What annoyed you today?

[Warrior193]

6 hours ago, J.R. said:

I like the 2nd to last one that is foolproof regarding testing as it will re-eastablish the current at the end of the test period, with the manual type there is the possibility that the operator will forget to turn back on one of them.

 

Or maybe my memory is playing tricks with me, maybe on the type I used you have to hold the key in place to cut the current and the spring loading makes it impossible to leave it off unless you stand there holding it in. In which case all that I said before is tosh!

 

I still have the test key in the top of my toolbox together with break glass test keys, panic button ones and others.

The small metal test key is usually called a 'fish' key.

The rational behind simply switching off the complete lighting supply can be because many emergency luminaires have multiple lamps in them - when that is combined with a translucent diffuser, it is often practically impossible to confirm that the emergency lamp is lit, as it is 'drowned out' by the light from the mains-operated lamp.

Edited 12 October, 2023 by Warrior193
punctuation

[Warrior193]

Crawling along in heavy traffic towards Rosehill roundabout - entitled person in a black BMW parked facing the wrong way - starts sounding his horn and waving his hands at me - expecting me to make my car vanish so that he could pull out into opposing traffic. I locked eyes with him and stared him down, he soon shut up and wouldn't meet my eyes 🤣 

[Colin170CR]

We're in York for a few days & 250 miles from home. Daughter messages us that she has water dripping through her bathroom ceiling in her 2nd floor apartment.

We are remotely trying to get plumbers, upstairs neighbour, building maintenance & anyone else to pull their collective fingers out & get round to sort  the problem out. Daughter can't even sit on the loo without getting rained on.

She's just about had enough of this apartment because it's the 3rd time she's had a ceiling leak from above, the building has substandard cladding & is awaiting  work to be done, her doors have just been deemed substandard & not up to current fire regs & because of all this the insurance has gone through the roof. She like many others is trapped because she cannot sell up & move out. 

So much for a relaxing break!!

[Tilt]

On 11/10/2023 at 11:11, Breezy_Pete said:

 

It'll be me that then has to replace the batteries 

 

Didn't think they could be replaced .......... they are a double 18650 lithium pack in the ones we use.

[Breezy_Pete]

@TiltOnly ones I've come across so far are NiCd. Which you can still buy (cheaply) specifically for this application.   It's a mature building with a mixture of fluorescent and LED lighting fitted at various times. Maybe some NiMH too, I forget, like for like anyway.

The newest set of LED light fittings are the ones I've had to fix most (all of them now I think) due to extreme cheaping out on the inbuilt PSUs. Progress. 🙁

 

 

Edited 12 October, 2023 by Breezy_Pete

[Graham Butcher]

10 hours ago, J.R. said:

I like the 2nd to last one that is foolproof regarding testing as it will re-eastablish the current at the end of the test period, with the manual type there is the possibility that the operator will forget to turn back on one of them.

 

Or maybe my memory is playing tricks with me, maybe on the type I used you have to hold the key in place to cut the current and the spring loading makes it impossible to leave it off unless you stand there holding it in. In which case all that I said before is tosh!

 

I still have the test key in the top of my toolbox together with break glass test keys, panic button ones and others.

If the key you have is the Fish Key, then I don't think it was ever made as a spring return switch, I may be wrong, but I have worked for a few wiring accessory manufacturers and I can't recall ever seeing one in their catalogues.

[Warrior193]

13 hours ago, Graham Butcher said:

If the key you have is the Fish Key, then I don't think it was ever made as a spring return switch, I may be wrong, but I have worked for a few wiring accessory manufacturers and I can't recall ever seeing one in their catalogues.

Yes, that is one problem with that type of EML test system - it can be left in the test position, leaving the batteries discharged.  

[Breezy_Pete]

Which happened two visits ago by this same bunch in one area of our factory. 

[Warrior193]

Which just confirms that the donkeys are not following the statutory test standard! - conclusion of any EML test is confirmation that the charge indicator led is illuminated on all circuits! 

So their test certificates are not worth the paper they're written on.

Edited 13 October, 2023 by Warrior193
added information

[Breezy_Pete]

Rumour has it that we're going to bring it (testing) in-house in future if we're allowed to.  

[Tilt]

5 hours ago, Warrior193 said:

Yes, that is one problem with that type of EML test system - it can be left in the test position, leaving the batteries discharged.  

