Simple lateral solution: Make a loop in the cable with the joint at its centre...
---------------------------. ----------\---------------------------- | / '--****--' **** = joint
... and put some big shrink-wrap tube over the lot.
On Sat, 01 Jul 2006 13:54:21 GMT, "Dorothy Bradbury" had this to say:
Surely if it relies on glue to hold it together, it can't be "self-amalgamating" ?
Of course it can - the glue is solvent or plasticiser loaded to soften the thin PVC so it cold welds into a solid mass. The self-amalgamating PVC tape ends up gluing itself in such a mess that you can't unpeal the roll after a few years.
The rubber etc self-amalgamating stuff you cite is far better.
I don't think I have come across that one.
I use the RS version which has a layer of silicone (?) release paper seperating the layers.
I find if it's installed clean straight from the roll & properly tensioned at the outset. It does indeed self amalgamate and after a few years cannot be delaminated. Someone skilled in it's application can make a reasonably good facsimile of a tapered strain relief grommet with it, a double ended one housing a repair, even. Repairs to "Henley Solon" soldering iron leads spring to mind from the dim and distant past.
DG
There are at least two shrink capacities in shrink wrap. You must have come across the version that shrinks (I'm out on a limb here, as I was not the user of this stuff) by so many percent and there was another that shrank twice as much. I can't give you any further info, other than it was used in the aerospace industry.
try this link
Dave
You are fortunate - it is a dreadful cheepy version :-)
Sounds decent.
o Large diameter 7" - 9" - 12" - 16" axial fan o Axial fan = high airflow + low pressure + low noise
o Long length 12" - 24" radial fan o Radial fan = high airflow + high pressure + higher noise
In general... o Go for a 16" axial fan set to the lowest speed o Auto-oscillate mechanism may need lubing annually re noise :-)
Tower fans... o Radial fans are good for overcoming resistance of a filter
---- eg, Honeywell / Duracraft HEPA filter fan
-------- filter imposes huge airflow resistance = radial fan/blower used o Radial fans in tower fans without filters are more for compact size
Axial fans... o Axial fans are best for high airflow at lowest noise if big rotor
---- eg, 16" desktop fan set to the slowest settings
-------- no filter so no downside to the low static pressure of the fan
One counter is... o Some tower fans are Honeywell - who do decent fans / HVAC control
---- in some instances you may find their tower fan is a little quieter o However Honeywell HEPA tend to be noisier - even later quiet models
---- minimum blower speed / noise is needed to overcome the filter
So you may want to ask if you can plug the thing in whilst the assistant waits.
Realise high airflow across legs can create ache/pains - you want
You live and learn. ;-)
General tips re room cooling in summer...
Solar gain from direct sunshine is your enemy o Solar gain can add 5-10oC to a outdoor (shade) air temperature o Solar gain downstairs can elevate temps markedly upstairs
Minimise solar gain... o Keep curtains/blinds closed on windows facing the sun
---- directly reflect as much heat back out as possible o Keep windows closed on windows facing the sun
---- avoid drawing in air heated near brickwork, fascia etc
---- avoid drawing in air heated in the "curtain-to-window" gap
Maximise natural convection... o Heat rises - so can be used to draw cool air in as hot goes out
---- sash windows -- gap at top & bottom allows hot out, cool in
---- 2 floors -- open windows downstairs & upstairs o Open windows opposite to those exposed to solar gain
---- sunset gives a marked drop in air temperatures
---- East has sunlight in the a.m., but not for hours by sunset
-------- ideally open windows on a shaded East side downstairs
---- West has sunlight in the p.m. right through to sunset
-------- ideally open windows on the sunset West side upstairs
Generally it can take 22:00-02:00hrs to see a real drop in air temps, and building fabric itself will solar gain over several days unfortunately.
Cooling systems... o UK has high humidity even in summer
---- so evaporative coolers don't work so well here as say Arizona o UK has high solar gain in summer re bricks/windows
---- bricks can be helped by cavity insulation (if you have a cavity :-)
---- windows benefit from both window blinds & curtains combined o UK is trying HVAC more often, especially in loft conversions
---- key thing is heat rises + solar gain heats
---- both need to be minimised to avoid HVAC struggling away
Generally room fans make a big difference, particularly when combined with careful window opening to use natural convection & cool night air.
As for which room fan is quieter, you'd actually have to try them. Honeywell make very good quality fans (commonly radial hence tower), and may be quieter - certainly of higher quality than the generic desk fans.
