WAMT....what annoyed me today!

No kids. Only reason I can think of is that the branches used to hang over his car so the birds might have been pooping on the car. Our cherry tree overhangs the same car...
 
Nod said:
No kids. Only reason I can think of is that the branches used to hang over his car so the birds might have been pooping on the car. Our cherry tree overhangs the same car...
Click to expand...
Speaking as someone with big trees and cars, it’s not so much the bird shït as the aphid frass which is a problem. Mine are Lime trees and particularly bad. I don’t park under them when they have leaves.
 
Got into work to find the bloke who works on the opposite shift to me managed to destroy another clutch, miraculously for him, always too late in the shift for him to do it, so I get lumbered with it. I have worked opposite him for less than a year, and two months of that we were furloughed and I think this is the 4th or 5th clutch he has broken and left for me to change. I don't think the bloke has done a complete,When I worked opposite another bloke, we went through one or two clutches a year and we would always try to get it swapped or get as much as possible done before the shift ended, so we didn't leave too much for each other if we could help it.
 
nilagin said:
Got into work to find the bloke who works on the opposite shift to me managed to destroy another clutch, miraculously for him, always too late in the shift for him to do it, so I get lumbered with it. I have worked opposite him for less than a year, and two months of that we were furloughed and I think this is the 4th or 5th clutch he has broken and left for me to change. I don't think the bloke has done a complete,When I worked opposite another bloke, we went through one or two clutches a year and we would always try to get it swapped or get as much as possible done before the shift ended, so we didn't leave too much for each other if we could help it.
Click to expand...
Engine up and running and the variable cam timing isn't working. Chances are they weren't working yesterday either when the engine was on test. Not that my shift opposite would ever notice, he is hardly ever in the control room, he will be sitting drinking tea and stuffing his face in another test room.
 
Outside lighting string of led from ebay (yes, I know!)

Length of flex from plug to control box 60cm ... absolutely fine.

Length from control box to first light 7cm :rolleyes:

Plug and control box need to be inside ... :runaway:
 
Could you buy an airtight lunch box, punch a couple of holes in the sides, and feed the lights through one, and the plug lead through the other (might need to remove the plug then replace it) then seal the holes round the leads with blu-tak/glue/putty/play-doh/whatever then clip the lid on?
Weatherproof control box. (y)
 
Tori_T said:
Could you buy an airtight lunch box, punch a couple of holes in the sides, and feed the lights through one, and the plug lead through the other (might need to remove the plug then replace it) then seal the holes round the leads with blu-tak/glue/putty/play-doh/whatever then clip the lid on?
Weatherproof control box. (y)
Click to expand...

I could ... but my power socket inside is more than 60 cm from the nearest window and the whole point of outside lights is that they are ...outside! :banghead:

Every other set I have had has had a plug and control box near to each other (sometimes combined) and then about 3m of thin wire(s) to the first light. It is not rocket science to put a decent length of cheap wire to enable the lights to actually be used outside.20201124_181134.jpg
 
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I use one of THESE to get the extra couple of metres I need to get maintenance charge to the bikes and Mrs Nod's toy car.

Far too early for outdoor lights though!!! :p
 
Nod said:
I use one of THESE to get the extra couple of metres I need to get maintenance charge to the bikes and Mrs Nod's toy car.

Far too early for outdoor lights though!!! :p
Click to expand...


Thanks Nod but that is twice what the lights cost! :rolleyes:

They won't be going up until December but it has p****d me off when they were delivered today! ;)
 
Tigger.ufo said:
Thanks Nod but that is twice what the lights cost! :rolleyes:
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That's why I suggested a lunch box. :p IP rated stuff is designed to live outside permanently, and the costs reflect that. The lights will only be out for a month, so don't need that much resilience.

Is the control box closed with screws? If so, replacing that whole mains lead with something longer may be an option.
(BTW, that plug is non-standard/illegal in the UK, and may be unsafe, which is another reason to take it off.)
 
Tori_T said:
That's why I suggested a lunch box. :p IP rated stuff is designed to live outside permanently, and the costs reflect that. The lights will only be out for a month, so don't need that much resilience.

Is the control box closed with screws? If so, replacing that whole mains lead with something longer may be an option.
(BTW, that plug is non-standard/illegal in the UK, and may be unsafe, which is another reason to take it off.)
Click to expand...

