price of AAA alkaline

[My 2 Cents]

We flashlight mod people are not alone... there are others who have gone before us....

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

The "cost of battery replacement" is something I think of every time I consider use of a battery-operated device in a fixed location. Some can be modified to use an external power source. I do have one wired like that now, a remote switch for "Lilly's lights".

[Don Y]

I don't think of the "cost" in terms of the cost of replacement batteries (which can be small, esp if using rechargeables).

But, rather, the cost in terms of inconvenience and (un)reliability for a battery operated product. E.g., I won't purchase power handtools that are battery operated. I want to KNOW that I can use a tool the moment I take it off the shelf; the "inconvenience" of a cord is a non-issue. Esp when contrasted with the inconvenience of having to wait for a battery to charge *or* recharge while using the device (and, when the battery ultimately fails is some time when you are USING the device).

The convenience of battery (portable) power can be obtained without the RELIANCE on battery power!

[clare]

That's only half the definition. It has both forward and reverse voltage drops, and forward current draw is determined by the voltage drop and the supply voltage.

As long as the supply voltage does not excede the forward voltage drop by ant significant amount, the current will remain within limits.

[clare]

Galium Arsenide Red is around .1.4 to 2.6 Red, yellow, green and blue have higher forward drops in that order, up to about 3.8 for ultra blue. The white ones are closer to 4 volts - 3.7 to 3.8 rings a bell. A silicone diode is around.0.7 volts, and a Shotky diode is closer to 0.3 or 0.4 volts. A galena diode only drops about 0.2, and a selenium rectifier diode drops about 1 volt per cell.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Depends on your needs. In a small shop or for bench work a cord is not a big deal. Atop a ladder 200 feet from the nearest receptacle it sure is handy to have battery operated tools.

[Don Y]

That's why god invented portable gensets!

And, the genset will keep your frozen goods frozen regardless of how many fully charged batteries you might have on hand!

[NicholasMeleeMan]

I think, the difference in price depends upon the manufacturer - they based it on the supply and demand of AA and AAA.

[Don Y]

Clouds are a rarity, here. Especially after dark.

We have no street lights (in the neighborhoods) but there's usually enough ambient light that you don't need a supplemental light source. Anything you'd need to be wary of (larger wildlife) tend to be shy. And, those that aren't (rabid, etc.) are usually big enough that you can see them.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I was in BJ's today. The packs of AA and AAA were the same price, but the AA was a 40 pack while the AAA was a 34 pack.

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per Bill M Moore, Esq.:

Consider that the power company is losing revenue every minute those lines are down.

Dunno about rural areas, but that is beeeeeg money in a densely-populated area.

[(PeteCresswell)]

The presumptive Republication presidential candidate seems to be doing pretty well... so maybe "yes".... -)

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I recognize that "cost" means a lot more than just money. That includes the time it takes to replace the batteries, resetting the devices after power loss, and maybe even environmental concerns (power inefficiency, additional trash).

Yes.

[Mark Lloyd]

Supply voltage (voltage across the diode) WILL be equal to voltage drop. That is the diode acting as a voltage regulator. That explains the need for a resistor with a LED.

If the supply voltage exceeds the forward voltage drop by ANY amount, the current will be infinite* (as the diode tries to regulate E by conducting until supply voltage drops to the diode's forward voltage).

• - limited only by the power source's capacity.

[Mark Lloyd]

That reminds me of when I visited some people in Youngtown AZ (a suburb of Phoenix). It would rain about once a year.

They also talk of "dry heat". That'd be much preferable to what we have in Texas, where June has the worst weather of the year. Not the highest temperature, but excessive humidity.

That's nice. I remember one night when I was walking around during a full moon and a power outage. There was plenty of natural light.

[Don Y]

We have reasonably spectacular storms during Monsoon. But, only a total of about 10-11 inches annually.

But, they roll in, drop their moisture, then disappear. None of the long drizzles that were common in other parts of the country.

