Starting my van with a USB cable
Published: Wed, 01/10/18
Venetia and I treated ourselves to a new toy in the autumn. It comes in a very neat black case, it is about the size of a cigarette packet. (Maybe a little bit larger, it is a long time since I bought a pack of smokes, but not much.) It has a pair of leads with crocodile clips and it can start our van or our car from a flat battery. What is more it uses the power from the USB connection on my computer to kick an otherwise dead vehicle into life.
I have always known how to start a car with a flat battery. My father taught me how to do a jump start from another vehicle before I even learned how to drive. Also, how to do a bump start, if you can just get the vehicle rolling fast enough. However, to jump you need the small matter of another vehicle nearby and the right kind of leads. To bump start you need either a slope (and the car pointing the right way) or a couple of strong friends to push it. With the power pack you just take it out of its case, plug in the lead, clip it onto the battery terminals and off you go. I have no idea how it works, it must have a battery and some very clever electronics in there but that is all I can guess at.
As I mentioned earlier it also recharges from a USB connection, just a like a mobile phone. If I where to connect the USB socket directly from computer to a car battery I suspect the computer would blow up. The higher voltage and amperage, even from a discharged car battery, would be more than the lap top could handle. I might be wrong but I don’t intend to find out. When the USB has charged the power pack, then the device can then start a 2 litre diesel engine or a 4 litre petrol engine. Believe me that is quite a bit of effort. We have tested it several times. (Battery needed replacing on the car and the alternator died in my van. Both now replaced but I still carry the powerpack just in case I do something silly like leave the lights on or I can help someone else who is stuck.)
As you can tell I am rather impressed with our electronic toy and it is both a clever and very useful piece of kit. It also demonstrates the principle of concentrating energy. The USB socket puts out about 2amps at 5 volts to charge the powerpack, the powerpack concentrates that energy to 12 volts and up to 400 amps when starting a vehicle. Effectively up to 200 times more power comes out than went in. All done by a little black box that I can slip into my trouser pocket and almost forget is there.
Sorry about the technical stuff if clever electronics are not your thing. (Although you must be reading this on a computer of some kind so don’t pretend that technology has nothing to do with your life.)
What intrigues me is the principle of focusing a little energy and creating a powerful result. Stav uses a similar principle with something as simple as the 16 runes. On one level the runes are just symbols yet they are the keys to accessing a vast range of knowledge and wisdom. The Havamal says it best in Stanza 141 ‘Word leads to word, deed leads to deed and so I began to quicken and be wise, to grow and to prosper.’ The knowledge, the idea, the inspiration may start off small and grow slowly but, with patience, concentration and accumulation of energy, remarkable things can be accomplished.
The martial training in Stav is about using the power you already have and concentrating your efforts for maximum effect. The stances, the web lines and the principles of Stav all enable you to focus your power for appropriate effect. Potentially you have all the power you need to fulfill any intention. Just like my little lap top has enough power to start my van. The clever part is acquiring the means to use that power in the right way. To start an engine I need my power pack. In martial terms I just need to match action and movement to the intention. To learn how how to do this the stances, web and principles are our guide. Check out the seminars in the next three months if you want to know how to focus your energy to maximum effect. Training in Beverley at http://iceandfire.org.uk/train.html or in Somerset on the 7th of April http://iceandfire.org.uk/somerset.html
regards
Graham
PS As well as the martial training I am also ready to launch a foundation programme for introducing the runes and how to incorporate them into your life. The idea was to combine distance learning modules and a day seminar. However, I have had inquiries from contacts in the USA who seem to think that making it to Beverley for a day seminar would be a bit of an effort. I guess they have a point. So, I am willing to test the distance learning modules alone and maybe experiment with something like a webinar at a later date. Please see the foundation page for details http://iceandfire.org.uk/foundation.html whether or not you think you can make it to a seminar in person or not.