What did you do today? (2014)

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

That's dentist overcharging Loctite 3335 is going for as little as $300 for 250 ml!

Neil

[Bob LambParticipant @boblamb44747]

Ring on the bell first thing this morning and the neighbour told me all the car windows were open. Of course it had rained last night so spent a bit of time mopping up with paper towels!

This had happened once before but the windows only came down an inch or so. At that time, as well as last night, there had been thunder nearby and I wondered if the nearby lightning had triggered the windows in some way. I also wondered if someone had a key to my car but it seemed a bit strange as nothing was taken – maybe they just wanted to worry me or make me think I was going crazy – not difficult!

The car is a Vauxhall Meriva and, before trying to spend hours talking to Vauxhall, I looked for the problem on google. The answer was worrying and proves to me that cars are now too clever for their own good. If you press, and hold down, the unlock button on the fob for a few seconds – bingo – ALL THE WINDOWS OPEN! So if you press the unlock button on your key fob by mistake when it is in your pocket in your house – there is a problem.

I don't know if it only affects Vauxhalls but it might be worth trying your own keys to see if it is an issue with your car.

Final thought – can anyone think of a situation when you would want to remotely open all your car windows together on purpose let alone by mistake.

I must try and see if it is possible to disable this function.

Bob

[StevoParticipant @stevo]

"Final thought – can anyone think of a situation when you would want to remotely open all your car windows together on purpose let alone by mistake."

Yes – If your car is full of water and you don't want to be hit by the flood if you open the door.

It's a bit worrying… either your car windows or my sense of humour…

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Bob – seems to be a common problem. Four years ago – Renault Meganne Cabriolet – on motorway heavily laden returning home from our caravan. Eased handbrake on in slow and heavy traffic. All windows came down and wifes lovely new compact camera disappeared out of the back window under the wheels of an artic.

Have a Ford C-Max now and it opens all the windows willy nilly when you least expect it – most annoying! Still and all, I 'spose we should not criticize progress should we? (Insert sound of small voice of dissent) Progress? Har bl**dy har!!!!!

Rik

[StevoParticipant @stevo]

Hi Rik.. That sounds worrying… I have a C-Max as well… What are the circumstances?

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

I have had this happen on at least three occasions with my Volkswagen Tiguan and Audi A-4. It is my own fault for keeping to much junk in my pockets.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Interesting 'modern' problem here with Outlook 2013. Trying to connect to an exchange server, so I select exchange dserver on the a new account 'wizard' it tells me I can't unless i close outlook and open the account wizard through control panel. So I do, I fill in the information and click 'next'.

It tells me it can't connect me without Outlook running.

Outlook won't open until I close the wizard…

"That's Catch 22."

Neil

[StevoParticipant @stevo]

AHA.

You have to set up the profile in Control panel first

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Posted by OuBallie on 05/06/2014 12:16:34:

Tap leak eradicated!

Well I am speedy Gonzales.

It was done 10min ago.

Time to fix the leak as it's been going on for too long.
Had visions of needing to drain both the hot water and feeder tanks after turning the cold water supply off.

Hi Geoff,

For a tip, nine times out of ten a glass or mug placed open end over the loft tank spigot will all but stop any water coming down the pipes.

The pressure of water in the tank will keep it there, just turn on the leaking tap and nip up in the loft to do the mug trick.

Hope this is of use

[Rik ShawParticipant @rikshaw]

Hello Stevo – Sometimes I would lock the car with the fob and all windows would come down. Other times I would return to a locked car and find all windows down. Car went in to service depot yesterday for faulty EGR valve (kept going into limp home mode). Third time at service depot for this fault alone. Computer diagnostics found that the windows software was corrupt (nothing new there then!) and the EGR valve was jammed open.

I have to say that their assurances that these faults will not occur again fell on deaf ears and that my trusty electric buggy lives in the boot for the foreseeable future

Rik – forever mobile (well trying anyway!)

Edited By Rik Shaw on 05/06/2014 19:22:38

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

The after effects of a good curry can make opening all the windows in a hurry a good idea.

Mike

[NJHParticipant @njh]

|" Interesting 'modern' problem here with Outlook 2013. Trying to connect to an exchange server, so I select exchange dserver on the a new account 'wizard' it tells me I can't unless i close outlook and open the account wizard through control panel. So I do, I fill in the information and click 'next'.

It tells me it can't connect me without Outlook running.

Outlook won't open until I close the wizard…

"That's Catch 22."

Neil "

Hmm Neil

Do you often get these feelings of rejection…?

N

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

The non working team got busy on the traverser base and concreted it in place today.

Well done chaps. Soon have loop instead of a end to end to play on.

Brian

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Bought a rather nice "offcut" of K100-S Tooling Plate

650mm x 335mm x 6.35mm

… One Man's offcut is this Man's stockpile !

