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I took it up with Solis and after them remotely accessing the inverter it's working correctly drawing around nothing from the grid. When I asked them what they'd changed they said it was an issue with improperly installed firmware. All very vague but its fixed:)

I've only had to replace seals on my doors - I guess because they get a lot more use than windows - I could feel the drafts on windy days - they had basically gone brittle, broken up and cracked but it was relatively easy to match the seal profile and replace them all (Was on UPVC SUDG doors so the seals go into a channel - not sure if there would be a channel on wooden window units but I'm sure if you got a bit of the seal off it would reveal the fixing process)

-rick- The existing 50kVA transformer feeds initially into his nearby barn, it is then as far as I know, split two ways, one feeds into his bungalow and one feeds our barn. I shall look as to how I upload a picture for you regarding the meter, this has been a lash up looking at the install and not a dedicated meter, I believe he was renting out the barn so was a way of monitoring the electric use. It was always a case of us getting a separate supply.

The seals have probably become compressed and need replacing.

So we aren't looking at a bund to contain all the water from a tank, or a drain in case of burst pipe? Coincidentally I have been on housework duty today, and in removing ceiling cobwebs have noticed stains from the attic. It demonstrates that I seldom look up and others never. Each probably an egg cup worth. Most will evaporate, some gets through. Is that the idea, that dribbles will be caught and evaporate? You won't be aware it's happening. So a plywood box and pond liner sounds right to me.

Thanks, received and replied. You may want to remove them as they've got your personal details in them. But for everyone else, and as I've explained in my DM reply, from just a brief read there are some issues with these heat loss calcs: 1st is the 0.4ACH figure. As you have MVHR, this is a high air change rate (do you have a design calculated leakage rate, or blower test results available?) and assumes a very poor efficiency MVHR and poor airtightness. The building age band is 2005-present which covers lots of changes to Building regulations and thermal performance in buildings. And also, they've input a standard single figure of 0.18 for ground floors which does not appear to follow the industry standard approach to calculating floor u-values using Perimeter/Area ratio, which almost invariably shows variations in floor u-values depending on different room sizes and external exposure. In addition, the reports assume a lack of thermal bridging insulation, so this raises some questions given your recent newbuild.

Russell's approach is what most people end up doing on these. The trick is to stage it, pull the bung in the morning and let each chamber settle before the next, so the pumped discharge never gets swamped all at once. Worth checking with your building control officer first though, as some want to witness the test with the bungs pulled.

Just to add, assuming you bought the land off the farmer your conveyancer should have ensured appropriate hand over of the electrical service along with all rights required to ensure it's continued operation. Is that the case or is there another arrangement?

How about using those Walraven fixings at the bottom, fixed securely into the stud - these will take the main load. Then you can fix the original concealed radiator brackets into plasterboard with something heavy duty like grip it anchors - these will be less loaded, just stopping the radiator tilting or being pulled. That way you avoid visible top brackets

Oh now hang on. There is a separate meter in the barn? In which case, why can't you just transfer that into your name? I wasn't sure that what @garrymartin said would apply to you if you needed a new meter/service installing. But repurposing an existing supply that is already separately metered sounds like it should come under the reinforcement points. Get that meter in your name, apply for an upgrade, no?

Thanks for all the replies. Very much appreciated. -rick- Agree re the farmer, situation is he is kindly allowing me access to it currently, with me paying accordingly. It has a separate meter, thankfully. This, as you point out, could change at any minute. I've approached ICP's, the project is too small for them to be interested, so I have no choice. The difference between 3 phase 100kVA transformer (DNO does not do 50kVA transformer) and single phase 25kVA is £7k. Roger440 Yes, looks like my only option is to dig deep, not good. garrymartin DNO's wording "The existing transformer within your neighbour’s land has a service cable connected to it, therefore will not allow for a new connection without further chargeable network augmentation". I can't get passed this, and cant get any clarification as to why a service cable has such an impact and what it actually is? Thrown a whole load of CCCMS at me and difference between contestable and non-contestable is negligible. As mentioned above, it looks like the project for a single dwelling is too small for an ICP to be interested. ProDave I'm torn ATM, £7k difference between 3 phase and single is big, however we are solely reliant on electric and wish to future proof for fast EV chargers, small workshop etc, along with exporting as much back to the grid as possible. I don't have the tech knowledge to know which way to go tbh, this is not my field. Please point me in the right direction re any other threads on this subject. Again thanks for your replies.

