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What planet are you people living on?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by PriusTouring07, Aug 5, 2007.

  1. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    Or maybe I'm living on a different planet! I don't know, but where I live and where most of you live, different laws of physics seem to apply.

    1) Everyone here seems to believe A/C affects MPG

    - I live in the 120F Nevada desert, my A/C is always on, except when I did my test. My test proved there is no difference in MPG with or without the A/C. And if there is, it's a mile or less. Toyota even says that A/C MIGHT affect MPG slightly in the new models, but definitely not as much as in the older ones.

    2) Most "experts" here seem to insist that what you lose going up a hill, you can't fully regain going down.

    - Bull! Going up and down steep Utah mountains proved that theory wrong. Last night, I decided to test that theory on a very steep mountain, 40 mins outside Vegas, see if it makes a difference. Guess what! Not only did I regain everything, I gained extra mpg! That's right. I started with 51 mpg average at the bottom of the hill. By the time I reached the top, my average MPG dropped to 46 (I was getting 14 to 22 mpg going up). On my way back down the car was recharging the entire time. At the bottom, my MPG was back at 51 AND my battery was all greens, all the way. So not only did I regain everything I lost, but I got two extra bars on the battery.

    And if you're a hardcore believer (with or without PhD in physics) in those "theories," then next time you're in Vegas, hit me up, we'll make that experiement again, but be ready to bet something nice and be ready to lose it :lol:
     
  2. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 05:22 PM) [snapback]490991[/snapback]</div>
    So are you saying that it does not, it does, or it defninately might?
     
  3. catgic

    catgic Mastr & Commandr Hybrid Guru

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  4. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 5 2007, 06:01 PM) [snapback]490998[/snapback]</div>

    If there is a difference it's Unnoticeable.
     
  5. Jmad1138

    Jmad1138 New Member

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  6. Spoid

    Spoid New Member

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    I live in Vegas and it costs me 4 MPG. What is your usual mileage?
     
  7. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(catgic @ Aug 5 2007, 06:07 PM) [snapback]491000[/snapback]</div>

    Of course there is. It's simple math.

    You go 25 miles up a hill doing 25 mpg
    You go 25 miles down a hill doing 99.9 (infinity) mpg.



    Do the test yourself, you'll see that you'll end up not only making up for what you've lost, but also gaining.

    This argument is ridiculous. Test it yourself.

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Spoid @ Aug 5 2007, 06:12 PM) [snapback]491004[/snapback]</div>

    52 mpg seems to be the magic number - highway, city, mountains, A/C on or off, I seem to always hit 52.
     
  8. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 06:22 PM) [snapback]490991[/snapback]</div>
    Those glasses in your avatar, do they keep the 127 degree sun (on your planet) from burning out your eye sockets? Because on MY platet, earthlings can't survive in that kind of crazy environment . . . . where is Vegas, anyway ... on Mercury?
    :p
     
  9. TonyPSchaefer

    TonyPSchaefer Your Friendly Moderator
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 06:09 PM) [snapback]491002[/snapback]</div>
    So you're saying that IT MIGHT CAUSE A DIFFERENCE. I want to make it clear to the court that you started your argument insisting that there is no difference whatsoever but have since changed your argument to state that there might be a difference, slight or otherwise. Additionally, your original post stated that the impact might be "one mile or less" but have since changed your impact to "unnoticeable."

    Since you are implying that some people live by a different set of physics, we must be very clear in the true definition used to determine "no impact," "one mile or less" and "unnoticeable." If you choose to stick with "unnoticeable," we will need to determine whether the detection is via personal interpretation, Prius MFD report, or a ScanGauge.

    Nitpicky? Yes. But there is also a difference between, "Iraq might have weapons of mass destruction" and "We know where they are, they are in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad." http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1470846/03302003/id_0.jhtml
     
  10. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 5 2007, 06:42 PM) [snapback]491013[/snapback]</div>
    You like playing a lawyer on Internet Message Boards?? lol

    Take a pill.

    I haven't changed my argument at all. Based on my tests, I get the same MPG with or without A/C. That's my test. I said IF there is a difference it is UNNOTICEABLE. How did I contardict myself or changed my argument? I see no difference in MPG = Even if there is a difference it's UNNOTICEABLE. Look up the words "unnoticeable" and "if" in the dictionary. I also said that Toyota states that there MIGHT (look up that word too, if it's unclear) be a SLIGHT difference in MPG with and without A/C. Toyota themselves are stating, there MIGHT = MIGHT NOT be a difference. Even if there is it's greatly reduced in comparison to the older models.

    So let me reiterate, based on my tests, I see no difference in MPG with or without A/C. IF there is, it's Unnoticeable. IF there is, maybe it only shows up when climbing hills. IF there is maybe it depends on how fast you're driving. IF, IF, IF. I'm not saying everyone else who says there IS a difference is crazy. Different circumstances, different locations, different driving styles, difference models. Who knows. All I'm saying is that in my daily driving, I notice no difference with or without A/C and I have proven that with my test.
     
  11. brick

    brick Active Member

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    I live on Earth, where thermodynamics applies and where it takes a boat load of energy (relatively speaking) to move enough heat "up-hill" to cool a vehicle on a hot day. I recommend a re-test: Park your car with the A/C running and see how long it takes your battery to drain down to 2 purple bars. (This is a short test.) Get that battery charged back up and repeat the test without the A/C, and be sure you have a cold bottle of water handy. That part of the test will take longer.

