From my experience with cars, the main improvements are from both the introduction of electronic ignition, much better tire technologies, and the reduction of paraffin based engine oil use. I rebuilt my first engine at age 13, went on to building engines for the street and some for the track.
The tolerances inside really haven’t changed much; an engine is still an engine.
The new cars actually run a bit rich to keep the catalyst in effect during most of the drive cycle, the older cars could run at proper levels at the expense of higher emissions.
We bought $40 worth of take out food yesterday, don’t know if that counts for a purchase...
The tolerances inside really haven’t changed much; an engine is still an engine.
The new cars actually run a bit rich to keep the catalyst in effect during most of the drive cycle, the older cars could run at proper levels at the expense of higher emissions.
We bought $40 worth of take out food yesterday, don’t know if that counts for a purchase...
I don't know if it has improved since I left Motorola 4 years ago, but we did not sell lithium battery technology for "mission critical" (police, fire and military) two way radios because the lithium ion chemistry is not stable in cold temperatures. LiFePo4 is better and non incendiary, but hasn't caught on due to weight and cost. Charging a Lithium ion battery that is too cold could cause a serious battery failure, so the charger will not do it. Even discharging a lithium cell at a high rate when cold may permanently damage it. Lithium was deemed OK for cell phones since they are typically carried near a warm human body, and light weight is a big selling point.
My 20 year old Makita drill with NiCad cells would manage about 15 minutes of pretty constant work on a charge (way down from new)......not a big problem when you have 4 batteries and two fast chargers (about 20 min). I was working outside in zero to 5 degree F weather last week and 15 minutes became 3 1/8 inch holes drilled in a 2 X 4 (maybe a minute). They have since recovered.
My SLR camera's instruction manual warns that the camera should not be uses in temperatures below 0 deg C because the Li-ion battery could be damaged, as would charging it below zero.
Got a car battery charger from Lidl a while ago, they were on offer for 18€ I think, but upon checking the user manual found out because it can charge both 6 and 12 Volt batteries it would require user intervention to set it in 12V mode as it would start in 6V mode when connected to the mains.
Well, that's quite a handicap especially during winter times when leaving the car unattended for a long period connected to a power outlet post with a timer that cuts in and out the electricity only for couple of hours a day so I fist gave it a miss, a week later they had dropped the price to 15€ so the DIYer inside me thought, well, the parts alone in a nice IP65 case would cost more if one would DIY a charger from scratch, will see if I can modify it. 🙂
ps. picture is not mine but represents the same charger.
Well, that's quite a handicap especially during winter times when leaving the car unattended for a long period connected to a power outlet post with a timer that cuts in and out the electricity only for couple of hours a day so I fist gave it a miss, a week later they had dropped the price to 15€ so the DIYer inside me thought, well, the parts alone in a nice IP65 case would cost more if one would DIY a charger from scratch, will see if I can modify it. 🙂
ps. picture is not mine but represents the same charger.
Attachments
Last edited:
I's obscenely warm here in Cali for this time of the year, so I'm not worried about my oil or my batteries, though I did have a car battery freeze up when I lived in Ithaca, NY.
On the same trip a few posts ago that netted me the chassis, I also scored a large quantity of high wattage MO resistors and a pair of 6.3V/20A transformers still in boxes. The transformers will be suitable for tickling the filaments and reservoir heaters of some ceramic-metal hydrogen thyratrons I have on hand (physics in this case rather than audio).
On the same trip a few posts ago that netted me the chassis, I also scored a large quantity of high wattage MO resistors and a pair of 6.3V/20A transformers still in boxes. The transformers will be suitable for tickling the filaments and reservoir heaters of some ceramic-metal hydrogen thyratrons I have on hand (physics in this case rather than audio).
Utima Thule It looks a bit like my Ctech. My ctech remembers the mode that was set last time (no sure how, maybe a super capacitor, or possibly some sort of non-volatile storage)... It seems to still retain the last mode even maybe a month after not being used. My Ctech however was a lot more expensive, around $100 on special reduced from $150.
