Cool boxes are certainly a convenient commodity to have when the weather is hot. Whether your ice chest is for keeping drinks cool or for ensuring foods such as meat and dairy products remain safe to eat, or even to prevent humidity building up within the delicate workings of expensive electronic gadgets, in the long run you are going to save money by using an ice box. Taking food and drink with you when you go out enables you to go further afield where fewer fast food chains flip burgers – in fact, you can take your own burgers in your cool box and flip your own for lunch.

A visit to the website of one Australian supplier has revealed the results of the tests they carried out under controlled conditions, showing that the ice boxes they tested would keep commercial party ice in a frozen condition from between 7 to 10 days in the four boxes they tested. Although this test wasn’t specifically designed to show whether fiberglass was more efficient than polyethylene or vice versa, one of the boxes tested was the 80 liter fiberglass box which was found to keep ice frozen until the end of the 10th day. The other ice boxes included in this test were plastic boxes around the same size.

Whether there is a large difference between fiberglass and polyethylene is debatable as the other cooler that kept ice frozen until the end of the 10th day was an 85 litre plastic polyethylene box. Meanwhile, the rest of the boxes kept the ice frozen until the end of the 7th day. This suggests that the efficiency might have more to do with the insulation than with the materials the box is manufactured from. There are certainly downsides to fiberglass ice chests, although benefits present themselves as well.

The most profound problem with fiberglass ice boxes is that they damage more easily than their polyethylene counterparts. Fiberglass is more brittle, making it more prone to crack, which may let water enter the insulation cavity. This will result in the box losing some of its insulating qualities. Another problem relating to reduced insulation is the lid which is often not constructed along the extra thick lines found in polyethylene lids. Having said that, however, fiberglass ice boxes are easier to clean and they look attractive. Many people would purchase a fiberglass cooler box for its appearance, as the gloss finish presents a smooth and aesthetic appeal which is often lacking in the polyethylene ice boxes.

Once you start looking for an ice box you will notice that, whether you look at modern polyethylene ice boxes or fiberglass ones, they are both attractively made. There is often a larger range of polyethylene boxes to choose from, with the fiberglass boxes usually available in a smaller range. Common sizes for fiberglass ice boxes are, 50 liters, 80 liters, and 110 liters. They are also available in a rectangular shape that is long enough to accommodate the length of those extra-long fish.

Modern boxes will usually keep ice frozen for up to 9 days. This is because insulation is paramount, with attention and detail given to the lid seal as well as to the quality of the latches, each of which are usually corrosion-proof and can be easily replaced. Another benefit found on many fiberglass ice boxes is the non-skid thermoplastic elastomer feet that have been designed to prevent the cool box from moving around. These elastomer feet have been designed so that they don’t mark the surface they are standing on. This is just another example of the modern cooler box manufacturer’s attention to detail.

When it comes to learning musical instrument, most musicians will admit that the metronome is an invaluable tool for developing consistency and steady progress. Most people remember the “Old Style” metronome as a wooden box in the shape of a pyramid, with a metal rod that swings back and forth to a stead beat.These metronomes rely on a tension spring for power and must be wound occasionally. Metronomes have come a long way over the years, and although you can still buy a metronome like your grandfather used, technology has found it’s way into these simple devices and many companies have developed electronic metronomes with quartz timing mechanisms that run on batteries. This article will explore these two types of metronomes and how they work.

Wind-up Pendulum Models

Many small, local stores will have a limited inventory these items as they generally cost more, and on the whole, are less portable. They have to be wound regularly, and the mechanism can slow down slightly as it reaches the end of it’s tension. It can even tend to run a bit fast when initially wound to it’s tightest degree. Although the click sound that is produced by these models are usually clear and somewhat loud, the volume or quality cannot be adjusted. The tempo is set by sliding a small metal plate up and down a rod that swings back and forth in an upside down pendulum action. The metal plate clips into a small notch at it reaches the desires tempo. This can be inaccurate at times, and at the fastest tempos, the notches are so close together that it tends to be imprecise and difficult to set. However, it is hard to beat the aesthetic charm of a well made wooden pendulum metronome. Some are made of fine wood material and finished the same as a fine piece of furniture would be. They generally have a large base and sit firmly on most surfaces like a table or the top of a piano.

