To clarify I didn’t try and send them my email address.

I simply replied to the email notification of a message from EBay and it seems to go to the other party. I had one today who responded to me by  name which was odd as my eBay username is not my name but it is in my email address

So I’ve had a response from an installer about air tightness. @ajc @sargey @davy90 does this stack up or run a mile?

– use compriband and Illbruck foam (not builders’ foam) and final silicone.

-Airtight tape is an optional extra, rarely done on non passiv haus installations.

Also said they would decide on through frame or lug fix depending on survey

@nealc – Do you mean needed to hack plaster off to fit?

@Davy90 – it’s a refurb so slimline high performance. I think we’ll struggle to actually achieve Passivhaus but we do have pretty big windows.

only want 5 seats (would take out others likely if more than 5 to free up space). Space is to carry ‘stuff’.

Current mid/large petrol SUV and have a tow bar bike rack and a roof box for holidays but if we add some inflatable SUP type fun then will be too small.

Currently on flux (I think) so mid priced electric between 2 and 5am

low mileage 8-10k miles a year.Largely Short runs. Occasional long trips.

Thanks – I’m not familiar with all the manufacturers so looking for suggestions of them.

installers would also be good as a poorly installed window has very poor thermal efficiency.

Thanks. I’ll take a look at those.

Fully enclosed currently in a  form of glazed bubble. Glazing is Perspex or other coloured transparent  plastic. Or at least earlier in it’s life it was transparent now it lets light through but the bits that have been in direct sun have stopped it being transparent. Twin wall Poly carbonate roof which I think can be replaced like for like but the walls was thinking of trying to insulate. 

@DT78 and @trail_rat Do you have any links?

I had a google of gap and central and then browse of their websites (I’m south east so neither local to me to visit in person) but couldn’t seem to find a cladding product.

I was looking for something that looks ok as an interior so whilst going for composite weatherboard outside, something smooth inside. I guess could be shiplap/t&g but pref was flat. 

Good point DT  yes tub of water inside so even though heating the room there’s still going to be plenty of moisture and will be part of year when not heating or dehumidifying. To help stop the evaporation the building will be heated, hence the desire to insulate.

Where do you get composite coloured cladding?

The aluminium panels were for aesthetics really.

Given the condensation I wanted something that is going to be easy to clean and also won’t degrade. So it could be pvc but that’s only gloss white.

it’ll be heated but still humid.

Yes I could put more battens in. Just thinking it might be easier to put a complete sheet to glue to.

somebody will be along to tell me why I’m wrong but I don’t really get these carriers, since you will still need a lighting board and number plate which effectively means having a tow bar to give a 7/13 pin socket.

Albeit I guess you could splice into the tail lights and run a cable separately but this could be messy

Something stuck between the drum and the outside? Take the seal off and see if you can see/feel anything?

Is it the drum or the motor, take the belt off spin both. Secondhand Motors can be got from eBay quite often. Got one for our Bosch when the windings burnt out. Luck of the draw though for older machines whether something is for sale when you need it.

Too big? My 6 year old went on it until quite recently. Can make seeing where you are going a little challenging though!

Fair point Chris – even though mine are only a few years older I’ve already forgotten what a 9 month old does.

Mac Ride is what you need for upfront.

Clamps to a special 10mm headset spacer and the seat post so doesn’t matter on frame shape but you need a bit of seat post (not the bit that drops) to bolt too plus at the steering end it needs a bit of spare steerer tube if you’ve got a short (less than 50mm stem) and you might need to replace the clamping bolt from the shipped knurled one to a standard Allen bolt to stop the knurled bit fouling the stem.

quick to put on and take off if you want to ride without maiming your knees.

I assume the static point is for acrylic rather than acm? What do you cut and join acm with?

Thanks for the ACM tip. Where do you go to find it cheaper than acrylic?

I was thinking of using acrylic, doesn’t have to be though if it’s going to be too fragile.

The driver for choosing acrylic was  it needs to be a material that can cope with a very humid environment. Ideally not transparent as want to put kingspan or something similar behind it and it look’ok’ and then clad the outside.

using pvc shiplap was another option that came to me last night but I thought the aesthetics and ease of cleaning of a smooth sheet would be better! Plus the ship lap will presumably be draughty so I’d need another means of making  the walls air tight.

Need quite a lot – about 40sqm in total I think

Good tip re screws. Although I was initially thinking of foam tape but may need to screw in some instances. I’m looking at big ish sheets – 135cm x 150cm but sounds like maybe it’s safer to have more joins and go 135 x 75cm

Have you tried PDA techniques?

if he is neuro divergent which sounds very likely then the issues with his behaviour and deregulation are not ones he can control.  Telling him they are issues is not going to be helpful and will have an adverse impact on his self esteem.

i have utmost respect for you and recommend that you try and find a support group with parents who are on a similar journey. Happy to suggest some – PM me.

