Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:20:40 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:

On 23/02/2010 14:03, Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:35:37 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:
My renewable favourite is tidal power (*not* tidal barrage, let me make
it clear). Take your windmill, turn it upside down, and stick it in the
water. Tides happen twice everyday, everywhere, and, conveniently, at
different times around the country, thus evening out the power generation.
What's the longevity of those like? Maintenance must be a right pain, and
I can imagine salt water and critters cause problems rather quickly.
Dunno, but it must be a similar technology to whatever they'd use in a
tidal barrage. Salt water in both cases.

I thought the tidal ones were (taking a rather simplistic view)
essentially big float - pivoting axle - gearbox - generator?

In other words, the only bit in the water is the float, with all
the serious gubbins above the water level. Not that there aren't
issues with salt spray, I'm sure - but I'd expect it to last a lot longer
than some kind of undersea windmill.

Sounds to me as if what you are describing is wave power, not tidal
power. The 'Salter Duck' springs to mind.

Andrew

On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:12:35 +0000, Andrew May wrote:
In other words, the only bit in the water is the float, with all
the serious gubbins above the water level. Not that there aren't
issues with salt spray, I'm sure - but I'd expect it to last a lot longer
than some kind of undersea windmill.

Sounds to me as if what you are describing is wave power, not tidal
power. The 'Salter Duck' springs to mind.

Yes, maybe I'm confuzzling myself. I shall go google when I get a
chance...

Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:20:40 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:

On 23/02/2010 14:03, Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:35:37 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:
My renewable favourite is tidal power (*not* tidal barrage, let me make
it clear). Take your windmill, turn it upside down, and stick it in the
water. Tides happen twice everyday, everywhere, and, conveniently, at
different times around the country, thus evening out the power generation.
What's the longevity of those like? Maintenance must be a right pain, and
I can imagine salt water and critters cause problems rather quickly.
Dunno, but it must be a similar technology to whatever they'd use in a
tidal barrage. Salt water in both cases.

I thought the tidal ones were (taking a rather simplistic view)
essentially big float - pivoting axle - gearbox - generator?

In other words, the only bit in the water is the float, with all
the serious gubbins above the water level. Not that there aren't
issues with salt spray, I'm sure - but I'd expect it to last a lot longer
than some kind of undersea windmill.

I've read about an installation (north of the UK, somewhere) that claims to be
the only facility of commercial scale in existence. This uses a massive column
anchored deep in the sea-bed. Ah, I've located it: SeaGen
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/07/17/...y-to-the-grid/

"Jules" wrote in message
news

I thought the tidal ones were (taking a rather simplistic view)
essentially big float - pivoting axle - gearbox - generator?

That's wave power.

Gib Bogle wrote:

I've read about an installation (north of the UK, somewhere) that claims
to be the only facility of commercial scale in existence. This uses a
massive column anchored deep in the sea-bed. Ah, I've located it: SeaGen
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/07/17/...y-to-the-grid/


The barrage on the Rance doesn't count of course as it is a different
flavour of commercial tidal power... I was also a little surprised to
see how much it's messing up the local ecosystem. That's been kept quiet.

Andy

On 23/02/2010 19:25, Gib Bogle wrote:
Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:20:40 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:

On 23/02/2010 14:03, Jules wrote:
On Tue, 23 Feb 2010 10:35:37 +0000, Tim Streater wrote:
My renewable favourite is tidal power (*not* tidal barrage, let me
make
it clear). Take your windmill, turn it upside down, and stick it in
the
water. Tides happen twice everyday, everywhere, and, conveniently, at
different times around the country, thus evening out the power
generation.
What's the longevity of those like? Maintenance must be a right
pain, and
I can imagine salt water and critters cause problems rather quickly.
Dunno, but it must be a similar technology to whatever they'd use in
a tidal barrage. Salt water in both cases.

I thought the tidal ones were (taking a rather simplistic view)
essentially big float - pivoting axle - gearbox - generator?
In other words, the only bit in the water is the float, with all
the serious gubbins above the water level. Not that there aren't
issues with salt spray, I'm sure - but I'd expect it to last a lot longer
than some kind of undersea windmill.

I've read about an installation (north of the UK, somewhere) that claims
to be the only facility of commercial scale in existence. This uses a
massive column anchored deep in the sea-bed. Ah, I've located it: SeaGen
http://cleantechnica.com/2008/07/17/...y-to-the-grid/

That's the jobby! Yes, I'd like to see lots of these in operation.

--
Tim

"That the freedom of speech and debates or proceedings in Parliament
ought not to be impeached or questioned in any court or place out of
Parliament"

Bill of Rights 1689

Tim Streater wrote:

That's the jobby! Yes, I'd like to see lots of these in operation.


