This is the bath. I use two plastic boxes from Wilkinsons, one inside the other, to give a degree of insulation. The immersion heaters and the Pt100 thermometer probe are clamped between two pieces of plexiglass. I keep the lid on when the heater is on. This is a temporary arrangement until I get better heater elements. I will probably attach these directly to the lid.

My first pump got a bit hot and gave up the ghost, so it doesn’t feature in these photos. A replacement has been ordered.

Front view. The PID controller has just been switched on. It’s a Chinese REX-C700, apparently a non-pin-compatible fake of a Japanese controller of the same model number. The enclosure happens to be such a good fit that the controller doesn’t move at all between the box top/bottom and the enclosure’s screw posts. The power switch is at the top.

Rear panel. On the bottom left is the fused input. On the bottom-right is pump output, always on when the switch (on top of the controller) is on. Top-right is the heater output, controlled by the PID driving a 25A solid-state relay. Top-left is the thermometer input.

Building Instructions

These instructions are work in progress. I intend to amend and improve them soon, including adding pictures and circuit diagrams. Meanwhile, comments and questions are welcome.

This project should not be attempted by inexperienced DIYers. In fact, it should probably not be attempted by anyone. Done incorrectly, there is a very real risk of electrocution. These instructions give a very broad overview of the building process; do not expect to see every step described in detail (or correctly).

Right. With that out of the way, let’s crack on.

Bill of Materials

• 2 x REWIREABLE CEE22 CABLE PLUG, Rapid item 23-0120.
• SNAPFIT 4.8MM PLUG, Rapid item 23-2101.
• 2 WAY PUSH FIT IEC SOCKET, Rapid item 23-3107.
• LIGHT GREY ABS BOX 190 X 100 X 80, Rapid item 30-1498.
• SHEET OF 25 22.0 X 10 BLACK FEET, Rapid item 31-0465.
• DPST illuminated rocker switch, Maplin item GU55K.
• 3-pole locking chassis plug and line socket, Maplin items FK23A and FM51F.
• PID controller, eBay. I bought this one.
• Solid-state relay, eBay. I bought this one.
• Stainless steel immersion heater, 1 kW (search eBay for ‘tauchsieder’, German for the heater, in EU).
• Pt100-type thermometer probe, eBay. I bought these.
• Aquarium powerhead, eBay. I bought this one.
• Really Useful Box, 19XL (like 19l but with taller lid), eg. From Ryman.
• Fuse, 5A, fast blow, for the IEC inlet.
• Sheet of perspex, 3mm(?) thick.
• Spade crimp connectors, eg. Rapid item 33-1053; Eyelet crimp connectors.
• Cable ties.
• M3 screws and nuts.
• Bicycle inner tube.

