I've ignored the "Followup-To: " header, because I believe that this also belongs in at least rec.crafts.metalworking, where I am following it, and I would miss my own followup and any responses if it were kept to a single group as requested. On 2011-11-20, Fred Abse <excretatauris@invalid.invalid> wrote:> On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 06:41:03 -0600, amdx wrote: > >> That's why I like the Dial calipers vs Digital Calipers, no concern >> about batteries or electronics. > > I prefer a "proper" vernier. At least you can verify those by eye.Depends on how old the eye is and how good the illumination is.> I never > did trust digital calipers to hold their zero and not skip under workshop > conditions, Half a lifetime dealing with incremental encoders has made me > wary.The old B&S ones, which used glass encoders in the slot where the rack gear would otherwise be were sensitive to coolant in the slot. But the modern units seem to be quite good at not skipping.> I *might* trust a Mitutoyo digital caliper or height gage in inspection > room conditions.I trust them (as much as a caliper *can* be trusted compared to a micrometer) in shop conditions as well.> Dial calipers have all sorts of racks and gears to go sloppy.Agreed -- or to pick up bits of swarf and skip.> I suppose nobody under fifty knows how to read a real vernier, or a slide > rule for that matter ;-(I know how to use both -- but then I am (well) over fifty. :-) But there have been verniers on the thimbles of the better micrometers much more recently than that, so presumably some of the younger crowd know. Enjoy, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: <BPdnicholsBP@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
Repaired Harbor Freight digital caliper
Started by ●November 19, 2011
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
On 21 Nov 2011 03:24:37 GMT, "DoN. Nichols" <BPdnicholsBP@d-and-d.com> wrote:>On 2011-11-20, Bob Engelhardt <bobengelhardt@comcast.net> wrote: >> Jamie wrote: >>> I have the HF digital calipers and I need to pull the battery when not >>> in use other wise, it'll be dead next time I need it. It seems to drain >>> quite fast. >> ... >> >> I have one & the battery lasts quite a while (doesn't get used much). >> Maybe a different model. Or a different batch. Or different spots on >> the quality curve <G>. > > Or different quality of battery as I just posted above. :-) > > Enjoy, > DoN.Many 99c stores sell a flatpack of 5-10 standard 357 batteries for a dollar. So I use 2 batteries a year. Or even 3. Im still way ahead of the curve when SR44s are $3 each Gunner One could not be a successful Leftwinger without realizing that, in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of Leftwingers, a goodly number of Leftwingers are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid. Gunner Asch
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
Spehro Pefhany <speffSNIP@interlogDOTyou.knowwhat> wrote in message news:2ddjc7tt4m10a6q7k7adtaofgaem1dhrrl@4ax.com...> On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 17:45:47 -0800, the renowned Jeff Liebermann > <jeffl@cruzio.com> wrote: > > >On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:47:25 -0800 (PST), "Ron D." > ><ron.dozier@gmail.com> wrote: > > > >>I have a cheap Caliper too and it recently went flakey. > >> > >>I did my standard trick: Remove battery. Short battery contacts: > >>Insert new battery. Worked. > > > >My cheap electronic caliper goes nuts when I transmit on UHF anywhere > >near it. However, it doesn't require the battery removal ordeal to > >recover. I just reset to zero and continue. > > > >>Mine uses an LR44 and you HAVE TO use an LR44, not a substitute > >>battery that you can get a Radio Shack. > >>Mechanically they are not the same. > > > >I beg to differ. The general package name is LR44 in an 11.6mm dia x > >5.4mm thick package alkaline cell. There are slight variations, but > >the IEC LR1154 equivalents (LR44/LR154, A76, 157/303/357) are all the > >same size. Where you can have problems is that the SR44/SR1154 silver > >oxide cells come in the same package. They have about 50% more > >capacity and a much flatter discharge curve. Some of the cheapo > >calipers crap out below about 1.4V. The alkaline battery has plenty > >of capacity left at 1.4V, but the caliper doesn't want to run. If > >your caliper cames with a silver-oxide cell, it should probably use > >silver oxide batteries. If it came with alkaline and has a short > >battery life, it might be worthwhile trying silver-oxide. If you're > >ambitious, it might be useful to run the caliper off a bench power > >supply and check how low a voltage will work. > > Be sure to check how high a voltage too, and report back. ;-) > > > > Best regards, > Spehro Pefhany > -- > "it's the network..." "The Journey is the reward" > speff@interlog.com Info for manufacturers:http://www.trexon.com> Embedded software/hardware/analog Info for designers:http://www.speff.com If I had one of these I'd fit onto the calipers a small solar cell and diode to trickle charge the original battery ie not specifically rechargeable , and replace the lid of its casing with a glass panel and leave on a bright position .
