| Favorite team: | LSU  |
| Location: | Capital City |
| Biography: | |
| Interests: | |
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| Number of Posts: | 12182 |
| Registered on: | 10/22/2010 |
| Online Status: | Not Online |
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re: Toyota Supra to be discontinued in 2026
Posted by bapple on 9/23/25 at 6:24 am to weagle1999
However fun it may have been to drive, it was never a real Supra.
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The AI data centers are using almost every form of power production, wind, solar, gas, and nuclear.
Which of these forms of energy are controllable by human input? Which are weather-driven and not dependent on human input?
Most data centers run on a 5-nines level of reliability (99.999%). Which form of power can provide 24/7/365 with brief periods of downtime for maintenance?
You may be hearing they are using all forms of energy but if you actually look at their actions, they are going for gas turbines first. With a vast pipeline network and near unlimited gas, it makes the most sense.
Until a hospital erects a wind farm or solar farm to backup systems that directly support human life, I will continue to see and believe that baseload, dispatchable power sources (gas, coal, nuclear) are more reliable and preferred. If not for the massive subsidies, “green” energy would not exist in the free market.
re: IEA Says World Must Spend $540B a Year Looking for Oil, Gas
Posted by bapple on 9/16/25 at 12:01 pm to ragincajun03
Even more entertaining has been the about-face from Big Tech that pushed for wind and solar for decades. All of a sudden they need REAL power for their big facilities and are falling over themselves for gas turbines.
Reality has a way of dealing with stupid. Sometimes it just takes time.
Reality has a way of dealing with stupid. Sometimes it just takes time.
re: Best Neighborhoods in Baton Rouge
Posted by bapple on 9/10/25 at 3:11 pm to Texas Tea 123
Oak Hills. Great location and lots of young families with kids playing in the neighborhood.
re: Surge protector for AC units. Real need or scam?
Posted by bapple on 9/9/25 at 2:11 pm to OysterPoBoy
quote:
Is this just a new sales pitch or is there a legit reason to install surge protectors?
The more efficient and new items get, the more intricate the electronics get. If you notice, almost every appliance has its own circuit board and electronics inside. With the addition of tvs, routers, variable-speed AC compressors, etc. into homes the greater chance of these items becoming unusable in the event of a lightning surge.
So do I think you need surge protectors at each AC compressor? Not necessarily but it’s a good idea to have one on your main panel as others have suggested. I have an Eaton one from HD in my panel and my house was built in 1987. Installed it myself pretty easily - required a 2-pole 50A breaker and then landed a wire on the neutral bus and ground bus. Done.
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I don't understand the concern? Is it messing with your grass?
Yes. It completely smothers the ground and makes the grass grow in all patchy. I still am amazed at the amount of acorns they drop each year. It’s mind blowing.
Removing Oak Tree Acorns - Best Way?
Posted by bapple on 9/8/25 at 6:24 pm
I have two live oaks out front and one on the neighbor’s property extends a bit on my property line.
It is a battle every single year dealing with the acorns. I usually blow them into a pile then bag them or use the shop vac. Takes an insanely long time though.
I’ve seen some rolling acorn pickers, yard brushes, dethacters, etc. but none specifically note being able to pick up small live oak acorns.
Any advice is appreciated before I waste an entire day on these before the trees drop even more and I do it all over again.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
It is a battle every single year dealing with the acorns. I usually blow them into a pile then bag them or use the shop vac. Takes an insanely long time though.
I’ve seen some rolling acorn pickers, yard brushes, dethacters, etc. but none specifically note being able to pick up small live oak acorns.
Any advice is appreciated before I waste an entire day on these before the trees drop even more and I do it all over again.
Thanks in advance. :cheers:
Mustang GT350
re: Are 2015+ GM SUV/trucks that unreliable?
Posted by bapple on 8/14/25 at 4:05 pm to AwgustaDawg
quote:
I am seriously thinking about restoring my 72 short bed with a small block crate engine and transmission from around 2006 or so and keeping it running until I reach room temperature.
I could see restomods becoming more common in the coming years. Sounds like yours would be an LS engine build and you could easily get 300-500k miles out of that motor.
quote:
6.2L anything is risky.
The L87 (6.2L) started having issues right around 2020. The going rumor is GM went to a cheap manufacturer during Covid for their crankshafts. These cranks have a very rough surface finish and some have been out of spec enough to impact the inside of the block. They also become oil starved and start spinning bearings. This video is illuminating:
LINK
The most interesting part is the 6.2L versions in the GM sports cars (the LT1 motor) have not had any of the same issues. So they either get worked more in the factory or have a completely different supplier for cranks.
Switch your oil to 0W-40 and pucker up and hope your crank doesn’t fail.
re: Are 2015+ GM SUV/trucks that unreliable?
Posted by bapple on 8/1/25 at 11:01 pm to Gold Member
quote:
So to make this trick reliable, you need a top end engine and transmission rebuild? No thanks.
Most modern vehicles aren't lasting as long as previous generations. So yes, if you get a used one in good shape and bulletproof it with a little front-end investment you should get another 10 or so years out of it.
I can't speak specifically to potential electrical or electronics issues but I bought a used 2018 Yukon Denali in early 2024. Did a full DOD/AFM delete and got a new cam and tune.. absolutely worth it - runs like a scalded dog.
