Car Audio

Archive for June, 2009

With all the recent news about the automotive industry, coupled with the rising number of job layoffs, it is no wonder that a large group of people are showing interest in the possibility of converting a gas-powered car to an electric car.  Hybrid cars are available through dealerships but these cars are expensive, small, making them dangerous on some road conditions.

As a part of the electrical car conversion , people also enjoy saving a tremendous amount of money by doing the conversion themselves and the love diversity in that it works on all cars, but also trucks, vans, and sports utility vehicles, whether running on regular, unleaded, or diesel gasoline.  To complete the conversion process, people need only a few standard tools and a little time.  Then, with this being a completely safe process for the person doing the conversion and there is no damage to the automobile, gas to electric conversion makes perfect sense.  The benefit of using a conversion kit, like the the Build Your Own Electric Auto guide, changing a gas powered automobile to run that runs on electricity, the person uses his or her own car, no matter the type, even expensive models such as Mercedes Benz, Volvo, and BMW.

Another kit is the Electricityfor Gas.  Using a kit such as this for converting a gas-powered car into one that runs on electricity, consumers discover that the kits are inexpensive, the information is easy to follow, and the conversion can be completed without the need for special tools.  After the car is done, the person has a high-energy efficient vehicle that is safe, powerful, and one that does not pollute the air.

Most people think kits to convert cars for running on electricity are expensive because new hybrid cars are costly but in truth, these kits are very affordable.  This means in addition to a great cost-saver and a car that runs great without the need for gas, all while protecting the environment from pollution makes this is an excellent choice.

All the consumer has to do is purchase a kit, follow the provided instructions, and then in a very short time, start enjoying the huge savings and a healthier environment.  Converted electric cars are great for getting around town in that they can travel up to 100 miles per charge, and they have the ability to reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour.  However, if someone with an electric car needs to travel beyond the 100-mile range, a battery would provide another charge.

Today, the federal government encourages people to use electric car conversions with various types of incentives, tax credits, and rebates.  After all, transforming a gas-powered car to one that runs on electricity is not just beneficial to the consumer, but everyone in that pollution is reduced and the need for foreign oil cut dramatically.

More and more, people want to make a difference in the environment, working to product cleaner air for generations to come.  Converting a gas car to one that runs on electricity accomplishes this goal.  Sure, consumers could visit any number of dealerships to buy a hybrid but they will pay significant money.  Instead, using a kit to complete the conversion is more affordable but the results just as incredible.

If you want to have electricity in your RV no matter where you go and you don’t have a generator, then you are going to want to invest in an RV generator for sale. While shopping for your RV generator you need to be aware that there are three common types available end of these are: a propane generator, a diesel generator, and your standard gas run generator.

In a lot of instances with a gas generator you might run into problems rather quickly if you don’t run it often. It is a good idea to fire up your gas powered generator quite frequently in order to keep the intake and carburetor from gumming up.

When purchasing a generator, make sure you know that the generator will usually get its fuel supply from the RV’s fuel tank. In most instances your generator will shut down by itself when the fuel tank gets low so it doesn’t use up all of the available fuel.

Since like all engines that run off of gas or diesel, your generator is going to give off carbon monoxide so you’re going to want to check the exhaust system on a regular basis. When using a portable generator, the exhaust should be tested before being used and it should be directed away from the camping or RV area.

Your generator can be used while you are traveling and in fact it is even more economical to run your air conditioning off of the generator rather than the air conditioning from the motor of the RV.

You never ever want to run a generator while you were sleeping during the night as you never know what could happen and the possibility of carbon monoxide getting into your area is not worth the risk.

RV generators are very dependable and in most cases, if preserved properly will outlast the RV, just make sure you maintain and exercise your RV generator.Don’t ever let your generator set for too long as it will start developing problems with surging and will eventually quit working altogether on you.

