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Post by papaof2 on Jul 25, 2023 23:31:07 GMT -6
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Post by feralferret on Jul 25, 2023 23:51:41 GMT -6
I needed an indoor trap for gnats and flies. The item below is what I got:
Safer Home SH502 Indoor Plug-In Fly Trap for Flies, Fruit Flies, Moths, Gnats, and Other Flying Insects – 400 Sq Ft of Protection
Amazon Prime price was $17.97 for the device and two glue cards.
In just under 24 hours it had trapped a housefly and 17 gnats in my basement. I no longer get buzzed by gnats while sitting at my computer. The LED UV light is surprisingly bright. I need to order some additional glue cards to have on hand. It seems to have also made a very large dent in the gnat population upstairs even though it is located downstairs in the basement.
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Post by papaof2 on Jul 26, 2023 2:06:39 GMT -6
Some of the "hi tech" pieces of insect control are very useful: permanent eradication of any that get near, no constant "ZAP!" and the scent of burned bug.
I learned to use a wire-handled fly swatter with the mesh screen "swat" portion when I was a kid. I'm still pretty good when a rare bug makes it past the nerve control "perimeter defense" chemicals used by the pest control comany. The few bugs that I see are usually moving VERY slowly or "legs up" in the "dead bug" position of wiring ICs without a breadboard or PC board.
That reminds me. I have a microprocessor-powered data logger kit that I need to put together. The kit didn't come with a DS1307 real time clock chip and the EEPROM is uses to store data only hold 512 readings from the 4 channels it can monitor so I've been collecting other chips (bigger EEPROM) and the DS1307 was in yesterday's mail. Maybe an hour to solder it together if I can sit at the workbench that long :-( If not, it will become a multi-day project that gets finished in segments of 15 minutes or 30 minutes or however long I can sit there at a time.
I have a couple more tests I want to do on the FlashFish E200 powerbox and the E200 needs a bit of surgery before I can do that: it needs an in-line amp meter to and from the battery and a set of wires direct from the battery terminals to measure its voltage under any circumstances. The external 5-pin connector for that also needs to supply 5 volt power to the current sense board annd provide one line for the data back from the ACS712. I'll probably be removing the terminal strip on the 30 amp current sense board and putting some serious wire from the ACS712 chip's pins to the battery pack so it can actually handle 30 amps - the pins on the screw terminal strip probably aren't big enough for much more than 8 or 10 amps continuously so adding the sensor chip becomes a DIY design :-( When completed, I'll be able to measure the at-the-battery-terminals volts and amps during discharge and charge: Remember that the lithium ion cells are in a 3s configuration so the freshly-charged battery voltage is 3 * 4.2 = 12.6 volts, but the working voltage of the cell is closer to 3.7 volts (3 * 3.7 = 11.1 volts) and the minimum cell voltage is 3.2 to 3.0 volts (9.6 to 9.0 volts) as it discharges. 200 watts of AC output / 12 volts is 16.67 amps but the inverter is maybe 85% efficient so that's 16.67 / 0.85 = 19.6 amps. As the battery discharges, we'd have the battery at 11 volts so 200 / 11 = 18.18 amps and then 85% efficient 18.18 / 0.85 = 21.39 amps. At 10 volts, 200 / 10 = 20 amps. 20 / 0.85 = 23.53 amps. And the current gets higher until either the low voltage detector or the over current detector disconnects the battery - thus the need for a 30 amp current sensor.
The 4 channels of the data logger could track DC volts, DC amps, AC volts and maybe AC watts (a little harder to measure with simple equipment). That would provide the actual efficiency of the inverter at various loads and its output voltage(s) under different loads or under the same load at diferent battery voltages as the battery discharges.
You might want to price glue cards versus some of the spray media glue that stays sticky for a long time as long as nothing gets stuck to it. Perhaps even double-stick tape? That and some slightly heavier paper might be cheaper in the long run. (Maybe my ID should have been McFrugal in honor of my Scots ancestors? I should keep that in mind if I need a new ID somewhere ;-)
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Post by feralferret on Jul 26, 2023 3:32:22 GMT -6
You already have two names of which I am aware on different boards. Adding another is no big deal. You just have to remember which one goes with which board.
I used three different air names on the radio at different times while working as a radio announcer. I only had to remember which groupie knew me by which name. ;-)
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Post by papaof2 on Jul 26, 2023 5:15:19 GMT -6
Never had anyone tell me that my voice was "broadcast quality". However, the kids and grands did want me to read to them so apparently it isn't too bad ;-)
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Post by feralferret on Jul 26, 2023 14:24:02 GMT -6
I readily admit that I was never better than mediocre as a disc jockey. My willingness to work overnights helped keep me employed.'
The only times that my voice was close to "broadcast quality" was if I had a mild sore throat. My voice would become deep and resonant as long as I didn't get too sick. That and when I very first got up in the morning while my vocal cords were still very relaxed. After many years of damage caused by reflux, my voice runs from poor to bad most of the time.
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Post by papaof2 on Jul 26, 2023 19:14:06 GMT -6
My better half has reflux but it came later in life and was caught and controlled fairly quickly. She still sings in the church choir but I can tell her voice not where it was 40 years ago when she was singing with the local community chorus.
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