All posts by Ron Lake
Below are all of Ron Lake's postings, with the most recent are at the bottom of the page.
Really sorry to hear of your accident Brian, hope you will be well soon.
Your knowledge of the business is extensive and quite invaluable and we all thank you very much for your free advice and solutions.
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I have read the foregoing comments with interest. I do not wish to 'knock' any trade but must say that there are cowboys everywhere. I live in a rented bungalow owned by the Local Authority. Moved in almost four years ago and, reading the electrical report, found that there were no earth bonds to any of the lights. I pointed this out to two 'sparkies' who were sent to change the consumer unit and wire in a point for the new electric fire which had been installed by the plumber when upgrading the central heating to a combi boiler, a month earlier.
After installing mains fed smoke alarms and pushing a 2.5mm twin and earth down the wall in a bit of trunking for the fire, obviously going into the loft to accomplish this, and changing the said consumer unit into which they reconnected the double socket I had installed to feed my washing machine, they left. There is STILL no earth to the light fittings in my home. Is this what 4 years at college produces?
I am told that it is illegal for me to change a light fitting without proper qualifications and that I can go to prison for such an offence.
Some time back whilst delivering to a company's premises, I noticed that the outside lights had been installed by the in-house sparky using Black and Decker flex, (you know the orange stuff to your mower) and queried this whilst enjoying a cup of tea. I was told it's ok 'cos it LOOKS like pyro. I did point out that it was a bit sloppy to join the existing tail from the last lamp, rather than wiring straight into the fitting, my point being that he had cut the tail back to six inches and then, being a clever lad, had left a drip loop under the lamp with the taped joint right in the bottom of it.
The man became a bit agitated and said, "Oh, have you read the 16th edition then?", I said, "NO, not all of it, just the bits that I need to, but it may be interesting to note that the 17th edition has been in force for the last 12 months".
What price training????
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Thank you Brian, your help and comments are much appreciated. It would appear that, after final switchover, all channels will be available and a new ariel will not be required at this location . Film 4 is now a very acceptable uninterrupted reception from 4Kw transmission on an indoor ariel, so when the power is increased I'll probably only require attenuators for the rooftop one.
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Ian, my apologies for apparently being 'off topic' but there did seem to be a bit of a flame war going on between riggers and sparkies before I even commented. Please let me clarify. Lights at my rented property, metal. Switches, plastic. No comments re lack of earth on the certificate. Orange flex was used for outside lighting and as such open to the elements. "No DIY installer reads wiring regs" well I do sir.
Thank you for your input and comments and again my apologies for off topic remarks.
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Ron Lake: Thank you Ian, Yes the earth bonding is in order to the gas and water supplies. The Council are doing a complete refurb 2012 including complete rewire so I suspect any problems will be picked up at that time. Best regards, Ron.
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Dont see these nowadays Ian with 'round the clock' telly. Some of us remember the earlier ones too. Monochrome BBC 'Batwings' on 405 line VHF lol.
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How do I get a test card with Freeview | Help! Freeview and aer
Saturday 30 July 2011 3:32AM
Wakefield
Saturday 30 July 2011 3:32AM
Wakefield
Brian, Thanks for the pointer, it doesn't do anything at present on my BT Vision box, I'll try it again when they wind the watts up a bit.
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Hello Brian, Firstly I hope that your injury is healing nicely.
What does the transmitter power output relate to after 27th Sept? Is it 174Kw per multiplex (except ArqB possible reduction) or total across all?
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Neil Barnett. License Fee. I'm afraid you will also find that if you have had your license for 28 days, then you are not eligible for a refund for the rest of the year. This is what I was told by TV Licensing when I applied for a refund for the 6 months I had no TV equipment installed.
Typical of all taxes, if you owe them £1 they want it yesterday, if they owe you £1 it will take at least 6 weeks (if you get it at all)
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Sunday 24 July 2011 8:38PM
Wakefield
I live 11 miles from the Emley Moor tower. There seems to have been a lot of imbalance recently in power levels on different channels. Can we assume that, after switchover, this will cease and all channels will be available at a decent signal level? I DO appreciate that working on transmitters can be dangerous and power must be reduced or even disconnected at times for this to take place. Personally I wouldn't even go up there let alone work on it (may have done in the past but at almost 67, no b****y chance). My best regards to the guys who do.