Electronic Quartz Metronomes

Electronic quartz metronomes have timing mechanisms that are similar to the ones used in wrist watches.They are usually very precise and consistent over a period of time. In addition, they will run for long periods of time on a single battery; certainly as long as one would need for practicing purposes. Electronic metronomes range from simple time keepers, to more advanced models with tuning pitches, variable volume settings for the click, and a light that blinks to the beat along with the click. With the blinking light models the sound can be turned off so that only the light is used. Clicks can differ in volume, and/or quality to indicate the down beats from other beats; especially helpful when playing with complex time signatures. Most have a dial that turns, with a line on the dial, and the number of beats per minute labeled on the body of the unit. Some will also have the capability to plug in a set of headphones so that one can play using the metronome beat, and not have it heard out loud. This is especially helpful when playing along with others, or when recording yourself. Usually smaller than the wind-up models, they are lighter and more portable

For most people, it is my suggestion that you purchase an electronic metronome. The versatility that they offer will tend to give you more for your money than the wind-up style. The multitude of features that they offer can be very helpful. They are generally more portable and easier to read and adjust. If you are looking for the characteristics just mentioned, then the electronic metronome is the one for you. If you don’t plan on moving the metronome often, appreciate the aesthetic appearance of the wooden cabinet construction, and are not overly concerned about price, then the wind-up pendulum model may be a better fit for you. Try to compare the two in a store where you can see and handle the two types.

Product packaging and shipping is mostly carried by wholesale suppliers or manufacturers. When you are working as a middleman, sometime you might be required to package a product for shipping, for example when you are buying products from a wholesaler or dropshipper and selling them at your own website. Packaging can be difficult if you have no experience, especially packaging the breakable or electronic item. It should be done with great care because if the product gets damaged on its way to the customers, it’s you who’ll have to suffer the loss in most cases. Apart from the financial loss, it will cause annoyance for both you and your customer. Therefore you should make sure that the product reaches your customers without a scratch in one attempt.

Your first job is to choose the cushioning material for packaging especially if the product is easily breakable. There are various packaging materials available in the market to be used as a cushion by wholesale suppliers in packaging. Try using a proper cushioning material if the item is expensive, do not rely on paper because it might prevent the product from moving around, but it doesn’t provide enough protection. For this purpose, you should consider bubble wraps, which is inexpensive and very effective. Use more than one layer to be on the safer side and make sure that you are using cushion material not only on sides but on bottom and top as well. Remember that you must use some protective materials around the product even if the product hasn’t had the space to move in the carton. Use good quality boxes for packaging. The original box that comes with the product is usually not sufficient for packaging. In most cases, you will need to use two boxes with a layer of peanuts between the two (remember we are talking about “packaging peanuts” used by suppliers and not the dry fruit).

Before packaging an electronic product, make sure that it is properly switched off. Always enfold the wires according to their natural folds. Properly seal the box with good quality packaging tape, reason for emphasizing on packaging tape is to warn against using low quality tape that will begin to lose grip after some time. Mark the box as “breakable” or “fragile” according to the nature of packaged items. In addition to these guidelines, you can seek advice from wholesale suppliers or manufacturer for further instructions regarding packaging. Additionally, many shipping companies also provide packaging guidelines for suppliers.

Cardboard boxes are the most popular, and commonly used, packaging materials. They are being used in households, as well as manufacturing and retail services, commercial spaces etc. They are considered to be the best owing to several reasons. They have unique characteristics that distinguish them from the packaging material made out of wood, plastic or metal. The boxes might look alike, but each type of them has distinguished characteristics. Products as diverse as sensitive electronic gadgets like television sets to bulky wooden handicrafts can be delivered in these. There are different boxes available in the market to suit your purpose. Some of them might be light and delicate, while others offer the same strength and durability as a wooden crate

Prior to choosing the cardboard boxes for product packaging, you must be aware of the measurements. The standard calculation of the cubic volume for these are Length x breadth x height. This is applicable, only if your product is flexible enough to fit in a standard box. The box size is usually decided based on the dimensions of your product. The bubble wraps, polystyrene fill chips, etc block the additional space to provide cushioning to your products. Even the nature of dispatch must be considered to identify the right size. Minor adjustments in the height, or width, might be able to accommodate an extra row of products; thereby, reducing your transportation costs.

