Housekeeping

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-25 16:54:41

For kbd512 re #175

Thank you for your comprehensive reply! That'll keep me busy for a while << grin >>

In particular, I did appreciate the update on US military training (and practice) manuals!

The online opportunity is a welcome change!

One thing that comes out of this discussion is an understanding of the need for specialists in these and related disciplines on Mars, just as soon as the community can be built out enough.

I'll check My Hacienda, but I'm pretty sure this specialization is not currently included there.

Edit#1: SearchTerm:BatteryMaintenance
SearchTerm:BatteryTesting

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-07-25 16:55:24)

SpaceNut · 2020-07-25 17:44:06

Copied content to equipment that uses batteries...

GW Johnson · 2020-07-25 20:32:57

Tahanson43206:

I posted a battery testing and maintenance article on "exrocketman". It is titled "Taking Care of Car Batteries", and is dated 7-25-2020. It applies to car batteries, tractor batteries, and batteries on lawn and garden equipment. Anything that is lead acid, and used to start engines. I tried to keep it simple and to-the-point.

GW

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-25 21:20:50

For GW Johnson re #178

Thank you for your comprehensive and understandable review of good practice for use and maintenance of lead acid batteries.

I've never seen an 8 volt version, but take your word for it they were manufactured at one time << grin >>

I'm looking forward to making a selection of a load test meter from the unbelievable assortment available, and starting to test my backup battery collection using it.

One observation I would like to make is about the Kohler example I reported recently. The charging voltage in that system is 14.0.

The owner's manual has this text:

3.4 Battery Charging
The controller includes a built-in battery charger to maintain the engine starting battery. the RDC2 controller monitors the battery voltage and provides a constant 14.0 +-2% VDC voltage and maximum 2.5 amps to charge the battery.

That 2 volt difference is inside the 2.5 volt range in your blog post.
I note that the charging rate is inside the 3 amp limit you included in your blog post.

Edit#1: SearchTerm:BatteryMaintenance
SearchTerm:BatteryTesting

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Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-07-25 21:22:59)

GW Johnson · 2020-07-25 21:39:31

Tahanson43206:

I have an ancient 6-volt VW beetle that needed brighter lights before I mothballed it, and there were no 12 volt generators available to fit it. Instead, I installed an 8-volt tractor battery, and "jimmied-up" the cut-in and cut-out voltage contacts in its voltage regulator by 2 volts. Its lights were as bright as any 12 volt bug with this modification, and its starter and its wipers moved more merrily than stock. Yet nothing was "too much" and burned anything out. I thought it was a good mod. Last I saw, 8 volt batteries can still be bought, but you may have to order them. Not too common off the shelf anymore.

The car has been in storage on my farm for over a quarter century now. It still works, in the sense that I can restore it to running condition in about a day, having done that already, once, during that storage period. This was a car that my dad bought secondhand, before I was old enough for a learner's permit legally. I learned to drive on that VW and a '58 Chevy Bel Air, starting from about age 12. I drove that VW for 34 years, before I mothballed it. Pulled trailers with it, too.

GW

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-26 07:26:40

For GW Johnson re #180 and VW beetle with 8 volt battery ...

Your word picture immediately brought to mind the Cable Network show "American Pickers"

I would be delighted if this suggestion to you were to lead to an episode in which they include a visit to your farm!

Here is the contact form from their web site: https://www.aenetworks.com/contact

Thanks for the good news that the 8 volt modification was successful! I'm not sure how many readers will be able to take advantage of it, but this archive has already survived (nearly) 20 years, and it seems to have potential for a life well beyond that.

As always with this particular forum design, it will be difficult for anyone to find your note by just searching.

SearchTerm:8VoltBattery

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elderflower · 2020-07-27 03:55:45

HA Ha. In my student days a friend had a 6 volt Citroen 2CV. It had to be parked at the top of a hill overnight during the winter. 55mph was flat out!

SpaceNut · 2020-07-27 17:23:32

There was a mechanic vibrator in use in the early days for a battery convertor to change polarity and voltage.

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-28 06:23:48

For SpaceNut .... here is a topic from 2004 that could use a bit of pruning: http://newmars.com/forums/viewtopic.php … 092#p44092

I was searching for posts that were about wind power in England, and this popped up.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-07-28 20:36:29

topic fixed

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-29 11:27:29

For SpaceNut re #185

Thanks for taking a look at that interesting post from early in the forum history.

