kevinjohnsonmbe

Ours has been in getting on 7 years now. Can't remember instal costs but I could find them if you want. I'm not sure how useful that would be after the passage of time though. Kit has got better and prices have changed etc, etc. Similarly, I don't have the system spec readily to hand - but could find them if you wanted. At the time we put ours in it was still 50/50 whether the domestic RHI would even be rolled out but my logic back then was, if it was, it would either be based on system capacity, amount of fuel burned or EPC for the house. I reckoned tariff would be EPC based (what your house 'needs' to be heated) rather than the first 2 since the first 2 would both incentivise burn rather than conserve. - The lesson learned from the commercial roll out balls up. So you had to have an EPC which identified the heat 'need' for your house. The tariff was based on that. My 1 biggest 'take away' from back in the day was - ensure you are confident in the knowledge, capability and credibility of the installer and the kit being installed. Even though I screened a dozen or so companies, I was still disappointed with the ability of the one we went with. When I say 'disappointed', I mean it actually got to the stage where I was waiting outside the office for the bastard come out, but that's a whole different story. It was a relatively new area and lots of chancers jumped on what appeared to be the gravy train without having sufficient knowledge or background to support bold claims. I should imagine equipment warranty would be similar to most boiler units whether oil, gas or biomass. The most important thing is set up, service support and willingness to work with the customer to achieve optimum operation which should be carefully measured against lifestyle and heating 'needs.' At the time, I really wanted a log burner but they do require more human input and we were both working full time so I went for pellet which allows for much more automation. Now we're both home all day I wish I had log but until the unit needs changing I'll stick with what I have. That said, the system has been spot on for 7 years - it took a bit of 'learning' and some lifestyle changes to optimise efficiency but that is all part of the fun. My system is an adapted Jaspi boiler with a woodviking burner head. I've since become quite friendly with the import / tech agent and can phone direct if I have any questions. Would I do it again. Absolutely, but the maths might not work if you end up ripping out a ½ life serviceable existing boiler to install a biomass. New build or replacement of end of life boiler I'd say it absolutely makes sense.

It 'shouldn't' make any difference for a number of reasons... The Gov commitment to RHI was made to satisfy the requirements at the date it was rolled out. There was a significant delay rolling out the domestic tariff after the shambles that ensued from the commercial tariff roll out. Originally, domestic was forecast to be index linked and for the lifetime of the installation. It ended up as fixed rate fixed term (7 years) which was significantly less advantageous - but closer to what it probably should have been. The possibility of EU fines for non-compliance with carbon targets by national governments may disappear, but UK Gov still has its own carbon reduction targets. If they are seen to shaft existing subscribers, there is no chance of encouraging new entrants to the renewable technologies. Carrot & stick - encourage 'good' behaviour, tax the hell outta bad... The council house thing is an interesting question. It is the owner of the qualifying heating system that draws the RHI payment. So it might be that the LA is drawing down the incentive whilst the occupant is neither better, nor worse off... I don't have a problem with than per se, after all, it is the person (or entity) that is responsible for installation costs that should be recompensed, not the occupant (unless the occupant put the cash up to install.)

That's a genuine interpretation egger... No BS!

That's not entirely the best way of looking at it though my old poached egg.... You see, in order for UK Gov to avoid the fines imposed by the EU for failing to reduce carbon output, it was deemed a 'bright idea' to incentivise Joe Sixpack to move off fossil fuels and onto renewables... So, where as you are viewing the RHI payment as a 'burden' upon the tax payer, I see it more as a community minded self sacrifice on my part, by doing my small part, to help UKPLC avoid incurring fines which would be paid by the tax payer to the EU. It's a thing of beauty Egger!

I know mate.... If I wasn't so tight, I'd have it running all day, have the windows open and sit here in my pants (like they do on the commercial Tarif in NI) but since the payment comes whether the system is on or off, I'd rather put a jumper on and spend the tax dollars down the pub ?

We installed a pellet boiler when doing a house extension. Not part of the same project but slightly separate so as to qualify for 5% VAT on purchase & installation of boiler. The existing oil boiler was old and unreliable so it made sense to remove / replace. Whilst established options were cheaper and more easily accessible I wanted to move off oil and there's no mains gas hereabouts. Was frustrating waiting for the civil servants to roll out the domestic RHI and it was significantly reduced in relation to the original forecasts (lessons learnt from making solar PV too generous) but here we are. RHI payments alone will total £27k over 7 years. Annual running costs (for me) is 1 ton pellets per year but I rarely have the central heating on. No brainer so far as my experience goes. Can post some pics (and go into more detail) if interested? (PS. just in case anyone looks at the figures, 28 x 814 = 22792. The pellet boiler is also linked to solar thermal panels and they draw a similar RHI which makes it up to +/- £27k)

What you say is important.... If you call it a workshop it’ll get referred to as a workshop and all of a sudden you have a workshop which may require planning consent and have waste burning regs etc applied to it. Stop calling it a ‘workshop’ and start calling it ‘ancillary’ or shed or nothing. Problems won’t arise if you don’t give any ‘labels’ that can cause problems...