    That's quite a bit of energy in the battery that's chewed up in a matter of minutes, and it comes from gasoline.
     
  12. auricchio

    auricchio Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 03:22 PM) [snapback]490991[/snapback]</div>
    I'm not arguing the A/C issue, but this one definitely needs correction.

    First, you're fighting both air and rolling resistance going both uphill and downhill. So when you're going downhill---unless you have a tailwind---there will be some losses due to air and rolling resistance.

    Second, the regeneration process is not 100% efficient; there are losses there. So you'll never regenerate 100% of the mechanical energy from going downhill.

    Third, the batteries, inverter, and associated electronics have some loss.

    So while it may appear that you're getting all your hill-climb energy back, the odds are slightly in favor of the house. All the time.
     
  13. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Rick Auricchio @ Aug 5 2007, 07:44 PM) [snapback]491030[/snapback]</div>

    Well, I've stated my case. People can read all arguments, do their own tests and come to their own conclusions.

    I'll say this one more time and I'm out of this topic:

    Not only did I regain EVERYTHING, I gained 2 bars - all greens (full charge for the first time) by the time I was at the bottom of the mountain.

    Do you own tests.

    I'm out, no need to run in circles.
     
  14. robincx

    robincx "Fear is the mind killer"

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    All in Tralfamadore send thier love, come back soon. :)
     
  15. OlsonBW

    OlsonBW New Member

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    "What planet are you people living on?"

    The planet I live on is an insignificant semi-round object that circles an insignificant start in an insignificant galaxy in a universe of trillions and trillions of other galaxies. Based on the laws of probabilities, if there is a one in a hundred-billion-trillion chance of life existing on planets circling stars in other (or even our own) galaxy then there is likely to be trillions and trillions of planets with observable life on them if we could just get a good enough telescope. Odds are also good that there is life out there that we would recognize as either human or close to human. (You were the one that asked.) Also, I don't know what "people" on other planets call it.

    As for the other question or comment about whether AC affects gas mileage at all. That is very easy.

    Drive for two FULL full tanks of gas on exactly same routes. One with AC on and one with AC off then report back.

    I'll bet you $50 that with AC on your gas mileage is less.

    PS: No ridiculous routes or routes that are obvious very unusual thereby being quite different from what most people would experience.
     
  16. Phoenix-D

    Phoenix-D New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 05:49 PM) [snapback]491032[/snapback]</div>
    You regained all your BATTERY POWER. You didn't regain all your gasoline energy.

    If it worked like you're stating you could turn the Prius into a freaking perpetual motion machine and use a fleet of them to power the west coast. :p
     
  17. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Phoenix-D @ Aug 5 2007, 09:44 PM) [snapback]491065[/snapback]</div>

    I DID. STOP ARGUING ABOUT SH*T YOU DON'T KNOW. I'LL DO THE TEST AGAIN AND VIDEOTAPE IT THIS TIME AND POST IT HERE. JESUS F-N CHRIST...

    I STARTED AT 51 MPG AVERAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL, WENT DOWN TO 46 MPG AVERAGE AT THE TOP OF THE HILL AND WENT BACK TO 51 MPG AVERAGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE HILL PLUS GAINING TWO EXTRA BARS ON MY BATTERY. THE ENTIRE TRIP DOWN WAS WITHOUT USING ANY GAS; IT WAS RECHARGING THE ENTIRE TIME. IF MY AVERAGE MPG DID NOT CHANGE THAT MEANS I REGAINED ALL LOST. IF I GOT 2 EXTRA BARS ON MY BATTERY THAT MEANS I GAINED EXTRA ENERGY.

    THE WORLD IS NOT A DOWNHILL, SO NO IT'S NOT A PERPETUAL MACHINE.

    STOP THEORIZING AND TAKE A TEST DRIVE. OR MAYBE GO BACK TO SCHOOL, BECAUSE IT SEEMS YOUR PHYSICS/MATH THEORIES DON'T HOLD UP IN THE REAL WORLD.

    ENOUGH.
     
  18. efusco

    efusco Moderator Emeritus
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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Aug 5 2007, 09:55 PM) [snapback]491067[/snapback]</div>
    Moderator hat:
    Chill out, stop the all caps and act like an adult.

    Prius driver hat:
    Your car might be wonderful, but it can't defeat the laws of physics. There is energy loss, in many forms (heat being a big one) going up that hill that it simply is not possible to gain back..assuming the backside of the hill is exactly the same slope and height as the front side. While the numbers on your display may, indeed, show what you claim..I have no reason to doubt you..it does not mean that it is possible to gain back all the energy, indeed it is impossible for that to occur.
     
  19. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    I'll bet you 10 grand or maybe pink slips, that I'm right. Come to Vegas, put your money where your mouth is. I'm serious. I'll put the money in escrow tomorrow morning. I'm not an idiot, nor am I blind. I believe what I see. If you have a problem admitting you're wrong, that's a different issue.
     
  20. PriusTouring07

    PriusTouring07 New Member

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    And if you are such a physics expert, put down the numbers. I need to see exact formulas pertaining to the Prius proving your "theory." If you have the brain power to do this, I'll pay you for your time. Name your price. After you "prove" your case in theory, I'll prove mine in real life, then we can find someone smarter than the both of us to see where we went wrong or if we were both right, but there is some inexplicable phenomenon/paradox.