RV to hybrid?

[rsr2216]

Saw this today. Just think of the $$$ in savings on a RV.
The Kit That Turns Any Car Into A Hybrid | This Could Be Big - Yahoo! News

[purman]

This is my problem with hybrids. They are like solar and geothermal. The cost of the pay out takes to long to recoup. Well you can at least get your money back with Solar and Geothermal, after 15-25 years. With a Hybrid just when your about half way to recouping your extra $10,000 you need to spend $1000+ on new batteries, or you trade it in for a new one..

Personally I think your better off with a mini, smartcar, or other small car. 40+mpg and now extra $$$$ to shell out. My brother has a diesel VW Rabbit that gets about 50 mpg. Europe model mind you, he lives in England.

This however could be cost effective, If you can take it off and put it on your next car. Just keep recycling it at no cost but the batteries.

[perryg114]

Yeah I saw that article and that is a clever way to do it. I wonder how much the kit would cost? If I could spend $5000 on my 95 Ranger and get 35 MPG instead of 20, I would consider it. This would work well to charge batteries for boondocking using regenerative braking. The trailer could also help accelerate itself which would help with the a big part of fuel consumption at least in stop and go traffic.

Perry

[rsr2216]

If you watch the video the guy said that they hope to have the price down to $3000.00. Also said if you could change out brakes on your car or truck you should be able to do this your self. It has to go in behind the rotors. He said that you need 1" of space. Also I think it goes on the rear wheels. My P-30 chassis has disc on all wheels. I always do my own brake jobs. Just did one on my Cadillac Deville. Dealer wanted over $1300.00 to change out all rotors and pads. Did it my self for right under $400.00 with better parts (Raybestos). Haven't done any on the MH as it came with new brakes.

[Lumatic]

From what the video says and what I know about hybrids, the savings is at below 40mph start and stop city driving. Most RVs are driven at highway speed, so I don't think this would apply.

[noreen&sal]

I just ordered a set to mount on the AS so it will push the F250 7.3 down the road. I only wish I had 3 axles. Sal.

[FreshAir]

I don't know why today's hybrids get so much attention. In 1987 we bought a Chevy Sprint, predecesor to the Geo, for 7k. It's main purpose was to be a commute car for our 120 round trip drive each work day but proved to be comfortable enough for errands too. You can say what you want but it got us the advertised 52 mpg....and it had AC. It was meant to be a 'throw away car' but I sold it when it almost had 300k miles on it. The new owner drove it away. Don't get me wrong, however, I'm for new technology and would like to be around to use it. One time the horse and buggy owners scoffed at the gas engine....until there were no more buggy whips to be had.

Neil

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by FreshAir

I don't know why today's hybrids get so much attention. In 1987 we bought a Chevy Sprint, it got us the advertised 52 mpg..
Neil

I suspect the killer is emissions requirements. In some parts of europe cars get 70-80 mpg, but these cars would never pass US standards. It's a chicken and the egg question. A 75 mpg car uses less gas but puts out more junk. A 40 mpg car puts out less junk but uses more gas.

[Foiled Again]

OFF the subject a tiny bit. Geothermal water to air A/C and heat costs have dropped a LOT. The average payback is now less than 5 years for a home system. As electricity charges go up and up, that payout will become even shorter.

Air to Air heat pumps are inefficient because the air may be too cold to extract any heat from - or to hot to cool without a lot of energy use - the earth is a giant baked potato that holds it's heat constant both winter and summer so any system that uses ground water's constant temperature can run on the lowest possible electricity cost.

The new systems are "closed loop" so you don't have to have a good well to draw ground water from. The closed loop(s) are big cylinders filled with water that have circulating water tubes inside them. This circulating water regains it's ground water temperature of about 54 F after it's pumped into the ground. When it goes through the heat pump this temperature is warm enough to heat your house regardless of outside air temperature, and cool enough to provide really good A/C in the summer.

The old "open loop" systems could cause you a lot of grief if the well clogged up or if the water table dropped. Discharging the water back into the ground (or into the sewer system) could be problematic too.

The new systems are still a mess to install as they really have to dig up the yard and get well below the frost line - but if you aren't five feet above bedrock it's something you should consider when your HVAC system needs to be replaced (in the brick & mortar house, not the Airstream!).

Paula

[perryg114]

Ground Source Heat pumps are a good idea and would save a bunch more money than changing out light bulbs. My electric bill is around $400 in the summer and winter. I expect that half that or more is HVAC. A ground source heat pump would probably half my electric bill. There are a few installers around here but you usually get the deer in headlights look from an HVAC tech when you mention it.

