saveasteading

I think it is oil. The height difference creates a pressure which is converted into mm. It isn't perfect as i reacts to temperature change and so needs resetting. A water level is absolutely fine, just more fiddly as a one person operation.

The cladding supplier is your best contact. Then it will integrate fully and br the same delivery.. If you had 20 then it's worth shopping around, but not for a few.

We are going for integrated profiled skylights. They fit in with the cladding. They aren't pretty and don't open, but they won't leak, are £300 each, and they are only for daylight in big spaces. It depends if you need them as windows and perhaps appearance.

They do fall apart if abandoned, due to damp mostly. So you must see the cabin or get some comfort on the condition so yours is not beyond that stage. Probably being given away because it is approaching that stage when hirers would complain. The construction is usuallh of ply floor and ply / thin hardboard walls. I've not known any have their primitive windows replaced... there isn't much wall structure to fix to. That said, hiring is very expensive. Buy or take a free one and put it up on blocks with lots of air under. Expect to spend a lot on heating and putting up with summer heat. Keep it in good order and worry about it next life in a year or so.

The main error I have observed is a groundworker holds the staff until the receiver beeps, then as he bends to mark the base level, let's it all move. And they get fling about hence very approximate. They should need compulsory training before buying one.

Yes, the only way I could survey beneath a working pharmaceutical factory with 4ft undercroft an pillars regularly. Yeuch.... all sorts of smelly stuff dripping through. I have a high tech equivalent, a long tube connected to a pressure meter, and giving height difference digitally. Great for working alone when nobody will trip or drive on it, and subtly checking the day's work.

One of my early jobs was setting the line of the A9 using theodolites for line, and optical levels for gradient. Over 14 miles the curvature is significant, but not as much as the hills, woodland and midges.

There is another rooflight manufacturer called Fakro. Polish I think. A fair bit cheaper and still very good. There are standard details for skylights into profiled metal. The detail and workmanship need to be very good as ig us a very vulnerable point, almost like an internal gutter. If the cladding is foam filled then this becomes exposed on the " crowns". You would want to be careful too with where side laps come as you wouldn't want a very narrow piece of cladding.

That's all great info. thanks. I will digest this and respond in due course. The PVGIS site isn't working properly so I will try that tomorrow.

Neither am I then. @JamesPa says your money goes to pay towards the infrastructure. That is my understanding too. I have had this. 1. We had single phase from a pole, and asked for 3 phase. "That will be £15k please because we have to change the transformer." Our choice.... single phase will do. 2. Our client needs loads of power for his new artic maintenance depot. "We don't have enough power available so it will cost £300k for a new transformer at roadside". Clients choice... build it here and pay, or go elsewhere. That seems simple and fair unless they then take power off it elsewhere, but then you ask for a rebate. Am I not getting it? I think I will duck out of this now anyway.

Instrument check. It is basically a spirit level with a torch on the end. if the laser is not projecting level then it describes a circle below or above the correct line. The error increases with distance. To check it, set it up and use it to measure the height difference between 2 points at equal distance from the machine, a distance of say 20m. then move. Move the machine close to one of those points and still distant from the other. Measure the height difference between those same points again. The close one has very little distance over which to project its error. The far one has the same potential error as before, If the machine is accurate then the number will be much the same. if it is out of adjustment then the number will be rather different.

I like threaded rod. Buy 1m and you get to cut any length that suits. Then do it again when you see that a different length is better. TIP put 2 nuts on the rod before cutting. then when yo take one off, it straightens out the burrs made when cutting. Agreed that you must add big washers to spread the load. The loads in doing your task are tiny compared to the rod capacity.

