On Sat, 8/16/2025 11:02 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
And, the new methods _are_ very seductive. A recent discussion suggested
(I think) that Germany was using the LW band in ways beyond just
broadcasting - much as we do for power-load switching, but to a greater
extent. I decided to try to find out, so googled for a bit - without
much success; then I gave in and went to ChatGPT. I was able to
determine that in fact Germany does not use the LW band for _anything_ -
broadcast or otherwise. Yes, this assumes chatGPT knows (or can find)
the answer - but in this case, I suspect it could do so at least as well
as I could, and certainly considerably more quickly.
So I can see it rapidly becoming the go-to place to ask questions.>
First, I start with a Wiki, to find some ground truth and to find
some terminology for my topic.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longwave
DCF77 in Frankfurt, Germany, on 77.5 kHz, 50 kW
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCF77
Operation at that frequency, requires some amount of power. One of
the installations of that nature, has three generators onsite providing
power for transmitter operation. Because of the expense, there is a temptation to turn the things off.
*******
You can certainly make mistakes doing plumbing.
Your first mistake, is buying your materials at the plumbing store :-) Inflationary spiral, my ass.
PaulJohn
And don't even attempt to work on gas pipework unless
you're a qualified gas engineer.>
Gas pipe could even be said to be easier than copper pipe, since the
typical black pipe job doesn't get soldered joints.
different materials can be used here too, even plastics now if you can believe that! Black iron is still number one here in USA, I think.
sticks wrote:
Gas pipe could even be said to be easier than copper pipe, since the
typical black pipe job doesn't get soldered joints.
Probably a UK/USA difference, but domestic gas pipes have been almost exclusively copper here for decades ... yes you can still buy black iron
pipe and fittings at real plumbers merchants, but not likely in DIY sheds.
sticks wrote:
different materials can be used here too, even plastics now if you can
believe that! Black iron is still number one here in USA, I think.
Plastic is used in the street, but it must change to metal as it comes inside.
sticks wrote:
Gas pipe could even be said to be easier than copper pipe, since the typical black pipe job doesn't get soldered joints.
Probably a UK/USA difference, but domestic gas pipes have been almost exclusively copper here for decades ... yes you can still buy black iron pipe and fittings at real plumbers merchants, but not likely in DIY sheds.
The previous furnace had mostly black pipe,
and it had one section of copper leading to the furnace, and it took
three tries, two guys with a big spanner each, to get enough compressive pressure to make it so the copper connection point did not leak.
On 8/17/2025 8:41 AM, J. P. Gilliver wrote:
And don't even attempt to work on gas pipework unless
you're a qualified gas engineer.>
Nonsense. I don't think you're fearmongering, but you simply don't know
what you're talking about here. Gas pipe could even be said to be
easier than copper pipe, since the typical black pipe job doesn't get soldered joints. If you personally feel unqualified to cut pipe,
connect, and check for leaks, you should not be doing it. If for peace
of mind alone.
I certainly am not a "qualified gas engineer" and I have done gas pipe
jobs many times. Most men, with a bare minimum of research and a few specialty tools, can successfully do gas pipe and save a ton of money.
If you do have a professional do it, you should still check his work.
Paul wrote:
The previous furnace had mostly black pipe,
and it had one section of copper leading to the furnace, and it took
three tries, two guys with a big spanner each, to get enough compressive
pressure to make it so the copper connection point did not leak.
So solder it?
Gas mains in the street were replaced here last year (something like 3" plastic inserted inside the 1970s 4" cast iron). As built, the houses transitioned to black iron somewhere outside the front door, which then
went under the solid concrete floors to the meter. In the intervening
years many front-porches and garages had been built over the transition point, they refused to leave my meter in the same location.
Some houses had ugly meter boxes fitted on (not within) external walls, others had yards and yards of external pipe snaked around their house
also ugly). I got them to dig* and divert the incoming pipe a couple of metres, so all that's visible is an external vertical riser about 18".
The rest is 22mm soldered copper, neat enough and will get boxed inside
a cupboard "soon".
[*] i knew there was concrete under the block paved drive, but they
didn't ask, I suspect it was biting-off more than they expected!
Even knowing they were they and you were going to cut them, it took a
little getting used to hearing that blowing noise and smelling the gas
after always training people NOT to do that.
On Sun, 17 Aug 2025 14:53:41 -0500, sticks wrote:
[snip]
Even knowing they were they and you were going to cut them, it took a
little getting used to hearing that blowing noise and smelling the gas
after always training people NOT to do that.
I have been around when they needed to purge the gas line to my water
heater (gas had been off because of a faulty regulator). I was surprised
at how LOUD it was when the gas came through.
BTW, I might have made the noise to remind myself, but didn't because it would scare the cat.
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