Comments on: Turn off the car radio when you’re parked to save gas http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/ Personal finance, commentary, and spending less the easy way Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:23:30 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Tom http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-184454 Tom Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:52:51 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-184454 Alternators produce constant voltage but the amperage does vary. Alternators are rated in output amps. An alternator on a vehicle with a fully charged battery is NOT shunting current. The voltage regulator senses the battery and if the battery is fully charged the regulator "turns off" the output from the alternator. The amount of horsepower needed to turn the alternator varies with the current load. That is to say, an alterntor prducing 20 amps to meet normal system demand will not require as much energy to turn it as an alternator running at full output to recharge a dead battery. Go to an alternator shop and watch them load test an alternator and you will see what I mean. (25 years in the alternator business) Alternators produce constant voltage but the amperage does vary. Alternators are rated in output amps. An alternator on a vehicle with a fully charged battery is NOT shunting current. The voltage regulator senses the battery and if the battery is fully charged the regulator “turns off” the output from the alternator. The amount of horsepower needed to turn the alternator varies with the current load. That is to say, an alterntor prducing 20 amps to meet normal system demand will not require as much energy to turn it as an alternator running at full output to recharge a dead battery. Go to an alternator shop and watch them load test an alternator and you will see what I mean. (25 years in the alternator business)

]]> By: OhBrother http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-136632 OhBrother Tue, 22 Apr 2008 12:16:34 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-136632 Nuvi? and EMF got it right, and explained it best. Your alternator produces the same amount of electricity to recharge the battery no matter what the battery's charge state is, and does NOT work any harder when the battery is low. The alternator only works while the engine is running, so there's ZERO gas waste in using any electrical device while the engine is off. Even if you foolishly run the battery dry and have to jumpstart the car later, it takes ZERO extra gas to recharge the battery from the alternator, because the alternator isn't working any harder. People like mbhunter and fifla should just be quiet. You people don't know what you're talking about. Nuvi? and EMF got it right, and explained it best.

Your alternator produces the same amount of electricity to recharge the battery no matter what the battery’s charge state is, and does NOT work any harder when the battery is low. The alternator
only works while the engine is running, so there’s ZERO gas waste in using any electrical device while the engine is off. Even if you foolishly run the battery dry and have to jumpstart the car later, it
takes ZERO extra gas to recharge the battery from the alternator, because the alternator isn’t working any harder.

People like mbhunter and fifla should just be quiet. You people don’t know what you’re talking about.

]]> By: crossn81 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72784 crossn81 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:35:43 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72784 I think we should follow the suggestions of the post to the logical conclusion that we should drive our car with all the "extra" fuses unplugged. Unplug the interior lights, dash lights, power steering, and we should all sit in our cars with all the windows closed, and no a/c or heat turned on. This could be quite interesting in the sweltering summer heat and also in the freezing winter. Oh, I forgot to mention windshield wipers! I think we should follow the suggestions of the post to the logical conclusion that we should drive our car with all the “extra” fuses unplugged. Unplug the interior lights, dash lights, power steering, and we should all sit in our cars with all the windows closed, and no a/c or heat turned on. This could be quite interesting in the sweltering summer heat and also in the freezing winter.

Oh, I forgot to mention windshield wipers!

]]> By: fivecentnickel.com http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72682 fivecentnickel.com Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:03:27 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72682 <strong>Weekly Roundup - 06/29/07...</strong> Well, after two long days, we made it back into town safely. We covered 2900+ miles in 12 days, with the bulk of the driving packed into the first and last two days. We’re beat, but we had a great time and are glad to be back home. With that said... Weekly Roundup – 06/29/07…

Well, after two long days, we made it back into town safely. We covered 2900+ miles in 12 days, with the bulk of the driving packed into the first and last two days. We’re beat, but we had a great time and are glad to be back home. With that said…

