// #eevblog — 2026-01-25
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00:41:11 Quit: cheeseandchives ([email protected]) The TLS connection was non-properly terminated.
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03:05:37 <arch> who's ready to pee outside in the cold and get freezer burns on their wieners?
03:09:17 <rust_collector> not me, it is only - a few here
03:09:42 <rust_collector> https://www.youtube.com/shorts/c7HWxtlFbAw?feature=share
03:09:42 <EEVBot> [YouTube] Designed 100 years ago | 39s | Channel: m4x | 3,636,233 views | 2025-12-03 - 06:54:00 UTC
03:11:21 <arch> ok now back to on topic question for the channel: is it possible to open up a car's alternator, take out the 6 diodes, connect up 3 phases to a 3 phase step-up transformer, and get 120VAC or 240VAC output directly that way?
03:13:23 <T3sl4> 1corner1jar
03:14:45 <arch> you can only leave the corner after filling up the jar to the brim
03:15:23 <rust_collector> the diodes are often what limits the voltage on them. I think most can work to around 120v, if you just mess with the regulator. So, yes, if you take those out, you should be able to get at least that
03:15:55 <rust_collector> with no transformer
03:17:04 <rust_collector> I guess you might still want one, if you care about frequency and things? dunno, but it sounds possible
03:22:28 <Kuschelpony> arch, which frequency?
03:23:20 <Kuschelpony> the alternator has something 8 to 12 poles, so you get some hundred herz anyway
03:23:58 <Kuschelpony> also, if the filed coil gets full current the alternator output voltage can quite easy get up to 120V without transformer
03:24:02 <Kuschelpony> field coil
03:26:22 Quit: pa1983 ([email protected]) Connection closed
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03:44:10 <Kuschelpony> today i learned: vacuum tubes with user replaceable heaters https://www.r-type.org/timeline/time-152.htm
03:44:11 <EEVBot> [url] Changing Burnt-out Filaments | www.r-type.org
03:45:29 <steve30000> cool
03:45:37 <steve30000> (or, warm, rather)
04:43:28 <arch> flyback, this is for you: https://www.reddit.com/r/TheRandomest/comments/1qi9w2i/well_special_explanation_video/
04:44:12 <arch> sorry Kuschelpony, was busy insulating and doing work before the snowstorm. im unsure of the frequency. this is more of a "is it feasible" question rather than me actually doing it
04:44:39 <Kuschelpony> its certainly feasible
04:45:04 <Kuschelpony> (of course disconnecting the diodes)
04:45:22 <arch> "A new type of receiving valve has been invented by an American Woman scientist" .... aaaand what was her name? just "American woman scientist"? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dptb2qrXoAABfey?format=jpg
04:45:31 <arch> cool. ill hang onto any older alternators i can find to use it. i do have a spare honda vertical engine i can use to spin the alternator using a pulley
04:47:47 <Kuschelpony> hmmm, im wondering how well it would work to feed an voltage multiplier to reach about 600VDC and feed an variable frequency drive abused as 50(or 60)Hz inverter
04:53:34 <arch> Kuschelpony, considering it might have anywhere from 8 to 12 poles, it should be possible to arrange them in parallel, series, or a combination, in order to get 50 or 60Hz at ... some voltage (x)... and then if necessary use a step up or step down transformer to output semi-stabilized voltage, so long as RPM was relatively constant (3600RPM for gas engines typically)
04:53:47 <arch> connecting the coils i mean
04:54:09 <Kuschelpony> arch, sorry no, unless you rearrange the claw pole rotor
04:54:18 <arch> ahh, ok. this i did not know
04:54:35 <Kuschelpony> the number of "fingers" it has is the number of magnetic poles
04:55:45 <arch> thanks for the inputs rust_collector and Kuschelpony. now i gotta go do some work, be back in an hour or two, or whenever
05:11:55 <Kuschelpony> one more point for arch, you dont need to fix the RPM but can still use the fieldcoil to regulate the voltage
05:32:02 <rc-garage> and, if you do not really need 60Hz, lots of stuff can run on dc, and then you can just crank it up until 120 or so volts.
