Recent content by Utwig

Hi, The video link below shows what has already been said, but in quite a dramatic way. http://www.break.com/index/747-struck-by-lightning.html Notice how the lightning seems to form all at once along its entire length? From stuff I have read on websites etc, I think the differences...

Hi, Sounds like a fun project! You can get some good magnets and cores by salvaging auto parts. Solenoid cores are usually either iron or steel, and any starter motors will have decent magnets and coils in them. There is a hefty solenoid on most car ignition systems, or the door lock on many...

Hi, You often have transformer couplings when you want to add an element of intrinsic safety to an environment. Intrinsic safety means all your supplies are effectively isolated via the transformers, a set-up often found in warship ammunition magazines or flight decks (where fuel is present)...

Hi, A dwarf planet discovered in 2005 has now got a name, http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080918234427.htm how many more do you think are out there? I am betting a lot. Utwig

Hi, Yep, I have no doubt plutonium can be made in other kinds of reactor, but I've only really ever had experience with the breeder type, and pressurised water kind. I could have put down a lot more detail, but was really only trying to highlight the link between commercial power generation...

Hi The link really centres around a kind of reactor called a breeder or fast breeder reactor. In general, we use U235 to produce power, and also to make weapons with. U235 is refined from an ore called yellow cake via gas centrifuges usually linked together in series, so the output of one...

Hi, I think the time delay has a lot to do with the pressure, heat issues, but mostly because the only really large scale attempt, in Europe anyway, is happening in France. Yes, I am English. Utwig

Hi, Im guessing from your description the circuit is in relation to a piece of test equipment? If that is the case, there are 2 factors that have a fairly high priority, the first being noise as you want the amplified signal to be as noise free, or accurate, as possible, the second is really...

Hi, I’d contact my supplier and get the cost of having a star/delta 3 phase transformer installed, you never know, it may be a cheaper option. In general the main advantage of having 3 phases available is that there is one less component to go wrong, the phase converter. Another little side...

Hi, A quick note of caution as you don’t mention if your liquid is volatile or not, DC motors have a horrible tendency to arc across the contacts internally so if you are trying to pump petrol or something, please proceed with extreme caution in a very well ventilated space, if you don’t your...

Hi, As you can probably tell from the post, I am not really a true believer, but am certainly curious. The crackpot you mentioned is probably a chap called Zacoria who has published a number of books on the subject. To be honest, I put him in the same bucket as that other fella Von Daniken...

Hi, Nah, not really, it was something I remember reading while looking for the orbital period of Sol around the galaxy itself. As it wasn’t the focus of the study at the time it just got filed under ‘Interesting junk I can bore the crap out of people at parties with’, hence the word should...

Hi Many things affect the sensitivity of radio receivers, either radio telescope, RADAR or just plain old radio. The biggest culprit is usually noise as this can have a very large impact on what you are trying to receive. It does follow that if you are looking into a field where there are...

Hi, Interesting that a lot of the replies were very quick to dismiss the existence of the galactic plane/equator/whatever you want to call it. I’m guessing the ones quick to dismiss the whole thing are probably not involved in any studies like the one referenced in the link below...

Hi, I’m new to the forum, having joined after 6 pints on Saturday night while looking for historical evidence of the mythical 10th planet as described by the ancient Sumerians. The purpose of this post is to spark debate, hopefully backed up with facts that can be verified (and I don’t...