From: peter2@hipson.net   
      
   On Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:39:37 -0000, "Peter Hucker"    
   wrote:   
      
   >On Wed, 19 Nov 2008 03:21:09 -0000, John  wrote:   
   >   
   >> On Fri, 14 Nov 2008 11:21:37 +0000, sparky  wrote:   
   >>   
   >>> I ran out of petrol last night on a roundabout and blocked the traffic   
   trying   
   >>> to get on it. When my boyfriend came to rescue me he showed me how to "limp   
   >>> it" out of the way using the starter motor. He pulled out a thick rubbery   
   lead   
   >>> from something, put the car in gear and let the power in the battery do all   
   >>> the work. I was amazed, but when we got home, after watching him check the   
   >>> battery with his little pocket meter, I was confused. Why didn't this   
   powerful   
   >>> battery set fire to such a small pocket meter when it had so much power in   
   it?   
   >>> I know the battery had loads of power left because I tested it by laying   
   one   
   >>> of his long screwdrivers across the lead terminals. It was so powerful   
   that I   
   >>> ended up melting one of them and damaged his screwdriver. Before I could   
   ask   
   >>> anything he sent me inside. The screwdriver was a long and thin one, but   
   >>> thicker than the skinny wires on his pocket meter, so why did it get so hot   
   >>> and cause such a massive spark? When he came in I asked him again, but he   
   >>> refused to tell me, saying I should leave electrics to the experts. This   
   >>> morning, after he left for work, I went back into the garage to do an   
   >>> experiment. I found some thin wire similar in thickness to the wires on his   
   >>> pocket meter and connect the ends to the battery. It melted before I could   
   >>> disconnect it, so what's going on here? I had to pull it off with some   
   >>> cardboard in my hand because I would've had a nasty burn without it. It   
   really   
   >>> was that hot, and it looked like it was getting hotter. It even started to   
   >>> melt the battery's plastic. Do some wires have something in them to stop   
   them   
   >>> getting so hot? Why are the wires going to my kettle cold? Why do   
   boyfriends   
   >>> treat their girlfriends like idiots? We're the same age (22) but he talks   
   to   
   >>> me like I'm only half that age sometimes, so that's why I'm asking here.   
   Am I   
   >>> in the right newsgroup?   
   >>   
   >> Hi,   
   >>   
   >> Firstly, let me apologise for some of the responses you got here. LL   
   >> is correct. You need to know more about these things before playing   
   >> with car batteries. A lot more.   
   >>   
   >> People are generally pretty relaxed about batteries but wouldn't dream   
   >> of playing with high voltage stuff. But believe me, car batteries may   
   >> be only low voltage but can deliver quite a lot of current, creating a   
   >> lot of heat very quickly if you short circuit them as you did.   
   >>   
   >> Firstly, wait until your boyfriend has settled down. Remember, you   
   >> just destroyed a favourite screwdriver. Then ask him if he'll spend   
   >> some time explaining the basics to you. As someone else noted, he may   
   >> not know much or may not be a good/patient teacher. At a guess, he's   
   >> not totally ignorant on electrical stuff - he at least owns a meter.   
   >> And you're at least tech-literate enough to find your way into this   
   >> forum. On a personal note, if he won't help or at least point you to   
   >> help, flick him.   
   >   
   >Are you suggesting she leave her boyfriend over this?  Or did you mean she   
   should flick his ear?   
      
   If the BF is abusive, yes, leave him...   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)