I cracked the problem at about 02:00 today but I want to carry out more tests after a few hours sleep. I only own one suitable phone, and at some point it will have to be tested on other phones, but for now I am emulating them on my laptop. (Oops, there I go again... Cruel people might say that I am ALWAYS rambling on about things that most of you are probably not interested in!
)
If you remember, I had a boiler repair done a few months ago. The engineer said at the time that there might be other problems and we'd just have to see.
It turned out that my CH system has a pressure leak too. I had to repressurise it a few days after the original repair and had intended to arrange a second visit but the pressure held up well that time. It lasted about 3 weeks before I could see any pressure drop on the gauge, then there was a very slow drop for about 1.5 weeks. It got down to about 0.75 bar and then it lost what was left overnight.
I have been through this cycle twice now so it seems consistent. Obviously, the fault needs sorting out but I don't want to be told that a new boiler is required in the middle of winter so, if I can, I will limp through to the spring this way and get it sorted out then.
Another reason is that the engineer seemed completely unaware of the Covid-19 situation. No mask, no sanitiser, no hand-washing... I'd rather have my jabs before letting him back into the house!
I'm quite intrigued by how this fault is manifesting itself. I have all sorts of theories, but I should find out for sure once the system has been seen to again.
I've been watching videos by central heating engineers explaining how the different parts of the system work. Interesting stuff.
I watched my engineer (from a good distance!) repressurising the expansion vessel . The vessel has a Shraeder (car tyre type) valve on the side of it and he used a floor pump to top it up to 1.0 bar. The pump was very similar to my bicycle track pump, only the hose was about 4 times as long so it could easily reach boilers mounted high on walls. It strikes me now that the Shraeder valve itself might have a slow leak. I've had that on bicycle inner tube valves. Some of the engineers in the videos sprayed a soapy liquid into the end of the valve. Any leaks would show up as bubbles. I don't remember my guy doing that. If he does it again, I'll make sure that he checks the valve. It might be possible to replace a faulty valve, but otherwise it might mean a new expansion vessel.
If the expansion tank lost pressure then putting more water on the other side of the diaphragm would increase the pressure again but would be putting more stress on the diaphragm, and also there wouldn't be so much of an air cushion to absorb water expansion. (The reason for having the expansion vessel is that the water in the CH system expands when hot. Old-fashioned systems were 'open' so that was not a problem. Modern systems are 'sealed' so without the expansion tank, pipes might burst, or joints between pipes be pushed apart.)
I haven't been able to find any water leaks anywhere so I don't think there are any holes in radiators or pipes, but for the pressure to leak that slowly it would only take a minute pinprick of a hole so maybe leaking water would NOT be evident.
Anyway, enough of me rambling on about things that most of you are probably not interested in...
Time for me to get back to working on my game. I had it set up to work well on my phone, but it then occurred to me that there would be a problem with phones with different screens. A few tests showed that indeed to be the case. I spent a day getting thoroughly confused by pixel densities, aspect ratios, virtual viewports, automatic stretch modes... I THINK I cracked the problem at about 02:00 today but I want to carry out more tests after a few hours sleep. I only own one suitable phone, and at some point it will have to be tested on other phones, but for now I am emulating them on my laptop. (Oops, there I go again... Cruel people might say that I am ALWAYS rambling on about things that most of you are probably not interested in!
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
Oh, I forgot to mention...
If you frequently repressurise (top up the water in) the CH system you will gradually dilute the anti-corrosion additive in the system. At some point there will not be enough to stop the corrosion and you could end up with a totally knackered system!
Some systems may not be designed for you to leave the repressurising hose in place between repressurisations and it may be illegal to. The reason is that there is a risk of bacteria*** building up in the loop and getting into the domestic water supply.
*** E.g. the bug that causes Legionnaire's Disease!
If you frequently repressurise (top up the water in) the CH system you will gradually dilute the anti-corrosion additive in the system. At some point there will not be enough to stop the corrosion and you could end up with a totally knackered system!
Some systems may not be designed for you to leave the repressurising hose in place between repressurisations and it may be illegal to. The reason is that there is a risk of bacteria*** building up in the loop and getting into the domestic water supply.
*** E.g. the bug that causes Legionnaire's Disease!
Last edited:
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I checked... With giffgaff, sending/receiving one text or making/receiving one call every 6 months not only keeps the SIM active, but also the remaining credit on that account.
So my advice for an emergency phone is - use a cheapo dumb phone, request a free giffgaff*** SIM HERE, buy a £10 PAYG top-up, make diary entry reminders to send 1 text every 5.5 months, and to recharge the phone every week or so.
*** Similar deals are available on other networks. Check network coverage in your area. Giffgaff piggybacks the O2 network which is good here. My family and I have had problems with other networks in Hebden Bridge and Todmorden.
Flick of the Elbow
less than
- Location
- Pentlands Midlothian Edinburgh
As forecast, our morning snow has now turned to very unpleasant rain. Blades of grass starting to appear as the white stuff gets washed away. It was nice while it lasted.
Instead of relaxing with an ale or two, MrsP decided to take the bedroom curtains down and add a lining curtain to them.-------------
I have just spent the last hour and a half replacing the curtain track as she pulled the whole lot down, breaking all the brackets in the process.
Her excuse is that as she is a short arse she couldn't reach across the chest of drawers
Lucky I had just the right amount of spare brackets, as the track is 30+ years old.
Now time for tea.
I have just spent the last hour and a half replacing the curtain track as she pulled the whole lot down, breaking all the brackets in the process.
Her excuse is that as she is a short arse she couldn't reach across the chest of drawers
Lucky I had just the right amount of spare brackets, as the track is 30+ years old.
Now time for tea.
numbnuts
Squire
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
The outside temperature is just on freezing 0c 
so I've cancelled my walk today see what tomorrow brings
so I've cancelled my walk today see what tomorrow brings
D
Deleted member 1258
Guest
I've been looking at mieages for this year, I've ridden more than I've driven, car mileage stands at 3817 miles and bike miles stand at 4802 miles.
numbnuts
Squire
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
I did 935 miles in the car with 77 trips and only went to the garage to buy petrol four times and still have 3/4 of a tank left 
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
PaulSB
Squire
- Location
- Chorley, Lancashire
So we've been for a good walk. Mrs P has decided to start a 1000 piece jigsaw.........she says we have to finish it this year. 😳
A local reservoir on our walk......
A local reservoir on our walk......
I might have swam further than I cycled this year.
I reckon if Mo had a swim in that all the aches and pain would go.
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Lovely! Would like to go up to our local Loch Turret reservoir which sits at the foot of Ben Chonzie so very scenic too, but I suspect it might be icy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loch_Turret
Mo1959
Legendary Member
- Location
- Perthshire,Scotland
Except I swim so badly I would droon!
