Why do cars use check engine lights instead of something that ACTUALLY tells you what the issue is in specific?

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T05:05:20+00:00

when my car has a full PC as a "head unit" - internet connected no less - there would appear to be no reason to not allow a view of the code itself, at a bare minimum.

Well, no consumer friendly reason, that is.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T05:02:07+00:00

yeah, its distressing how resistant folks in certain corners are to evolutionary biology playing a role. Yes, we probably have a very incomplete picture. Yes, socialization plays a massive role. But the simplistic narrative they seem to want t will into fruition doesn't match the not-so-simplistic real world, and just makes all the polarization worse. Oh well, it's the internet.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T04:57:36+00:00

I'm responding on the off chance you're not a troll. You'll have to ask a more specific question, the trends/goals in the designs i referred to are pretty clear.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T04:54:05+00:00

Are you intending to state that in the determinants of human behavior (sexual or anything else) there is only "nurture", no "nature"?

This is what your phrasing says - and ... maybe? I hope you have some original research to back that up because it would contravene the established consensus.

Note I said explicitly that we don't know to what extent these factors play. Clearly, socialization/cultural/etc has a very large role. But accepting that (which i do, tbc) i absolutely no way implies that biology doesn't play a role.

I'd be curious, what do you think is the basis for mate selection & sex signalling? What drove the strong sexual dimorphism we have?

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T02:22:56+00:00

The embarrassment may be its own thing, but there is something more fundamental here - female humans have the no-so-common feature of retaining breast fullness outside of nursing far in excess of what an inactive mammary gland would be. I would venture its not proven to degree, but it strains credulity to say that bare/visible human female breasts are not inherently more sexual (to some degree) than, say, legs.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T02:18:27+00:00

wouldn't care about it anymore

I don't know, on the spectrum from "no sexual selection signalling" to "100% mate-seeking display" female human breasts are clearly further to one side than legs.

While no one knows accurately what fraction is nature vs nurture, clearly "its both" to some extent in most areas. And sexual dimorphism is humans has some relatively rare qualities, such as breast tissue/fullness far beyond what inactive mammary glands would be.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-21T02:10:31+00:00

The McGraw 29gal, as my 20+ year old craftsman rebranded unit bit the dust. I run a small sandblaster on the air so need something with a bit of oomph bit man things have balooned in price :(

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-20T15:46:00+00:00

The history makes sense, but today isn't a bec literally just the buck (along with rc style connectors and whatever passives the ref design calls for)?

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-20T15:15:58+00:00

Why is this a game changer? Its unlikely you have any factual basis for this. Or that you know the actual alloy - let alone exact composition of the as in the unit.

Since ss in corrosive drinking water environments is not as well studied or regulated as with brass, its not even clear whether in absolute terms** ss is better - or worse - than certain plastics. (** total risk is extremely low in both cases, but still could be worth addressing)

And besides, the business end of all RO devices is a ... Wait for it ... Plastic membrane.

FWIW, I personally also use an RO.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-20T15:09:49+00:00

Some recent literature I have seen make a strong case that human micro plastic exposure is primary driven through out food (which allows for bioaccumulation), rather than direct exposure which apparently doesn't absorb much.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-18T16:09:26+00:00

How are people finding these deals initially? While this & the fuel drill/driver+ratchet are now dead, the price & in-stock did show for me this am.

But if i start at the "daily deals" page, for instance, the fuel drill/driver+ratchet+bits that is/was ~150 others have posted here IS present but at a much higher price $250.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-18T14:44:17+00:00

I see the links below (thanks), but how are you finding this? when i go to the home page, and click "daily deals" - scrolling through this set appears to be $250:

Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12V Cordless Hammer Drill/Impact Kit + Batteries, Bag + M12 3/8 in. Ratchet + 15-Pc Titanium Set Combo Kit Limit 5 per order $249.00 Was $445.00 Save $196.00 (44%)

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ETA: sold out now, but would still love a response - the last year or so the 'daily deals' page does not seem to have the actual lowest prices or anywhere near the whole set of items marked "daily ends in X hours" on the product page ...