I read all the discussions here on solar. Sometimes they are far beyond my understanding but it's all very useful. I think I have noticed a big change in recommendations over 3 years, and it's because of battery technology improving perhaps. Context. Converting a barn. 19m x 19m. plus a garage 14 x9. We think that panels on the SW face of the garage roof is perhaps sufficient. 70m2 of roof, say 60m2 of panels? No shading. A gable faces SE but vertical panels seem to be out of fashion again. On the garage will mean it is all easy to access for installation, inspection and cleaning. Heating will be air source: 2 units attached to the house. We have 3 phase supply if that is relevant. All the switchgear will be in the garage, then it's 15m to the house. The garage can remain unheated. Have had an initial consultation from a supplier. Question one. Battery principles. In principle I assume we want to catch all possible rays on the bright days, to use on the following darker days. Thus don't undersize the battery.* So will it be very big? The guy said it's about 0.5 x 0.5 and height is stackable, about 1m if 'oversized'. That felt small. And is it a fire risk? The video we were directed to last week says one in a million batteries goes on fire. I had assumed that we would build a block or plasterboard enclosure for it, but the guy said it is enclosed against fire, and weatherproof ? is this so? Keep it in the garage or outside? * my analogy is rainwater harvesting. I did it once, and I doubled the tank size that everyone else suggested (from 5m23 to 10m3.) and collected every drop from the roof. This proved correct as when it rained heavily it didn't run past to the pond, but was all collected, and never ran dry. But the investment was just for a bigger plastic tank. A battery is on a different price level. I'm interested in experiences and informed hunches as well as scientific fact.

if it is going in an open trench then you can lay it is sand and no duct. If pulling through later then you need a great big expensive duct, because the water pipe likes to bend, so this is best avoided.

But perhaps that is necessary to some extent, to encourage efficiency and lower consumption? But oil and gas prices will no doubt rise and it will balance out. I assume that when production is high and use is low, water is pumped up at Loch Cruachan and the others and batteries are filled.

I agree, but the occasional hand sketch would be fine. The most important thing is that the bco or checking Engineer ( and later any worker) can readily understand it.

I still draw by hand. Pencil on squared paper. Inked over later. Photocopier and tippex come in handy. I'm not being facetious, I just don't do enough sketches to justify learning or buying a cad package. But for the big stuff, experts do that. My drawings are for thinking, for passing over to others to use or integrate, but even to include in a proposal. I've never had a negative comment.

If that was a mistype then you have time to edit it out.

A large part of the populace don't want honesty. Do many of those that supported brexit, now support reform... what does the Venn diagram say about this overlap I wonder. All they want to hear is that it is the fault of foreigners, and life will be easy and prosperous if they are got rid of. "which we will make happen". Should the honesty include?.. Britain terrorised the world and some people became very rich. it is our fault. Things will get worse from now on. we must return to the old days of rich masters and poor workers who die in their 60s. Off down the mines with you or whatever job we require. Climate change is a huge problem. You will have to pay more for power and water, and using roads. Education is falling behind. Certain standards must be restored or your children won't get unemployment support. All of this requires that you will pay more tax. Now vote for our honest party. Or just say, it's these foreigners' fault, vote for us and it will be sorted and you will be prosperous... details to follow. It worked for Trump.

Because they get their living where? Not at sea as the fish are gone. Other than your pies that is. Landfill sites? You could try the aforementioned cement additive.

That is gross cynicism. To which I add that you have your opinion and would appear to not want things to change. Thus you and the oil and gas industry do not want any consultation. Change follows expert review and advice, and then perhaps it needs publicity and public opinion to make politicians look at it and take it seriously. Meanwhile a large element of the press will resist change, aided by freely supplied (ready written articles effectively) counter-argument by the carbon industry. Few politicians or journalists have scientific knowledge or logic so they need the expert report, and they need to be pointed to it. By us. There are plenty of consultations which have resulted in big change.

Agreed except that: I'm thinking of an individual who would shout out loud that "global warming" was a hoax, because "look out the window there is snow". That was 20 years ago. Now will equally spout about climate change being a great concern. There is no depth of knowledge but his views have reversed. Based on a dribble of information or perhaps from s person he listens to. Likewise we don't hear many moans about having to recycle these days. And apparently the hosepipe and how to save water advice are making a difference. Multiply that by millions of people and things can improve. We must do what little we can. On politics: there are good people who we seldom hear from, but they have a vote and can plug away at the career politicians who we do hear from.

Have to admit that is impressive and might well hurt.

@G and Jyou are the foreman and knew what to watch for. Some clients wouldn't know what they were looking for. Plus reading a drawing is not a common skill.

The Steading power went off along with thousands of other houses due to storms. Thus the heat pump didn't work either. There is currently no backup. I will be asking for advice on here soon I think.