online eMPG converter

[bennelson]

Here is a link to a web site that lets you easily convert between gasoline gallons and kilowatt hours of electricity.

LINK

If you just punch in how many kilowatt hours you used to charge your electric vehicle, it will tell you how much of a gallon of gasoline it equals.

Enter this number into the Ecomodder garage fuel log, along with how far you drove. (You reset the trip odometer every time, right?)

Then you can use the Ecomodder Garage Fuel Log the same way everyone else does, except you will realize how efficient electric vehicles are!


PS: Yes, the the garage fuel log DOES allow you to enter very small parts of a gallon of gas. My last charge was equal to .0202 gallons of gasoline, and the garage lets me enter that correctly!

[dcb]

FYI, simple conversion going on there:
1 gal(US) = 36.6 KWH

[bennelson]

yeah, I figured that one out a while ago, but I am so bad/lazy at math, this is just that much easier.

[dcb]

I guess I was putting it out there in case the garage mpg gurus wanted to standardize the mpg results reported for the electric vehicles (i.e. have a "enter the recharge kwh" field for electric vehicles)

[bennelson]

HEY! That WOULD be a good idea.

Build in a kilowatt hour feature in that garage!

HINT HINT HINT...

[TomEV]

Thanks for the link - much more convenient than remembering where I put the conversion numbers...

Since the 'gallons' were quite small anyway, I used one month worth of data for my last fill-up. For the past two months, I have been averaging about 252 watt-hours per mile (2.646 cents per mile) in the Citicar @ 10.5 cents per kWh.

It is actually cheaper than that (free after rebate from the local electric company)

[cfg83]

bennelson -

Bookmarked, .

Question: Would this be a good conversion for using an engine block heater + Kill-A-Watt to pre-heat the engine block?

CarloSW2

[Tango Charlie]

Originally Posted by bennelson

yeah, I figured that one out a while ago, but I am so bad/lazy at math, this is just that much easier.

You just keep making it easier and easier to belive that I could build an EV, as well...
(I have a similar lack of skill/passion for math. I blame it on my third grade teacher...)

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by cfg83

Would this be a good conversion for using an engine block heater + Kill-A-Watt to pre-heat the engine block?

CarloSW2

Good question. I don't think we have really had much of a conversation here in figuring out total energy use of gas AND electric when using an engine block heater to improve fuel economy.

I am guessing that you still come out WAY ahead in total energy use with the block heater.

Maybe we should start a new thread and figure out how much energy in total is used for block heater starts!?!?

[dcb]

cfg83, that is an excellent idea. I can't think of any reason why you would use a different conversion factor for the block heater, it is a straight energy to energy conversion, from the wall vs from the pump.

[cfg83]

dcb -

Originally Posted by dcb

cfg83, that is an excellent idea. I can't think of any reason why you would use a different conversion factor for the block heater, it is a straight energy to energy conversion, from the wall vs from the pump.

Thanks, I was hoping someone would say that!

I found out that I can get a block heater (not a coolant heater) from the Saturn Dealer :

[Saturn S-Series] block heater - SaturnFans Forums


It draws 300+ watts :

SaturnFans Forums - View Single Post - block heater post #16

The block heater draws apx 305 watts. (Before anyone asks, I measured it.) Leaving it plugged in overnight is more wasteful than lazy; indeed, a timer is the way to go. I would give it at least an hour, maybe two. Remember, it just sits on the outside of the block; it's not directly heating oil or coolant. Just make sure you use a fairly heavy-duty timer, one good for 300+ watts, and grounded (not like those cheapo lamp timers). I, for one, would not bundle up to go out and plug it in, only to go back inside and un-bundle just to do my morning routine. That's not lazy, it's just practical.

CarloSW2