Thursday, 11 March 2021

Burnt Finger and a New Method

Whilst visiting my brother earlier this week he gave me a failed battery pack.  This type of event isn’t unusual as we’ve always given each other junk.  After examining the pack, I identified it as being a Lithium battery pack from some type of Dyson appliance.   Quite often it’s only one or two cells that have failed in a Lithium battery pack and the others can still be used.  I started dismantling the pack suffering a battery burn to my index finger in the process.

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This isn’t a cut.  The power from a single Lithium cell was able to break my skin.  I smelt burning flesh before I realised what had happened.

With all the cells removed I started testing them using my battery conditioner/tester/charger powered by an old computer power supply.

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Why am I doing this?  You have to go back to 1980 when we were living in Singapore with three young children.  I was determined they would be treated equally and when we decided to buy toys they each get the same.  For some strange reason our daughter wasn’t interested in this particular toy and wanted Barbie Dolls instead.

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Long ago the two boys destroyed they aluminium die cast remote control trucks, however the third truck has been kept in its original box and packaging for 40 years.

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It’s probably worth a few bob?

The truck is powered by six D sized batteries and if my memory is accurate the vehicle would consume them quite quickly.

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You will have realised my plan is to make a rechargeable Lithium battery to power the truck.

Change of subject

I’ve been rethinking how to fit the rooftop tent to the camper trailer.  The process needs to be simplified and some of the heavy manual labour removed.  My new method only requires the tent to be placed once on the trailer.  Moreover, instead of having to lift the tent above my head I’ve decided on a cantilever method and have made two temporary props.

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The idea is the tent will be laid across the props  and then the lower ends raised into the air allowing the tent to be pushed onto the roof rack.  It remains to be seen if this method works.

6 comments :

Don said...

How strong is the roof above the camper in the photo? You could raise the tent up to the underside of the roof using ratchet straps then back the trailer under it and lower the tent onto it.

Tom and Jan said...

Hi Don,

Already considered that method. There are three issues. 1. The tent needs to be rotated. 2. The probably isn't enough clearance between the trailer and the roof. 3. (critical one) Moving the trailer under the tent is problematic.

Jenny and Robin said...

Tom I've been wondering why you needed a roof top tent when you have the camper trailer to sleep in or am I missing something?

Robin

Tom and Jan said...

Robin there isn't a place to sleep inside the trailer. Effectively it's a storage shoebox with a tailgate door and a lid. I've fitted a shelf inside the trailer to provide an upper and lower compartment.
The standard trailer comes with a folding rooftop tent which I didn't want (along with rims, tyres, battery, electrics, etc.
Until now I've been sleeping in a stretcher tent beside the trailer. However I'm starting to feel my age and decided to fit an aluminium clamshell rooftop tent which is easy to erect and supposed to be quite comfortable.

Brian and Diana on NB Harnser said...

Dont know if you can see this

https://scontent.fltn3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/168800_10150996077828209_953871284_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=Ws5A3lJJMIwAX_u0yc4&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn3-2.fna&oh=acba86111b678b9a7d6b6c09a984514d&oe=60719C04

Brian and Diana on NB Harnser said...

The comment I just left was a photo of a friends trailer mounted tent

https://scontent.fltn3-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/168800_10150996077828209_953871284_n.jpg?_nc_cat=108&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=Ws5A3lJJMIwAX_u0yc4&_nc_ht=scontent.fltn3-2.fna&oh=acba86111b678b9a7d6b6c09a984514d&oe=60719C04