tonyv

Thanks all; I shall investigate both suggestions, although initial reading of the TF thread suggests the second is the most likely <sigh>.

I have a phone connected to my livebox, which rings at random. Sometimes once a day, sometimes once a week. If I pick up, it's just a dead line; if I leave it, it gives up after 6 rings or so. CLID just says 'out of area'. This is annoying; does anyone have any hints on stopping it.

Oops, yes, thanks Badger, I did get the designations mixed up. Thanks for the explanation re tthe DC component of the fault current.

I know one should use a type AC RCCD where the load includes thyristor-controlled devices; otherwise it's OK to use type A. I assume from this that type AC is a lot more expensive than type A, otherwise one could use AC everywhere, without worrying about what's connected to it. I don't recall seeing different types in the UK. What I don't know is how type AC technically differs from type A; why should a non-sinusoidal current waveform affect its operation? Any expert knowledge out there?

[quote user="sweet 17"]I always say never trust an old man with long hair and who wears pink jumpers! [/quote] Can this be the same person who launched a thread about sex discrimination, which has degenerated into the vilest mud-slinging session against certain celebrities? Far from naive, I think you are bigoted, and a stirrer!

[quote user="Araucaria"]But I think you need a decoder (set top box) that will handle HD? Naturally, the one we bought in February this year doesn't. [/quote] Well, yes; and an hd-ready TV. Alternatively, a HD TV with a built-in freesat tuner. But since the OP was specifically asking about HD, I rather assumed he was so equipped[:)]

Yes, BBC HD is available via freesat on Astra 2 at 28E. Depending upon where you are, you might need an 80cm or larger dish.

I would put it down to low flow rate. The water cools down sufficiently in the rad to create a temperature gradient. Shut off all the other rads, and see whether this one reaches full temperature. If so, you need to start fiddling with the balancing valves to ensure an as much as possible equal flow through all rads. Can be tricky without specialist kit (basically, the temperature drop across each rad should be similar).

here we go... The designated day, Wednesday, has come, so we phone 'em up: "has my tyre arrived?". "Désolé, M'sieur, il est bloqué par la neige!" Try again tomorrow! Amazing how anything gets done out here!

[quote user="NickP"]Forgive me for being thick or naive, but how did this wikileaks get hold of  what appears to be very sensitive government property? [8-)][/quote] There are always some who have a point to make. There are government employees who have got hold of some information which the authorities would prefer to have suppressed. I'ts happened in the UK, with various MI5 etc. leaks. The difference with wikileaks is that it's been hyped up by the press; it's the sort of material conspiracy theorists thrive.  In fact the contents of the "news" is not very much different to what is available in the public domain anyway. Don't take too much notice; it'll all go away by new year. Alternatively, look critically at each revelation, and ask yourself "so what; what's changed?".

Hum, perhaps the Daily Express is not necessarily the best source of information on this subject. Note, I'm not advocating what is, but merely that there are other sources, some of which, in combination, may provide a more balanced point of view.

It's good fun, and requires some strategic thinking, but won't help with your French...

Thanks again, Lehaut, yes that's the right one. Unfortunately I've now got one on order (for 240€) from a local tyre depot, who've promised it for Wednesday. Certainly, the on-line suppliers seem to offer a much better deal, but maybe not when it's urgent.

[quote user="Lehaut"]Why not just order one from someone like allo pneu, have it delivered to one of their fitters and turn up with the wheel?[/quote] Well, that would have been a good idea, if I'd known about them. However, they don't list my 255/40x17 goodyear Eagles, but more to the point, I'm intending to drive the 800 miles back to UK this weekend, and I have no faith in being able to get them in time. Thanks for the suggestion, anyway; I've bookmarked them.

Well, I've played a board game called Carcasonne, but otherwise it bears no similarity to your description. The game I've played is a strategy game for 2 to 4 players, and involves building roads, castles, monastries, etc. 2 players is OK; more is better. No language skills required, other than communicating with your fellow players (and reading the instructions perhaps).

And here we are, up our mountain in the pyrennees; all geared up for the stuff, but have we seen any? not a flake! Ah well, driving back to Buckinghamshire next weekend; guess we'll get our share!

Thanks everyone for the responses, even the more pedantic ones. We're not talking F1, for heavens' sake! Anyway, it looks like I was fortunate to eventually find a depot who was willing and able to sell me a single tyre, albeit at a gross price.

Audi does. However, I'm not at all convinced that this is acceptable for the CT. Flicking the lever certainly removes the "kick-up" to the left, but doesn't put one on the right, at least on mine. I now never bother to flick it back in thhe UK, partly because it's impossible to reach the lever when the engine's hot!

Site Web --  incredibly as they're so fond of making up complex descriptions!

Having today ripped the sidewall on one of the (new last August) tyres on my UK registered Audi, I set off to buy a replacement. Three tyre depots told me they could not source Goodyears, as fitted, but they could get another make, but would have to fit two by law. This despite my insisting that I only wanted one for the spare wheel. I finally found a depot which was quite happy to source a single Goodyear, albeit at the amazing price of 240€, for a tyre which cost £80 in UK. The unit price, of whatever make, was similar everywhere. They had to order it, due on Wednesday, fingers crossed, but I had no desire to drive the 800 miles to the UK without a spare, so so I coughed up. So, what about this "law"? I got the feeling that they were trying to fleece an ignorant Englishman, but am open to being corrected. So many things surprise me about French rules.

What do they do if the owner has no idea of where the fosse is, and it has no obvious inspection hatches? Do they force you to find it (how?), or just shrug, and go away?

I've always successfully used PTFE tape, but when I had French "professionals" install my central heating recently, I was surprised to see that they use "stuff". It certainly wasn't white, more a dark grey, and the flossy stuff probably wasn't hemp. I think "stuff" probably works out cheaper than PTFE, and is probably easier to apply. It's messy, though.

Don't use travel adapters unless you really can't avoid it, and never for high wattage appliances. Apart from the problem Etoile has encountered (I'm amazed that doesn't set off alarm bells in his mind, let alone the expense of replacing them every so often), the earthing arrangement is often doubtful, if not non-existent. I use a couple of travel adapters to connect wall-warts, otherwise I have a few proper 4-socket UK extension cables, to which I've fitted French plugs. They can handle the wattage, and are properly earthed. I also have a French 4-socket extension with a UK plug, which I can use in the UK. Ideally, though, unless there are compelling reasons, excluding laziness, for not doing so, it is far better to do the job properly, and change the plug.

No, the poles are in Poland!

Sorry, Steve, but that's completely wrong. If I've misunderstood your post please excuse me. Nowhere in the French normes does it state which pin is live and which is neutral, and in the past French electricians have pleased themselves. It actually doesn't matter too much because French switches are normally double-pole, but kit from UK is only switched single-pole. However, in the last few (maybe 10) years, a convention has arisen, which is adopted by Legrand and other manufacturers in their colour coding wich mandates the RIGHT hand pin, looking at the wall socket (in fact the same one as in the UK) as "live", or "phase", and this should accept the brown wire. Ideally, get a neon screwdriver to establish which pin in the socket is live, and rewire accordingly.