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birddseedd · #51 10-25-2012, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dareo

Any significant electrical load takes more fuel. My stereo ccan consume up to 800 watts at full crank. That is over 1/2 hp of electricity. An alternator is lucky to be 50% efficient at best. So making 800 watts can take a full horsepower or more of engine power.

If you have a regular radio with no other equipment it is not significant.

that is not how amperage works. iv studied electrical theory. your alternator is able to put out a ceratin amerage, the engery losses of doing this are due from friction within the bearings and electro motor inside the alternator. this friction does not magicialy dissapier if you are not using the amps.

dang my spelling sucks.

oh. hehe. also turnign on a light does not take more electricity than running a light.

32vld · #52 10-25-2012, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by birddseedd

that is not how amperage works. iv studied electrical theory. your alternator is able to put out a ceratin amerage, the engery losses of doing this are due from friction within the bearings and electro motor inside the alternator. this friction does not magicialy dissapier if you are not using the amps.

dang my spelling sucks.

oh. hehe. also turnign on a light does not take more electricity than running a light.

Then why is there always a peak surge when a circuit is energized?

dareo · #53 10-26-2012, 12:05 AM

Here is an interesting read about alternators and mpg. http://www.metrompg.com/posts/alternator-optional.htm

I messed up my calculation earlier. For some reason i was thinking 1 hp was 1500 watts. So if my stereo draws a full 800 watts that is really over 1hp of energy required, at a cost of about 2 hp engine mechanical power. That is nothing to sneeze at. You might need 20 hp to keep your truck going 60 mph, tire size tread and psi, ride height, aerodynamics, and all engine accesories make this number vary a lot. I would guess an automotive AC compressor's mechanical load is another 3-5 hp. If your typical cruising speed is 45 mph or less, the HP needed to maintain speed is quite low and the percentage of fuel used for A/C and alternator loads is much higher.

If i am wrong, HHO generators would work. But they don't, since they take a lot of direct current and the alternator load cancels any benefits of burning the HHO. Another gimmick that would work if i was wrong: Electric superchargers.

Sorry to see this thread go off topic. However, a 6 cylinder truck is about MPG and any way to increase it = more money in your pocket.

dareo · #54 10-26-2012, 12:48 AM

I just found the page with specific speeds and horsepower data for a second gen ram diesel truck: http://articles.mopar1973man.com/gen...o-improve-mpgs

It was 27.7 hp at 45 mph, 50 hp at 55 mph, 74.6hp at 65 mph, your truck will vary. but you can see the effects of speed vs hp required.

A V6 truck is more than enough to do the job, and if you can keep throttle inputs moderate, you will get better MPG than a V8.

birddseedd · #55 10-26-2012, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dareo

I just found the page with specific speeds and horsepower data for a second gen ram diesel truck: http://articles.mopar1973man.com/gen...o-improve-mpgs

It was 27.7 hp at 45 mph, 50 hp at 55 mph, 74.6hp at 65 mph, your truck will vary. but you can see the effects of speed vs hp required.

A V6 truck is more than enough to do the job, and if you can keep throttle inputs moderate, you will get better MPG than a V8.

when i had my 4cyl i could barley even get on the highway with a trailer. think 60 max.

Boaz · #56 10-26-2012, 04:13 PM

Well, I gave in and bought a nicely maintained used 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel. I think it will pull mowers just fine!

birddseedd · #57 10-26-2012, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boaz

Well, I gave in and bought a nicely maintained used 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel. I think it will pull mowers just fine!

Itl pull more than my truck.

dareo · #58 10-26-2012, 09:53 PM

Way to go man, those [non GM] 90s diesels are the best. Trucks newer than the 7.3 were only made to satisfy emissions and cost a fortune to fix.

Groomer · #59 11-01-2012, 10:47 AM

been using this F150 XL V6 for lawn service sice 99, been a great truck. Thinking about getting a new one so this will be up 4sale, only 83,000 miles on it.