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Forum Index : Microcontroller and PC projects : AI Research Project Ongoing
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| lizby Guru  Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
"Targeted Dream Incubation (TDI)": Never tried that; what comes to me comes. "Hypnagogic Notebook": Would seem counter to the plan of going to sleep. Ideas come to me when I wake up in the middle of the night (sad? -- maybe and maybe not). Or perhaps, "ideas have come to me", and I wake up. "Relax, Don’t Force": Easy enough--I'm lying in bed. "Utilize the Waking Phase": Absolutely. This is the most productive time--although generally I'm pretty much wide awake as I explore the implications of the idea. "Short Breaks and Relaxation": Well, it's always been a longish break for me: napping for an hour or so in the afternoon. Often at lunchtime in the park when I was working. A friend once said that naps were the secret to my success (such as it is). This has been lifelong for me. My mother recalled that in high school I would go to sleep with unsolved math problems, and wake up with the answer. As a very junior programmer I tried without success to get a program written by a couple of university professors to work. The professors themselves were called in and said they couldn't make it work. One morning I woke up thinking I had a solution. I called work while still in bed and said I would be several hours late. I mulled it over and worked it out, and when programmed, it worked. One of the company principals (actual rocket scientist) said I had re-invented linear programming (and I never had a math class after high school). And it still happens at age 79--I'll wake up with an idea on how to proceed--maybe with regard to something I hadn't even been considering. So, sad? No, I think not. When the muse speaks, you must listen. PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8402 |
It's weird that AI should "know" anything about sleep. lol Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
As long as you have quotes around "know", there's nothing weird about AI knowing anything at all. PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
I watched this interesting review of the 3.6kWh 3600W AFERIY P310 power station: AFERIY P310 power station I fed Gemini this photo of my breaker box:  Prompt: Answer: I was pretty impressed that Gemini could read the handwriting on the photo of the breaker box. I thought the analysis was pretty good too. I could also add a 48V 100Ah "golf cart" battery to add an additional day+ to the backup time. That could be plugged in to recharge the power station only if needed. Outages here are usually short (unless hurricane related) but quite frequent--I wouldn't be surprised if there had been 12 in the past year. There is no good place for permanent solar on this shaded lot. In an emergency, I might be able to put out a 3x2 array of 450W panels in the front yard. It's possible that on sunny days that could provide 13kWh even in December and January. I do have a 12,000 BTU mini-split that can be plugged in (not hardwired). A small generator would be an option. Even 1k would be sufficient. The biggest drawback would be: no running water, since we're on a well with a 240V pump. But we are used to camping. And in Nova Scotia, when a big storm was forecast, my wife was used to filling the bathtub so there would be water to flush with. I'm not sure I can get my wife on board for this project. The only location for this would be in our shared walk-in closet, where the breaker box is located. ~ Edited 2025-11-28 11:56 by lizby PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8402 |
The US wiring system is so foreign to us in the UK. Wiring every outlet back to a distribution board feels odd after our ring system, where the consumer unit is relatively tiny. :) This shows an advantage of it though, individual automatic load control. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
I'm not certain I understand this (and I'm certain I don't understand UK/AU wiring). There are typically multiple outlets per circuit (except that fridge, washing machine, dishwasher would typically be the only appliances on their circuit). This breaker box is relatively sparce for a 200A service. Our 180-year-old house in Nova Scotia with 200A service and approximately the same square footage has 23 breakers. 200A, 240V service, and from June through October we average about 19kWh daily. PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8402 |
UK wiring will typically have something like: On earth leakage 1 Downstairs power ring Upstairs lighting On earth leakage 2 Upstairs power ring (not much load on this) Kitchen ring Downstairs lighting (and upstairs landing light if you're lucky!) Shower & Cooker on their own RCBO circuits So the consumer unit will have an incoming switch and less than 12 breaker positions, a couple of these will be the ELCBs. There is a tendency now to start installing separate RCBOs for each of the above circuits though, rather than spread over two ELCBs. (RCBOs are a combined breaker and earth leakage sensor, ELCBs only trip on earth leakage, not overcurrent). A small house will typically have a 63A or, possibly 80A supply. 100A for something a bit bigger. You don't often get anything bigger than that for a domestic supply. All single phase 240V (nominal) 50Hz. It's very rare to have just one or two sockets wired back to the consumer unit. Our power rings are rated for 32A and can have a lot of sockets on them, up to 100sq m of floor area. All sockets are capable of providing 13A, but in practice most devices will take a lot less than that, and the fuses in plugs are a maximum of 13A (they protect the wiring between the plug and the device so it doesn't see the full 32A capability). Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
60A 240V service is quite old in the U.S.--but still found in many houses. 100A is much more common, 150A is available, and 200A is most likely for most new installations, especially if there is air conditioning (as there almost always is now). Typical 120V wiring is 15A, with 14AWG wire (and 15A circuit breakers). Kitchen circuits are now required to be 20A with 12AWG wire. The latest National Electrical Code (NEC) permits 10A 16AWG wiring for lighting circuits, because LED lighting draws so much less than old resistance bulbs, but neither the breakers nor the wire are as widely available as 15A and 20A. PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8402 |
Our power circuits are the same (14AWG = 2.5sq mm) but as we have a ring of two each socket has a feed from both ends so the total ring is rated at 32A. Our lighting is generally 1sq mm (17AWG). There are exceptions, usually when there are long runs where 1.5sq mm (16AWG) might sometimes be used. It can also be found on some sub-fused power circuits. Some cookers and showers use 40A breakers. That's quite a bit of load but it's not generally for a long period continuously. It's instructive to look at the breaking time curves for the BS88 fuses the electricity board uses. A 63A fuse is guaranteed not to blow at 63A. In fact, it will easily carry 80A for four hours and will blow in 10 seconds at 200A. A 40A shower will run quite happily on a 32A fuse. The fuse will warm up a bit but it won't blow for hours. :) Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1686 |
