My Amazon wish-list long has contained the requirement for a cheap "GoPro" style camera for - well, who knows really? - to be another toy I guess.
I had seen somethings online at the 70€ mark and noted them down, as the GoPro is heading towards a couple of hundred and probably a bit too expensive for my "occasional" cycling, skiing and scuba diving (so occasional as to be non-existent).
Anyway, last week I was at the till in Aldi when I noticed some hard black bags (toilet bag size) with a picture of a GoPro on the label and a price of 30€. Now 30€ is a bit more than my normal impulse buy (or a hell of a lot less in the case of handrails etc), but I thought there was not a lot to lose (OK, 30€).
The price reflected on the quality of the information given about the device, not on the camera, picture quality or attachments (I am still trying to understand the use for about 10 of them).
It comes with a full (detachable) waterproof case and flotation device (which will see little use I am thinking), but then a couple of sticky mounting clip that can be fixed to your helmet(!) and a light camera holder with a quick release for the camera body. This looked to be useful as it had standard camera mounting screws above and below
Like all these cheap cameras (and expensive ones now I remember) they need a memory card which is "not supplied". Having been caught out on this issue a couple of times, I knew I had bought extras, but then was unable to think where the hell they might be in my new perfectly ergonomically designed office. I searched absolutely everywhere, and was just about to give up, when I thought about the main drawer-of-useful-stuff (in front of my nose) - and there it was.
As mentioned, the user manual information was so basic as to be useless, but then I found a similar camera under a more expensive label (!) with instructions on-line. Result! Turns out to have a multiplicity of functions and controls - and after wading through most of them, I reached the point where I could get it to make 3minute movies - which restart with a new clip after each three minutes.
Next I found a piece of black rubber mat and mounted a bolt up through it to take the lightweight holder. Add camera and lay whole ensemble on the dashboard. Amazingly it worked AND didn't slide. I am now experimenting with it on every drive - but G has insisted I turn off the sound recorder as my expletives about other drivers were too much for her on playback
I was just testing to see whether I could mount it as a forehead cam (watching too many YouTube "how-to" videos I guess) - and discovered there is a clip to hold it about your person (perfect for Tesco workers).
I maybe could have used it yesterday as I "repaired" the "spider valve" gasket on the pool pump.I have had a minor leak from the unit and a local pool guy (related to gardener I found for house below) ordered a replacement gasket kit for me - but warned me that if the problem was other than that, it was easier (but certainly not cheaper at 180€ )to replace the whole unit as the springs in the top-part of the unit "were a serious problem".
Well, I checked what the YouTube community told me to do and launched into it.
Funnily enough, the top unit with the springs (bottom part of the photo) proved the easiest to do as I have some Lidl (wooding) clamps which held it together just fine. All-in-all, a 10 minute job.
Then I spent nearly two hours trying to do the "easy part" of getting the old spider gasket out (top part of photo). What the guy had omitted to tell me was that they were stuck/glued in. What a performance - box-cutters, screwdriver-chisels, grandad´s gardening knife (almost lost my finger-tip to that). Eventually got all the bits out and cleaned the old glue etc too.
A quick trip to my favourite hardware store for some glue and silicone grease (but grease just not available here, so had to make do with a spray) then slotted and tapped down the new gasket in its sticky bed. Two hours watching in the Vuelta cycling while it dried, then reinstalled the "heavily siliconed" top - in less than 10 minutes. Tested and proved perfect. Happy boy!
BUT
A few weeks ago we had the Danish neighbours and their friends over for drinks and snacks and their girls asked if they could bomb-dive in the pool. Why not I thought. Well they probably asked as people have found that not only is it unsafe for other swimmers, but the shock-waves test your pool to destruction. Seemingly no damage done, but apart from the leak I had fixed on the spider, there was a problem with the water draining out of the pump and causing all sorts of whining and gulping when the pump started up.
Now there is a non-return valve just below the pump, but it is held in by 4" / 10cm screw-on ends.
In the past I have used a car-oil-filter clamp with limited success, but have always been on the lookout for a proper tool (and avoided opening the valve possible as it is a bitch). I knew I would have to check it as it has jammed up with wind-blow rubbish in the past (John's Law #332 ´s law - any uncleared rubbish will always end up in the pool), but I knew I needed to get something better, like a strap wrench.
Firstly to San Anton, the heavy duty builders merchants (and pool suppliers). Now I expected to pay about 10€-15€ if I could find a strap-wrench, but their offerings were plastic at 27€ or metal and bike-chain at 75€. I made my excuses and left (as they used to write in the News of the World).
The local Chino didn't have anything (despite the fact they normally have the same as all the others and I had seen one elsewhere). Next over to Las Lagunas and on a whim went into the big AKI hardware store - which I normally avoid due to long queues and slow till staff. Eventually found a "sales person" for the tools area ("not my area" said all the others) and, lo and behold, she fished out a 12€ package containing two individual / differently sized strap wrenches. Went off in high glee to the check out - and even better- jumped the whole queue by going to the self-serve cards-only till which was totally unused despite the long queue.
Best of all, the device actually works a treat.
As they say, having the correct tools for the job is always the key - and now I have even more tools for that job.
Now when I took off the one-way valve, I discovered a finger-tip sized piece of concrete (not my flesh finger tip) jamming it open. Removed, re-installed, and perfection.
Now I know why bombing in pools should be avoided.
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