Seemingly trivial things that intrigue you

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Comments

  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498

    I'm intrigued.

    Self charging hybrids. Basically they use petrol to run an engine to charge a battery.

    What is the point?

    Isn’t it about using deceleration to charge the battery, so assuming the energy transfer between the engine and battery is not too inefficient as well as efficient convertion of kinetic energy back into charge in the battery, you’re saving a lot of energy that way?
    I would be surprised if a hybrid wasn't configured at some stage to start charging the battery from the engine.

    So this is my question - is regenerative braking significant? Or if you drive normally does it drain faster than it charges.

    I honestly don't know.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,244

    I'm intrigued.

    Self charging hybrids. Basically they use petrol to run an engine to charge a battery.

    What is the point?

    Isn’t it about using deceleration to charge the battery, so assuming the energy transfer between the engine and battery is not too inefficient as well as efficient convertion of kinetic energy back into charge in the battery, you’re saving a lot of energy that way?
    I would be surprised if a hybrid wasn't configured at some stage to start charging the battery from the engine.

    So this is my question - is regenerative braking significant? Or if you drive normally does it drain faster than it charges.

    I honestly don't know.
    Based on fuel consumption hybrids tend to do better than either all electric or all petrol so I would imagine it’s significant enough.
  • I'm intrigued.

    Self charging hybrids. Basically they use petrol to run an engine to charge a battery.

    What is the point?

    Isn’t it about using deceleration to charge the battery, so assuming the energy transfer between the engine and battery is not too inefficient as well as efficient convertion of kinetic energy back into charge in the battery, you’re saving a lot of energy that way?
    I would be surprised if a hybrid wasn't configured at some stage to start charging the battery from the engine.

    So this is my question - is regenerative braking significant? Or if you drive normally does it drain faster than it charges.

    I honestly don't know.
    Based on fuel consumption hybrids tend to do better than either all electric or all petrol so I would imagine it’s significant enough.
    Never knew how they work
    https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/vehicles/question262.htm
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    Some say driving style is more important, as demonstrated by this impartial and highly accurate scientific experiment:

    https://youtu.be/eKIryzmF-VM
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196

    I'm intrigued.

    Self charging hybrids. Basically they use petrol to run an engine to charge a battery.

    What is the point?

    In a fully electric car, a set of batteries without the means to charge them have a limit. Up to 250 miles roughly and will need to be plugged in once discharged or simplistically, like your bike light - they'll be flat. A petrol/electric hybrid will never need to be plugged in because the petrol engine is deployed to charge the batteries.

    Reclaiming power through braking only acts as a subsidiary method of charging the battery. It's insufficient on it's own to do all of the charging.

    A full on performance hybrid. This is not sped up.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQmSUHhP3ug
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196
    People in Cake stop agreeing on something.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.
  • 230 mph is quite impressive but the 917 had to lift at 240 plus on the Mulsanne kink
    Not a Giro Hero!
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196

    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.

    Why?

    Given that accelerating mass from low speeds is where most internal combustion engines are the most inefficient, when you use the electric motor instead, you make huge gains in consumption. If the electric engine is used mainly for speeds below 30 mph where mass is constantly changing, this is where the gains are made.
    When the vehicle is not having to accelerate the mass of the vehicle (beyond micro adjustments of speed), an engine is very efficient.

    I used to have a Merc 220cdi. Sometimes, I used to see what consumption I could get out of it. If I had the time and patience and I kept an eagle eye on the consumption display, I learnt very quickly where the consumption improved or worsened.
    The best I got was 63 mpg. Given that the car weighed 1700kg's, that wasn't too shabby.

    The biggest losses was having to accelerate from standstill or low speeds or going uphill. If I kept it ticking over at the optimum (which was I roughly figured out was 48mph), it was super efficient (for it's size and weight).

    At a slight tangent: diesel electric trains use huge flywheels. This was first used in the Japanese underground (flywheels built in the UK funnily enough) where the spinning mass of the flywheel was engaged to accelerate the trains from standstill. The flywheels are re-engaged with the engine once the train is moving at a certain speed and disconnected at standstill to spin freely until deployed.

    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    pinno said:

    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.

    Why?

    Given that accelerating mass from low speeds is where most internal combustion engines are the most inefficient, when you use the electric motor instead, you make huge gains in consumption. If the electric engine is used mainly for speeds below 30 mph where mass is constantly changing, this is where the gains are made.
    When the vehicle is not having to accelerate the mass of the vehicle (beyond micro adjustments of speed), an engine is very efficient.