@Mixtel90 ELCBs...I shoulda been a zillionaire at age 20  I got roped into playing lead guitar for a country band at Wigan Rugby Club because the regular guitarist was sick. Part way through the set, I got a shock from my guitar...WTF. I'd heard of this but didn't think it was even possible with my SS Carlsbro amp. Checked the socket, what a mess L/N were flipped and earth wasn't connected. I had recently discovered ELCBs although I had never seen one in an installation. Why don't I make an extension cord with a Merlin Gerin 20mA ELCB. So I did and also incorporated a earth-continuity-and-polarity checking circuit that I'd found in ETI. I dubbed it GigGuard Everyone loved it and wanted one. Oh wow, so I took some photos and did a write up and sent it to one of the big music journals. Enquiries came fast and furious....but now what! How the heck do I mass produce? I sent out a few units but then backed off. I was wet behind the ears and without resources. 1984 and I moved to USA. I think it was 1995 or thereabouts when mum called me from England. "GigGuard is on the telly!" She had been watching Gardener's World and some guy was using an electric hedge trimmer and the host commented that it might not be a good idea to use it in the rain. He replied "No problem, I have a GigGuard" and he held it up to the camera. Had a look at Home Depot and Lowes and found that they had become common. . Edited 2025-11-29 04:34 by PhenixRising |
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| Mixtel90 Guru Joined: 05/10/2019 Location: United KingdomPosts: 8402 |
I bet he had too many pies while standing watching the Pier in case something happened. Unlikely in Wigan. ;) Hmmm... Looks like you missed out a bit there! Mind you, perhaps it's better if a manufacturer has to handle the safety testing etc. It's all very well designing something like that but get one thing wrong and someone gets killed you have a big problem. Still a pity though. Mick Zilog Inside! nascom.info for Nascom & Gemini Preliminary MMBasic docs & my PCB designs |
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| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1686 |
Well I think we've been through this before and my take is that "safety" is nothing more than money making horse doo-doo. Where are the mandates that prevent a pan of boiling water getting knocked off the stove and landing on a toddler's head? How come a toddler who has figured out how to use screwdriver can easily open up a wall socket and get their fingers directly in contact with 240V? Chemicals stored under the kitchen sink? And yet we are expected to wrap adults in cotton wool in the workplace? No, they enforce "safety" protocols only where they can levy hefty fines. I or you could come up with a foolproof estop that relies on a data protocol that cannot be physically jumpered. But no, we have "dual redundancy" as the new brilliant solution In reality, it means that one now has to install two jumper wires instead of one. |
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| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1686 |
Another example: look at the cost of sensors such as radar and ultra sonic. Pennies. 20 years ago I took delivery of a new Jaguar XJR. I had taken a client to visit with another client and we were returning along the Indiana turnpike after dark. We had one of those downpours where visibility was extremely poor. However, it was easy enough to identify the lights of other vehicles and so I was driving quite comfortably. All of a sudden, the car went into a nosedive. There was a huge freighter in front but with failed trailer lights. We didn't see it but the radar did. Another time, I was trundling through town within the speed limit when a pedestrian stepped out in front of my car. My car took over with a much faster response than I would've ever managed. But they only mandate and enforce seat belts...Why is that? Surely not because they can fine us. |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
More Phenix hobbyhorses and another thread hijacking. It would be nice if we could at least marginally stay on the topic of AI (and related to the prompts and responses). PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1686 |
AI? All I see is battery power discussion Is that AI? On topic:My latest AI debate is about Concorde: where did it store 7,000 gallons and provide a range of 4,000 miles at mach-2 Whatever, some will never question the official narrative Edited 2025-11-29 09:37 by PhenixRising |
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| PhenixRising Guru Joined: 07/11/2023 Location: United KingdomPosts: 1686 |
If it ain't broke don't fix it. lizby: I totally agree Phenix: Screw that! Let's break it and make it better. It's a wonderful thing because it separates the wheat from the chaff and people still wonder why younger people come along with a fresh approach and become instantly successful. They haven't been poisoned with "but the telly said..."🤣 |
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Revlac Guru Joined: 31/12/2016 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1214 |
Thats been a problem for many in South East QLD for the past month, the power has been off due to storm damage, some times for 48 Hour's at a time sometimes longer, Well no problem for us off grid.  The well pump, I think Grundfos have a range of bore pumps that have soft start built in, https://www.grundfos.com/au/learn/ecademy/all-courses/grundfos-sq-sqe/sq-sqe-protection-features-soft-start I will say that either above ground pressure pump or bore pumps haven't been Surge hogs, yet they are complained about all the time on the USA Solar power forum, perhaps our 240Vac 50Hz is a little easier, 120Vac at 60Hz stuck in the past.  Also we had a 63Amp fuse in our main meter box the neighbour has 3 phase 100A our old place we never had much more than 20Amp, had to replace that a few times, why do so many need a 200A service or more? especially if on 240Vac. Edited 2025-11-29 11:04 by Revlac Cheers Aaron Off The Grid |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
Then you didn't see this: |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
Funny you keep harping on that. After a friend of mine read that the U.S. 1980 census dropped the question (on the long form) about whether the residence had a television, she said that it was probably because they realized that I was the only one remaining in the country who would say "No". PicoMite, Armmite F4, SensorKits, MMBasic Hardware, Games, etc. on fruitoftheshed |
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| lizby Guru Joined: 17/05/2016 Location: United StatesPosts: 3523 |
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