Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[CitroJim]

Need to stick a new D-Cell in the AVO though as the new one I put in there a year back is already dead...they seriously don't make primary cells like they used to...

No, they don't There was a long thread on the vintage wireless forum about how poor some are these days and how they have a very ready tendency to leak even before they're flat...

AVO batteries used to live for ever once upon a time... Not now...

[Zelandeth]

The Rayovac branded one that came out of it because it was leaking (still working just fine) had an install by date of 1991 on it, so I didn't begrudge that being past it. Rather more irked at the year old Energizer in there being dead as a doornail though.

[van ordinaire]

I don't believe there are any batteries available from any source, for any application that are worth having nowadays - including re-chargeables. You might just as well by them by weight from a £ shop/market stall/boot sale, wherever, but no more than twice as many as you need - 'cos they don't have any shelf life either.

[Zelandeth]

Van, the only ones I have found to be universally decent still are the Ultimate Lithium ones that Energizer do. They're eye-wateringly expensive, but do last an age and in ten years or so I've never had one leak. I can only think of one dudd I've ever had in that time that lasted less time than I'd expect.

The other ones are by Surefire (the US based flashlight maker) who sell their own branded CR123 cells. Don't use a lot of CR123s, but have never had a bad one of them.

Bit on an update on the Lada. It decided to actually cut out this evening on the way back from Morrison's. After a bit of faffing about it restarted using the flood clearance mode, in a cloud of black smoke, this repeated a couple of times before it seemed to sort itself - I reckon when it figured something was amiss and decided to ignore the sensor in question and went into the usual failsafe default get-you-home mode as it was definitely flat.

I think the coolant temperature sensor sending wrong-but-plausible data could potentially result in that, so will continue down that investigation route for now.

Also have the bits in the post hopefully to get the ALDL interface built so I can actually see what's happening (hopefully) as I bet that would make this a lot easier to track down.

[Zelandeth]

You know the weather has been warm when: you go to try to order a relatively specialised cooling vest (C'mon, they're not exactly cheap), and find that due to "unexpected demand" that a bunch of sizes are temporarily unavailable. Should be available in August apparently.

D'oh! Should have got in there sooner. Oh well!

[Michel]

You know the weather has been warm when: you go to try to order a relatively specialised cooling vest (C'mon, they're not exactly cheap), and find that due to "unexpected demand" that a bunch of sizes are temporarily unavailable. Should be available in August apparently.

I wouldn't bother now. I have bought 2 new fans for the house. This will ensure the summer has now finished.

[CitroJim]

I wouldn't bother now. I have bought 2 new fans for the house. This will ensure the summer has now finished.

It's been a gorgeous summers' day up here today so your sphere of influence does not extend this far Mike

[myglaren]

You know the weather has been warm when: you go to try to order a relatively specialised cooling vest (C'mon, they're not exactly cheap), and find that due to "unexpected demand" that a bunch of sizes are temporarily unavailable. Should be available in August apparently.

I wouldn't bother now. I have bought 2 new fans for the house. This will ensure the summer has now finished.

Swiped from ARRSE with no indication of origin

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

re Batteries (rechargeables): in terms of branding

I looked into AA's in some detail a while back and one of the highest scorers [Which] was the GP Brand (which I'd not previously heard of), I've found them to be really good (can't be sure which other sizes are available), with prices on the bay reflecting this (but in line with better known brands). I've got some really old Fuji's and Sony's too, which are still going strong.

Noteworthy for their poor performance are Duracell: I've thrown away a lot their AA rechargeables over the last couple of years, with Energiser just as bad... I'd done what I'm sure a lot of people do, and bought 'branded' batteries believing them to be good.... then learnt otherwise.

I've also learnt not to buy the unbranded cheapies from China / Malaysia / Hong Kong, I often buy from the Far East, and the products are generally very good, but that doesn't apply to batteries.

[myglaren]

I recently dug out some ancient pound shop button batteries to try in a couple of dead watches and they were fine.

A crop of recent Energiser and Duracell batteries bought for the notebook camera are very much found wanting.

I've had my plipper in pieces today as it was failing to open the car after standing overnight. Cleaned it all with Isopropanol (contacts and buttons very grimey, ood as they are left in the car most of the time)
Took the battery out to change it and discovered that of the thirty different types, none was the right one
Old battery works fine though, operated the doors and windows from the house, around fifty feet away.
It has been in the plipper longer than I have had the car - over five years.

[Zelandeth]

If I remember what I read right, GP provide a lot of batteries for OEM products. Pretty sure the last couple of wireless mice I've bought (both Microsoft products I'm almost ashamed to say...though I've never been able to complain about their hardware) came packed with their cells, and they are both still going strong after several years of regular use.

[myglaren]

^IIRC Microsoft hardware is actually made by Logitech but as you say, it is generally faultless.
I'm using a Microsoft mouse too, years old and second hand (rescued fro the skip at work)
Always OK.
Had several keyboards too, chucked because they were a bit big and clunky but mechanically fine.

[CitroJim]

I use GP PP9s in my vintage wirelesses with good results.. I also use 'Ever Ready' branded PP9s too.. This, I don't believe, is the same outfit as we all knew and loved as kids...

I buy my batteries in bulk from CPC-Farnell and they are consistently cheaper than eBay!

Duracell now have a terrible reputation... I avoid them...

I use a pair of IKEA rechargeable AAA cells in my little running wireless and they seem very good indeed. I have a two sets I rotate between use and read for use...

[Zelandeth]

Had forgotten IKEA. Got some of their alkaline cells in use in a few places round the house (room thermostats for one), and so far they've been lasting okay. Wonder who the OEM are.

[Michel]

If I remember what I read right, GP provide a lot of batteries for OEM products. Pretty sure the last couple of wireless mice I've bought (both Microsoft products I'm almost ashamed to say...though I've never been able to complain about their hardware)

Over the last 25 years or so, I've nearly always had a MS Mouse and Keyboard, and I can't recall any of their hardware, joysticks and wheels included, failing on me. I've had an ergonomic keyboard of theirs for, I think 15 years - got it at work in 2002, nicked it when I left and I still use it.