expat paul

Thanks just what I needed to know [:D]

Martin, which box are you going to buy ? Danny, I'll search some more   thanks

[quote user="Pierre ZFP"] Which Astra satellite do you point at for these channels? [/quote] Astra 1 at 19°E Danny, I did a search this morning and found the not 'HD ready' for the Strong, like you said "when and if", and double tuner etc not too bothered, as with the speed of development of electronics today it will be outdated very quickly. My understanding of the card, is that it is needed for TNT decription, is that correct ? I am interested on where you found the info about it being limited to Astra, my thinking was to put up a second LNB, if necessary, and to get hotbird at 13°E.  thanks to both of you

Hi, I have looking around for a TNT sat box which can also receive other (clear) channels on Astra and have found this on the Darty website STRONG SRT 6410. Has anybody any comments on it ?  or is there a better in the same price range ? thanks  

[quote user="Gardian"]Yes - can be used throughout France.  It'd be bonkers if it couldn't !![/quote] I can speak from experience [:$] stranger things have happened.

Can one 'doofer' be used all over France, ie one from cofiroute used on the rhone network, or is it network specific ?

Ok thanks, I was thinking of exterior filler but thought that was way too easy   [:$]

 I went for the Silkatop 122F concrete repair as it looked like someone had already tried the sand/cement method and it had been that which had broken off. It seems at the moment to be very good stuff. Another question on the same subject if I may, I have some small cracks and small chips in other concrete sills I would like to fill before masonary painting, any recommendations on how to fill these, again with regards to the extremes in temperatures. thanks

Yes, cracking is my worry, I'll look for the stair repair stuff tomorrow. If I can't find it, I like the tiling idea, thanks 

Hi, I have a concrete window sill that needs some tlc, the leading edge (corner) has large pieces missing and the slope is very minimal, otherwise its in good nick ie no large cracks. Anybody know what the best way/product to repair it? I am thinking of roughing up the surface with an angle grinder, a coat of PVA, a piece of shuttering against the front face and float on a stiff mix of sand cement. Will this do the trick ? and if so, what is the minimum thickness of sand cement so it doesn't crack? the window is south facing so gets very hot and cold. thanks

[quote user="J.R."] Straying slightly off topic and only of hypothetical interest to me as I dont intend moving. Under the current system when one moves departement the car has to get a new carte grise, does this mean that the full CV based fiscale charge is once again payable, even if it has only recently been paid? Or is there perhaps some exemption for those who have to move with their job? [/quote] No it cost nothing to change, other than the new reg plates.

Thats just the way I did mine, after asking a French Reg sparky, I ran 4mm wires from the Tableau to the junction box and then star/spur feed each socket in 2.5mm from there. I also did a similar arrangement for the lighting circuits.

Hi, I've just been looking at the same thing and found in "The Book"    L'installation electrique, page 90, distribution encastree dans les parols "L'encastrement dans les murs porteurs n'est pas limite alors que dans les cloisons les regles sont plus strictes et reglementees" I will still go for vertical runs, if only to avoid drilling in to the cable at a later date. As for connecting sockets on a dedicated circuit, a French electrician told me to run a feed to a junction box above the room in the loft and then spur /star feed each socket from there. Hope this helps, but I am not a qualified electrican, so seek pro advice if in doubt.     

Thanks for the great advice, I painted the ceiling with a diluted oil based paint, covered really well, but I didn't have much left over. So, the walls, I got a tip from another forum about using a wallpaper steamer to strip off all the old paint, worked like a dream, so gave them a coat of diluted emulsion.  [:D]

Thanks, I'll try that tomorrow [:)] No the bits aren't massive but enough to clog the roller and either stay on or transfer to the wall, but I only did about 1m before I stopped in dismay. I was told on another forum thats its been possibly limewashed before does that make any difference ? Paul

Hi, I have just spent a good day sanding and cleaning the previously painted ceiling (plastered) and walls (plaster bricks) in my bathroom. Late last night I tried to apply an 'sous couche platre' with a roller but old paint flaked off and either stuck to the roller or the new paint on the wall. Anybody know why and the best method to cure the problem ??. I tried to scrape off the old paint but not much came away. Thanks

Thanks all, I've fitted it this morning, fingers crossed no leaks so far.

Thanks Ron that was my first thought but I have recently found the fittings in Brico-depot and its for central heating system which runs at 1 bar so pressure not a problem. Its the reliability I'm interested in, its in such a pig of a place I would have no way of knowing of a leak til it was far too late. Have you used these fittings before in UK ?

Thanks

Hi, I must move a central heating radiator along a wall a little, the existing copper pipework is embedded in the concrete floor and in the wall and behind beams etc, really easy to get at . The feed pipe I have no problems with, I can cut the pipe and solder on an extension piece, however the return, I can see, touch, and cut using a small barrel cutter I think ! The problem is fixing the extension, there is no room for spanners for compression fitting, no chance of getting a flame to it, so I'm thinking of pushfit copper fitting. Anybody used them alot or have good / bad experiences of using them. This is the last resort before I do some major demolition........ help !!!

Like its been said dabbing on to tiles is not good but why not hack off a few tiles here and there and dab where the tiles were.

Sadly I'm too far away as well I'm near Chartres in 28, but if my travels some day are down near you I will pack my clubs.

AFAIK   PVA = resine latex     Brico depot do it for about 20 E As for the tiling have a look at this website   www.weberbuildingsolutions.co.uk  and in French  http://www.weber-broutin.fr They give tech specs for all their products inc fixing recommendations. I used the method Nick described once when the floor was not too even and I couldn't find a levelling compound, the tiles are still ok after more than 5 years. However, I think the french site gives the method your builder suggested  procéder à un double encollage sur la totalité de l'envers des carreaux pour les formats supérieurs à : - 500 cm² (absorption d'eau ≤ 0,5%) ou 1 100 cm² (absorption d'eau > 0,5%) en sols intérieurs - 120 cm² (absorption d'eau ≤ 0,5%) ou 500 cm² (absorption d'eau > 0,5%) en murs intérieurs - systématiquement en sols et murs extérieurs for floor tiles more than 500 cm² the entire back of the tiles should be combed with adhesive as well as the floor.  

[quote user="Ron Avery"]  Val said Its less stressfull to pay up the 90€ within the 15 days than the full 345€ after that than worry about standing in a dock somewhere a long way away and trying to argue against the mighty french system   Mmmm... you must have been really hitting the floor to get that level of fine, that is for + 20KPH in a 50 or up to + 50kph on other limits, the points obviously go up with the speed and you can have your license suspended for three years immediately at the higher end of the contraventions.  However, Val,  your fines are out of date, the lower fine is now 68€ (45€ if paid within 15 days) and 375€ (135€). [/quote] MOH received her 'avis de contravention au code de la route' yesterday, she was caught doing 58km/h in a 50 km/h limit last Monday Montant de I'amende forfaitaire :                     135 € Si vous payez dans les 15 jours                     90 € Si vous ne payez pas dans les 45 jours suivant la date d'envoi de I'avis de contravention                 375 € Perte de point(s) du permit de conduire                         Oui          (it doesn't say how many points )

We asked the exact same question to our Mairie, after alot of head scratching they decided, as it didn't have a roof we needed nothing. Ask your local Mairie, maybe they have different regs.