Category Archives: Construction

Eliminator keeps gaining converts!

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Sentinel’s popular new system filter – the Eliminator – keeps gaining converts across the UK! Here we hear from two more installer firms that have taken the Eliminator to their hearts – one in the North East and one in Northern Ireland!

ELIMINATOR SYSTEM FILTER – A CANNY OPTION IN THE NORTH EAST!

Sentinel’s new technology heating system filter “Eliminator” has been very well received by installers all across the UK including several ‘Hot Spots’ one of those Hot Spots being the North East.

Rothwell Plumbing Services Limited (RPS) was formed in June 1997 by Bill Rothwell. Since this time, RPS has enjoyed considerable success in its expansion encompassing, domestic plumbing and heating, gas servicing, domestic, commercial and industrial electrical installations. Since 2008 RPS has invested heavily in training its staff and engineers in the installation of micro-renewable technologies and are MCS accredited to install solar PV, solar thermal, air and ground source heat pump technologies. RPS has completed many successful large scale renewables projects since 2008.

RPS is justly proud of its broad client base consisting of local authorities, housing associations and many well-known major construction companies, most of whom are long term and repeat customers. A large percentage of the company’s turnover is generated in the social housing sector, delivering high quality upgrades to bathrooms, kitchens, central heating systems, electrical installations and the installation of several micro-renewable energy systems.

One of the unsung heroes of reliable heating and plumbing installations is effective water treatment solutions. RPS has utilised Sentinel products since its inception and so it will come as no great surprise that when the new Eliminator System Filter was launched in 2012, RPS was willing to give it a chance to impress. Chris Jones is the regional manager for RPS based in its North East office just outside Newcastle says: “Many of us were brought up through the heating and plumbing sector relying on Sentinel products – the X-range of liquid products in particular – X100 inhibitor and X400 and X800 cleaners – and as with most things in life, if it doesn’t let you down you develop a loyalty to it. We had been installing a competitor brand of system filter for a couple of years, since the use of filters really took off in a big way, but quite frankly had too many problems with it to feel comfortable. When the new “Eliminator” was launched by Sentinel, just knowing it was a Sentinel product gave us enough confidence to give it a sensible trial run, and very quickly we were getting feedback from the guys in our team that this was doing the business for us. Our rate of call backs was drastically reduced and so were reports of leaking filters.

“The most obvious common denominator was the new Sentinel Eliminator Filter which was making a big improvement to the quality of the installations. The great feedback from our engineers has convinced us that fitting these new filters on our installations for our housing association and local authority clients and on all our ECO installations is a major benefit to us.”

Sentinel joined RPS installers Gareth Davies and Nathan Temperley in Hexham, west of Newcastle recently to see a new filter being installed as part of a boiler replacement installation. A brand new Vaillant boiler had been installed in the kitchen and the Eliminator was installed just below the boiler; “We install plenty of these,” said Gareth, “and the Eliminator filters are simple to install and do a good job.

“Our customers seem to understand the value of the “Quadra-Cyclone Technology” and accept that the technology which is incorporated in a well-known vacuum cleaner brand is also likely to work well in a water based environment, spinning the debris in the circulating water out of the heating system leaving it clean and debris-free. To be honest most just accept that we know what we’re doing and that they will have an excellent heating system after we’ve done our job!”

The Eliminator’s four powerful hydro-cyclones force clean water out of the top of the filter and spin all types of suspended system debris down into the bottom of the collection chamber. Four strategically positioned magnets accelerate the capture and removal of any magnetic debris.

Vitally, the unit will never block as the design arrangement of the cyclone chamber ensures continual flow through the filter, even when the collection chamber is full. Optimised flow design continues to remove debris until the collection chamber is full, unlike simple magnetic based filters in which performance markedly diminishes once the magnet is coated with debris.

Installers love the Eliminator because it can be installed in any orientation so ideal for awkward fitting situations. No specialist tools or complex O-Rings are required, making it a lot simpler and quicker to install than some other leading brands. Dual cleaning provides installers with two options to remove debris. Collected debris can either be flushed away, or the collection chamber can be removed for a complete maintenance clean. End user customers love the Eliminator too as dual seals minimise the risk of leaks which means no mess or fuss for the householder.

For more information on Rothwell Plumbing Services Ltd visit www.rothwellplumbing.co.uk and to find out more about the Sentinel Eliminator and all the other Sentinel products available to help you do a decent job at every heating installation – visit www.sentinel-solutions.net.

