Pugglt Auld Jock said:

Oh dear. Is my jubilation to be short lived? I'm hearing on the news that the EU is going to require manufacturers to get permission to export to 3rd countries (that's us now) because the virus manufacturer can't meet demand.

Click to expand...

Thankfully the UK have got a strong supply that doesn't only depend on the EU nations. It's easy to forget that there's most of the world outside of the EU, but I think that policy they're introducing will be in response to how poorly it's been rolled out across the EU so far. I hope they get it sorted, they are and always will be our nearest neighbours

AndyRKett said:

See video below to see what I mean by the iPad keyboard, basically turns an iPad into a mini MacBook. Something that would rival a Microsoft surface.
https://youtu.be/kZ00i6BDkqk

As for smart home I have extensive experience having replaced every light in the house with smart bulbs, combining hue with Samsung smartthings. Amazon echo, hive and sensors from aeotec and etc, and I would suggest the absolute last thing you need and the most useless part of any set up is cameras

Click to expand...

Ah I had one of these in mid 2019 , the non touch pad version. That's ideal really, keyboard when you need it (and now trackpad for precision) and then snap it off to get the full iPad experience.

Max Tech's a great channel, I didn't realise for a long time that he had a twin who sometimes presents it! Only when I heard a different name one day did I catch on! Lol

The Phillips Hue was the first 'smart home' thing I ever remember seeing in the Liverpool Apple Store, £50 a bulb back then - haven't checked now. But I see Apple stock some cheaper brand for around £18 a bulb that's HomeKit compatible, was thinking of trying one of those first. I doubt the quality will be as good as Phillips, but decent if they're stocking it. The scheduling and colour temperature would be what I'd look forward to more than the colours and whatnot.

The cameras would be good for when I move out (and my mum will live alone) for security and stuff I was thinking / hoping. Thought it'd be a good practical farewell gift. Depending where I move I might get one of the door bell / cameras. But Amazon / Echo / Alexa and the Google Stuff I'll probably give a miss in protest of their policies, but I know they have some of the smartest / most seamless 'smart' stuff so far

SB1500 said:

Ah I had one of these in mid 2019 , the non touch pad version. That's ideal really, keyboard when you need it (and now trackpad for precision) and then snap it off to get the full iPad experience.

Max Tech's a great channel, I didn't realise for a long time that he had a twin who sometimes presents it! Only when I heard a different name one day did I catch on! Lol

The Phillips Hue was the first 'smart home' thing I ever remember seeing in the Liverpool Apple Store, £50 a bulb back then - haven't checked now. But I see Apple stock some cheaper brand for around £18 a bulb that's HomeKit compatible, was thinking of trying one of those first. I doubt the quality will be as good as Phillips, but decent if they're stocking it. The scheduling and colour temperature would be what I'd look forward to more than the colours and whatnot.

The cameras would be good for when I move out (and my mum will live alone) for security and stuff I was thinking / hoping. Thought it'd be a good practical farewell gift. Depending where I move I might get one of the door bell / cameras. But Amazon / Echo / Alexa and the Google Stuff I'll probably give a miss in protest of their policies, but I know they have some of the smartest / most seamless 'smart' stuff so far

Click to expand...

Philips hue is the best you can pick up a hub second hand for about £20, but then there are loads of bulbs you can buy that are not £50 like the hue ones, about 80% of mine are hue but recently I’ve found that Lidl make a very good smart bulb that works with hue and has colour temp. Also IKEA make compatible bulbs and switches.
You don’t just have to use one system as most are now Zigbee compatible

AndyRKett said:

Philips hue is the best you can pick up a hub second hand for about £20, but then there are loads of bulbs you can buy that are not £50 like the hue ones, about 80% of mine are hue but recently I’ve found that Lidl make a very good smart bulb that works with hue and has colour temp. Also IKEA make compatible bulbs and switches.
You don’t just have to use one system as most are now Zigbee compatible

Click to expand...

