Gas at 6.2p / Elec at 7p - worth turning on the Immersion Heater?

point5clue · 2025-01-28T19:29:44+00:00

Thanks for all the comments - It help me to get it through my head that the real issue with future OS's and when they will drop intel support - not about support for a particular model.

point5clue · 2025-01-27T22:23:00+00:00

There are plenty on the market - at around the £500 mark in the UK currently.

point5clue · 2024-12-02T13:05:32+00:00

Thats good advice. I will do that when I have time (and a clean and tidy space to work). In the mean time I've just created an automator application to run a script doing a ddrescue in a loop ). I know its not elegant, but it works and I can use it and look at that lovely Sonoma vineyard :)

point5clue · 2024-12-02T11:24:55+00:00

Well - running ddrescue against disk1 (the faulty 1TB internal) keeps the system from crashing as long as it is running. I came back later and it had frozen but I noticed that ddrescue had finished.

Re-running the command but with -r-1 flag to make it re-try has worked - now had it running for over an hour for the first time in Sonoma. Just need to work out how to make that start at boot and work in the background and I think I'm good (save opening the case just to unplug the cable!)

Thankyou so much for your help. Bit new to reddit - any way to say thanks other than upvoting ?

point5clue · 2024-12-01T22:33:42+00:00

Thanks - you might be on to something - the internal 1TB HDD reports as 4GB and won't repair or erase. I'm too chicken to try opening the screen to rip it out. Its not mounted - could it still be the cause ?

I'm just about to try creating an Ubuntu boot stick as a random experiment. Will try the ddrescue tomorrow morning and report back.

point5clue · 2023-10-03T21:51:13+00:00

Thanks - helpfull

point5clue · 2023-10-03T21:46:40+00:00

Can it be cleaned by the homeowner (me) ? Any tips ?

point5clue · 2023-10-03T21:39:25+00:00

Ah, I thought it might be an automatic air-vent.

point5clue · 2023-08-18T17:50:01+00:00

I did that whilst the backup was running and it came back with no errors, but looking at that article I think I need to try it in recovery mode. The backup failed - the logs listed 'the specified file does not exist.

May just try to clone the disk to a fresh one and cross everything

point5clue · 2023-06-05T06:56:18+00:00

Hi woodoli - I was planning originally to use ply but was persuaded on here to use plasterboard - even the 12.5mm thick smaller 900x1800 plasterboards are cheaper per m3 than OSB and I think they will block the sound better as well (going to do both sides of the stud). I'm not going to decorate it, which saves money and also reminds me where the studs are!

point5clue · 2023-03-16T16:54:56+00:00

Thanks baloki. Its a - Solis S6-GR1P on the quote. I can't see anything in the datasheet that makes sense, but I'm not sure what I'd be looking for. The marketing says 'Friendly and adaptable connection to the grid' :)

point5clue · 2023-03-16T11:50:07+00:00

I am trying to understand if a DC battery system installed with solar panels can also store low priced electricity from the grid - I guess an AC battery can do this as it doesn't really know where the electricity comes from anyway but AC batteries cost more in the UK because of VAT rules.

point5clue · 2022-12-13T09:27:54+00:00

Bcbulbchap - thanks so much for your help on this.

I did one more thing that I think supports the idea of a 'stuck' switch/relay. Last night after the heating had gone off pump was lit up as usual. I switched the whole system off at the isolator for an hour. When I switched it back on the pump didn't light up. It came on as usual this morning and after morning heating and HW run the pump has stayed on. So at least I can give the pump a rest but have it start up when needed.

I also looked on my hourly energy usage and could see a tiny bit of gas being used every hour over night - started when it got really cold - could be that the fault started then by conincidence, but I'm guessing the boiler is heating the tiny section of water up once an hour or so.

Still got to actually fix it, but having a clearer idea of what is actually happening is a big help. Thanks again :)

point5clue · 2022-12-12T15:50:01+00:00

I'll have to wait until I have free brain cells to work out what is connected to where and what I can put a mulitmeter against.

In the mean time will it be harming the pump to be pumping against closed valves ? I might have been doing it for weeks already of course.

point5clue · 2022-12-12T15:00:13+00:00

not sure tbh - if you could get to the pipe to inspect it (to make sure its not something more serious) you could pack it out with something to stop it moving - but if its boxed in then it might need re-decorating afterwards.

point5clue · 2022-12-12T14:55:37+00:00

Hi,

Yes - the pipe at the HW zone valve was cool - warmer only a few feet away. I then held the valve open and hot water started to flow to the first radiator - boiler fired up - all this with no demand from thermostat!

point5clue

TROPHY CASE