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Re: (ET) 36 to 14 volt DC-DC converter (was Today's lessons with heavy snow)
On 2 Jan 2013 at 13:55, RJ Kanary wrote:
> You have the braintrust that was the OPEO,using technology firmly
> rooted in the Forties,using the pencils, papers and sliderules for the
> basis of their engineering and design decisions, that 21st Century
> technology has yet to better in a cost effective manner. <VBG>
I don't know what OPEO is, but I disagree that recent years have brought
no
significant improvement.
I've used the GE controller, I've used an equally simplistic
series-parallel-
and-resistor 3-step controller in another EV, and I've used several good
solid state controllers. There's absolutely no doubt in my mind that late
20th / early 21st century technology is far superior. True, the cost is a
bit higher, but for me it's worth it.
The GE controller is easy to work on, I'll say that. Good thing, because
when I had it, I worked on it A LOT - control card, connections, and
especially that bloody reversing relay. Ah, memories : plowing the
driveway
with the hood up and the relay panel tipped back, reversing the tractor by
pushing on the relay.
I spent an afternoon rewiring the ET for my Alltrax, and since then I've
had
zero control problems. (Well, OK, I did have to replace the crummy cheap
reversing switch I used, but that was my own fault for grabbing a used
Radio
Shack special from my junkbox.)
I can also move the tractor by centimeters in any gear, and choose the
prefect speed for any job. The controller will even hold my ET steady all
by itself on a hill, if I'm so inclined, though I don't usually let it do
that because I don't think it's healthy for the motor.
The good news is that there are plenty of spares for maintaining the good
old GE click-clicker if you're so inclined, and there are also decent
options for modernizing if that's your preference. We're really fortunate
that there's such a vital community supporting these tractors.