Prior to buying cardboard boxes, you need to know that there are single, double and even tri-wall boxes. The choice can be made only after considering the following factors: the weight to be carried, transportation method, height of stacking, nature of the product, etc. The light weight products can be comfortably placed in the single wall cardboard boxes. If they are intended to be shipped or couriered, it is advisable to choose the double walled boxes to avoid any damage. Regardless of the type of the box that you choose, it must be sealed appropriately to ensure that the products remain intact. If you have decided on the size and type of the box, you would want to take a look at the design. The boxes that are seen most commonly belong to the 0201 style. These with equal flaps, on both the ends, are also known as the standard crisp box. Even though choosing the package products might sound like an easy task, it is not always so. The items that are being shipped, or moved, would not be safe, unless you select the right packaging.

The online shopping for cardboard boxes is not just restrained to the businesses. If you want strong packaging stuff for moving your house or office, you can always purchase these boxes. You might even want to use them for storage purposes. As there are high quality boxes available at minimal amounts, it is advisable to purchase these instead of utilizing the old cartons that you collect on occasion. If you are ordering the products, you would be eligible for free shipping or additional discounts. Convenience and affordability are the most relevant features of this venture.

Chances are, if you are reading this then you may be considering tuning your diesel vehicle and have no doubt seen the huge variety of ‘plug in’ boxes that are being marketed as a tuning solution. In this article we will explain the ins and outs of these boxes and shed some light on what they do, and why you should take care when fitting them and consider other tuning options.

Back in the early days of TDi (turbo diesel injection) tuning things were simple, most engines used a simple high pressure mechanical fuel pump and these could be tampered with to increase the fuel pressure, often by a simple turn of a screw. You could also adjust the boost just as easily thanks to adjustable actuator arms that controlled the turbo pressure. Fortunately these engines are now almost obsolete and modern day TDi engines are equipped with advanced engine management systems in the form of Electronic Control Units (ECU’s).

The ECU is nothing more than a small, but highly complex computer that controls inputs and outputs of the engine, it gathers data from hundreds of sensors and inputs and from this information it generates output signals to tell the engine what to do and when to do it. The ECU knows how to do this as it contains ‘maps’ which are developed by the vehicles manufacturer. These inputs and outputs are processed by the ECU maps thousands of times a second, this results in an engine that is refined, smooth, powerful and economical.

So the engine now has no way of being adjusted or ‘tuned’ by a simple turn of a screw as it is controlled by a complex computer system that is only really understood by someone that understands software programming, electronics and an in-depth knowledge of how modern diesel engines work, these individuals are few and far between and to become one of these individuals it would take years of research and learning.

This is how the tuning box came into existence, people knew that you can make a diesel engine produce more power and torque by simply adding fuel, nothing more complex than the old fashioned method of turning a screw, but now that this wasn’t possible, so a new method was developed. This involved fooling the ECU into adding this extra fuel by altering the signal that controls fuel pressure. If you cut the input signal to the ECU from the fuel pressure sensor and use a simple resistor to bridge the break, the ECU will think fuel pressure is low, low fuel pressure can damage an engine and the ECU counteracts this by opening the fuel injectors for longer and/or adds more pressure, this adds more fuel than the ECU thinks and the engine makes more torque. ALL tuning boxes work this way whether it’s £30 from ebay or bought for £300 from a glossy advert in a car magazine, they all use the exact same basic principle, creating an imaginary fault to trick the ECU.

So where’s the problem? I hear you ask. So here it is, using such a primitive method to trick such a highly complex ECU doesn’t even scratch the surface of what is possible. We bought a few of the most expensive boxes available and tested them, we also monitored the vehicle for power output, fuel input, fuel pressure, injector duration, exhaust gas emissions, turbo boost pressure and exhaust gas temperatures.