LINK
As for the 10 speed, there are some kits you can buy to get upgraded parts and improve reliability. I'd advise one of the full billet steel valve bodies and an upgraded torque converter. Luckily my original 10 speed is running fine but if it were to shite the bed I'd make these upgrades.
Those are the main 2 reliability issues you may be faced with. Otherwise, comfortable and hauls the family nicely. Got 112k now on it and running strong.
EDIT: I would also run 0W-40 oil instead of the factory-advised 0W-20. We are in a very hot southern climate and the recent issues with newer 6.2s spinning bearings led me to research and change viscosity.
LINK
As for the 10 speed, there are some kits you can buy to get upgraded parts and improve reliability. I'd advise one of the full billet steel valve bodies and an upgraded torque converter. Luckily my original 10 speed is running fine but if it were to shite the bed I'd make these upgrades.
Those are the main 2 reliability issues you may be faced with. Otherwise, comfortable and hauls the family nicely. Got 112k now on it and running strong.
EDIT: I would also run 0W-40 oil instead of the factory-advised 0W-20. We are in a very hot southern climate and the recent issues with newer 6.2s spinning bearings led me to research and change viscosity.
quote:
How long would you say this typically lasts? 6 months? 1 year? More?
As long as you don’t wash the windshield with a strong degreaser like dawn or the purple stuff and keep it free from bug guts and dirt it should last indefinitely. The main thing is not letting stuff settle and adhere to the glass. Hard water spots also will prevent water from beading up.
So if you take a long drive and have a ton of bugs on the windshield just use the washers and clean up the rest of the windshield not too long after the guts are there. Same for if you wash the car with a hose - don’t let the water cook on the windshield and sit there for weeks.
re: Advice wanted on car wash/car products at home
Posted by bapple on 6/11/25 at 6:51 am to slinger1317
quote:
I love nerdy shite like this, but I could only make 17 seconds of that high pitched dude yelling at me
He’s very enthusiastic :lol: but his comparisons have led to quite a few purchases. It’s also pretty impressive when something cheap as dirt outperforms the top dollar stuff.
re: Advice wanted on car wash/car products at home
Posted by bapple on 6/10/25 at 10:11 pm to LemmyLives
quote:
You know they sell bug wash Rain-X windshield wiper fluid, right? I only use the old school Rain X on my mirrors, cameras, and driver/passenger windows now.
The Rain-X wiper fluid is simply a Rain-X branded product, not the water repellant Rain-X everyone associates with it.
For a true water-repellant finish on your windshield, use Rain-X windshield treatment after polishing your windshield with a cutting compound. You can use the hardest cutting compound you can find since glass won't scratch. I typically use an orange pad and Meguiar's M105 on a dual-action polisher. Any hard cutting compound will work. Then wipe clean and apply the windshield repellant directly to your glass. This assures the repellant sticks directly to the glass and not to the dirt and grime embedded in the glass. Then you can enjoy not having to use your windshield wipers on the interstate if you so desire.
Project Farm had a good comparison recently.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iRDsigK9E
re: Grinding down concrete bump between driveway and garage
Posted by bapple on 5/15/25 at 9:56 pm to Knuckle Checker
quote:
just a little bit lower so it doesn’t take so much acceleration to get over it.
Before you finally fix it you need to practice power braking. Hold down the brakes and build some revs with the accelerator. Then slowly let go of the brake pedal and your truck will just barely climb over that bump without you having to have so much momentum.
I'm surprised more people don't already do this but maybe I'm the crazy one. Any time I have to accelerate up an incline from a dead stop I build revs before I let go of the brake so I don't slide backwards into the car behind me.
As for the concrete, it sounds like you've gotten good suggestions here. :cheers:
re: looking for car tires that may help with road noise/shopping at Costco Tire Center
Posted by bapple on 5/2/25 at 9:03 pm to BilbeauTBaggins
I got the standard BF Goodrich road tires for the wife's little Jeep Cherokee back in November. They run just fine and don't have too much tire noise as did the last BF Goodrich tires I had on the car. But as others have said, unless you go bottom of the barrel on cheapness most of them will have similar noise.
re: To the guys who are done with the fertility rate: what’s a vasectomy like?
Posted by bapple on 4/22/25 at 3:20 pm to StringedInstruments
Dr. Ross Cockrell gave me the option to be sedated. I said hell yes and signed up. Procedure probably took 15 minutes and I had a nice nap.
Recovery was pretty easy. Getting my tonsils removed at 25 was orders of magnitude worse.
Recovery was pretty easy. Getting my tonsils removed at 25 was orders of magnitude worse.
quote:
What else will this plant make besides fertilizer? Or what else can the ammonia be used for?
One of the potential technologies involves co-firing the ammonia with coal and cleaning up emissions. I don’t know the full ins and outs of that process but Asian countries have very large coal power plants and see the utility in getting this ammonia, hence their desire to help fund the project.
re: Bad or failing circuit breaker
Posted by bapple on 4/3/25 at 10:09 pm to rustyjohnson
quote:
rustyjohnson
All good points made here.
A recent one at my cousin's house was an underground feeder that was slowly degrading and finally faulted. It was an aluminum conductor and they are notorious for degrading rapidly if moisture intrudes past the insulation. It can cause some large voltage drops when a large 240V load kicks on, like an air conditioner, drier, or oven.
Aluminum oxide forms quickly and powders the cable apart. Here's an example I pulled from google images:
So it definitely could be your incoming service but as others have mentioned, make sure all the connections in your panel are tight first. Or have an electrician look at them.
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