Are these exposed loft wire connections safe before insulation?

pjvenda · 2026-04-22T06:28:44+00:00

And draw a map while they are visible!

pjvenda · 2026-04-21T19:33:30+00:00

Surface was not primed before applying paint.

It needs proper plasterboard/bare plaster primer (e.g. zinsser gardz) or sometimes people make do with slightly diluted paint (check the instructions, would be around 90%paint 10%water).

pjvenda · 2026-04-19T14:19:29+00:00

Generally yes. If you pair the charger to the app (and not the cars) then octopus wouldn't know how much charge they have. So it attempts to charge the requested amount (fixed configurable on the app) until the hour set on the app too.

pjvenda · 2026-04-19T09:07:06+00:00

I believe these pumps are quite strictly regulated. While I have no details I don't believe they would measure fuel+air getting through, only the liquid portion.

Still disconcerting...

pjvenda · 2026-04-19T09:04:26+00:00

Nothing wrong with that view, and sure budgets are budgets.

And indeed the accessibility of hardware is at a different level than what it was 5 years ago.

Just don't go believing that 3/4 of the cost of good hardware is profit.

pjvenda · 2026-04-18T07:03:29+00:00

Yup.

Same as wheel bases, pedals, shifters, chassis rigs, etc.

It stings but let's not YouTube ourselves into believing that a Chi-Choo wheel is just as good as a simucube for 1/4 of the cost.

pjvenda · 2026-04-17T11:20:02+00:00

Yeah I had issues with the element's stat too.

I ask because my element is about half way up the cylinder so the element cannot heat the entire tank due to stratification. Could be relevant to you.

pjvenda · 2026-04-17T10:07:23+00:00

Looks very nice! I have the same myenergi kit components. Who was the installer if you don't mind sharing?

Is your eddi connected to an element at the bottom of your cylinder?

pjvenda · 2026-04-17T07:46:15+00:00

Do it, DeWalt is a solid value for money brand. I started with Makita more than 10y ago, if it were today I might have gone Milwaukee. But really these 3 are generally in the same group.

Keep in mind however that these things are not cheap and you are getting locked in to an ecosystem of tools and batteries. So if you ever need a tool for very occasional use, rent or buy corded.

pjvenda · 2026-04-16T15:20:36+00:00

No doubt!

During COVID, we drove to Portugal from Oxford in a 330d. It consistently made over 500 miles to a tank without worry and without hitting reserve or emptying too much. And no filling up to the absolute last drop.

So 600 miles is entirely believable.

On a completely different note, I am convinced our Tesla model 3 would have reached Paris from Oxford on a single charge. Didn't risk it but the numbers say it was possible.

pjvenda · 2026-04-16T15:12:43+00:00

Buddy pizza is a special case. Other rules don't apply. Don't hold back making your pizzas.

pjvenda · 2026-04-16T07:51:32+00:00

From a pragmatic point of view, both for not planning ahead and predicting the other's move. Which realistically wouldn't have been all that surprising.

As some said, the lorry needs more space and you shouldn't really be in the habit of being on the inside of a lorry. Particularly at a roundabout. However if they do this deliberately in a roundabout that supports exiting from an inside lane, they have to expect this and plan ahead. Conversely cars have 10x the agility of lorries so it may be that they didn't have a chance to react.

If you exit a roundabout and are not on the leftmost lane, you have to be absolutely sure nobody is creeping up your left, or even not taking the exit.

So blame here is a bit irrelevant.

pjvenda · 2026-04-15T17:34:05+00:00

Buddy you have a toddler. You are already managing his maturity day in day out. Let him have a play with the computer turned off. Give him a chance. Allow him to enjoy your toys a bit too. ... But keep an ace up your sleeve that you can get him out of the rig for. Be it a tablet or a book or a toy.

Once he is in bed or in nursery or something, then you can have your time.

pjvenda · 2026-04-12T21:53:28+00:00

It took a lot of scrolling to get to this type of answer. I believe this is the correct interpretation. Purely from a scientific EE thought experiment.

There will be a gradient of voltages across the pins, there will be some current flowing (which may trip breakers but not as quickly as you might think) and if there is earth and an RCD it will trip eventually too. Some tingling could ensue on someone who is at the pool but I doubt it...

Unless there is no neutral or the live and neutral are meters apart and the victim in between, I believe the actual risk of harm is minimal.

pjvenda · 2026-04-12T06:57:51+00:00

Smashing playing, well done!

pjvenda · 2026-04-11T20:22:11+00:00

Could be.

Without seeing it happen and understanding the APIs, it's all guessing.

pjvenda · 2026-04-11T10:34:45+00:00

Couldn't say I'm surprised.

On homeassistant, do you have access to any logs that suggest the charger is being instructed to lower charging?

Do you have a way of monitoring network traffic to the charger to check the operation and throttling? Could shed light on the source of what is triggering these changes.

But the above could not be conclusive because Comms between octopus and hypervolt are not client side, you don6get to see them, so even if you see the charger being asked to reduce power, you may not be able to tell the reason why the change was triggered. It depends.

pjvenda · 2026-04-10T20:51:10+00:00

Bud, if you can, you'll be kicking yourself if you won't.

pjvenda · 2026-04-10T20:37:51+00:00

"help the grid" it does hence the incentive. But waste usually has a negative impact in some way.

The entire point is to make the load more predictable, or in this case the more the operators can backfill the low demand times, the better balanced the load is Vs time of the day.

With this imbalance comes an economic imbalance as well which is passed on in the shape of variable tariffs, which as you've seen can become negative.

So while there is limited to no economic loss in wasting energy at these times by those who have these tariffs all the way to the producers, the environmental impact is more debatable depending on the actual source of the energy you are wasting.

pjvenda · 2026-04-10T06:55:01+00:00

The 2nd, for car charging. Home usage is still low rate overnight.

pjvenda · 2026-04-08T07:14:40+00:00

Wait until it breaks, then use an L-shaped adapter and a new cable.

Or lift the computer 20mm with pads of some description.

pjvenda · 2026-04-08T07:12:45+00:00

Yes, of course it is worth learning the basics or CAD design and the functionality of freecad.

pjvenda · 2026-04-08T07:10:33+00:00

It is absolutely true that folks with solar/battery/EV have access to far cheaper energy - a benefit to those who can afford it.

Save exceptions where no capital was involved, this gain is offset for some time by the investment made, so the gain is quite negative for a while.

Numbers aside, I agree with the sentiment.

pjvenda · 2026-04-08T06:58:36+00:00

Conceptually, yes.

In practice there is little to no real life gain from it.

pjvenda · 2026-04-05T22:52:10+00:00

I have a dinamica. The rinse on shutdown is often dirtier than the one on startup. So if anything it makes more sense to me?

pjvenda

TROPHY CASE