MTFCA Forum

This coming Tuesday will be 6 weeks post open heart surgery for me. I had the works done, double bypass, two valves replaced, a MAZE procedure for afib and a pacemaker installed for a heart block. Anxious to get back to working on T projects. Any thoughts on when that can happen? I'm scheduled for cardiac rehab in January and I expect it will be some time before my strength returns. I am shooting for resuming T related activities in early spring. Am I too optimistic?

I am hoping the best for you. Each person is a little different. Just follow the doctor's orders and you will have many more years to enjoy the model t.

Art Mirtes

There's no such thing as "too optimistic". The more positive and optimistic you are, the quicker you get better and things happen the way you want them. Don't over do it of course, but don't slow down! Good luck and God Bless.

Richard having been down some of that road I can share with you that your Doctor will help you with the can and can not do but that being said my cardiologist wanted me to begin activity quickly though limited to certain things. As a college & fraternal friend he perhaps is less guarded in what he thinks but his recommendation of get busy living or get busy dying was the admonition based on following his recovery/diet plan for me post surgery. He definitely wanted me active with moderation that would lesson as I recovered. Best to you and your successful recovery. Oh an try not to sneeze!

I think it will depend on just what you are doing on a Model T. If you are tinkering and adjusting areas that is one thing but if you are pulling motors and transmissions that is a whole different story.

Agreed. I was contemplating pulling a motor and rebuilding a Perfecto. Cardiac rehab focuses on cardio endurance not strength training. I am starting a limited strength training program this week. Of course I'm limited to 5 lbs resistance at first. Hoping I can get back to T stuff this spring.

Get a buddy to help with the heavy lifting. Might be a good time to mentor someone new to the hobby.

The rehab was most helpful for me 11 years ago. Monitored activity at the right pace can be the best.
Keeping a positive attitude goes a long way too.
I'm starting rehab next week. I got a new aortic valve last Monday and 2 stints a week previously. Fortunately they could work through femoral arteries and have me home the next day. I hope you had some of the brilliant doctors and technicians like I did. I should be cranking T's in a few weeks rather than 4 months when they cracked my chest. As mentioned, each case is different.
Best wishes.
Rich

After triple bypass, I was back to work in 10 weeks. I limited myself to what I could do within the Dr's recommend weight limitations. I was able to crank my T 6 Mos. post surgery. Good luck with your recovery. Resist doing things to fast. Your body will let you know how you are really doing.

Richard, I had a QUAD bypass back in April 2009. I thought I'd never recover, at least for FOUR months. When I left the hospital to go home, I was on constant oxygen. Without it, I couldn't walk from one room in the house to the next without getting "winded". I couldn't venture outside except to go to the car for a doctor's appointment for probably a month. It seems I couldn't walk a half a block to the mailbox in my subdivision for at least a month, maybe longer. The hospital gave me a gizmo to blow into that was supposed to exercise my lungs and strengthen them. At first i couldn't even make the gizno even register when I was blowing into it. Gradually, things got better and my lungs, improved. I was only 61 at the time. I'm still alive at 73, but have had a Cardio Aversion and a Cardio Ablation, both this year in 2021. I'm still short of breath and know I'll never be able to do the things that I did before the QUAD bypass. I hope your recovery is easier for you.

Richard, the doctors discovered that I needed a Cardiac stent while I was recovering from Covid. I too am going through Cardiac Rehab. It is slow going, but little by little you will get better. Just take your time.

Everyone is different. It depends on how your health is otherwise. Just get some help when you need it, and follow what the doctor tells you. Also wait until the weather is warm but not too hot. And start out with a few minutes at first, then gradually increase the time spent until you find the point where you begin to feel tired, but not exhausted. Ask your doctor when you can begin and if you feel unusual pain ask the doctor about it. Many years ago my father got a 5 way heart bypass when he was about 70. He was able to climb some hills and walk fast and have a very good recovery until about 87 when he had a massive stroke and shortly thereafter he passed. But he lived much longer and in quite good health past the average life expectancy.
Norm

As others have mentioned, your body will tell you when it’s time!
After going through a near death experience and major treatment for Leukaemia last December I made several trips to the Garage with high expectations of what I was going to do on the T’s .... alas, the first few were aborted after struggling to
walk to the cars as I used them to lean on to recover before the short walk back!