Gets better and better!!!20201124_185941.jpg
 
Hmmm...
Can't see clearly on that photo because of the glue, but it doesn't look like that lead has regulation blue/brown insulation.
Have you plugged it in ant tried it at all?
 
Tori_T said:
Hmmm...
Can't see clearly on that photo because of the glue, but it doesn't look like that lead has regulation blue/brown insulation.
Have you plugged it in ant tried it at all?
Click to expand...

Yes, and they work.

You are correct ... looks like twin core grey flex.
 
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Ah, Chinese mains electrical... Electro.gif ...they've got quite a reputation.
Trading standards would be one option, but they'll likely keep your lights, and you'd be unlikely to get a refund.
Opening an ebay case for a return would be another.

Or (if you have a soldering iron) you could replace that lead with a sensible length of 2 core cable, terminated with a BS1363 compliant plug, and go the lunch box route to light up the house?
 
Tori_T said:
Ah, Chinese mains electrical... View attachment 299850 ...they've got quite a reputation.
Trading standards would be one option, but they'll likely keep your lights, and you'd be unlikely to get a refund.
Opening an ebay case for a return would be another.

Or (if you have a soldering iron) you could replace that lead with a sensible length of 2 core cable, terminated with a BS1363 compliant plug, and go the lunch box route to light up the house?
Click to expand...

Thanks Tori_T

I messaged them this last night.
​
​
How are you supposed to use these lights outside when the control box has to be inside and the distance from the control box to the first light is 7cms?​


... and got this back this morning.
​
​
​
Dear customer,
Thank you for your message!
I am sorry to hear this, will reflect the problem to our supplier and request improvement in the next batch.
thank you for your feedback.

Considering sending the item back will be very inconvenient for you,
it will cost your time
so you needn't send the item back to us.

How about we refund you £2.5 and you don't need to send the item back?
maybe you can use with a extension cable
Is that OK?

Your understanding will be much appreciated
Waiting for your confirmation.
Many thanks
Amy​


Have just sent this and will see what I get back!


Thank you for your prompt reply.

Firstly, using an extension cable would not work as the plug and control box are not waterproof and would then be outside.

I showed these lights to an electrician and he was absolutely horrified.

1)The plug is illegal for use in the UK and also has a 13 amp fuse fitted.
2)The lead is illegal as it does not use UK regulation blue/brown insulation.
3)Worst of all the lights operate without the fuse in place at all.

I have bought 2 sets of these and they are too dangerous to use.

I would like you to refund me the full purchase price (and have them collected from me if you wish.)

many thanks,

Heather
 
Tigger.ufo said:
Thanks Tori_T

I messaged them this last night.
​
​
How are you supposed to use these lights outside when the control box has to be inside and the distance from the control box to the first light is 7cms?​


... and got this back this morning.
​
​
​
Dear customer,
Thank you for your message!
I am sorry to hear this, will reflect the problem to our supplier and request improvement in the next batch.
thank you for your feedback.

Considering sending the item back will be very inconvenient for you,
it will cost your time
so you needn't send the item back to us.

How about we refund you £2.5 and you don't need to send the item back?
maybe you can use with a extension cable
Is that OK?

Your understanding will be much appreciated
Waiting for your confirmation.
Many thanks
Amy​


Have just sent this and will see what I get back!


Thank you for your prompt reply.

Firstly, using an extension cable would not work as the plug and control box are not waterproof and would then be outside.

I showed these lights to an electrician and he was absolutely horrified.

1)The plug is illegal for use in the UK and also has a 13 amp fuse fitted.
2)The lead is illegal as it does not use UK regulation blue/brown insulation.
3)Worst of all the lights operate without the fuse in place at all.

I have bought 2 sets of these and they are too dangerous to use.

I would like you to refund me the full purchase price (and have them collected from me if you wish.)

many thanks,

Heather
Click to expand...
I know it’s still not satisfactory but Chinese customer service communications/responses are way ahead of ours :(.
 
Tigger.ufo said:
I could ... but my power socket inside is more than 60 cm from the nearest window and the whole point of outside lights is that they are ...outside! :banghead:

Every other set I have had has had a plug and control box near to each other (sometimes combined) and then about 3m of thin wire(s) to the first light. It is not rocket science to put a decent length of cheap wire to enable the lights to actually be used outside.View attachment 299836
Click to expand...

