Buy a Thermometer !!!, and a watch, and an atlas
- From: tscottme <scott.me.usenet@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 21:47:52 -0800 (PST)
It's winter, the weather will be cold and sometimes freezing. Buy a
thermometer. These thermometers are sold in every truck stop and Wal
Mart I've been in in the last 5 years or more. They cost $10-20. You
will need to know the temp when conditions are near freezing.
Many trucks are factory equipped with outside air temp displays, but
every truck can have an outside air temp display. If you can't afford
$10 to know if the road is able to freeze, get another job, one that
pays better or one that will protect you from life.
Every time a snow flake falls from the sky, or a snow flake is
forecast to fall from the sky, or some driver with a CB heard a rumor
a snowflake has fallen from the sky, the CB fills of with goobers
asking "what's the temp outside?" which is followed by 2 hours of
arguing if it's really 31.7, 33, 30, or any temp near any of those
three.
First, asking someon the temp is like asking someone if it's time to
eat. You don't know enough detail, even if they give you an accurate
answer. Of they have the temp sensor mounted improperly they won't
have an accurate temp. If they are significanly far from you, you
won't get a useful answer.
Second, there are ways to SEE of the moisture on the road is still
liquid or not. You need to know to look at the road spray and where
to look on your truck to spot freezing conditions. My truck has a
"clean" exterior with virtually nothing but one spot mirror on the
hood and the two side mirrors. My truck as the one piece side mirror
box with side mirror and spot mirror below. Older trucks had a metal
bracket holing a separate side mirror and spot mirror.
Generally speaking, the moisture in the air and being thrown from the
road will freeze on the various surfaces of your truck before the
moisture freezes on the road. The groud will hold heat long after the
air temp dips just below freezing. However, the surfaces on your
truck, especially those away from the cab, will collect freezing
moisture as soon as the air temp hits freezing. In flying they
suggest you look for small radius surfaces, like antennas for the
first sign of actual freezing moisture.
Whether you look at what your windshield wipers are collecting at the
bottom of the windshield or your mirrors, or your antennas you would
be better served to have a real thermometer to tell you the temp. The
most important thing about mounting the remote sensor on the outside
of the truck is to shield it from moisure, so it doesn't read 32 F as
soon as it freezes. Next mount it away from heat sources like heated
mirrors, light bulbs, or where it might react to engine heat.
I'd personally avoid the thermometers with "ice alert" or warning
alarm for freezing conditions. Why? Once it gets near freezing you
will be looking for the thermometer anyway. When it's above below
freezing you'll get tired of the warning beeps.
Scott
“The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of
other people’s money.” Lady Thatcher
.
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