Sunday, February 26, 2006

Put on your sunglasses! This Rechargeable LED flashlight is a bright light!


I first decided to purchase this for your basic camping and household rechargeable LED flashlight. I wanted something more than your average cheap piece of junk available at your local big box store. I purchase the Coast V2 Pro Rechargeable LED Flashlight and I am completely sold. First off, it has a nice, true white light which is nice when you need to see true colors. It works really well and the light stays bright for hours. Also, it's compact, it's got a lanyard and a carrying sheath with a belt loop which makes it easy to pack away. It also comes with the handy recharger and pouch to pack it in. When I say this is an exceptionally bright LED flashlight, I mean this is something you expect a cop to be shining in your eyes when he pulls you over one night and says, "can I see your ID?" It is bright enough to momentarily blind someone when flash in their eyes. Even in the daylight! The light is made from black lightweight aluminum casing, it is 4" long, very tough and it has a simple on/off switch located at the end of the light so it is easy to find. It is also water-resistant. It is a great all around flashlight hiking, household, boat or any other job.

Saturday, February 25, 2006

Cordless grease gun for my auto shop


I own a small automotive shop and I am constantly using my old fashioned hand operated grease gun for all of my lubrication needs. I know there has to be some sort of gadget that automatically with run a grease gun for me. The old hand operated gun is too slow. Mainly I am greasing zert points on trailers, automobiles and small construction equipment. I only need to have the grease capicity of regular grease gun. I know of the models that run from a larger grease source. I have to get a car lubed and out of my shop as quickly as possible. Is there a tool out there for this?

Great question. The simple answer is the Lincoln Lubrication 12 volt cordless grease gun. This tool comes with a rechargable 12 volt battery, a molded carrying case and a 30" flexible hose. This cordless grease gun using convential grease cartridges just like your hand held model and will automatically inject the grease with having to physically squeeze a handle.

Monday, February 20, 2006

I need a fuel transfer pump for my pick up truck.


I just purchased a new Ford F350 pick up truck for work and I need to have an auxillary fuel tank installed in the bed for diesel fuel. I will use to fill up the fuel tanks of my Bobcat and other diesel equipment on my construction jobsites. I need to know what fuel transfer pump I should use? It needs to run of DC power, be able to fit on my tank and have 8 or 10 feet of hose length.

Thanks for your help.

Congratulations on the new truck! Auxillary diesel fuel tanks are very common in construction and Tuthill makes the industry standard fuel transfer pump. You can't go wrong with this model. The fuel transfer pump model you need is the FIL1210C. This is a DC powered fuel pump and has 12 feet of hose. This model should easy fit onto your fuel tank and hook into your DC power of your truck. You can also out a pad lock on the handle to keep someone from stealing your fuel when you are not looking. This fuel transfer pump has gallon per minute flow rate of 14 GPM as well.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Rechargeable flashlight batteries keep dying on me!


I have an inexpensive rechargeable flashlight I bought a few years and the wimpy battery won't keep a charge very. Also, when it does die out on me I have to put the flashlight back on the charger and wait several hours to use it again. Is there a product out there that has mulitple batteries and holds a charge? I need something that is built rugged and tough as well. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

The best rechargeable flashlight out there is the Streamlight Stinger flashlight. These are built for emergency professionals like firefighters and rescue workers. Their tough, virtually indestructible cases and tremendous power are the best in the industry. Most models have an extra battery that charges on the recharger. So when one battery finally goes out, there is a spare one ready to go. If you are serious about purchasing a really tough rechargeable flashlight, Streamlight is product you are looking for. Red Hill Supply offers several different models of the Stinger flashlight.

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Torque wrench basics

If you have a boat trailer or have changed the spare tire on your car, a torque wrench is a required tool and is simple to use . Most people believe that “the tighter the better” is the way to go. Your average person will simply grab an impact wrench and tighten away. This is not the correct way to apply torque to your wheels or other critical fasteners. Too much torque can add stress to a lug nut and cause it to shear off. Also with head bolts, the torque on those bolts determines the amount of clamping force on the gasket. Over tightening those bolts can crush the gasket or distort the metal. The better way to apply the correct amount of foot pounds of torque is to use an accurate torque wrench. There are several different types of torque wrenches available out there. One type is the torque wrench with a dial indicator built into it. The dial indicates how many foot lbs of torque is being applied. Dial types are generally more accurate and easier to read. This model is generally the choice of professional mechanics where accurate measurement is necessary. The dial indicator is more precise and is easier to read. Some are available with a light or buzzer to indicate when a preset torque value is achieved. Another variation is the clicking type torque wrench. These are probably the most popular and readily available. This torque wrench makes a clicking sound when the preset torque is reached. This lets you know to stop applying force to the nut you are fastening and move to the next one. For most uses these type of wrenches work just fine and are rugged and easy to use. For the person who always the latest gadget, there are LED and LCD models available as well. The display shows the precise foot lbs of torque. These can usually switch between SAE and Metric as well. For most garage mechanics and home owners, the clicking type torque wrench is the best choice. Just remember to always check the manufacturer specs for the recommended torque. Next time, you need to tighten the nuts on your boat trailer, put down the impact wrench and grab a torque wrench.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Need help with a battery discharging problem.