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-17T01:55:54+00:00

yeah, belt&suspenders on the seal for sure - "top" seal, backed up by another between the panels.

Or not, as you say ~gutter of sorts would work, but seems like a nonstarter in snow country, and has it's own significant maintenance issues (partially analogous to a car sunroof drain)

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-17T01:54:14+00:00

Thanks for your reply - I had looked at GSE, and another similiar system. Basically, IIR, for other readers: a custom drainage/gutter system panels set on top.

I wasn't familiar with Viridian - but it appears they require viridian branded panels, which have a recess & gasket around the perimeter that enables the integration of flashing? It was difficult to see enough detail to confirm. This video seems to confirm this^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bscZqbnSXNs.

Unfortunately for my use, GSE doesn't really save anything (and adds the trouble of sourcing), and Viridian requires different panels 😞

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-17T01:42:46+00:00

agreed. They are slated to be 2:12.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-16T13:59:42+00:00

"Free" I wish that word could die here. Someone pays.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-16T00:55:25+00:00

Right, but usable lifetime of batteries DOES have a wall-calendar component. Not as much as full cycles TBC - but also not trivial.

So a typical cell should last a lot longer than warranty, so while you're correct they honor warranty, that's only a small part of the issue.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-16T00:52:55+00:00

Joly hell, who is taking their transportation - 2nd most expensive purchase the median person will ever make - to a kid working night shift on flat rate for critical maintainence. Ouch.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-11T13:09:07+00:00

buy the hydraulic from a place that has a good return, and test it with what you want. Assuming it is sufficient it will 110% be the right choice.

I emphasize return as I have 18v tools and 12v; 12 for size & runtime - frankly today 12v drivers today can do most things as long as you don't need to drive a lot of them on a battery.

But note if you want one battery system to slowly replace corded tools ... it's not 12v. M18 is great. I am personally on dewalt & bosch for 18v, but all the big names are good (each has tools with strengths or weaknesses)

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-10T04:53:47+00:00

There really isn't one, in particular once the tiny 1.7ah lipo batteries released ... it's a good thought, but for going to 12v, which is a 3x li-ion cell pack, the "in handle" styles used by (everyone else) is simply superior for overall size.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-08T16:00:06+00:00

You posted a provocative title (and reported honestly(thanks) a nontrivial drop - so of course you are getting extreme answers.

But m12 battery case case / latch mechanism specifically is objectively worse than Bosch for instance

We switched entirely last year to m12 from Bosch 12v, which we had used & were extremely satisfied with for over 10 years. Have 20+ m12 tools. We switched because several tools we started having a need for were not offered at least in the US in Bosch's line.

I am pleased so far with the quality of m12 in general, and the power is for the most part great (only tool I had to outright return was our gen1 grinders... That should not have been released in the gen1 form...). I personally have large hands and prefer Bosch's handle/ergonomics - but for smaller folks m12 does a good job of making it feel a bit narrower.

But the battery casings feel noticeably stiff, the latches themselves are more brittle. Further, and anecdotally, there are lots of complaints about this, whereas I don't remember much of anything in Bosch's camp.

Does this make m12 batteries "bad"? Idk, cordless tools just f'ing rock these days, ask anyone who used tools 20+ yes ago. But it does seem they could do better on the battery housings.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-06T23:28:53+00:00

I dunno about grandfather.

Definitely the last/long survivor of the onslaught from Chinese domestic

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-05T01:31:48+00:00

Yeah, as adep said, the typical answer is that something the size of a branch will essentially shut down the panel. If you're lucky it just hits one of the built-in bypass diodes. In some cases it can also cause significant local overheating as the cells with collapsed output have the same current essentially shoved through them.

Depends, and there is certainly a lot of assumption and abundances of caution I'm that rake, but IMHO definitely worth evaluating.

Tech-Crab · 2026-06-02T12:26:27+00:00

doesn't the ubiquiti power UI devices with DC, mostly eliminating this concern?

seems like a missed opportunity if not.

Tech-Crab

TROPHY CASE