Category Archives:
Uncategorized

[ad_1]

The 12v battery can be found in a wide variety of forms that look nothing like each other at all. While some may look similar to a regular AA battery only a bit shorter and stockier other 12 volt portable power amps can be much larger than a regular battery weighing six pounds or more. With such a wide variety of styles and designs there are several different uses for the twelve volt battery.

Types of Battery

12 volts come in several different models, but there are two general types, rechargeable and non rechargeable. While non rechargeable batteries are less expensive up front, the price of buying them over and over quickly outweighs the cost of buying rechargeable batteries and a charger just once. If you go through large quantities of 12v battery packs in a short amount of time, then investing in rechargeable models may save you hundreds of dollars each year.

Uses for 12 Volts

There are a lot of uses for these types of batteries including twelve volt portable power devices like travel fridges, fish radars and much more. The 12v battery is a popular item with many hunters and campers because of it’s portability and the number of devices that can use it. Many fisherman use them to operate portable refrigerators which keep fish and bait fresh throughout the trip. Campers use them for similar types of portable items as well.

Another place that large 12v batteries are often found is in the ride on vehicles for children that are often used for outdoor entertainment. Many of the popular toy manufacturers that make miniature versions of your favorite vehicles for kids to ride in use 6 or 12v power sources to give the cars their get up and go.

Going Green

Some rechargeable 12v batteries can be used with a solar charger to make them even more eco-friendly. Investing in a solar charger will allow you to recharge your power sources throughout the day regardless of your location. Whether you are sitting at home, camping out by the lake or fishing in an old fashioned boat, solar 12 volt battery charger panels can effectively collect sunlight and charge your batteries while you go about your business.

Twelve volt portable power batteries come in dozens of shapes and sizes to fit your needs, whatever they may be. From flashlights and toys to boating equipment, the uses for batteries are constantly growing, and with solar charging options your power source can keep going strong without costing you anything extra. Whether you are a camper, a fisher, a kid with a battery operated jeep or just a gadget lover you can be sure to meet your needs with a 12v battery collection.

[ad_2]

Source by John Parkhamson

[ad_1]

Sales scripts work. Plain and simple. And they are especially effective in automobile sales. Strange as it may be, salespeople in general have pretty bad press. Add automobile sales people into the mix, then you’ve probably got one of the worst preconceived notions of a salesperson that you ever could have. Why? That’s because the stereotype of an automobile salesman is a fast talking, high pressure person, out to make a fast buck, and probably selling something dodgy in the process.

In the car sales arena, sales scripts receive little training and are hardly ever used. Objective studies that have been carried out recently into a salesperson`s patter, regardless of the industry, reveals that a more easygoing, genuinely helpful approach wins more sales than the high pressure approach. So using sales scripts, no matter what niche of the market you are in, could well help increase your sales.

Consider this, naturally gifted automobile sales people are rare. The ones who do have the natural talent for sales tend to be fast talkers who rely on their confident delivery to rush people headlong into a decision. But making a sale doesn’t have to be done this way. As the study suggests, a consultative approach is proven to yield better results. Because this new consultation approach is unfamiliar to most sales hardened car sales people, sales scripts help guide the interaction and steady the pace.

Sales scripts work for automobile sales people in the same way that film scripts work for actors. They are used to maintain excitement, energy, and enthusiasm in the dialogue. More importantly, scripts guide the actors throughout the production. Similarly, sales scripts guide the sales professional maintaining the focus on the prospect and vehicle.

Sales scripting is not a new idea. It was first researched back in 1938 when Elmer Wheeler researched over 105,000 words and phrases over a 10 year period. He published his findings in the book “Tested Sentences That Sell“. He concluded that “There are no magic words that sell, but there is word magic.” Wheeler advocated that using tested “word magic” can significantly increase sales.

Sales scripts are becoming more widely used across a larger cross-section of sales markets, and some leading automobile dealerships are beginning to look at the benefits of employing this sales methodology. In the past, automobile salespeople have been accused of being over aggressive. For example, as soon as you arrive at the store you often get a sales person tagging onto you very quickly, asking you what it is you’re looking for. This can immediately put you on the defensive. You feel under pressure and usually respond with something like “Just browsing”, or you might even leave the store. Whereas it is nice to be recognized when you do arrive, you don’t want to feel that you are being pushed into anything, and this is exactly where sales scripts can really help to change how a sales person interacts with the prospect.

A good example of a scripted opening, and my favorite from Joe Verde, is “Who is the lucky one for the new vehicle, you or somebody else?” This sort of opening makes for an easy introduction, doesn’t exert any pressure, and allows the prospect to easily answer. This scripted phrase has statistically proved to be a winning opening for me.

