tonyv

[quote user="idun"]I wouldn't contact AXA, get your house insurance to do this....... surely you have cover via them???? [/quote] Thanks, but why the intermediate step?

[quote user="woolybanana"] Was the job done by a legit. plumber or on the black? If the latter, probably he/she did not have the insurance at all so you don't have a leg to stand on. On the other hand, when a job is done, isn't the artisan supposed to hand over a photocopy of their decennial insurance, or at least give the name of the insurer. Do you have same amongst your papers? Does the chap(esse) who offered to fix it for you know the whereabouts of the original fitter and could you therefore contact him to get the name of the decennial insurer and the reference number etc? Would the local chambre de metiers know where the guy was?[/quote] Thank you to all who replied with very useful information. The original installation was done by a proper chauffagiste with a siret number and all. He did hive me a copy of his insurance document, with AXA, bearing a policy number. So far all good. The original gerant is now in French Polynesia, presumably selling them air-conditioning. Not much use to me. So, is it (initially, at least) simply a matter of writing to AXA with a claim, and see what happens? Sounds a bit simplistic for France. To be clear, I have no problem writing off the cost of the repair, and would rather do that than get too embroiled in the French legal system. On the other hand, I figure that's what insurance is for, so might as well give it a go... Any further advice? Cheers, Tony

Seven years ago, I had a ground-source geothermal heating system installed in my chalet, at some considerable cost. It's been working well, and is very economic. Sadly, in February, one of the brass underground manifolds developed a leak, apparently due to dezincification. It turns out that brass (unless it's DZR - Dezincification Resistant) should never be used in an underground situation, precisely for that reason. The company that installed it is no longer trading, but I found a technician who is a former employee of that company. He wouldn't be drawn on the question of redress - not his business, but did provide a quote to replace both manifolds at a cost of 1700€, which I've accepted. Now the question is whether I can get redress from the decennial insurance of the original installer, and how I go about claiming. Does anyone here have experience of this minefield? I'd be very grateful to learn. Cheers, Tony

If you're on a linux box, it's edit > preferences > update. On a 'doze box, I think the preferences sub-menu is under the file menu.

[quote user="Quillan"]Just as a matter of interest somebody said the other day that 1M is the biggest you can get without planning permission, is this true? [/quote] No doubt someone will come along to correct me, but I believe that only applies to a dish mounted high up (to ensure it won'nt blow down onto someone's head!). If it's at ground level, you can do what you like.

Just to wind this up, I got the 120cm epoxy dish I originally referenced; the bracket is in fact far from flimsy; 1.5mm pressed steel; with reinforcement within the epoxy. The dish is quite stable. Aligned it with my ws6909 meter, and now have all the freesat channels back again. High hopes for when I get back here for new year! Thanks all for your help! Cheers, Tony

Thanks to both of you for your words of wisdom, and experience. It woulsd seem that I need to do further research into available dishes. Certainly the steel ones are a lot cheaper, and given a fairly thin/flimsy steel plate, I can see why they they need a bigger support that the fibreglass ones, which would have their own rigidity built-in. Bum, I think I'm even more confused now! Oh FYI, 1.5dB is  1.4 times the amount of power; hardly insignificant. Q is correct in discounting the little beeping device with a pot, which indicates signal strength. I have a (not inexpensive) gadget which, among other things displays signal strenght and quality. You can achieve good signal strength, over quite a range, but good quality (FEC ratio) comes at a very specific place therein. Thanks again; I'll let you know how I get on. Cheers, Tony

Sorry for not replying sooner; been struggling with a water leak at the meter. Hopefully now fixed. [quote user="Théière"]How strong the mount is to resist the inevitable wind force with the larger dish is probably key. Your picture/link looked quite weak, more the size of a sky dish mount. http://www.choozen.fr/ts-paraboles-satellites-110~antennes-paraboles-satellites,1010502.html I thought from the picture these look more robust. [/quote] Thanks, T. You make a good point; it's not something I'd considered. However, I don't understand your link, which points to 5 dishes, one of which is the one I'd selected, two others are the steel and ally grothers of that one, with the same mounts, and the rest don't show any mounts. In another post, you refer to a "turnbuckle". What's that, and how is it useful? Q, you refer to a three piont fix. Again, what's that, and how is it useful? I think I have sufficient kit to perform the alignment; and the dish is a ground level.

I've decided to take the plunge and upgrade my 85cm dish to a 120cm version in anticipation of the forthcoming satellite change. Browsing the web reveals a wide spectrum of choice, ranging from cheapo 70€ steel units to 600€+ fibreglass ones, with mid-priced aluminium units in between. I'll discount the steel ones because they rust. I don't want to appear to be a cheapskate, but is the vast price range on the others really warranted? Am I right in assuming that reception quality is very similar, regardless of price? Is it the quality of manufacture, and thus durability, that makes all the difference? I'm rather attracted to this one http://www.2galli.fr/boutique/fiche_produit.cfm?ref=OFC1100&type=30&code_lg=lg_fr&num=0. Any good? I'm sure the experts will have advice as to what to buy; anyone else? Cheers, Tony

Here, with some good videos... http://satandpcguy.com/blog/2013/07/astra-2e-could-the-launch-be-delayed-after-rocket-launch-failure-at-baikonur/

Post deleted. Matters regarding the forum should not be discussed in a thread, either use the Report button or contact a moderator Many thanks RH

Shorting out a battery is usually fatal to it. The heat generated causes the plates to warp, creating an internal short circuit. It'll never charge.

