I fall into the category of 'DIM'.

[vivandorron]

I really dislike having tradesmen doing jobs for me and, whenever possible, Do It Myself; which accounts for me regarding myself as dim. Consequently there wasn't going to be any problem replacing a Fluorescent Light fitting which I had installed in the kitchen; some 40 yrs ago.

Little did I realise that the cable entry point would be different and fixing points would be spaced at approx 2ft apart and would not coincide with my beams which are deemed to be 16inch centres. Furthermore, the end caps of the diffuser (shade) required spring clips to be inserted with great difficulty. Also the internal wiring of the new fitting had a short length of black cable which appeared to be connecting a negative with a positive.

Anyway I used my mini Tester to check out the wiring and eventually put-up the fitting which is now held at it's central point with two screws. Although it is not centrally positioned to the opposite walls, but is hidden behind a beam in the kitchen, and is working ok.

My question therefore is...."Are there any ABers who have had similar problems and fall into the DIM category."?

Ron.

[vivandorron]

I wondered initially if this thread would become interesting and it certainly has ; DIM; GSI; DBD; CBF......There must be a few more abbreviations in use by DIYers.

Ron.

[vivandorron]

My sincere thanks to all of you who contributed to the DIM question.

Ron.

[whiskeryron]

It all started to go wrong when LGM started ( let's go metric) nothing fits in houses now when you find that things need re-newing. What I find particularly odd is a local DIY place where you buy a length of timber 3"x 2" in lengths of 3 or 5 meters.

W Ron.

[vivandorron]

It is somewhat confussing when timber cross sections are often still given in imperial measurement and lengths are in metric. I think Richard Stillgoe made a point for us Dim folk when metric was introduced and he compiled a ditty of which I can only remember the chorus:-

" They come in little plastic packs,
In groups of five or ten;
They haven't come in singles,
Since I can't remember when.

They come in little plastic packs,
And are easier to sell.
They look as nice, at twice the price;
But don't work half as well."