The ability to jack the machinery out of the water for maintenance makes a lot
of sense. It's going to be hard to stop boats from running into these columns,
though (and possibly whales into the propellers). The other big issue is
fouling. We'll need a few years of operation to see how much of a problem that is.

Matty F wrote:
....
Some experts, including Safety Research & Strategies’ Kane, believe
the Toyota issue is indicative of a larger problem that is looming in
the automotive industry. Many vehicles, including Toyota and Lexus
brand cars, have given up on decades-old technology that uses a steel
cable to control acceleration and have moved to computer controlled
systems called drive-by-wire.
....

I've had two throttles stick fully open on me - both used steel cables.
In one, the cable had frayed and a broken bit jammed inside the sheath.
That needed a new cable.

In the second, the cable, on a van, hung into the airstream below the
front bumper. On a very cold day on a long motorway journey that froze
moisture in the cable, causing the throttle to stick. It simply needed
me to stop, get out and rub my hand along the cable to warm it, although
I had to do it three times on the same journey. A permanent cure was to
strip the cable down, dry it and re-assemble with lots of grease.

I don't recall either occasion being particularly traumatic.

Colin Bignell

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember "Nightjar \"cpb\"@"
"insertmysurnamehere saying something like:

I've had two throttles stick fully open on me - both used steel cables.
In one, the cable had frayed and a broken bit jammed inside the sheath.
That needed a new cable.

In the second, the cable, on a van, hung into the airstream below the
front bumper. On a very cold day on a long motorway journey that froze
moisture in the cable, causing the throttle to stick. It simply needed
me to stop, get out and rub my hand along the cable to warm it, although
I had to do it three times on the same journey. A permanent cure was to
strip the cable down, dry it and re-assemble with lots of grease.

I don't recall either occasion being particularly traumatic.

Indeed. I had a few sticky throttles on ****eOldCars and it's just
something you accept as par for the course. I never had a shunt because
of it, perhaps it's because I(and many others like me) had a clue.

I spotted in the news yesterday some Yankee ****wit suing Toyota because
she can't drive for ****. Obviously, she two-pedals her autos and in a
panic braking scenario she planted both feet on the deck, but the
throttle won in the end and the idiot flew off the road.
A classic case of denial and jumping on a bandwagon, undoubtedly egged
on by an ambulance-chasing scumsucker.

It's all Toyota's fault of course, in not making a car that can be 100%
driven by fools and idiots.

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

Indeed. I had a few sticky throttles on ****eOldCars and it's just
something you accept as par for the course. I never had a shunt because
of it, perhaps it's because I(and many others like me) had a clue.

I spotted in the news yesterday some Yankee ****wit suing Toyota because
she can't drive for ****. Obviously, she two-pedals her autos and in a
panic braking scenario she planted both feet on the deck, but the
throttle won in the end and the idiot flew off the road.
A classic case of denial and jumping on a bandwagon, undoubtedly egged
on by an ambulance-chasing scumsucker.

It's all Toyota's fault of course, in not making a car that can be 100%
driven by fools and idiots.

I heard one suggestion they were going to link the brake and accelerator
pedal computers so if you brake the throttle shuts.

That'll make double-declutch interesting!

Andy

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the
drugs began to take hold. I remember Andy Champ
saying something like:

I heard one suggestion they were going to link the brake and accelerator
pedal computers so if you brake the throttle shuts.

Lowest common denominator design. This is where the ****wits and
ambulance chasers have led us.

That'll make double-declutch interesting!

And hill starts, etc.
In fact, a lot of occasions where a clueful driver would find no
interlock an advantage. I can only hope the device/firmware is capable
of being disabled.

Grimly Curmudgeon wrote:

And hill starts, etc.
In fact, a lot of occasions where a clueful driver would find no
interlock an advantage. I can only hope the device/firmware is capable
of being disabled.

I use the handbrake for hill starts.

I had a nasty experience a couple of years ago with a Renault with an
automatic handbrake. You pull this little toggle, and it goes on;
drive off, and it turns off. I was doing a hill start, and tried to
drive off. The handbrake didn't go off quite as quickly as I would have
liked, and I stalled the engine. Dipped the clutch of course - and at
that moment the handbrake _did_ go off.

I hit the footbrake quite quickly.

Andy

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Gib Bogle wrote:
Doctor Drivel wrote:

"Gib Bogle" wrote in message
...

From my experience with batteries, that means they will last 8 years
and a few days.

How long have you had a Prius.

Did I say I had a Prius? If so, that was in error.
...
You must eff off as you are a plantpot.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Doctor Drivel wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
In article ,
Doctor Drivel wrote:
The Prius mpg claims in the UK were correct as my Dinky toy one did
far more miles than they said.

Yes

You must eff off as you are a total Jocko plantpot.

Aren't

You must eff off as you are a total Jocko plantpot.