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Old 05-10-2022, 09:38 PM   #442 (permalink)
redpoint5
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Oregon
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Acura TSX - '06 Acura TSX
90 day: 24.19 mpg (US)

Lafawnda - '01 Honda CBR600 F4i
90 day: 47.32 mpg (US)

Big Yeller - '98 Dodge Ram 2500 base
90 day: 21.82 mpg (US)

Prius Plug-in - '12 Toyota Prius Plug-in
90 day: 57.64 mpg (US)

Mazda CX-5 - '17 Mazda CX-5 Touring
90 day: 26.68 mpg (US)

Chevy ZR-2 - '03 Chevrolet S10 ZR2
90 day: 17.14 mpg (US)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sregord View Post
Having read this forum, It seems that a cleverly automated or manual switch on the alternator power lead(off up hill&level-on downhill) could be a fuel saver…. 10% would bring this up to- wow -almost 9 mpg.
Unfortunately it doesn't scale like that. Maybe disabling the alternator on a super efficient car like the Honda Insight could improve fuel economy by 10%, but electrical loads represent a smaller portion of total energy use in larger vehicles.

Kinda like how I could tell when my AC kicked on in my old and weak Subaru. AC represented a larger load on that vehicle than, say, my 7,000 lb Dodge Ram 2500 diesel.

That said, seems a worthwhile project since the solar is already installed and available to be utilized.
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