SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,396
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Post by SteveW on Mar 21, 2008 22:27:25 GMT
Guys,
Dropped into Maplins today and picked out their latest 'give-aways' catalogue. Three items look useful:
1. 10 Amp Plug-in Dropper (Huh! WTF?) Code A70HT £14.99
Really an interest to the 24volt all electric loco folk. This thing appears to drop 24volt to 12. So no more daft questions about how do I run my 12 volt stuff....
2. Battery Powered Pump Code N75CY £6.99
Think about starting the season with an empty boiler, this little beauty could fill/empty it. It also occurs to that it could also be the basis of a cutting coolant system, at least to pump the clean stuff back up to a gravity fed system.
3. Interlocking Cushioned Floor Mats Code N83CX £9.99 (although it's not clear how many you get)
Think workshop floor.
There's other stuff ME related, you just need a bit of imagination.
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Post by stantheman on Mar 22, 2008 7:20:55 GMT
Wouldn't always say they were/are 'daft questions', many times they draw some interesting answers. I brought a very small submersible bilge pump back from North America, it gets used to fill my boilers all the time, so nothing new there.
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cotswold
Part of the e-furniture
Still testing the water
Posts: 307
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Post by cotswold on Mar 22, 2008 10:08:05 GMT
... very small submersible bilge pump ... to fill my boilers ... Now that really is much better idea than trying to make some lash-up from a scrapped windscreen washer pump! |
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Post by circlip on Mar 22, 2008 11:54:43 GMT
Only problem with some of the pumps is are they suds proof? IE. does it rot the seal/ impeller/diaphragm? A refillable spray type can given with a bulk water inhibitor offer, although custom printed didn't last very long due to the silicone content ruining the seal. Yep I know you can get cheap replacements from B&Q etc. but it does those as well.
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Post by alanstepney on Mar 22, 2008 15:56:08 GMT
Ex-washing mahcine pumps work well, cost nothing, and last virtually for ever.
The flow is too great, but you can throttle the outlet (not the inlet) to reduce it to what you reqquire.
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cotswold
Part of the e-furniture
Still testing the water
Posts: 307
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Post by cotswold on Mar 22, 2008 16:59:01 GMT
Ex-washing machine pumps work well, cost nothing, and last virtually for ever. ... True, but our club steaming bays (and those at quite a few other clubs) are only wired up for 12 volts. |
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Post by Boadicea on Mar 22, 2008 18:10:42 GMT
Ex-washing machine pumps work well, cost nothing, and last virtually for ever. ... True, but our club steaming bays (and those at quite a few other clubs) are only wired up for 12 volts. Maybe Mr. Maplin has a piece of wire with a 3 pin plug on one end and a socket on the other - perhaps it could be called a mains extender cable.  ;D Why all this excitement about getting 12v when you have 24v? If you get it with 2 batteries - then connect across 1 - if not , all you need is a 12v regulator - or a resistor and a 12v zener diode - or a resistor, transistor and zener diode - or etc. It is never difficult to reduce voltage - more of a challenge to increase it. Floor mats should help some on this thread.... modeleng.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=1197930068&page=1But my one is a BMW!! The nearest I will get to owning a whole car - or perhaps I could get one WITH holes - then I could have my own lane on the motorway! ;D |
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Tony K
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,573
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Post by Tony K on Mar 24, 2008 8:23:17 GMT
SteveW, you didn't tell us what you bought at Joe Maplin's emporium. The interlocking flooring is of interest (you get 6 (600 x 600, ½" thick) in the colour of Henry Ford, with edgings) - also available from eBay of course, with added postage - and risk.  Looks like Joe has gone half metric! ;D |
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SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,396
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Post by SteveW on Mar 24, 2008 21:37:59 GMT
Tony,
I bought the pump thingy. It runs off a couple of D cells so issues of what the steaming bay offers ain't an issue.
I've been thinking of making a suds pump that'll sit on top of a four of litre 'milk' bottle but with a pipe to the bottom and a remote impeller. This is exactly what Joe is offering for under seven quid.
The pump is also alleged to cope with petrol, water, et al.
Given the recurring theme of "how to I power my 12 volt.... ?" I thought I'd throw the other toy in. Same for the flooring stuff, didn't see it on Screwfix.
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Post by modeng2000 on Mar 25, 2008 7:53:07 GMT
I have been using the Maplin flooring for about two weeks now and find that I am getting static shocks when I earth myself to the lathe etc. This didn't happen before but it certainly livens up the workshop.  John |
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SteveW
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,396
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Post by SteveW on Mar 26, 2008 21:10:49 GMT
I have been using the Maplin flooring for about two weeks now and find that I am getting static shocks when I earth myself to the lathe etc. This didn't happen before but it certainly livens up the workshop. John Must be good stuff then. Should now be safe to remove any earth/ground connections from any mains powered kit. ;D Maybe try a good sprinkle of swarf well stamped in to solve the static problem. I had a similar problem with the chairs at work. A good dose of "anti-static" spray every couple of months did the trick. |
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;D