I have the same lights but came with a European plug haha
 
keef32 said:
I have the same lights but came with a European plug haha
Click to expand...
Another thing to note about this dodgy stuff is the mains leads are often sub-spec and sub-standard; they're prone to overheating and insulation breakdown, leading to explosive shorts in the lead, so just fitting a proper UK plug or fused adapter may not be sufficient to protect you. :(
 
nilagin said:
Engine up and running and the variable cam timing isn't working. Chances are they weren't working yesterday either when the engine was on test. Not that my shift opposite would ever notice, he is hardly ever in the control room, he will be sitting drinking tea and stuffing his face in another test room.
Click to expand...
You may have explained this many times before but I’m curious, what do you do and for whom?
 
Just got an email about one of my bank accounts to say they're dropping the interest rate to 0.5%. I'll have a look to see if I can do better when I do the banking but 0.x is becoming the norm these days.

I stopped working over 10 years ago now and I suppose that's when interest rates started dropping. At the time you could get 4% just about anywhere. If only... I remember further back when I got as much in interest as I earned from my full time job but those day are long gone and baring some unforeseen event interest rates of even half those will I suppose not return in my lifetime. Inflation was higher then but even so it worked out in my favour.

I read somewhere that savers are still the majority in the UK so it is becoming a little tiring that savers have had such a hard time for so long. If I had more income I'd be tempted to spend more and that would I suppose be good for the economy.
 
Tori_T said:
Ah, Chinese mains electrical... View attachment 299850 ...they've got quite a reputation.
Trading standards would be one option, but they'll likely keep your lights, and you'd be unlikely to get a refund.
Opening an ebay case for a return would be another.

Or (if you have a soldering iron) you could replace that lead with a sensible length of 2 core cable, terminated with a BS1363 compliant plug, and go the lunch box route to light up the house?
Click to expand...

Trading standards have probably been cut to the bone and are probably understaffed, overworked and overwhelmed. Other than giving the warm feeling that you've done the right thing I wouldn't waste my time.
 
woof woof said:
just got an email about one of my bank accounts to say they're dropping the interest rate to 0.5%.
Click to expand...
My pet hate, us of a certain age were paying around 16% interest on our mortgages.
Now it's paid off with a few quid in the bank, the interests rates are barely above 0%
Screwed at both ends of our lives :(
 
mj4456 said:
You may have explained this many times before but I’m curious, what do you do and for whom?
Click to expand...
I test and develop engines at Ford's Research and Development Centre. The engine I am working on is a customers engine that had a recurring pre-ignition fault that kept putting the car into limp mode. The dealer couldn't find the fault as their equipment is limited to what we have in a dyno cell. So the customer has been given a replacement engine and we are running various tests trying to see if we can replicate the problem and find what is causing it to prevent it happening to other cars.
Initially I thought it might be something to do with what the owner has been doing with the car, the engine is just 2 years old, no idea how many miles it has done, but it is filthy, it looks more like it's been sitting out in a field, rather than under the bonnet of a car.
 
Cobra said:
My pet hate, us of a certain age were paying around 16% interest on our mortgages.
Now it's paid off with a few quid in the bank, the interests rates are barely above 0%
Screwed at both ends of our lives :(
Click to expand...
The only saving (no pun intended :) ) grace for me is that since Covid, is that I am not spending loads of money on my sons and I to go to rock concerts or watch motor racing, so I have lots more money to earn 0.5% interest.
0.5% is good, I have seen some paying just 0.1%.
 
nilagin said:
0.5% is good,
Click to expand...
I get that too, and still call it taking the p***!
nilagin said:
I have seen some paying just 0.1%.
Click to expand...
There is even talk of negative interest being applied by some banks ( ie you pay them for spending your money)
That's the point it comes out and goes under the mattress ...
 
Cobra said:
There is even talk of negative interest being applied by some banks ( ie you pay them for spending your money)
That's the point it comes out and goes under the mattress ...
Click to expand...
That might be the point I buy a second car.
 
Since inflation overtook interest rates, it's pretty much better to spend than it is to save (within reason!) Might as well enjoy money rather than look at (slowly) increasing numbers.
 
I've just spent 20 minutes finding out how to cancel Amazon Prime. My wife is signed up to it and it is good but I don't buy on there often enough to justify the £7.99 a month.I was buying some books for my wife.' Hairy Bikers' recipe books. She has two already. I really like their programmes and they're Geordies too,as most will know, which makes watching even more enjoyable.