Tony.
Tony.
Last edited:
hm.. I did check the charger if it would keep the voltage charging setting when unplugging it from the mains while at the same time having the secondary connected to the battery, got to admit it's a bad one I have at home, I recall it as it didn't keep any settings but on a second thought maybe it detected the battery as a 6 Volt one.., further on a charger if thoughtfully designed should be able to draw a minimal current directly from the battery in order to keep any settings in the memory while cut of from the mains supply.
The one I have is as the picture shows, an Ultimate Speed ULG 3.8 B1, I saw several of these on eBay but most of them are of the model ULG 3.8 A1 which comes with an LCD, may be some other feature differences as well.
I have to recheck again whether my charger do retain the settings or not.
The one I have is as the picture shows, an Ultimate Speed ULG 3.8 B1, I saw several of these on eBay but most of them are of the model ULG 3.8 A1 which comes with an LCD, may be some other feature differences as well.
I have to recheck again whether my charger do retain the settings or not.
Last edited:
I hope the Moderators don't notice how far off track this thread has become. That would create a lot of work. Anyone care to go to the car thread and continue this?
The car thread.
I scored one of these;
Lossless SD digital turntable Player (Deluxe version) II2S coaxial output | eBay
Lossless SD digital turntable Player (Deluxe version) II2S coaxial output | eBay
Braved the frigid temperature to pick up a K&E 620015 Compensating Polar Planimeter.
A thoroughly useless instrument now, like my Curta II calculator, but should be fun to play with.
A thoroughly useless instrument now, like my Curta II calculator, but should be fun to play with.
I used a planimeter in a summer job years and years ago to to measure the area gouged out by supersonic projectiles in quartz cloth/phenolic ablative material. Rocket science...
Got my three plastic boxes from Reichelt in Germany lately.
Really nice stuff, easy to handle, no screws and all ... plastic.
For various small projects these are perfect and comes in 6 colours.
I screw a piece of metalsheet in the standoffs and mount whatever I want inside on that metal.
The boxes are called KGB-box and in the catalgue from reichelt.de - EUROBOX.
Really nice stuff, easy to handle, no screws and all ... plastic.
For various small projects these are perfect and comes in 6 colours.
I screw a piece of metalsheet in the standoffs and mount whatever I want inside on that metal.
The boxes are called KGB-box and in the catalgue from reichelt.de - EUROBOX.
Attachments
Bought some DVD-RW for £7 as I am writing some CD/DVD ripping software.
Its starting to come together.
Its starting to come together.
I bought enough parts from Mouser to build 4 more Universal Driver Boards. They will be here in a few days.
Tubelab Universal Driver Board, 2015 version
Tubelab Universal Driver Board, 2015 version
Two TriadMagnetics F-301X transformers.
2.5V CT at 3A with dual primarys.
I wanted to characterize some Type 46 tubes I have, and needed to eliminate the split cathode resistors I was using with a non-CT transformer.
The transformers were smaller than I expected. Very nice. Reasonable price at $10 ea.
2.5V CT at 3A with dual primarys.
I wanted to characterize some Type 46 tubes I have, and needed to eliminate the split cathode resistors I was using with a non-CT transformer.
The transformers were smaller than I expected. Very nice. Reasonable price at $10 ea.
A martial arts double ended speed bag:
JUFIT Double End Muay Thai Boxing Punching Bag Speed Ball Bags PU Punch Training Fitness Sports Practical Speed Balls-in Punching Balls & Speed Balls from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
I know, I know, gimmicky, but hopefully I can make some use of as I'm hoping to have a fitness area in our new house.
JUFIT Double End Muay Thai Boxing Punching Bag Speed Ball Bags PU Punch Training Fitness Sports Practical Speed Balls-in Punching Balls & Speed Balls from Sports & Entertainment on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
I know, I know, gimmicky, but hopefully I can make some use of as I'm hoping to have a fitness area in our new house.