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
On 11/19/2011 11:19 PM, Jim Yanik wrote:> use Boeing Boeshield T-9 to prevent the rusting of your tools. > > I wonder if Cramolin/DeOxit would work on the conductive strip? >Hello, and DeoxIT is the best thing I've ever come across for cleaning and de-oxidizing electrical contacts. It also does wonders with scratchy volume and tone pots and it'll be long while before you have to apply it again. Sincerely, -- J. B. Wood e-mail: arl_123234@hotmail.com
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
"Gunner Asch" wrote in message=20 news:aa0kc750e2tsad3028cqpm25aer8aus1mn@4ax.com...> Many 99c stores sell a flatpack of 5-10 standard 357 batteries > for a dollar.I'm not sure I'd trust them in something any more expensive than a=20 flashlight. I have seen them corrode and leak. And the only thing the 99 = cent store might be willing to do is give you another pack or refund = your=20 dollar.> So I use 2 batteries a year. Or even 3. Im still way ahead of the > curve when SR44s are $3 eachI just purchased four genuine SR44s from an eBay store, for $3, = including=20 first class mail shipping. The same company also has larger packs for = quite=20 a bit less. http://stores.ebay.com/RL-batterydepot?_trksid=3Dp4340.l2563 I also measured the current draw on my calipers, and it's about 12.5 uA=20 either on or off. It seems to spike a bit when turned on. (So do I :) They are specified at about 175 mAhr, according to http://www.sr44.com/, = so=20 lifetime should be about 14000 hrs or 1.5 years, but the spec is for a = low=20 voltage of 1.3V, which is probably below the limit of the electronics in = the=20 caliper, at least for the low battery indicator. Here is a handy list of the various sizes with different chemistry and = their=20 mA-hr capacities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_battery_sizes Paul www.pstech-inc.com=20
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
Harbor Freight Has the 6" dial Caliper on sale 11/24 http://www.harborfreight.com/preview-thanksgiving.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4711a&utm_source=1003 Mikek
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
amdx wrote:> Harbor Freight Has the 6" dial Caliper on sale 11/24 > > http://www.harborfreight.com/preview-thanksgiving.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4711a&utm_source=1003 > > > MikekNice, I like the metal cutting saw they have there just off to the right.. Think I'll do a stop in for that. Jamie
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
On 11/21/2011 6:49 PM, Jamie wrote:> amdx wrote: >> Harbor Freight Has the 6" dial Caliper on sale 11/24 >> >> http://www.harborfreight.com/preview-thanksgiving.html?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=4711a&utm_source=1003 >> >> >> Mikek > Nice, I like the metal cutting saw they have there just off to the right.. > > Think I'll do a stop in for that. > > JamieDo note, it is pneumatic. Fine if your setup for it. Mikek
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
On 2011-11-21, Martin Riddle <martin_rid@verizon.net> wrote:> ><dagmargoodboat@yahoo.com> wrote in message > news:07d0ac35-1cf3-4ed1-ba85-cd32f2f6ea0b@p2g2000vbj.googlegroups.com... >> On Nov 20, 8:45 pm, Jeff Liebermann <je...@cruzio.com> wrote: >>> On Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:47:25 -0800 (PST), "Ron D." wrote: >> >>> >I have a cheap Caliper too and it recently went flakey.