Our initial findings were shocking, on all of the boxes tested we found that extra fuel was only added in higher load conditions, meaning that although the box did trick the engine into making extra power this would only happen under full throttle. The power gain was also very ‘peaky’ meaning that the extra torque was not generated for very long during the RPM range. Fuel pressure was increased by over 22% (adding stress to the fuel pump and injectors) and we didn’t even need to look at the exhaust gas emissions to know that things were not right, this was obvious by the huge clouds of smoke emitted from the exhaust, a problem that is associated with tuning boxes. Luckily the test vehicle did not have a DPF filter, if it did then it would undoubtably become clogged very quickly. Please visit our website for more info on DPF filters.

Let’s look at why this smoke is here, due to the extra fuel pressure, more fuel is being forced into the engine, however no extra air is being requested in the form of turbo boost pressure meaning a very rich mixture and wasted fuel. But the manufacturers of these boxes have added a small amount of adjustment in the form of a screw for you to turn to alter the amount of extra fuel, one had a series of switches or ‘jumpers’ to move around. So effectively your modern diesel engine is being controlled by an adjustable resistor in a box. Some claim to use microprocessors, however none of these microprocessors match the speed and ability of the ones in your ECU that they are trying to fool, this creates conflicts.

These conflicts can result in fault lights on your dashboard, your engine running in ‘limp home mode’ and we have even seen a Mercedes which had the wiring loom catch fire after having a tuning box installed. Other problems are not noticed immediately and occur over longer periods of time, these include failed injectors, failed fuel pumps, Blocked DPF filters, increased fuel consumption and clogged EGR valves, none of these are easy or cheap to put right.

So why do people sell these boxes? It is simply profiteering. A dedicated and professional tuner will always look for the best way to tune a vehicle and not base their final product on development time, cost or profit, neither will they take the easiest route and sacrifice the final products reliability and quality. Tuning boxes are the exact opposite of what the professional tuner strives to create, many contain nothing more than a few cheap components inside a flashy box, often manufactured in China and offered to resellers in the UK for just a few Pounds per unit.

So in summary, a tuning box is a compromise and also a risk to the reliability and longevity of your vehicle. We certainly do not sell or install them, and this is the case with most professional tuners, however we do remove a huge amount of them from vehicles when diagnosing faults, in most cases this resolves the symptoms of the fault and the customer then looks into having their vehicle professionally remapped.

Businesses and individuals alike often times have reasons for needing computers located outside. No matter the reason why you need a computer outside, protecting it from the natural elements is an important task to undertake. There is a fairly simple solution to this problem and it is waterproof enclosures. Specifically, waterproof enclosures designed to house and protect computers and other electronic equipment.

Waterproof enclosures can be produced using both metals and plastics, and are available in a wide variety of models. The purpose of these containers is to create a watertight container for storage of your equipment. Of course, if you are planning on using your equipment outside then it will need power in order to work. Depending on the box you may need to punch a hole in order to run the power cord to an outlet. Although putting holes in the container may increase the potential of water damage, after running the cords it is possible to seal the hole and retain the majority of the initial amount of protection.

One of the biggest concerns in the minds of customers looking to purchase waterproof enclosures is probably regarding safety. There is no need to worry though, these enclosures are perfectly safe in regards to anyone who would be using the equipment inside. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has set guidelines for the protection of outdoor electrical equipment from the elements as well as other man-made contaminants. When looking at enclosures you may see they have a NEMA rating. Any enclosure with a NEMA rating of 3 or higher is suitable for outdoor use. Along with the NEMA rating, there may also be an ingress protection (IP) rating. The IP rating is in regards to waterproof enclosures that have been punctured in order to run electrical cables. To make things short and simple, when looking to purchase a container it would be best to find one with a NEMA rating of NEMA 4 or 6 and an IP rating of IP66 or IP67.

Regardless of why you would have your electrical equipment outside, you want to protect it as best as you can. There are a huge variety in the types of models to choose from, different sizes, materials and shapes. There are plenty of options available for everyone, so you should not have trouble finding something that suits your needs, whether that might be a plastic or a stainless steel enclosure. There are plenty of benefits in purchasing waterproof enclosures, but none for deciding against making the purchase.

