Testing the TK Tar Baby

[picowatt]

TK,

Maybe MH has an easier way, but I typically use the following:

Vopen-Vloaded=Vdrop

Vloaded/Rload=Iloaded

Vdrop/Iloaded=Rinternal

Hopefully this is not a grounder...

PW

[TinselKoala]

No, I got it fine, thanks!

Only which way do I hook up that resistor? One way and it's a 10R, the other way and it's a R01.  Oh, wait.....I can just check it with an ammeter and see how many watts of temperature it leads out.

it's a drag being color blind.

(Just kidding around. I'm getting bored. I do appreciate the suggestions and clarifications. If everything is made painfully clear to me and to the silent audience... maybe we'll get somewhere, eventually.)

[MileHigh]

TK:

This might give you some inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej_BHc1UaDA

Applying concepts of modular dynamicism to recreate, unfold, and resequence the tar ball paradigm may be the key.

When in doubt, just blast it through.

MileHigh

[TinselKoala]

OK... for the simple "dim bulb" battery comparison test.

I now have 4 batteries, one a bit newer than the other three. 12 V, 5 A-H, Toyo-Usp 6FMH4 model. I'll charge them all equally using the automatic charger, then I'll randomly set one aside and run Tar Baby in the "preferred oscillation mode" (if we can figure out what it is) on the other three. I'll run for a suitable time, TBA, and then separate the pack and hook up all 4 batteries individually to their own car brake light bulbs. #1157, IIRC, or similar. Time-lapse webcam, all that jazz. If the Tar Baby is recharging its batteries more than it's using them, then the TB batteries/bulbs should NOT dim sooner than the unused battery/bulb. OTOH, if Tar Baby is drawing power from the batteries during its run, the batteries should be depleted and their bulbs should dim first.
I'll run the test several times to be sure, with a fresh charge and re-randomized selection each time.

Now here's the question: Does it make sense to use series Zener diodes with the bulb test to set a "cutoff" point, say 11.5 volts, so I don't flatten the batts if I fall asleep or something?

[picowatt]

TK,

In my book, R01=.01 ohms

I believe they make a special meter for passing current through a resistor and measuring the Vdrop acrossed it.  It then calculates the ohms for you...  its called an ohmometer or something like that...

PW

MH... Re the vid:  I used to have hair and a beard like that, I was often referred to as looking like "an explosion in a steel wool factory".  Wish I still had the hair!!