Date: Sun, 29 Jul 2007 15:41:06 -0400
Reply-To: mathew Bennett <matsuwesty@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: mathew Bennett <matsuwesty@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject: Re: Van aerodynamics and high output alternators
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Good idea John,
If you needed to, you could have a "quick disconnect" to your trailer for
the video feed and only use the video when the trailer is hooked up.
Matt
Matsuwesty Adventures website: http://home.earthlink.net/~matsuwesty
FAVOR website: http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon
Yahoo FAVOR website: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vanagon_club
> [Original Message]
> From: John Rodgers <inua@charter.net>
> To: mathew Bennett <matsuwesty@EARTHLINK.NET>
> Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Date: 7/29/2007 3:20:17 PM
> Subject: Re: Van aerodynamics and high output alternators
>
> Regards the rear vision, with modern technology it is a relatively
> simple matter ti install a rear mounted security camera connected to a
> monitor of some sort up front. Problem solved.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
> mathew Bennett wrote:
> > I have been reading the info about van aerodynamics with great
interest, as I have been doing some brainstorming of my own in this regard.
The idea of an under body pan under the engine is intriguing. Also, the
idea of rounding the rear of the van has been something I've thought about
and the best idea I can some up with that won't look odd and will provide
some manner of practical use would be a trailer. The trailer can have a
rounded rear, it can be as long as you want it to be, it can be removed
when you don't need it, and you can even attach a "bellows" between the
trailer and the rear of the van to not allow air to become trapped between
the van and the trailer. It won't help our rear vision issue, but you
could use a lower trailer that would allow some rear vision (with no
bellows) and make it long enough to allow the air flow to smooth out off
the back of the van. I have a tandem kayak on the roof-rack of my Westy
frequently and when it's inverted with most of the kayak off the back of
the van (compared to the front), it makes the van much more stable in
crosswinds and my gas mileage increases by about 1-2 mpg. It is acting
like the tail of an airplane to stabilize the van and it also allows the
air over the roof to smoothly go over the roof instead of creating
turbulence.
> > Regarding high-output alternators: make sure you find out what the rpm
range (of your motor, not the alternator) is for charging. Many of these
high-output alternators will put out tons of amps at higher rpms, but when
you are idling they actually discharge your battery. Also, many of these
high-output alternators can damage your electronics in your vehicle. They
can come on with a large current pulse that will damage ECU's, radios,
relays, etc, they can actually create more problems than they fix. Many do
not have "ramp-style" voltage regulators that will protect your
electronics. By ramp-style, I mean that the alternator output comes on
gradually, not suddenly. It's generally less than a second, but enough
time to allow your sensitive electronics to take the increase in input and
not be fried by a large pulse of energy.
> > Just my 4 cents (adjusted inflation),
> >
> > Matt
> >
> >
> > Matsuwesty Adventures website: http://home.earthlink.net/~matsuwesty
> > FAVOR website: http://home.earthlink.net/~clubvanagon
> > Yahoo FAVOR website: http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/vanagon_club
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
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