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Going to try swapping back to stock wheels.

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Fuel Economy' started by F8L, Apr 23, 2007.

  1. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    If you tot up all the 12V currents that all those accessories are
    drawing, you can figure out the extra watts of drain and then for
    how long, i.e. watt-hours. You get maybe 10 KWh of actual propulsive
    or electricity-generating energy out of a gallon of gas, figure the
    proportion of the 12V accessories [noting that the DC/DC converter
    that feeds them is ~ 90% efficient] and see if it would explain the
    ding in what you think your MPG *should* be.
    .
    Then, to prove the theory, take some long runs without any of the
    12V accessories and the car's electronics at the minimum baseline
    needed to make it go, which is ~ 300W, and see if you get a
    significant improvement.
    .
    I don't think you'll find much difference. There's a great mis-
    perception that 12V stuff and lights and whatever are a significant
    drain on a traction battery. They aren't. It takes *way* more
    power to push the car than thump the subwoofer.
    .
    _H*
     
  2. F8L

    F8L Protecting Habitat & AG Lands

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hobbit @ Apr 28 2007, 10:21 PM) [snapback]432006[/snapback]</div>

    I did that already and on the first day the MFD went from 43.3 (which it was stuck at for 2 days) to 47.9 after my 65mile commute one way then back. I'm going to wait until the temps stabilize then record the milage again, then plug the amp back in and crank it up for the whole commute there and back and see if it changes the milage again.

    Remember, I'm not talking about a small amplifier here.