With the economy getting worse in all countries, some to the point of falling apart, it’s becoming more important to have a backup plan in case of emergencies. If the entire power grid was wiped out what would you do for power? Even if you have plans of alternative energy through solar panels or wind generators the inverters would be fried unless you had a faraday cage. But what are the odds of that happening? Considering that an HEMP (high-altitude electromagnetic pulse) blast can be the size of an entire nation as big as the United States it’s something that everyone should look at as a realistic situation.

What is an EMP and HEMP attack exactly?

An EMP attack with an electromagnetic pulse generated without the use of nuclear weapon is called an NNEMP (Non-nuclear electromagnetic pulse). The range of an NNEMP is extremely smaller than a HEMP because they require a chemical explosive as their initial power source. That being said we’ll be talking about HEMP’s since, as stated, they could be as big as an entire country. A HEMP attack is employed by launching a nuclear bomb (even a simple one) 25+ miles above Earth’s atmosphere and detonating it. The pulse overloads all electronic devices (and batteries such as the one from a laptop will be “shorted”). If this were to happen and a nuclear bomb was launched ~30 miles above the atmosphere of the United States and detonated above Kansas it would take out ALL electronic operations in the entire U.S. The same kind of reaction is possible with a solar flare (it has the same geomagnetic storm as an E3 area of a HEMP).

But you have a backup plan for your power source?

Unless you have your inverter in a Faraday cage it will be fried along with transformers and power lines. ANY electronics not protected WILL be destroyed. (Whether or not you have a surge protector or if they’re not plugged in a socket).

Solar Flares:

A big concern with EMP’s are with solar flares, but why is that? A severe solar flare has a similar geomagnetic storm to an E3 area of a HEMP. Solar flares happen every day and in most cases it takes less than a day to reach Earth (sometimes only 17 hours). If your entire city was told you had 17 hours until a solar flare might destroy your city’s power for a few weeks would you be prepared? Or more likely you wouldn’t have a warning (like the province of Quebec on March 13).

March 13, 1989: The ENTIRE province of Quebec was blacked out when the EMP created by the solar storm found their way into the power grid of the Hydro-Quebec Power Authority. Their capacitors tried to maintain the currents but couldn’t handle it and within seconds 6 million people found themselves without power. The only thing that stopped this from happening to the US was the fact the extreme zone hit Canada instead. It would have been an estimated cost of $6 billion damages if the capacitors on the Allegheny Network had been hit like they were in Canada.

Another one that’s interesting:

October 29, 2003: One of the fastest moving solar flares to date causes a $450 million dollar satellite to crash to Earth.

How can you protect against a solar flare/EMP? One of the more trustworthy methods is a Faraday cage.

What is a Faraday cage?

A Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields. Two things to remember is a Faraday cages HAVE to be grounded and there can’t be any gaps in the protective material. Even though a Faraday cage isn’t fool proof it will increase the chance of saving your emergency electronics infinitely (since it WILL be destroyed if it’s not protected). The higher the frequency of the EMP, the faster it is. If it goes too fast it will causes a burn out. This is why the cage must be continuously grounded and the openings in the mesh/material cannot be too large. If they holes in the mesh are too large then the magnetic pulse will manage to slip in. A simple Faraday cage would be to get a small box (or you could easily make the basic wooden frame of the box) and use very fine mesh (2×4 brass mesh sheets are fine) and stable the brash mesh on the outside of the box. Make a secured way to get in the box (a simple lid with hinges would work) and solder a ground wire to one of the corners and ground the cage. If you want to go the extra mile to protect against any type of EMP bury the box under a few feet (2-3 feet would work) of soil. You can place all your emergency battery operated equipment in it (remember to include batteries in the cage as well).

With a properly constructed Faraday cage you can most likely protect anything that was placed inside it from an EMP or solar flare.

