how much fuel?

[lolorover]

just a curious question, how much fuel(too much?) does it burns when your headlights are ON?

cheers

[Disco Mike]

Kind of an unusual question, probably less then using your heater, why do youy ask?
Mike

[Elemental]

Originally Posted by lolorover

just a curious question, how much fuel(too much?) does it burns when your headlights are ON?

cheers

Fuel?

[lolorover]

being a car-illiterate owner, was only lately made aware that having my headlights on at day-time costs me extra fuel (gas). i drive my '96discov8 everyday.

[Disco Mike]

You don't need to be worry about it. If gas is an issue, you can save more gas with proper tune ups, tire air pressure and conserative driving habits.
Mike

[lolorover]

Originally Posted by Disco Mike

You don't need to be worry about it. If gas is an issue, you can save more gas with proper tune ups, tire air pressure and conserative driving habits.
Mike

yeah, cheers Mike. spending around NZ$120/week is bad driving i guess. it most certainly needs a tune-up since it hasn't done any since i got it over 2 years ago!

[nzoliver]

$120/week. Not bad!! Just make sure it's the higest octane you can buy and all will be well! I'm hoping its a V8 tho!! And, I reckon DRLs should be compulsary like Canada etc.

Originally Posted by lolorover

yeah, cheers Mike. spending around NZ$120/week is bad driving i guess. it most certainly needs a tune-up since it hasn't done any since i got it over 2 years ago!

[pavel]

lolorover: please pardon this old guy's failing brain but as I understand it, your alternator is producing about 100 amps from just above idling speed. The current not used or stored is dumped to ground. The torque needed to turn the alt determines how much of your usable hp is taken from the drive train - it should be pretty well constant. If this logic is correct, having the headlights on or off makes no difference.
If on the other hand the torque to turn the alt varies according to how much current is drawn (up to a max of 100 amps), then you can figure out the draw in hp based on the equivalence of 746 watts = 1 hp. A 100 amp alternator at about 14 volts potential would produce 1400 watts. This would use less than 2 hp.
Perhaps someone can chime in here to explain the circuitry function better.

$120/week in fuel!!! Wow! In our weekend D1, we burnt about $500 for all of 2006! In our other 3 vehicles, we burnt about $1500 for all of 2006! How do you people afford such high costs? Sorry, I take the question back...

[Thor]

In terms of the modern quantum theory, electromagnetic radiation consists of particles called photons, which are packets ("quanta") of energy which move at the speed of light. (borrowed from a smart guy website)

Figure out the number of photons x mass of photons x speed of light = amount of force being put out by your lights. Assuming you are driving forwards to and from your destinations, this is the number you need to overcome with horsepower, throw in a few more numbers and boom you've got your excess burned fuel.

I know your headlights are not LASER per se, but here is what other smart people say, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), and NASA have evinced strong interest in the Photonic Laser Thruster.

Never knew you were in such good company... eh?

If this ends up being too much energy for your comfort level, you could use two identical headlights facing rearwards to counteract the force of the frond headlights. Caution... this could be illegal, and it also doubles the loss of power argument of Pavel above!

[cartm58]

in my range rover 93 l usually spend $80 per week for a normal fuel load which equates to 330 to 350kms or about 5kms per litre of fuel and in year 50 tanks $4,000 AUS

Don't know how many kms your travelling per year but $500 in year means your not doing many trips

[pavel]

Thor: my son (physics/computer wunderkind) says my explanation is BS too!!! He says alternators aren't very efficient so the maximum power loss will be more than 2hp. Guess I'd better stick to mechanical stuff and leave the theory to you younger guys.

[pavel]

cartm58: Yes, I'm taking public transit more and more & we almost never use the Disco anymore - way too thirsty. With oil hitting $100 USD/barrel today, the old Volvo will have to go soon in favour of something really fuel efficient (plug-in hybrid?).

[Thor]

Originally Posted by pavel

Thor: my son (physics/computer wunderkind) says my explanation is BS too!!! He says alternators aren't very efficient so the maximum power loss will be more than 2hp. Guess I'd better stick to mechanical stuff and leave the theory to you younger guys.

Hey... I liked your explanation! I'm just not that mechanical (I employ a LR Master Tech to spin the nuts/bolts on my RR1). I was simply increasing the silliness exponentially but adding a few bits of quantum physics.

Strangely I had a patient in yesterday who is part of the team building the nuclear Mars rover who got a kick from my theoretical explanation! To which he added, 'There are quite a few photon drives and similar in various stages of research now'! Hahahahaha, I guess you never know what you've stepped in when trying to be goofy.

[pavel]

A nuclear powered Rover (Mars version or otherwise).....you've got an interesting idea there Thor! Perhaps the 'plug-in hybrid' version would be best for me - I could power the house from it and save on furnace green house gases. Might have to house a few technicians in our guest room however....

[Capt. Ron]

A nuclear powered Rover! With their reliablity, HA! You'll be glowing after the test drive, and I don't mean because it will make you happy.

Can you imagine, the mechanics will need a Ph. D. in Nuclear Physics. Even the tire boy would need a degree in Chemistry or Physics.