Official Thread for posting daily FE updates

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by theclencher

Codfishing and no-alt aren't free?

Hmmm? Sorry that one went over my head

Originally Posted by jangeo

Running no alternator puts you in the area of grid powered operation which sort of makes you a grid hybrid so you should get moved out of the ICE only class of hypermillers LOL!!!

Good point. What if I'm just using solar?

And what about people using block heaters?

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by Silveredwings

OK Metro, so now you're living an alternatored-lifestyle...not that there's anything wrong with that.

Whoops missed this gem...

Your first clue should have been that all my experiment test runs are bi-directional!!

[JanGeo]

Block heaters I can let slip since you are not adding energy to the system just changing the amount of energy that it looses when off. Sort of like keeping the battery charged because it goes dead if left alone too long. But when you actually run a battery down during driving and then charge it back up after then you enter the relm of the grid charged hybrid where they get great mileage because they have a bigger battery than stock and charge up before a mileage race and run the battery down at the end without counting the energy used from the battery to propel the car. They got hit at the end of the race in the tour-de-sol as I recall.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by JanGeo

Block heaters I can let slip since you are not adding energy to the system just changing the amount of energy that it looses when off.

Ah, see I disagree there. I don't think anyone on GS leaves their block heater plugged in to prevent the engine from cooling down. That would be very wasteful.

We use them specifically to "add energy to the system" an hour or two before start-up - energy that would otherwise have come from burning gasoline.

I don't mind accounting for block heater & grid charging use in fuel economy calculations - using the same EPA formula that Tesla used to derive its "equivalent MPG" figures. But I think Matt's kind of busy these days to be doing extra programming....

This goes back to an old thread here: to level the playing field for all types of vehicles - electric, diesel, gas, CNG, grid/solar hybrid - we should be comparing energy use per distance travelled, not MPG. Would that be watt-hours per km?

[JanGeo]

Before after doesn't matter on the block heater as I said you are just replacing the energy lost - if it was your battery after a week of sitting you would charge it up before you needed it just like the block heater - in the extreem north that you are in WE can cut you some slack - consider the guys in CA and FLA that have warm temps all the time. Heck I am in a heated garage for a month from mid December to early January and that makes a big difference.

[theclencher]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Hmmm? Sorry that one went over my head

Did the codfishing and the no-alt cause premature wear on the battery and starter and starter switch, thus requiring earlier replacement, thus incurring a greater than normal operating cost, thus not being "free"?

[diamondlarry]

My experiment with nICE only(no codfishing) seems to be going well. Today started out at 48F in the morning. The trip to the wife's shop was 46.7. From there to my work was 51.2. This afternoon, the temps rose to ~56F and the trip back to the wife's work was 52.3 and from there to home was 52.2.

[GasSavers_brick]

I haven't posted here in a while so I'll give a little update.

My last few tanks were pretty lousy, partially due to cold weather and partially because my car hates Hugo Chavez. (Ran a couple of tanks with Citgo gas because it's cheap and should be just as good as anything else, but this turned out not to be the case.) My most recent fillup was pretty good, at 36.7mpg. So now I've really cranked up the effort again and have a very good (but young) tank in the works. I actually managed a 40.1mpg afternoon commute yesterday, which hasn't happened since mid-summer.

I should also mention that this has a lot to do with yet another new route, which is designed for a significant reduction in the number of stop signs and traffic signals. Rather than driving 30mph and stopping every mile, I'm driving 40-45mph and stopping every couple of miles or less. CODfishing opportunities are abundant in either direction.

[JanGeo]

On my want back to Newport yesterday by my efficient route I have a slow road that starts in Portsmouth on Quaker hill 270 feet above sea level and I drive south along various roads and hit the STUPID light again at 35mph at the bottom of a downhill grrrrrrrrr and by the time I got down to sea level at second beach I reach 70mpg for that segment. About 7 miles in length.

[smartzuuk]

I've been averaing very close to 70 mpg US since switching over to my skinnies again, and adjusting my gear selection/RPM/speed as prompted by Scanguage... and this is in mixed conditions, to/fr work. These are the bext numbers I've reported for such driving.