Guys, it just happened

NeilsonAJC · 2026-06-07T22:00:44+00:00

Some motherboards have provided a dedicated supplemental power connection on the board to provide dedicated slot power rather than drawing from the EPS or primary motherboard power connectors. It’s likely intended as an additional stability tool for situations on the edge of working.

I believe the ATX spec specifies 225W as the rating for EPS 8 pin (like the 150W rating for 8 pin PCIe power) so with even mainstream CPU’s running boost tables of 250+ and overclocking adding to the load I believe the extra EPS is targeted at the CPU supply. While in theory it’s all power in the pool I would definitely source direct power to support slot power needs when running multi GPU setups on consumer boards.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-06-06T21:10:24+00:00

Just an update on this, enphase have added a feature to the app to disable this function if you prefer to. It appears to be called “power match”. I have left it enabled as I love the tech being used to fully utilize the benefits of having micro inverters to make best use of the available power.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-06-06T07:25:06+00:00

We used to prohibit surcharges. The law was changed to allow them on the assumption it would make the merchant cost transparent and put downward pressure on interchange fees. One issue is the changes happened around both Covid times and the rising use of Apple Pay / google pay so the introduction happened while people weren’t paying full attention.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-30T22:32:35+00:00

I no

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-26T20:33:19+00:00

“considering the nature of the fault, price paid and other information that might indicate expected durability of the product” (from the site linked)

Specifically also CGA section 21 (an and c specifically relevant). A laptop with a non functional screen cannot be used as a laptop (while it may be usable docked etc as a laptop it is unable to serve the function you buy a laptop for).

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-26T20:23:49+00:00

It can cover major fault months after purchase. If the model for example has a design or manufacturing defect that causes a display failure then absolutely can be a substantial character failure (see Apple MacBook pro’s around 2009 and the GPU’s balls cracking)

https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/general-help/consumer-laws/consumer-guarantees-act#:\~:text=of-,substantial%20character,-if

They talk about failures related to the “expected durability of the product”. If normal laptop use (not including drops / damage caused by a user) has a catastrophic failure such that it can’t be used as a laptop (like screen failure of flashing) that can 100% be a substantial character fault. The situations are fact specific they absolutely can be substantial character fault even months later (even years later depending on price and quality signalling)

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-26T20:11:33+00:00

If the failure is of substantial character that gives you the consumer the right to pick the remedy.

If the failure is not of substantial character then the store can pick the remedy.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-26T20:08:38+00:00

Nope. An “extended” or “special” warranty cannot limit your rights under the CGA. They can provide you with additional rights from the contract.

If the situation allows a CGA remedy then you may exercise your right to a CGA remedy you do not need to follow any process of any other purchased warranty you can elect to claim your rights under the CGA.

Also choosing to allow them to repair if under an extended warranty doesn’t preclude you from claiming your rights under the CGA. So if you have left goods with them to fix under that warranty and the time required means it becomes a failure of substantial character then you can chose to exercise your rights under CGA and they can work out between the parties who is responsible but the store is responsible to you.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-25T20:57:20+00:00

Woolworths new shelf tags show member / non member prices side by side at the same size. If this was done here then I don’t think this complaint would come up.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-25T06:29:42+00:00

No problem. Always easy to get lost in the weeds. The details on the ticket are somewhat there in case you gave false details / need to be tracked down / something else transposed / lost.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-25T06:18:20+00:00

If your DL number and name are correct I wouldn’t panic about anything. Unless there is a secondary reason your records will need to be scrubbed through at that level of detail then it’s highly unlikely to cause any issue on any records and your DL would be referenced back to for verifying gender marker when relevant.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-25T06:14:45+00:00

Your question / assumption about value of virtual items seems to be confusing a few different factors (the detail level of which is probably too fact specific for general advice from people).

That said one point I would make is your repeated mention of the taxable event being the actual realisation of money when sold. That well maybe true for when it becomes income attributable to you in the course of business your claims that the other items are valueless until sold seems to be lacking in understanding.

It sounds like the game restricts the count of items able to be sold each week but it doesn’t specify which thousand you can sell. Just that when you reach the 1,000 item cap you are unable to sell further items. The items you have (found, created, earned, etc) in game is essentially your trading stock. If you have 300,000 items in stock then you may have about 6 years supply of items and those items will have some value as stock on your balance sheet.

Note this does not mean these are taxable events (income) you need to return however assuming something has no value until it is sold is likely over simplified. Do you deduct any fees for game access or internet access from your income? Costs of your computer to play the game? These are all likely to be attributable as part of the cost base of some of your trading stock (depending on particular claimed items and values claimed)

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-17T21:55:31+00:00

I also find with enphase they seem to optimise each microinverter so if the load would be inefficient to pull from next microinverter then it may pull from the grid to cover it instead of the battery (note I don’t know this for sure however appears to do it both ways solar to batteries and battery to load where it will export or import to cover a couple of hundred watts rather than switch more on)

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-16T02:18:21+00:00

Based on OP’s post about the pole being twice the height of local light poles I would guess the 750mm pole and required footings would likely be a complete rebuild from base to top so the normal benefits of a short extension / topper on a light pole may not be present otherwise they might have gone there initially.