Nelson’s not turning a blind eye to new system filter!

Meanwhile, George Nelson Plumbing & Heating – based in Belfast – has been a loyal Sentinel installer for more than 15 years! As with many companies in the sector, George himself, was raised through the ranks using Sentinel water treatment products because he was always told to use quality products to keep heating systems running smoothly – and importantly to ensure there were no call backs to fix faulty systems after the installation work was completed.

“That was pretty much it,” agrees George. “When you use a good quality product for many years and it doesn’t let you down, you stick with it. The cost of water treatment isn’t exactly outrageous, so why save five or six pounds on inferior water treatment when you may get yourself problems from doing so. It doesn’t make sense to me. All the boiler manufacturers I respect say use a good quality water treatment product and mention Sentinel by name. They know what they’re doing and hat will keep their boilers operating efficiently – and I agree with them!”

So when Sentinel launched its exciting new technology Eliminator system filter in 2012, with quadra-cyclone technology to remove all the magnetic and non-magnetic debris from a system, George was one of the first into his local merchant branch to give it a go.

“It’s got the Sentinel name on it and I spoke to John Lynch at Sentinel who I’ve known for several years and asked him what was special about the Eliminator. He took me through it and showed me one and I decided to give it a go. That was more than fifty Eliminators ago,” says George. “And frankly I wouldn’t use any other filter now. It does exactly what it says on the tin! It removes all the circulating debris left in the system after correctly flushing and inhibiting a system. They’re easy to fit – they don’t leak – and I’ve had no call backs to any installation where I’ve used one. That’s good enough for me!”

There’s lots of useful information on the new Eliminator on the Sentinel website at www.sentinel-solutions.net where there’s a video you can watch, and you can find out more about George Nelson Plumbing and Heating by calling them on 028 9050 2800. Alternatively follow Sentinel on Facebook and Twitter and take a look at the Sentinel videos on their YouTube channel.

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Mira goes mobile with shower Web site first

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Maintaining its lead in digital technology, Mira Showers has launched a website optimized specifically for smart phones. Now customers can keep up with the latest information and product news from the UK’s leading manufacturer of showering products and accessories.

The first mobile site in the showering industry carries a full product catalogue, complete with full product details, and enables purchases of spares and accessories to be made over direct from the site phone through mobile commerce. It also provides maps and details of where to buy Mira products and features links to Mira videos and social network sites as well as fixed price servicing information and booking forms.

According to industry research more people will view Web sites via mobile phone than by PC or laptop by 2013, so Mira is yet again ahead of the curve in anticipating its customers’ requirements, providing swift, accurate information in the manner most convenient to a competitive fast-moving market.

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Klober high performance lead substitute

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Easy-Form® plus stretchable by up to 30%

Easy-Form® Plus is a highly durable, reinforced flashing which has been designed as a substitute for lead in building work. Incorporation of a metal mesh provides the perfect combination of flexibility and rigidity needed for vertical applications such as chasing into mortar on chimneys. Easy-Form Plus can be stretched by up to 30% without use of a lead forming tool or detriment to its smooth, lightly ribbed surface appearance. This makes life far easier when forming around heavily profiled tiles such as a Double Roman or Bold Roll.

Unlike some lead substitutes, Easy-Form Plus has a strong butyl adhesive backing which retains its high bond strength and enables the material to be used on most dry surfaces without a primer. Its release paper is cut along the length of the roll so that upstand work can be completed before removal of the remainder for forming over tiles. Easy-Form Plus is UV, frost and rot-resistant and can be used for bridging gaps of up to 5cm on pitches as low as 10°. It is available in terracotta red, dark brown and anthracite as well as traditional lead grey. Rolls are 5 metres in length and widths of 250, 300 and 450 mm are available.

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Fantastic in plastic!

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Hartland CFX Colours – the newest addition to Hamilton’s bestselling range

Decorative electrical wiring accessories and lighting controls manufacturer Hamilton Litestat has announced a series of new additions to its popular Hartland CFX range – Hartland CFX Colours.

The new glossy plastic switch plates and sockets replicate every detail of the best-selling metal Hartland CFX collection – even down to Hamilton’s patented concealed fixings system, which gives an even smoother look to the slim, contemporary plates.

Available in bright white, jet black and pillar box red, the new Hartland CFX Colours collection has been designed with aesthetics, functionality and value in mind. The sleek finish is attractive and tactile, whilst the practical, robust plastic provides a lower-priced alternative to the metal designs.