]]> By: fivecentnickel.com http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72683 fivecentnickel.com Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:03:27 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72683 <strong>Weekly Roundup - 06/29/07...</strong> Well, after two long days, we made it back into town safely. We covered 2900+ miles in 12 days, with the bulk of the driving packed into the first and last two days. We’re beat, but we had a great time and are glad to be back home. With that said... Weekly Roundup – 06/29/07…

Well, after two long days, we made it back into town safely. We covered 2900+ miles in 12 days, with the bulk of the driving packed into the first and last two days. We’re beat, but we had a great time and are glad to be back home. With that said…

]]> By: wolfy http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72617 wolfy Sun, 01 Jul 2007 19:19:33 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72617 Yes he is right. If you have ever taken a Physics class you will know Yes he is right. If you have ever taken a Physics class you will know

]]> By: EMF http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72324 EMF Sat, 30 Jun 2007 13:18:09 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72324 Some of the ideas here gave me a chuckle, but then I'm an electrical engineer. As a battery charges, its voltage increases. The output of the alternator is held at a constant voltage. No, they don't "reduce the electrical resistance." When the battery is charged, the current decreases. It's the voltage AND the current that uses power. Just as in a totally empty house with no loads connected to the electrical system, there is voltage present but with no current draw by any loads there is no power consumed (except a little bit for the meter itself). For the typical radio installed by the manufacturer, running it for a few minutes does not use enough energy to be really significant. If it were significant, then don't used it while driving either. I agree with "anonymous" above that lights are a more significant consumer of power. I wouldn't recommend following his facetious suggestions though, the ticket or accident would be more expensive. On the other hand, some of these monster system use significant power. They have to add large capacitors because the power required for those base beats would overload the normal electrical system. Some of the ideas here gave me a chuckle, but then I’m an electrical engineer.

As a battery charges, its voltage increases. The output of the alternator is held at a constant voltage. No, they don’t “reduce the electrical resistance.” When the battery is charged, the current decreases. It’s the voltage AND the current that uses power. Just as in a totally empty house with no loads connected to the electrical system, there is voltage present but with no current draw by any loads there is no power consumed (except a little bit for the meter itself).

For the typical radio installed by the manufacturer, running it for a few minutes does not use enough energy to be really significant. If it were significant, then don’t used it while driving either. I agree with “anonymous” above that lights are a more significant consumer of power. I wouldn’t recommend following his facetious suggestions though, the ticket or accident would be more expensive.

On the other hand, some of these monster system use significant power. They have to add large capacitors because the power required for those base beats would overload the normal electrical system.

]]> By: Kurt http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72084 Kurt Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:21:22 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72084 By the way, I thought this link was interesting: http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Car_20Alternator By the way, I thought this link was interesting:
http://www.halfbakery.com/idea/Car_20Alternator

]]> By: Kurt http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-72079 Kurt Fri, 29 Jun 2007 14:15:15 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-72079 I'll admit that I thought this was a load at first. However, I failed to realize that alternators are smart enough to reduce the electrical resistance when the battery is topped off and therefore I suppose yes, officially this post is accurate. But then again, it's also accurate to say that when you run west to east, you're slowing down the rotation of the earth. I wouldn't worry about that, and neither would I worry about the gasoline consumption of your radio. I’ll admit that I thought this was a load at first. However, I failed to realize that alternators are smart enough to reduce the electrical resistance when the battery is topped off and therefore I suppose yes, officially this post is accurate. But then again, it’s also accurate to say that when you run west to east, you’re slowing down the rotation of the earth. I wouldn’t worry about that, and neither would I worry about the gasoline consumption of your radio.

]]> By: flifla http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/comment-page-1/#comment-71990 flifla Fri, 29 Jun 2007 05:35:07 +0000 http://www.mightybargainhunter.com/2007/06/27/turn-off-the-car-radio-when-youre-parked-to-save-gas/#comment-71990 Wasting gas by leaving the radio on is like wasting energy by twiddling your thumbs Wasting gas by leaving the radio on is like wasting energy by twiddling your thumbs

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