Random reminder

Press, 8 July 1983, Page 20

Random reminder

BATTERY POWER

A Templeton man does not have a garage. He keeps his van warm on winter nights with an electric heater which is attached to the front chassis with twisted bits of No. 8 fencing wire. It is only about as powerful as a couple of light bulbs but it keeps the frost off his ignition system. Not only but also in addition as well, furthermore, there is a battery charger beside the battery. It is the work of a moment to lean over and to, and the work of a moment next morning to unclip the, and off he drives. Of courses he uses — Accident Compensation Commission please note — he uses an isolating transformer. To take 240 volts outside on a cold wet night without that obvious precaution would be silly. One does not want to enjoy a hearty breakfast, step outside onto a damp lawn, grab the door handle, and become dead. A friend one day asked for a lift. For

one reason or another, she was running late. Take the van, said the man generously, and snuggled down again. He, lucky fellow, was on a later shift Thanks, said the woman, and took the van. What she didn’t take was the plug out of the transformer. The van did a racing change, hung a left, and vanished thataway, trailing some metres of flex and a lethally flailing three-pin plug. Other road users tooted and waved. Our man threw on a clothe or two and galloped up. Unnecessarily. The woman wound up the cord. She threw it in the back of the van. She explained everything to the onlookers.

It was just an idea of my friend here in the dressing gown, she said. Apparently you can get from Christchurch to Timaru on nine cents worth of electric power. The only trouble is that the extension lead costs $15,000.