What are you all up to today? - part 3

A bit over cast today, no frost overnight either. OH doing his bit at the lunch club in the village  today so I have a few hours to myself again   I'm going to take a few boxes of christmas decs into Mums care home, went through our stuff the other day and I have way to much so had a clear out. Another parcel to post to Malta just a small one this time so no re-morgaging of the house required 

Have a good time in Cornwall M hope the weather stay fair for you. 

TF what is an ML, I guess a car but which one? 

I  was  wondering  if  he'd  gone  all  soggy  &  got  a  Motor  Launch,  using  the  new  tyres  as  fenders  perhaps  ??

I received my winter fuel allowance today.

...Are your fuel costs going to be more this winter

Write your comments here...Our caravan heating can run on gas or electric, so our fuel costs will only go up if we use gas because the electric is included in the site fees.

Having said that, we are finding that 1 kw is not sufficient in the present freezing conditions. Also the outside water point is frozen so we are relying on our on board supply until it is available again.

We have to run the electric heating on a minimum if 2 kw at the moment but are finding 3 kw better. We can use 3 kw as long as there are no other electric appliances on. 3 kw warms up more quickly. Once it has reached the required temperature we can down it to 2kw to maintain that temperature.

Did you get that Alde load monitor fitted?  Will save you having to turn the heating down or off when using your new oven etc.

And bringing the oven into the van will help you keep cosy too.

However, why not use the £200 for what it is intended and burn a bit of gas?  The Alde will only use gas when it needs to as it prioritises use of electricity.  If you combine that with the load monitor, then it will automatically increase/decrease the kw setting, and use minimal gas.

The load monitor is quite easy to fit, you just plug it into the controller at one end and round the main inlet cable at the other end.  If I was anywhere in your vicinity I would offer to come and do it for you.  Perhaps you could buy the cable and get a mobile engineer to do it, or do you know a friendly electrician?

Sorry tammygirl and bakers2  By ML I meant my Mercedes ML300CDI 4x4.  I had her from new in 2011 and it was time to spend some money on her.  Nothing other than routine servicing up until now so at a shade under 70,000 miles she deserved it.  Outstanding tow car!

Still in showroom condition, she's only valued at £11,400 so ****** it, I'm not going to let her go for that, I'll keep her UTFN. A new one would only depreciate like a brick anyway.

TF

I received my winter fuel allowance today.

...Are your fuel costs going to be more this winter

Write your comments here...Our caravan heating can run on gas or electric, so our fuel costs will only go up if we use gas because the electric is included in the site fees.

Having said that, we are finding that 1 kw is not sufficient in the present freezing conditions. Also the outside water point is frozen so we are relying on our on board supply until it is available again.

We have to run the electric heating on a minimum if 2 kw at the moment but are finding 3 kw better. We can use 3 kw as long as there are no other electric appliances on. 3 kw warms up more quickly. Once it has reached the required temperature we can down it to 2kw to maintain that temperature.

Did you get that Alde load monitor fitted?  Will save you having to turn the heating down or off when using your new oven etc.

And bringing the oven into the van will help you keep cosy too.

However, why not use the £200 for what it is intended and burn a bit of gas?  The Alde will only use gas when it needs to as it prioritises use of electricity.  If you combine that with the load monitor, then it will automatically increase/decrease the kw setting, and use minimal gas.

The load monitor is quite easy to fit, you just plug it into the controller at one end and round the main inlet cable at the other end.  If I was anywhere in your vicinity I would offer to come and do it for you.  Perhaps you could buy the cable and get a mobile engineer to do it, or do you know a friendly electrician?

Write your comments here...I didn't realise that it automatically uses gas if the electric isn't enough. I thought you had to switch over to gas manually. Yes, I can see a load monitor would be useful. It's a pity they don't fit them as standard when you purchase the caravan.

My wristwatch stopped working yesterday, so I'll need to find time to visit a watch shop this afternoon. It probably needs a new battery.

We've just put the Christmas tree up in the front window of the caravan but that also needs a new battery to get the lights working.

It's a potted Christmas tree which we kept from last year. It's almost doubled in size through the year but still fits in our front window.

Nice to get started on a bit of Christmas cheer, don't you think?

I received my winter fuel allowance today.

...Are your fuel costs going to be more this winter

Write your comments here...Our caravan heating can run on gas or electric, so our fuel costs will only go up if we use gas because the electric is included in the site fees.

Having said that, we are finding that 1 kw is not sufficient in the present freezing conditions. Also the outside water point is frozen so we are relying on our on board supply until it is available again.

We have to run the electric heating on a minimum if 2 kw at the moment but are finding 3 kw better. We can use 3 kw as long as there are no other electric appliances on. 3 kw warms up more quickly. Once it has reached the required temperature we can down it to 2kw to maintain that temperature.

Did you get that Alde load monitor fitted?  Will save you having to turn the heating down or off when using your new oven etc.

And bringing the oven into the van will help you keep cosy too.

However, why not use the £200 for what it is intended and burn a bit of gas?  The Alde will only use gas when it needs to as it prioritises use of electricity.  If you combine that with the load monitor, then it will automatically increase/decrease the kw setting, and use minimal gas.

The load monitor is quite easy to fit, you just plug it into the controller at one end and round the main inlet cable at the other end.  If I was anywhere in your vicinity I would offer to come and do it for you.  Perhaps you could buy the cable and get a mobile engineer to do it, or do you know a friendly electrician?

Write your comments here...I didn't realise that it automatically uses gas if the electric isn't enough. I thought you had to switch over to gas manually. Yes, I can see a load monitor would be useful. It's a pity they don't fit them as standard when you purchase the caravan.

You do need to actually select the gas to be available first, in the same way you select electricity to be on, 1kw, 2kw etc.

But the boiler itself will only use gas if it does not have enough electricity to heat up fast enough.

When you have the load monitor, if it detects you are trying to use more amps than  you have set on the controller and will immediately turn the power to the Alde off, then step it back up to 1kw, then  2kw etc,  till it uses what you have available.

If you give it gas too, when say heating from cold it will turn everything on initially, then as it gets hot it will first reduce the volume of gas being used, then cut out the gas completely, then start stepping down the electricity until it reaches the level required to maintain the selected temperature.  

It will do this even if you do not have the load monitor fitted.

Having a "day off" today as I am busy every other day this week.  Monday was the WM repair at DD's flat, yesterday I was there again to finish installing the new smoke detectors, plus I went round with the tenants and showed them (again) how to work everything.

They claimed it was damp, which really it is not, so we gave them a dehumidifier, and explained about letting the humidistat  operated fan in the bathroom do its work. Yeaterday I found they had turned the fan off, and were not using the dehumidifier either as they claimed it was broken!

On investigation I found they had not put the water collection vessel back in place correctly, so no much wonder it would not work!  Then I showed them how to change the grease filter in the cooker hood, and tomorrow I will go over the operation of the CH again.  Have to be there anyway as there is a fellow coming to inspect the electrics.

On Friday I have to attend the electrical inspection at SIL's flat, and over the weekend I have to make a prop for his drama group.......a tipping bench apparently!

 , Much like T.F,i keep my Volvo V70tdi Classic estate with the 5cylinder Audi turbo engine ., up to scratch.Brilliant work horse for towing,boats C/vans/horse boxs etc I don't mind what expenses are for repairs,they just don't make a better motor.To replace it could cost upwards of £46.000 !!.

 Sunny day at the boatyard ,but thick frost early morning.Clearing the Privet debris still by burning it ,lovely warm job !! Home early today ,as getting ready for rehersals with a bass player .Doing our 'Country Music 'sessions..