Alan Stanley

On retirement and as the years roll by the costs have risen. For things like Travel Insurance, Car insurance once I retired (That I did argue and lost) and other things. They pale into the back ground this year. I apologize for thread drift but.............................. In the last 9 months I estimate my van has lost £3k in value but due to government restrictions we have been unable to use it as normal. Also because of (a) hard work. (b) sensible spending in past decades. (c) Sensible planning for old age. (d) Not living on credit cards, we have found that we have not needed foo

As Mr Plodd says. Insurance companies (not all) come not much above the 'media' in my book. They are simply bookmakers. Each little tick box on their forms is decide what risk they are taking. That is how they set the 'odds' for the bet you are placing. In their terms will be the 'get out clause' Change the 'odds' and they do not pay out. You will find they all have departments entitled ' Claims' Rule one - Find a reason we do not have to pay this claim. Blame has nothing to do with the claim. Rule two - If we have to pay out offer as little as we can possibly get away

As soon as you go to 24/7 it gets far more complicated. Given a finite number of staff and a finite number of jabs If they can be used during say 6 am to 10 pm using all the staff and logistical facilities there is little if any advantage to going to 24/7. Given then excess staff and jabs you have two choices. Increase existing turnover if you have the workspace to do that or go 24/7. Every site will be different but with sufficient staff etc to may make sense. What will not make sense is to have idol staff in the middle of the night if they can be used during the day. Sort of deci

A normal Flooded acid battery will loose quite a bit just being in storage with nothing connected. They like being fully charged so I'd get it going on charge asap. My Noco gets what I would describe as slightly warm when banging in its Max amps for hours at a time. Certainly not enough to be a concern.

It's simple really the greater the amps output from the charger the quicker the charge. Provided you do not exceed what your type of battery can handle. For example my Lithium can handle 100 am charging, Fast charging being one of the advantages of that type but try that on your lead acid at your peril. 5 amps is plenty if you have the time. As with all these things more amps equals more money and time is about the most expensive of the lot.

I have the Noco genius 5. For about a year. Does what it says on the tin. I've used it for a car flooded acid battery. An AGM on the caravan and now a lithium for the Caravan. I'm impressed with the leads quality. Also you can leave it connected to the mains and the charging leads unplug so no chance of an accidental short. The flashing lights tell me what I need to know. I've tested it and it does output it's full 5 amp. Its cut off voltages were very accurate for the different battery types so very pleased with it. Set to lithium it charged mine to exactly what the battery manufa

Quite right too.

Start with the obvious. Battery may be dead. Also your 12v electrics are not supposed to work when it is plugged into the car. Given a good battery then you will have to trace the power from it into the van. The Ranger I am familiar with had a fuse box cunningly hidden right up in the front nearside bed box. You have to almost get into the box to reach it. This caused an identical problem on my daughters van when it was laid up for three years. Clean the fuses and the holders (assuming your ranger has them of course ) . Continue to trace the 12 v into the van. If it is reaching the co

No ! They were for people who wanted to be seen. Last thing I wanted. All joking apart. In this strange world please think of our Security Services and the Police. They have gone about their business of protecting us without any fan fare or banging of drums. They are at the front line, with no P.P.E. worth a jot. Sometimes dealing with low life that actively is trying to infect them. Working double shifts to try and cover for their colleagues who are off sick. Cancelled leave, No Christmas and taking the risk home to their families every time they walk through the door.

If I told you I'd have to kill you.

They are not unwilling to see it. They created it and have been recruiting people of similar views for years. It is direct contradiction of their charter. Love to see them brought to heel.

Nope. That is why we call them the Biased Broadcasting Corporation.

Best fun was when on duty. No customs, and sometimes no idea where you were going to end up. Often with an 'Official' brief case full of stuff so sensitive it had to be guarded 24 / 7. Happy days.

My wife always remarks that I was always stopped at the Airport, tunnel and ferry. Considering I was made an 'honorary customs officer' many years ago, when working with them on Anti Terror type jobs. I found it fun. I once tried wearing the 'Presented Tie' after being in Greece, Made no difference still stopped. " We always stop our own was the remark."