In summary, the methodology of using sales scripts involves selecting statistically proven winners and involving the sales staff in implementing them. Sales scripting can dramatically increase sales, no matter what the industry. With automobile sales suffering, good sales scripting could really turn your business around. Simply put, sales scripting works.

[ad_2]

Source by Jeffrey Doucet

[ad_1]

Doing your own brake job, if done properly can save a lot of money. But if a brake job is done improperly it could very well cost more than if a professional was paid to do the job to begin with. I’ve done hundreds of brake jobs in the last 25 years as a Master Auto Technician and in this article I’ll outline some of the basics. I also point out some common mistakes that beginners and even pros can make when doing a brake job.

Pulsating?

If the car shakes when the brakes are applied, this means that the brake rotors are warped. Excessive side to side run-out causes the car to shake especially when stopping quickly from highway speeds. The rotors can be machined or resurfaced to make them true again as long as they are thick enough. If there is no pulsation or brake shake, brake pads can be replaced without machining them. In my experience though, if machining or replacing the rotors is not done when doing a brake job, most of the time there will be excessive squeaking noises after a very short time. I recommend taking care of the rotors by having them machined or replaced when doing the brake job.

Lifting the Car Safely

Sounds a little too basic doesn’t it? I’ve seen many people under cars without having a jack stand in place for safety. Hydraulic jacks are great, but what if one slips or fails in some way while someones under the car working? I can’t emphasize enough the importance of having the car safely raised with a jack stand in place, just in case the car falls for some reason. A jack stand under the car is very important for anytime work is to be done under the car, like for oil changes, starter replacement or any other job that could crush a person if the jack failed. I once worked with a mechanic that was changing his starter at home. His hydraulic jack had a slow leak and before he realized that the car was lowering gradually onto him, he was pinned under the car and couldn’t get out from under it. The compressing of his chest only allowed him to take very shallow breaths of air, which limited his ability to cry for help! Luckily a friend stopped by, saw what was happening and raised the car for him. If not for luck this could have had a totally different outcome, his mistake could have cost him his life.

Removing Wheels, Calipers and Rotors

After removing the wheels find the caliper bolts and check to see what type of head the bolts have to determine what tools will be needed. Common fasteners will have either regular bolt heads, allen or torx. Typically there will be two bolts holding the caliper and two bolts holding the caliper bracket. Usually just the caliper can be removed if just replacing the brake pads. Suspend the caliper with an elastic cord or something similar to prevent the weight of the caliper from possibly damaging the brake hose. If the rotor is being removed to be machined or replaced most of the time the caliper bracket will need to be removed as well. Rotors will either just slide off or on older style setups will be held on by the wheel bearings. Most cars today will have rotors that slide off. The wheel bearings on this design are not serviceable, meaning they are lifetime greased and can only be replaced when they fail so they are not repacked with grease during a brake job like in the past.

Pushing the Piston

Pushing the brake caliper piston back in is required to install the new brake pads. The piston slowly extends out as the brake pads wear. This is why no brake adjustment is needed for the disc brake system, it’s basically self adjusting. Big channel lock pliers can be used to compress the piston back into the caliper. There are also brake tools that can be used to push the piston back in. A big C-clamp used to be my favorite method for returning the piston back into the caliper. If working on rear disc brakes, a piston wind back tool like the KD 41540 (one of DenLors best sellers) is usually required to push and turn the pistons back in. It is recommended to open the brake bleeder screw when pushing the piston, this allows it to go back in easier and prevents possible damage to the master cylinder and/or ABS (Anti Lock Brakes) pump or valves from forcing old fluid back into the system. Closing the bleeder valve immediately after the caliper piston is pushed back in will insure that bleeding the brakes will not be necessary. If dust boots in the caliper are broken, caliper replacement is necessary. Broken boots will allow moisture and dirt to enter the surrounding area of the piston and will cause it to stick or seize. There are slides on some caliper brackets that can freeze up or seize also that can cause uneven pad wear. The slides should be taken apart and lubricated with silicone gel or disc brake grease. The slides must work freely for the brakes to work properly.

Installing the Brake Pads and Calipers

Take note of any possible differences in left side brake pads and right side brake pads. Also there is sometimes differences in inboard and outboard brake pads. Obviously the friction part of the brake pad goes towards the rotor. My uncle a long time ago, before I ever started working on cars did a brake job on his Cadillac. I remember hearing that he placed the brake pads in backwards! He ruined his brake rotors. It seems like an impossible mistake, but when you’re not familiar with what you’re doing anything is possible. With aftermarket brake pads, most of the time they will come with their own noise insulators that fit onto the back of the pads. Some will have adhesive backs that will have plastic to peel off before installing, others may have tabs built into them. Note that if these are supplied, the OE (Original Equipment) pad insulators will not be re-used. After the pads are in place, be careful not to TWIST the brake caliper hoses when putting the calipers back on. It’s a common mistake to twist them and the hoses can kink on turns.