05:52:58 <arch> we got some new crazies on ebay now "Best Price on ebay. I'll order from this seller again. But will you go to heaven when you die ? You say "My good deeds are far more than my bad deeds" But you're NOT SAVED by your works. Jesus did ALL of the work on the cross. Why should I care about you ? Because someone I didn't know cared enough about me to bring me this truth. You'll begin a journey of peace today, and avoid Screaming in
05:52:58 <arch> Hell Forever. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth and the life, there's no other way to God" John 3:16"
05:54:07 <arch> https://www.ebay.com/itm/296052822496 scroll down lol
05:54:07 <EEVBot> [url] 5X Fuel Line 2 Hole Grommet For Echo CS-310 CS-370 CS-400 CS-450 # 13211544330 | eBay | www.ebay.com
06:37:04 <steve30> mmm
06:39:19 * steve30 pets T3sl4
07:16:20 Quit: Kuschelpony ([email protected]) Connection closed
07:18:41 <rust_collector> thanks for showing us your ebay search history
07:22:16 * K gives rust_collector a nice crocheted gormet, it is green.
07:41:03 <arch> good point. well. the fuses wouldnt work if SHTF. DC arc is nasty
07:43:11 <rust_collector> if you use proper fuses, that should work ok. but... what sort of stuff do you plan to run off this thing?
07:43:13 Quit: cgfbee ([email protected]) Connection closed
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07:43:48 <arch> mainly power bricks like 20v 100w laptop bricks
07:45:15 Quit: Kuschelpony ([email protected]) Connection closed
07:45:37 <rust_collector> mmh. universal voltage ones? and, the first thing in those, are usually a rectifier, so maybe just crank up the regulator to 90 or 100v, and use it as it is?
09:23:48 <arch> yes, that will work, but the fuse inside is an AC fuse. in normal situations, no difference. but if it blows the fuse, it has a chance of not stopping and continuing to arc/burn thru the PCB and case
09:24:18 <arch> oh yuou mean with taking out the diodes, yes, that will work
09:24:32 <arch> it will be high freq AC, but who cares. couple hundred Hz is nothing for 1N4007 et al
09:25:41 <rust_collector> no, I mean with just using it as it comes, and crank it up to a voltage that does not blow up the diodes. there are fuses around, that will kill dc
09:26:09 <rust_collector> not that I think that would matter.
09:26:54 <arch> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zez2r1RPpWY
09:26:55 <EEVBot> [YouTube] AC versus DC load breaking comparison with a knife switch | 2m 4s | Channel: Experiments Robert33 | 399,737 views | 2012-08-01 - 15:14:15 UTC
09:27:19 <arch> deep fried video. fuck youtube and google
09:27:36 <arch> that video looked way better before their stupid ai slop optimization
09:28:47 <arch> i sure hope that guy is not breathing in vaporized zinc fumes from that...
09:29:16 <rust_collector> you think too much. maybe he also drinks milk, and will be fine, lol
10:06:30 <arch> Ampera, my chickens were digging around dust bathing when it was 6F. i think i have some crazy chickens
10:09:41 <rust_collector> as long as they have somewhere to go inside, chickens are fine, until around -20c.
10:11:32 <arch> my chickens are middle aged, so i try not to stress them too much. they're about 2.5 years old
10:13:06 <arch> -20C is -4F. so they will be under a bit of stress next week when it reaches -4F, possible -8F minimum
10:14:13 <rust_collector> as long as they can go inside somewhere, they will, if they think they need to?
10:15:58 <arch> they live in my coop which is in my leanto in my garage. the floor is dirt, but their living quarters are on an elevated platform 4 feet of the ground on a sheet of 4x8 plywood
10:16:19 <arch> i draft proofed their coop rather well with plastic vapor barrier all around
10:16:56 <Ampera> arch, you are a crazy chicken
10:17:03 <Ampera> also it was -5F here this morning
10:17:08 <arch> in the day time, they roam around on the dirt, dig, eat bugs, etc. but at night, i put them in their coop
10:17:33 <arch> Ampera, bwak bwak :3
10:17:46 <arch> or wait, more like :>
10:18:14 <Ampera> you excited for 2 feet of snow?