Theft of dog, St Austell Police appeal for help to find six-month-old labradoodle called Waffle Police are appealing for information after a dog was stolen from St Austell this morning (Monday 23 December). A six-month-old labradoodle called Waffle was taken while being walked by his female owner in the Belmont Road area at around 7am. A male approached the owner and threatened her with what she believed was a knife. The suspect is described as being around 5ft 8in tall, was wearing a black, hooded top and scarf and spoke with a foreign accent. Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101, or email [email protected], quoting log number 0116 231219.

Was on local news last night, only 20 miles away from us. You just don’t expect to see it but with some pups north of £1000 and ease of private travel glad it’s not more commonplace. Like any mugging, best to give up the goods rather than risk your life - but that’s easier said than done - esp regarding a dog.

And there you have it..... It might start as a “friendly conversation” and the next thing you know you’re naked, covered in goose fat and involved in all sorts of shenanigans! (again, maybe that’s just Cornwall ?)

Give them nothing! Talk to them never! Its never a friendly & civil conversation! It they’ve got no details they can’t use them against you. Listen only - don’t engage! React to what they present - they are not your friend, they will try and fuck you over! Say nuffin, trust no one! Im pretty sure that’s Confucian (or Cornish)

Legendary retort! ??? And totally on the money!

I'd happily concede that the 'joined up thinking' necessary might be a stretch but since I'm a cynical bar steward by nature... After all, 'someone' dreamt up the 'new' requirement for TV licenses in student halls and military bases etc... It all comes down to money in the end. A department with dwindling income sets out to neutralise it's net deficit by raising enforcement fines. Not like it hasn't Benn done before... parking tickets for example...

Where ‘policy documents’ become so complex that people don’t bother to read them, so out of touch with daily practicalities of business and so over prescriptive that the requirements of full compliance far exceed the worth / value of the task, then the only outfits willing / able to undertake them are LA type organisations. Organisations where admin far exceeds output and the most basic principles of profit, VfM and accountability are sacrificed on the alter of public funding. If HSE can validate a set of requirements that many will simply ignore, whether aided and abetted by the AA, or emboldened by an apparent inability to challenge, then HSE are writing a gold plated guarantee of future income from enforcement action because they can reasonably expect that a majority will be ignoring their poorly considered ‘policy.’ Its not like they could be focussing more attention on fixing the areas where frequent accidents and fatalities are occurring such as building / roofing / farming. Maybe they’ve got those sectors all lined up as a steady cash cow already....

It's a it bit of a slog but there are some little gems to be picked out of these: https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/reports/ara-2017-18.pdf Statistics - Fatal injuries in Great Britain WWW.HSE.GOV.UK The information in this document relates to the latest 'full-year'; statistics on fatal injuries in the workplace, for 2018/19.

I had a new (in 2015) custom panel van. 30k so far and not a single issue (touch wood.) Granted, it’s low miles, minimal towing but it’s the dogs balls to drive - for a van. Ive heard (but not experienced) this potential issue with injectors. I’d give it 4 & ¾ out of 5.

Got yer pants wound up tight today me beauty?? ?

Is your set up optimised as relates to kit & machinery? Do you actually need the Mog for example? Is it 'earning' more than it's costing to keep it available?

Happened across this in the HSE prosecutions newsletter. Whilst not directly linked to arb in this instance, thought it might be of interest to anyone involved in the sale of used plant and machinery. It would seem that, if the seller of machinery has modified it, or bought it with non-spec post manufacture mods and then sells it on, they could be liable for accidents incurred by future users. Maybe worth a read: Landscape service company fined for selling unsafe machinery which was involved in the death of a worker - HSE Media Centre PRESS.HSE.GOV.UK Landscape service company Mayfair Developments Group Ltd has been fined for selling modified machinery which...

This system seems established. Not articulated but versatile.

Not likely.... No blood on the floor!!

Takes me 15 minutes to finish breakfast!!

Now you’re just applying CDF to a situation being orchestrated by pen pushers.... It’ll never gain traction ?

It’s an ideological band wagon with Labour (publicly) stoking the boiler whilst (less publicly) historically responsible for large scale PFI contracts - or, to call it as it really is, private provision of NHS services.... oh, the irony ?