Pump the Brake Pedal!

After everything is back together, it’s time for a test drive. But first pump the brake pedal before putting the car in gear! The pedal will go to the floor and you may be headed for a crash if you don’t. When the pedal is pumped the pistons are pushed out and the pedal becomes firm. There was an auto technician that I worked with that forgot to pump the brakes after doing a brake job. He backed out of his service bay, when he hit the the brakes the car kept going and he drove into the car that was half way up on the rack behind him. It broke the rear window of the car he was driving, luckily there was no other damage.

There are many types of brake systems but most disc brakes are basically the same. Following the steps I’ve listed here should help in replacing your brake pads. But if you are not completely confident, it’s always a good idea to ask a friend that has some hands on experience to help guide you through your first brake job.

[ad_2]

Source by Dennis Bandy

[ad_1]

The Wedding Day! 大喜日

Fetching the bride 迎亲

If the bride’s family required a matchmaker 媒婆for the chinese wedding, she will accompany the groom to fetch the bride. The matchmaker, or Best man if there is no matchmaker, will carry a red tray containing a red packet with the bride’s price, a piece of raw pork front leg which is the mother’s reward for bringing up the bride, even number of oranges, dried persimmons, longan, lotus seeds, and magnolia petals (pak hup).

The red tray will be returned with the oranges replaced in even numbers to signify that the newly joined families will share their good fortune. An even numbered portion of the bride’s price will be returned in the red packet. Even numbered cans of pork trotters or a red packet may be used instead of the raw pork leg.

Bride’s younger brother to open the bridal car door 小舅开车门

The groom must not open the car door when he arrives to fetch his bride. The bride’s younger brother will pass him two oranges before opening the door. The two oranges will be left in the bridal car for good fortune. The groom will give this younger brother a red packet after he opens the car door. If the bride has no younger brother, a younger male relative or a younger male friend can play the role.

Kiss the bride! 亲亲新娘

The groom and the brothers’ troop will be served sweet desserts with pink rice ball and snacks at the bride’s home. The groom will enter the bride’s room and lift her veil to kiss her. Taoist couple will pray to the bride’s ancestors and family gods before leaving the bride’s home.

Chinese Wedding Ceremony 过门/拜堂成亲

The chinese were mainly Taoists or ancestor worshipers before foreign religions such as Christianity, Muslim or Buddhism enter China. Taoists believed in the power of heaven and earth to witness important events on earth. It was also believed that a parent or family elder must acknowledge a union for it to be official.

In traditional chinese wedding ceremony the bride and groom will first pray to heaven and earth, then to the groom parents or family elders and lastly bow to each other 一拜天地，二拜高堂，夫妻交拜. The three prayers sealed the marriage. The couple was escorted into the bridal chamber, the equivalent of the bridal room, to consummate their marriage.

Modern chinese wedding skip the ritual of the three prayers. The bride and groom will enter the bridal room directly after entering the groom’s home. Groom’s family members will hide in the house to avoid clashing of fortune with the new couple. After the family members have returned to the family hall, the couple will join them. The Taoist bride and groom will pray to the groom’s ancestors and family gods at this time.

Wedding Tea Ceremony 敬茶

Without the traditional three prayers, the tea ceremony becomes the most significant event in the modern chinese wedding ceremony. The bride and groom are formally introduced to each other’s family through this ceremony.

It will usually take place on the wedding day when most of the family members are present. If some members are not available, supplementary sessions can be conducted at the wedding dinner or at other convenient times and locations.

Sweet tea boiled with dried longan, lotus seeds and red dates are used for the Tea ceremony. The tea ceremony gifts such as red packets or jewellery are presented on the serving plate after drinking the tea.

Bride’s home visit 三朝回门

Traditionally the bride’s home visit is three days after the chinese wedding ceremony. For efficiency, modern chinese wedding usually compressed all the necessary events into a single day.

After the tea ceremony at the groom’s family home, the bride will change out of her western style wedding gown to symbolise passing of three days!

Bride’s younger brother to escort the bride home 小舅伴新娘回门

The bride’s younger brother will arrive at the groom’s home with a wedding basket 油篮 filled with toiletries, perfumed oils and make-up for his sister.

The bridal car will fetch the bride’s younger brother to the groom’s home. The groom will welcome the younger brother by opening the car door for him.

Gifts for the bride’s home visit 回门礼

The bride’s home visit is the couple’s first visit to her parent’s home as a married couple. Other than the gifts for her parents, the couple gives red packets to all the elder members and children in the family.

In the past, many dialect groups required gifts of a pair of sugar cane, at least a pair of live rooster and hen. These带路鸡 “dai lu ji” were supposed to lead the way. The return gift of a rooster and hen will be put under the bridal bed back at the groom’s home. It was believed that the firstborn will be male if the rooster came out first.