IMPORTANT:

Electronics that are not properly shielded WILL be destroyed if they are hit with an EMP. It doesn’t matter if they are plugged into the wall or not. (There have been rumors that say if your electronics are not plugged in the wall then it they will be fine. This is not true). If you’d like the full explanation as to why you can email/message me.

A Faraday cage that uses only mesh or sheet metal can only shield against a magnetic frequency up to the RF range. Electronics nowadays are useful in the SHF, UHF and VHF range (such as your television). To efficiently protect your electronics from a EMP that is higher than an RF range you need some steel, iron or thick copper.

When you need a way for clients, students, employees, or anyone else to communicate with you from distant areas of your campus or property, a callbox or call box is one way to do it. A call box is a box made of metal or fiberglass that contains electronic circuitry that enables someone to press a button or pick up a handset and call a central location for assistance. Some callboxes also allow calling a portable radio so that assistance can be mobile.

There are two main types of callbox units available, wired and wireless. A wired callbox involves running a cable to it from the central location. This guide is about the other kind, the wireless units.

The benefit of a wireless callbox is that you save money by not having to do trenching and running expensive cable to the unit. You also don’t have to pay any air-time or telephone service fees with these wireless systems. As mentioned, another benefit is that since the unit is wireless, people monitoring the units can carry handheld radios that communicate with the callbox. That allows your monitoring people to be mobile.

The range of these units is several miles, which can be extended by adding an external antenna. Some units can use radio repeaters to extend this range even more.

If you have existing two-way business radios, you’ll want a system that can integrate with them. Some callboxes can be programmed to be compatible with virtually any brand of VHF or UHF business band radio.

You can get call boxes that require an FCC license, or you can get units that are certified for use on special FCC License-Free MURS Business Frequencies. If you choose a licensed version, the license is usually not too difficult or expensive to obtain.

One problem you may have in placing a call box is the lack of available power. You’ll want to choose a system that lets you use battery or AC power. You can also get units that have optional solar power so that they can run for several days on a single day of sunshine.

If you need to remotely control gates, magnetic door locks, or barrier arms from your portable 2-way radio or desktop base station intercom, then select a unit that has this capability. With this ability you can let someone in a gate or door when they call you. There are units that also let you turn on a strobe light at the callbox location to help draw attention to it.

Another useful feature is the ability for call boxes to store a voice message that is played when someone presses its button. This could be a message that gives the caller specific instructions on what to do. These units can also send a second and different voice message alert to the monitoring central location or portable radios. This message could give the callboxes location or it could be an emergency message of some type.

If you have several callboxes in use and you need to know the location of the unit calling in, then you can get a call box that transmits a unique numeric identifier to a radio that has the ability to decode this identifier. This is like having a telephone with Caller ID capability.

By adding a motion detector or some other detection device, you can be alerted when that detection device is activated. Some callboxes will send either a tone alert or a custom voice alert when the detection sensor status changes. If this voice message is not immediately answered, the alert message is resent multiple times.

If you are running your system on battery power, you need a unit that has battery conservation mode. In this mode, only the absolute necessities for operation are powered, and the unit can not accept calls to it; it can only make calls. You can attach an external sensor to automatically put the unit into full power mode when someone is detected near the box. This will allow you to make a call to it.

Other useful features:

– If you want to listen to what’s happening around the call box, then you’ll need a unit that can be paged so you can use the callbox microphone to monitor the sound around it.

– A low battery alert or external power fail tone is sent to the monitoring portable radio or base intercom.

– A paging feature allows selective calling of individual boxes or a group of callboxes simultaneously.

– The busy channel feature prevents someone from transmitting if someone else is using the radio channel.

– Wireless callboxes have fast installation since no wiring is required.

– Entry keypad with built-in relay lets people enter a code at the call box to open a gate or door. Remote opening of the gate by monitoring personnel can still happen also.

These callboxes are being used for applications like parking lots, college campuses, airports, hospitals, construction sites, manufacturing facilities, resorts, hotels, farms, warehouses, delivery docks, campgrounds, gated facilities, or anywhere people may need assistance. So by using call boxes, you can put clear wireless voice communication anywhere you need it, quickly, without expensive trenching and monthly air-time fees.