>>> Why the great concern? This is a smallish attic with HW tank, MVHR box and a bunch of electrical, mostly ELV although there will be some high current 230V in there for immersions. 12kW PV inverter may end up in there too - which, I think, is the thing most likely to catch fire. 'Resistant' rather than 'proof 'was my way of suggesting slowing down / containing basic leaks / burns rather than keeping them contained for hours. In the same way plasterboard will slow down fire but not keep it contained forever. Also, given the choice, I would rather not have a floor that itself is flammable. >>> tank the floor Any particular products in mind?

I have some 20yr+ old double glazed windows that are letting in terrible drafts. As you can see from the 2nd photo, there's quite a gap between the window and seal. I've tried looking at the hinges to see if I can tighten them for a better seal, but they don't seem to do anything. I think this could be one of 2 things: Windows aren't latching properly Seal is uneven I can do something to temporarily block the drafts, but any ideas on a longer term solution would be welcomed ☺️

Why only 13mm? Easy to trim off 5mm on your doors. Then you can go with 5mm wood fibre underlay and 12mm laminate. An alternative is LVT.

Two standing charges as well, you can good export rates via Agile outgoing as well. Good imports via various tariffs, with one meter, add Axle to mix for export, which you are not allowed to do with Flux. Currently on Cosy at 14p 3x a times and todays export rates on Agile get upto about 22p, other days higher Do Predbat or similar to manage your in and out electricity and demand usage.

And in a closed cupboard it may snuff out. But we don't know the context of the question. Might something else catch? Why the great concern?

I believe you could but any savings from a better tariff would likely be offset with the double standing charges and cost of installation. Better to spend your time optimising what you have, including load shifting.

Tank + SLC sounds like winner to me. No, but the thin layer of vinyl on top of cement board wouldn't sustain a fire. Tiles aren't completely waterproof either so I was just suggesting a different compromise.

Why does it need to be fire resistant? Or do you mean fireproof? Ditto water. Proof or resistant?

With 13mm total to play with you're fairly limited, so it's worth being realistic about what the underlay alone can do. Footfall noise through a joisted floor mostly travels through the structure, so a good underlay helps but the bigger gains are usually elsewhere. A few things I'd look at: Black Diamond is a dense rubber type acoustic underlay, and a dense 5mm one is about as good as you'll get at that thickness. Check the laminate manufacturer allows a 5mm underlay though, as many limit it to 2 or 3mm and anything too soft lets the click joints flex and creak over time. When comparing dB figures, make sure they're the same test (impact sound improvement, often shown as ΔLw). Different makers quote different numbers and it's easy to compare apples with pears. Within 13mm you're roughly at 8mm laminate on 5mm underlay, or 10mm on 3mm. Heavier, denser boards, or a laminate with a bonded acoustic backing, usually sound less hollow than thin cheap ones. If the ceiling below isn't finished yet, resilient bars or acoustic hangers with a dense acoustic plasterboard will do far more for footfall than any underlay, and the Rockwool between the joists then earns its keep. Leave the expansion gap all round and don't let the skirting pinch the floor, otherwise you bridge the sound straight into the walls. Rugs in the main walkways help too, dog permitting.

the silly idea i had last night can you have 2 different meters from different suppliers? i have 3 phase so could split it If i could get another supplier to fit a meter and go for a very cheap rate tariff -even if night only say 15p or less use that to charge battery when it can -- then i would get a my good export rate through current octopus flux deal ? where i get 21p at low rate and 27.6 at high rate

If the ply is held down very well, tank the floor and up the walls about 50mm or more, then just pour in some 2-part SLC. About 10-12mm of it (minimum) if a cylinder is going in there, 15-18mm if you can, and then paint it with garage floor paint. On my current clients build I've done A1 cement boards to walls and ceilings; "dry" MVHR plant room was intumescent caulked and painted, "wet" plant room is same but will be tanked as much as possible up the walls, and down to meet the SLC (poured over the recess in the concrete (MBC raft)), then a 2-part garage floor paint/ other to protect the tanking. There's a scupper in there to discharge any water direct to the 4" foul.

Any idea where I might find these wide brackets? In some instances I may only be ~20mm or so off the stud, I'll have a search online. The steel flat bar sounds like an idea. Thinking about it perhaps a U section channel would work even better as the web could accomadate the head of the bolt connecting the bracket to the channel. Also found these online which I think would work, although they will be visable:https://www.walraven.com/en/products/walraven-radiator-fixing-set/

Vinyl isn't fire resistant is it? Tiles seems the pragmatic solution. But as said above, water will travel a long way, under the door, through cracks etc. If you are looking to contain any quantity, eg a bucket full, then it needs a threshold and 'tanked'. An industrial job. Fibreglass?

Do the test then pump out the last chamber onto the flower bed. I’m not seeing the problem really.