What Preps are you doing this week? Part 13

[Arzosah]

I've been working really hard on decluttering this last month - shredding client notes (after 9 years retired!), finance paperwork too. Checking boots and shoes - literally half a dozen sets to go to the charity shop. Slow cooker had a crack and a little chip in the bottom layer, it hadn't come through to where the food was, but I didn't want to risk it, so I have a new one. Plus I had some blackout blinds that I never used, so I threw away the fixtures and fittings, and cut the blackout material into strips I can use properly. I've also measured all the windows I might want to use it on, and got the velcro ready (white, same colour as the upvc). I've stored it over 3 hanger bars in my wardrobe And a couple of supermarkets have had really big orders from me

Just got a bit more to do: finish off online finance work for this month, update backups, buy some socks (84% bamboo, comfort cuff) and a men's size thermal hat that goes right down at the back so my ears get covered. As has been mentioned, I'm thinking that next winter is going to be rough.

Meantime - I'm finally about to start planting seeds next week, I'm driving once a week locally, and I'm sewing a patchwork of dark fleece material to make a shade for the living room, I *will* be sheltered from the super Nino And the heat and hot water have broken again - time for a bigger replacement than just the pump which I had last month.

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Been a busy old weekend. SHMBO has been away so had free range to do noisy jobs.
Earth rod in and shed earthed.
New hinges on shed door along with coach bolts. Door frame re enforced. New shackle and hasp, with coach bolts. This is all part of my upping the security on the shed. Workbench now has bolts added rather than just having it slotted together. Generator is now tethered to workbench via a heft bike lock.
Made some more cables up for the solar rig.
Started relaying one of the garden paths.
And managed to stay up to watch the Artemis landing...

[Yorkshire Andy]

Had a steady but boozy weekend out last night with workmates old mds 60th and my leaving do

Friday did a quick shopping run to the feed merchant got 20 kg of chicken feed .. then shop that does garden stuff 10kg of organic firt for the allotment....

Then boat yard for 4m of new LPG gas hose for my next project ( operation no messing about with regulators ). Plan is 3 main regulators .... All with pre fixed hoses with a quick connector at the other then the main appliances (gas BBQ / gas hob and pizza oven all with the male connection ) so shtf no messing about potentially in the dark and cold trying to remove one regulator for another fighting jubilee clips and hard hose....

[Frnc]

0° last night. Hope my Acer's ok. Didn't cover it, and bubble wrap is off. I wasn't expecting it to be quite that cold. Time will tell. Still got to deal with aphids and ants.

Met has tonight down to 5°, but Accu has 1°. After that we should be around 5 minumum.

Got some deliveries in the next couple of days, then a sub n save next week or the week after. Sub n save is Imodium and Azera (6 x 140g, hopefully about £29 - you need to keep a close eye on it as prices can change after they show on Subscribe And Save).

I cancelled my Spice Tailor as it didn't show a price, and the listing price was ridiculous. That variety, Chicpea Masala, is obviously scarce, end of batch. I found 4 elsewhere at not too bad a price, and got them. They only have 11 months to expiry, but that's fine. The curries I already have, mostly Rogan Josh, also expire at the end of the year.

Will stock up on long life naan breads to go with them. These last about 2-3 months, so I don't keep big quantities.

[GeraldTheBonzai]

Interesting experiment this afternoon. Playing with the new power bank, and trying different ways to charge it. Plugged it into the inverter, limited the charge rate to 600W, then left it for a bit. Probably 30 mins. Then took the thermal camera to the rig. Ooops!

Got a hot cable on the battery side - camera was saying 70+C. Shut everything down and investigated. The bolts had not been fully tightened down by the look of it, after my last tinker. That had allowed oxidation to form on the lugs. Cleaned them up, let everything cool down and tried again. Now 28C - pulling about 60A. But then picked up another couple of hot spots. One on the fuse holder - looks to be a poor contact, and the other again on a lug, due to me being sloppy and using a lug that was too big when making the cable up...

What surprised me was that the contacts didn't look particularly oxidised - the lugs are tinned and the surfaces just looked dull. However, looking up the resistance of zinc oxide (which I assume it is), then at 60 ish amps you are looking at around 60W of heating at that contact!

So, need to make a new cable up and maybe redo the crimp on the cable going to the fuse. Plus give every connection a good clean. Got some dielectric grease on order as well.

[Arzosah]

A thermal camera! How interesting! And it sounds like it's been very, very useful.

[Frnc]

Took some books to a free book shop nearby. Got a couple more trips to do. And gave away a duvet (Gumtree freebies) that was new, used once, but too warm.

Got a couple of water containers re-steralised and filled. Got one in the bathroom ready to do today.

[GeraldTheBonzai]

A thermal camera! How interesting! And it sounds like it's been very, very useful.

It was an Amazon deal impulse buy and I can't recommend them enough, especially if you are keeping an eye on things thermal. Not only has it picked up these hotspots, but I have used it to fix a colder than normal radiator. Used it to find a leak on a flat roof, before it became a problem (had a tiny amount of water ingress, that showed up as a cold spot). Found all the draughts around the front door where there were gaps in the seals. Really useful bit of kit.

And if you are bored, you get to relive the film Predator, in your own house...

[Frnc]

A thermal camera! How interesting! And it sounds like it's been very, very useful.

It was an Amazon deal impulse buy and I can't recommend them enough, especially if you are keeping an eye on things thermal. Not only has it picked up these hotspots, but I have used it to fix a colder than normal radiator. Used it to find a leak on a flat roof, before it became a problem (had a tiny amount of water ingress, that showed up as a cold spot). Found all the draughts around the front door where there were gaps in the seals. Really useful bit of kit.

And if you are bored, you get to relive the film Predator, in your own house...

Slightly different but similar, I have a laser thermometer. Good for checking the surface temperature of walls, windows, ceilings, floors etcetera. Wasn't expensive, and seems reasonably accurate and consistent. I was using it to help the decorator identify a couple of cold areas of wall.

I also have a damp meter. That was a bit dearer - about £80. Worth it though. I used that where he found water stains. But it is dry at the moment. In fact the window wall reads higher, and there's never been any issues there.