And, we claim 360 days of sunshine -- which appears to be correct; you *remember* the cloudy days as there are so few of them!

When folks say "but, it's a dry heat!", I counter with "Yeah, tell that to the turkey on Thanksgiving!". The heat is actually tolerable if you're not in the sun. You can stand in shadow, close your eyes and stretch your arm out into the sunlight and tell EXACTLY where the shadow line crosses your outstretched arm!

The worst aspect of the dry heat is that you don't perspire. Well, you

*do* perspire but you never feel "sweaty". As a result, you run the real risk of dehydration and heat stroke. If you are active, outdoors, your body loses huge quantities of moisture -- of which you are completely unaware (because you aren't "sweaty"). Rule of thumb is to drink 16oz of water every 20 minutes -- that's almost 1/2G per hour!

And, while doing this, you have NO urge to go to the bathroom to shed "excess" water! Kind of a scary feeling the first time you experience it ("Where the hell is all this water that I'm drinking GOING??")

I've lived in areas with high humidity. You can't take enough showers in a day to ever feel "clean"!

Despite being dry -- most of the year -- our Monsoon is probably worse (in terms of THI) than in many other parts of the country as temperatures hover around 100 (down from the HOT times of Summer) while the RH is considerably higher.

But, the timing of the storms that accompany the humidity often gives some relief as the rain cools things down. (if it rains early in the morning, the afternoon can be very oppressive as you have all of that moisture in the air and the temperature is INcreasing).

I never saw a meteor shower until I moved here -- the skies were always too overcast. But, here, I make a point of climbing on the roof to watch them (lie on your back so you're not having to twist your head/neck skyward).

[Don Y]

I have a battery powered wire-wrap gun that I used to use to build (electronic) prototypes. Not well designed, ergonomically. But, handy to use cuz it was battery powered -- didn't have to deal with a cord draped across your work surface.

But, when the (expensive!) batteries started failing (keep a spare on hand so you don't have to stop working to wait for the battery to recharge). Or, that the battery has come loose and you have to stop to re-secure it (the battery forms the handle of the device).

I retired it in favor of a corded gun. Much smaller, lots of power (that didn't fade as the battery faded). And, I learned how to adjust my work style so the cord wasn't an issue.

I can take it out of it's storage container *now* and use it. The battery powered one would SURELY have a DEAD (non-recoverable) battery!

[HerHusband]

We get about 40 inches of rain per year on average. Around here that tends to be distributed over several months. Very few heavy downpours, just relentless showers and drizzle.

Oh, I remember the cloudy days...

Starts in December and lasts till April. :)

We watch the perseids in August, but we only get a narrow view of the sky through the opening in the trees.

A few years ago we camped in Arches National Park and had an amazing view of the meteor showers.

Anthony Watson

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

My cordless drill (Bosch) came with 2 batteries, for that reason. You can always have one fully charged.

[snip]

[Don Y]

Chicago was like that (and roughly the same annual precip total). Ditto for beantown.

Florida had the intense storms -- that seemed to have the rainwater going back *up* into the clouds as soon as the rain had ended!

Our winter rains tend to be gentle, but not much water. Monsoon is where we see our biggest (and most "exciting") storms.

Yeah, that's what it was like in the midwest: "And the forecast for today is GREY..."

I prefer the winter showers: Leonids and Geminids. Though it pushes the bounds of comfort to lie on a cold roof in the wee hours of the Nov/Dec mornings!

We can see horizon to horizon (except to the north which is blocked by the mountains). So, if you are lucky, you can catch a meteor(ite) traveling a long arc clear *across* the sky (instead of the little ones that burn up quickly).

Get rid of the cloud cover and the city lights and its amazing how much "stuff" is in the night sky!

When I climb on the roof, I have to discipline myself not to glance towards the neighbor's house as he leaves a porch light on overnight. Your eyes hunt for it and then you have to wait to reacquire your night vision.