| |
DF3VI > TECHNIK 14.08.04 14:26l 48 Lines 2743 Bytes #999 (998) @ WW
BID : E8EDB0OVN00L
Read: GUEST
Subj: Re^2: Car Battery Confusion.
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<OK0PKL<OK0PPL<DB0RES<DB0LJ<DB0OVN
Sent: 040814/1307z @:DB0OVN.#NRW.DEU.EU [BCM West<>Link-Neus] obcm1.06b23 LT:99
From: DF3VI @ DB0OVN.#NRW.DEU.EU (Patrick)
To: TECHNIK @ WW
X-Info: Sent with login password
Refering to G4XNH and others:
The alternator's output power is depending on the rpm of the motor.
If the motor is running idle, the alternators output is not enough to power
all the electrical consumers in a car, i.e, with headlights on (which is THE
main consumer of current) the battery is supplying most of the current needed
and will eventually be empty.
This changes as soon as you are driving with rpm over 2000 or so (depending on
the car you drive and the number of electric consumers). Then the alternator
gives more power than needed even if all consumers are on.
So a car used on motorways mostly will rarely face an empty battery, while car
s used in cities (with a lot of idle time at red trafic lights, and often
starting of the engine) are in danger of a flat battery after some years.
Yet occasional driving on the motorway (or just outside streets) with speed
will recharge the battery often within half an hour.
Of course charging the battery needs more petrol (gas), so every gadget
turned on adds a little bit to the bill payed at the fuel station.
While a loud radio is still affordable, running the A/C (though this is not
powered by the battery, but directly by the engine) could increase the
consumption up to 50% (when used in city traffic).
Headlights are somewhere between, calculations differ between 5% and 10%
extra fuel consumption if headlights at day become mandataory. So this is a
considerable amount of pollution, too, but has to be weighed against the
increased safety because cars are easier identified in traffic.
Yet there might be loosers, too, because pedestrians and cyclist don't have
lights on (and when you ever have ridden a bike by night you know that no
biker will ever voluntary turn the lights on at daytime) and can be missed
more easily, when driver get used to watch for lights only.
By the way, there are some cars (also in the Golf class, not just the
expensive ones) that already have automatic headlight control. So does my car
turn on the lights when it gets dark, and switches them off when it becomes
light again (works also in tunnels and underpasses).
Buzzers reminding of forgotten lights are nuisance in my eyes. My last car did
this, and I always wandered why they cannot not simply turn the lights off
when the car is locked for parking? The car i had before did this, and my
actuall car does this, too.
Rear fog lamps should have an interlock, not allowing the car to run more than
50 km/h (or 30 miles). Modern electronic would be able to do this. Then
people would be reminded of switching them off again when the sight becomes
clear to drive faster...
73, Patrick
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