 

Wouldn't that leave the lights inoperable........ ?

 

We have to do our own testing in the student accommodation buildings. Maybe ours are different with em led's integrated alongside brighter outer led's IIRC so dual purpose.

 

Edited 13 October, 2023 by Tilt

[Graham Butcher]

1 hour ago, Tilt said:

 

Wouldn't that leave the lights inoperable........ ?

 

We have to do our own testing in the student accommodation buildings. Maybe ours are different with em led's integrated alongside brighter outer led's IIRC so dual purpose.

 

Yes but only dedicated emergency lights as if the switch is fitted correctly it would only remove the permanent live feed to the emergency lights but leave the normal switched live connected. Unless of course things have changed in the few short years since I retired, if the permanent live feed to those fittings is not there, the lights will remain off, leaving the non-emergency ones operable.

[Gaz]

More of an 'Oh for goodness sake!' really.

 

Yesterday I went out for a paper and lottery ticket.  Nice crisp clear day so I did my usual 16 or so miles to get to the local shop that's 400 yards away   Took my binoculars and stopped off at Beachy Head to have a gander at the Royal Sovereign Lighthouse stump (😧).  In the afternoon I cycled up to Beachy Head and saw Mrs Gaz.  On my way along the Beachy Head road, I saw a rather nice red Mk2 Golf GTI going the other way.  It didn't click.  As I left I headed out west towards East Dean, but then turned around and went home for a cuppa tea.

 

Having recently discovered my old MK2 GTI on the South East Mk2's owners club, Mrs Gaz had made contact with them through Facebook (I'm not on Facebook), which is how we made contact with Alex, the current owner 😎

 

Mrs Gaz got home last night and told me the SEMK2's had done their 'Dash Across The Downs' run yesterday, and they were all up on Beachy Head.  So I'd been up there twice, and had I ridden another 100 yards I'd had got to the car park where they'd been taking photo's.  Sod's Law 🙄🙄🙄

 

Elusive bunch!

 

Gaz

[numskull]

Sick of the big petrol retailers ripping-off motorists. 
I filled the 280 a couple of days ago in Strabane NI. This was the cost…

 

So, £1.399 ppl

Here is the current cost of E10 where I normally refuel with Tesco Momentum. 
 

 

I’d really love to hear their excuses why drivers in Strabane pay 16ppl less for E10 than drivers in New Malden - that would’ve be £9.60 more if I’d filled-up there. Unbelievable….

[Graham Butcher]

The UK is known for being a place that loves to rip people off.

[Colin170CR]

10 minutes ago, numskull said:

Sick of the big petrol retailers ripping-off motorists. 
I filled the 280 a couple of days ago in Strabane NI. This was the cost…

 

So, £1.399 ppl

Here is the current cost of E10 where I normally refuel with Tesco Momentum. 
 

 

I’d really love to hear their excuses why drivers in Strabane pay 16ppl less for E10 than drivers in New Malden - that would’ve be £9.60 more if I’d filled-up there. Unbelievable….

I paid £1.64/L for Tesco 99RON Momentum yesterday at their Wolverton Buck store. Not sure if I got a discount for my Tesco Clubcard because the pump printer was out of action - again.

10 minutes ago, Graham Butcher said:

The UK is known for being a place that loves to rip people off.

There's even a daytime program dedicated to it - so I'm told!

[robt100]

Meant to be having the windscreen on the Van replaced today. Told last week (when booked) that it would be in the afternoon and I'd get an ETA at some point in the day. Still hadn't heard anything by 2:30pm so gave them a ring.... "Oh, we can't do it in the rain unless we can put it indoors, do you have a double-garage?" At no point was weather mentioned as an issue, especially as 99% of places now have lean-to/gazebo type things. And aparently the car-port isn't good enough. Got the MOT booked for Tuesday and re-arranged work planned this afternoon to get it done. Why they couldn't either mention bad weather stopping things when it was booked, or at least ring this morning to cancel is beyond me. Were they expecting me to just wait till 5pm then assume they were coming another time??

[SteveTheElder]

Our local garden centre!

 

Got a promotional email from them this afternoon pushing their Christmas Launch Event - on 2nd November! 😡

 

Guess where I will NOT be that day...

[Mickvrs220]

3 minutes ago, SteveTheElder said:

Our local garden centre!