    I used to have a Merc 220cdi. Sometimes, I used to see what consumption I could get out of it. If I had the time and patience and I kept an eagle eye on the consumption display, I learnt very quickly where the consumption improved or worsened.
    The best I got was 63 mpg. Given that the car weighed 1700kg's, that wasn't too shabby.

    The biggest losses was having to accelerate from standstill or low speeds or going uphill. If I kept it ticking over at the optimum (which was I roughly figured out was 48mph), it was super efficient (for it's size and weight).

    At a slight tangent: diesel electric trains use huge flywheels. This was first used in the Japanese underground (flywheels built in the UK funnily enough) where the spinning mass of the flywheel was engaged to accelerate the trains from standstill. The flywheels are re-engaged with the engine once the train is moving at a certain speed and disconnected at standstill to spin freely until deployed.

    You could have stopped at "why".
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196

    pinno said:

    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.

    Why?

    Given that accelerating mass from low speeds is where most internal combustion engines are the most inefficient, when you use the electric motor instead, you make huge gains in consumption. If the electric engine is used mainly for speeds below 30 mph where mass is constantly changing, this is where the gains are made.
    When the vehicle is not having to accelerate the mass of the vehicle (beyond micro adjustments of speed), an engine is very efficient.

    I used to have a Merc 220cdi. Sometimes, I used to see what consumption I could get out of it. If I had the time and patience and I kept an eagle eye on the consumption display, I learnt very quickly where the consumption improved or worsened.
    The best I got was 63 mpg. Given that the car weighed 1700kg's, that wasn't too shabby.

    The biggest losses was having to accelerate from standstill or low speeds or going uphill. If I kept it ticking over at the optimum (which was I roughly figured out was 48mph), it was super efficient (for it's size and weight).

    At a slight tangent: diesel electric trains use huge flywheels. This was first used in the Japanese underground (flywheels built in the UK funnily enough) where the spinning mass of the flywheel was engaged to accelerate the trains from standstill. The flywheels are re-engaged with the engine once the train is moving at a certain speed and disconnected at standstill to spin freely until deployed.

    You could have stopped at "why".
    But then I wouldn't have wasted 5 minutes of your life.
    And I blame you for that thread closed thread that was closed.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    pinno said:

    pinno said:

    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.

    Why?

    Given that accelerating mass from low speeds is where most internal combustion engines are the most inefficient, when you use the electric motor instead, you make huge gains in consumption. If the electric engine is used mainly for speeds below 30 mph where mass is constantly changing, this is where the gains are made.
    When the vehicle is not having to accelerate the mass of the vehicle (beyond micro adjustments of speed), an engine is very efficient.

    I used to have a Merc 220cdi. Sometimes, I used to see what consumption I could get out of it. If I had the time and patience and I kept an eagle eye on the consumption display, I learnt very quickly where the consumption improved or worsened.
    The best I got was 63 mpg. Given that the car weighed 1700kg's, that wasn't too shabby.

    The biggest losses was having to accelerate from standstill or low speeds or going uphill. If I kept it ticking over at the optimum (which was I roughly figured out was 48mph), it was super efficient (for it's size and weight).

    At a slight tangent: diesel electric trains use huge flywheels. This was first used in the Japanese underground (flywheels built in the UK funnily enough) where the spinning mass of the flywheel was engaged to accelerate the trains from standstill. The flywheels are re-engaged with the engine once the train is moving at a certain speed and disconnected at standstill to spin freely until deployed.

    You could have stopped at "why".
    But then I wouldn't have wasted 5 minutes of your life.
    And I blame you for that thread closed thread that was closed.
    Is that thread still closed?
  • pinno said:

    pinno said:

    Yeah I get how they work. Diesel electric trains have been doing this for decades. Stay in the most efficient engine zone and overall it's more efficient, right? What I'm dubious about is are the economy numbers "full to full" or "full to empty", as it were.

    Why?

    Given that accelerating mass from low speeds is where most internal combustion engines are the most inefficient, when you use the electric motor instead, you make huge gains in consumption. If the electric engine is used mainly for speeds below 30 mph where mass is constantly changing, this is where the gains are made.
    When the vehicle is not having to accelerate the mass of the vehicle (beyond micro adjustments of speed), an engine is very efficient.

    I used to have a Merc 220cdi. Sometimes, I used to see what consumption I could get out of it. If I had the time and patience and I kept an eagle eye on the consumption display, I learnt very quickly where the consumption improved or worsened.
    The best I got was 63 mpg. Given that the car weighed 1700kg's, that wasn't too shabby.

    The biggest losses was having to accelerate from standstill or low speeds or going uphill. If I kept it ticking over at the optimum (which was I roughly figured out was 48mph), it was super efficient (for it's size and weight).

