Kit's Khaos

[PR19_Kit]

Did you mark the alternator in some way?

It's a different colour to the original one, which was black. The second one was silver, but maybe I should have marked it before it went back to the garage the 2nd time.

Not that I could actually reach it mind you, it's waaaaay low down in front of the engine, and buried under all the induction pipe work.

[PR19_Kit]

Big progress in the Mk 2 Loft y'day. 

In our new place there's a large (but not as large as The Loft in my old place...) which was already fully outfitted with walls, floors, CARPETS even, and loads of mains sockets, as well as a couple of work benches. What's not to like, eh?

But it has a quite small loft hatch, which was originally a real pain to unlock and open, but I fixed that pretty soon with a 'garden gate' type latch so all I have to do is prod the latch and the hatch flies open. And push it closed again with the pole that came with the house.

But when the loft ladder is down there's only JUST enough room for me to get through the hatch! My back is against one side while I'm pressed against the ladder. No good at all for shifting stuff up there, or back down again, and as I intend to use the Mk 2 Loft as my main modelling and stash storage area, moving stuff up and down is essential, even before we have the hatch enlarged, which is Phase 2 of the 'Mk 2 Loft' programme.

So y'day I installed a pulley in the roof of the Mk 2 Loft, and I've got a large plastic crate fitted with a rope harness, and enough rope to go through the pulley and back down again. Now I can load up the crate and haul it up through the hatch and tie it off up there while I climb up and empty it afterwards.

Result! 

[Gondor]

I hope you are getting a better ladder or steps fitted when you get the hatch enlarged. Sounds good though.

[PR19_Kit]

Too right I will, the existing one is a) pretty flimsy and b) not attached to the Loft floor all very well.

[scooter]

Too right I will, the existing one is a) pretty flimsy and b) not attached to the Loft floor all very well.

Sounds like it was a DIY special

[PR19_Kit]

I think the previous owners bought the ladder, but then made a hash of installing it.

I'm hopefully going to scrap it, and get a better, stiffer and stronger one. AND get it fixed properly too!

[Gondor]

I think the previous owners bought the ladder, but then made a hash of installing it.

I'm hopefully going to scrap it, and get a better, stiffer and stronger one. AND get it fixed properly too!

You should be able to get one that is attached to the loft hatch, or vice versa. In fact, if you are getting contractors in to increase the hatch size, they might be able to set up and install one at the same time. But you had probably worked that out already.

[PR19_Kit]

That's the plan, yes.

[Rick Lowe]

So y'day I installed a pulley in the roof of the Mk 2 Loft, and I've got a large plastic crate fitted with a rope harness, and enough rope to go through the pulley and back down again. Now I can load up the crate and haul it up through the hatch and tie it off up there while I climb up and empty it afterwards.

Don't forget the 'tying off' part... 

I remember the Compensation Claim skit about the Barrel of Bricks...

[PR19_Kit]

I remember the Compensation Claim skit about the Barrel of Bricks...

Hehehe, that's a TOTAL hoot! 

'....and the barrel started down......' 

[Rick Lowe]

I remember the Compensation Claim skit about the Barrel of Bricks...

Hehehe, that's a TOTAL hoot! 

'....and the barrel started down......' 

Yep. 

[PR19_Kit]

REAL chaos today. 

Our 'new' house's electrical system was designed by a moron, it has two RCD breakers on the consumer unit, and one of them has tripped constantly over the last few days, for no apparent reason. The circuit breaker only drives half the house, the front half, but with SOME of the circuits in the back of the house as well. 

Try as I may I can't figure out what the hell's going on, and Hazel's talking to the local emergency lekkie guy right now.

[frank2056]

We had an electrician check and upgrade our electrical system when we bought our home. He showed us that the electrical bus bars in our fuse box were thin, and the HVAC unit's current draw had burned out a section of one of the bars. He said it would have eventually caused a short or a break. We upgraded to a newer, heftier distribution system and fuse switches and it's been fine, since.

[Rheged]

When we moved into Chateau Rheged about 12 years ago  I engaged Cyril,  a local electrician, to check the system. Cyril seemed old enough to have had Michael Faraday as one of his apprentices but he was extremely thorough and reliable.  The actual wiring was OK, but his description of the fuse box fitting is not suitable for repetition here!  Two of the circuits had no master fuse and three more were running through two separate circuit breakers. He installed new kit with working circuit breakers and it's worked well since. A few months ago, Mark our current sparky, did some work for us.   He recognised Cyril's work and commented that if Cyril had done it, it would be OK.  He then came out  with the comment that all the local electricians knew that Cyril had been the duty electrician to switch things on when God said (in Genesis)   "Let there be light!

[PR19_Kit]

Send Cyril over here, the ruddy RCD still keeps tripping at random intervals!