Sunday, April 11, 2010

Yep, the other one!

Blowout 2 occurred on my way back from Study Butte this morning. Unfortunately it happened in a very bad place. The most treacherous down hill part of 118 between here and Study Butte. Fortunately I felt it coming and managed to slow down and make it to the bottom where I could pull off the road. This time I found out what caused both of the blowouts! The defective valve stems cracked causing the tires to deflate rapidly.

I got a recall notice from Discount Tire before I left Plano, but didn't have a chance to take the tires back to have new valve stems put in. This was the other nearly new tire! I haven't had the chance to go get the other tire RN brought down here mounted so took it slow the rest of the way home running the other old tire that the steel belts are showing through. He also brought one of my old tires and rims that I am able to use as a spare until I can get something else.
Now for the Batteries and wiring. Bill another one of my neighbors brought me enough heavy cable to allow me to wire up the battery banks with it. He also let me use his cable cutters and crimper to crimp lugs on the ends of each one. The lugs were a little too expensive for my taste so I improvised by buying some 5/8 inch copper tubing and cutting it in to about 1 1/2 inch pieces. I then smashed one end flat, inserted the stripped cable end in the other end, crimped it and then used the torch and solder to solder it to the cable. I then drilled a hole in the flat ends to bolt them to the battery. Took 18 of those to make the full set, but now the battery array has sufficient wire for the job.
Looks like I may not be getting much done for a while. I guess we need the rain though. Its raining now.

13 comments:

  1. Man talk about bad luck, I am sorry to hear that.
    At least you were able to make it home ok.

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  2. You have officially deserved your spot in this quartet.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ5ob9B9yD4


    no offense pls

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  3. MsB, I was lucky to make it back to the dungeon and sweated another blowout all the way. I went ahead and took a shower in Study Butte while I was there, did my laundry to bring back and hang on the clothes line to dry. Also got a fill up of gas in my 5 gallon can because yesterday afternoon the soon to be commander of the legion ran out of gas AGAIN and needed mine to go on about his business. That was the main reason I went in to town to start with because when there isn't wind it keeps my charger running. After he used my gas I ran out of gas in the trike and had to borrow just enough from another member to get the trike back to the dungeon. Now I'm starting to wonder what the legion is going to be like with him running it???

    I chose to shower at the BBMI mainly because I had to be at a meeting at the legion at 11:00 AM and didn't have time for the water to get warm enough here.

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  4. shoot with as close as you live I can see you being commander of the legion soon.

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  5. OGT, that's a position I don't care to have. Matter of fact I don't care to hold any of the positions.

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  6. looks like some fine battery cables that solder joint will make them last a long time

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  7. that old saying if it wernt for bad luck i wound not have luck at all is hitting to close to home

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  8. Man David talk about being jinksed :-(

    Sure hope the new commander pays you back the gas as high as it sells for in Study Butte.

    Glad you are receiving some rain though.

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  9. RN, I should be able to get the full potential of the batteries now. Makes it better charging to because it isn't restricted while charging the whole bank.

    All I can do is keep on plugging along and hope things start going my way again.

    MsB, I got the $ for the gas from the bar manager, but I wouldn't have even made the trip in to town if it hadn't been for buying the gas. I guess it would have probably happened the next time I went in though.

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  10. Can anyone join the legion? Bet it is the cheapest beer for 50 miles. I like that you have helpful neighbors. Enjoy the rain, I have always loved the smell of the desert during a rain.

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  11. frann, not anyone can join, but considering the limited number of members down here the public is welcome. They claim the coldest beer around, but that is a stretch. The coldest would probably be here at the dungeon when I have it since its iced down. ;) It isn't that cheap really $2 for any brand including imports (bottle or can) and then happy hour daily 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. ($1.50) (No booze so its BYOB on that and no TAP beer either.) They have the only pool table around this area that I know of. If they can find a glass recycler they are thinking about going to all bottles.

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  12. American(Southern) ingenuity on the electrical system. Need some mud grips on your steelies for the rainy season. Looking good.

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  13. Dennis, I still have plenty of copper to make some lugs to run the inverter you sent me so once I get Half-A finished I'll have that for a BIG gun when I need it.

    Between my neighbor and RN I may have a beater ford PU before long to cut down on the work the falcon has to do now. I don't need mud tires here, but the PU has good 6 ply tires on it which will help with the sharp rocks. (Which had nothing to do with the blowouts)

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