Post by papaof2 on Dec 16, 2022 3:44:21 GMT -6
I wrote the intro for a story some time ago and in that intro Jack pressed the "ON" button on the remote for the gas logs and they gave the "flame on" icon but didn't operate the gas valve. That actually happened tonight, so I have factual basis for the events in that intro - if the story is ever finished.
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It's a little after midnight and the room is cold. Press the ON button on the remote for the gas logs. The small flame icon shows on the display next to the temperature - but the gas valve doesn't make its usual "THUNK!" - not even a small "click". Time to check the D cells in the external battery pack. The original design used AA cells in the remote control receiver's housing with the "OFF - REMOTE - ON" switch on the front of it. It's small and inconspicuous but the four AA cells didn't last the first heating season. Needed a better design.
Ordered a four D cell holder and male/female coaxial power connectors. Plenty of room on the back of the original housing for the female power cnnector and used some stranded 18 gauge wire for the short leads from the battery holder to the male coaxial plug. Much better with the D cells - two or three seasons with no battery change.
Back to tonight. Took the D cells out of the holder and checked them with a basic "Bad - ? - Good" battery tester and they're all in the green. Wiped off the battery terminals and the battery holder terminals and put the D cells back in place. Turned each battery a revolution or so for a bit more cleaning of the contact surfaces. Put the D cell holder back under the remote control receiver box and plugged those D cells into the receiver box. Press "ON" on the remote, there's a satisfying "THUNK!" and I have blue flames. Less than five minuites to resolve the problem. The D cells are dated "2023" so are they reading the calendar and dying early or did the battery holder contacts just get a bit dirty from sitting unused for several months?
No matter. The problem is resolved and I have plenty of spare D cells (and NiMH rechargeable AA cells) when/if these cells die.
From the downloadable data sheets:
Duracell Coppertop AA can provide 0.1 amp for 24 hours (to 1.0 volts/cell).
Duracell Coppertop D can provide 0.1 amp for more than 100 hours (to 1.0 volts/cell).
Just checking thimgs out before we get two days with lows of 14F. The last time we had that, we also had a power outage...
---
It's a little after midnight and the room is cold. Press the ON button on the remote for the gas logs. The small flame icon shows on the display next to the temperature - but the gas valve doesn't make its usual "THUNK!" - not even a small "click". Time to check the D cells in the external battery pack. The original design used AA cells in the remote control receiver's housing with the "OFF - REMOTE - ON" switch on the front of it. It's small and inconspicuous but the four AA cells didn't last the first heating season. Needed a better design.
Ordered a four D cell holder and male/female coaxial power connectors. Plenty of room on the back of the original housing for the female power cnnector and used some stranded 18 gauge wire for the short leads from the battery holder to the male coaxial plug. Much better with the D cells - two or three seasons with no battery change.
Back to tonight. Took the D cells out of the holder and checked them with a basic "Bad - ? - Good" battery tester and they're all in the green. Wiped off the battery terminals and the battery holder terminals and put the D cells back in place. Turned each battery a revolution or so for a bit more cleaning of the contact surfaces. Put the D cell holder back under the remote control receiver box and plugged those D cells into the receiver box. Press "ON" on the remote, there's a satisfying "THUNK!" and I have blue flames. Less than five minuites to resolve the problem. The D cells are dated "2023" so are they reading the calendar and dying early or did the battery holder contacts just get a bit dirty from sitting unused for several months?
No matter. The problem is resolved and I have plenty of spare D cells (and NiMH rechargeable AA cells) when/if these cells die.
From the downloadable data sheets:
Duracell Coppertop AA can provide 0.1 amp for 24 hours (to 1.0 volts/cell).
Duracell Coppertop D can provide 0.1 amp for more than 100 hours (to 1.0 volts/cell).
Just checking thimgs out before we get two days with lows of 14F. The last time we had that, we also had a power outage...