Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2021 July 31

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July 31

How can I know my vehicle is power steering or normal steering ?

How can I know my vehicle is power steering or normal steering ? Rizosome (talk) 15:13, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

RTFM? Mike Turnbull (talk) 15:59, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

(ec)Well, if you have a fairly modern car, you probably do have power-steering - I think it's now fairly ubiquitous, at least in advanced markets. Otherwise, try turning the wheel in the standing car, with the engine on and the engine off. If you have power-steering, it will be a lot easier with the engine on. Another, under-appreciated option: Check the owner's manual ;-). --Stephan Schulz (talk) 16:03, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

• If it's the common hydraulic kind, power steering may keep working for a little while (at least a few seconds, I don't know) until it loses hydraulic pressure after the engine is turned off. So test it by turning the steering wheel first when the car has been parked a while, then starting the engine and trying again. As for the owner's manual, it may say things like "if you have power steering, then...", which is not helpful for this purpose. --184.144.99.72 (talk) 21:22, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

The last car I had without power steering was a 1985 Ford Sierra. Alansplodge (talk) 18:27, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

Mine was a 1984 Ford EXP. As noted several times, it is basically "standard equipment" in modern cars (anything from the last 20 years or so). I have a very bare-bones 2013 Kia Soul now. It doesn't even have power mirrors, but it has power steering. --Jayron32 18:19, 4 August 2021 (UTC)

Nowadays power steering is normal steering. One rare exception: the Alfa Romeo 4C: "To save weight and increase steering feel, the 4C has no power steering." Bumptump (talk) 21:19, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

Turn on the car motor and turn the steering wheel back and forth with the car in neutral (not moving). Then turn off the motor and turn the steering wheel back and forth. If you have to muscle the steering wheel around when the motor is not running, but it moves easily when the motor is running, that is the power steering (which is driven by the car motor) assisting you. 2601:648:8202:350:0:0:0:2B99 (talk) 19:05, 1 August 2021 (UTC)

Via ferratas and lightning rods

Do the metal cables used in a via ferrata turn, during a thunderstorm, into unwanted lightning rods? What would happen to the climber near the cable or touching it in the case of a lightning strike? --Bumptump (talk) 21:13, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

They would probably be injured or killed. Having said that, anyone on the side or peak of a mountain during a thunderstorm, even in the absence of such attractors, is already at risk from being struck by lighting – two women were killed injured on the summit of Snowdon earlier this week. {The poster formerly known as 87.81.230.195} 2.122.57.208 (talk) 21:29, 31 July 2021 (UTC)

They're grounded every few meters though... Abductive (reasoning) 23:51, 31 July 2021 (UTC)