The availability of the plates in pillar box red is ideal for differentiating particular sockets in commercial and healthcare environments for safety reasons but also provides a fun option for brightly designed residential schemes.

T: 01747 860088
E: info@hamilton-litestat.com
www.hamilton-litestat.com

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Micronics Ltd – University of Manchester

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Academic institutions are busy places with complex estate requirements and the last thing they need is disruption to the smooth running of their plant. Manchester University Estates Department were faced with a problem. 3 blocks had been newly built including a large lecture theatre and reading rooms but there was insufficient metering for the 250mm+ pipework. Each block included a separate boiler house with a gas meter on each. Shutting down each system and draining it each time was time consuming, making it costly to undertake any repairs.

Assistant Mechanical and Energy Engineer Chris Cunningham called in contractors to remedy the problem but they failed to read the invasive heat meter manufacturers’ instructions correctly. Incorrectly installed invasive heat meters result in inaccurate data which can have considerable knock-on effects. Chris had used the Micronics U2000 and 3000 clamp-on flow meters previously and knew that they were easy to install and, above all, allowed simple, low cost measurement without the need to cut into the pipe, saving time and cost. He was confident that a Micronics product could solve the problem. This time, the Micronics Ultraflo U1000, a cost-engineered permanent/fixed on flow metering solution for measuring preset flow rate was specified. It provides accurate measurement of liquid flowing within a closed pipe, without the need for any mechanical parts to be inserted through the pipe wall or to protrude into the flow system. It takes just a few minutes to install by simply clamping onto the pipe, connecting the power and entering the pipe diameter – indeed no specialist skills or tools are required. Furthermore, there is no need to shut down flow or drain the system and no programming is required.

Chris was also pleased with the maintenance benefits offered by the non-contact technology.
“I would thoroughly recommend the use of the U1000. It is compact, rugged and has proved to be completely reliable.”

There are considerable opportunities to use the Ultraflo range of Micronics products in similar applications. It is an excellent alternative the use of mechanical meters and to cutting pipes. And provides simple, low cost flow measurement from outside the pipe. In addition, there is the advantage of dry servicing, providing minimum downtime and maximum availability.

For further information on this project or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com.

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VMZINC hits the heights on Heron Tower

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Heron Tower has become one of the best known landmarks in central London. The 46-storey building has a VMZINC PLUS standing seam system on the two main roof areas, on the 38th and 41st floors. The building is among the tallest in which the compact, warm roof system has been used and as it needs no supporting ventilation views from the Drift Restaurant, Sky Bar and terraces are not affected by unsightly vents.

Precise wind loading calculations were needed, but the metal also had to be reflection-free. VMZINC’s pre-weathered mid-grey QUARTZ-ZINC® offers exceptional colour retention and was therefore the perfect choice.

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Hamilton accessories prove good bet for Paul Nicholls

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Decorative electrical wiring accessories, audio and lighting control manufacturer Hamilton Litestat has supplied a varied selection of its switch plates and sockets to renowned horse trainer Paul Nicholls’ new house in Ditcheat, Somerset.

Mr Nicholls’ new residence is a luxury 5,500 square foot new build comprising 23 rooms, all of which have been built and finished to his specification. The interiors are elegant and classically styled, with contemporary touches to bring them right into the 21st century. Maximum use has been made of natural daylight, with numerous large period-style sash windows looking out on to the Somerset countryside. However, electric lighting has also been used to best effect with an impressive chandelier installed above the main curved staircase. To complete the stylish interior, 90 sockets and 70 switches were specified from a number of Hamilton ranges, including the crystal clear Perception CFX and the traditional Cheriton in polished brass and chrome. Hamilton’s expert team was also commissioned to design and manufacture bespoke data plates for the building’s audiovisual system.

The house was constructed by Dunford Builders Ltd, with the electrical accessories installed by Elecpro of Street, Somerset. The accessories were ordered through Devondale Electrical Distributors of Glastonbury.

Renowned for training winning horses such as Kauto Star, Denman and Big Buck’s, Paul Nicholls’ famous stables are just a short distance way in the village of Ditcheat. Hamilton’s main manufacturing base in Mere is only half an hour away in Mere, Wiltshire, making this a truly Westcountry project.

Oliver Boon, branch manager for Devondale Electrical Distributors in Glastonbury, added: “Hamilton was chosen to provide the accessories because there were lots of bespoke plates required and we were confident that no one could do the job better both in terms of value for money, high quality and turnaround time.”

