Subj : Re: Solar TV Battery Test To : Barry Martin From : Nancy Backus Date : Mon May 18 2020 17:45:48 -=> Quoting Barry Martin to Nancy Backus on 10-May-2020 09:25 <=- NB>> As long as that message was getting too long, I decided to move the NB>> solar testing stuff into the Solar Testing II message.... which also NB>> had been getting away from solar testing, but, oh, well... BM> Sounds like a brilliant move! Seems to have worked out ok... ;) BM>>>>> As for storing, thinking I might 'store out in the open': dawned on BM>>>>> me to use the TV as a monitor for my Raspberry Pi weather station. BM>>>>> Of course have a But First but that was expected! NB>>>>> That's a thought... :) BM>>>> Haven't done too much -- other 'ends and odds'. NB>>>> And But Firsts, no doubt... BM>>> Yeahhhh. Got a semi-major But First with the 'security' cameras not BM>>> working properly: can see the recordings but not real time. Plus I BM>>> had created a back up machine when I switched the CPU heat sink and fan BM>>> on this one. I had never swapped the 'heat sink holder' before: always BM>>> was whatever came with the motherboard. Swap went fine, so far is BM>>> keeping the CPU to a maximum of 112øF vs. the old 180øF and shut down. NB>>> Those both sound like worthy uses of your time... Good that the NB>>> swap was successful, too... :) BM>> Yes -- as for swapping the CPU Heat Sink not like I haven't done BM>> before -- heat sink part is fine but the fan froze -- just never had BM>> swapped in a totally different - in this case monster - heat sink. And BM>> was suckered in by the original one being "AMD approved" -- well, that BM>> means it should be right and do the job, right? NB>> One would have thought.... but maybe it was approved for some other NB>> job....? BM> Apparently it's job was to be cooling a much lighter capacity BM> processor! And now you know... BM>> As for the cameras, got that working. No idea why the real-time BM>> failure with the original software, and appears for whatever reason the BM>> new/updated software either isn't an energy efficient or because it BM>> does more and so the processor does more work ==> heat and current BM>> draw. Ended up putting in a metal case with extensions inside which BM>> contact the CPU, etc., and so draw the heat of better than the original BM>> heat sinks. (The metal case is warm to the touch!). That seems to BM>> have been the problem. NB>> Making it work harder and thus generating more heat, does seem to be a NB>> possibility, even in my limited area of knowledge here... :) Finding NB>> a way to dissipate that heat makes sense, too... BM> Yes, those chips just don't like to be too warm! Didn't quite make BM> sense why the original hardware wasn't liking the updated software BM> but.... I had the metal case in stock for another project, and did my BM> "buy two, they're cheap!" philosophy. Actually still have a spare: BM> did buy two but the original project changed. Funny how that happens, sometimes... :) But handy to have for the project at hand.... :) NB>>>>> Eventually you'll get to that again... on a nice sunny day.... ;) BM>>>> True. OTOH don't want a too-sunny day as will skew the experiment BM>>>> and make any ol' placement look right. ...It'll get done. NB>>>> Dunno... one could run the experiment on a variety of variously NB>>>> sunny days, and see if it makes much (or any) difference... ;) BM>>> Yes, see what happens on a fully sunny day which would be running BM>>> under ideal conditions and so find out what my maximum voltage would BM>>> be. Lesser sunny to overcast days would have less solar output and so BM>>> need to tweak the solar cell's positioning to make the best of what is BM>>> available. NB>>> All seems like workable situations and all... ;) BM>> Yes, eventually back to that project. I haven't been down in the BM>> basement for a while; some stuff up here in the Computer Room, some BM>> Spring yard work..... NB>> You'll get back to it in due time... :) BM> Yes: when it gets to 90 and 100 outside I'l be looking for an indoor BM> project! And a cool basement will be very inviting... NB>>>> Often merely even a chance to charge more for the same product and NB>>>> get away with it... ;0 BM>>> Possibly and probably right: the 'new and improved' isn't the same as BM>>> the original and so could be charged at a different rate. OTOH it BM>>> might not be