Nothing works

[Pye Man]

I do wonder when (not if) the "internet" goes down for a day or two what would happen, so much relies on it, and I mean relies, no alternative.

I'd bet my last shirt our enemies are working this. That will be their first 'shot'.

As I have long said to my friends semi-jokingly (especially those that snigger at my quirky vintage ways): stick with me, I have an all-valve shortwave transmitter and receiver, a car with no electronics, and vital reference information is stored in hard copy form!

Bravo re the fountain pen! I still use a paper diary though the old Parker and bottle of Quink (or is it Stephens?) lie idle in some drawer.

(I am often accused of being a Luddite. My first experience at a computer terminal was 49 years ago, had a pocket calculator with scientific functions in 1976, was transmitting via microwaves in the early eighties, and had my first mobile phone in 1988.)

[Radio Fixer]

Later tech that has proved very reliable is my 12 year old Kindle. Its the one with a qwerty keyboard and buttons for functions. Later ones are all touch and swipe which have disadvantages.
All keys still work on it and I ignore Amazons strictures that it is no longer supported and I cant directly order and purchase a new book from it. It is used several times every day: even the battery holds up well to not be an issue.

Gary

[DrStrangelove]

And the next failure: the permanently on security light that I noticed at 23:30 last night.

Water ingress in the sensor i.e. it's full.

Thankfully it was fitted with a 10W Led "bulb" rather than a 200W halogen.

[PerdioPal]

When you repair it (or get a new one), drill a hole at the lowest point in the case.

[PerdioPal]

"Bravo re the fountain pen! ", 12 from Amazon for £7.99, loads of ink in each, cartridges about 50p each and a lot less ink.

[DrStrangelove]

When you repair it (or get a new one), drill a hole at the lowest point in the case.

Then it fills up with spiders instead.

IIRC I installed that one a couple of years ago when the previous one died due to rust.

Kovar does that apparently.

I think I've witched myself with this thread.

Now waiting for the next two things to fall over and die since these things always happen in threes.

[Murphyv310]

https://youtu.be/yZwvWhDr_jg?si=eqXWXk2XK-NnXnCa

I rather like that song Peter.
Thanks for sharing.

[Radio Fixer]

+1 for the song from me to. I'm lyric deaf so looked them up:
https://www.chordie.com/chord.pere/www.g...52280.html

thanks Gary

[DrStrangelove]

And the next failure: the permanently on security light that I noticed at 23:30 last night.

Water ingress in the sensor i.e. it's full.

Thankfully it was fitted with a 10W Led "bulb" rather than a 200W halogen.

Interesting: turned it back on today & it was ok, stayed off in the day time, stayed off when it got dark.

Wandered down & triggered it & lo! it comes on & stays on, so the count down timer is screwed in some way.

Probably the hideous el cheapo skeleton pot that does the discharge thing.

It's toast since the thing is impossible to open without knackering it, as I discovered with the first one.

The 3 year Lidl warranty is long gone since it sat on top of a cupboard for years before being pressed into use.

[DrStrangelove]

Sensor duly changed: the old one was indeed half full of rusty water.

IP44 isn't what it used to be.

I think I'll fit a shroud to keep the worst of the weather off it.