A Recreational Vehicle (RV) gives you independence from hotel bookings and allows you to change your journey at will.  In theory you can go anywhere the mood takes you, but often you are restricted to official camp sites because you need somewhere to plug in and recharge your batteries.  Even if you use your batteries to power on-board appliances they will need recharging from time to time – usually more often than you had planned! And be warned, regularly draining a battery will shorten its life dramatically. But there is now an attractive option that will give you true flexibility to go where you want, and you can make it yourself easily and cheaply.

RVs can be fitted with generators, but these tend to be noisy, smelly and gas-guzzlers.  These days solar panels are often fitted to provide all or most of your electrical requirements without hammering your battery, and these panels are very easy to make at home, even for the total novice.  If you have a generator you can keep it as a backup – much less wearing on the ears and pocket. Keep your generator for powering the lights at your next outdoor party!

Solar panels for RVs can be made foldable for easy storage, and they tend to be quite lightweight so are easily moveable. One 8 square foot solar panel will produce about 75 to 100 watts, which is about equal to a pair of golf cart batteries.  This would probably be enough for the average mid-size RV but it would depend, of course, on your personal electrical requirements. Most RVs use less than 400 watts.  The best advice is to start with one or two solar panels, and fit some more as needed. We have some more information about this here.

If you plan to use your RV regularly in hot weather, you will have one or two other things to consider.  You will need to fit a solar-powered battery charger with battery temperature compensation to prevent overcharging of, and damage to, your batteries.  Also, roof-mounted solar panels can get very hot, which can affect their efficiency and can lead to voltage drops. Ensure that your solar panels have a rating of at least 17 volts to to stop this becoming a problem.  Just keep these thoughts in mind when planning your RV’s solar panel system.

You will see a range of kits for RV solar panels on the market, but note how costly they are.  We thoroughly recommend making your own. You will find it very easy, a lot of fun, and literally anybody can do it.  And you will save a packet compared with the bought variety.  What you will need, however, is expert advice before you start to build a solar panel, otherwise you will probably waste a lot of time and effort doing research and not necessarily doing the job properly.  This is not a problem, because we can recommend a good source of expertise with good step-by-step instructions for only a few dollars.  We believe this is a good investment.

Proper safety gear is an essential element of smart riding. Responsible riders have no problem investing in the best boots, helmets, jacket, gloves, and eye protection. The right safety gear can make the difference between life and death. Often bikers forget about a safety vest. Safety vest requirements are changing due to the level of danger. The thing motorcyclists need to worry about most is the other drivers on the road. Wearing a reflective vest can really enhance your visibility. There are a few things you need to look at when purchasing a safety vest that will give you the best performance. The vest you select should fit your body well and be well made. Ideally the vest should be made from a durable material that is easy to clean. The vest needs to have reflective material applied so that light is reflected in each direction. The fastening mechanism such as zippers need to be extra strength and operate easily with your gloves in place. The safety vest should be close fitting but not so tight that it restricts your movement. Often they will have adjustable straps so that you can give it a comfortable custom fit. Custom safety vest can be tailored to your specific need. Safety vests come in a variety of colors including pink, white, red, yellow, and orange. The color you choose is largely a matter of personal preference. It is common for people to see orange safety vests on traffic workers so it may be most effective at attracting our attention. It helps to determine which colors will stand out best when combined with the jacket that use usually wear to ride. A large contrast between the colors you are wearing will stand out while you are driving down the road. You can further enhance your visibility by using brightly colored clothing under your safety vest. It is common for there to be no reflective materials around the arms to help make you more visible to those on side streets. This can be fixed with the addition of a helmet halo or reflective armband.  Don’t forget to review tearaway safety vests for your safety requirements.

Dirt bikes for sale can be found all over the Internet. Not only are their private sales, but many dealers sell online. People who do the research can find great deals. Here are some of those deals.

Ebay is one of the largest online retailers.  The sellers are mostly individuals and small companies.  But taken together a lot of merchandise is sold on eBay. Looking there can be a great start to a search for dirt bikes for sale.

