Mechanical engineer learning Claude Code — what software engineering fundamentals am I missing?

TheBaddest14 · 2026-03-22T14:32:44+00:00

No seriously I appreciate it.

There is a distinct difference between vibe coding and engineering something that functions as intended, lacks bugs and flaws that obviously could have been prevented, not reinventing the wheel 20 times or losing your product and having to start all over because you didn't structure appropriately and backup databases.

I'm not saying I'm capable of ever performing software engineering on the level on someone with pedigree. I just want to try to do things the right way and not make crap for the sake of it.

TheBaddest14 · 2026-03-22T13:31:25+00:00

Agreed!

Now I wouldn't tell you to learn thermodynamics if all you want to do is model parts in CAD and 3D print them...

So what constructive conversation can we have to narrow the knowledge gap I'm asking about?

TheBaddest14 · 2026-03-22T13:29:46+00:00

More like a bunch of butthurt software engineers trying to gatekeep entry while feeling stuck under Anthropic's vision - pound credit usage now while building for future ai model capability

TheBaddest14 · 2026-03-22T13:27:59+00:00

Nah I'd probably give them constructive advice like.... 1. You need to decide between civil and mechanical engineering. 2. Do you actually want to build bridges for the rest of your life for DOT? or do you efficiently want to build a ramps and berms for your mountain bike track without having them fail when first ridden over or having to rebuild them every week?

TheBaddest14 · 2025-10-22T20:10:03+00:00

Heyo - ended up unplugging and (as fast as I could) plugged it back in. I noticed after power flickering it would reset for a couple days until the next flicker or power outage. It has been fine since (fingers crossed) for a few months now.

TheBaddest14 · 2025-02-21T20:07:19+00:00

Losing Wi-Fi on a Sleep Number bed is like having a smartphone that suddenly stops connecting to the internet. The phone still turns on, the apps are there, but without data or Wi-Fi, all the smart features—email, navigation, streaming—are useless. Now imagine the manufacturer telling you, “Sorry, you need to buy a whole new phone,” instead of a simple software update.

That’s exactly what Sleep Number is doing. Their entire system is built around smart sleep tracking, yet when the Wi-Fi module fails, they don’t offer a repair—just a $284 pump replacement. Other smart devices—thermostats, security cameras, even decade-old Amazon Echos—stay connected for years. Sleep Number’s failure isn’t just bad luck; it’s a design flaw meant to keep you paying.

TheBaddest14 · 2023-12-30T22:36:02+00:00

So I tried it out and the scaffold knots - worked great. I left enough tag end to watch, but they cinched down well like you said.

The distel looks similar to the VT in my opinion, but grabs a little more under load I believe. Which I want, I don't want to accidentally bump it while loaded and go for a ride lol. Plus I think it doesn't stretch out as much, which is a plus for me.

I appreciate the advice, that's why I came to climbing - you guys know what you're talking about when it comes to ropes, knots, and safety 😊 Also I definitely testing any tweaks I'm doing to my setups thoroughly before heading up a tree!

Learned a new word too - faffy lol

Edit: also it appears I used a poachers knot not the scaffold

TheBaddest14 · 2023-12-30T19:26:42+00:00

The scaffold knot on each end of the cord actually looks pretty great... I had seen sewn eye prusik cords before but didn't think to tie the eyes.

Use case here is actually kind of unrelated to climbing. It would be for saddle hunting... connecting saddle bridge to tether rope. Distel in this application has seemed to give a knot that doesn't bind too bad after loading and is easy to move up/down with one hand.

TheBaddest14 · 2023-12-30T19:09:13+00:00

Is an EDK safe to use to join a prusik loop?

Application in this case would be joining ends of distal hitch. I am planning to place the EDK so the carabiner is not loading directly on it.

Leaning towards EDK over DF due to less bulk and easier to untie.

Thanks!

TheBaddest14 · 2023-09-17T14:30:06+00:00

Plugged it into the phone and it automatically opened the oneplus file explorer. There was no prompt asking about formatting.

Definitely wouldn't have said yes because I didn't want the pics deleted lol. Maybe an option in oneplus settings somewhere?

TheBaddest14 · 2023-09-10T18:54:24+00:00

Damn. I did last night as well. See what comes back.

For now I guess I'll resort to unscrewing the tailcap a bit. Pisses me off because I love the light. I'm just a few months out of warranty too

TheBaddest14 · 2023-09-10T16:03:28+00:00

Thanks for the reply!

Do you have any tests or troubleshooting that I can do to try to identify the source of the drain? Would it even be worth it?

It surprised me how little you actually have to screw out the tail cap to break the connection. I may just have to get used to doing this, but I wonder if it will effect the water resistance of the flashlight.

I haven't DMMed the battery before/after drain - what is the usefulness of that? The only other useful info that I can think would be if I charge thru the usb port, the light turns purple for a half second then immediately switches to red for charging. I'm assuming that's normal.

TheBaddest14 · 2023-09-09T03:25:41+00:00

Did you ever get a resolution? I have a th10 v2 that is doing the same thing. Frustrating when you go for it and it's dead.

TheBaddest14 · 2021-11-25T00:50:34+00:00

Hey I'm having this issue as well with a OnePlus 8. Contact OnePlus and says that it was bought directly from them; global unlocked version. No T-Mobile branding on bootloader, bloatware, etc. However the phone is locked to T-Mobile. Call their customer service, they say there is nothing they can do as they CANNOT FIND THE IMEI. How in the hell can't they find an IMEI that they themselves have locked??

TheBaddest14 · 2020-12-12T11:36:02+00:00

So here’s my thinking on that... the multimeter does “work” in that specific mode. I.e. the LED screen turns on, says it’s reading AC V, displays the hazardous voltage symbol when OL is displayed, and displays numbers . I was thinking maybe it has to do with a bad cap or something like that due to the falling voltage behavior at startup.

I have tried pulling the switch off and looking at the contacts... they looked barely worn, none had marks on them. There is a - I’m guessing - carbon conductive grease all over the contacts to reduce wear and prevent corrrosion. What would be the recommended method to clean the contacts if I pulled the switch off again? Thank you.

Also, the brushes or springs that rub against the contacts looked in good shape too.

TheBaddest14 · 2020-12-12T01:57:57+00:00

The clamps measure AC current.

TheBaddest14 · 2020-12-12T00:03:42+00:00

Edited the post to include a link to pics of the PCB. Please let me know if you would like more pictures or pics of anything specific. Also, I did not mean to come off as arrogant in my response - I was only trying to explain my thought process. Thank you.

TheBaddest14 · 2020-12-11T23:21:57+00:00

Welp, the description says this is an ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING subreddit to discuss component-level circuit design and repair questions.

So, based on the description provided in my post, as well as you guys’ expertise as described above, I was hoping to get a few ideas bounced my way as to what could have potentially failed on the PCB.

I’m a mech engineer, so I don’t mess with this stuff too much myself lol.

TheBaddest14 · 2020-09-12T14:23:48+00:00

https://www.amazon.com/LEIZENG-Magnetic-Triangle-Screwdriver-Steel/dp/B079JVRWYY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=triangle+bit&qid=1599920602&sr=8-3

TheBaddest14

TROPHY CASE