*Action Alert* Ban of Youth Motorcycles and ATVs!

[digitalandanalog]

I once started a Dodge with a completely dead battery in a minor emergency by using a handful of old-but-fully-charged NiCd AAs.

I've always wondered if you could do that with a bunch of C or D cell alkalines.

Emergency start and kill 'em.

[KD5NRH]

I've always wondered if you could do that with a bunch of C or D cell alkalines.

I've heard of it being done that way, thus my decision to use the NiCds rather than try to push-start the vehicle on ice.

NiMH batteries, with their higher internal resistance, probably wouldn't do the job as well.  Not sure about LiIon or other technologies, though of course, with enough in parallel, almost anything can be made to work.  Considering the size of the battery they'd replace, four or five 12V series-groups run in parallel to get the current needed wouldn't be too much of a problem.

[Firethorn]

NiMH batteries, with their higher internal resistance, probably wouldn't do the job as well.  Not sure about LiIon or other technologies, though of course, with enough in parallel, almost anything can be made to work.  Considering the size of the battery they'd replace, four or five 12V series-groups run in parallel to get the current needed wouldn't be too much of a problem.

I did some research, you can buy D cell sized NiMH batteries capable of 50A.  Not recommended for continuous drain, but for a few seconds of cranking...

A 10 cell pack can be had for $100, 12V@50A, though happier at 30A.  It's 3.6 pounds.

I might be wrong, but the car start option on my battery charger is 50A so it should start most vehicles.

You could probably reduce the strain a bit by going to a 11 or 12 cell pack.  14.8V is within auto specs.

Or just use 20 cells, 100A capacity@12V.

[GigaBuist]

Take away stuff, and people might begin to notice.

Going to be interesting to see if anybody notices they can't buy regular incandescent light bulbs in a few years.  Doubt they'll notice much when the 100 watt bulbs go away this year.

[KD5NRH]

Going to be interesting to see if anybody notices they can't buy regular incandescent light bulbs in a few years.

When a porch light bulb that works worth a darn in winter costs $40 (LED, CFLs take forever to get up to a decent brightness when ambient is under 40F) they'll notice.  Not sure what they're going to do for oven and refrigerator lights.

[Bogie]

How can we get 'em to ban something that matters, like skateboards?

[MicroBalrog]

How can we get 'em to ban something that matters, like skateboards?

Julia! Not me!

[erictank]

When a porch light bulb that works worth a darn in winter costs $40 (LED, CFLs take forever to get up to a decent brightness when ambient is under 40F) they'll notice.  Not sure what they're going to do for oven and refrigerator lights.

Ever since I first heard of the impending ban on incandescents, I was positively AMAZED by the notion that, in the quest to "green our world", it is being mandated that the country switch to lightbulbs which must be disposed of as *FRAKKING HAZMAT*!!!!  What's so green about mercury-laced bulbs replacing tungsten-coil?  Sure, they use less energy, but...  :rolleyes:

Not to mention, we're up the proverbial creek in our house, in which most of our lighting is on dimmer switches (haven't seen a single CFL in stores yet which can be used on a dimmer). 

[Marnoot]

Not to mention, we're up the proverbial creek in our house, in which most of our lighting is on dimmer switches (haven't seen a single CFL in stores yet which can be used on a dimmer). 

I've seen plenty of them in places like Home Depot and such. That said, they're expen$ive. We have two on our motion detector garage lights, because they're on at half brightness most of the night, unless they detect motion, then they go full.

[GigaBuist]

Not sure what they're going to do for oven and refrigerator lights.

Appliance light bulbs were exempted by the legislation.  Basically anything 40 watt or lower will still be OK for sale IIRC.

What's so green about mercury-laced bulbs replacing tungsten-coil?

Less mercury released into the environment with the disposal of a CFL than would be released by burning coal to generate the electricity to power an incandescent.  The amount of mercury in a CFL is incredibly small.  You don't really need to do anything special if one breaks.  Just don't clean the mess up with your tongue and you should be alright.  If you want to feel safer open up the windows and air out the house while you refrain from lapping up the mess.

[KD5NRH]

Appliance light bulbs were exempted by the legislation.  Basically anything 40 watt or lower will still be OK for sale IIRC.

Still doesn't help with the motion-sensor porchlights, though; fast on-time is a large part of their usefulness, and while CFLs do come on quick in the summer, cold weather makes them nearly useless for the first 15-45 seconds.

It's also impractical for short-duty lights like closet lights; the CFL circuitry is generally not designed for lots of on-off cycles.

Considering how hard it is to find anything 150W equivalent or higher in a >5000K CFL, I suspect there'll also be some complaints from folks who need a lot of white light.

[Jamisjockey]

How can we get 'em to ban something that matters, like skateboards?

Ever met a fat skateboarder?
Not many of them. 

[mtnbkr]

Ever met a fat skateboarder?
Not many of them. 

There aren't many serious motocrossers who are fat either.  It's a tough enough sport that early mountain bike racers (the pros back in the early to mid 90s) used to use motocross to stay in shape during the off season.

Chris

[Jamisjockey]

There aren't many serious motocrossers who are fat either.  It's a tough enough sport that early mountain bike racers (the pros back in the early to mid 90s) used to use motocross to stay in shape during the off season.

Chris

Takes alot to throw around a several hundred pound motorbike or ATV. 

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

believe it or not a medical study done back when i rode dirt bikes rated motocross as the most strenuous sport.  they based it on the total intensity for the 20 mins. talked about the amouint of weight lost etc.  i never could avoid crashing long enough to find out,  but i was a ball to watch

[Firethorn]

Ever since I first heard of the impending ban on incandescents, I was positively AMAZED by the notion that, in the quest to "green our world", it is being mandated that the country switch to lightbulbs which must be disposed of as *FRAKKING HAZMAT*!!!!  What's so green about mercury-laced bulbs replacing tungsten-coil?  Sure, they use less energy, but...  :rolleyes:

They're greatly exaggerating the hazmat nature of them.  The amount in a CFL is tiny; much less than the old mercury thermometers used when I was a kid.

One statistic I read is that if your power comes primarily from coal you could smash the CFL at the end of it's life and still be exposed to less mercury than if the extra coal had been burned to keep a traditional bulb lit.  IE burning the coal releases some mercury into the atmosphere; this amount, over the course of the life of the CFL, greatly exceeds that of the CFL.

Not to mention, we're up the proverbial creek in our house, in which most of our lighting is on dimmer switches (haven't seen a single CFL in stores yet which can be used on a dimmer). 

There was a great big endcap of them at the local menards last weekend.

LED, CFLs take forever to get up to a decent brightness when ambient is under 40F)

The CFL lights in my (unheated)garage door opener work fine even in -30F weather.  Though I will admit that our ideas of 'decent brightness' might not agree.  All I really need is to be able to see well enough to get into my truck.  BTW, love having a garage, even an unheated one, not having to scrape every morning is a joy.  Personally, I stuck my slowest starting/brightening CFL bulb in the bathroom.  It's nice having enough light to use the pot while not blinding myself.