patrick_g
Elite Member
John, et al, I got my arctic survival training at Minot AFB North Dakota in three consecutive winters where it was more than 40 below zero every winter. My personal worst was being out in -47F and this was thermometer not wind chill. Windchill was estimated to freeze exposed flesh in less than 10 seconds, how much less they didn't calculate. I tried to not expose flesh. Luckily I was younger if you get my drift.
I am truly sympathetic to those who must brave the elements to git 'er done when conditions are that hostile. We often removed the batts from our POV and took them inside so they would be warm and work better. Spray cans of ether were often required to start a cold soaked car engine in addition to a functional (warm) batt. We did a loot of battery changing, charging, etc.
Even a fully charged battery that is really cold has way lower cranking ability so a solar panel or batt maintainer is better than nothing but doesn't help much at super low temps. A regular batt charger pumping 10 amps into 12.6 volts with a well charged batt is disapating over 100 Watts of heat in the battery and that helps warm it up even at the cost of having to add some distilled water once in a while. Don't do this unattended, overnight, or similar.
Starting a cold soaked diesel engine with a cold soaked battery (and resisting the temptation to risk blowing it up with ether) is an iffy proposition much below zero F. In last 7 years we have only got down to zero and no lower. I can start anything I own at zero with no assistance. At significantly lower temps I'd be using a jump from a running vehicle or WARM batt for a vehicle I couldn't get too with an extension cord. Shiver me timbers mates I get chills just recalling Minot!
My Lincoln tombstone has greater output on AC than DC so metallic pipe thawing and such is conducted wilth AC. If you don't over do it a dose of DC from your arc welder will give a flat or cold batt some help. Start at low amp settings.
Welding with a car batt is tricky. A 12 volt batt just kinda sorta cuts the mustard and two batts in series for 24 volts is pretty wild. The 24 volts works well with "CUT ROD."
Oh, and SoundGuy... I thiink everyone should have to take and pass Home Economics (boys too). I also think everyone with a driver's lisc who is not officially handicapped should have to pass a simple set of practical demonstrations to include changing a tire or if physically challenged (tiny person) direct the changing of a tire, check the oil, top off the radiator with coolant, check and adjust tire prressure, read the signs of misallignment and improper tire pressure on tire tread, and on and on or no drivers lisc. Practical electricity test would include knowlege of using a simple circuit tester or VOM and a basic understanding of computing electrical loads so as to stay within safe ratings of extension cords, breakers, etc.
There is no reason why a highschool graduate shouldn't be able to sew up a tear in clothes or sew on a button, cook a meal, adjust tire pressure and such. There are more important skills than memorizing a multidimensional matrix populated with different monsters requiring different weapons to kill so as to get a higher video game score than your classmate and not be able to go from a basket of groceries to a cooked meal.
Of course one of my less popular ideas is to require a meat lisc. If you haven't taken a tour of a slaughter house and participated in all phases then you get no meat lisc and can't buy any meat product raw or prepared including a Big Mac.
Pat
I am truly sympathetic to those who must brave the elements to git 'er done when conditions are that hostile. We often removed the batts from our POV and took them inside so they would be warm and work better. Spray cans of ether were often required to start a cold soaked car engine in addition to a functional (warm) batt. We did a loot of battery changing, charging, etc.
Even a fully charged battery that is really cold has way lower cranking ability so a solar panel or batt maintainer is better than nothing but doesn't help much at super low temps. A regular batt charger pumping 10 amps into 12.6 volts with a well charged batt is disapating over 100 Watts of heat in the battery and that helps warm it up even at the cost of having to add some distilled water once in a while. Don't do this unattended, overnight, or similar.
Starting a cold soaked diesel engine with a cold soaked battery (and resisting the temptation to risk blowing it up with ether) is an iffy proposition much below zero F. In last 7 years we have only got down to zero and no lower. I can start anything I own at zero with no assistance. At significantly lower temps I'd be using a jump from a running vehicle or WARM batt for a vehicle I couldn't get too with an extension cord. Shiver me timbers mates I get chills just recalling Minot!
My Lincoln tombstone has greater output on AC than DC so metallic pipe thawing and such is conducted wilth AC. If you don't over do it a dose of DC from your arc welder will give a flat or cold batt some help. Start at low amp settings.
Welding with a car batt is tricky. A 12 volt batt just kinda sorta cuts the mustard and two batts in series for 24 volts is pretty wild. The 24 volts works well with "CUT ROD."
Oh, and SoundGuy... I thiink everyone should have to take and pass Home Economics (boys too). I also think everyone with a driver's lisc who is not officially handicapped should have to pass a simple set of practical demonstrations to include changing a tire or if physically challenged (tiny person) direct the changing of a tire, check the oil, top off the radiator with coolant, check and adjust tire prressure, read the signs of misallignment and improper tire pressure on tire tread, and on and on or no drivers lisc. Practical electricity test would include knowlege of using a simple circuit tester or VOM and a basic understanding of computing electrical loads so as to stay within safe ratings of extension cords, breakers, etc.
There is no reason why a highschool graduate shouldn't be able to sew up a tear in clothes or sew on a button, cook a meal, adjust tire pressure and such. There are more important skills than memorizing a multidimensional matrix populated with different monsters requiring different weapons to kill so as to get a higher video game score than your classmate and not be able to go from a basket of groceries to a cooked meal.
Of course one of my less popular ideas is to require a meat lisc. If you haven't taken a tour of a slaughter house and participated in all phases then you get no meat lisc and can't buy any meat product raw or prepared including a Big Mac.
Pat
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