Windows roller blinds up to 8ft, perhaps longer, are easy on Ebay, 29-35ukp. They are effective for stopping room contents (& curtains) fading, and in particular stopping UV degradation of materials - especially curtain linings.
Working on the floor may sound odd, but it's a lot cooler down there :-) A cool drink (fridge to cool drink cheaper than running a chiller) and a cool shower/bath do plenty to reduce your temperature.
For PCs, HDs below max op temp (and verify individually because most utils only report one HD temp if multipled fitted, not always the hottest one).
Small 7" fans of major names (Salton, Pifco etc) can be extremely quiet on the lowest setting - but ideal in size for placement next to a computer.
I think your best bet is the rubbery type self amalgamating tape. Careful application will produce a nice variable flexabilty strain relief. On the common 2 or 3 mm overall dia PC mic cables and even smaller cores getting the stuff on can be tricky. The problem is the tension, you need to stretch it to a good twice it's supplied length. You can get away with making a narrow strip say 1/2" wide and only and 1" or 2 long, stretching it then applying it. Most tension is required for the initial stretch, once streched it doesn't fully spring back so doesn't need as much tension to apply.
This stuff forms a very good seal and lasts donkeys years outside. I've taken it of N type aerial conections that have been roof top exposed for
bright and clean as the day I wrapped 'em up.
So use heat shrink TUBING.
It does exist, but is a specialist product, and some forms may even be 'special order' only. The clear version I have used, had a 'UV' activated adhesive, and you set the glue, before shrinking the tape. The problem is that most conventional adhesives, do not provide sufficient sheer strength to take the force that the shrinkage can produce. RS, do a version as part number 170-5403, which has a thermal welding property, which can work, but in all honesty, as a 'sealing' product, self amalgamating tape is better. Remember that the relative 'stiffness' of the heat shrink tape, makes it very hard to achieve a reliable lap, without leaving holes.
Best Wishes
Or if it won't fit over the connectors you could even use heat shrink TAPE.
Not really that specialist, its been available for at least 15 years from niche suppliers and around 5 years from mainstream distributors.
Really? Despite me posting that exact stock number, its dimensions, price and shrink temp 28 minutes after the original posting in this tread you seem to be the only other person on the planet that believes it even exists. Is news propogation that bad? Are RS really just taking the piss and listing a line that doesn't exist? Have I really not been using it for over 10 years?
Roger me senseless Baldrick, I must be going as mad as Dr Dribble.
Newsfeeds are by no means instantaneous. I had not seen your reply when I posted (it has appeared since, so 'yes' propogation _is_ that bad). You can reckon at times that a posting may take several hours to propogate round the world, and I have seen emails take over a fortnight (the classic one is where the email is beaten by the 'snail mail' package it relates to...). This is why it is particularly important to layout messages, so that people can see what you are replying to, and not assume that other people have seen exactly what you have seen (comment to top posters here, not you!... :-) If you re-read my reply, you will see that I say the tape, _may_ be specialist. The RS form, I do not believe to be that good, while the UV version I have used was only available in large order, from a specialist supplier. Hence my comment. The tapes do exist, but RS is one of the few 'end user' suppliers who do a form in small quantities.
Best Wishes
No RS just take the piss with the gawd awful web site.
They seem to have re-vamped it recently and it's even worse than before on my browser...
On Sun, 2 Jul 2006 17:01:26 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote (in article ):
Trying to search for things by categories seems very difficult to do.
It used to be possible to find an item using a text search and then to get a list of items in its group. This is useful when you want something that is slightly different or where there are several items in a range that you need to buy to make a solution to do something.
Now both seem difficult to impossible.
Not only the website. The CD catalogue is just about as bad (worse..). If you run it off CD, even with a modern drive, you can reckon on five minutes for some searches. Of the HD, it is 'slightly' better, but not much. It won't find some items even with the right part number, and then if you ask for a data sheet, it links you to the website, and asks you to log in. Do this, and you are still pointing at the item you want the data sheet for, but on the website. Select it again, now on the website (already logged in), and it asks you to login again. Only on the third attempt, do you get to the data sheet. Fairly often at this point, the 'sheet' is the wrong one for the selected product. I think they are trying hard to discourage people from actually using them.... :-( The version from a year or so ago, was about 50* better. Only took about
1/10th the time, and would link to the correct data sheet.Best Wishes
Hi DB - followed your tips for keeping rooms in house cool - closed all the windows, shut all the curtains and pulled down the blinds and on exit, closed all the room doors. Got home and the house was like a huge oven. My current bedroom temp is now 30C / 86F. Now in the process of desperately trying to get the temps down before we all go to sleep.
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