Mattg4321

It’s a fair point if you want it to go off and stay off in the event of the smoke detector circuit going down.

Or get a normally closed contactor.

You can get TP RCBO’s yes. I’m sure I wouldn’t be introducing a N-E fault as a way to disconnect a circuit! Just run the circuit through a contactor and have the output from the aico relay module switch the coil of the contactor.

Good advice. Sounds like the architect is trying to maximise what they can get out of you. If you have the structural engineers drawings and calculations, then speak to a couple of good builders. It's likely you have all the information you need already. M&E drawings for such a small project is borderline ridiculous if you already know what you want. I'm currently working on a job worth £20k of electrical work and they have no M&E drawings whatsoever! That's the other end of the scale, a bit annoying, but the client tell me what they want/I point them in the right direction and we get it done.

Unfortunately I need it in the next few days so a bespoke item is out. Also it’s quite large so I’m not sure how I’d get it up there! Chimney measures 1400x 650mm ish

There’s a few around on period properties, but no idea where I can get one from. Google isn’t helping, which is why I thought of a wall coping. Either that or replace the corbel course with blue engineering bricks

https://www.wickes.co.uk/Marshalls-Smooth-Cast-Grey-Coping-Stone---140-x-600-x-50mm/p/154406

Another chimney related question. At the moment my chimney has a brick ‘corbel’ overhang 1 course deep, with flaunching directly on top. It’s in very poor condition and some of the bricks in this course have spalled. I’m going to remove the whole top of the stack. Ideally, I’d like whatever I use to have a drip detail on the underside - obviously not possible with brick, unless you try and carefully use a grinder? What about normal wall copings such as the below? Will the flaunching bond well with the smooth finish of the coping stone though? Ive also seen rosemary roof tiles used, but again, no drip profile. Am I overthinking this?

In 1990 maybe! BC CGAF these days. They want signatures off the principal designer and contractor these days along with gas and electrical certs, so they take the money, give it a v quick look and FO. If any problems they pass the buck to the relevant person who signed taking responsibility. It's a mess.

Just had some scaffolding put up to deal knackered chimney flaunching that is causing water to soak into the chimney. Additionally part of the stack needs repointing, a few spalled bricks replaced and I’m going to apply stormdry to the brickwork. On the north side of the stack I’ve got some pretty heavy efflorescence in places. I’m not massively fussed about the appearance, although it would be nice to get rid of it. This side doesn’t really take the weather, but obviously hasn’t dried out as quick in the sun as the other sides, which has allowed the efflorescence to form. Can barely even scratch it with a screwdriver it’s so hard. Estimate 1-2mm thick or more in places. What should I do? Leave alone and stormdry cream over it? Try and remove it? Guess it would need a wire brush on a grinder or some extremely potent chemicals.

All non believers to be forced to wear a yellow badge.

They’re probably happening as fast as they can, as technology advances so there isn’t a big drop in living standards.

I never said I had a solution. Do you? If your solution is education, it would depend on who is doing the educating. It’s not exactly a well thought out solution. At the risk of going off topic, it’s a bit like people who just say ‘wealth tax’ when presented with the problem of the super rich getting richer and everyone else poorer. I think 99% of the population would be in favour of redistribution from those super rich to everyone else, trouble is they can just avoid it and any wealth tax ends up being counter productive. Maybe if every country could come together with a solution… but we’re back to climate change now - a utopian dream unless it can be done without a reduction in living standards.

I’m not suggesting either as I don’t think either will be workable. All I’m saying is any potential restrictions must be applied equally to everyone.

The subject was air travel. Any potential restrictions should be the same for everyone. No exceptions, no exemptions, no ‘carbon credits’ that can be traded etc.

Whatever it is should be applied equally. Those with money and power to follow the same rules as everyone else. If they don’t, it will fail, or have to be policed with authoritarian measures, which is also likely to be unsustainable.

You sound like one of them. Rules for thee, but not for me. All for the greater good.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. Let them cut their 'carbon footprint' first and then us plebs can follow.

Yes it does and possibly the most expensive in the world when talking about industrial prices, which are what really matter most when it comes to the economy. https://www.ft.com/content/f3bcd4a4-0a5f-4fc1-ad8a-cf2530e6001a?syn-25a6b1a6=1

Those are the NICEIC guidelines. The actual regulations, which are the only thing that really matter, do not specify a distance. Ideally follow the guidelines, but if you don't quite meet those distances then no harm done imo.

As they are effectively portable appliances, then I can’t see how you can possibly be held liable for any injury that occurs due to equipment that you are not aware of and has been installed by the tenant. Same as with any faulty appliance owned by the tenant. You could insist they test all their appliances I suppose. The other risk would be a fire risk and what effect this would have on your buildings insurance - would they cover a fire caused by faulty balcony solar? The rules brought in a few years ago mandating electrical inspections have actually worked quite well and the average rental is probably in slightly better condition than the average owner occupied house these days - from an electrical point of view. The biggest risk other than pre existing electrical installation faults is probably the imbecile that installs it so it takes off and kills someone at the first sign of windy conditions or catches fire where they’ve shut the lead in the window/door etc. I’m sure we’ll also see people cutting the plugs off and badly reinstalling them and people plugging in multiple systems into the same circuit. On that last point, if you have say 3x (or more) 800w systems on a standard 20 amp radial circuit that might already be running at capacity as it’s feeding a tumble dryer and hot tub outside, then you’re moving into fire risk territory. You have a circuit that is designed for max 20 amps that could now be taking more like 30 amps.

You’re possibly correct with the second part of that. I wouldn’t be too worried at all if all else was correct other than having uni directional rather than a bi directional device fitted. RCD protection is sometimes “additional protection” and sometimes “fault protection”. Most usually in the case of fault protection in TT systems where they are often the only method of protection as fault currents are too low for fuses/MCB’s to operate in a line to earth fault scenario.

Usually they're really good, but I've only ever taken things back in person. Guessing they're isn't a store where you are! Are you due a trip to the mainland anytime soon and could take it back in person?

I think you can pop into a shop over there and buy antibiotics? It doesn’t mean you can everywhere. Likely yes. I know you’re also an experienced sparks, although I think retired (my old man also retired fairly recently and wouldn’t know what I was on about with this specific subject)? I’m not sure if that was a genuine question, but in case it was… As I understand it, most BS61009 devices are uni directional, unless marked otherwise. Check manufacturer’s specs. Most, if not all, BS61008 devices are bi directional, so perhaps you’re ok? BS60898 also bi directional. I agree that a lot of it is total BS. However, there’s going to more than just me that’s slightly peeved if I’m not allowed to fit solar PV (and customer get paid to export) unless I spend a small fortune each year and jump through numerous hoops to be ‘MCS registered’, yet old Joe Bloggs can nip to Wickes and he’s fine to plug it into a system that isn’t safe to start with and has now been made even worse by him pushing power through devices in the wrong direction. It’s a mess. A fudge is incoming though I fear. Be interesting to see what it is.

Anyone thinking this will happen in a few weeks appears likely to be disappointed. The latest NICEIC trade rag just came through and had this to say. It also doesn’t mention the problem of uni or bi directional switchgear. Anyone who has had an RCBO consumer unit fitted in the last decade is very very likely to have it full of uni directional devices. These are not permitted to be used where current potentially flows in both directions. Bi directional rcbos have only been readily available for a couple of years, if that. They are still not standard fit for most people. Usually only fitted to solar pv or EV charging. Europe has very different switchgear to us.