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Can you explain the hessian sack method in a bit more detail please? Are you squeezing it through the sack?

Can you elaborate please? Just filled my house with CAT6 and plenty of 90 elbows (over 3-4 cm)

The reason for doing this is log a bath/shower event occurred and maybe drive the mvhr to boost mode. Fyi I definitely don't want boost mode until the bath is draining -ruins the thinking time

I wish to detect when the bath/shower plastic drain pipe has warm waste water running through it. I don't need to accurately know the temperature of the water simple that it is present/not present. My first thoughts are to attach a DS18B20 temperature probe to the underside of the white plastic waste pipe using some sort of thermally conductive glue (any glue recommendations?) and look for a temperature change with a RPi. Maybe that is over kill, any better ideas please Oh and do metal waste water pipes exist?

(got in a pickle with the webpage hence two postings). 'evidence you are the purchaser' what if my partner (non-married, not on the property deeds) purchases items for the new building. Will the VAT people accept her name on the receipt?

My house is a house in the middle of a field, the nearest tall building is >500m away, the nearest tall tree is >100m away Should I fit a lightning conductor and if so where/how Thanks

My panel connections are easily accessible - being in the roof space rather than under the panel thanks to the GCE integration panels allowing the cables to punched through the breathable membrane without impacting the rain water protection - recently tested and no leaks :-) My understanding was that an invertor/charge controller per panel had an easier life as the current is much reduced. If I understand the discussion points (and thanks all for the input) what I propose is NOT functionally impossible, it just might not be the most efficient/reliable solution?

'Reverse charge' being simply a partially discharged battery being topped up by the rest of the system or something much worse?

As I understand it per PV panel inverters (commonly called microinverters) offer: * longer life * extract more from each panel * overcome the limitation of one panel in a string of panels being in the shade impacting the output of the entire string Enphase make a solar PV DC-240AC inverter which seems to get good reviews but it is not compatible with offgrid systems - I think because it needs an existing reliable 240ac feed to synchonize with. Thinking on this it occurred to me I could use a set of the small cheap as chips DC-DC charge controller in series to build a 48V battery bank, and have mulitple of these banks in parallel to build up a decent storage. This might give me: * high redundancy * overcome the issue of shading in solar PV strings * individual battery monitoring system for zero additional cost * total charge controller cost of 30 * £15 = £450 * ability to use a cheap basic 48V-240vac inverter that be replaced in the lifetime of the system with minimal cost - circa £450/5kW model * ability to replace individual 12v cells with minimal impact So why not? Googling I can't find anyone doing this so there must be something I have over looked. I welcome some peer review comments please. Links: * DC-DC charge controller I've been using for 18months with out issue: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10A-LCD-Solar-Panel-Charge-Controller-12V-24V-Battery-Auto-Regulator-New-J1Z3-/311585702654?hash=item488bf482fe:g:vooAAOSw2ENW624S * cheap 48v/240acv 5kW inverters http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pure-Sine-Wave-Inverter-Charger-Sinus-Pro-5000W-48V-240V-15A-AVR-UPS-/222409289155?hash=item33c8a06dc3:g:hNoAAOSw34FVAzYQ

Gosh any photos of the action?!

Amazingly I got a reply over night from the BC officer: So not as onerous as I first though, phew, thanks all

Whats the difference between a parge coat and the first layer of a render and skim coat please?

A bit late in the day but I've decided to swap from a cold to a warm loft, using Icynene under the felt between the trusses. However I also now realise I need to seal the inner blockwork to help give some air-tightness. Current options: * cement render the blockwork - maybe plastering later, should I convert the attic to a habitual space in the long term future * 1 part water to 4 part PVA mix hand painted onto the block work - tedious and there are 4 large gable ends to do, unknown long term consequence of doing so What are the options to seal the inner blockwork to increase air tightness? (Does not need to be particularly pretty) Thanks Paul

Thanks to @joe90 post about Graf, I checked with my BC that this was ok and he said yes but they would need a commissioning certificate. Is that normal and who does that? The plumber?

Today I used the left over foam for: * making a box around the generator earthing rod - prior to the garage concrete floor pour * making a box to prevent the Icynene spray foam going where the LPG boiler flue will go * sittng on it to eating my lunch off * stacking tons of bits - ready for when I come up with the brainwave what to do with this stuff I also tried setting fire to it: https://goo.gl/photos/ruuUZczYPTikMfsi7 Was quite impressed how it withstood a gas torch - not particularly recommended though as certainly some fumes were given off

A quick summary of going off grid : its expensive! Suddenly the power consumption of everything matters and it seems to cost a lot to have the low power option - I'm just hoping the thousand pound dishwasher automatically stacks itself as well as using little power!

So window fitters A have installed my Internorm windows using a black expanding foam tape, leaving it exposed to the elements on the outer edge. Window fitter B has come along and says 'that'll never last mate' you need to cover it in some sealant. I have to admit I'm struggling to believe the expanding foam tape will last 25 years, will it?

Mistake I made was taking my eye of the insulation installation as the build went on. Initially the insulation on my build was poorly fitted and I talked it through with the main contractor and the salesman from the PIR foam supplier (Xratherm in my case) and things improved and I relaxed but the builder took on a new brickie who was slap dash and it was too late when I noticed the huge gaps. So my tip to you is keep checking it continuously.

The building regs for a log burner hearth J, page 37, section 2.24b: Constructional hearths should be made of solid, non-combustible material such as concrete or masonry, at least 125mm thick, including the thickness of af any non-combustible floor and/or decorative surface. Is PIR foam 'solid, non-combustible' ? Sure I know it is not like concrete but my stove is stated as not heating the hearth beyond 100degC so the manual states a 12mm only hearth is needed (though I fear that is for a non-recessed fireplace according to BR) and I'll have a 55mm screed and a 70mm decorative slate hearth above the PIR foam anyway. Otherwise I'll need to remove 100mm of the 200mm sub-floor PIR foam, add in a 100mm constructional hearth, top that with 55mm screed and a Xmm decorative hearth with a 90kg (empty) stove on top - that is quite a lot of weight on 100mm of PIR foam - will 100mm PIR foam cope with all weight that? Paul

Nope my 11 year old nephew used his hobby hot wire cutter - it was slow and painful he said but not too bad result.

Best idea so far! Tried hot wire cutting it today, okish

Are there any alternative uses for PIR rigid foam? I got way more than this photo shows and don't really want to land fill it. Other than jamming it in little gaps as a secondary insulation I'm at a lost what to do with it. Is it fire-proof? Is it heat proof? Can I carve it and cover in clay ? Can I use it for moulds? Does hot glue stick to it or melt it? Does it give off fumes when hot/burning? Is it petrol resistance? Can I use it for polishing? Can I grind it up and use it to fill small gaps? Can I mix it into cement?

Any more thoughts on the Graf seawge treatment plant @joe90 - it might just be what I'm after, still reading installation manual though.

Cheers @Onoff the A3 ring binder with laminated plans, drawings, details proving really very useful :-)