I want to stick to HomeKit, as the wild dream for me someday is to have a home with 'scenes', so I can say "Hey Siri, goodnight" and it'll switch on / off the lights, close the curtains, lock the doors, set the heating" etc, though that'll take a lot of time to get! And 'good morning' and 'going to work' etc commands, to have it all controlled intelligently... Siri itself also has a long way to go! lol

1st catch tank arrived from ebay in 24 hours. Nicely anodised and seems well made. Was the last one at £12.50. I need two more and the next cheapest is now £19.25 so I got a bargain. Having a close look suggests it can be attached to the clutch master reservoir bracket with just a small extra brace so fitting should be easy . Once I have time....

SB1500 said:

I want to stick to HomeKit, as the wild dream for me someday is to have a home with 'scenes', so I can say "Hey Siri, goodnight" and it'll switch on / off the lights, close the curtains, lock the doors, set the heating" etc, though that'll take a lot of time to get! And 'good morning' and 'going to work' etc commands, to have it all controlled intelligently... Siri itself also has a long way to go! lol

Click to expand...

Don’t stick to home kit either go the Amazon echo route or google home kit is very restrictive in what they allow, most home kit stuff was authorised years ago a lot of new stuff isn’t home kit compatible and.... Siri just isn’t that good or well supported for voice recognition or available apps and services. You’ll find things made by Amazon (Ring and blink) or google (nest) won’t always work with Apple stuff.

Catch tank fitted!

It fits - just - along side the clutch master. I made a simple bracket of a strip of aluminium and drilled the required holes. On the edge of the turret top there is already a hexagonal hole to which to bolt it. I use dmy new hose clip Click R pliers and turned the breather pie 180 degrees and it points exactly where needed and is exactly the right length. Used the new supplied pipe to connect to the 'rocker cover' and the spare hose connector from the tank kit was a perfect fit. Using a short piece of my old dads caravan water pipe was also a perfect fit in to that pipe reducing the size down to the smaller size needed. I shall decide on revising hoses once I see if it works.

Notable that after 10 minutes it was already collecting water at a rate that looks alarming.

Just checked and photo'd it. After just 35 miles its collected 20ml or thereabouts. That mean it will need emtying at 6 weeks or so like clockwork. Now I'm wondering if the head gaskets gone. But both cars with the same engine are the same. May be it will reduce quantity once its had a chance to dry out the crank case. As its driven late at night it probably done a stretch at 70mph and should have got well warm. I suppose I shall wait and see what happens in the summer before worrying too much.

Why has it got a filter on top? Surely it is supposed to be a closed system.

Is it clean water, or coolant?
I'd expect it to be clean water, as this is a product of normal combustion. This is normal, and the oil carries the water until it gets hot enough to boil it off, through the breather and through the engine again, and out through the exhaust. With your short runs, it won't get boiled off as it should, so this is addressing the effect, not the cause. Which is why we're here of course. 'Clean' water is no cause to suspect head gasket.

portland_bill said:

Why has it got a filter on top? Surely it is supposed to be a closed system.

Is it clean water, or coolant?
I'd expect it to be clean water, as this is a product of normal combustion. This is normal, and the oil carries the water until it gets hot enough to boil it off, through the breather and through the engine again, and out through the exhaust. With your short runs, it won't get boiled off as it should, so this is addressing the effect, not the cause. Which is why we're here of course. 'Clean' water is no cause to suspect head gasket.

Click to expand...

I've expressed my interest in catch cans before and have looked at a few offerings. Some do seem to have these filters and some seem to be closed. I would have thought the ones that have filters are actually in contravention of the regulations as the whole idea of a closed breathing system is so that the fumes can be consumed and reduced by combustion inside the engine?

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

I've expressed my interest in catch cans before and have looked at a few offerings. Some do seem to have these filters and some seem to be closed. I would have thought the ones that have filters are actually in contravention of the regulations as the whole idea of a closed breathing system is so that the fumes can be consumed and reduced by combustion inside the engine?

Click to expand...