too good an idea to change the product and change the BM>>> price: I'm thinking a price decrease could be interpreted as not as BM>>> good as the original, a price increase interpreted as an opportunity BM>>> to explore other brands as if the original had to be improved maybe BM>>> it wasn't so good after all. NB>>> Likely any price increase would be hidden.... It might be the same NB>>> price per container, but the net weight or volume has decreased NB>>> slightly... thinking that the customer is less likely to notice that NB>>> sort of thing... ;) BM>> Yes: keep the price and container the same but less contents. NB>> Or tweak the container just a little so that it's not all that NB>> noticeable... ;0 BM> They've probbaly done that to us consumers, I'm sure! Not false BM> advertising as long as they keep the weight display consistent. Ice cream containers are a case in point where they did do that... what used to be a half-gallon container is now just 3 pints... they raised the bottom up into the container so the inside is less, but the outside appears to be the old size... the correct weight is, of course, on the package, but people rarely really notice that anyway... BM> Probably could be made smaller in size (the font) as long as BM> everything else was correspondingly smaller with the new packaging. Doesn't even have to have much else changed... people aren't likely to notice that unless they are routinely comparing with other products... and when they all change at once, one might not pick up on it that quickly... ;) BM> ...Consumer beware! Absolutely... Sugar is now in 4-lb bags rather than 5-lb... cans that used to be 16 oz are now 15, or even 14.5oz... NB>> Wegmans is still doing the consumer reusables instead of the plastic NB>> bags... and selling quite a few of them as well... They are easily NB>> enough wiped down after each use, if one desires to be a little more NB>> cautious... But yes, the other sanitizing and safety measures have got NB>> to be costing them, and when they are out of things, they can't sell NB>> them to get any profit there, either... BM> A hare surprised on Wegmans allowing the use of the consumer resuables BM> -- all purchases or just the ones packed by the consumer him or BM> herself. Hy-Vee is or at least was allowing the reusables if the BM> customer packed their own groceries. Richard packs ours... has been right along... I'm not surprised that Wegmans is staying with the reusables, since they've been pushing them for almost 15 years... When our state outlawed the use of plastic bags in stores, Wegmans was ecstatic, as they'd tried to get rid of them years ago, but customers weren't ready to do so.... There are still plenty of new reusable bags available throughout the store and at the checkouts, so one can have a fresh new one each week if wished for... ;) There is a sign now at the checkout that states that if the reusable looks too dirty, the clerk can refuse to load it... but I've not seen that having to be enforced.... :) BM>> And that reminded me: the coffee-flavourd M&Ms were a restricted-time BM>> offering. I was on eBay for something else (ended up not buying BM>> anywhere) and someone was selling just-expired packs (expiry April BM>> 17th or something) and someone else had listed packs with an expiry the BM>> end of May. Either one would have been OK but I wasn't sure of the BM>> quantity: looked like a single pack at $9.99 - so ten dollars. Uh, BM>> no. OK, so free shipping, but still seemed rather high for a little BM>> packet. I'm not spending my stimulus check on candy! NB>> Guess I was right... No, I'd not spend that sort of money for NB>> candy, either... And it appears that maybe some people did some NB>> hoarding there, as well, hoping to make a killing.... sigh.... BM> Maybe not a killing but just buying up end quantities. I didn't pay BM> attention to the vendor so don't know if it was Vinny's Odd Lots or BM> what. Even if it was just buying up end quantities, that's an exorbitant price for a package of M&Ms.... :) BM>> ... Come to our site: we have Cookies! NB>> Fresh-baked.....? BM> As quick as our little electronics can generate! Oooooooooooohh... ;) Um, no thanks... ttyl neb .... Yeasties eat sugar and whiz into the swimming pool to make your booze. --- EzyBlueWave V3.00 01FB001F * Origin: Tiny's BBS - http://www.tinysbbs.com (454:1/452) .