Instructions

1. Start by modifying the dual-outlet IEC socket. We want to control each socket output separately, so they need separate live connections. Cut the ‘live’ metal strip into two and bend the strip so both sides can accept a spade connector. The ‘neutral’ strip can be left unmodified.
2. In the enclosure rear panel, cut suitable holes for the IEC sockets. The holes are probably easiest to cut in the edge of the panel as seen in the picture. Drill a hole for the 3-pole chassis plug. Cut two strips off the front panel to fit the PID controller. Cut a hole in the top for the switch.
3. Mount the IEC sockets and power switch in the enclosure. I used liberal amounts of epoxy glue to fix the IEC sockets in the panel. Because the panel is quite thick, I needed to trim the IEC sockets a bit to make them fit.
4. Using mains leads of suitable length with spade and eyelet crimp connectors, wire up the sockets, switches, PID controller and SSR. Wire both live and neutral from the power inlet through the switch. Be sure to connect the power switch the right way around; if it’s the wrong way, the neon light is on all the time. If it’s the right way, the light goes out when the switch is off.
5. Cut a suitable length (no longer than necessary) of the shielded thermometer probe cable off the probe assembly and use it to connect the 3-pole chassis plug into the PID controller. Choose some suitable wiring order; I wired the common lead in the middle pin. Attach the chassis plug into the enclosure.
6. Attach everything in the enclosure. I used some double-sided tape to fix the SSR to the side of the enclosure, as well as to keep the PID controller in place. The controller came with a couple of clamps which I used to tighten it against the front of the enclosure.
7. Close the enclosure. Attach rubber feet.
8. Cut a strip of perspex about 5 cm in height. I did this by first scoring the sheet several times on both sides using a ruler and a craft knife, then clamping it between the floor and a metal sheet and bending until the strip broke off. Done correctly, this leaves a neat clean edge.
9. Attach the thermometer probe and heater element to the perspex strip. I did this by first stretching a short piece of bicycle inner tube around the heater handle and the thermometer probe to provide an anti-slip surface, then drilling a couple of holes in the sheet and putting cable ties through the holes and around the probe and heater.
10. Attach the perspex strip to the box. I can think of a couple of ways of doing this. I decided to bend the ends of the perspex sheet into a 90-degree angle (using a clothes iron to warm the perspex and make a sharp bend) and then attaching the strip in the box with screws. Alternatively, you could just use cable ties.
11. Replace the pump and heater element power plugs with the IEC plugs. Solder the 3-pole line socket to the thermometer probe.

Done! (Kind of.)

Issues

• SAFETY: The device should never be left unattended.
• SAFETY: Combining mains power and water is always risky. A residual-current device adds a layer of safety and should be used at all times. Even if your home has RCDs, adding an extra in-line device can’t hurt. I bought one from B&Q for about £8.
• The immersion heaters are not designed to work for long periods of time. I have no idea how long they will last. Observe the minimum/maximum water level indicators and avoid splashing water above the high water level mark.
• Running the heater dry, even for a short time, would almost certainly break it. My heater has an internal overheating protection, a thermal fuse which cannot be changed. A good solution might be to add a float switch to make sure the box is filled with water. This could be added in the SSR control circuit.
• If the heater element is longer than the thermometer probe, there’s a risk of filling the box so that the heater is underwater but the thermometer isn’t. In this case, the heater would be on continuously, eventually boiling the water away. The best solution would be to get a longer thermometer probe.
• My first pump was a water fountain one, but it broke after a session at 85 degrees. I would not use the new pump at temperatures above about 68 degrees. Temperatures higher than that are normally used for things like fruit and vegetables where I suspect exact temperature control is less important, so you could just leave the pump out when cooking such things. There are some pumps designed to be submerged in caravan hot-water tanks that are rated for continuous operation at 70 degrees, but they require 12V and so may be less convenient.
• Due to the shape of the lid, condensed water on the lid drips down along the lid and out of the box. It would be better to add a seal of some sort on the lid to avoid this.
• At least in the UK, limescale is a big problem. In areas of hard water, a single 24-hour session can cause serious limescale buildup. I am currently experimenting with adding a small amount of washing soda in the water to prevent limescale buildup. If you notice a white powdery residue collecting on the heater and pump, descale!
• The insulation of the box is not great. I have measured that, when the box stands on a couple of cork trivets, it consumes around 150-180W to maintain the temperature at 60 degrees. This could be improved by insulating the box better. One option might be to put the whole thing in a soft picnic cooler bag or similar.

For the record, I hate the word beverage.

English speakers: nevermind. Anyway, I, too, saw this yesterday. Didn’t have my camera along though.

So, a few people have been contacting their local friendly chiropractors regarding the recent ASA ruling. I think Martin was the first; jdc325 and Tristan have also done their bit, the latter with remarkable success!

The ASA ruling states that the chiropractor could not “refer to the treatment of IBS, colic and learning difficulties” in his advertising. Now, it should be noted that the ASA do not regulate advertising on websites (but, randomly, they do on leaflets!) However, the General Chiropractic Council’s own Code of Practice states that chiropractors may “publicise their practices or permit another person to do so consistent with the law and the guidance issued by the Advertising Standards Authority.” My interpretation of the GCC guidelines is that they extend the ASA’s recommendations from advertising to all information published by GCC members.