For the present, I'd like to invite your consideration of a new Index level for the forum

You may not have the power to create a new index level, but if you do, I'd like to suggest "Mars Infrastructure"

In recent days the forum has an active group of engineers, or members who certainly show signs of engineering background.

The current discussion of design of a transport system, initiated by SeaDragon and supported by kbd512 and Calliban is exactly the kind of topic that would fit well under a new Index level, if you are willing to create it.

If you do not have that level of power, then surely Mr. Burk could help out, if he can spare the time, and if he agrees with the proposal.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-07-29 12:00:17

This is for all members (and prospective members) who are thinking about creating drawings for illustration of concepts in the forum.

While hand drawn designs are welcome and effective, occasionally a touch of automation can help.

This is an online site that might be worth investigating: https://sketch.io/sketchpad/

I'm going to try to use it to make a sketch for SeaDragon's suspended cable concept.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-07-29 16:37:18

i see the new "Mars Infrastructure"

SpaceNut · 2020-08-01 11:26:28

Void wrote:

Every time I come here, my browser says "Not secure", and I have to do all sorts of things, to get this site to not do the twirl thing. It is painful and annoying. So, I guess no more live posting.
Done.

If the “This site is not secure” pop-up or DLG_FLAGS_SEC_CERT_CN_INVALID error is related to browser’s cache, cleaning it and resetting browser’s settings should help. However, usually, the culprit of the issue is related to the website‘s security certificate, which has either been installed incorrectly or has expired.

https://www.support.com/how-to/how-to-f … edge-12875

its the browser that are flagging the issue and quite possibly it might need updating.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17430

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-01 11:55:42

For SpaceNut re "Not Secure" ...

It is possible someone in Mars Society management made a decision NOT to secure the forum.

A decision to implement a security certificate would prevent non-compliant browsers from accessing the site.

I use a mix of compliant and non-compliant browsers throughout the day.

If the web site were to implement current level site security the non-compliant browsers would be unable to open the site.

By way of example, I find that Amazon maintains the option for older browsers to log in. My guess is that many thousands if not millions of their customers are running older browsers.

Void is experiencing problems due to Internet congestion (in my opinion).

The issue of non-secure status has nothing to do with browser performance.

If Void were to run the ping checks I suggested recently, I am confident he would find that the Internet bogs down in the many kilometers of fiber between him and the Mars Society site. I've been observing increasing instances of congestion throughout the day for the past couple of weeks.

If you were to decide to increase security on the web site, it would probably be a good idea to make sure everyone who posts is going to be able to connect after the upgrade.

(th)

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-03 13:19:49

For SpaceNut ...

Have you noticed an absence recently:

louis
Title
Member
Location
UK
Personality
Signature
Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com
User activity
Posts
5,854 - Show all topics - Show all posts
Last post
2020-07-19 19:42:46
Registered
2008-03-24

I hope that Louis is in good health.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-03 19:57:53

I do as well hope Louis is safe as there has been a bit of turmoil with the cases.

SpaceNut · 2020-08-04 18:43:18

The strong gusty winds has knocked out power once more. Using a tablet and wireless WiFi tethering to post. A tree snapped a mile from the house and is lodged in the wires with no estimate for when the power company will be by to clear the line. They say only 5 are effected, boy they are way off as there are more than that from the house just to the line circuit breaker and about 100 past so not reliable.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-05 06:59:03

For SpaceNut re #193

Hoping the power is restored in your neighborhood soon!

When you get back online, the new member " ElliotZ" has dropped off a spam item in the Orbital Mechanics topic.

I ** sure ** wish we could attract another person of the level of a GW Johnson to help develop that topic.

A poor, shriveled up spam artist is a poor substitute for the kind of person needed to help develop that topic.

Edit#1: Louis last posted [ 2020-07-19 21:42:46] He would have enthused over the 500 foot flight of Starship. (152 meters)
It seems reasonable to suppose you (as Administrator) have access to Louis email address.

Edit#2: We have another shriveled up spam artist: KastotE

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Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-05 17:37:53)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-05 10:57:55

Tablet is charged up for a bit from my vehicles power bus aka cigarette plug but I will not be able to stay on for long.