    At a slight tangent: diesel electric trains use huge flywheels. This was first used in the Japanese underground (flywheels built in the UK funnily enough) where the spinning mass of the flywheel was engaged to accelerate the trains from standstill. The flywheels are re-engaged with the engine once the train is moving at a certain speed and disconnected at standstill to spin freely until deployed.

    You could have stopped at "why".
    But then I wouldn't have wasted 5 minutes of your life.
    And I blame you for that thread closed thread that was closed.
    Is that thread still closed?
    No, its closed.
    Not a Giro Hero!
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252

    Did Stevo write this article?

    He probably did if Sturgeon gets some of the blame
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196
    I blame Wiggle.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167
    The DM is quite amusing sometimes with the cr@p it comes out with. That said, if it was anyone, it'd be the Lib Dems as they have nothing to lose :)
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,597
    edited August 2020
    I saw this photo which I took 3 years ago while on holiday in Menorca.
    It intrigued me at the time. Yes, that is a row of trees and lamp posts in the bike lane.


    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,252
    Add bus stops and that could be one of Kingston's new bike lanes
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Stevo_666 said:

    Some say driving style is more important, as demonstrated by this impartial and highly accurate scientific experiment:

    https://youtu.be/eKIryzmF-VM

    I wonder what the results would have been if they'd swapped places on the track?
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167

    Stevo_666 said:

    Some say driving style is more important, as demonstrated by this impartial and highly accurate scientific experiment:

    https://youtu.be/eKIryzmF-VM

    I wonder what the results would have been if they'd swapped places on the track?
    I think we can be confident the Prius would have been lapped but the point about how you drive is a fair one.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • tailwindhome
    tailwindhome Posts: 18,878
    Stevo_666 said:

    Stevo_666 said:

    Some say driving style is more important, as demonstrated by this impartial and highly accurate scientific experiment:

    https://youtu.be/eKIryzmF-VM

    I wonder what the results would have been if they'd swapped places on the track?
    I think we can be confident the Prius would have been lapped but the point about how you drive is a fair one.
    You misunderstand I think.

    I wonder how much benefit the BMW got from drafting the Prius. Probably not much to be fair...
    “New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!
  • Stevo_666
    Stevo_666 Posts: 58,167

    Stevo_666 said:

    Stevo_666 said:

    Some say driving style is more important, as demonstrated by this impartial and highly accurate scientific experiment:

    https://youtu.be/eKIryzmF-VM

    I wonder what the results would have been if they'd swapped places on the track?
    I think we can be confident the Prius would have been lapped but the point about how you drive is a fair one.
    You misunderstand I think.

    I wonder how much benefit the BMW got from drafting the Prius. Probably not much to be fair...
    Probably not.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Why someone decided it was time for a coffee bag?

    The only point in instant coffee is that it's instant. I've got a coffee bag sample in house and have run out of instant so as I didn't want to go through the process of making an espresso I thought I'd try it. It says to leave it to brew for 3 minutes so by time I've booked the kettle and left it brew I could have made an espresso based drink or a filter coffee. It probably explains why no-one bothered coming up with it before.
  • Cargobike
    Cargobike Posts: 748

    I'm intrigued.

    Self charging hybrids. Basically they use petrol to run an engine to charge a battery.

    What is the point?

    There is no point, but people are gullible enough to fall for marketing b*llsh*t.
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    Pross said:

    Why someone decided it was time for a coffee bag?

    The only point in instant coffee is that it's instant. I've got a coffee bag sample in house and have run out of instant so as I didn't want to go through the process of making an espresso I thought I'd try it. It says to leave it to brew for 3 minutes so by time I've booked the kettle and left it brew I could have made an espresso based drink or a filter coffee. It probably explains why no-one bothered coming up with it before.

    Fresh ground or even ore ground in a caffitierre is pretty much instant, is not instant "coffee" and need not be the p1$$y weak hotel stuff in a bag.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196
    3 and a bit minutes to make an Espresso using my stove top.
    What's with the long wait/faff?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    What is the purpose of the referee in pro wrestling? What exactly is the job description?
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,196
    dennisn said:

    What is the purpose of the referee in pro wrestling? What exactly is the job description?

    Over acting skills.
    Stan Laurel level of facial expressions.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • First.Aspect
    First.Aspect Posts: 14,498
    pinno said:

    dennisn said:

    What is the purpose of the referee in pro wrestling? What exactly is the job description?

    Over acting skills.
    Stan Laurel level of facial expressions.
    They are the same guys who throw yellow flags on the field to signal commercial breaks for NFL TV coverage I think. Must need a second job in
    the off-season to make ends meet. Shame.