diy solar

diy solar

Get ready for the Price increase

iamrich said:
don't think it is a lack of education, I think it is deliberate and almost universal avoidance
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Maybe. There are many ‘educated’ people with Masters that don’t understand much. “Education” seems to have become oriented to awarding graduates for their ability to memorize information and/or extol a ‘position’ rather than award graduate certificates for competency to intellectually navigate their minds through their field of study.
 
Much of the engineering curriculum is about derivation and application of equations. Useful, but doesn't address the complete subject. Good background to prepare people to learn or figure out engineering.

I think the problem is academics teaching academics. I found most professors had little comprehension of reality. But they could derive equations with 3-dimensional partial differential equations on their feet. The ones I interacted with in industry could describe a contour mathematically or with a simulator, but didn't understand that water flows downhill following the fall line (or at least the thermal equivalent, how heat flows depending on temperature gradient and thermal conductivity). So although I'm an EE, when it came to cooling my design, "If you want something done right, do it yourself."

In any field, be it medicine or auto mechanics, most people in the field are at best technicians, possibly just operators. Look at a needle, turn a screw until the needle is within range. Yes, I'm referring to "doctors" in particular. But I've also observed that front-end alignment has been dumbed down to the same level.
 
Hedges said:
I found most professors had little comprehension of reality. But they could derive equations with 3-dimensional partial differential equations on their feet. The ones I interacted with in industry could describe a contour mathematically or with a simulator, but didn't understand that water flows downhill following the fall line (or at least the thermal equivalent, how heat flows depending on temperature gradient and thermal conductivity).
Click to expand...

I think that's so odd to hear... /me having been a prof at uni for over a decade.
 
Present company excepted.

I had a teacher who assigned a problem he found in a book somewhere, regarding energy involved moving charged particle to a distance of infinity. The "correct" answer he was looking for arbitrarily set zero energy at a particular location, required energy to go positive in one direction, and "negative energy" in the other.

A "Mister Thermodynamics" generated thermal contour plot with Ansys, representing steady-state conditions reached after initial transient. There were thermal gradients between heating element and the infinite heatsink representing environment. I pointed out this meant heat was flowing along those paths. One path, he denied there was heat flow, saying "There is a gradient because that portion was heated by the transistor." I said, "No, there is a gradient because heat is still flowing." This was a design with a chamber supposed to be oven-controlled to 100C, and something was limiting the amount of rise given a particular wattage heater.

I preferred professors who came from industry to teach for a while. It was the career professors who seemed to have just their subject and the equations for it in a vacuum.

Hopefully some people in teaching, engineering, medicine, etc. who aren't just in a silo, but have understanding of other fields (and other specialties within their own field.)
 
Hedges said:
I've also observed that front-end alignment has been dumbed down to the same level.
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That’s actually not funny.
I align my old jeep with a tape measure and a level. Why? Because the once I had it done (2014) they said my caster was off but adjustable and the tow-in was perfectly in the green but my tires started wearing and my average fuel mileage dropped over an mpg. No understanding of how wide tires and wheels changed roll characteristics. My caster was because I set it perfectly for 33” tires when I welded the spring perches…

That’s a most basic symptom of
your overall assessment that extends into more learned disciplines.
upnorthandpersonal said:
I think that's so odd to hear... /me having been a prof at uni for over a decade.
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There’s always flyers up North of the means. Don’t take it Personal:)
 
Similar issue sometimes among my colleagues with less than PhD education, although many have practical hands on experience and some are teachable.

It's a wonder airplanes don't fall out of the sky more often. Maybe they do, but test pilots get to deal with it? Most other products, consumers are the Beta testers.


The front-end alignment example was literal. Now, the car is driven onto a low lift. Reflector brackets are slapped onto each wheel. Car is rolled back and forth a few inches. Cameras on a PC observe the motion. "Mechanic" crawls under the car and turns a screw until giant needle on computer screen is in the middle. He presents me with a printed report of "before" and "after" alignment. I point out that some parameters were corrected, now in spec, while others remain unchanged out of spec. He says those can't be adjusted by turning a screw, require shims that he doesn't have. But if I bring the necessary parts he'll align it again.
 
Hedges said:
In any field, be it medicine or auto mechanics, most people in the field are at best technicians, possibly just operators. Look at a needle, turn a screw until the needle is within range. Yes, I'm referring to "doctors" in particular. But I've also observed that front-end alignment has been dumbed down to the same level.
Click to expand...
Not quite that simple in automotive, when it comes alignments, there are those that understand physics and how interactions play into it. You most likely have used the commodity alignment, sold by the tire chains. Those techs have no understanding how tire scrub, caster, camber can affect handling. Give them a bump steer condition and they don't have a clue.

Same goes for diagnostics, some known how to use a DSO, some are parts changers. Some understand electronics, CAN systems and comm loops, others have no idea. Those who don't know are the commodity shops, change part A and move on with part B if that didn't fix it.

There are true professionals in all fields, you have to seek them out. Those who go to college for a degree and end up flipping burgers are a prime example. They only looked at the money they thought they would get with a piece of paper (and yes, I've employed a few like that) but couldn't link theory with application in any field, mostly because they had no true interest in the subject.

There are those of us that look at things differently, want to know how things work or how to improve products, design, service and even knowledge and how it is disseminated.
 
Hedges said:
The front-end alignment example was literal. Now, the car is driven onto a low lift. Reflector brackets are slapped onto each wheel. Car is rolled back and forth a few inches. Cameras on a PC observe the motion. "Mechanic" crawls under the car and turns a screw until giant needle on computer screen is in the middle. He presents me with a printed report of "before" and "after" alignment. I point out that some parameters were corrected, now in spec, while others remain unchanged out of spec. He says those can't be adjusted by turning a screw, require shims that he doesn't have. But if I bring the necessary parts he'll align it again.
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Find a real professional.

It's not quite that simple, the commodity shops look at it that way and you buy it based upon price most likely.

Has the "tech", I use that term loosely, actually verified ride height, looked for worn components and ensured the vehicle is stock and not modified?

As for the needle, there are tricks to align a vehicle for something like road crown pull. The needle doesn't tell you that. LOL
 
Back to the topic.......... we are going to experience between high inflation and hyper inflation coupled with supply chain issues.
CPI does not tell you whole story (since it discounted many things). China locked down is going to hurt us plus Ukraine-Russia war is making it more expensive even to grow stuff.
 
upnorthandpersonal said:
More like the cost of feed, medicine, transport overhead, fuel and power costs, etc. have gone up.
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Oh sorry. This is chit chat section, not humor section.

Yes, you are right of course. We all see this inflation news everywhere. Which I also believe is stressing our chickens. Stressed chickens lay less eggs.
 
upnorthandpersonal said:
More like the cost of feed, medicine, transport overhead, fuel and power costs, etc. have gone up.
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…and hedged speculation on bird flu. Even “nature” pre-responded: here in the northeast kingdom of Vermont I’ve never seen so many wild turkey flocks nor so large a number in many flocks. If bird flu blows through the survivors will be few but more numbers not only create likely spread but surviving numbers could be higher.
 
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