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THE REATTA LOUNGE


Ronnie

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10 minutes ago, Padgett said:

Yes you can, just say no. Why I asked. Have never been a hacker and wrote a lot of security software (think I was the first to use caller ID to decide if a computer would answer the phone). Is a matter of ethics.

I knew that and is why I said I couldn't stop you if I wanted to. Feel free to download pages for your own use but would rather not have any copies to be disseminated without us talking first. 

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OK you got it. You said you did not have time to pull it together and I have a lot of time these days.

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I spent a few hours working on the new how-to section of ROJ today. I can see that the newer version of the website software is going to be better for cellphone and tablet users. ROJ will look similar on a desktop computer to what it does now but the layout of how-to categories will have a new look. The ROJ website will contain the same information. the forum won't be changed.

 

The first photo (screenshot) below shows how the ROJ how-to category list currently looks on my cellphone. The second photo shows how the categories will look on a cellphone with the new ROJ website software.  It's easy to see how the new software will benefit cellphone users by decluttering the screen and making everything fit the cellphone screen better.

 

CURRENT

Screenshot how-to-2.jpg

 

NEW

Screenshot how-to-1.jpg

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been putting in a lot of time on this and I'm about 60-80 percent finished. Then there will be some testing to make sure works as intended.

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I try to give credit where credit is due on every page. If there is anything on this website that the original copyright holder does not want to be here I will gladly remove it upon request.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I am just going to put this here in the lounge section rather than muddying a thread with this side track. This is about spark polarity in the waste spark system. I must admit it has puzzled me why my V6 Ford Ranger, with a virtually identical ignition to our Buick, has single platinum plugs with the platinum on the center or side electrode depending on which side of the engine it was on. Over a couple decades I would find examples, mostly when connecting an inductive pickup on a plug wire. Sometimes it needs to connect apparently backwards for it to work. Both things above indicate reverse flow of electrons must be occurring but how can that be if the spark plugs all connect the outer shell and side electrode to the ground or negative side of the battery?  Apparently the battery has nothing to do with spark polarity in this system.

 

Nothing jumps out when looking at a schematic of the coil and plug, at least not to me. I found this simple diagram below in a physics forum. It has small arrows indicating the flow direction of the energy pulse with the note that secondary polarity is built into the coil depending on how it is wound using the left hand rule. 😳. I have no idea what that means but at least it establishes the flow is designed into the system and isn’t random. The other piece, at least for me, was how a grounded plug could be both negative and positive; so to speak? The plug is really two parts, isolated on either side of an air gap. The energy can jump the gap from either direction, so it always makes a big loop, which includes the head in the circuit. 03077E42-BD44-4609-9186-0345A8629E79.thumb.png.d9efdd56af9e8e6ee90299abaae8ddd1.png

Beyond this, it will take someone far more savvy to explain what the winding direction has to do with it, or how all the various electrical or electronic stuff can operate through the big chunk of metal of the engine without interference from each other😎

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Excellent discussion. I'm certainly no expert on this but I'll put in my 2 cents.

 

2 hours ago, 2seater said:

has single platinum plugs with the platinum on the center or side electrode depending on which side of the engine it was on.

I think I can explain that by looking at your diagram. On one spark plug the spark jumps from the center electrode to the side electrode. On the other spark the spark jumps from the side electrode to the center electrode. The platinum needs to be on the electrode that would erode the fastest. I think that is the electrode that receives the spark but I'm not sure about that. If they had applied platinum to both electrodes it wouldn't matter. I guess they saved a penny by applying it to one electrode.

 

I think the battery polarity would matter because the flow of electricity through the secondary would reverse if the battery polarity was reversed, causing the electrode without the platinum to be the one that would erode the fastest.

 

I think all the above would apply to the 3800 but the difference is platinum plugs weren't specified by GM as far as I know. Maybe that is the reason auto parts stores offer aftermarket double platinum plugs for a Reatta. With those you would have the the bases covered no matter which direction the spark was jumping.

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The article actually mentioned Ford doing the single platinum plugs which works unless installed on the wrong side, which would make it worse. Also stated that the aftermarket solved the dilemma by only offering double platinum. Pretty much idiot proofs it. I don't know if reversing the battery connection to positive ground would reverse the secondary spark or not? In the diagram provided, the primary and secondary directions are opposite each other, but the article stated the direction of the winding decided the polarity via some rule I don't understand. I figured I didn't need to know why as long as we had one of each in a coil pair. I believe you are correct that the platinum needs to be on the receiving end of the spark to minimize erosion.