To simplify matters most of these gifts are no longer required or are replaced by red packets for modern chinese weddings. Nowadays, only symbolic items are required. Tangerines or mandarin oranges 橘子”Juzi” sounds like good fortune 吉 “Ji” in chinese and must be included as part of the gifts. If tangerines are out of season, oranges can be used instead.

If one of the bride’s parents is cantonese, the roast pig 烧猪is definitely required as part of the gifts for the bride’s home visit. For non-cantonese, sometimes roast pork 烧肉 instead of a whole roast pig is requested.

For teochew, two big red packets of their favorite traditional peanut and sesame candies豆条芝麻条 are usually requested. For hokkiens, combinations of popped rice blocks, or popped rice and sesame rolls, peanut chewy candies, bean paste cookies米方麻佬贡糖豆沙饼 are usually requested.

A portion of all gifts are returned to signify sharing of fortune between the two families.

During the bride’s home visit, a sweet soup with lotus seeds, dried longan, dates and pink rice balls will be served to wish the couple a sweet harmonious marriage.

The modern chinese wedding ceremony is completed after the bride’s home visit. The wedding banquet may be on the same day or another day as it is just an announcement and celebration of the marriage.

The couple and the parents will give red packets to all the helpers at the wedding including beauticians, drivers, bestmen and bridesmaids, matchmaker, photographers, videographers, receptionists and ushers, etc.

[ad_2]

Source by Jina Boo

[ad_1]

MIG Welding or commonly known as Metal Inert Gas Welding uses inert gases such as argon in the welding process. Its more technical term is Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW).

History of MIG Welding

This process has been developed during World War II in view of meeting the demands for weapons, which continued until the post-war era.

Nature of the Welding Process

Essentially, this type of welding uses argon and other inert gases during the process. The use of inert gases differentiates it from MAG welding which utilizes active gases such as carbon dioxide.

These inert gases provide shield and protection to the welding puddle and arc.

Significant Advantages of the Welding Process

First, the simplicity of the procedure involved. The entire process requires the constant contact between the electrode and the welding arc. This contact, which may also be described as “feeding,” allows the arc to remain at a fixed position thereby facilitating the production of welds.

The prevalent use of MIG Welding in most homes is a proof of the simplicity of this procedure.

Also, such simplicity contributes greatly to the speed of the process, in turn, its relatively lower costs.

Second, high quality results produced. It commonly uses inert gases as shields from spatter. Less spatter results in cleaner surfaces with a touch of aesthetic appeal.

Further, it may be done in any position; thus, provides more flexibility to the welder. This also ensures high quality welding even in confined areas.

The current use of this process in automation, robots, car hoods and similar others prove the optimum quality of the welded surfaces.

Third, the applicability of the welding process to a wide range of metals. Metals ranging from the common aluminum to the rare and fragile thin sheet used in car bodies can all be subjected to this process.

Significant Disadvantages of the Welding Process

There are two significant disadvantages of this welding process: a) the full focus and concentration the process requires; and b) its inapplicability in certain cases.

Full focus and concentration is needed during the entire process since it entails constant contact between the electrode and the welding arc; thus, even the mundane act of scratching one’s hair is not possible.

With respect to the second disadvantage, the process is inapplicable in welding thick steel due to its inability to penetrate well the surface. Also, when surfaces of metals are not clean, this welding process cannot produce optimum results.

Indeed, the disadvantages of MIG welding are outweighed by its advantages, particularly the simplicity of its procedure. Such simplicity allows even an inexperienced user to weld by himself a few broken fixtures at home.

[ad_2]

Source by Albert Michelin

[ad_1]

Halloween costumes are fun to create. Many items to use with your Halloween costume can be found in your own home or at your area thrift store. Creating costumes can be inexpensive and lots of fun to make and to wear. You’ll find some of these will even work as last minute Halloween costume ideas.

Here are 25 costume ideas to help inspire you to make your own costume this year. It can be pretty simple to put a costume together and after you decide on one, browse the online Halloween retailer’s websites for your costume. You may get a few more ideas. Use your imagination and creativity when making a costume, as this makes the costume unique and truly yours.

Dracula: For this scary costume you will need a pair of black pants, a long sleeve white shirt, a black jacket and a white vest. Wear a black cape with a collar and a gold necklace. Slick your hair back with hair gel. Wear pale face make-up, dark eyes and bloody lips with blood also dripping from the mouth and of course, vampire teeth.

A Witch: You will need a long black dress with long sleeves, a witch’s hat, black shoes and a broom. Wear green and gray face make-up and dark gray lipstick. A fake wart on your nose would help too. Blacken out some of your teeth for a really ugly effect.