10:18:28 <arch> bring it on! get the canada experience for once
10:19:57 <arch> T3sl4 be like: https://i.imgflip.com/2h42t1.jpg
10:20:15 <T3sl4> pump that down
10:20:47 <arch> i though WI gets more snow than NY, maybe matching Buffalo, NY
10:21:22 <T3sl4> oh not even
10:21:29 <T3sl4> we're on the upwind side of lake effect
10:21:33 <arch> ooh
10:21:41 <T3sl4> more upstate, sure
10:23:03 <arch> well, i have my 4x 12V 100Ah LiFePo4 batteries fully charged; 2x 1000W inverters ready and tested, along with jumper wires; 4x propane tanks + 1x mr heater
10:23:12 <T3sl4> whee
10:24:18 <T3sl4> mr heater placed beside the mr coffee and the mr radar?
10:24:20 <arch> and although my generator is currently undergoing maintenance, i can get it back up and running in an hour if needed
10:24:50 <arch> lol, mr heater is the brand. one of those small ones you take hunting
10:28:29 <rust_collector> be careful, you are not supposed to eat those
10:30:57 <arch> speaking of batteries.... i was out in the coop doing some reinforcing of the rafters. the dewalt batteries were really struggling in the cold. i couldnt cut through 2x4 using a 5Ah battery unless i went at about 1/2 the usual speed
10:32:17 <T3sl4> rough
10:32:36 <T3sl4> my car ran kinda weak today, but was fine on the return trip (grocery store), go figure?
10:32:49 <T3sl4> starts are quite slow at this temp lol
10:32:59 <arch> easier to start after engine's warmed \o/ also the engine oil is molasses initially
10:33:46 <T3sl4> return start was fine yeah
10:34:34 <T3sl4> i need to check the plugs, it misfires at high throttle, the weird thing is it was weaker over a wider range of throttle/load, and for longer (5, 10 min?)
10:35:06 <T3sl4> maybe it was ok by the time i got there, i didn't really try to check, but it was normal after sitting. wonder if something melted out of the way or just the temp equalizing made it feel like spring again
10:35:32 <T3sl4> would be hilarious if it was like ice in the exhaust but nah that would leave a lot sooner
10:37:42 <arch> in russia and other super cold countries, they use block heaters on their engines on timer so they warm up the engine for a few hours before leaving for work
10:37:50 <T3sl4> yep
10:38:10 <arch> man am i thankful i am wfh
10:38:19 <arch> would suck ass to go drive to work
10:38:32 <T3sl4> i still gotta move the car every day (street parking)
10:38:37 <arch> =(
10:38:38 <T3sl4> sucks for the battery
10:39:20 <rust_collector> diesel water heater is pretty nice, and also sucks for the battery, heh
10:40:39 <arch> hmm, you could use a supercapacitor battery in the winter. something like this https://www.ebay.com/itm/226025050900 and then just carry around a 12V 7AH AGM battery, and charge up the supercap with the cigarette lighter plug
10:40:40 <EEVBot> [url] Maxwell Ultracapacitor / Supercapacitor Module - 16V500F – Audio, Solar, UPS | eBay | www.ebay.com
10:42:06 <T3sl4> would be fun
10:42:19 <T3sl4> doesn't happen often enough to bother buying some tho
10:44:14 <arch> that price does seem pretty good now that i think about it. even assuming $25/ea, that's $150 for the caps + $50 for the BMS (CMS?)
10:44:39 <T3sl4> yeah
10:44:56 <arch> fuck, let me add that to my watchlist... ill get one next paycheck
10:48:43 <arch> im scared it might punch out a hole out of any metal it accidentally touches. will have to think of how this is contained. maybe a 3/8" plywood sheathing enclosure. whatever, will think of that later
10:48:55 <arch> short circuits*
11:02:53 <rust_collector> supercaps as a start battery was a thing some years ago. I think the ones who used that, AND a small battery, tended to work best, if you had to leave it for more than a day.
11:04:09 <T3sl4> would be really based to put a 200A+ converter on there, to hold the bus at 12V or so while the caps draw down
11:04:27 <arch> so now that got me thinking, if we were to want to use a 7Ah AGM battery. and say it is 500F capacitance as stated in the listing. we're looking at roughly 4 Taus for "full charge". and if we limited the max current draw to 50A from a dinky 7Ah AGM, it would take a 0.24Ohm resistor in series about 120 seconds to charge that supercapacitor bank. AND what would suck is it would dissipate a hella lotta power in that resistor
11:04:32 <T3sl4> would take up the space of a... not the whole cap bank, but less than half of it maybe
11:06:16 <arch> probably more efficient to use the 12V AGM with the help of a constant current buck driver
11:07:00 <T3sl4> a sync converter could do both, of course
11:08:48 <arch> or, if your car is not particularly inefficient with parasitic draw, what could be done is have a small lipo battery bank with a sync boost conv converter attached that keeps the cap bank topped up. or if you're in a pinch but have like... 30 mins to wait for the cap bank to charge from it lol
11:09:19 <T3sl4> USB-C powered car
11:09:24 <arch> im gonna be rich!
