Alternator v. no alternator - 10% gain @ 70 km/h

[MetroMPG]

FYI, other GS threads that talk about alternators are:

• Alterpower (shutting off alternator)
  
  
• Does the Civic VX have a unique alternator?
  
  
• Power (accessory type) consumption and FE
  
  
• Solar/plug-in 12V system, alternator optional

[95metro]

Anticipate any difficulties switching belts on the roadside? A-B-A testing is going to be a pain...good luck! Us yocals without instant mpg readouts really, really, REALLY appreciate the effort!

[SVOboy]

fuel economy forum
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honda gas mileage

[95metro]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

95Metro, get yourself a superMID, it's the best.

*sigh* I'd love to, but I have far too many demands on my pocketbook already. I've got other repairs on the car that I should get done before I purchase a MID. I'm having a hard enough time scraping together the money for my exhaust.

[krousdb]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

95Metro, get yourself a superMID, it's the best. Every day has become a personal FE challenge for myself, and I find that I'm really pushing it in order to do my very best and paying attention to minute details much much more.

Details man! Details! Post something in the daily updates thread.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by 95metro

Anticipate any difficulties switching belts on the roadside?

No, it's away from the hot stuff, and I only need to adjust one bolt on the alternator to get the OEM belt on/off. The home made bypass belt is basically a big rubber band - pretty easy to get on/off. (v.2 has been in service for about 275 km / 170 miles now without self destructing.)

Originally Posted by SVOboy

95Metro, get yourself a superMID, it's the best.

I agree. Driving without FE instrumentation is like drag racing without seeing your 1/4 mile time at the end of the run, or like lapping and not knowing your lap times... until a week or so later when they come in the mail or something.

[GasSavers_Randy]

Back when I was messing with my alternator, I measured the electrical loads of various things (using a shunt on the alternator output). Not a super-exact test, but it should give a ballpark for smaller cars.

I tested at both voltage settings of the alt, where 14.4 is typical alt voltage, and 12.7 is similar to a fully charged battery. The idle current is subtracted out of the other settings.

Idle: 128w @ 14.4v, 89w @ 12.7v
Rev up to 3500 rpm: +35w, (not tested)
Heater fan setting 1: 55w, 38w
Setting 2: 98, 67
Setting 3: 141, 99
Setting 4: 189, 135
Marker lights: 95, 71
Full lights: 240, 179
A/C (heater fan subtracted, but including condenser fan): 163, 114
Defroster: 104, 77
Wipers 1: 48, 38
Wipers 2: 76, 64
Radiator fan: 144, 83

[rvanengen]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

95Metro, get yourself a superMID, it's the best. Every day has become a personal FE challenge for myself, and I find that I'm really pushing it in order to do my very best and paying attention to minute details much much more.

Darin, you're the beast! I'm starting to understand the concept much better, . In any case, I will try and do some civic testing for you when I get my MID stuff ironed out. I'm hoping to have testing starting (with numbers, but fake ones) after I fill up, but who knows, my gramma will be in towne for graduation, but we'll see!

Good luck!

Do you know where to get one, and if so, are they available for an older Mercedes?

Thanks!

[SVOboy]

Does that mean that a/c is less of a drag than full blast non-cooled air? Of course you need to add the fan to the a/c, but still, do you get me?

[JanGeo]

The AC will drag the engine directly and not present an electrical load except for any clutch power on the pulley and the blower fan. Nice measurements on the car electrical loads!! How about the car computer, fuel pump and ignition loads??