Brexit, for once some facts.

Danidl

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I, ve had a look at spec of cables generally used in street lighting, obviously wouldnt be same in every case but electricians /electri al engineers are masters at over speccing.
Cable spec is here..
View attachment 29670

The cable is capable of handling minimum of 50 Amps (depending how its fixed, trunking, conduit etc) and rated at 600v/1000v..
I, d guess the cable is rooted in a ring system but no idea how many are used in each ring.
Some street light electrician might know???
I think there is lots of built in safety over capacity to at least have a look at. I doubt very much heavier cables would have been removed as and when LEDs were installed.
Zlatan, the description of that cable is as good an argument for remaining within the EU as any presented. The BS standards would have been derived and linked with ISO and IEC standards. Even the description on metric units.
A prudent engineer in building a footbridge will design it with a 3:1 safety margin,and Electrical engineers are no less prudent, so those cables would operate a 220v single phase . Running cables closer to the margins causes reduction in usable life,as the heating effect causes deterioration of the dielectric.
 
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Danidl

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I think there may be a solution with secondary battery in your garage. Let's say you need about 15kWH for your average e-car daily consumption. You fit a 17kWH secondary battery at home which is topped up at cheapest tariff. When you come back, your car pinches as much as it needs to top up its battery using a semi-fast charging system.
That way, the network does not have to be expanded in a hurry.
May be I should start a battery company and sell those 17kWH on trolleys for something like £2000.
The only problem with that scenario is that the battery pack is the single largest cost item. .. I have speculated that this is where lower cost technologies like a rotating mass flywheel spun up by a low power single phase motor at say 2 kw could rapidly charge a car over 3 hours.
 

oldgroaner

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I remember seeing a program about it. It can be done. I'm sure it's already the case in some parts of the world.

It's really not that difficult. Lampposts are effectively on a giant ring main.
I must look for them on the Yorkshire Moors
 

oldgroaner

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The only problem with that scenario is that the battery pack is the single largest cost item. .. I have speculated that this is where lower cost technologies like a rotating mass flywheel spun up by a low power single phase motor at say 2 kw could rapidly charge a car over 3 hours.
Most people who have cars park them remotely and have no charging point access
 
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oldgroaner

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I think there may be a solution with secondary battery in your garage. Let's say you need about 15kWH for your average e-car daily consumption. You fit a 17kWH secondary battery at home which is topped up at cheapest tariff. When you come back, your car pinches as much as it needs to top up its battery using a semi-fast charging system.
That way, the network does not have to be expanded in a hurry.
May be I should start a battery company and sell those 17kWH on trolleys for something like £2000.
Tha munt sell menny a Yoorkshire lad at yon price, by 'ek!
 

flecc

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I think there may be a solution with secondary battery in your garage. Let's say you need about 15kWH for your average e-car daily consumption. You fit a 17kWH secondary battery at home which is topped up at cheapest tariff. When you come back, your car pinches as much as it needs to top up its battery using a semi-fast charging system.
That way, the network does not have to be expanded in a hurry.
May be I should start a battery company and sell those 17kWH on trolleys for something like £2000.
But I have no access for the car to my home, and in these flats few would carry a huge 17 kWh battery into their flats. It has to be mains electricity at the garage or an i.c. car.
.
 
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oldgroaner

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the Comedy lingers on
From the Express
"
Theresa May QUITS: PM confirms she WILL stand down at CRUCIAL Brexit moment
THERESA MAY has announced to Conservative MPs that she will resign as Prime Minister once her Brexit deal is passed.

Why wait? and take the rest of them with you!
 

OxygenJames

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Flecc I have the same here - living in the Surrey hills though so not so surprising. The solution? Swapped over to Vodafone and they have a fancy box you can get that runs off your wireless internet - and allows you to make and get calls as per normal.

Though like you if you walk too far away from the house you lose the signal - and like you if you walk far enough down the lane it picks up again. The only downside is the lowest monthly deal Vodafone do is £12 (500 minutes).

But at least I get to use my mobile (yup I have an old Nokia - but my partner has one of the latest all singing and dancing modern smart phones) - at least they both work absolutely fine.
Here's the link:

https://www.vodafone.co.uk/network/calling-features/sure-signal
 
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wheeler

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You really don't give me much credit do you? I've already obtained SIM cards for all networks and checked them for signal, There's no usable one, and as I posted smart meters dont work here either. It's for terrain reasons, being on the lea of a valley that's blind side to the transmission masts. Ther are three relay points locally, but even they are blocked by the hills between them and my zone.

Ive also wandered the area with the SIM cards and found many dead spots. So overall it's just not worth my bothering to have smartphone until there's some big improvements in the area.

Even one G would be something!
.
If you would like to use a smartphone at home most providers and recent phones will allow WiFi calling.
 

Fingers

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So May says she will go if they vote for her deal. Official.

What a load of balls. How sad that an entire country is led by some completely out of touch tories.

Let's hope the DUP and Labour stay firm.
 
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OxygenJames

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If you would like to use a smartphone at home most providers and recent phones will allow WiFi calling.
Vodafone is the only one you can do without using an App. We tried others that you had to go through an app - nothing like what I'd call 'normal' functionality.

'Three' for example - you have to use their app and its fiddly. With the Vodafone one the phone works completely normally picking up a signal thats boosted by the 'sure-signal' box.
 
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wheeler

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Your thinking and aspirations are old fashioned.

It can work. And it can work easily. Without getting back into remainers mind sets I would just say you are thinking in 20th century beliefs.

As in everything is perfect now why change it?

Because we can. We can make it better.
I agree that this can be done but twice you have said it would be easy, it wouldn't.
It would require replacement of most of our urban street lighting infrastucture.

Apart from the supply capacity problems which other posters have mentioned most lighting columns are installed at the back of the footway so there would have to be system to handle charging cables and keep them clear of the footway.
Many street lighting installations are fed by a switch wire which is only energised when the lights are required, being controlled by photo cell or timer. If you want the ability to charge 24/7 then the lights will also be on 24/7, the alternative is to dig up the streets to rewire the network. All of this can be done but it not easy.
I can understand that as someone in the creative sector you will have some great ideas but without an ounce of practicality.
In my many years' experience in civil engineering (including street lighting installation) such people couldn't be trusted to put a nut in a monkey's mouth.
 
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wheeler

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Vodafone is the only one you can do without using an App. We tried others that you had to go through an app - nothing like what I'd call 'normal' functionality.

'Three' for example - you have to use their app and its fiddly. With the Vodafone one the phone works completely normally picking up a signal thats boosted by the 'sure-signal' box.
No, I'm not talking about an app, my phone simply reverts to WiFi calling when it connects to WiFi. You simply enable WiFi calling in the settings. I did say that this works with recent phones, perhaps your phone is not so recent.
 

oldgroaner

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In Colchester and other parts of Essex most street lamps are turned off at nighttime to save money.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-32030913

About 70% of lights have been turned off between midnight and 05:00 since March 2013 to save £1m annually.
They turn off the street lamps at night to save money? by jove that's a clever move.
This is known locally by the criminal fraternity as "Happy Hours"
(You have to carry a torch if you want to be mugged)
 
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