[quote user="Quillan"]So we could potentially be talking around 30k tax paid etc. If the OP is tax resident he may be able to get some form of refund. Quick bash on the calculator shows you could buy 6 air units, pay for them to be installed and with the change run them for at least 20 years. Alternativly pay for 10 years worth of electricity and have a couple of good holidays. [:D][/quote] Nonetheless, I'm happy with my choices; fortunately my finances are my own business; I don't need your approval [6]

I don't remember the VAT rate, and I don't have the paperwork to hand. I didn't try to get a rebate, as this is a Residence secondaire. These are the people I used: http://aumelie-services.fr/  The last 3 pictures on their gallery are of my system. Although they did a good job, it was beset by delays, to the extent that I was almost pulling my hair out. But that's the French way [6]

[quote user="Halldfandid"]I am very interested in this thread. Can I ask - was the 25k€ for the whole system including the underfloor pipeworks etc or just the heat pump and external work ? I'd be very interested to hear experience from anyone with a GSHP installed. [/quote] I assume that question was aimed at me. Yes, that cost, plus VAT, was for the entire system and included groundworks (1000 m² to 75 cm depth) pipework, and reinstatement. Indoors, the digging up of the original 80 m² concrete floor to 30 cm, a new damp-proof membrane, insulation, pipework in 4 independant zones, and a new chappe. Upstairs radiators to 4 rooms plus landing. A heat pump plus buffer store, and some bits of electronics to control the whole system. Not cheap, but I am delighted with the installation. I have little insulation, but do have 40cm stone walls. Works for me! As an aside, I hate it when people announce they're in "46". How the hell am I expected to know where that is? Is it just laziness, or is there a hidden significance in just quoting the code?

Having tried both, I found that PTFE is much much easier to use, and is far less messy. Both provide a watertight joint.

[quote user="Alex H"]I think that's it [:)] but it does say Matière : Mdf but at 9€ it can't be [8-)] [/quote] Why not?

Hmm, I guess this might be it; sorry for the noise: http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/panneau-de-fibres-dures-3-2-mm-244x122-cm-e105180

Do they have such a thing as hardboard sheets here? I want to cover a damaged timber floor with something to level it up before laying covering. The only thing I can find is 5mm plywood, which is, perhaps overkill. Any other advice, please?

[quote user="cooperlola"][:D]  And talking of dangerous (not male in this case) drivers - I once worked with somebody who boasted that she put her makeup on whilst driving to work.  AAAAAGH.[:-))][/quote] Years ago, I slowed down behind a traffic queue, as one does. I idly looked in the mirror, to see a car approaching, fortunately not fast, with the lady driver doing just that. She looked up at the last minute, and her horrified expression was a sight to behold. She hit the brakes, but too late. She got out to inspect the damage, and burst into tears; I had to laugh at her freshly applied make-up running all over her face. Fortunately my sturdy tow-bar minimised my damage to practically nothing, but I don' think her car was drivable [6]. Guess she won't be doing that again[:D]

[quote user="Mr Ice-ni"]Shirley you are not advocating telling a man with a gun that he doesn't have the right to do something? Brave or stupid? John [/quote] "Go on, punk; make my day!"

Here: http://www.bricodepot.fr/verniolle-pamiers/materiaux-cloture-isolation-cloison/materiaux

I've on several occasions here extolled the virtues of my ground-source heat pump system. Like the OP, there's no town gas locally, and I didn't want to rely on deliveries of oil, gas, or wood pellets. I also wanted something fully automatic, without having to "stoke the boiler" daily. Electricity was thus the only practical solution, given the constraints, and having considered various options, and definately rejected air-source heat pumps on account of the noise, I opted for a ground source heat pump, with underfloor heating. It was expensive to install (25k€), partly because of a lot of preparatory work being required. It is now the second winter of operation, and I have to say, I'm delighted with it. The temperature throughout the house is a constant  20deg, even in the recent -20deg outside temperatures! Apart from the loft, I have minimal insulation, because I wanted to preserve the original character of the building. Although it's possible to get an adater for the heat pump to heat domestic water, I've opted for a plain immersion heater for that  purpose. We cook using electricity, powering a induction hob and a double oven. My total electricity bill for last year was 700€, which I consider a bargain!

[quote user="pachapapa"]Succinct if a little "ironique". Do you mean if you live on the equator the dish faces due east towards the rising sun; and if you live at the north pole it is close to "frigging" south?[:-))] [/quote] Well, as for living on the equator, it still depends upon where you are as to whether it points east or west. From Rwanda, it is more-or-less straight up. From the north pole *everything* is south; friggin, or otherwise. More to the point, the satellite is due south from the Ukraine, and Rhodes for example. I would have expected you to understand this 3-d geometry stuff, PPP. Try this: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=http%3A//toolserver.org/~para/cgi-bin/kmlexport?project=en%26article%3D28th_meridian_east

Hum, there seems to be some confusion here, but maybe it's mine [;-)] Hope I'm not treading on anyone's toes! The satellite is NOT at "28 deg east of south". It is in orbit over longitude 28.2 deg, somewhere over the Congo. This implies that the direction you point the dish is determined by your location. From http://www.dishpointer.com/ for the Tarn area, you need to point the dish to compass bearing 144.7 deg(M), which, of course is a bit different to pointing it at 28 deg east of south!