For dirt bikes for sale or any other item sold on an auction site always know the retail prices.  It’s not hard to bid too much.  Over half the people who bid do it.  It’s a known fact that 50% of items purchased at auction sell for more than retail price.

Search for dirt bikes for sale on eBay, and over 7000 results are returned.  This also includes accessories.  For example one seller has a 2008 Yamaha YZ.  The retail price is $7,000.  However, this used one is only $3900.  Use common sense.  Don’t go above $7,000.  And generally for something that’s not coming from a dealer, it’s best to try to get it for about half the price.  That means it’s probably already over what a wise bidder would offer.

A Google search can also find many dirt bikes for sale. Over 378,000 results come up on a search for that phrase. They include some retailers who have dirt bikes for as little as $400. Cheap ones like this are often dirt bikes for kids. It’s a great hobby for young people.

If you do find some kid’s dirt bikes for sale keep in mind the need to take care and pay attention to safety. First of all kids should always wear a helmet when riding a dirt bike. Also children should be properly trained in all of the safety measures and riding techniques. Also make sure that they always ride under strict supervision.

There are other dirt bikes for sale found on Google. There’s even services and websites that allow people to list used dirt bikes for sale. Some of these are similar to eBay.  Some of these are completely free.  One benefit of many of these is that they are local to that people can come and look at the bike before purchasing it.  A personal transaction is always better.

So do check the Internet for dirt bikes for sale.  But look around at local dealers too.

It was in 1885 that Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach designed the first motorcycle. The motorcycle has become a preferred mode of transport in many countries. In the Asian countries of Indonesia, India, China and Vietnam, there are more motorcycles than other vehicles. Its popularity in the United States is also increasing. The reasons for the preference of motorcycles over other vehicles are not hard to find. Motorcycles can be easily maneuvered in the heavy traffic. City traffic has become so heavy that it crawls in places and creates jams in other places. Many people these days travel a long distance to reach their place of work. But motorcycles are able to weave through these hurdles. Most public places do not permit parking of vehicles. Parking lots have no places. The cost to move around in vehicles too has increased prohibitively. There are the road taxes to be paid. There are the parking fees, the toll charges and the congestion charges too to take care of. Motorcycles are either exempt from some of these charges or have to pay lower fees. They have a better fuel economy with higher fuel efficiency.

Though scooters are categorized under motorcycles, what distinguish scooters from other motorcycles are its smaller wheels and small engines. The rider can comfortably keep the knees together. The rider places both the legs on the running board. Scooters have a protective fender in the front for the legs to protect the legs. Scooters too have undergone various design changes.

There are the more powerful motor-scooters and maxi-scooters. Another innovation is the four wheeled scooter. The Fuzion Scooter is designed with four wheels capable of 360-degree rotation with the front wheel. The scooter is capable of performing tricks and is meant for kids of seven years or more. It is a good gift for children.

Rather than improve the public transport system to cater to the emerging needs, the policy everywhere is to promote private transport. Nor are mass transit system given the importance it rightly deserves. The old guzzlers are made economical with the introduction of more fuel efficient engines. In order to carry the ever increasing traffic, the infrastructure for transport is getting up-scaled as never before. The old roads which are incapable of carrying the traffic are replaced with four-lane road or expressways. Given these developments, motorcycles are becoming a preferred mode of transport.

Solid State Drives provide 3 benefits at one fell swoop. They have better shock resistance, much faster file access and produce less noise than their HDD brethren. However, this has come at a price – quite literally. The initial tranche of SSD’s which were launched into the marketplace came with eye-watering prices and limited capacities. As with all new technology, initially high price levels start falling to a more attractive level, normally coinciding with a general increase in capacity and/or speed. A kind of virtuous circle ensues. Lower prices and better features attract higher sales.Higher sales allow further price reductions as R&D costs are recovered, fabrication plant yields get better and economies of scale kick in. This cycle continues until some kind of equilibrium is reached.

