Tech Solutions by way of Rumor Circles and Gossip,...(Frustrated Engineer) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2025, 03:13:25 am
content: Hello again:I've been waiting for a chance to describe a particular conundrum faced when an Electrical / Electronic Engineer gets involved in 'Car Talk'.No not the cute radio show where two brothers, Click and Clack, smartly diagnose a caller's automobile repair question.After 15 minutes of listening to pure speculation, and worse, I got invited to participate. Didn't go well, addressing 'Battery Woes' of some pretty damn basic shit.Tried to explain, that a super-start unit is for, well, starting the high amperage load, of a starter motor. Not a trickle charger like you would leave overnight. Still, I got outvoted. Stupid, but not that big of a ignorance thing.Then, they speculated, in the mixed little clutch of folks, what, exactly is 'Power', if that starter motor uses it...Course my explanation got nixxed....not science y I guess.(Heck,lol, I never even mentioned Power Factor or Convolution, even. Too advanced for that rumor circle.My mind returns to the image, of a friendly good Samaritan who stopped to, literally, tighten the way loose nuts for the block battery connector (way corroded as well). But they didn't see it that way.Watched, as they bought a new battery ($138).I think I silently shook my head, in disgust.I had politely turned down the request, to join in with electronics gossip. Power, BTW, = Current X Voltage, assuming no power factor from inductive or capacitive effects.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2025, 03:54:05 am
content: Was explaining that trickle charge, for 10 hours overnight, was the old school way to keep a car battery up to peak. Using a very powerful portable starter is just a momentary boost, for getting the engine running. THEN, there would be a need for normal charging system to run for a while, steadily bringing up the battery.The 'circle' of people were concluding that a few moments, on that portable super-engine starter, consisted of 'charging' everything up to peak. Not true. The battery was not maintained to accept and hold a charge, as I had observed:The terminals were touching, but not properly tightened, or cleaned.That's just basic, first month in 10th grade auto shop classes.

author: Analog Kid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2025, 04:01:07 am
content: Sounds to me like the people you were dealing with here were ignoramuses, if your account is accurate.How could they confuse the concepts of charging a battery (relative low current) with turning over a starter motor (massively high current)?

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2025, 04:18:30 am
content: No, unfortunately a couple of the E-gossip lovers have advanced medical degrees ! Not too encouraging, in an E.R. setting.Physics and electronics play heavily, when administering gasses, etc.None of them had a clue as to what level of voltage can be a health threat, from burns, etc. Cords on the shower floor ? Yeah, why not, it's only 120 VAC.... (Their cavalier attitude, not mine).Note that they seem to dismiss the informed opinions faster.

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 10, 2025, 10:06:42 am
content: Why would power factor be relevant in the context of automotive 12v batteries?

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 11, 2025, 01:02:39 am
content: Well, power factor can be mentioned, and also that it's a more advanced concept, but for less experienced you could just mention that most common motors draw a lot of initial power drain.The real obstacle (I've had) is that this real live 'Rumor Circle' has their own way of doing things, and an Engineer or repair expert has equal status and gives their input as an equal.In this case, that means they do it their way. Meaning that a power starter is termed as 'the charger', and anything (I) say to dispute that gets relegated to the group-think."Everything's charged now, that the engine is running.". They state, over-riding the other battery needs. The word 'charger' appears on the box. They have no concept of trickle amounts, and time needed.(No perception of battery nuances, like tight terminals).Smug, they spent, or wasted that $ 138. Meanwhile the battery core could have been kept...likely the whole half-day was a waste.