Please note: I have no reason to believe Oxford Chiropractic Clinic are being deliberately dishonest or are trying to mislead the public. I also do not believe their claims are significantly different from any other chiropractor, or even the General Chiropractic Council. They happened to be local to me, so I contacted them. I am sure they are perfectly capable chiropractors, highly trained in their vocation, and their ability and willingness to twist your spine is up there with the best of them. My only motivation in contacting them was trying to ensure that any efficacy claims presented on chiropractors’ websites are substantiated and backed up by evidence.

On Monday 25 May I sent the following to the Oxford Chiropractic Clinic:

I am writing to request that you remove misleading claims from your website at http://oxfordchiroclinic.com/. I wanted to give you an opportunity to respond before contacting the General Chiropractic Council.

On page http://oxfordchiroclinic.com/wellness_topics/14_Colic.html you suggest that chiropractic may help with colic.

On 20 May the Advertising Standards Authority ruled in the case of Dr. Carl Irwin that the chiropractor could not continue to refer to the treatment of colic. The ruling is available here: http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/adjudications/Public/TF_ADJ_46281.htm

According to the General Chiropractic Council’s Code of Practice, available at http://www.gcc-uk.org/files/link_file/COPSOP_Dec05_WEB(with_glossary)07Jan09.pdf, chiropractors “may publicise their practices or permit another person to do so consistent with the law and the guidance issued by the Advertising Standards Authority.”

The ASA ruling is incompatible with the claims currently displayed on your website, and therefore would appear to place you in breach of GCC guidelines.

Please let me know when you have remedied the situation, or explain why you think this ruling does not apply to you.

Today my patience was rewarded with the following message:

Thank you for your interest in our website. In common with other regulated health professionals (including chartered physiotherapists) who utilise a similar technique to ours, we have found that babies with colic respond well to chiropractic care. At Oxford Chiropractic Clinic we have been successfully treating children for 27 years and our website explains the range of options available to parents of infants suffering from colic, itself an ill-defined condition with no clear aetiology.

Your e-mail contains the threat that you will contact the General Chiropractic Council if I do not remove certain materials from the Oxford Chiropractic Clinic website. You also refer to the ASA guidelines and ask why I think the ruling does not apply to me.

I understand that you are a research scientist. If this is correct, I am sure that you will understand the importance of having properly researched your information before seeking to threaten individuals. Had you bothered to go to the ASA website (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/about/Guided%20Tours/New%20Media/) you would have seen that the ASA Code does not cover claims made by companies on their own websites.

It is a shame when those who are ill-informed seek to disrupt the legitimate business activities of others; still worse when they make threats based on false information. I would suggest that before sending such emails in the future you might reflect on your motives and question the wisdom of your actions.

I actually think it’s mighty nice of them to reply, and I thank Oxford Chiropractic Clinic for taking the time. However, a few things strike me as strange.

1. Thrice they mention that I have sent them a “threat”. I am “threatening” to contact the GCC. I don’t understand why the Oxford Chiropractic Clinic considers it threatening if I contact a regulatory body to ensure its member is compliant.
2. The paragraph “I understand that you are a research scientist…” seems to be taken nearly verbatim from Russell Dean’s reply to Martin, except for that reference to my “threats”, and the pieced-together reminder of the “importance of having properly researched your information before seeking to threaten individuals.” (That’s the first lecture in Research Science 101: first research information, then seek to threaten individuals.)
3. The last sentence in particular seems somehow menacing. Maybe as a non-native English speaker I’m just misinterpreting it, but are they suggesting that making sure healthcare practictioners comply with the appropriate regulation is unwise?

So, erm, that’s what I told them in a reply.

