There is no industry standard as to which way a tap should turn

The taps in our kitchen have been leaking a bit for a while, and we couldn't get any spare parts. They are over 25 years old, so we bit the bullet, and got some new taps.  They look nice, and have ceramic disc valves, which have a nice sharp on/off action.  So I should have been happy.

two sets of these new taps

BUT.  They turn on/off the wrong way!  Each of the handles turns clockwise (right) to turn on and anti-clockwise (left) to turn off.  I kept spraying myself with water when trying to turn them off, but turning them full on instead.  The plumber who installed them for us agreed this was wrong, but couldn't do anything to fix it.

So I contacted the manufacturer, explaining the issue.  They replied

As part of our Continuous Improvement programme the ceramic disc valves in some of our taps have been changed, this is to improve the life of your valves. Our previous customer feedback meant that this was the preferred way in which our customers wanted the handles to turn. This is not a manufacturing fault, but if you are unhappy with this change, alternative parts can be purchased to change the handle turn on your taps.

To assist you further can you please advise which way you would like the taps to turn?

Okay, so they can provide replacements, great.  I was a bit surprised by the idea that their customer feedback indicated everyone wanted the taps to turn the wrong way, but, hey.  I was also a bit flummoxed at the query: I had said which way the taps turn, and that it was wrong.  Clearly I want them to turn the other way.  I explained this, and sent along proof of purchase to get the warranty.

I then got the reply:

There is no industry standard as to which way a tap should turn, and our models do vary from tap to tap. This particular tap has always been manufactured in this way. I'm sorry I am unable to offer any valves that would fit your tap to change the handle turn.

Well, there might not be a de jure standard, but there is surely a de facto standard.  And how come your previous email said you could provide replacements?

I muttered to my other half.  He decided to contact them himself.  He was also told there was no industry standard, and asked to provide proof of purchase.  He did so, at which point he got the reply:

I have arranged for two sets of anti-clockwise turn on valves to fix this for you, these will be delivered by Royal Mail in 3-5 working days.

I can send an engineer to fit these parts for you free of charge under warranty. 

What?!?  Suddenly valves are available?  Great!  Yes, please send someone to fix them.  (Okay, this is a bit feeble; we should be able to do it ourselves.  But I was concerned they might be some weird design, being ceramic, and we might do something to void the warranty.)

The engineer arrived today, and swapped out the four old (wrong) valves for the new (correct) valves, in about ten minutes total.  He mentioned we were by no means the first people he had done this for...

And I am now extremely happy with our new taps, with their crisp ceramic action, and that turn the right way.

windy

It was windy last night.  We heard the tiles rattling on the roof, but fortunately, not skittering off the roof, as they have done in the past.

However, on my walk this morning, I discovered there had been damage elsewhere.

The tree it fell from is much bigger

spotty

"You want to look at the sun!" my other half yelled.  I went out with the solar binoculars, and saw many large spots.  Wow.  "Can we take photos of it with the SeeStar?"

About an hour later, after installing the solar filter, levelling the system, uploading new firmware, levelling it again, rebooting telescope and tablet a few time, and lots of muttering: a SeeStar picture!

click to embiggen

Wow!  Multiple spots. Pairs of spots. A cluster of spots.  A row of spots. A ring of spots!

Through the binoculars I could see the five big spots plus a splodge where the ring is.  But this picture is something else.

100 MWh

We've had solar panels on the house roof since early 2014.  Earlier this month, while reading the meter, we realised we had generated over 100 MWh in that time.

And actually, it's a bit more than that, since we have had more solar panels on the garage roof since April last year (to offset charging the electric car), which has increased our capacity by ~50%.

So, we can have a smug green glow of satisfaction.  As long as we don't count my air miles!

sunflower sizes

We have sunflowers scattered around the garden.  Same seeds, different results.

all of 3 inches "high"

about 5 foot, but rather "weedy"

close on 7 foot, with a Little Shop of Horrors vibe

all weather

Today's weather: fierce wind, heavy rain, thunder, lightning, bright sunshine -- all at the same time!

it had to happen one day

 

micro veg

The onion harvest is ... disappointing.

(acorns for scale!)

The carrot harvest is no better.  I'm told these are supposed to be small carrots, but I don't think they are supposed to be that small?  And that few?

horse hair

We've walked past this statue of Apollo several times already, as it's on the route between the hotel and the restaurants.  Tonight we loitered, as this was the place to gather before walking down to the conference dinner venue.

It was only then we properly noticed Apollo's hair.

Medusa had snakes, so...?

Nice observatory

The UCNC excursion today was to the Nice Observatory, barely a 20 minute coach ride up a nearby hill.  Well over 30 minutes into the journey, around scary hairpin bends, near Monaco, the driver finally admitted he had gone the wrong way.  Turning the coach on a road I swear was narrower than the coach was long had several of us recalling the ending of The Italian Job.  More swooping around hairpins, and we finally arrived at the observatory, over an hour late, and slightly nauseous.

The observatory itself was great.  We saw three historical telescopes, one of which was the largest privately-funded telescope in the world in its day.

Too large to photograph the whole refractor; inside a lovely wooden dome

Next we went to see the Coudé (French for elbow).  This was a new design, using mirrors to allow the eyepiece to stay in a fixed position: no leaping up and down giant staircases to view and adjust the scope.  Ironically, the development of mirrors good enough for this purpose meant that refractors were replaced by much more compact reflectors, so very few of this design were ever built.

The Coudé, but where's the dome?

The "dome", a moveable shed on rails

Next, on to the final telescope, in an amazing building.  Designed (somewhat literally) as a "temple to science", it has a large, recently regilded, sculpture over the entrance.

A 100 ton dome on a solid foundation, with a dramatic entrance.

A closer look

Inside, another large refracting telescope too long to fit in one photograph.

The finder scopes are themselves quite large.

The other end.

The 100 ton dome was designed by Eiffel.  A dome has to rotate.  100 tons has to rotate.  Eiffel designed a combination of rails and hydraulic support.  Today, it's just rails.

Documentation

There was an exhibition of instruments in the large dome.  Because we were so late, there was no time to see it.  Grumble.