I've obviously clicked on a box I didn't mean to and I was aware of customers inadvertantly doing it so I was careful. One box was in yellow. 'Sign me up for Prime' and directly below it in the same larger box was something like..'standard delivery' so I clicked on that . The standard deliver box was actually grey and musn't have been 'live' so it activated Prime. Nowhere that was obvious was an option to cancel it so thank goodness for Google. 'How to cancel Amazon Prime..accidental sign up ? From the list of options I clicked on a Which ? heading. The Which ? magazine set out the procedure in an article addressing the way Amazon set up the system so customers do make that error. Here's the article dated July last year. 28% of people Which ? surveyed had made my error. Which? is indispensable imo and I'm a member but it came through that Google search. I see that some people who don't check their bank account have paid for years and haven't noticed the monthly debit. They'd never get it back. They probably wondered why they were getting next day delivery..lol. https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/07/accidentally-signed-up-to-amazon-prime-youre-not-alone/

As I got near the last page of cancelling I even got a message stating something like.. 'John.. We're sorry to see you go' and "I do not want to benefit from advantages of Amazon Prime" So..I got to the last page and these were the options.

Cancel Membership and End Benefits
Your free trial membership will expire on 25 December 2020.
Cancel Membership and End Benefits
You could also consider the following:

Remind Me Later
Remind me three days before my free trial ends
Remind Me Later
Keep My Membership and My Benefits
You will continue enjoying all the benefits of Prime.View everything included in Prime.
Keep My Membership and My Benefits

Whilst posting this I got an Email from Amazon. I shall keep it until December 25th..end of free trial..I'd deleted the book order so I'll try again. It;s been a while since I ordfered on Amazon and just before paymenty there was a list of delivery options along with 'Try Amazon Prime and I always go for Royal Mail 5-day delivery and items inariably come within 48 hours especially near Christmas as thery want the goods out of the warehouse.

The Email. I see they're still trying to make me feel I'm really missing out and what I'm missing out on.

Dear John

We are confirming that you have turned off your auto-renew setting. Your Prime membership will not continue and you will lose access to your Prime benefits at the end of your membership period.

As a reminder, your Prime membership gives you access to exclusive member-only benefits, including unlimited One-Day Delivery, instant access to thousands of videos, secure photo storage, Kindle books to borrow, early access to Lightning Deals and more.

If you would like to continue to enjoy access to Amazon Prime, use the button below to log in and click "continue membership" on the ****** page. You can cancel any time.

Thanks for trying Amazon Prime.​



​
 
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Cobra said:
I get that too, and still call it taking the p***!

There is even talk of negative interest being applied by some banks ( ie you pay them for spending your money)
That's the point it comes out and goes under the mattress ...
Click to expand...


Re negative interest rates, which I don't think will happen btw but it begs the question why credit card rates are between 18-20% APR when the Bank rate is .25%. I appreciate that credit cards base their rates on risk but they've been high for a long time..well before Covid hit employment. I have a card at 9%. The rates go from 9-19%. It was 19% and the T&C's stated that the rate charged is arrived at by the amount of risk so I called them and pointed out that as I was extremely low if not zero on the risk front so why am I being charged 19%. I now pay it off 99% of the time because promised the customer care lady that I will not pay in full a few times if they would drop the rate to 9% on the basis that something was better than nothing which is what they'd hitherto been getting and she agreed.I've kept my side of the deal and now and then pay over two months so they get a bit of interest.
 
JohnC6 said:
Lol..It might be better to spend it on something that doesn't depreciate so quickly. The likes of Mr/Mrs Average are doomed any which way :(
Click to expand...
Not worried about depreciation, it's the enjoyment of driving it that counts. :)
 
JohnC6 said:
I've just spent 20 minutes finding out how to cancel Amazon Prime. My wife is signed up to it and it is good but I don't buy on there often enough to justify the £7.99 a month.I was buying some books for my wife.' Hairy Bikers' recipe books. She has two already. I really like their programmes and they're Geordies too,as most will know, which makes watching even more enjoyable.

