Date: Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:02:30 -0500
Reply-To: Kai Mei <kai@NEWCLEAR.US>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kai Mei <kai@NEWCLEAR.US>
Subject: Re: Hid AUX lamps GoWesty's headlight upgrade kit
In-Reply-To: <473A2603.7030103@gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
Ah, but you never heard me say you would save gas. I said it was more
energy efficient, which it IS AND probably better lighting than an H4
setup with overwattage bulbs.
Don't some VW's come with 35A alternators?
If I delete 15 amps of load from my nighttime running that's the same
as upgrading to a 15A bigger alternator at night. If you have high
electrical draws (second battery?, inverter, fridge, stereo, winch,
electric bozzel?), you may appreciate that. I can't imagine with two
otherwise equal choices, I'd take the one that draws 140 watts extra
all the time.
There was just a thread about how long you can drive after your alt
conks out, remember?
On Nov 13, 2007, at 5:32 PM, Michael Elliott wrote:
> As I understood it, the question was about energy efficiency, not
> whether you are running up to the limit of your alternator, or how
> long your battery will last with the lights on and the engine not
> running.
>
> Let's say that a Vanagon gets, say, 17mpg at 50mph. One hour of
> driving uses 3 gallons of gasoline, which packs 115,000 btu/gallon.
> So 345,000 btu/hour of energy needed to drive that 50 miles, which
> is equivalent to over 100,000 Watts.
>
> So, how important is the difference between 160 or 300 Watts of
> power going to the headlights when compared to 100,000 watts moving
> the van?
>
> --
> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
> KG6RCR
>
> On 11/13/2007 1:47 PM Kai Mei wrote:
>
>> Well, you only have so many amps in your alternator, and your
>> battery...
>> This is more light on the road, and less heat. Say your running
>> down the road with 300 w of low beam and fogs...
>> You could conceivably be doing better with 100w low and 60w HID.
>> On Nov 13, 2007, at 3:17 PM, Michael Elliott wrote:
>>>
>>> On 11/13/2007 9:11 AM Kai Mei wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> $349 might be better that the Square H4's... Gotta be more
>>>> efficient
>>>> energy wise.
>>>
>>> I gotta ask: how much impact would the energy efficiency of the
>>> bulbs have on overall fuel consumption? Close to zero is my guess.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>>> 71 Type 2: the Wonderbus
>>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>>> KG6RCR
>>>
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