Power off at stop lights and other question (Brother inlaw asking)

1. Does turn the power off at stop lights help gas milage? even when the car does it own thing....

In the Prius, computers control everything, turn them off and they lose control.


2. Would installing power caps (Those frad caps for massive sub amps) help with the A/C system and other 12v power stuff? Some one help me on this one, he has a 8 frad cap system to relieve the draw off his alternator when he powers up everything (BAJA lights, wench and stereo).

Toyota installed Caps on the brakes, so they know about them, and put them where they needed them.
http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/Hybrid16.pdf


3.Pulling Air off the hood cowl area instead of hot air and dust from the fender area

I am guessing you take your Prius off road much less than he take his truck off road. Dust is not an issue on paved highways.

4. Dual Intvertors to pull power off the back wheels while taking off.

80% of the braking energy is from the front wheels.


5.Desial engine? eco car that uses petro is not so eco friendly. Why didnt Toyota offer Desial version for vegie oil kit.

Notice the emissions of the diesel Jetta compared to the gas Prius.

 

i had a 1981,85,87 full size bronco 351v8…shutting off engine didn't help mpg…keeping my foot out of it gave me 1-2mpg increase…get rid of weight…minimal increase…tell him to quit driving like what we call it around here…the nascar GM mentality…floor it on acceleration and slam on brakes to stop…and by george you aren't passing me in a prius…mentality…btw cold air intake…didn't help ,either…been there done that…i laugh at the rednecks at the gas pump…while they are still pumping $95 in I'm done at $20…case closed...

 

$20 ???? how much the gas there ??? must be under $2 for a 11gal tank to be filled for $20 :-(

 

6) cargo area that can a case? yes!

 

. . .

7. Air ride system?

You'll have to check the aftermarket folks. I'm interested in air-adjustable springs for towing but this is an infrequent event.

8. Easier climate control system, like dials?

It could be done using a microcontroller.

9. Better GPS? and voice control that doesnt have to repeat how to use it EVERY time.

I use Garmin nuvi.

and last one.

10. Bumper sensors to let you know your about to hit shopping cart when pulling into a parking space....Hmm thats why he was buffing my fender when he got back. He did the whole car too.

Curb feelers?

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

1. Yes. Running the engine means you're burning gas, obviously. There is a point where you might use a little more fuel to shut off the engine than to leave it running, but it wouldn't be more than a second or two.

2. First, the A/C isn't on the 12V system, it's on the HV system. Second, capacitors won't do much - they can supply a bit of power if your draw has very high, brief peaks; but if you turn on something like lights or a stereo, the caps won't be doing much except for the few milliseconds after it's first turned on; after that, the power is all coming from the alternator (his car) or DC/DC inverter (yours).

4. That would help for anybody that exceeds the (fairly slow) rate of braking that can be supported by the current setup. Currently however, the braking power isn't limited by the inverter or the number of wheels where braking is present - it's limited by the amount of power the battery can accept. Even installing a beefier battery (and similarly, beefing up the components already attached to the front wheels) would let you regenerate more during hard braking. Toyota made the design tradeoff; having a lower capacity for regeneration reduces the cost and weight. For somebody already driving in an efficient manner (e.g. avoiding braking, and braking somewhat gently to remain within the CHG bar), there's nothing to be gained by upsizing the battery/inverter/etc.

5. There are many reasons; for one, diesel has a poor perception (smelly, dirty, loud) with many people, especially in the US (less so in Europe, where it's more common in passenger vehicles). Diesel is also somewhat less available. And I don't think there's much to gain from it; Diesel can offer more mpg, but that's (at least partly) because it contains more energy per gallon. As an analog, many places now prohibit selling pure gasoline, and require at least 10% ethanol, to help reduce tailpipe emissions. Because ethanol has a lower energy density than gasoline, fuel economy is reduced; however the tailpipe emissions are cleaner for the same distance traveled, even though more fuel is consumed.

The capacitors noted there aren't for reducing the load or smoothing it out or anything like that; those are backup power. In the event that 12V power fails, they'll provide probably a few seconds of braking power; enough to get you stopped. That might be important if you were in a high speed accident and you keep moving afterwards.

 

Your post was painful to read due to incomplete sentences and generally poor spelling and punctuation.

None of the listed items has anything to do with your brother "maintaining 18mpg" with the exception of turning off the engine at stop lights.

#3- Warm air going to the intake is more fuel efficient than cold air. The trade-off is slightly less power at wide-open throttle.

#4- This statement doesn't make sense. Pulling power off the back wheels while accelerating is not efficient, just as holding the brakes down while accelerating is not efficient. What are the inverters for?

#6- What?

#7- Why add the weight and cost of an air ride system when the Prius isn't designed to move widely variable load weights?

#8- How could a dial be simpler than a temperature up and down button? Up and down is intuitive, a rotating knob is not.

#10- Sensors are unnecessary when humans have sensors built in. The eyes are very good at perceiving things; especially as large as a shopping cart. Any person unable to see a shopping cart in the way of a vehicle should not be driving.

 

5) desial not so eco friendly.

 

your bil sounds like a piece of work, but you are in texas after all.

 

Who puts 11 gallons in a Prius? My average fill up is closer to 8 gallons and if I drive to empty I might put in 9 or so.

$20 for 8 gallons is $2.50 a gallon. I pay more like $3.50 a gallon here so my 8 gallon fill up is more like $30 than $20 but I can't imagine a Prius driver putting in more than 9 gallons on a regular basis.

see How many gallons to fill up your tank after the warning beep? | PriusChat for others saying they don't put in more than 9 or so.

 

You're doing great. My late wife had a brain injury (horseback riding accident in '96) and it took her about 2 years to reliably recognize me. You can look through the archives under my name and see more about the wonderful person who God blessed me with for another 15 years after her accident.

 

well that is the max I think ... I usually put around 10 gal I think my max was 10.7 ?? went drove about 100 miles after the car shows 0 miles left...

 

<AHEM!>

Bob Wilson

 

I should have sought to understand you instead of criticizing the post; please forgive my lack of class.

 

Talk your Brother-in law into buying a Prius? And let him see first- hand at all the money he can save!!