Valves for Shutting Off Water in the Home

Just a reminder folks to identify where all your gate valves are for shutting off water in an emergency. Tie a label around them or write the function on the wall behind with a thick marker. Valves can and do seize, so it's good to exercise them at least once a year. You don't want to be running around like a headless chicken when there's a water leak.

Lawn Mower Won't Start? - Top 10 Small Engine Troubleshooting Tips

1. Use fresh petrol (gasoline). Old petrol can cause difficult starting. Make sure there is enough fuel in the tank and check the vent in the tank cap isn'tclogged
2.  The spark lead should be firmly attached to the plug, and the plug tightly screwed into the engine block. Try replacing the plug with a new one if the engine won't start
3. Most modern mowers have a control handle which needs to be pushed forwards/upwards and held in place to keep the engine running. Make sure this control is mower is held fully against the mower handle while starting.
4. If a manual choke is fitted, turn it on. Don't turn on the choke if the engine has been running in the last 10 minutes
5. If the engine has a primer bulb, press it about 5 times. If the mower runs out of petrol during cutting, it will need to be primed again
6. Check the air filter isn't dirty. Wash and dry foam type air filters in warm,soapy water. A paper filter can be blown out with an air compressor, but will eventually need to be replaced
7. Check the cable connecting the "dead man's handle" (the control which keeps the engine running when held in place) to the engine is not damaged or snapped
8. The carburettor should be tightly screwed or bolted to the engine
9. Make sure there isn't any water collected at the bottom of the petrol tank. If there is, drain the tank and use a piece of stick or long screwdriver with a piece of rag tied on (with a twisty tie) to soak up water
10. If the starter cord is hard to pull, check the underside of the deck and remove any clumps of grass which may be jamming the blade. Disconnect the spark lead before attempting to move the blade to remove clippings!

    

    Paper air filter

    
    

    

    Foam air filter

What is a Neon Glow or "Phase" Tester?

A neon glow tester, sometimes called a "phase" tester is a device used to detect mains voltages. The neon capsule in the device is usually sensitive to voltages from 90 volts upwards. Contact must be made with a live terminal for the neon bulb to glow. When doing electrical maintenance work, a neon tester can be used to double check power is turned off after switching off a breaker. Neon testers are commonly available in the form of a flat screwdriver whose blade is sized to suit the screws in electrical fittings.
Newer type hand held electrical testers such as the Fluke VoltAlert use an electronic detection circuit which activates an LED when the tip of the tester is in close proximity to a live terminal or power cable, actual contact is not necessary. These testers are useful for detecting presence of voltage e.g in a power flex or on the output of a breaker. However if the tip is too far away, the LED may not light up, giving the false impression that a circuit is not live. So they should never be used to test for absence of voltage. A neon tester should be used for absolute certainty when testing (and the tester should be pre-checked by touching it against a live terminal , e.g. the outlet of a socket to ensure it is working properly).