Tom Sawyer: Wear overalls that look worn, a dull plaid shirt and be sure to go bare footed. Place a straw hat on your head and chew on a piece of straw that is somewhat long. You can also add freckles to your checks and make your feet look dirty.

A Genie: You will need a pair of loose-fitting pants that fit tight around the ankles and a halter top or vest to match. Use a brightly colored scarf as a belt tied around the waist. Wear wide bracelets on your arms and large loop earrings. Go barefoot. Make a turban out of fabric and add a large plastic jewel on the front of the turban with fabric glue. If you can’t find the pants this outfit calls for, then use a pair of loose-fitting pants and, tie the pants down to your ankles with colorful ribbon and make the pants look puffy.

Instead of a turban, you could pull your hair up into a pony tail on top of your head. Add some bling in your hair. Drape a thin scarf across the bottom part of your face.

Peter Pan: Using dark green fabric, make a tunic that hits above the knee and has a jagged hem and jagged sleeves. Wear opaque black or green tights, a black belt and black shoes. Make a hat using the green fabric and add a feather to the hat. Place a dagger under your belt and you’re Peter Pan.

Igor: For this costume you will need a very large lab coat or white long sleeve shirt. Place stuffing into a pillowcase and sew it into the inside of the shirt for the hump. (You could also just use Velcro to keep it in place). Wear a pair of raggedy pants with holes in the knee areas. For a belt, use a rope and tie it in the front. An old and dull looking t-shirt that is ripped at the collar, sleeve and hem looks great. Carry a jar of brown colored water (use food dye) with a chunk of cauliflower in it for the brain. Shave your head and walk hunched over… shaving your head is optional.

Jack and the Beanstalk: For this costume, wear all green and wrap wired silk ivy all over yourself from head to toe. Using a straw hat, glue cotton balls on the hat for a cloud effect. A sprig of ivy should come out of the top of the hat. Make a tunic for a Ken doll and Ken becomes Jack, and you are the beanstalk. Carry a bag of beans to hand out.

Octomom: This is a really fun one. Wear long dark hair and big very red lips. Attach eight baby dolls all over yourself and you are ready to go.

Indiana Jones: For this costume you will need a brown hat with a brim. Use a rope for the whip and attach a handle – or use a jump rope, pull off one of the handles and spray paint the rope and handle. Wear brown paints, a tan shirt and brown boots. Wear a leather jacket. Use a rough sponge and brown makeup to create beard stubble. Add a few lines of dirt around your cheekbones, temples and under the jaw line.

A Sorcerer: For a sorcerer, use a long black or dark colored robe with long drooping sleeves and a robe belt (use a drapery tieback for the belt). Hang mystical items from the belt such as a pouch, herbs, crystals, and carry a staff.

Mrs. Claus: For this cute outfit glue cotton balls on a shower cap for the hair. Wear a white button down shirt, long white skirt, a red apron, red and white striped stockings and wire rim glasses on the tip of your nose. Add rosy red cheeks and you’re ready.

A Hunter: This one is really easy. Wear camouflage clothing, a hunter’s vest with lots of pockets, a camouflage hat, gloves and rubber boots. Carry binoculars, a canteen and a fake rifle.

A Devil: Wear red tights and a red turtleneck shirt. Make pointed ears out of red felt. Make the horns out of red felt with wire inserted or foam painted red and attach them to a headband. Make the tail out of felt with an arrow shape at the end and insert wire into the felt. Cover all the exposed skin with red body paint. Take a black brow pencil and draw your eyebrows at a sharp outward angle. Color your lips red or black.

Cat Burglar: This guy wears all black. Wear black leggings, a black turtleneck, black stocking cap, black socks and shoes, black eye mask and black gloves. Hang some tools from a belt and wear around your waist. Carry a sack over your shoulder.

Tinkerbell: Cut the hem of a short green dress into a jagged pattern. Put your hair in a bun and wear very little makeup (mainly, a little blush, lip gloss and mascara). Wear green flats with pompoms on top. Wear little fairy wings and carry a wand and a big smile.

The Easter Bunny:To be the Easter Bunny wear white sweatpants and a white hooded sweatshirt. Using wire and white and pink felt, make the bunny ears and attach them to the hood of the sweatshirt. Cut an oval shape out of the pink felt for the bunny’s chest and attach it to the front of the sweatshirt. Create a bunny nose and whiskers using makeup and wear white gloves. Carry a basket filled with colorful plastic eggs.

A Soldier: Wear military clothing such as: fatigues, hat or helmet, black boots, dog tags, utility belt with canteen and a fake grenade. Camouflage your face and carry a fake gun.

Teen Wolf: Wear a basketball costume and headband. Buy some fake fur from a craft store and using spirit gum attach it to any exposed skin. Wear rubber fingernails and high top tennis shoes.

