now our prius is the family gas guzzler too.

firepa63 · 12-05-2007, 01:00 PM

Every time one of those French Fry burners goes by me, I have an instant yearning for a Big Mac. I wish your would stop driving around town ... I'm trying to lose weight!

patsparks · 12-05-2007, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveinOlyWA

that is cool that you still have FF to rely on in case of weird weather, bad heaters, etc... but still has exhaust... mine doesnt (*smugness emerges*)...just thought i would point that out...

Does a power station have an exhaust? If you use solar or wind could that be otherwise used to displace coal fired electricity?
Just thought I would point that out ...

**Tideland Prius** · 12-05-2007, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by patsparks

Does a power station have an exhaust? If you use solar or wind could that be otherwise used to displace coal fired electricity?
Just thought I would point that out ...

Washington state is mostly hydro-electric. So is B.C. in Canada.

galaxee · 12-23-2007, 11:06 PM

well, the veg oil takes an inordinately long time to heat up. this is not good when the mornings are relatively cold, and DH will be leaving early in the morning. we don't want to use more diesel than is absolutely necessary.

so he is now busy reformulating the greasecar system. we see now why frybrid costs much more- it's better thought out. over the past few days he has done a lot of research in his free time. he's going to re-route the coolant lines to heat up the veg oil tank, and we're buying a final heat exchanger to heat up the oil to proper temperature before it hits the injectors. that should be enough to get everything going. in the meantime he has not driven much anyway.

school starts in ~2 weeks, so hopefully we can get this done by then. the longer it's inefficient, the bigger the cost to us.

Godiva · 12-24-2007, 12:09 AM

So did you sell the fixed up Lexus at a profit to pay for the veggiebrid?

And does this mean you'll get to drive the Prius again? (Yeah!)

galaxee · 12-24-2007, 12:28 AM

yes, i get to keep "my" car

the lexus is parked, he can't bear to give it up. he has never had a car that meant this much to him- the outpouring of the community to help us and all the time and work he spent to rebuild it, he couldn't do it. i don't blame him.

the short payback time on the veg oil car was a big factor in that too. plus, we can use it for 5 semesters and probably sell it for almost what we paid for it.

Godiva · 12-24-2007, 12:44 AM

That all makes sense.

If you don't plan on driving the Lexus, you can let the insurance and registration go for a few years. I imagine he can start it up and move it around a bit just so it doesn't rot.

BTW and little off-track...I've decided to attend my commencement for my Master's this May. (providing I pass the last course

). I didn't bother with my first Master's but I'm very excited to walk this time.

I want some really nice regalia, but don't want to pay a lot for cheap cr@p. I absolutely want the fluted cartridge pleats but can't afford the high end gowns. So...I've decided to sew my own. Yep....gown and hood. I've done the research. I've done threatrical costuming before so drafting a pattern and doing the pleating doesn't phase me. I own a vintage mortarboard so no problem there. And Santa is giving my my class ring tomorrow night.

I really like the gowns and hoods for the PhD...but not enough to go for one. I swear once I finish this master's and National Board Certification I'm DONE.

As for the VMW...after 5 semesters and all of the work he'll be putting in to it (because you know he will) I imagine you can get MORE than you paid for it.

Rae Vynn · 12-24-2007, 12:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tideland Prius

Washington state is mostly hydro-electric. So is B.C. in Canada.

Actually, one of the larger coal-fired power plants is in the Tri-Cities areas, and there is a Nuclear plant there, as well, that our local PUD draws from.
Yes, Hydro is a significant source, but our electricity comes from pretty diverse sources... I just wish it really were mostly Hydro!

galaxee · 12-24-2007, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Godiva

That all makes sense.

If you don't plan on driving the Lexus, you can let the insurance and registration go for a few years. I imagine he can start it up and move it around a bit just so it doesn't rot.

yep, insurance is going as soon as the veg oil heat issue is taken care of. till then the lexus is cheaper to run. but we usually use the prius.

Quote:

BTW and little off-track...I've decided to attend my commencement for my Master's this May. (providing I pass the last course

). I didn't bother with my first Master's but I'm very excited to walk this time.

congratulations!!!

