PV Gap

Paula Said:

Please can anyone answer my GCSE DT questionnaire?

We Answered:

1) What Gender are you?
• Male

2) What age range are you in?
• Less than and including 19 years

3) What type of shop do you buy lamps in?
• Supermarkets

4) In what price range would you buy a lamp?
• £0 - £9


5) What genre of lamp do you prefer?
• Modern

6) What gender do you think a lamp should be aimed at?
• Both

7) What materials would you prefer a modern lamp to be made out of?
• Plastic

8) What type of lamp do you use most?
• Spot light/desk lamp

9) In what size range would you prefer a lamp to be?
• 15cm - 29cm

10) What do you mainly use lamps for?
• Working - desk lamp


11) How would you prefer a lamp to be powered?
• Mains


12) How long do you use a lamp for on an average day?
• 0 - 1 hours

13) What type of colours would you prefer it to be?
• Dark colours


14) When would you be most likely to use a lamp?
• Winter

15) Would you prefer a lamp to have a theme?
• No

16) If so a theme on what?
Non applicable.

Freddie Said:

Is it good to be interested/study/learn different and random things ?

We Answered:

I do the exact same thing as you. Occasionally I get interested in random hobbies and spend a lot of time learning about different things. But for me, my number one priority is school and for you it should be to. It's good that your random studies will make you well versed in a variety of subjects, but if you can't get into a good college because of your grades, then there's not much hope for your future. I would recommend getting a tutor and keeping your grades up, but by no means stop your hobbies because it's always good to keep your mind mentally stimulated.

Billy Said:

Is there a device that runs on batteries until they run out and then switches to AC current?

We Answered:

Most domestic appliances are designed to run at mains AC so you may have a problem running much. There are, of course, inverters that convert battery power to ac main voltage and are quite cheap especially if you keep your dc batteries at 12v.

The circuit to change from battery to mains is fairly simple. A correctly sized zener diode can close a relay (dc coil). If the battery voltage falls, the relay will drop out and some "normally closed" contacts apply the mains. When the battery voltage gets back above the zener voltage, the mains will be removed.