Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2012 09:51:03 -0400
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Electric conversions (Chevy Volt)-some trivia
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I know it is no longer Friday but just thought I would share this. Back in
1980 or so I worked at a vacuum tube manufacturer, North American Philips.
Not only did they make tubes some of remember, they made a lot of large and
military stuff. You haven't seen a vacuum tube until you've connected water
hoses to for cooling. Well anyway since many parts and the glass blowing
operations needed flames with no residue Hydrogen was used. We also needed
nitrogen to blanket parts as they were heat treated or off gassed in special
ovens. We had ammonia crackers to separate the hydrogen and nitrogen from
ammonia. They were basically electric furnaces with catalytic reactors. I
don't remember what the catalyst was but everything was always red hot. All
the hydrogen piping in the plant was done in brass ensure no sparks. From
what I remembered the process worked well but those furnaces took a lot of
energy.
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Tom Hargrave
Sent: Saturday, September 15, 2012 12:56 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Electric conversions (Chevy Volt)
Electricity for electric vehicles comes from natural gas or coal burned at
the local power plant, unless you live near a Nuclear Power Plant like I do.
Electricity are nothing more than intermediate forms of energy and your
"electric vehicle" is still indirectly burning fossil fuels.
Hydrogen is even worse since the only way to produce enough hydrogen to
power vehicles to day is through the use of electricity!!!!!
Thanks, Tom Hargrave
www.stir-plate.com
www.towercooler.com
www.kegkits.com
www.grow-sun.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of
Scott Daniel - Turbovans
Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 11:36 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Electric conversions (Chevy Volt)
Obviously the shift from the Age of Oil to the Age of the Electron will
happen, has to happen.
I would also say there is a serious problem, in the bigger picture, about
where all this electricity will come from.
And it is inevitable that this is the direction things will have to go, out
with fossil fuel, in with alternatives such as electricity , hydrogen, etc.
There's no 'free' electricity yet , not by a long shot. We get that going,
we might have something.
I am highly in favor of the personal car .. ( as oppossed to mass transit
say ) just not big thirsty ones like the common giant pick up truck used
where I live. It's like 40 % of local-use vehicles.
Often with just one person in them, and not so much as a small tool box in
that big vehicle.
I saw a 90 pound woman driving the hugest newest Dodge pick-up the other day
..
she sure looked silly to me, in a vehicle that has the capacity to carry a
dozen people her size.
really ..americans 'overuse' fossil fuels massively ! It's embarrassing
even.
Don't even get me started..
a 'good american' is supposed to have a very large expensive car or truck or
SUV , or 5 of them ...
and a huge house.
What is wrong with this picture ? A lot I'd say ! -:)
Over-consumption run amok , seems to me.
Mean while so many don't have a decent income or enough food to eat.
What is up with that ! ! ?
Perhaps humans will muddle through in the end anyway ...and let's not hold
our breathe.
smiles, S.
On 9/14/2012 8:17 PM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> My company in its effort to be green has installed a dual charging
> station in two of our facilities and let electric car owners us them
> free
of charge.
> We have a brother/sister pair with a "Volt" each, one black (his) and
white.
> The two of them just rave about driving them. I am curious though if
> they are effective for long distance use say NY to Florida. I am
> currently down in Florida and ended up renting a 2011 Ford Focus. In
> mixed driving it is still doing ~33mpg. Doing highway from the airport
> to moms house it was doing almost 40mpg. Except for lots of tire noise
> from worn out tires, the slipping transmission, and confusing controls
> at first I am almost beginning to like it!
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of Kim Brennan
> Sent: Friday, September 14, 2012 10:23 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Electric conversions (Chevy Volt)
>
> I recently replaced my main commuter car with a (leased) 2013 Chevy Volt.
> I'm addicted to electric only (300+ all electric miles only on it
> since I got it.)
>
> I know, in the past, a few folk have done electric conversions (not
> necessarily members of this list). And loaded up the van with lots of
> (lead
> acid) batteries and got something like 16 miles per charge out the
> conversions.
>
> But times have changed. There are other battery choices and more
> choices in electric motors. Did Otto(? or was it Detmar?) with his
> stretch ever get the front wheels running in electric motor?
>
-----
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