There is no silver bullet if neuro divergent.

Isn’t a trickle vent just having the window open permanently

@steveb  my concern is more if the discharge location is deemed to be unsafe as it is not nicely piped to a drain in line with the ‘norm’.

Thanks all. So @bear sounds as if plumber 2 was willing to be pragmatic but plumber 1 less so

Discharge is going to flow down the side of the house on a path, by the time it gets to the path I suspect it will have cooled down. The tank is tiny at 60L or so (although I realise that is still a lot of hot water!)

My problem is plumber 2 no longer seems to have a G3 cert on gas safe website whereas he did when I commissioned him a few years ago and so when looking for another it’s good to have a feel for what I have ‘might’ be ok as opposed to definitely isn’t ok

You might find that the terms an IFA can get are better than you can get by going direct for the same thing. I found this for mortgages.

@sharkbait Where do you download your usage by time of day?

Whilst past performance is no guide to the future it looks as if there aren’t that many occasions when elec is cheaper than gas on agile.

The weight up then becomes when solar yields fall does the benefit of lower prices on agile mean it is better value than flux.

Agile looks like it might be quite a lot of hassle to do if using a battery to load shift.

@simon_g – you’re right I think the problem was I looked using a mobile device and it was truncating it.

@shinton – you’re also right.  I suppose I was thinking that the plunge pricing is presumably driven by excess wind and solar and so over the course of a year it might give some indication of what could be expected.

I’m trying to figure out if it is worth switching to agile, over my current flux tariff and getting a high current electric heater that I would use when the price of electric drops to 0 or below gas. Usage would be spring / autumn I think, assuming that in winter there wouldn’t be much plunge pricing.

I’ve a small 4kwh battery and some panels so can use that to help load shift.

Balls has it. PFOA is best not ingested.

See the film Dark waters (obviously noting the over dramatisation given it’s a film but the broad thrust is true and the cast with deformities are genuine Teflon ‘casualties’)

@simon_g thanks – I can see September 2023. Can you get other months? Ideally trying to get a feel for a year or more.

Sorry octopus agile – electricity prices

Yes that’s right, single high draw item. So rcbo would do the job.

I’m thinking about switching to octopus agile over flux.

Is there an easy way to automate usage with WiFi plugs or will it take over my life?

Can I automate the input of the inverter interface too so it charges batteries at the optimum time? ( interface is just input boxes for charge start and stop so it won’t do it by itself)

Holding it together at school and then loosing it at home is very common for neuro divergent kids. They mask at school but this is stressful.

Whilst you feel thst eating as a family is a good thing (and it is in many ways) maybe relax that a bit for a while especially if it has been requested. This sitting together might be a really stressful time for him and so it isn’t necessarily the food hygiene that is the key issue. You can find other ways to make him feel part of the family. A game after dinner or something?

If you get a good speech and language therapist to come to him they will engage with him. Especially if they are regular, they  can build up a rapport. Unfortunately, state funded support is pretty much non existent.  They will likely be 100p/h sort of money though.

School is a stressful place that will be emptying his reserves.  Any feed back from teachers or him onWhat is school like for him. good that he is happy to go. Does he have any friends there? Could you have any of his friends round, or try and cultivate some friendships with kids at the school for him. Again easier said that done!

This is hard. Trying to see from the point of view of another when you cannot rationally comprehend how they are thinking.

Whilst almost impossible it is important not to react to it however unreasonable the behaviour may seem. If he’s in fight or fight you can’t tell him off for being scared. not saying that you did.

Often it isn’t usually the issue that presents that is the root cause of the problem, so it is likely to be a build up of stuff such that the food at the end of the day is the final straw and so I suspect this is why it is only sometimes that it is a problem. Consider reducing demands at other times, what is an immovable requirement e.g no violence and what is actually just preferable e.g. tidy room or perhaps just let him get/dish up his own food – try and agree what it will be even if not as healthy as you like. Another thing you could ask him is if He might also prefer to eat separately or in his room, if you all eat together he might find that focus too stressful

once he becomes more regulated then you can work on those other rules.

Have you considered getting some independent support?  This won’t be cheap but could be an investment. A speech and language therapist for example if communication is a challenge for him. Speech and language therapy isn’t just about can you’talk’.  They can go in to the school and provide help for teaching staff too or come to your house.

Good luck

Anybody have an ariete? Seen these on special offer too