Now for a question: If you look at the spec sheet [linked above] you will see that a claimed feature of K100-S is that it can be Nickel Plated. … Does anyone here have experience of doing that?

Grateful for the benefit of your wisdom.

MichaelG.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Posted by Michael Poole on 05/06/2014 19:55:13:

The after effects of a good curry can make opening all the windows in a hurry a good idea.

Mike

ROTFL!

Lofty76,

Good advise.

Luckily someone had used their noggin and fitted valves to the outlets. Have had to drain everything in sight on other properties.

Dentists, don't we love going – NOT!

Whilst enjoying a home baked biscuit the other day, I heard a crack that sounded like the roof coming down, and tongue finding that I had 'managed' to remove the ceramic? front from one of my caps.

Now starting to look like the character Jaws in The Spy Who Loved Me – Lovely!

Dentist on Wednesday for work booked last month, so will ask if the errant piece can be glued back on temporarily, or what.

Geoff – I must roast coffee beans today!

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Modern car electronics- Had one that would lock and unlock at a filling station nearby, turns out was due to a radio transmitter , lots of local complaints. Always keep the keys in pocket ( when not driving !) Had my dog lock me out last week. Even a bad contact on a brake light bulb can throw up all sorts of odd things. Catch 22s -bought a mobile phone , shop would not sell it to me unless I gave my mobile number, in the end I just made up a number and they were happy. Not a good day ,dentist and sorting out a new mobile ,my head hurts.

[Anonymous]

Well, yesterday actually; picked up this 'holy' relic, after winning it on Ebay:

That's a 12" rule in the picture. Not pretty, but it was relatively cheap and it's perfectly usable.

Andrew

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

I found the solution to accidentally opening VW windows from the key fob, it could be disabled in the menu system (do not know if that applies to all models).

Really it would have been ideal if the system could be left to operate on a closing only basis to cope with passengers opening them but forgetting to close them before getting out, I could not find that that option though.

Edited By V8Eng on 06/06/2014 13:51:06

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Yesterday – went for 14 mile walk with 142 others Beating the Bounds of our village during a lucky break in the weather followed by a meal in the village hall. Thus maintaining a quaint mostly rural tradition to assert our rights to grazing and turbary on the open moor and to walk through 3 gardens that are on the edge of the parish.

It proved an opportunity to talk to various visitors and I found a retired car restorer now building up a private workshop in a nearby village who in turn introduced me to a chap restoring a veteran car with an invitation to visit both workshops.

It was interesting in regard to some politians statements about the nation's religion that although sometimes only a dozen attend communion in our church everyone joined in the Lord's Prayer before setting off.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

My dentist uses the Cerec crown process which can see you you in and out with a new crown in 1hr. He uses a camera to make a 3d image of the gap and remaining part of the tooth to be crowned after drilling away damaged tooth. The computer models a tooth to fit the stump and gap, a bit of manual adjustment to the model and the finished model is sent to a cnc two headed millling machine and after loading a block of the correct colour ceramic the machine produces a crown ready to be cemented in position. A finished job in less than 1hr (not cheap though).

check out cerec crowns on youtube.

Mike

[Billy MillsParticipant @billymills]

Car problem – all windows down and doors unlocked on a previously locked car. Happens when you press the boot release and unlock button at the same time on some models. ( can happen when you fall asleep with the fob in your pocket then roll over on it!)

The "fob don't work" problem is commonly experienced near Tetra transmitters (used by the emergency services) on fobs working at 433MHz. There are many places where people stop e.g. for a take-away.. then can't get in their cars, quite likely to happen near some Police stations. Basic cause is very poor quality receiver in the car and very strong local transmission. Holding fob near centre of windscreen or middle of driver's window may help. Could also be a dead/ corroded fob battery!

Billy.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

My '07 Fiat Dobló driver's door and rear hatch? can be locked/unlocked by turning the ignition key in the key slots in either door handle.

The reason I have three old cars – no computer/software grief!

I am able to fix the cars myself.

Spanners and multi-meter and job done, with the inevitable three letter words now and again of course, aimed at the part not co-operating fully. Sledge hammer nearby as last resort, but haven't had to use it yet.

Geoff – It's getting ready to really to pee down. Oh it's starting.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Wonder if it is practical to fit an isolating switch on the battery on these cars, so that every thing is shut down, could be fitted under the dash, would also deter car thieves. Ian S C

[Billy MillsParticipant @billymills]

Some old Austins had the battery under the passenger seat, there was a rotary switch mounted on one battery post which was a very good way of stopping the uninitiated.

A reason for the " all windows down and unlocked car" is hot climates. It is better to open up the car before you have to get inside- even for a few seconds- when the temp is 40C.

Billy.

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

Out playing with trains at our local society open day well afternoon, kept all the smalls happy and the weather was good from a rather soggy morning with thunder storms.

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