I have an essentially identical catch can on my diesel Punto and that does not have the filter,

What usually appears in the catch can (bearing in mind all my trips are long and it’s a diesel) is a lot of sludgy black oil with a very gloopy texture with occasional white mayonnaise in it, hard to explain but basically seems like a combination of oil and water vapour that turns into a gloopy mush in the catch can. The can has a fitting in the bottom so it can drain oil back into the sump but there is no way I would want that mess back in the engine. Also glad it gets removed, it does need keeping an eye on as it can fill up quick especially where I don’t use the car for ages then go on long drives, so get lots of water/condensation in the engine

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

Oh dear. Is my jubilation to be short lived? I'm hearing on the news that the EU is going to require manufacturers to get permission to export to 3rd countries (that's us now) because the virus manufacturer can't meet demand.

Click to expand...

I'd be more concerned they are demanding the UK supply of vaccines to make up forbad production in the EU

chris3234 said:

I'd be more concerned they are demanding the UK supply of vaccines to make up forbad production in the EU

Click to expand...

Well, I've got mine in my arm now. They're not having it back.

Bit of an eye opener on the way to the shops.

Weather is a bit January so misty, dark and raining, got to here.

Saw a dark shape on the other side of the crest and some eyes moving left to right.

My thought process went "Oh!, a deer, there may be anoth..F**K ME that was close!"

As I crested the hill, out of the hedge on the passenger side another one moving left to right about 10ft away. I'd moved my foot to the brake when I saw the 1st one, so just drilled it into the floor.

Gave Bambi a gentle shove that didn't even knock him off his feet and off he went into the forest at speed.

Got the heart rate up that's for sure but no damage to either party..so happy with that!

All that debating on EV or not EV and the solutions was more simple all the time


not sure why 2 magnets unless they reverse poles so one pushes the other :chin:

dave said:

not sure why 2 magnets unless they reverse poles so one pushes the other :chin:

Click to expand...

Rotate one for reversing, of course.

On my hour long trip back from work down the M4

Saw 2 flatbeds with scabby old VW campers on heading towards the 'home counties'

No doubt come July.. there will be some

'Immaculate low miles campers for sale on Ebay' offers over £30k

Bought the cheapest folding bike on the market today in an attempt to ditch the screen time and get out more, lockdown or not, and decided to check out one of the UK based cycling forums in hopes they are as useful as this forum and some others have been...

I'm laughing at the absolute cringe-fest that is their collective hate / prejudice against 'all drivers' who are aggressive, entitled and a risk to everyone and their planet... lol

I'm sure there's a lot of truth in some of the individual stories / cases they're talking about but for fully grown adults to label all drivers like that is truly something else.. I say that as someone whose equally had a bit of sh*t from drivers when cycling like close passes, horn beeps and once a swerve into me.. but still the majority of people are paying attention and trying NOT to kill or injure anyone (least of all to avoid the damn legal action lol)... I'm about to head on and stir up some of them by maybe suggesting such a notion that actually... we're not all bad and many of us are drivers and cyclists. No doubt my posts will be 'well received' .... lol


Gotta admit, the driving test / learning materials ain't as clear or upfront as they should be in my opinion about the rights cyclists actually do have in the Highway Code. I think a lot of people driving genuinely don't think they are even legally allowed on the road, hence the 'hatred' we hear and joke about between cyclists and motorists. Surely a bit more clarity from instructors / new section on the test could help with this. Interested what you would think about that portland_bill ?

Probably akin to posting on 'pistonskirts'
About the radio reception in your Hybrid MG

I worked in one of the UK's University 'Cycling citys' ...

I drove cars.. cycled ..and commuted by motorcycle..all an 'experience'..

You saw plenty of 'academics' whos focus certainly was not on the road..or selfpreservation.

Read a 'mountain bike' forum for a more 'rounded' experience.. 99.9% drive somewhere to ride

SB1500 said:

I'm laughing at the absolute cringe-fest that is their collective hate / prejudice against 'all drivers' who are aggressive, entitled and a risk to everyone and their planet... lol

Click to expand...

They are probably the same lycra clad tw**s riding in large groups 3 a breast on a road next to a nice new cycle path