SSD’s have still a long way to go before they become a mainstream replacement for hard disk drives, however there are some niche areas where they have already arrived. 2008 was the year the netbook came to prominence. Although many netbooks are sold with conventional HDD’s, the models which are capable of running for around 8 hours before the battery requires recharging are fitted with SSD’s. Because the motherboard and processor used in this type of system are of necessity low powered, the computer is not going to win any prizes for speed. It is therefore interesting to see a comparatively new, expensive and fast technology being used in today’s lowest cost slowest category of computer.

SSD’s are finding a growing market in laptop PC’s. Until the price level falls far enough to justify complete replacement of HDD’s in laptops, small SSD’s have found their way into another niche. Many people now fit a solid state drive to their laptop as a secondary drive which will speed up access times to popular files and reduce the drain on their battery, thus increasing battery life. With operating system and application software on the SSD, mainly requiring read access, response times can be improved whilst leaving the HDD to cope with storing the data.

Users who have carputers are also likely to to be early adopters as the prices come down. Carputers have to operate with 2 constraints which do not normally affect home users. They operate in an environment where jolts and sudden acceleration/deceleration are a part of everyday operation. Potholes and rough surfaces are a fact of life on many modern roads. This has the potential to adversely affect HDD life and means that a solid state drive is a viable proposition even with a price premium. SSD’s have no moving parts and consume very little power. This also is an important consideration for carputers. (SSD or HDD?)

So – will 2009 be the year when SSD sales outnumber HDD sales? Well, it’s possible, but I don’t think the time is right just yet. But next year or the one after? I’d bet on it. Improvements in HDD technology have been nothing short of spectacular over the years, but the breathtaking rate of change will slow as this technology reaches its ceiling. SSD’s by comparison have only attracted the developers attention relatively recently, and we can look forward to massive improvements in the years to come.

To find out more details of how you can install your own carputer, click here

One of the more important factors to consider when specifying the components to be used in a car computer, is the power consumption. In a car, there is not the unlimited supply of power waiting to be tapped from a socket on the wall as you would have in your home. It all comes from the car battery, which has a finite capacity.

The charge level of the battery is continually being topped up by the alternator while the engine is running. Car manufacturers normally equip their car engines with alternators which are rated highly enough to allow the fitting of additional electrical equipment. If the amount of power required to run your carputer is too high, your alternator may not be able to maintain the battery charge, particularly if you have a powerful aftermarket audio system also fitted. Another consideration is the amount of heat generated by the system, which can be difficult to remove from the enclosed space often used to house car PC’s. It is thus recommended that a motherboard and processor combination with a low power requirement are chosen.

The down side of using a low power processor is that it is a lot slower than the processors used in the latest cutting edge desktop PC’s. This is not an issue for most of the applications which will run on a carputer. Computer games normally require intensive graphics processing. However, it is very unlikely that many carputer users will be interested in playing computer games in their vehicles. The ability to run the chosen operating system is therefore the main constraint which is imposed by the use of a low power processor and motherboard.

Mac users will almost certainly opt for OS X. Statistically however, you are more likely to be using an X86 based PC.

With an X86 architecture, you can choose between MS Windows or one of the many Linux distributions. You can put together a pretty impressive system using Linux, but it can be a tortuous exercise to get it properly configured. For some applications, the Linux software which is available is nowhere near as good as what is available for windows. For most people, MS Windows is the operating system of choice. It does not involve overly difficult installation and configuration, and there is a wide choice of application software available for MS Windows.

Currently, the version of Windows to use is Windows XP. Although SP1 for Windows Vista resolved many of the reasons for the poor reception Vista received when launched, it is still a resource hog. To keep the power consumption low, you should use a less powerful processor than the one in a desktop PC. It makes good sense to use XP for as long as it remains available for sale, as it will run better than Vista on a less powerful processor.