 

The one thing that I am pretty sure of, and is true in any spark, is that it initiates from a sharp edge, or point, more easily than a blunt or flat surface. I imagine that is why some of the AC Delco Rapidfires had the serrated center electrode? Frankly, I never used platinum plugs in my Reatta either, but it was mostly because they never stayed in the engine, or the engine in the car, long enough to matter. With no platinum at all the wear would still be relatively balanced, but perhaps more rapid. I do remember my school Honda had one coil for two cylinders, but it wasn't a 305 Dream. Way too upscale for me.

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33 minutes ago, 2seater said:

The one thing that I am pretty sure of, and is true in any spark, is that it initiates from a sharp edge, or point, more easily than a blunt or flat surface.

Yeah, when I was running methanol in my motorcycles with high compression a lot of ignition timing I learned that they ran better when I sharpened the side electrode with a file. Had to do that pretty often because they eroded quickly compared to a stock plug. I learned about doing that in one of the bike magazines. If the point was too sharp it would cause the engine to ping due to preignition caused by the point overheating. Then I read about the Nippon Denso u-grove plugs that worked just as well, lasted a lot longer and didn't need to be filed. I think the edges of the U shaped grove in the side electrode did the same thing as filing the end of it. I think the same is true for the platinum plugs that have the small wire center electrode.

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You know I couldn't NOT investigate what the left hand rule is, and it turns out it really involves the right or left hand to physically indicate the north pole in a coil wound around a core. The four fingers of the hand wraps around the coil with the thumb indicating the north pole. There must be a bit more to it, but it really is a "rule of thumb".🤣

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The Chinese spy balloon concerns me. I don't think it was a coincidence that it passed very near to Oak Ridge, TN, home of Oak Ridge National Labratory, Y-12 National Security Complex with the nations largest stockpile of highly enriched uranium that can be used in bombs and nuclear reactors. Both plants are instrumental in building atomic bombs and nuclear warheads for missiles. Oak Ridge is also the home of the Spallation Neutron Source facility. No one really knows what it really is. Some people say they are building a laser type of weapon there. 

 

If the balloon was looking for places to target, I can't think of a better place than Oak Ridge if they wanted to hurt our nuclear capabilities. Being just 18 miles from these plants makes me a little uneasy. Our relations with China are strained already and I don't see them getting better anytime soon.

 

I've got my fingers crossed that it really is a weather balloon as the Chinese said. We should know soon because I think the U.S. will shoot it down once it gets off the coast of NC.

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For spark plugs in a 3800 I use only AC Rapidfires and have converted mine to a stronger Delco ignition. See here.
As to the balloon, most presidents would have shot it down, however the current gang tends to apologise.

ps a weather balloon with three school buses of payload ? Not much weather at 66,000 feet.

pps USAF planes marked "Weather" had interesting missions.

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The wife is wondering if our next war is going to be fought with balloons and school buses. 🤣

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It appears they are masters of leaning on the adversary and slowly wedging in or wearing you out. Passive/aggressive. If the approach was with force, "the deflector shields" would have snapped on (old Star Trek reference) but, a gentle breeze is ignored. No matter how this actually plays out, whatever the intentions, the optics of the whole mess does not inspire confidence. Insert your conspiracy theory here. Scary perhaps, brilliantly done.

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Amazing: "President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he ordered U.S. officials to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon..."

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5 hours ago, Padgett said:

Amazing: "President Joe Biden said on Saturday that he ordered U.S. officials to shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon..."

Four days ago, on Wednesday, if I heard what he said correctly. I see the finger pointing is in full swing and I suspect there will be many persons under the bus in a short while. I am not making light of this, and if reports are to be believed, it is somewhat common. It played out on many social media and news sites, continuously, for days, so there has been plenty of time to develop any manner of response and reaction.

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US followed this balloon thru Alaska all the way across the continental USA and waited until public pressure caused this admin to take action.   To say the least, this is a sure sign of weakness.   The whole world is watching....................

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I don't want to offend anyone but I hope we can keep the current discussion to comments about the balloon and avoid the politics.

 

Below is the first post I made in the Reatta Lounge.

 

On 8/22/2021 at 2:50 PM, Ronnie said:

Got something you would like to talk about not related the world of Reattas? This is the place.

 

Tell us about what you are doing in your life, trips or tours you have taken, ask for help with repairing your lawn mower,  etc...  Anything you think would be of interest to forum members.

 

I  thought we would give this a try and see how it goes. If there is no interest I will delete it.
No politics, religion, Covid vaccine or other controversial discussions allowed.

 

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