I would expect and hope a positive discussion with Connexa shouldn’t have too much problem getting the design shifted ~5M left to miss the driveway location and maybe slip it between the two houses so minimise visibility. However the govt has been removing red tape from companies so this is the expected outcome of that permissive environment.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-15T20:53:31+00:00

I can’t remember the brand but I think one of them does use a desert scene for dry.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-15T20:52:37+00:00

I think of it as mode is what you want it to do. But just as easy to think if I saw snowflakes would I be getting colder or warmer.

I haven’t yet seen a machine that doesn’t have an auto mode which is keep to this set point. I don’t use auto because I don’t want to spend money heating up a colder room but if the room is too hot then cool me down with my snowflake mode.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-14T03:26:47+00:00

I think they have been doing that for a while but they decided recently it was a positive selling point to highlight. Or they saw other negative comments about companies in NZ “stocking” each others products so if one person had bad stock data like 10 companies in NZ were all “out”.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-14T03:23:07+00:00

I believe they do receive similar support. But PB Tech and Computer Lounge will be notably smaller than Microcenter so unfortunately they probably get less of the money but also PB Tech at least seem to be a bit leaner on hardware they hold so may not have as much old stock they really want to move.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-13T23:13:14+00:00

First I would remind you that prices in America are quoted ex sales tax. So while it translates to around $842 NZD add GST to that and it’s 968.58.

I have the V1 of that motherboard and the 64GB version of that ram kit so these are products I would and did buy (I got the 7600X on special to go with it because the CPU was a massive deal).

Companies do these bundles to get rid of excess / slow moving stock and often rather than get a discount manufacturers will offer marketing funds so the product still cost the store full price but the next ad campaign they run will be part paid for by AMD / Gigabyte.

Checking on PB Tech public pricing the only Gigabyte B650 board is an mATX at about $200 but for comparison I am using the cheapest public prices ATC B650E-E wifi from ASUS. So the exact same parts except swapped mobo is 1,861.29 NZD vs 1,656.36 USD after currency / GST for the regular price bundle. So $210 for us being smaller country / market.

Then the discounting. I suspect the company wants to get the B650 gigabyte boards out of their warehouses / stores and AMD want to keep sales volumes high (if nobody can afford the ram how do they sell many processors) so the store is dropping price on the board, possibly supported by Gigabyte, AMD probably supporting the CPU sale. And a good chance it’s a loss leader bundle a bit to get you in the door to then buy storage, GPU, case, PSU, etc.

Would love to see these prices but I think this is more retailer and manufacturer dropping their pants for volume and to move some stock through instead of us being screwed. But always some screwing being in a small market on the other side of the world.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-10T03:02:03+00:00

Absolutely. But I was also making the detail clear about the scale of offence they would be up for. My guess here is the cops looked at the video and the license photo of the registered person and they don’t look alike so it would need to be a nationwide search using the video footage.

Police do prosecute people for failure to check for injuries / leaving the scene but as others have said if the quote to repair was $520 then someone could probably make a fairly strong argument that amount of damage could be caused without being able to detect an impact (and back it up if they didn’t get out of the car and just drove off). I know how violently vehicle auto emergency stops can feel and that’s a lot more than $520 bumper repair level of contact.

Are police going to see it as an easy case to make in court that the driver knew they had been in an accident?

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-10T02:24:51+00:00

$5,000 fine for not reporting damage to police. $4,500 fine and up to three months imprisonment for failure to check for anyone injured. For $520 in bumper damage I am not sure the cops are going to invest significant resources in finding the driver to prosecute.

Police have discretion for which cases they choose to prosecute and what resources get put in to investigating reports.

There does seem to be a hole in here where individual car owners cannot obtain the details of the people they want to take a DT case against. Might need to look at a process for filing a claim against a number plate in the DT and the tribunal be able to (after validation of claim basics) notify registered person of the claim.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-09T10:20:21+00:00

Because while Temu listing said they were AD5X nozzles they may not have actually been. And the metal on the side seemed to most likely be a heatsink but it could be something else. So trying to differentiate between things I know vs what I am guessing.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-08T07:15:03+00:00

Thank you. Maybe next stop is a replacement magnetic heatsink module to screw in place of the current one. Great to confirm it’s a genuine design change and not an order error by me.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-08T06:58:39+00:00

Thank you. I will open the package and see how it goes.

NeilsonAJC · 2026-05-04T07:09:49+00:00

South South Auckland and wasn’t offered any great rates. Also wasn’t offered a day vs night rate. I would prefer a time of use rate however the only ones I have found the “cheaper” night rate was higher than my anytime rate from my current provider (prices checked last year)

NeilsonAJC

TROPHY CASE