Gradually improved over the months back to normal. Good luck!

Alan in Western Australia where it’s 44 Deg c today

Listen to your body. It will let you know if you are doing too much or when it is ready for you to pickup the pace. Just ask your doctor what and how much you can do and be pro active. Get him to make a list of exercises that you can do to stimulate and strengthen your heart and buildup your endurance and do them as much as possible. Good luck. Jim Patrick

A year or so ago there was a discussion of the possible effects of a Model T magneto on a pacemaker implant. That should be a subject of interest to any T'er who has a pacmaker.

I did a quick search of our archives and did find the thread. It was somewhat informative, but not conclusive. The essence of the thread was that the strong electromotive output of a T magneto might cause a malfunction of a pacemaker.

The upshot of the discussion seemed to be that there PROBABLY was no huge concern. However, considering the seriousness of the concern, no absolute guarantees were offered.

The biggest problem appears to be that there are several rather arcane speciaties involved. And I doubt tat there is any one persone who has detailed knowldge in all the relavent sciences. First of course, is the medical aspect. Second would be the manufacturing standards for pacemakers. Is there a regulatory body for the sensitivity of pacemakers to EMF ? Are pacemakers designed to fail-safe ? Then, of course, the magneto itself. Are all Model T magnetos pretty much the same, regardless of condition or year ?

If a preliminary study indicated that the risks are miniscule, then the concern ends right there. But if there are some variables, such as safe distance, magneto condition, which type pacemaker, then there may be more need for study.

The other approach to the overall question is the practical one. Historical experience. Has anyone ever heard of a serious magneto/pacemaker interaction ? The forum could be a great repository for such knowledge. Is there a way for the moderator to create a standing section for people to post their actual experiences ?

I have not heard from anyone locally who might have had that problem. I suspect there are some pacemakers among club members. I do know this, however, A model T running engine will jam AM radios for about 300'. I verified this by running my T at fast idle and driving a modern car with AM radio and that is about how far it made noises. I think it is the spark in the ignition coils and plugs which cause it not the magneto.
Norm

There is more than one thread to refer to.

After my father received a pace-maker, I looked into it. Searching the internet brought up Boston Scientific's safety matrix, a very informative matrix of what his pace-maker could and could not handle. At the time, I posted the information, it's source, and link. Here it is again: https://www.bostonscientific.com/conten ... _Guide.pdf

The Model T magneto should not create an EMF field which would cause a malfunction unless you tried to make love to it, and even then there are probably worse things to worry about. When he discussed the issue with the tech who checks the history and remaining battery life of his device, the tech said that at worst it MIGHT erase data.

From a purely practical standpoint, my dad drives his Ts almost daily during good weather, tinkers with it all the time, and after years of having a pacemaker, has yet to encounter any trouble.

Now, ask your Dr. and he/she will likely default to: "It might cause trouble, so find a new hobby".

If it was me, I would take that ill-informed, "don't-do-anything-that-will-cause-you-to-sue-me" answer to be just what it is...

Richard,

We will be praying for a safe and speedy recovery. As was mentioned many times above don't go past the doctor's recommendations for lifting weight. It is probably time to drive or ride more in the T rather than time to start a chassis restoration. Of course rebuilding a carburetor etc. is a lot less weight than a rear axle etc.

Non-electric start? Find a friend who wants to go for a ride and have them crank it for you. When adjusted properly and working properly they shouldn't back fire -- but I wouldn't want to take that chance until I was completely healed.

Best of luck!

Hap l9l5 cut off

Wow Richard, I didn't realize you had all that work done! PT should help you get back into motion, praying for a speedy recovery for you! Kim

Scott_Conger wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 27, 2021 12:18 pm

There is more than one thread to refer to.

