NydiaMccartney answers:

Cable clamps are used by electric companies to hold up cables etc. Just depends what size and rating you use.

NydiaMccartney answers:

You could use a boat, car or truck battery depending how much power you need but it’s best left to a mechanic to rig something up as these batteries can deliver quite a punch if you get something wrong.

I’d have thought a much better option would be to get a portable powerpack – these are basically car batteries enclosed in a carrying case, you charge the battery by plugging into a cigarette lighter or normal mains electric supply. They have normal plug socket outlets so you can just plug something in like you would at home.

Because they’re portable you can run your lighting off it, watch TV in the middle of a field or microwave your dinner on top of a mountain. They’re great when you’re away from home as you can also recharge cell phones, laptops etc.

Flourescent lights and LED’s use less power than a conventional light-bulb and even with a small powerpack you’d be able to run about 10 flourescent lights for many hours

A lot of the models come with useful attachments such as work lights, car starter cables, different outputs, hazard lights etc and they’re not that expensive. A moderate one will probably be in the region of $100 to $150.

The one I bought was off eBay so you could try looking there but also contact caravan and boating suppliers.

Here’s a couple of examples of what I’m on about…

Http://www.caravantechnology.com/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=35

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/pages/moreinfoa.asp?pe=BGEGJEEQ_+ring+powerpack+120+portable+power+kit+with+12+240v+inverter&cid=880

NydiaMccartney answers:

I am going to assume here that any Mac Pro with a cable lock on it wasn’t “found”. There is a law against possessing stolen property.

NydiaMccartney answers:

I cobbled this together from various sources and gave print-outs to our kids, along with jumper cables, when each bought their first car.

Never clamp any cable to the negative battery post of a disabled car. This greatly increases the likelihood of a battery fire or even an explosion. The acid in batteries is terrible for your car, and even worse for you.

Park the booster car–the one giving your dead vehicle a jump–beside or nose-to-nose with your car, close enough that the cables can reach.

1) Don’t let the booster car touch the disabled car.
2) Turn off the ignitions in both cars.
3) Clamp one end of the positive cable, usually marked with red clamps, to the positive terminal of the dead battery, which is marked with a plus sign. Be sure the clamp bites the post securely.
4) Clamp the other end of the positive cable to the positive terminal of the booster battery, the one in the car giving you a boost.
5) Clamp the end of the negative cable, usually marked with black clamps, to the negative post of the booster battery, which is marked with a minus or negative sign.
6) Clamp the other end of the negative cable to a good electrical ground source as far from the dead battery as is possible. Do not clamp to the negative post. Possibilities are the engine manifold or the alternator mounting bracket. Be sure no moving parts will touch it once the engine starts.
7) Start the booster vehicle.
8) Start the disabled vehicle. If the engine won’t turn over, switch off the ignition of both cars. Check the connections. Try again.
9) Once the disabled car starts and idles smoothly, disconnect the cables in reverse order (negative ground from disabled car, negative battery post of booster car, positive post of booster car, positive post of disabled car). Make sure not to let the clamps touch one another. Don’t let them come into contact with moving parts or anything that could cause a spark.

NydiaMccartney answers:

The RCA out on the receiver is not powered, it is designed to be used with a powered sub…so you would need an external sub-woofer amp to power your sub, so cables alone will not do the trick,,if you get an amp it will have RCA in and speaker wire out…

NydiaMccartney answers:

Key in the “on” (or “run”) position.

Find out which of the small solenoid terminals is ground. Most likely the one with a black wire attached. If the solenoid only has one small terminal, the housing is ground.

Find out which of the large solenoid terminals leads to the battery.

Option 1 (preferred): connect the large solenoid terminal (from battery) to the small terminal (*NOT* the ground terminal). This does exactly what the key does when turned to “start”. Won’t work if the solenoid is faulty.

Option 2: connect the two large terminals. Same as connecting the starter motor directly to battery. A lethal amount of current will be flowing through your jumper.

You can use a jumper wire with or without clamps, or two screwdrivers, or a pair of pliers.

NydiaMccartney answers:

You can get a new terminal clamp at any auto parts store. They usually come in a package of two because the battery posts are different sizes. Make sure you use the correct one on the negative.

NydiaMccartney answers:

There are no reliable methods to do the fix since I can’t find the alternatives… The only fix you should go for is X-Clamp Fix for E74…

Good luck!

NydiaMccartney answers:

There are two types of opening devices for garage doors. One type uses a large spring on either side off the upper track to help raise the door. The other type of opening device uses a large torsion spring mounted on the header above the garage door or at the top end of the track. You don’t specifically state which type you have, but I assume it’s the older style two spring style.
It takes both springs to properly operate the door. One spring will cause the door to raise crooked, if it can raise at all.
Be careful when repairing/replacing these springs, they can actually KILL. Repair requires getting several people to help straighten the door back and lifting it to the fully raised position. Then use vice clamps on each track to hold the door up. Now the cables and springs should be under no tension and you can remove them. Replacement cables can be purchased at your home improvement store and cut to length AFTER you have reinstalled the springs and cables on the pulleys. Ensure you have an understanding of how the good cable and spring is currently installed as that is the path you follow for the two new cables.