T: 01747 860088
E: info@hamilton-litestat.com
www.hamilton-litestat.com

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Micronics Clamp-on Flow Meters provide cost effective solution to improve energy monitoring and efficiency in large Bedfordshire hospital

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In the current climate of NHS cuts it is more important than ever for a Trust to use every means to save resources without direct effects on patients. Similarly, with the prevailing focus on reducing energy consumption because of climate change, it is vital to keep a close eye on energy usage and make efficiency savings wherever possible. One way of fulfilling both these ambitions is to keep stringent controls on the use of heat and domestic hot water consumption.

Managers at an acute, district general hospital, which provides healthcare services to over 270,000 people in north and mid Bedfordshire, wanted to understand their consumption of hot water which would in turn allow them to identify the requirements for replacing their equipment with the most energy efficient solution.

They called in ETA Energy Systems Ltd, Bedford-based consultants, designers and suppliers of specialised energy equipment and systems who work with the Carbon Trust to reduce energy usage. ETA specialise in determining that pumps, flow-rates and balancing valves are correctly set. Peter Richardson, ETA’s MD commented, “During our assessment of the Hospital’s needs, we established full weekly hot water consumption profiles allowing equipment to be accurately selected and specified for the replacement project. Having considered various measurement alternatives two Micronics PF330 meters were selected due to the ease of installation and the maintenance and service benefits delivered by this non-contact technology.” The specialist Micronics product, used for clean liquid monitoring, with its integral logger and software and non-invasive measurement represented significant savings on installation costs and less disruption than when installing an alternative in-line meter. The Micronics clamp-on flowmeter for liquids is portable and easy to use and offers continuity and long term reliability. It is robustly constructed and provides a quick and reliable means of measuring flow accurately.

In this example, the meters have been installed at a number of locations for a trial period in order to determine the appropriate size of the new equipment and to make sure that it is the most efficient possible for the task. Staff will be able to monitor flow rates and calculate energy and therefore cost and carbon footprint implications.

Micronics were selected as the supplier due to their extensive experience with clamp-on, ultrasonic, flow measurement technology and their competitive pricing in comparison to similar technology solutions or alternatives which would have required considerable construction work. This example demonstrates that the opportunity for replication and contribution to good energy management in similar schemes across the UK is extensive.

For further information on this project or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com.

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Raising money for Philippines disaster victims

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In the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Phillipines, Klober’s Ann Leeson has decided to raise money in support of much needed Red Cross aid. As someone who is from the Philippines and still has family there, Ann’s thoughts have added poignancy. She commented, “Having had all the understandable concerns about immediate family when news of the typhoon broke I felt immense relief mixed with considerable sadness when I found out that they were safe. Those of friends were not so lucky. I decided to see if Klober would support me in raising money in as short a space of time as possible. In doing so, I hope to be able to support a second charity by having my hair shaved off. Assuming I receive approval that my hair is suitable, the Little Princess Trust will use it to make real-hair wigs free of charge for children who that have lost their own hair through cancer treatment”.

To donate just go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=ANNLEESON

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Lewden launches its Unibox aluminium range of enclosures

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Lewden Palazzoli has launched its range of Unibox aluminium junction boxes to provide IP66 and IP67 ingress protection for switching, instrumentation and control gear in outdoor/indoor and industrial applications. Available in 7 sizes and designed for ease of installation with a complete set of internal supports, Unibox provides a sealed, robust, light weight and convenient enclosure conforming to EN 60670, EN 60529 and EN50102.

Unibox has been designed for a quick and safe installation with a choice of a DIN rail or steel mounting plate. The DIN rail can be fixed horizontally, vertically or diagonally without the need for additional accessories. Sealing the enclosure to give IP66/67 rating can be achieved in seconds as the design allows perpendicular screwdriver access to the main screws. A further design feature enables earth connection to be made externally if required, whilst still conforming to IP66/67 protection.

Manufactured in light weight aluminium, with a non-toxic polyester finish and surface treated in anti-corrosion fluor zirconium, Unibox is able to withstand temperatures from a range of -40°C to + 100°C, and even +150°C over short periods. Boxes are available in all RAL colours upon request.

Lewden Palazzoli manufactures a wide range of enclosures in different materials and designs within its large range of electrical products and power distribution solutions. More information from www.lewden.com.

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