11:09:52 <arch> well, actually, that is a good idea. cuz these days the usb-c PD power banks can supply 100W easy
11:11:56 <arch> 0.5(500F)(12V)^2, so 36kJ. with 100W (ok lets say 90W due to inefficiencies), cc mode, would take 400s, or ~7 minutes to charge up
11:55:55 <T3sl4> the car was a bit slow to turn over, this afternoon
11:56:03 <T3sl4> still started fine
12:02:08 <arch> im sure you can retrofit it with a flux capacitor if the battery is inadequate for subzero weather
12:13:37 * K coils self-regulating water pipe heating cable around arch, 5m.
12:17:06 <arch> 5m is not enough, need to be wrapped like a mummy K
12:17:52 <K> ur a sausag
12:19:28 <arch> K, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7422Qzj6SIs
12:19:28 <EEVBot> [YouTube] The Spy - No, That Would Be Your Mother | 5s | Channel: notgnilgum | 395,680 views | 2012-07-09 - 19:25:17 UTC
12:20:15 <K> funny you should say yhat, because I should get some for moms flat, water pipe fragment is uninsulated in ceiling (early 19th century house) and froze up last week
12:51:45 <Ampera> arch, you guys ready to get like 2 feet of snow?
13:15:16 <arch> Ampera, i am prepared with my dinky 21" 2-stroke engine single stage snowblower. bring it onnn
13:15:34 <Ampera> arch, that's cheating
13:15:42 <Ampera> I am going to be shoveling all that snow by hand
13:18:04 * arch revs up his 2 stroke snowblower which appears to sound like it has a bad case of constipation
13:57:26 <Halcyon> Afternoon all
13:59:51 * Halcyon prods electrohead
14:15:55 <flyback> *CANUCKED**CANUCKED**CANUCKED**CANUCKED*
14:15:57 <flyback> *CANUCKED**CANUCKED**CANUCKED**CANUCKED*
14:19:29 * Halcyon can smell maple syrup all of a sudden
17:47:45 <steve30> Hopefully that will go OK. I was impressed that I was finally able to get one.
17:47:57 <Halcyon> Oh. I hope you're OK
17:49:51 <Halcyon> Hey Steve, you're into video, question (and anyone else who wants to chime in).... Obviously H.265 has been out for a while that results in significantly smaller file sizes than H.264. Thoughts? Are we losing out on a significant amount of quality, or has technology just become that much better and there is no real difference?
17:50:52 <steve30> I haven't really used h265 (too slow), but I've been using AV1 to encode 4k stuff.
17:51:32 <Halcyon> i'm just thinking about for downloading torrents. Should I stick to 264 or move to 265?
17:51:43 <Halcyon> I prefer quality over file size.
17:51:47 <steve30> Av1 is definitely more efficient, but h264 is still pretty good
17:52:36 <steve30> I think the quality will depend on the encoder. e.g. x264 is very good quality but slow. NVENC is quick but poor quality/big file size
17:52:59 <Halcyon> Hmm
17:53:00 <steve30> In my case x264 would be better than NVENC h265.
17:53:34 <Halcyon> Let me find an example of one... and I'll have a look
17:54:07 <steve30> (newer nvidia graphics cards are probably a lot better)
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Frame rate: 24000/1001
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Codec name: H.265 / HEVC (High Efficiency Video Coding)
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Codec type: video
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Codec height: 1088
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Codec width: 1920
17:54:23 <Halcyon> Display ratio: 16:9
17:54:24 <Halcyon> Pixel format: yuv420p10le
17:54:24 <Halcyon> Profile: Main 10
17:54:27 <Halcyon> Doesn't really say
17:56:00 <steve30> When I transcode my 4k camera files into AV1 they tend to be 15-20Mbps with negligible quality loss.
17:56:20 <steve30> The same done with x264 would be 40-50Mbps
18:04:17 * steve30 wraps Halcyon up in VHS tape
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