Alan Ambrose

Just noticed these: https://www.roofingsuperstore.co.uk/product/25mm-x-50mm-nu-lightweight-plastic-batten-price-per-linear-metre.html

@joth thanks, then I'm seeing them available here: https://octopart.com/search?currency=USD&specs=0&start=0&q=PGSPDY3&s=1

OK another tech question... We have a 50mm services void. I was planning to run horizontal cable trays, mostly high-up (2.5m above the floor) and split into mains & ELV / data (either using one split tray or two separate trays). Then a few vertical drops to light switches etc, also in trays if I can. And then fill any remaining void with, say, mineral wool. Question is - how do I avoid the mains crossing the data or is that OK? Something like this: Mains ------------------------!------------------------------- Data ------------------------!---------------!---------------- ! ! ! ! Mains Socket Network Port

We ordered custom metal road signs and custom Heras covers for the gates. Not expensive. The custom Heras panels were from crowdcontrolsolutions.co.uk. The custom metal signs from road-signs.uk.com.

Bit stumped today. I have some temp/humidity sensors with ~1m cable I want to add RJ45s to and also some CAT6 cable ditto. I thought this would take 10 mins as I have some pass throughs around. Not so. Turns out the ones I have (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088R5F3D2) accept a core diameter of 0.93 mm-1.04 mm. My sensors have wire diameter of 1.15mm (around a 26awg core), the CAT6 has 1.3mm (around a 23AWG core). Neither fit, grrr. I'm looking at https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09BVMQPKH which say "core wire diameter 1.35-1.45mm (23AWG)". Probably fine for my CAT6, maybe not for the sensors. Who knew we would be trading 0.1mm / 100 microns? Anyone have quality pass throughs they recommend?

Will do once we’ve got the membrane on.

Of course, you or your electrician can almost certainly swap the cables in any off-the-shelf lights for longer/funkier ones.

It’s struck me that you could use as IR beam thingy across the outside (or inside for inward opening). Suggest that open/closed sensors (as they’re so simple) should be an option from all suppliers. Will check with the two I’m talking ro.

OK, for anyone else with the same problem, we: + drilled holes in the cowl so we could easily access the screws holding it on - and then removed the cowl. + cut the pipe to the right finished length. That’ll mean padding the cowl fixings a few mm as the pipe flares a bit at the top. We could have instead cut the lip off that sits above the highest flashing. + junked the two flashings and the remaining bit of pipe. To install from above we’ll: + insert into the foam pipe below with an extra bit of mastic for good luck. (Actually into the thin 180-200mm adaptor that we’ve installed into the end of the foam pipe.) + mastic the exit through the ply skin for first level of airtightness. Then tape then use the bottom gasket that Gus suggested. + strap with the strap supplied for support. We may add an extra strap and also thin EPDM strip to prevent squeaking with thermal expansion. + add our metal roof and then the 2nd gasket that Gus suggested. + screw on the cowl.

Forgot to add the postscript: In the end, I got our surveyor to lay out the points and measure their heights at the same time with a total station. Not cheap, of course. Mounted the brackets accurately. Saved the oak framers a day of their time as they usually take a day to shim. Result - frame very straight & square.

Anyone found a nice solution to this, preferably hard-wired? By 'nice', I mean not too ugly and a thought out install into the window/door frame... I should say that I'm planning on external blinds and would like them to be smart enough to not come down when outward opening windows/doors are open.

>>> 400mm roof void .... then made everything off inside the attic plant room below. Im not sure what your exact issue is @Nickfromwales Yes, you can install by putting in the terminal from above and then completing the install from below. But .... you can't do the reverse. Imagine you have the foam pipe already installed in your warm roof. You want to install the vent pipe, then slip over the two flashing pieces at a later date. You can't (as designed) as the cowl (and the little welded on lip) is fixed on the pipe and the flashing won't slip over it. This is unlike, say, the Ubbink UB41 terminal where you can install the flashings from above. You can't tell from the images or the install instruction's (for either the UB41 or 48) that that's the case until you have the product in your hands. The design solution would have been to make the cowl and the welded on lip halfway down the pipe detachable to allow this. And ... there are no dimensional drawings on the Ubbink site, which marks them out as amateurs imo.

Gus, you are a mine of information as usual. Maybe we can have you cloned by AI at some point . I didn't think to ignore the flashing that came with the vent and use a different flashing. Genius. Will report back.

My favourite is Bedec barn paint. Suggest checking out ice blasting to get the soft stuff off then a coat or two of their barn paint. Roller or spray. Should last 5-10 years and be easy to recoat. What’s the wood? Pine?

Of course a simple option is to take one or more sockets out and see if you can see what’s going on behind them.

>>> you may have chosen the wrong product. Possibly, I think that’s the only Ubbink choice for the flow I need. But … I’ve found elsewhere that the Ubbink range doesn’t appear to have had a lot of thought behind it. Will see if I can cobble together a hack.

A practical option might be a smoke source e.g. incense stick or smoke pen to figure out where the worst leaks are. If they’re small leaks, there’s a system called Aerobarrier that might help. Agree though that a ‘professional’ leak test measurement would be something to go back to the developer with - particularly if the result is outside the building control limits.

>>> Why don't you use ubbink foam duct? I am, this drops into 180mm foam duct. >>> You mean weathertight? I am mainly concerned about the airtightness of the ply box that is the roof (that has the foam duct running within) - there’s a membrane and a metal roof to go on top. The main problem is logistical - I’ll take a few pics when I’m up there. Ubbink (who are not good designers imo and have clearly never installed their own products in anger) seem to assume the whole contraption pokes through into an attic where it can be joined to the duct afterwards. (Although how it would be sealed, I can’t imagine.) I have the duct in place and a hole in the right place in the ply and want to install from above. Unlike some Ubbink roof terminals, this one doesn’t seem to be designed to be installed sequentially from above. If the cowling could be installed last following the 2nd sleeve that would work. But that’s not how it’s designed.

Good point about wall ties. I had thought about those, then forgotten about them… Reporting back: + wavy Bahco saw hard to push through XPS even with wax on saw to help. Possible, but hard work and needs some skill to keep the cut flat - the saw tends to bow and then the cut ends up bowed. + wavy jigsaw blades also dodgy - causing lots of vibration presumably due to friction. Was actually melting the xps. + hot knife works ok but I need to think out some sort of jig to cut a uniform profile.

Congrats - any tips you can pass on?

… and made it an airtight seal with the roof. This guy: https://www.ubbink.com/gb/products/building/roof-terminals/pitched-roof-terminals/roof-terminal-insulated-ub48-180mm-black/ Best idea we have is to cut the pipe, install in the roof, and then use a SC200 rubber pipe connector to join the stuff above - assuming we can get to it.

Yeah if the ‘minor amendment’ is a variation of condition, my LPA makes a new planning ref which then requires the cil commencement thingy. Total bollox - I have 3 VoCs in, none of which change the floor area and therefore the CIL amount doesn’t change - so we’re going to play this stupid game at least 3 times. Tell me again how LPAs are short of resources…

>>> Messy but a hot knife won't work. Why not? Otherwise I would suggest a Winons hot knife.

Guess I have to ask - why would panel prices be going up?

Sorry, just busy for a few days + BH system never sending any notifications. Pretty much any time is good.