A Rapper: For this hip guy you will wear baggy jeans that sag down your hips, a t-shirt and hoodie, a baseball cap tilted on your head, gold chain, big watch, a grill on your teeth (silver gum wrapper will work for the grill) and cool tennis.

Black Eyed P: This costume is super quick and easy. Wear a white t-shirt and with a black marker draw the letter P on it (be sure it is a large P). Using black face make-up, give yourself one black eye. Now you are a black eyed P.

Circus Clown: Wear coveralls over a brightly colored long sleeve shirt, converse tennis shoes (the older the better) and a clown wig or color your own hair with colored spray. Paint your face white and create a clown look that you like. Carry a noise maker and spray silly string.

School Crossing Guard: This one is quick and easy. You will need to wear dark colored clothes (slacks and button down shirt), a whistle around the neck and carry a stop sign.

Rock ‘n Roll Star: All you need to be a rock star is a pair of leather pants, leather jacket or vest, spiked dog collar, fake tattoos, long haired wig or spiked hair, and sunglasses. Be sure and carry a toy guitar.

A Used Car Salesman: Slick your hair back using lots of hair cream. Wear a plaid polyester suit, a button down shirt and several neck chains. Hand out business cards you made yourself and tell people you can get them a great deal.

Marge Simpson: Wear a Marge Simpson wig or make a wig out of blue yarn. Wear a green tube type dress with elastic around the top, orange flat shoes and a bead necklace. Use make up to color your skin yellow.

[ad_2]

Source by Zoey Cory

[ad_1]

Alcohol fuels such as ethanol have recently been touted as cutting-edge, future fuels, clean alternatives to gasoline or diesel. Alcohol is a completely renewable resource, as it can be fermented or chemically extracted from practically any substance containing carbohydrates (most commonly starches or sugars). The use of alcohol as a vehicle fuel could greatly contribute to oil independence in the very near future, but just how ‘green’ is it, as an alternative to petroleum based fuels?

Henry Ford’s first vehicle used an alcohol-powered motor, and Ford envisioned alcohol as the primary vehicle fuel as early as 1925, telling the New York Times that, “The fuel of the future is going to come from fruit … or from apples, weeds, sawdust – almost anything,” he said. “There is fuel in every bit of vegetable matter that can be fermented. There is enough alcohol in one year’s yield of an acre of potatoes to drive the machinery necessary to cultivate the fields for a hundred years.” Although frequently discredited for his private viewpoints and political associations, no one can honestly claim that Ford was anything less than a visionary when it comes to automobile technology. A farmer himself, and champion of the American farm industry, Ford made his first car out of hemp plastics and fueled it with plant-based alcohol. He envisioned the growth of the automobile industry going hand-in-hand with that of the farming industry. So if we’ve known about this alternative fuel for over a century, why have we not been using it?

This sustainable vision of the future was largely suppressed by heavy lobbying from the petroleum industry, which included a smear campaign against Ford, claiming that his plan would make farmers rich at the expense of the common consumer. Some historians and theorists even credit Rockefeller, the billionaire oil tycoon, with heavily funding the prohibition movement in order to eliminate the potential competition from alcohol fuels. Until recently the falsely low prices of gasoline outweighed the environmental effects for most consumers, but as we are faced with the staggering effects of global warming our collective conscience urges us to seek alternatives. The earliest internal combustion engines, such as the Model A, were designed to run on either alcohol or gas, and small, inexpensive modifications can be made to allow modern vehicles to run on alcohol. In fact, over two million cars in Brazil have been modified to run on alcohol, which is no coincidence as Brazil has a huge industry in place that distills ethanol from sugar cane. The United States has also launched a massive ethanol production industry, using corn as its feedstock. Growing crops specifically for ethanol production, however, has sparked much debate about the practicality of this practice. The main arguments are: vast tracts of land are deforested, or the natural habitat destroyed, to make room for corn or sugar cane farms, thereby negating any possible benefits concerning global warming; and world food shortages may be exacerbated by dedicating fertile land to fuel production. Both of these issues can be addressed by using alternative ‘feed stocks’ for ethanol creation and many alternatives have been proposed. As Henry Ford said, “almost anything” can be used for ethanol fermentation, including agricultural wastes or food byproducts. Some of the most interesting alternatives are rice straw, which is typically burned in the fields (releasing vast quantities of greenhouse gasses) and human waste, which we currently spend billions of dollars and fossil fuel generated electricity to process. Let us imagine, then, that we can create a completely carbon-neutral process for generating alcohol fuels. How clean burning is the fuel, and what are its advantages and disadvantages in comparison with gasoline or diesel?