Perry

[FreshAir]

Originally Posted by Lumatic

I suspect the killer is emissions requirements. In some parts of europe cars get 70-80 mpg, but these cars would never pass US standards. It's a chicken and the egg question. A 75 mpg car uses less gas but puts out more junk. A 40 mpg car puts out less junk but uses more gas.

Maybe so but this Sprint must have been certainly emission requirement compliant because of the awesome amount of tubing under the hood to direct the offending exhaust to reduce it. I remember that the first smog check, and remember Calif. then as now had the most stringent requirements, resulted in replacing the cat converter. After that, then expensive, repair the car performed flawlessly. Would I ever buy one again? Nope. It served it's purpose but driving the freeway was white knuckle time.

Neil

[barts]

Modern cars are far cleaner and more efficient than the older ones; they are also much heavier in the smaller sizes.

Compare the weights of modern fuel efficient cars to those you remember from the 1970s and 1980s. The Ford Pinto started out sub 2000 lbs, the Prius weighs 3000. Modern safety and comfort (low noise) comes at a price, and that price is weight.

The computer control systems on modern vehicles are made possible by inexpensive solid state sensors and electronics; this has led directly to much lower emissions and better mileage as well.

Lastly, modern economy cars are much faster than their predecessors.

A 1972 Ford Pinto Wagon did 0-60 in 16.7 seconds.
A modern Prius takes about 10 seconds.
My TDI Jetta does 0-60 in about 8 seconds, and gets 40+ mpg on the highway.


- Bart

[purman]

Originally Posted by FreshAir

I don't know why today's hybrids get so much attention. In 1987 we bought a Chevy Sprint, predecesor to the Geo, for 7k. It's main purpose was to be a commute car for our 120 round trip drive each work day but proved to be comfortable enough for errands too. You can say what you want but it got us the advertised 52 mpg....and it had AC. It was meant to be a 'throw away car' but I sold it when it almost had 300k miles on it. The new owner drove it away. Don't get me wrong, however, I'm for new technology and would like to be around to use it. One time the horse and buggy owners scoffed at the gas engine....until there were no more buggy whips to be had.

Neil

I also had a 79' Honda Accord that got 34 mpg.

Originally Posted by Lumatic

I suspect the killer is emissions requirements. In some parts of europe cars get 70-80 mpg, but these cars would never pass US standards. It's a chicken and the egg question. A 75 mpg car uses less gas but puts out more junk. A 40 mpg car puts out less junk but uses more gas.

Problem is US standards measure stuff different and in fact Europe Emissions keep more junk out of the air than the US ones. On some things we are so backwards..

Originally Posted by perryg114

Ground Source Heat pumps are a good idea and would save a bunch more money than changing out light bulbs. My electric bill is around $400 in the summer and winter. I expect that half that or more is HVAC. A ground source heat pump would probably half my electric bill. There are a few installers around here but you usually get the deer in headlights look from an HVAC tech when you mention it.

Perry

WOOOW. I heat an endless pool all winter long (7'x14'x5'deep)that is outside in -10 to 20 degree weather for 3 months, and it never got to $400.

I have forced air heat, heated by gas. It takes has two big ducts in the house and heats that air. I'm heating air that is already 70 degrees. That the least my wife will let me set the thermostat. Even at night..

We have a great electric company...Welcome to DMEA.com Your Hometown Electric Cooperative


If you live in a city and only do city driving an electric car almost makes sense, if you have a place to plug it in

[TimsLegacy]

I'd love to see a driveline electric assist kit that is bolted between the drive shaft and differential. Motorhomes have heavy batteries onboard anyway, why not put them to use when pulling out from a stop or hill climbing and use the dynamic braking re-charging when decending hills. Motorhomes seem like a perfect fit for a DIY driveline e-assist system. Thoughts?

[purman]

Originally Posted by TimsLegacy

I'd love to see a driveline electric assist kit that is bolted between the drive shaft and differential. Motorhomes have heavy batteries onboard anyway, why not put them to use when pulling out from a stop or hill climbing and use the dynamic braking re-charging when decending hills. Motorhomes seem like a perfect fit for a DIY driveline e-assist system. Thoughts?

There was a guy in Salida Co that was doing this.. Can't remember anything other than I saw it in the paper about 4 years ago..