Thank you for your email.

Had you bothered to go to the ASA website (http://www.asa.org.uk/asa/about/Guided%20Tours/New%20Media/) you would have seen that the ASA Code does not cover claims made by companies on their own websites.

I had indeed.

As I pointed out in my email, the GCC permits its members to “publicise their practices [...] consistent with the law and the guidance issued by the Advertising Standards Authority.” My interpretation of the wording is that, even though websites are outside of the ASA’s jurisdiction, the GCC clause extends the ASA guidance to any publication. In other words, a website that promotes chiropractic for the treatment of colic is not “consistent with the guidance issues by the ASA” as defined by the GCC. As I said earlier, I wanted to get your interpretation of the rule before approaching the GCC for clarification.

It is a shame when those who are ill-informed seek to disrupt the legitimate business activities of others; still worse when they make threats based on false information.

It is certainly not my intention to disrupt legitimate business. I do believe there is a certain amount of evidence that chiropractic treatment may be useful for certain musculoskeletal conditions. However, I don’t believe there is credible evidence to support the claim that that chiropractic is effective for colic. If you are able to provide such evidence, I’ll be happy to retract any objections I have to your website content.

Also, I am not entirely sure what ‘threat’ you refer to. Do you consider it threatening if I contact a regulatory body to ensure its member is compliant?

I would suggest that before sending such emails in the future you might reflect on your motives and question the wisdom of your actions.

I hope you agree that the regulation of healthcare, alternative or not, is very important for the safety of the public. Do you feel that making sure healthcare practictioners comply with such regulation is “unwise”?

I guess next up is contacting the GCC for clarification. Unless of course I find in my inbox a peer-reviewed, methologically sound study that proves that chiropractic can treat colic. Then I’m happy to apologise and admit defeat.

This is how I did it under Ubuntu:

1. Download xpvox here.
2. Compile it (I had to install libforms and then change all instances of #include "forms.h" to #include <X11/forms.h>).
3. Install speex.
4. Make sure /dev/dsp0 exists (if not, mknod /dev/dsp0 c 14 3).
5. Run xpvox -ios | speexenc -V --rate 44100 - out.spx.

After you quit xpvox, you’ll find a file called out.spx which contains all recorded traffic, with silent bits cut out.

This is what BA thinks Europe looks like:

Cropped around Finland:

Google Earth’s view on the same area:

The map is proudly produced by Oxford Cartographers.

1. Main Page‎ [1,907,392]
2. Homosexuality‎ [1,575,873]
3. Homosexuality and Hepatitis‎ [517,112]
4. Homosexuality and Promiscuity‎ [420,721]
5. Gay Bowel Syndrome‎ [391,120]
6. Homosexuality and Parasites‎ [388,155]
7. Homosexuality and Domestic Violence‎ [367,707]
8. Homosexuality and Gonorrhea‎ [331,558]
9. Homosexuality and Mental Health‎ [292,100]
10. Homosexuality and Syphilis‎ [265,330]

Hat tip to CC.

The other day I realised we are routinely using at least one unit which is more complex than it need be. It is that of vehicle fuel consumption, typically expressed in SI countries in litres per 100 kilometres. (It’s interesting to note that in countries that use Imperial units, the custom is to use the reciprocal unit, that is, miles per gallon.)

So, what would be a better unit? Let’s simplify! Volume (in litres) divided by distance (in kilometres) is area.

1l/100km = 1dm³/100km = 1*10^-3m³/10⁵m = 1*10^-8m² = 10000μm².

The beauty of this unit is that it does not feature the distance driven anywhere. It is superfluous because the distance driven is directly proportional to the fuel consumption. A neat way to visualise this is to imagine that when you drive, your car leaves behind it cylinder (or cuboid) of fuel with its cross-sectional area as above and its length the distance you’ve travelled.

So when you’re buying your next car, make sure it consumes less than 50 thousand square micrometers of fuel.