markharro

Hi @joth and @Kelvin any views on these points as I need to make a decision pronto. thanks

HI @joth why do you suggest 4 x CAT cables to TV?

A question on my external data cables.....is it important to get outdoor rated CAT5/6 cable? Or if you run the cables in ducts do you not need to bother? And my intention is to run up to 3 cables per wall duct - any need to use shielded cables? thanks

Thanks - I have started cutting now - pre cellulose....I am starting internally with the correct size hole cutter. Once the internal hole is cut I am using a 450mm long 10mm spade but from the inside to make a pilot hole externally. If I rest this on the bottom of the internal hole and keep it level it gives a fall from inside to out without having to think about it. I think use the hole cutter from the outside. Next thread the duct and cut to size with a flexible saw and then tape to board at each end. Its been added to my "pleasant" job list and is quite satisfying.

I had not been aware of this Rise sealant kit. Can anyone recommend a place to buy online?

thanks @Nickfromwales so you are saying fit https://www.screwfix.com/p/double-check-valve-15mm/96336?tc=RT5&ds_rl=1249404&gclid=Cj0KCQjwz8emBhDrARIsANNJjS786F2p-nDwkca2mK19l9MeyD-BzcY6oaRzmxrcnsNSY_TP4tId0hMaApbpEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds this type of thing between the tap and the pressure gauge? What do you mean survey for an accumulator?

HI @Kelvin we do have quite a few ducts in the slab - is it not the same issue though - you still have to tape where they enter the building? I was wondering how to insulate the ducts......wont using foam mean that it would be extremely difficult to remove the cables if you needed to? I was contemplating stuffing in some sheepswool insulation.

That's a wide duct. I was planning on using some ducting I have which is about maybe 30mm. So what you're saying is that you can run power and data together in one duct but only if each is within their own flexible duct? So ducts within a duct? What about taking multiple data cables through a single duct - I assume that wont be a safety issue and if I use shielded cables?

Another point - someone else has mentioned that for microbore radial you need sufficient mains water pressure. What is sufficient and how do I measure our water pressure?

Thanks for further advice. Still not clear what to do if you need a 10mm feed to a basin and 15mm (or larger) to shower in same room? Looks to me that you really need two separate pipes feeding that room to provide for this? Ah since writing this I have just read @Nickfromwales answer to this very question. Ok so this accumulator tank - this would need to be located in the shower-room would it? Don't fully understand the need for it...why just cold for example? would there not also be an issue if someone used a hot tap at the same time? Also would running 22mm hot and cold to the shower - its not a long pipe run for us - avoid the need for a tank like this?

I need to start drilling holes through our 330mm timberframe walls for ducts for cables before they are filled with cellulose insulation. Its a passive house so I want to reduce the number of holes to a minimum. I know that power and data should be keep apart ideally but would it be an issue if I used a shielded data cable in the following instances - 1 PV panels - these have the power cables coming from the roof but also a data cable from a special monitoring box. Any issue if I brought both through the same duct. 2 ASHP - again it need a power and data 3 EV charger - power and data needed for this I think also 4 What about power for an outdoor socket and data (poe) for external security cam 5 Power for automated sliding gate and data (if at any point in the future we can afford to instal this!) 6 power for outdoor light and data for a security cam Thanks

Hi @DamonHD yes apparently Miele ones do or at least some of them - their website states it can save up to 50% in energy costs....as we are installing PV and an ASHP it seems a good option albeit I expect its not going to be £££ savings.

Thanks for the various answers so far....this has helped a lot to focus my plans. So from what everyone has said so far I am convinced by the radial system. There are some finer tuning points I don't quite have my head around yet though. 1 In the kitchen we will have a sink and dishwasher. If we wanted to feed the DW with hot water from the hot water cylinder does that mean we need a separate pipe to it? If so would a 10mm do? 2 Back to the shower-room. My better half has her heart set on what will be a shower capable of a very high flow rate. More than I think 15mm will service. If she persists with this would this need its own radial supply or higher bore than 15mm with another 10mm for the basin? 3 In our utility room we will have a sink and washing machine. First of all are WMs connected to a hot feed? If so, will one pipe with a T serve sink and WM? Will 10mm suffice? thanks

So for the typical bath/showerroom with hot water needed for both basin and shower/bath how would you run 10mm to basin on this radial solution? 15mm to the room then split with 10mm to basin and 15mm to shower/bath? Or do you have 2 radial feeds to the single room - 1 at 10mm for the basin and the other 15mm for shower/bath?

Thanks @JohnMo I have had a couple of quotes from plumbers so far but no detail at all on how they propose to run the circuits. With you manifold solution does this add any complexity/cost other than than cost of the manifolds which I assume is not much? We have 2 showerrooms and a bathroom and planning only to fit out 1 of the showerrooms initially so this might be a good solution to that. What is the relevance of running 15mm pipes? Long runs - our utility room where the water comes into the house is pretty central - that said its about 12m as the crow files to our kitchen sink/dishwater - and quite a bit longer with all the pipe turns etc. There are no other really long runs however. Can you explain what "hot water circulation" is? thanks @Iceverge can you help me deconstruct this.... the MDPE brings the water into the house to the main stopcock? whats a "control block"? "radial" - does that mean separate pipes to each location needing a cold supply? How does a "standard" circuit compare - does that have one main pipe in a circuit with Ts off to each room? "UVC" - is that the hot water tank? So 10mm pipe only for hot water supplied to far off locations - is the logic that this gets the water there fast and minimises wasted heat loss from a smaller volume in the pipe? So 15mm would be the norm for shorter hot water feeds? Is that enough throughput for showers? thanks

Just about to engage a plumber for this. He is going to use Hep2o which seems well regarded but other than that are there any pointers eg recommended bore of pipe? Do you routinely insulate hot and cold feeds? I think there is also a choice between radial and standard but I don't really understand the tech pros and cons? Thanks

Hi @saveasteading I have thought about painting but I dont think Blackjack would be compatible with the EPS we not to cover/hide?

This is prob what we will do too to cover our EPS base - what are you planning for fixings?

Any chance you could share where you have seen the good Grohe pricing? thanks

Its a passive house insulated slab poured into a mould of EPS formwork

I have a small section of vertical cladding inset into a render wall - the render build up total is 63mm. Our cladding is 22 so that leaves 40mm or so for the battens! I am thinking 19 x 50 for the verticals and 22 x 50 for the horizontals. Any issue with this for sheltered area of around 7-8 m2?

I have a similar question. On parts of our wall we will have open vertical cladding above a lower section of render. The top half of the wall has black waterproof UV resistant membrane fitted so that rain passing through the gaps in the cladding will drain down without soaking the timber frame. The issue is how to stop this water then draining down behind the cement boards that will take the render? I guess having permanent moisture behind this boards will be sub-optimal? Do we need some sort of metal cill to deflect the water out and over the face of the render? thanks

Really struggling to find an answer to this. Is 50mm below the slab height correct? Or 100mm? thanks

Hi @Nickfromwales how do you manage this? We are building a PH and I am about to fix the battens for the cement board which will then be rendered. We need some penetrations from inside the house to outside for EV charger and ASHP flow and return and maybe some cameras. How to do these after the render is done?

can anyone offer any advice on this - need to find answers soon so I can progress. thanks