Home DIY

I've replaced several of parts on washing machines and a heater on a Siemens dishwasher. Dishwashers are a pig to service IMHO, things are much more tightly packed in and more disassembly seems to be required.

The light outside needs live, neutral and earth. All of which will be at the light in the room, and are contained in a single cable. You don’t really want to borrow a neutral from another circuit as it can cause a load of problems. So it makes most sense to me to take a feed from that light.

If it isn't going to be on full time then solar lights are pretty good. Plenty bright enough for bins/door lock.

Otherwise I'd be tempted looking at some option with a smart bulb and sensor.

There are even pretty decent battery powered PIR lights. I had one over my shed for door locking/unlocking in the winter evenings. Would get a year or so out of one set of 3 C cells. MOdern rechargeable ones may even be available now.

I will need some for the side passage when I get the cargo bike as it will be stored out the back, and the side passage is currently very murdery at night.

I've found these good: https://www.mrbeams.co.uk/products/#all-products

I've got the indoor ceiling lights in my small alley shed and one of the older spotlights on a stake next to the front door

I had the first one with a single COB rather than two. Was more than enough for its purpose. Will be looking for a set of two (for either end of the passage) ideally with some kind of removable, rechargeable Li-ion battery, if such a thing exists. My security cameras on Simplisafe have this and it is very handy. I'd rather not be churning through C batteries again if I can at all help it. To shaded for solar unfortunately.

Anyone have experience with USB rechargeable C or D cells? I don't mean ones where you need a separate battery charger, I have enough tat lying around. The cells with their own micro or USB C ports to charge individually.

I imagine they suffer the same problems as other rechargables, in that they don't produce much power.

I have / had a bunch of USB AA batteries, and it was hit or miss if they worked in anything other than remote controls.

For all you Mafell fans out there: recently fitted Neutrik Powercon to my vacuum, saw and router. It’s great, but I’ve never really liked the rotating plastic bit the vacuum tube goes into on the Mafell. Turns out a standard vacuum hose end fits perfectly into the steel blade shroud. The groove locks in and it never falls out.

So satisfying, but I’d guess only @nef will understand my joy.

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No. Only with the separate battery charger.

TBH I didn't find it that much hassle. But the cost of decent batteries plus a decent charger adds up a bit.

I think he's talking about the kind that have a lithium battery in and circuitry to produce 1.5 volts, rather than the lower voltages others produce.

I've not used them personally but from what I've heard they work as advertised. One problem is that they produce too constant a voltage so you don't get any warning of a low battery, though some try to simulate that. Also quite spendy.

One problem is that they produce too constant a voltage so you don't get any warning of a low battery,

Surely not a huge issue? Just have a spare lying around. When it dies, swap out and recharge.

That’s top tekkers - the hose falling out is a complete ballache. The spinny bit seems to do noting but cause trouble as well.

Will investigate further next time I come to use it. Neutrik Powercon Looks good as well, deffo tempting for saw/router/sander to keep things tidier. That pic reminds me that I need to get a hose cover like that as well.

Giant heat shrink & cable sheath from CPC Farnell - way cheaper than those hose cover guys off Instagram! They do the Neutrik connectors too.

Oooh, need to get into that! Always thought the Instagram ones were a bit steep.

Just have a spare lying around

These things are upwards of £10 per battery. And a lot of things that take D cells take lots of them.

My Mr Beams lights all take three batteries. So you're right that'd be £60 per light.

My error

Can you spur off a spur?

That is exactly what I've been looking for for 10 years. I hate the swivel one, the hose falls out if you look at it. Does it stay out of the way like that though?

Thanks for that too. If you happen to have a link it would save me screwing up the order.

Yes, that is solved then. You've not given a very detailed picture of the existing wiring but I'm starting to get a grip on it.

Make your switch line a normal connection by connecting live and neutral and earth (cpc) to the lighting loop.

Use some kind of radio transmission (wifi) switch to make the kitchen ceiling light work.

Use the old switch line to power an outdoor light.

I think that would solve the problem but wifi switches are not something I have a lot of experience with.

Heat shrink, other colours are available 😉
Cable sleeve, think 40 or 50mm works
Neutrik Powercon, you’ll need a male and female obvs
I’d zip tie the sleeve and cable at each end before heat shrinking.

As far as the twisty thing is concerned, just remove the torx screw and it come out. The hose end just came on my vacuum I think, or it may be a Festool one. It stays out the way fine. I think the twisty bit is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

Provided they are fused appropriately yes.

I think the confusion comes from the common use of spur to refer to both fused and unfused spurs - the latter being limited to one per socket

The common error is people not changing the supplied 13a fuse in the FCU to a smaller one where appropriate.

I think the twisty bit is trying to solve a problem that doesn’t exist.

+10000000