I've obviously clicked on a box I didn't mean to and I was aware of customers inadvertantly doing it so I was careful. One box was in yellow. 'Sign me up for Prime' and directly below it in the same larger box was something like..'standard delivery' so I clicked on that . The standard deliver box was actually grey and musn't have been 'live' so it activated Prime. Nowhere that was obvious was an option to cancel it so thank goodness for Google. 'How to cancel Amazon Prime..accidental sign up ? From the list of options I clicked on a Which ? heading. The Which ? magazine set out the procedure in an article addressing the way Amazon set up the system so customers do make that error. Here's the article dated July last year. 28% of people Which ? surveyed had made my error. Which? is indispensable imo and I'm a member but it came through that Google search. I see that some people who don't check their bank account have paid for years and haven't noticed the monthly debit. They'd never get it back. They probably wondered why they were getting next day delivery..lol. https://www.which.co.uk/news/2019/07/accidentally-signed-up-to-amazon-prime-youre-not-alone/

As I got near the last page of cancelling I even got a message stating something like.. 'John.. We're sorry to see you go' and "I do not want to benefit from advantages of Amazon Prime" So..I got to the last page and these were the options.

Cancel Membership and End Benefits
Your free trial membership will expire on 25 December 2020.
Cancel Membership and End Benefits
You could also consider the following:

Remind Me Later
Remind me three days before my free trial ends
Remind Me Later
Keep My Membership and My Benefits
You will continue enjoying all the benefits of Prime.View everything included in Prime.
Keep My Membership and My Benefits

Whilst posting this I got an Email from Amazon. I shall keep it until December 25th..end of free trial..I'd deleted the book order so I'll try again. It;s been a while since I ordfered on Amazon and just before paymenty there was a list of delivery options along with 'Try Amazon Prime and I always go for Royal Mail 5-day delivery and items inariably come within 48 hours especially near Christmas as thery want the goods out of the warehouse.

The Email. I see they're still trying to make me feel I'm really missing out and what I'm missing out on.

Dear John

We are confirming that you have turned off your auto-renew setting. Your Prime membership will not continue and you will lose access to your Prime benefits at the end of your membership period.

As a reminder, your Prime membership gives you access to exclusive member-only benefits, including unlimited One-Day Delivery, instant access to thousands of videos, secure photo storage, Kindle books to borrow, early access to Lightning Deals and more.

If you would like to continue to enjoy access to Amazon Prime, use the button below to log in and click "continue membership" on the ****** page. You can cancel any time.

Thanks for trying Amazon Prime.​



​
Click to expand...
If you type cancel prime in the Amazon search box, the first result is something like ‘your prime’, click that & then ‘manage membership is near the top of the page, click that and ‘cancel’ is one of the choices.

I do agree its too easy to activate, on the other hand if they offer a trial you can accept and then cancel and still get the month‘s (or a year as I was once offered) trial.
 
Easy to tick a wrong box and end up with prime but also easy to leave after the free trial period.

Mrs Nod had an interesting e-mail from a well known consumer magazine a couple of years ago, offering her a listing. For a fee...
 
Nod said:
Easy to tick a wrong box and end up with prime but also easy to leave after the free trial period.

Mrs Nod had an interesting e-mail from a well known consumer magazine a couple of years ago, offering her a listing. For a fee...
Click to expand...
As I said, no need to wait to cancel, do it immediately and you still get the free month.
 
Hooray, tier 3.

We’ve come out of 4 weeks of lockdown worse than we went into it.

Still we’ve got a break from it at Christmas when the virus has 5 days off.

either lockdown isn’t working or people are just selfish bastards
 
bumper said:
either lockdown isn’t working or people are just selfish bastards
Click to expand...
That probably sums it up. Being a London Borough we have fallen into Tier 2, but as a borough itself we should have been tier 3 and have the worst rating in London.
The selfish bastards in our borough will probably raise the need for a 4th tier or localised lockdown.
 
I suspect it’s the latter, I have neighbours who have carried on close to normal throughout this year, family/friends visiting indoors, some overnight stays.
 
Like most(not all) I’ve done as asked. I’ve gone to work because I can’t work at home, work is rapidly falling off a cliff so going to work isn’t going to be happening every day soon. I take the dog for a walk, that’s it. I work on my own so most definitely social distance from anyone and everyone. My wife has pretty mush self isolated herself since March.

I feel like we’re spitting into the wind. The roads are heaving when I go to work(not rush hours), cars everywhere. Outside school gates are busy, I see lots of people visiting others, don’t give me that bubble crap either, workmen in properties.

I’m beginning to think if you can’t beat them, join them. I’ve just wasted another 4 weeks of my life for bugger all. My wife’s time is limited too, we’ve got things we want to do while we are both able too but haven’t.

It’s just s***
 
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