RC Car Information – What to Know and How to Buy

For all ages, young and old, RC cars can be an extremely satisfying hobby. It never gets old, watching a little pint-sized motor spin at thousands of rpm’s and push a miniature car body along at speeds up to 100 MPH! But before you go out and buy an RC model, there are a few questions you need to have answered, such as: What company should I buy from, what size do I want, what motor type…?One of the more important aspects is what company to buy from. There are many companies to choose from, some have better quality cars than others. So figure out if you can afford something in the $100′s or in the $1000′s. If you plan on going into tournament racing, some companies are more into competitive racing, and so are more expensive. Other companies make cars that are not as durable and can’t compete under the tough conditions of a tournament race. Some cars can go for hours without breaking down and with little wear and tear.Another important aspect is the kind of motor to buy: electric or nitro. Electric motors come in two different categories, brushed motors or brushless motors. On average, brushless motors are faster…and more expensive. Nitro motors are fast too, usually faster than their electric counterparts. And of course, along with speed comes the routine of having to fuel the nitro cars – nitro isn’t cheap, about $ a can of oz. And electric cars you have to recharge.Lastly, you have to decide what size of RC car you would like. They vary in size from 1:64 to 1:3 (meaning they are 1/64th to 1/3rd the size of the original car). The 1:10 model is the most common. It is easier to find parts for the more common size like the 1:10 and they are easier to find places to race or ride.When choosing an RC company to buy from then, you have to consider whether they have the model you are looking for, the right type of motor, the right quality, and the right price range. Not all parts from the different companies models will work on all cars, as there are variations in the way some things are put together.UPGRADINGWhen you finally have your car and have taken it out for a spin, you may find you want to upgrade or customize it, usually people do this to make it even faster (though they come pretty fast right out of the box). It can get complicated. You need to know if the motor will work along with the ESC (the Electronic Speed Control, which is the brains of the car). Also, you have to make sure you have the right size of battery – voltage and amp-hours. Higher voltage equals higher rpm’s and higher Amp Hours equals longer time between charges. Some motors have a limit on how much voltage they will work with, so you have to check into that.ESC = should be rated higher than the motor… and brushed ESC’s are different than brushless ESC’s.Battery = should have a higher discharge rate than motor. They have special chargers for these batteries also (LiPo batteries)Motor = Higher RPM you want then you want higher KV rating. But that also means less torque, so for an off-road car, you would need to balance that number with what you need for torque.Another way to upgrade or change the speed is by changing the gear of the motor on the output shaft. Less teeth equal less torque but more higher-end speed.ON-ROAD, OFF-ROAD, and DRIFT CARSRC cars can also be either on-road, off-road, or drift cars. Drift cars have special smooth wheels that spin the car out around corners – make it ‘drift’ – and so speed isn’t the primary issue, though they do go pretty fast. It’s the ability to control the drift around corners. Pretty neat to watch!On-road cars have regular wheels, just like your family car. Off-road cars or buggies, are either trucks or buggies, and have knobby tires to help them grab into the dirt. Or jump off ramps.TO GET STARTEDFigure out what your budget is, search for a manufacturer or distributor that has a model you like and the parts you need (and good customer service), and get started. Remember, you may want to upgrade, or you may be completely satisfied with everything right out of the box. Then educate yourself on the finer aspects of the hobby, and enjoy!

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What Services Can You Expect With Home Health Care?

Home health care is a way to make like easier for the elderly to be able to continue living at home instead of a retirement home. But what does that mean exactly? What services can you expect? While all service providers are different and the quality of each varies, here are a few things many of them offer to help you with your decision making:Companionship – The best trained care givers can do double-duty as a health care professional and a friend to the elderly patient. These people enjoy working with seniors and will engage in conversation, take the patient out on errands or will just sit a play a game of Scrabble with them.Meal Planning – While not found with all agencies, some will not only help plan special meals for special needs, but they will shop for groceries, prepare dinners and clean up afterward as well.Errand Running – Just like the rest of us, seniors have errands to run too and sometimes it is just nice to get out of the house. Thankfully, many agencies include affordable transportation to and from doctor visits, trips to the drug store and other necessary stops.Medication – Qualified home care personnel will keep track of your loved one’s medications by sorting the pills and making a log that explains which medicine gets administered at what time. This helps everyone; patients, family members and care givers, know when and what their loved one received so that the patient does not get over-medicated.Bathing – Home health care professionals should assist the elderly with their daily grooming activities including bathing, combing their hair and ease in and out of the bathtub. Some will even assist with make up if needed. There is one of those areas where keeping the client’s dignity is important.Paying Bills – Keeping on top your finances is difficult for everyone not just seniors. Some health care providers will help the patient keep their bills organized and paid in a timely manner.Special Needs – Some agencies are well prepared to take care of patients dealing with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Dementia care. These diseases can be troubling and tiresome for family care givers, so let the agency take some of the slack. Some agencies even provide Hospice Care when needed who not only care for the client, but for you too. Be sure that the agency you choose specializes in these if needed.Finally, be sure to see if the agency you want is able to provide the right nurse to do the job well regarding wound care, insulin shots and direct medication administration. Don’t settle for less when it comes to home health care. If the agency you want can’t provide what is needed, walk away.

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