It looks as though the hardware requirements for Windows 7, when it is released, will be less onerous than Vista. Virtually every reviewer of Windows 7 Beta has noted it both loads faster and runs faster than Windows Vista. I have also found this. I am currently testing the Windows 7 Release Candidate on an Intel Atom platform which is the same as the one I use for my carputer. So far, it has given me absolutely no cause for concern regarding lack of performance. Bear in mind that this is still Beta code and there is a high probability that there will be a further performance improvement once the code is optimised for the production version.

For now, my recommendation is to stick with XP until Windows 7 is released. If the Beta is anything to go by, the production version of Windows 7 should be rock steady and will not place too high a demand on a low powered carputer design.

For details on building and installing your own carputer, click here.

In this economy we are in we need every possible way to save money.It won’t take a lot for you to see that a lot of Americans are having a hard time in this economy.But instead of moaning about a lot of things, we can search out other ways to save money.

So I would like to offer some perspective from a San Diego auto repair shop owner.Now you may say to yourself that there will be bias but hear the argument first.After reading this it should be clearer to you that you can save money and that it makes sense.

One of the ways we can save money is to keep our cars longer. In the heyday of this decade when the economy seemed to be so good people traded in cars left and right. They traded in the cars when they got old.So for the most part people just did not even think about having to maintain their car.

Well the way the economy is right now, we don’t have that luxury available anymore.  Most people can’t afford to just go out and get a new car.People now must keep the old ones longer.What it means is you will have to make an effort to maintain their cars.

One of the key maintenance items is making sure your car can pass a smog test.Once you have an older car it will be a required law.  If you don’t pass a smog test, it can turn into expensive repairs.  I know this first hand running my San Diego smog check shop. 

There are a few things you might to make certain you are able to pass the test.You can make an effort to keep your car tuned and maintained.You can make certain you change the oil filter and oil.  You can make sure the muffler is in good working order. 

This is the area where you may lose some money.  If you fail the smog test you could be in for a lot of money in repairs.So by ensuring that you follow these maintenance tips you will be able to save money.By doing the right things in maintaining your car now you will save yourself from major repairs later.

Don’t forget to also maintain your brakes.  With my experience with our San Diego brakes shop this is important as well. By being sure that you don’t have worn down brake pads can save your disc brakes.Not keeping it maintained can cause very expensive repairs.Follow these tips and you won’t have a problem saving money.

If you’re considering a Fly Drive holiday anywhere in the world, it might be a good idea to decide on the car you’re going to get before you get to your desired location. Depending on whether you want a sporty car or a long runner, one of these cars would be best for you?

Let’s take a look at probably the not quite so sensible motor to consider, but possibly the most fun. Sports cars are never really a good idea for long hauls; it’s not what they are designed for. The Honda S2000 is the sports car of the group and very smart. You can also get this good looking motor as a convertible, it has 237 BHP as well. Unfortunately this car does have some big down sides. The biggest problem is it’s size, it can only seat two people which won’t do anybody any favours. Although it has these disadvantages, it will be a great car to travel around in.

For those of us who love the planet, there is the mastered Toyota Prius. One way to describe this car is “Dull”, there is not doubt it is one of the most boring cars on the planet, but it is reliable. Out of all the cars, this is the best for fuel consumption, it can run at about 65 miles per gallon. The great thing about this car is that it can drive for hours on end without needing a refill. The problems are the fact it is a Prius, it is boring and slow, not at all adventurous.

This next particular vehicle is a favourite for many people. This is a great vehicle, the Chevrolet Colorado is a great option. For going off road and trying new routes to go where you want, this is the best of these three cars. Probably the most popular for its size and HP which is an impressive 185 at standard, but it is a bit of a gas guzzler, consuming 23 MPG. This truck can sit three people very comfortably and has a massive amount of room for all of your belongings. For obvious reasons this motor is going to be at the top of everyone’s list for choice.

So if you’re considering Canada holidays, then one of these three cars is a great consideration.  However some people may just want to relax on a Alaska Cruise.