Quote:
Originally Posted by wobombat
so how exactly does it work that the higher electrical load places a greater electrical load on the engine? Considering that the rotor in the alternator will spin at the same speed as the engine regardless of electrical load, how does the electrical load put a load on the rotor? Does it somehow put drag on it with the magnetic field or something? I'm confused as to how this would work.
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This is a Good question. Trouble is that Science is not taught in schools any more. Before World War 2, energy could not be created nor destroyed, but changed from one form to another. Mechanical to electrical to heat. If an engine is running, making mechanical, the alternator can change some into electricity, this can run the A/C, radio, lights, chemical, etc. The chemical is the battery, which can go, electrical, mechanical, (Running engine) Which is Chemical; Gas + Oxygen. You sort of have to think about it for a while.
You start with Gas, and you want to use as little as possible to get from here to there. You work at cutting your losses. The extreme is a bicycle, but that, this time a year is sometimes impractical.
Heat is a big waste; However in Boston, you might like to waste some and turn the Heater on. And so it goes.