The famous Indianapolis 500 has used methanol as its official required fuel since the 1960s, because it is not a variable mix of chemicals like gasoline, delivers more power in correctly adjusted engines, and burns cooler than gasoline. Using currently common engine technology, alcohol has less power per volume, thereby delivering fewer miles per gallon. So, alcohol fuel tanks might need to be larger to deliver the same kind of travel distance as gasoline or diesel. One of the greatest advantages conferred by the use of alcohol is the elimination of extremely harmful compounds like tetraethyl lead, benzene, toluene, sulfur and many others. The high “octane” rating of alcohol, rather its resistance to premature detonation, eliminates the problem of engine “knocking” (which was the original reason for creating leaded gasoline). Alcohol is also safer than gasoline because of its lower volatility, meaning that it is less likely to ignite from heat or sparks. Sounds great, right? But at the moment of combustion, when used in a vehicle engine, how do the emissions of this fuel alternative stack up? Alcohol is actually a remarkably cleaner-burning fuel, emits up to 95% less carbon monoxide and delivers great reductions in or complete elimination of volatile chemicals and poisons. The total reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can be as high as 75% when using high-proof alcohols.

[ad_2]

Source by Samuel Lewis

[ad_1]

LED’s are largely used as signal lamps in many appliances and more and more people are increasing using LED lighting. LED means light emitting diode which belongs to semiconductor category. It originated in 1960 when it was used for producing low intensity lighting, but nowadays it is primarily used for ultraviolet lighting delivering powerful brightness and energy.

The mechanism or the functioning of LED lights is really simple to understand. Whenever you switch on the light emitting diode light series of electrons combine together with lots of electronic holes inside the appliance, thereby releasing energy. The resulting effect is called as electro-luminescence and it gives various colors depending on the semiconductor and its energy. Normally LED is very small and it occupies only 1mm of surface, however you can use many optical elements for designing its radiation. When compared with other traditional light sources LED lights are highly advantageous since it consumes very less energy. Though it is smaller in size, you cannot tell that it cannot work efficiently. It can work non-stop for long hours and is highly strong and robust in its efficiency.

Even a small light of LED can create brightness to the entire room. But it you compare the power of fluorescent lamps with LED you can understand its quality and efficiency. Light emitting diodes lamps are widely used in aviation industry and in automotive industry. Have you ever watched the brake lamps in your car and powerful turn indicators which emits flash of colored lights? They are nothing but LED lights. That apart you can also find these lights in traffic signals which are clearly visible even in misty weather conditions. Of late infrared LED lights find application in remote control devices which is used for operating television, DVD sets and recorders and many other domestic appliances.

The lights of LED are very small in size but big in capacity and functions. Owing to is efficiency and power saving nature many people use these lights in their home. Apart from domestic usage, it is also used in industries and organizations and any other business enterprise. You can also these lights as decorative lights and have brilliant effect in your garden. When it comes to party you can use several colors of LED lights to illuminate the event. In case you have not used LED lighting so far, it is time for you to switchover to these lights which are power saving and reliable for you. Since the light originates from solid object unlike other lights which come from gases these lights do not heat the surrounding even it burns for long duration.

[ad_2]

Source by Carrie Dolt

[ad_1]

A silent killer of automatic transmissions or gearboxes is water or coolant mixing with automatic transmission fluid (ATF). This problem used to be seen in older vehicles with neglected engine cooling systems, but is becoming common in later model cars and trucks that have followed their maintenance schedules. The result is always the same: the transmission must be completely overhauled or replaced.

Can the Contaminated Fluid be Cleaned Out Before Damage Occurs?

Just about every automatic transmission on the road today uses cellulose based paper lined plates called clutches or frictions. These clutches act like brakes for moving and stopping different components inside the gearbox. When the shifter is placed into drive or reverse, it’s the frictions that are being applied.

The paper that lines the clutch plates is a very delicate material that is glued to a steel backbone. Before the paper is glued to the plate, it has the strength and consistency of a graham cracker. Once the material is bonded, it becomes much stronger and can last a very long time under normal operating conditions.

The clutch material is Hygroscopic. This means when the clutches are exposed to moisture, the paper material will displace ATF for water. That moisture reaches the steel plates causing rust, and breaks down the glue that bonds the paper to the plate. A study done by International Lubricants Inc about the effects of water exposed to automatic transmission clutches states, “The testing indicated that water added at levels as low as 600 mg/kg migrated to the surface of untreated paper frictionals and contributed to loss of the paper coating and erratic torque transfer properties.” In laymen’s terms, that means less than a tablespoon of water or engine coolant in a transmission can cause a failure.

How Did Water Get There?