 

Got a promotional email from them this afternoon pushing their Christmas Launch Event - on 2nd November! 😡

 

Guess where I will NOT be that day...

Bah humbug steve 😂😂🎄⛄🤶

[Colin170CR]

1 hour ago, SteveTheElder said:

Our local garden centre!

 

Got a promotional email from them this afternoon pushing their Christmas Launch Event - on 2nd November! 😡

 

Guess where I will NOT be that day...

Agreed. Bad form to be pushing Crimbo before we've even had fireworks night 🚀

[Mickvrs220]

1 hour ago, Colin170CR said:

Agreed. Bad form to be pushing Crimbo before we've even had fireworks night 🚀

Bah humbug colin 😂😂🎄⛄🤶

[Colin170CR]

18 minutes ago, Mickvrs220 said:

Bah humbug colin 😂😂🎄⛄🤶

I've got a Christmas jumper somewhere with that written on it.  A secret santa present from a few years ago when I was still working.

[AnnoyingPentium]

4 minutes ago, Colin170CR said:

I've got a Christmas jumper somewhere with that written on it.  A secret santa present from a few years ago when I was still working.

 

When it's closer to that time, you need to post a photograph of it!

[kodiaqsportline]

What annoyed me today? several things, 1: those 'free' checks,  2: the first car I've ever owned that's failed an MOT,   3: People who think indi's are cheaper than main dealers.

 

At 33mth and just over 12k miles old, I changed the tyres from front to back so when the car was serviced earlier this week, I was pleased but not surprised to see the front tyres sitting at 6-7mm and the rears 5-6mm.

 

As part of a 'free' check today at a fast-fit centre, they recorded all tyres as being 5mm.   which just has to be complete BS.    They also listed the spare as n/a  -  that'll be the spare thats in boot, the one that two days earlier was listed as 'space-saver' and 'present'.  Some health check ! 

 

I took the car there last week for a pre-MOT check and they reported no problems - a brake advisory being worst case scenario. The car was serviced only a few days ago - rear brake pads worn 75% otherwise all good. Advicsed to change the pads before the next service. So much for being pro-active...  

 

I've had cause to place some urgency on changing the rear discs and pads as the rears were an MOT failure. 3yr and 13k miles on the clock and the car fails it's MOT due to woobly discs. Apparently the only way you can tell is when the car is put on to a rolling road. Really? I would be accusing the garage of opportunism but I've already stated in another thread a few months ago that I felt the car pulsing when braking hard. Do they really need a rolling road to confirm this? They never needed a rolling road with my Volvo's. ( Volvo replaced the discs under warranty as it was a known problem. Mind you that was within 12mths from new with no more than 4000 miles on them each time ! ).

 

As most folk know, it costs £££'s for Skoda to change the discs/pads, in my case they quoted £374 a few days ago. Most garages are quoting around the £300 mark but thought I'd try the indi 'good garage scheme' garage I've used a few times in the in the past. I'm quoted £430 or £460 if I want to use OEM parts 😲  £94 more than Skoda!  When I say I can buy branded Bosch or Ferodo etc parts delivered for £115, they tell me their labour is 2hr at £80hr. In other words, they're charging £300 for OEM parts or £270 for their own sourced parts alone. Jeez! The phrase 'dae ye think i came up the Clyde in a banana boat' springs to mind.

 

There are no hard and fast rules. Not all dealers are alike, not all VAG specialists are better, not all indi's are cheaper and not all fast-fit centres haven't a clue. I'm not even going to say all Skoda brakes are crap because I know they're not - inconsistant quality? absolutely. Unfortunately this is the first VAG car I've owned where they're absolute 5h1te.

 

The cost is of no concern... it's a car and cars cost money to run, hey ho.  It's just that a car that's 3yr and 13k miles old, one that's treated with care and no different to any other car I've owned, and it fails it's 1st MOT because the brakes are knackered.

 

Annoyed?  yeh.

Edited 26 October, 2023 by kodiaqsportline

[Graham Butcher]

That is the first time I have heard of a car failing its MOT because of wobbly discs. I was under the impression that the all important thing was did they meet the prescribed braking efficiency % pass mark using a meter like the one attached, of course modern day ones are no doubt digital, but these were the ones used by bus operators in the 60s and 70s.