CitroJim's AX, C3 Picasso, Cycling and Running Tales

[CitroJim]

A good busy day today... Started off with a five mile run and then checked over all the cars and gave them all an interior clean. All is good with them all.

Bluebell's non-return valve arrived today...

And fitted to her fuel line between the filter and pump...

Naturally, I had to take her out for a test drive to check for any unforeseen consequences All was good

I just need to see if this has cured her drain-back issues when standing for a long while.

A battery electric drill I acquired as part of an auction lot was given a bit of TLC today as the motor's commutator was sparking badly and smelling a lot.

Stripped it and found it full of dirt and sawdust. The motor is sealed but a good blow-out on the airline seems to have improved matters a little. I may just have staved off its eventual fate by a few hours... I'm now eyeing up a DeWalt - as I have other DeWalt kit and therefore a battery - as a replacement.

Then, to round off things, I went for a bike ride... Windy, warm, sometimes sunny and even a drop or three of light rain! Pleased to see a massive pothole was being fixed on one of our TT courses..

Now to do a bit more work on the XM radio project. I have some Bluetooth modules on order to see if I can use one to either replace the cassette deck or give it a third mode. Interestingly, the little modules I have on order have USB functionality and will decode MP3 and other music formats so potentially, an XM Radio/Cassette/Bluetooth streamer and USB/MicroSD card playback All with no obvious changes to the cosmetics of the thing.

[CitroJim]

One weekend, Run Directing at two parkruns

Truly in my happy place

RD at Milton Keynes Junior parkrun on Sunday...

RD at Bury Field parkrun on Saturday...

I do rather love parkrun

MK Juniors was very wet today and so was all the kit. All the Hi-Viz needed washing and all is now drying in my conservatory

It's been a great weekend I'm now about to do a bit more on the XM radio project. Yesterday the postman brought some Bluetooth modules ready for the next stage of this project

[CitroJim]

First test of the little Bluetooth module... Just to check it works before hardwiring it into anything...

Powered from a USB charger and feeding into my workshop Leak Stereo 30 amp... Streaming from Amazon music...

It sounds good A little bargain for less than £4 from eBay...

[CitroJim]

Two showstoppers yesterday

The SSD hard disk in my Windows 11 laptop died... It had been getting a bit slow to boot for a few days and mouse movement could be erratic.

An update to the Garmin Connect software on it finally killed it...

And on the XM Radio front, the little preamp modules, whilst they work well to substitute the failed thick-film Dolby module, they are physically too big to fit in the tight space in the radio with the tape deck fitted. So it's game-over to retain a working tape facility... I can't get or make a preamp assembly small enough.

With the tape mechanism out of the way, there's loads of room so I'll be concentrating on adding Bluetooth functionality now...

Away from cars and electronics, I've commenced a big project to properly insulate and board-out my attic.

[xantia_v6]

I would advise to buy only SSDs of known quality. I only use Samsung SSDs from their EVO or PRO series (not QVO).

I await results of your Bluetooth experiments. How will switching between Bluetooth and radio modes be accomplished?

[CitroJim]

It was the SSD the laptop was supplied with - a nameless one Mike and likely of questionable quality...

So far, I've had good results with Netac ones and generally they have a good reputation. Endorsed by the readership of the Vintage Radio Forum and knowing what a picky and critical lot of old buffers they are; high praise!

Recently, there's been a long and interesting discussion on that forum concerning SSD reliability and how they're no good for archival purposes.

I await results of your Bluetooth experiments. How will switching between Bluetooth and radio modes be accomplished?

Working on a method of using the cassette control front panel buttons... Work in progress for now but all I need is a CMOS logic signal to switch a quad bilateral switch (a CD4066) with is used as an audio crosspoint.

And a 5v regulated supply for the Bluetooth module. I'll likely use a 78L05 or similar if I can't find an existing 5V rail in the radio.

[Hell Razor5543]

I agree with the need to use reputable SSD manufacturers (and suitable SSDs for the equipment they will be working in). A former client, when they upgraded their till systems (going from HHD to SSD in the EPoS tills) had done their research, but as part of the cost cutting measures were then forced to use SSDs without internal 'management' systems (despite the IT department protesting vigorously). Within a year of the estate wide upgrade they were experiencing major issues. Finally they went over to the SSDs that the IT department had originally recommended, which were made by Crucial, with the necessary 'management' systems. Tills which were fitted with the Crucial SSDs (after the Hypertec SSD had failed) were a LOT more reliable!

The tills were very old but reliable IBM tills, designed before SSDS were even invented, so did not have the ability to perform the procedures necessary to maintain SSDs properly. The Hypertec SSDs (which, when fitted to appropriate computers with the ability to manage SSDs, were perfectly acceptable) could not work properly, and were, in this circumstance, a waste of time and money.

[CitroJim]

As they say James, buy cheap, buy twice!

Some very cheap SSDs are reputed and alleged to have their SMART reporting and management err, 'set' to not tell the truth.

My failed one reports perfect via its SMART metrics but is undetectable by any OS or the Laptop's BIOS.

I know the laptop is OK as I popped a mechanical disk in to test..

[CitroJim]

Autumn learning to drive today...

She did it all on her own with no help at all from her mum or I, just from watching the other children driving these little scoot cars

We all enjoyed an awesome morning of soft play

[CitroJim]

My attic boarding and insulating project has commenced

That DeWalt jigsaw is an awesome device

And I've rebuilt my laptop with a nice new fast SSD. no drama, no issue and all now good

[Skull]

Jim - aren’t you going deeper with the insulation before boarding ?

I done mine about 15 years ago with extra joists which was expensive but I’ve seen these stilt kits now that sit on your original joists and suspend over the extra insulation.

https://www.diy.com/departments/loft-le ... 292_BQ.prd

https://media.diy.com/is/image/Kingfish ... eight=1064

My house is still freezing in the winter mind you but that’s because it has suspended floor with air bricks downstairs

[CitroJim]

Jim - aren’t you going deeper with the insulation before boarding ?

Yes, I am, those boards are not even fixed down yet, just cut and placed for sizing..

I have a load of insulation to pack under and before I do I need to dress up in my noddy-suit and respirator It's bright orange and makes me look like a lost railway worker

New windows and a new heating system has made a massive difference to my house already. Granted I don't like my house too hot - I keep it around 18 degrees - but this winter my gas consumption has been about a quarter of last year

[Skull]

Jim - aren’t you going deeper with the insulation before boarding ?

Yes, I am, those boards are not even fixed down yet, just cut and placed for sizing..

I have a load of insulation to pack under and before I do

Ahhh you were just teasing us good luck … don’t lose too much weight up there ….

[MattBLancs]

... insulation to pack under...

Apologies if stating the obvious / missing reading the above, but don't be tempted to pack / squash down the insulation too much, remember it's the trapped air in amongst the fibres that is helping minimise the heat loss, not just the rockwool fibres themselves. (Think string vest)

Spoiler: show

Looking hot!

Image borrowed from https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/tvands ... ent-uncle/

[CitroJim]

Love the spoiler Matt!

I shall heed your sage advice, I'm a newbie at these kind of things

I serviced the DeWalt drill brushes and commutator this morning. Lots of life in them but lots of muck and dirt thereabouts. All nicely cleaned and reassembled.

These DeWalt drills are well made. The motor is built like a little battleship!

Currently baking and cooking before resuming my lofty endeavours