Both spammer artists are gone and trashed cleaned up.

Edit
Tablet is at a 36% charge level.

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-05 11:01:27

For SpaceNut re #195

Thank you for removing those recent posts!

Best wishes to the repair crew trying to deal with the fallen tree.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-05 11:14:42

Reach out has been sent

Edit
Still no power had to make use of car and an 800 watt invert to have a fan running to aid in wife's breathing. Will need to go start vehicle in a bit. Now 10pm

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-06 05:26:47

For SpaceNut re #197

Thanks for sending an email.

The New Hampshire Power Outage map shows the company has made some progress in clearing the damage, but there are still several thousand customers without power. Best wishes for the car to hold up as an emergency supply for your family's needs.

(th)

SpaceNut · 2020-08-06 11:06:16

Power is now on.
3 just saying hi poster banned.
These still need to be finished.
That's it for now.

edit
posts cleaned up
email checked but no response yet

tahanson43206 · 2020-08-07 11:01:02

For SpaceNut re
gigajoehail

I'll be interested to see what you decide to do about this post, and the ID created to deliver it.

***
While I'm here, I'd like to add a bit more support for the concept offered earlier, to define kbd512's idea of a counter-rotating habitat module configured in a manner similar to the Startrek Enterprise as a topic on its own ... One of the questions kbd512 offered in his visionary post was how to deliver a large structure directly from Earth to LEO. His suggestion was to create an empty shell of a large structure on Earth, and fill it out once it is in orbit.

How that might be done is worth a topic of its own, in the Interplanetary transportation Index level.

These topics are examples of ones that might have sufficient gravitas to attract high trained, well educated, very experienced retired persons to support kbd512 and other NewMars thought leaders in moving from vision to architectural drawings and business plans.

The cohort of people who built and flew Apollo are still around, as are the Shuttle folks.

The principles of shared development of highly complex systems are by now well established in the information technology field. The many variations of Linux are prime examples, although there are many more.

What I am thinking about here is an Open Source design structure for Interplanetary Ships, designed from the outset to never touch an object larger than a space station.

In a recent post, (I ** think ** it was kbd512) suggested a 30 (Earth year) lifespan for the hull of an interplanetary passenger transport.

I'd like to invite consideration of design of such a vessel to be refitted in LEO (or another suitable) location so that the lifetime of the vessel can be extended indefinitely, by planning for replacement of all components on a rotating basis.

The B52 (US) bomber provides a hint of what a design for "eternal" life might look like.

This concept might deserve it's own topic, but I'm not sure where it would fit best.

(th)

Last edited by tahanson43206 (2020-08-07 11:02:30)

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#176 2020-07-25 16:54:41

Re: Housekeeping

#177 2020-07-25 17:44:06

Re: Housekeeping

#178 2020-07-25 20:32:57

Re: Housekeeping

#179 2020-07-25 21:20:50

Re: Housekeeping

#180 2020-07-25 21:39:31

Re: Housekeeping

#181 2020-07-26 07:26:40

Re: Housekeeping

#182 2020-07-27 03:55:45

Re: Housekeeping

#183 2020-07-27 17:23:32

Re: Housekeeping

#184 2020-07-28 06:23:48

Re: Housekeeping

#185 2020-07-28 20:36:29

Re: Housekeeping

#186 2020-07-29 11:27:29

Re: Housekeeping

#187 2020-07-29 12:00:17

Re: Housekeeping

#188 2020-07-29 16:37:18

Re: Housekeeping

#189 2020-08-01 11:26:28

Re: Housekeeping

#190 2020-08-01 11:55:42

Re: Housekeeping

#191 2020-08-03 13:19:49

Re: Housekeeping

#192 2020-08-03 19:57:53

Re: Housekeeping

#193 2020-08-04 18:43:18

Re: Housekeeping

#194 2020-08-05 06:59:03

Re: Housekeeping

#195 2020-08-05 10:57:55

Re: Housekeeping

#196 2020-08-05 11:01:27

Re: Housekeeping

#197 2020-08-05 11:14:42

Re: Housekeeping

#198 2020-08-06 05:26:47

Re: Housekeeping

#199 2020-08-06 11:06:16

Re: Housekeeping

#200 2020-08-07 11:01:02

Re: Housekeeping

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