Roger440

Id bet good money that they dont though.

You wont find dealers selling diggers at £6k. Too old and will inevitably have wear etc. Most dealers are simply not going to get involved. Auctions, private sales etc are where you will find them. But there are not many, as most get exported.

Or you could do this. (page 4) https://www.hjpugh.com/catalogue/b5542fb7845e727d38b4418c4e278500/88172ebd72487fa052dfcdb3e174f077/monthly-collective-sale-of-tractors-plant-implements-live/?currentPageNo=4

For that money id go for an older model over a new chinese one. Older stuff is very simple, and much easier to fix, though if theres hydraulics involved, it still wont be cheap. I bought one (kubota KX61) for £6k, used it for 4 years, repaired the slew motor for about £250 (plus my time) sold it with a leaking fuel pump for £5500. Ive now bought another one (the same) for £5k. Missing its canopy, but otherwise good apart from a couple of minor ram leaks (job for the winter). Obviously though, old diggers are a bit like gambling, so it can go wrong big if you buy unwisely!

As with most of these things, "could be", but wont be.

One of the issues, of which there are many, is, ironically, that our industrial energy prices are too high.

A dream, never to be fulfilled.

We all know that the total bill will be several times the number you quote. They just cant admit it yet. Will be just like HS2, which will be over 100 billion and only get as far as birmingham. That was originally to be circa 30 billion and get to the north too. Ill mention it again for fun, those costs will be added to the cost of electricity. We are incapable of building infrastructure for sensible money anymore.

I think there are plenty who would be grateful to get away with prices that low....................

Outstanding. Outstandingly crap!

The big square washers was my understanding (and what i used). Obviously to prevent the nut being pulled into the wood, either by overtightening, or to stop it becoming detached.

Im constantly amazed how builders seen unable to grasp the concept of insulation. If air is free to circulate both sides of the insulation, clearly it cant be any use as insulation anymore. I appreciate that things can get technical quite quickly with regards moisture, condensation etc, but surely, not having the same air both sides of insulation should be understandable by even the dumbest person?

To me this makes perfect sense. But the way the OP's roof is done seems common practice, ie, just leave a void. Why? I just dont get it.

This is indeed a valid point. I generally avoid doing things twice, but maybe i need to on this occassion................................

22 panels 2 invertors, isolaters etc. Bought would be stretch. Obtained for free courtesy of my former business landlord who was putting them in a skip. Never even been commisioned. I guess the fact they were free takes the pressure to do anything away. When theres a 100 other more pressing jobs to do.

Whilst we have a washing machine, during the day in summer, theres minimal demand and nothing to move to that time. Even my workshop is very light on demand in the summer months. Im going to be putting it into the grid rather than using most of it, then buying it when i need it. Yes, i will be saving at least some cost, so theres logic in your argument, but essentially id be wasting a lot of it. Which seems a shame I think Johnmo has demonstrated even in winter, with panels optimised to suit, (which i would do) useful amounts of energy can be collected. Ultimately my demand is high in winter, especially when its dark, near non existent in summer. Excarbated by high workshop power use in winter also. And i really want simple. I know, you probably think thats weird, but if i cant install and maintain it myself, then im not going to do it.

I dont think he mans the screw piles are made of timber. They would be galvanised steel.

How? That needs batteries, or a big water tank. Water tank was my original idea. Batteries are a non starter based on capital cost and payback. This was the video Johnmo posted up there^^^ https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DkVaxAfXQPDU&ved=2ahUKEwjZ2vnXhcqEAxXkZEEAHfX8DHkQo7QBegQIDhAG&usg=AOvVaw2ys-gKyKBdBX1Ku7fZDZ-M The basic premise was to supplement the oil based heating with the "free" energy from solar. Using stuff i already have. Theres no economic case to move away from oil to electric as i cant, obviously, generate that much power.

It doesnt reduce my heating costs. Just gives me lots of electricity. That i cant really use. At least not when its generated Unless i do more stuff. Which costs more money. You dont just fill in your name and address on the G98 form. It asks for lots of other stuff, like who did it, their qualifications etc. If i do it myself, theres going to be a problem, surely? Happy to connect it up. I qualified way back under 16th edition. So i know enough to do that without killing myself. I like the system that Johnmo linked to, ie panels straight to immersion. No controllers, no electronics, no connection to the grid, no DNO bs, no trying to find an electrician, no complicated opaque tarriffs. Thats simple. Everything else just isnt. Accepting that what you say is simplish, but doesnt get me heat.

If you go back couple of pages you will see thats its not nearly so simple. If it was, id have done it by now.

This useful thread is a handy reminder of how little ive achieved on this front. (lots achieved elsewhere) The panels are still on a pallet. And i still dont understand enough to design something simple.

I gues my understanding of "design" might be slightly different from others. So, do you need to specify you will will use a 6kw heat pump, or do you need to say it will be a valiant heat pump with a pipe run secured to a specific wall etc. The latter would seem a tall order and a bit restrictive. Clearly locating service ducts etc through a foundation are a no brainer. Thats not how i interprated the OP's post.

Is this actually a requirement now? I cant believe everyone designs all that before you even start work on the house.

Thing is, im not sure i actually want "change". Just people that can govern, honestly, in the best interests of the people and country. Where they sit on the political spectrum, actually comes a poor second. Id hapily vote for someone/people who i disagree with politically, if i thought they were honest and had integrity. Indeed, doing so might not even be good for me personally. I suspect you are right that the the majority will vote for alternatives, probably ever more extreme. But thats simply a response to the abject failure of those who do win to actually do anything. Anything other than enrich themselves that is. Strangely, they, mostly, seem quite good at that. Some of them exceptional. Shame they couldnt put those talents to good use for the benefit of all of us. Im not angry. Just resigned to the inevitable. I recognise and appreciate ive lived through the good times, probably the best times. But i think im ok to be "unhappy" with where its going. Though i guess i do get a bit worked up when they take my money, that ive worked so hard for, to try and provide for my impending retirement by continously moving the goal posts, at a stage of life where there is little i can do to recover it. Id imagine most people would get a bit annoyed by that.

Well i cant be a politician can i? Because i have some principles, and morals, im not going to get far am ? Ive always voted. Sadly, it seems we get the same result each time. Just a different colour. The only good news is that our two favourite colours of the past, might not be the same two going forward. Though, i suspect i will be business as usual as the new suspects get settled in to things and do exactly the same as the previous suspects with regard to enriching themselves. And lying. But, more worryingly, from more extreme positions. Which in wales will be the far left, while england goes the other way. But, no, you are niether realist or pessimist. At least based on your postings here. Which may or may not reflect reality.