There are three ways water can enter a transmission:

1. Through the engine’s radiator. From the 1950’s to now, most automatic gearboxes are cooled with the same water based system that keeps the engine from overheating. There’s a separate tank in the radiator for transmission fluid that allows the coolant to take heat away from the ATF without mixing the two liquids. When a leak occurs between the ATF and engine coolant tanks in the radiator, the fluids will mix with each other. It was more common in older vehicles that had eroded cooling systems due to neglect, but some of today’s newer vehicles are using materials that are failing because of pressure problems in the cooling system.
2. Exposure to deep water. Driving through large puddles during rain storms or off road driving can expose the transmission’s breathing system to moisture. The best chance of preventing a failure is to check for water in the ATF after a vehicle has been in this type of scenario.
3. Moisture entering through the dipstick. Most vehicles have a dipstick where ATF is checked and added. Moisture can easily enter the transmission if the dipstick was sprayed with water during an engine cleaning, or in some cases, water draining from rain or a carwash drips onto the dipstick. GM and Chrysler have bulletins pertaining to this problem on some models of their vehicles. Qualified shops will have access to check for these types of bulletins. A tell tale sign of this problem is moisture or rust around the dipstick tube.

Replace or Rebuild?

It depends on how much water mixed with the transmission fluid, how long the vehicle was driven with the contaminated ATF, and the type of gearbox your vehicle has. Metal and electronic parts inside the transmission will quickly corrode when exposed to moisture. If there is too much damage inside of the gearbox, the cost of the parts to rebuild the trans will exceed the cost of replacing the unit with a remanufactured product. Some manufacturers like Nissan and Chevy have computers inside of the gearbox that will fail when exposed to moisture. These computers or mechtronics cost as much as $2,000 and that does not include rebuilding the rest of the unit. When parts cost that much, it’s often a better decision to replace the gearbox entirely.

To sum things up, if water gets in a transmission, there’s no way to get around an expensive repair. Flushing the fluid out will only cost you extra money and can make the inevitable failure happen sooner. Service the engine’s cooling system regularly and ask a professional transmission mechanic if your car is common for this type of failure. If it is, bypass the radiator with an external oil cooler.

[ad_2]

Source by Jon Rodriguez

[ad_1]

During my freshman year in high school there used to be one candyman who everybody went to when they wanted candy. He was so good at his job that people literally started calling him “Candyman”, inside and outside of school. Kids began to realize that selling candy was a really lucrative business—at least for a kid in high school. By my sophomore year there were a few more “candymen” on the scene. This was quite convenient in that you didn’t have to report to THE Candyman every time you wanted candy. Now I’m in my junior year of high school and everybody’s a candyman. Now it’s virtually impossible for candy to be inaccessible on the 5-acre campus. I’ve been a candyman for 10 months now, and I’m going to share some tips with you that I had to learn by experience.

1. Buy your candy in bulk variety packs at Costco or Walmart. This will save you money.

2. Start off bringing about 25 candies every day. How much you bring depends on many factors, like your school size. There are nearly 3000 kids at my school and I’ve been able to sell over 50 candies a day.

3. Try to make regular customers. Find people who will buy your candy every day. Don’t be afraid to ask!!! “Hey, you want some candy?”

4. Abide by the Candyman Commandments below…

The Candyman Commandments

1) Thou shall not consume thy product.

Don’t eat your candy! You will never save any money that way.

2) Thou shall be unique.

There are all kinds of ways to be unique. For example: One of the candymen at my school turned his backpack into a portable refrigerator by neatly stuffing it with bags of ice. This kept the chocolate from melting. Guess whose chocolate everyone bought….his. Uniqueness and originality go a long way; that’s what brings in the cash.

3) Thou shall not overcharge.

Stick to the “everything is $1 rule”. (of course little things like lolipops are exceptions). Overcharging will not get you more money…It will get you no customers.

4) Thou shall not undercut.

Being a candyman is not about price competition. People WILL buy your candy as long as you don’t break Commandment #3. People will buy candy from you even if they’re not hungry–it’s human nature to just want candy when you see it. Don’t try to sell your candy at a discount and think that you will get more customers. From experience I know that you will not get more customers this way. This will just just lower your profits.

5) Thou shall be in possession of the following items during business hours:

* one-dollar bills. Always keep a stack of $1 bills so that you always have change and never have to let a customer down.

* Skittles, M&Ms, Snickers, Kit Kats, 3 Musketeers, Resse’s, Starbursts. These are the basics, the must-have candies. Uniqueness comes into play here. Try to sell a rare, high-demand candy like Shockers (formerly known as Shock Tarts). Don’t just sell the Original Skittles; sell the Tropical flavored ones too.

Now for the big question….How much money will I make? It depends. I personally made around $15 profit a day. You can make more. You can make less. Follow this guide and try to develop your own pattern.

Selling candy is like a passive income—you don’t really have to work; you just have to be smart and consistent.

[ad_2]

Source by Michael Z Adams