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Broken Storage Heater

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

I noticed the other day that one of our storage heaters (the only heating we have), was cold as ice.

storage heater thermal fuselink

storage heater thermal fuselink

and this is the reason why! The thermal fuselink has blown, indicating that the storage heater has over heated, and the thermal fuse has blown, a safety feature. I spoke to a very nice man from http://www.storageheater.co.uk/, and ordered some replacement thermal fuselinks (blue!). He also emailed me the service manuals for these Creda storage heaters. The thermal fuselinks arrived very promptly today, Thanks Roger!

So quickly fitted the new fuselink.

new fuselink fitted

new fuselink fitted

closeup of new thermal fuselink

closeup of new thermal fuselink

It has a temperature of 145 degrees C written on it, so I assume this is the temperature at which it blows! Hopefully the room will be warmer this evening, I’ll have to wait for the Ecnomoy 7 electric to come on at 12.30am, to check it’s working!

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Snowed in again

Monday, January 4th, 2010

Snowed in again, so we walked 6 miles in total to the local town and back in the snow to get some bread and margarine. We stopped for 30 minutes to have a coffee, to fuel up for the return journey.

It too us an hour to walk the 3 mile journey, 30 minutes in the coffee shop, and just over an hour to return home, light was fading on the return journey, and Lindsey took a few photographs of the sunset.

Sunset over Snow

Sunset over Snow

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AVATAR

Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
Avatar by James Cameron

Avatar by James Cameron

I went to see AVATAR in 3D written and directed by James Cameron, yesterday afternoon courtesy of my parents. Thanks Mum & Dad!

It was FANTASTIC!

This was my first 3D film, the storyline and 3D effects were brilliant. The 3D effects were not OTT, and used very subtley throughout the storyline.

If you get the chance to see one film in 3D in 2010, make it this one!

Five Thumbs Up Jim! What a Great Movie…

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Happy New Year 2010

Friday, January 1st, 2010

A Happy New Year to All, and may it be a prosperous one!

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Merry Chrimbo Limbo

Tuesday, December 29th, 2009

I hope you had a Merry Christmas, so Merry Chrimbo Limbo, that time in between Christmas and the New Year!

I’ve been helping out my friends again, whilst they catch a small break, feeding the pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep and rabbit. So I’m just thawing out….in between trying to work out why:-

  1. my 5,000,000 candle power halogen torch has stopped working;
  2. the 32A socket ring main tripped again – the last plugged to be pulled out, was the Chrimbo tree lights…!!!! and the fault cleared!
  3. and the car has decided to think it’s at the North Pole, reading greater than -15 degrees C all the time!

oh, and this is the best way to poach an egg, after many attempts, and with two free range eggs this morning I fancied poached eggs on toast for brunch. So I googled the net, and found this website.

The clingfilm method works!


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Merry Christmas from andysworld!

Friday, December 25th, 2009

Merry Christmas from andysworld!

Peace and Goodwill!

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Cold as ice

Wednesday, December 23rd, 2009

Still cold up here (-1 degrees C), but at least the roads are thawing, and I’m able to get the car out, and get some some diet coke, Red Bull, chocolate and crisps..

Icicles

Icicles

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Programming an X10 Socket Rocket (LM15EB, LS100BC)

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

The X10 LM15EB or LS100BC, commonly called the “Socket Rocket” ,does not have dials to set the X10 House Code and Address. It must be programmed. Many websites state this must be programmed via an X10 transmitter e.g. IR7243, Mini Controller, Maxi Controller, etc and that you cannot use a CM12/CM15 to set the House Code/Address. Absoulte rubbish!

I don’t know if these websites are trying to generate more sales/income by selling an X10 transmitter. Anyhow, here’s how to program a “socket rocket”, LM15EB or LS100BC WITHOUT an X10 transmitter using a CM15 to set the House Code/Address. Using your grey matter!

When you apply power to the “socket rocket”, the first 30 seconds, it enters programming mode, if you send an ON X10 House Code/Address signal every second for three seconds, if will program the “socket rocket” and remember the X10 House Code/Address after powering off.

For ease, I used a standard lamp, near the computer, and wrote the following macro. Select an un-used X10 House Code/Address for the “socket rocket”.

This is the macro I’ve used, A11 is the House Code/Address, I’ve selected, so send an ON delay for 1 Second, another ON delay for 1 second, final ON delay for 1 second. After the third and final ON, the lamp should light. Don’t forget to Save your House file, and Download the Macro to your CM12/15, before executing.

Programming a Socket Rocket Macro

Programming a Socket Rocket Macro

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Vintage/Rare Pifco Christmas Tree Lights

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

This morning, I’ve been using a digital volt meter to buzz through the Christmas Tree lights, a regular Christmas tradition, because they’d failed, a bulb had blown! So meter in hand, checking through 20 bulbs working out which bulb had blown, the first fuse bulb had blown, and the last twentieth bulb in thre set had blown. It was quick thinking I purchased many replacement sets, man years ago, when  Woolworths were still trading.

Woolworth S1 12v 1.1w bulbs

Woolworth S1 12v 1.1w bulbs

Christmas Lights S1 Bulbs 12v

Christmas Lights S1 Bulbs 12v

Christmas Lights S1 Bulbs 12v

Christmas Lights S1 Bulbs 12v

These light sets are vintage (42+ years old)  Rare Christmas Tree Lights manufactered by Pifco. Pifco manufactuered many plastic items in the 70s, and bicycle lights, and also Christmas Tree Lights.

Pifco Christmas Tree Lights on Christrmas tree

Pifco Christmas Tree Lights on Christrmas tree

Modern christmas tree lights don’t have any shades, and are just bulbs or more modern LEDs, and I rather boring in my opinion. It gives our Christmas Tree that retro look…

The Andysworld Christmas Tree

The Andysworld Christmas Tree

The Andysworld Christmas Tree

The Andysworld Christmas Tree

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The Cats

Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009

An un-usual photo, a gathering of all the cats on the sofa…now where do we sit?

Esther, Angus and Tilly

Esther, Angus and Tilly

from left to right, Esther, Angus and Tilly

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