After my father received a pace-maker, I looked into it. Searching the internet brought up Boston Scientific's safety matrix, a very informative matrix of what his pace-maker could and could not handle. At the time, I posted the information, it's source, and link. Here it is again: https://www.bostonscientific.com/conten ... _Guide.pdf

The Model T magneto should not create an EMF field which would cause a malfunction unless you tried to make love to it, and even then there are probably worse things to worry about. When he discussed the issue with the tech who checks the history and remaining battery life of his device, the tech said that at worst it MIGHT erase data.

From a purely practical standpoint, my dad drives his Ts almost daily during good weather, tinkers with it all the time, and after years of having a pacemaker, has yet to encounter any trouble.

Now, ask your Dr. and he/she will likely default to: "It might cause trouble, so find a new hobby".

If it was me, I would take that ill-informed, "don't-do-anything-that-will-cause-you-to-sue-me" answer to be just what it is...

Thanks for mentioning this as I saw the post and Richard Gould mentioned "pacemaker" . I often wonder since you're sitting on a small generator how it would affect the electronics.
In same regard i always ask people before i magnaflux a part while they're watching to say stand back, just in case.

Some good answers here. Maybe we have enough collective experience to say the risk is very remote. Another variation on the pacemaker/magneto theme occurred to me:

What about using a hand cranked magneto tester ? In that case, the magneto is completely unshielded and the operator's body is very close Do you suppose that's a problem ?

Norm Kling raised an interesting point about AM radio interference. Once, while driving my modern car with the AM radio going, I met a tour of A's and T's coming in the opposite direction. You could tell which was an A and which was a T just by listening to the radio. A's passed with nary a sound. When a T passed the radio static was very significant as each car came within 100-200 feet.

Dick

John, that is probably prudent advice...

Dick & Norm, EMI and RFI, while similar are NOT the same. Intimate proximity to strong enough EMI MIGHT but will not definitely pose an issue with a pacemaker, and while RFI from the ignition will likely goof up your Blaupunkt, it will not screw up your hearten-sparken.

Richard,

Glad to hear you are doing so well after all that. I watched my Dad go through the same thing many years ago and it took time but he did recover and was able to pretty much do everything he could do before. The advice you have from here is good and your Dr. will tell you what is best but when you are ready for it I recommend at least a ride in a T as your first step. Things will improve from then on.

I don't think the Model T magneto is a very effective RF generator. For one thing, it is fully enclosed in the flywheel housing. for another, it has no brushes or commutator. For yet another, it is a very low frequency device, and not likely to radiate much RF via the car's wiring. The 6 volt generator is probably a much more effective RF emitter. The T ignition system is another matter entirely. The earlier models with the coil box inside the car and with long high tension leads to the spark plugs, and older cars with wooden dashboards and wooden coil boxes are probably the worst. The coils themselves are encased in wood, and the vibrator points and the coil and associated wiring, both low and high tension, constitute an excellent broadband Hertzian RF transmitter. I do not know whether the RF radiation is a hazard to pacemakers. I do know that older CRT television sets emitted a lot of RF that affected AM radios anywhere nearby. Many LED lights emit RF that affects AM radios. In many areas, industrial electric motor drives, welders, plasma cutters, and other equipment causes very strong AM radio interference and strong magnetic fields near the equipment. Then there's natural lightning , a very powerful broadband RF emitter, and flourescent lighting, some household appliances like vacuum cleaners and blenders, mixers, and more, including perhaps microwave ovens, most any kind of welder, and yet more. AM radios emit RF. Then there's CB, cell phones, microwave towers, high tension power lines, NOAA radar stations, and much more.

Working on T's is in your blood Richard. I know you want to get back to normal, but do what the doctor says!

Here is an informative youtube video on the effect magnets have on pacemakers. This is good news for all of us with pacemakers owning Model Ts with magnetos. I couldn't capture more than the title but encourage all of you with pacemakers to watch it!
It's called Medtronic pacemakers and ICDs and how they react to magnets . . .