Home DIY

Aha. Been away for too long. Doesn't surprise me though, never really understood how you can keep high street shops open selling electrical gubbins for a few quid here and there

I'd suggest an LED one, if you can find it

Didn't see any options from a brief Google but will keep an eye out. Will likely try Wickes or Screwfix when I'm next in the area of one. Cheers all.

I got my last one from Homebase

Toolstation item number 91327 40W SES (E14) 330lm £2.92

I'm trying to change some lightbulbs. I'm disappointed it seems beyond me.

Basically, we got new lights fitted in our bathroom after an electrical safety check told us the ones we had were not safe for bathroom use. However, the electrician fitted disgusting, cold bluish bulbs which we want to change.

My wife emailed him to ask how to do it, but he didn't reply - not even a "Sorry you don't like my work..." which is a bit disappointing too.

Anyway, I've had a look and I can't figure out how you'd change them. The light fitting seems to pull down on a spring mechanism, but I can't see how you'd get the bulb out of it. I can't pull it very far out and I don't want to do more because I'm not sure how strong the spring arms/ceiling are.

Any ideas?

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Can you twist the silver thing with respect to the black thing? Hopefully popping off the cover and then access the light

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075MG37VZ/

this would suggest yes

Got a savers near you?

Once you do get at the bulb, 2700k is the magic number for warm light. If they do one in the right size, I found Philips expert colour to be the best. High CRI and ting.

I second Philips, also Panasonic and Green Creative.

What do you know, it actually was that simple.

It was on very tight and I hadn't wanted to break it, but then it did unscrew.

Thanks for the advice and recommendations.

I need to hang some stuff from the ceiling (3 panels, 4kg and 2 mounting points each). They came with toggle bolts for mounting in plasterboard but I’m nervous about Victorian plaster - is it likely that the cross battens are screwed to rafters above? They seem a better bet for mounting...

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That's a lovely ceiling. Can you get access from above and double check where your joists are? It seems unlikely that they would be in the same pattern as the cross battens. Joists are usually running in one direction.

They’re all like that here, I love them!
Thanks, that does seem obvious now - I just checked and the joists run front to back ~1ft apart. The cross battens are screwed into something, I’ll check if the gaps are the same and if so assume they’re going into the joists and therefore can handle the weight. They’re pretty solid with no flex regardless.

Don't know if you managed to get the whole unit out but for future, those spring arms are just pushing down against the top of the plaster board to hold the silver bit against the ceiling. If you pull it down enough they should fold back against the body and then spring out once they clear the hole. Watch your fingers though, think mouse trap. I learned that the hard way. To put it back you just bend them back up and push the whole unit back in the hole, they will spring back again onto the top of the board once far enough through.

Can you upgrade the towel heater? I changed mine around for a taller version but same width so didn't need to change any plumbing, just drill new holes in the wall

Greetings,

I need to replace the minging old kitchen light and have bought a shiny new one to replace it.
The new light has a much smaller diameter central section than the old one and as such, the old cables that were newly hidden before are not going to fit in.

My question - can I just cut the old ones (the ones not in use) away and seal off with some insulation tape?

Cheers,

Joe

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Whilst not directly connected to the light fitting, they are still in use within the lighting circuit.

Drilling through a pier supporting an RSJ. I need to get an HDMI cable through it ideally, that would require a c.20mm hole. There's a plug socket on one side which I could potentially replace one side for a modular socket. Would I compromise the wall by just drilling a new 20mm hole? The other option is to solder a new HDMI plug on to a cable, but that sounds tricky.

that sounds tricky.

You can buy solderless HDMI connectors.

(You can buy solderless connectors of pretty much any type)

Prepping and soldering the conductors is tricky. The shielded pairs were very fragile. We needed to repair a long cable with a damaged connector, by inline splicing on a new end from a short cable. Not fun.

^^^^ or this may help if the solder less connector is too bulky.
https://cpc.farnell.com/clever-little-box/clb50-hdmi-t/conec2-screwless-hdmi-50mm/dp/AV24303

Noice, that should do the job I think. If not @user69121 that works with a standard punch down tool right? Think I have one kicking about.

Joe, the answer to your question is a big fat NO!
As Tango130 has already said, those are not redundant cables, so don't go snipping anything at all.
Thought this was worth reiterating if you are still alive.

Question for any sparks on here, or those versed in the regs. I excavated what used to be the old beer cellar entrance for my building, which is a pub conversion, in order to create some outside storage space. In the process of doing so, I exposed the electrical supply cable for the block. I had the distribution company come round and check it wasn't damaged, and that was all fine. I have now built some decking at the bottom of the excavated hole with a step that keeps the cable out of the way, so it's inaccessible, and re-installed the cellar doors over the hole to protect everything inside from the elements. The nagging doubt I now have after all this work is that there is some reg that says the cable has to be buried to be safe. I've read some secondhand reports that say that as long as the cable is visible and thereby protected from accidental damage it's fine, but wanted a more definitive, regs-based answer.

Have just been up to the loft to renew the ball valve in the water tank and noticed a load of sediment at the bottom. This does actually feed into our drinking water, I was wondering if this is particularly safe? Currently the water coming through the taps is a bit stirred up with sediment so not drinking it and waiting for it to settle. Just wondering if I should be draining it and and cleaning it, I would rather not as it's a really awkward spot to get onto.

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