Has the world gone mad

When I was a kid, I remember diesel lorries chugging along spewing out thick black clouds of exhaust fumes. Various "improvements" to engines and fuels now result in boasts of holding white filter over exhaust tailpipe and it doesn`t change colour, as if they have "proved" that exhausts are better. Fact is, particulates are now so small as to be invisible so "Joe Public" no longer complain. BUT particulates now so small they cross through lung membrane like the oxygen that you breathe and end up circulating in the blood stream and likely to cause heart attacks.

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Dave

I have to disagree ... In the early 1980s, the best 12v lighting available was Tungsten Quartz Halogen.

But modern LED lamps are much more efficient than these, so the rules have changed.

At an average of [say] 20 Watts per room, the wiring requirements should be quite modest.

Ian's suggestion makes sense to me ... We just need one decently engineered power supply to feed a low-voltage circuit ... 'though I'm not sure if it would be better as ring, or star. I would go for a nominal 12volt DC, to make it compatible with car systems [for the benefits of spin-off technology].

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 23/01/2014 23:44:35

Playing Devil's advocate here:

How much pollution and 'wastage' of the planet's resources are we model engineers causing?

Millions of pounds are spent and valuable resources are used each year producing machine tools that are of no use to anyone but us so we can produce stuff merely for our own use and personal satisfaction. We burn coal etc. running our locos, traction engines, etc. again, for our own amusement, and use tons of materials in their construction. Most of what we produce is of no real benefit to the human race and could just be considered an extravagant waste.

John

Edited By John Baguley on 24/01/2014 01:06:23

You could have least included Football in there, somewhere. And any "celebrity" tv show.

Exclude Beer.

graham.

Oh err !! Seemed to have stirred things up a bit here. Last night I went to a talk about Fusion, Fission and Confusion. It was lovely, sitting under old tungsten bulbs and enjoying the heat and learning about such things as how much heat the sun gave off each second, and how much mankind consumed within a lifetime. Anyway back to low energy bulbs - I see that the latest car headlamp bulbs are high voltage, can't be replaced by the amater DIY bloke and cost a packet to replace. Does every thing have to be so complicated. Its probably a good reason for us tinkering in our sheds so that WE ARE IN CONTROL - that is before some Euro HSE dictate comes along to shut us all down. I see that we can't hire a chain saw now unless we have an NVQ in sawing.

It reminds me of a couple of years a go, my cousin invited me over to help him lift a particularly heavy and bulky piece of furniture through a 2nd floor window. On visiting a 'Lift and shift hire co' we could not have a hydraulic lift without an xxx qualification, but could hire a mechanical lift. So what was the difference except that the hydraulic unit was easy to operate safely, and the mechanical one was not quite so easy.

Mark my words - these Do Goody people will shut us down before we know it.

Bob H

..yet here, in France, the government is discussing a proposed ban on WiFi routers in schools because some idiots have said (with no evidence) that it might be dangerous for health! Yes, the world has gone mad

Russell.

..and include a 12 V battery in case of power cuts and to enable the lighting to run on cheap rate electricity?

Russell.

On thinking further, yes your right 12V is the way to go, my workshop is all ready wired. Ian S C

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So; let's embrace the "Experimental Engineers" side of the hobby ...

Ian SC already provides an excellent example with his Hot-Air engines, but we could be experimenting with Wind & Water power, and who knows what else.

MichaelG.

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Yes indeed

But if you happen to have a suitable site available ...

Maybe build a scaled-down version of this

MichaelG.

A 12v system is not all that daft - a few years ago the tele, video, computer and stuff plugged into the mains, my sockets are all full of 12v or 6v transformers for the very same items.

A12v car battery can be used as a back-up if there is a power failure, and this can be topped up by wind turbines or solar like in a caravan. if you are not in your batteries are being charged for free for when you get home, if you use too much then the mains charges the batteries.

Or am I being too simple here?

Trevor

So, model engineers consume lots of stuff to the detriment of the environment and how does this equate to the stories about visiting scrap yards and using all sorts of recycled stuff ?

Clive

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Clive,

As ever ... It would depend upon which Bean-Counter was counting which beans, for whose agenda.

MichaelG.

But we don't get out much, do we John.

Think of all the saving in carbon emissions from travelling, apart from ME shows that is.

Gary

I once read that making a car used much more energy then it ever would use in its lifetime. Sounds reasonable to me. Digging up and transporting etc. uranium for power stations uses a huge amount of energy. Best thing would be special concessions for drivers of old cars, or am I being old fashioned?

A look at the processes for Lithium extraction from the land can prove rather enlightening, especially for the fans of some (rechargeable) battery powered things

Edited By V8Eng on 24/01/2014 18:07:44

Edited By V8Eng on 24/01/2014 18:35:48

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But, the Bolivians appear to be onto a winner ...

MichaelG.

But, the Bolivians appear to be onto a winner ...

Maybe, but I read this a few years ago.

**LINK**

One of the biggest ways to cut the size of your energy footprint is to go vegan. Being vegetarian saves enough carbon to offset having a gas guzzler car.

Neil

<Now THAT ought to spark some debate!>

Vegans & Vegetarians are fine

... best served with roast potatoes.

MichaelG.