My chevy truck has been sitting in the cold weather for over a month
now. It has a Die Hard Gold battery that is probably 2 years old. Well,
it would not start so I put a car battery charger on it for two hours. The battery
charger
said 100% after 2 hours so I tried it and it started right up.
The temp was 25 degrees. I let it run about 30 minutes. When I got back
in the cab, the headlights were kind of dim and the gauge was at the
far left, about 8 volts? So I turned off the ignition and waited 30 seconds.
Now it won't turn over.

Not sure what to do now? Thanks for your help!


That sounds like a charging system problem to me. Now the battery may be
dead as well, but even a dead battery should not show a voltage DECREASE
with the engine running over a half hour period. It could also be a bad alternator
as well. Hopefully you have jump starter to carry with you. In case your truck dies again in a bad place.

Thursday, February 09, 2006

Car Battery Question

Maybe someone out there can help resolve this once and for all.
When putting a car in for long term storage or when replacing a starter
for example,should you disconnect the pos. or neg. cable from the
battery?
My friends and I always disagree on this,so on this topic majority will
rule and end it once and for all.

Thanks.

Yes. It's better to disconnect the batter for long term storage.
It reduces the chances of the battery dischaging through the leads.

However it might not be a good idea to remove the battery from the car.
I did that once on a car I wasn't going to use over the winter.
I brought the battery into the house and left it in the basement.
In the spring the battery was dead. A battery will discharge slowly even
if it is disconnected from the car. A warm battery will discharge faster
than a cold battery. Hook up a car battery charger once a month in winter
for an hour or two to top up the charge.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

Robinair Vacuum Pump and engine oil.

I am using a Robinair vacuum pump to evacuate a system that had been
open for quite a while. I ran it for an hour, and the moisture
content pulled into the vacuum pump turned the oil to a messy emulsion. I
want to run it until everything is clear.

Will use of engine oil ( 10-30 or such) have any harmful effect on the
pump? Robinair says use only their oil ($6/qt). My pump is strong,
but very old, and way out of warranty. A less expensive generic pump
oil is also an option.

Thanks

I wouldn't take a chance on using the engine oil. If the Robinair oil is only $6/qt, I would just be safe and use their product in your vacuum pump. A generic brand may be good option as well. After all, it is only 6 dollars. Good luck.

Saturday, February 04, 2006

Replacing compressor and adding refrigerant to my old car.

I have a car that I am replacing the compressor on. I plan on evacuating the system down using a vacuum pump. I have a can of R134 with 13oz of freon and 2oz of oil. I bought that primarily to add the oil. I plan on topping off the system but need to know the capacity to make sure I don't overfill and take out gaskets or hoses and to make sure I have it full.
Do you know the capacity of my totally evacuated system or is it listed somewhere under the hood? Also, how do I check and make sure the system doesn't have any refrigerant leaks?

Thanks!!!

Replacement compressors usually come with a FULL CHARGE of about 6 to 7 ounces of refrigerant oil. You need to drain out the old oil from your old compressor and measure the amount that you drained out. Next you need to empty out all the refrigerant oil from the NEW compressor using a tool like the Robinair CoolTech and reinstall the EXACT same amount of refrigerant oil that you got out of the old compressor and install it into the new compressor. Do NOT use the old oil from the old compressor. Use the NEW oil from the new compressor. There is a sticker located somewhere on the underside of the hood or on the firewall that tells you the MAXIMUM amount of oil that your complete system contains. After you add the refrigerant to the system, you can then use a refrigerant leak detector to sniff out any leaks. There are several models out there and each has it's benefits. Check out the list at Red Hill Supply and we have several different models to choose from.

Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Can I work under a car with jack stands?

I'll choose a set of 3 tons jack stands from a reputable brand, and
I'll buy an inexpensive floor jack. I mean, the floor jack is used while
we're not under the car usually. And, personnally it'll be used only
twice a year or so. Plus I'll be able to trust the jack stands while
working under the car. Do you have any advice on this matter?

First, it is never safe to work under a car on a jack stand. In the manual
of the jack stands from most manufacturers, mentioned
earlier, it's written: "Warning! Never crawl under the vehicle when supporting
it with Jack Stands". Don't take a chance with your saftey on a jack stand, no
matter how good it is.