[ale] [semi OT] encouraging and discouraging HDD and SSD observations

[Ron Frazier (ALE)]

On 11/5/2013 6:03 PM, Greg Clifton wrote:

-snip-

> On the subject of cars, if you ever listen to Sam Garage (Talk 920 am 
> 11:00-Noon on Saturdays) he regularly tells folks NOT to run the gas 
> tank empty because modern cars have in-tank fuel pumps that are cooled 
> by the gasoline in the tank. If you make a habit of "running on 
> empty..." the pump isn't adequately cooled which cab cause premature 
> failure. Ron, you might pass that tip along to your Dad FWIW.
>

News to me.  I'd consider that a design flaw, since every automotive 
engineer knows that 99% + of their users WILL routinely run their cars 
to near empty when they fill up.  If the car cannot handle that, it's 
designed wrong.  But, thanks for the info and I'll pass it along.

> On the humidifier, Ron,  we all know that electronics are sensitive to 
> over voltage and shouldn't necessarily assume that the failure was 
> because of crappy manufacturing without ruling out any near by 
> lightning strikes in the past year. The old model most likely didn't 
> have electronics and was less susceptible. But I have seen lightening 
> do some crazy things to all sorts of electronics.
>
>

All bets are off with a direct or very near lightning strike.  The unit 
is on a surge protector, though, and it should be able to handle routine 
surges not within that realm.  I more suspect that they didn't properly 
account for the internal surges when the compressor turns on and off.  
I'd consider that a design flaw too if it wasn't a manufacturing problem.

-snip-

Sincerely,

Ron


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Ron Frazier
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