[ ... ]>>> same size. Where you can have problems is that the SR44/SR1154 >>> silver >>> oxide cells come in the same package. They have about 50% more >>> capacity and a much flatter discharge curve. Some of the cheapo >>> calipers crap out below about 1.4V. The alkaline battery has plenty >>> of capacity left at 1.4V, but the caliper doesn't want to run. If >>> your caliper cames with a silver-oxide cell, it should probably use >>> silver oxide batteries. If it came with alkaline and has a short >>> battery life, it might be worthwhile trying silver-oxide. If you're >>> ambitious, it might be useful to run the caliper off a bench power >>> supply and check how low a voltage will work. >> >> I just measured a Harbor Freight (Chinese) 8-incher. >> >> Drain: 13.5uA (off), 14.5uA (on) >> Battery low threshold (blinking display): 1.37V >> Lowest operating voltage: 1.01V >> >> So, it's clearly made for silver-oxide cells. The battery low >> threshold is set appropriately for a silver oxide cell (e.g. SR-44). >> >> It's a lousy threshold for using alkalines--they're barely broken in >> at that voltage. >> >> 14.5uA means a year from a silver oxide cell--that's not horrible.[ ... ]> Why bother including an on off switch?It is an off switch to turn the *display* (only) back on. They sometimes make it also turn the display back off to make people feel better. :-) The auto-turn-off time of the display is usually good enough. Enjoy, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: <BPdnicholsBP@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
Reply by ●November 21, 20112011-11-21
On 2011-11-21, dagmargoodboat@yahoo.com <dagmargoodboat@yahoo.com> wrote:> On Nov 20, 9:55�pm, "Martin Riddle" <martin_...@verizon.net> wrote: >> <dagmargoodb...@yahoo.com> wrote in message >> >> news:07d0ac35-1cf3-4ed1-ba85-cd32f2f6ea0b@p2g2000vbj.googlegroups.com... >> >> >>>> > I just measured a Harbor Freight (Chinese) 8-incher. >> >> > Drain: 13.5uA (off), 14.5uA (on) >> > Battery low threshold (blinking display): 1.37V >> > Lowest operating voltage: 1.01V[ ... ]>> Why bother including an on off switch? > > It's really not worth it for 1uA. > > If I designed these, I'd shoot for 2uA active draw, like the > Mitutoyos, and set the battery low threshold at 1.1V (for alkalines). > The battery consumption is the biggest fault with these. Apart from > that, they're impressive. > > I sometimes think about wiring up a "AAA" or solar cell and just > forgetting it, but for $0.50 a year it's not worth the trouble.Actually -- there *are* some "solar powered" ones -- by Mitutoyo IIRC. They would probably be excellent used daily in a well-illuminated shop. In my shop, often dark for days at a time, until a project lures me there, the replaceable batteries are a better choice. I did recently get an auto-darkening welding hood from Harbor Freight which is solar powered, and based on what I have read about them dying if not used regularly, I've put mine on a folding workstool facing out the window so it sees daylight to maintain the charge. I'll proably eventually have to perform surgery and replace the rechargeable cells in there. There is a temptation to provide a connection for an AC-powered trickle charger so I can store it more conveniently. What would be particularly nice would be an induction coupled charger like those for electric toothbrushes. Just put it on a stand and expect it to be fully charged when I come back. If the charge is good enough to work on the first strike, it should work fine for the rest of the day, because it will be getting a charge boost from the arc -- close enough to vigorous sunlight. :-) Enjoy, DoN. -- Remove oil spill source from e-mail Email: <BPdnicholsBP@d-and-d.com> | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero ---
