Brexit discussion thread XIV (Please read OP before posting)

Have you seen the state people get into when you mention switching to metric. Also the state they get into any time someone changes a simple road layout.

I more meant in the UK if you try to implement metric as law.

The tabloids were forever running EU stealing our imperial bllsht stories

And of all firms, British Leyland tried to go to fully metric! (amongst others)

It's a peculiar decision to give it a miss. They're claiming to be a big mover and shaker in global politics and how they don't need the EU and then they go and snub a huge international conference like this.

I learned to drive in a (by then rather elderly) Austin Metro. All engine/transmission bolts were imperial, all chassis bolts metric. Worst of both worlds. Then again the basic engine unit had been designed in 1948 or so.

ehh. Auto manufacturers are not too bright across the pond, either. My 1973 Ford Pinto, it of the same model year as the one that famously exploded and burst into flame after being rear-ended, had the same setup for bolts. First time I ever needed metric tools to work on a "US" car. Ford might've been experimenting with various parts built around the world then.

Its very easy to criticise people for being Nimbys until something is proposed for your own back yard. In my case it is a solar farm taking up 200 ha or 500 acres of prime farm land in a beautiful piece of countryside. It will stretch across a huge swathe of land right into the heart of our small village. They claim it will not be visible, but you only have to drive around the area to realise it will be an industrial development clearly visible from many angles and very visible on approach to the village from the edges of the mountains. I have no issue with the wind turbines, some of which I can see from my house.

The company got permission, with almost no argument, for a smaller development, about a third of the total, but instead of going ahead with it they have immediately sought permission to expand it, the first exercise was just testing the water, now they are taking the piss - and they are still actively looking for more farmers to lease their land to extend it further. Not that it matters but locals will not get cheaper electricity, it is being sold abroad, they made a cash offer 'to the community' but managed by the local authority - ha! chance the community would see any of it - but people are so against it that they are not interested in hand-outs.

This is a county council that hands out planning permission very reluctantly, but a massive industrial development in the middle of a scenic rural area, yes that's fine, go ahead.

Not sure what any of this has to do with Brexit, but I can't let snide and uninformed remarks go without comment.

How is your situation not a cherry picked example? You are complaining on your own behalf! And its a Grade A example of whataboutery since it has nothing to do with the subject that was being discussed; there is a world of difference between people complaining about housing in a housing zone and objecting to industrial developments in the middle of a rural zoned area - where no-one has a chance of building houses.

I am not too sure that oil is measured in barrels anymore. But it is priced in barrels, which is more a reflections of the commodities markets rather than engineering decisions.

Nearly all new American cars but legacy parts will still use SAE units or costumery units. That is partly because of the cost of changing for no obvious benefit. Morris motors in UK used Metric threads and measurements in their early engines because they were originaly of French manufature and it would cost too much to change. I have A BSA motorcycle which has which has mostly Imperial measurements and threads but some parts use British BSW, BSF BSC and otherss use UNC and UNF threads because US and UK thread to standardise during WW2. (It also had metric threads (Spark plugs ) and metric derived threads (BA in electrical parts).

This still happens now. Work on Liebherr diggers, designed in Germany, built in France but with a Cummins 50L engine which has imperial bolts

The article about the random inspection of trucks at diver is shocking. That’s a biological ticking time bomb

In another Brexit benefit, the UK has new quality standards to replace CE but has failed to implement them. The result is certain items cannot be certified for use and some implementation of standards is being delayed.

It is a very expansive to create national certification both for the authorities, as the UK is finding, and for manufacturers who only need it for the UK market.

It is perhaps something we need to be aware of here though, as we rely on UK standards for many items.

My wife bought something in an Irish chain recently which had the CE mark covered over by a UKCA label. I found it a bit strange.

Dear oh dear, where to begin?

People forget that farming is an industry. The land isn't sitting there doing nothing (apart from set-aside but that's an EU scheme!)

If you lived beside a dairy farm, would you expect cheaper milk? Why would you expect cheaper electricity for living near a solar farm?

"Abroad" is very Tory.

It doesn't matter where the electricity is used, climate change is a global issue after all and this is replacing fossil fuel generated electricity. It doesn't matter where that happens. The emissions all go into the same atmosphere.

Ireland has interconnectors to benefit from UK (and soon French) electricity when we need it, and also to export it when we have an excess of renewable generation. This can only be a good thing and lead to more efficiency, less emissions and lower costs.

That's right. As an EU member, we don't actually recognise the UKCA label and only products with the CE trademark can be sold here.

My understanding is that it is intended for use in the internal GB market only. Anything sold here 'must' have the CE label on display.

Pretty O/T Sam alright so this will be my last missive on that topic 😁

An RCD works just the same whether you have ring or radial wiring, or whatever type socket you're using.

Phone chargers are usually folding now, I wish laptop plugs would be the same too as they're a pain to carry in a bag. A phone charger would have an internal non-replaceable fuse, afaik that's a requirement of approval standards.

10k even with paying an electrician to do it sounds very steep. It's still legal for a householder to replace electrical fittings like-for-like with new (not to add new circuits though) but most people wouldn't feel confident in doing this.

Seeing as we're just spitballing here, instead of changing one 220-240V AC socket for another, and given that electronic gadgets far outnumber heating etc. appliances in the home, if we were starting from scratch we might have a low voltage wiring system in the home as well as the higher voltage for heating, kettles etc...?

On topic - the whole UKCA thing seems a right mess and their refusal to recognise the CE marking as equivalent is downright stupid. This will really hit the UK consumer when it kicks in properly. Might have a knock-on effect here too given that we use the same plugs and are a small market so effectively an offshoot of the UK for electrical retail purposes.

Excellent article and as usual it benefits from the perspective of being written by someone looking into the UK from afar.....https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/the-westminster-sitcom-has-a-new-male-lead-pass-the-popcorn-20221027-p5btmx.html