Quote:

I want some really nice regalia, but don't want to pay a lot for cheap cr@p. I absolutely want the fluted cartridge pleats but can't afford the high end gowns. So...I've decided to sew my own. Yep....gown and hood. I've done the research. I've done threatrical costuming before so drafting a pattern and doing the pleating doesn't phase me. I own a vintage mortarboard so no problem there. And Santa is giving my my class ring tomorrow night.

wow. and here i was all proud of myself for doing a hem stitch on my nice pants for the professional wardrobe change i just made...

sounds like you've got that covered easy then!

Quote:

I really like the gowns and hoods for the PhD...but not enough to go for one. I swear once I finish this master's and National Board Certification I'm DONE.

phds are either masochists or just insane. you pick. five years is becoming a very short phd here in the us, to top it all off...

Quote:

As for the VMW...after 5 semesters and all of the work he'll be putting in to it (because you know he will) I imagine you can get MORE than you paid for it.

i'm not gonna let him restore it perfectly, just repair as needed. i'm irritated that it needs a brake caliper. i'm counting on cashing in on the fact that he will be living in a very enviro-conscious town when he sells

DaveinOlyWA · 12-24-2007, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rae Vynn

Actually, one of the larger coal-fired power plants is in the Tri-Cities areas, and there is a Nuclear plant there, as well, that our local PUD draws from.
Yes, Hydro is a significant source, but our electricity comes from pretty diverse sources... I just wish it really were mostly Hydro!

every month in our electric bill, we get a breakdown of the percentages from various sources... hydro is always the largest portion, even in summer where percentages get as low as 45%...coal is always 2nd unfortunately and can run as high as 40%....

but this month, hydro is at 68%, thanks to flooding i would think. but wind, solar, and "other" (mostly landfill capturing of methane) is getting bigger and is approaching 10%)

the problem with explosive growth in western WA is that peak demands have outrun what hydro could do for us about 15 years ago. that requires natural gas and coal plants to cover the period from 11 am to 7 pm every day. during that time, coal can provide up to 75% of total power.

12-23-2007, 11:06 PM	#14
galaxee uphill battling Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 8,781 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 17	Re: now our prius is the family gas guzzler too. well, the veg oil takes an inordinately long time to heat up. this is not good when the mornings are relatively cold, and DH will be leaving early in the morning. we don't want to use more diesel than is absolutely necessary. so he is now busy reformulating the greasecar system. we see now why frybrid costs much more- it's better thought out. over the past few days he has done a lot of research in his free time. he's going to re-route the coolant lines to heat up the veg oil tank, and we're buying a final heat exchanger to heat up the oil to proper temperature before it hits the injectors. that should be enough to get everything going. in the meantime he has not driven much anyway. school starts in ~2 weeks, so hopefully we can get this done by then. the longer it's inefficient, the bigger the cost to us. __________________ black 2005 prius, tweaked just the way i like it as DH was once told, someone with his capability should be in college, not doing mindless maintenance awaiting the occasional brain teaser. after conquering the entire ASE automotive series, he's busy retooling the diagnostic mindset for other life protecting applications. the prius tech is officially scarce, and his other half is sad without him.

12-24-2007, 12:09 AM	#15
Godiva AmeriKan Citizen Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 8,730 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #1 Nominated 3 Times in 2 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 5	Re: now our prius is the family gas guzzler too. So did you sell the fixed up Lexus at a profit to pay for the veggiebrid? And does this mean you'll get to drive the Prius again? (Yeah!)

12-24-2007, 12:28 AM	#16
galaxee uphill battling Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: central NC/ western WI Posts: 8,781 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: #5 Nominated 5 Times in 3 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 17	Re: now our prius is the family gas guzzler too. yes, i get to keep "my" car the lexus is parked, he can't bear to give it up. he has never had a car that meant this much to him- the outpouring of the community to help us and all the time and work he spent to rebuild it, he couldn't do it. i don't blame him. the short payback time on the veg oil car was a big factor in that too. plus, we can use it for 5 semesters and probably sell it for almost what we paid for it.

12-05-2007, 01:00 PM	#11
firepa63 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: SE Pennsylvania Posts: 290 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Every time one of those French Fry burners goes by me, I have an instant yearning for a Big Mac. I wish your would stop driving around town ... I'm trying to lose weight!