X-Virus-Scanned: clean according to Sophos on Logan.com Return-Path: Received: from cdptpa-omtalb.mail.rr.com ([75.180.132.123] verified) by logan.com (CommuniGate Pro SMTP 5.2.13) with ESMTP id 3553058 for flyrotary@lancaironline.net; Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:43:17 -0400 Received-SPF: pass receiver=logan.com; client-ip=75.180.132.123; envelope-from=eanderson@carolina.rr.com Received: from computername ([75.191.186.236]) by cdptpa-omta06.mail.rr.com with ESMTP id <20090319204239.UKLT28507.cdptpa-omta06.mail.rr.com@computername> for ; Thu, 19 Mar 2009 20:42:39 +0000 From: "Ed Anderson" To: "'Rotary motors in aircraft'" Subject: RE: [FlyRotary] Re: Fuel Used was Alternator (Off topic) Date: Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:42:42 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Microsoft Office Outlook, Build 11.0.5510 Thread-Index: AcmosKmb++Zbll9aTXis7ixcyCczsAAIoSBg X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.5579 In-Reply-To: Message-Id: <20090319204239.UKLT28507.cdptpa-omta06.mail.rr.com@computername> Practice, Bob, Practice! {:>) Ed Ed Anderson Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered Matthews, NC eanderson@carolina.rr.com http://www.andersonee.com http://www.dmack.net/mazda/index.html http://www.flyrotary.com/ http://members.cox.net/rogersda/rotary/configs.htm#N494BW http://www.rotaryaviation.com/Rotorhead%20Truth.htm -----Original Message----- From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On Behalf Of Bob White Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 12:34 PM To: Rotary motors in aircraft Subject: [FlyRotary] Re: Fuel Used was Alternator (Off topic) Ed, All I want to know is how you did that conversion from gallon to shot glass so quick. ;) Bob W. On Thu, 19 Mar 2009 12:07:30 -0400 "Ed Anderson" wrote: > Ben, there is no question that anything consuming (using) electrical power > is going to require that power to be produced (or stored) somewhere, > sometime, somehow. Whether you pull it from alternator or battery. > > > > Since your objective (in this scenario) is to conserve fuel (rather than > battery power), the real question is how much fuel you will save vs. the > utility of some electrical component you might decide to turn off. For > instance, you might save fuel by turning off your GPS and Radio - but if the > GPS is crucial to you taking the shortest, surest route to the nearest > filling station - then keeping it ON is perhaps worth much more than the few > oz of fuel you might (I repeat might) save. > > > > Lets look at some numbers. > > > > At 12VDC 1 amp of current draw = 12 watts of power or much less than the > ordinary 60 watt household light bulb, but probably enough for GPS and Radio > receiver. > > > > 12 watts of power (assuming 100% efficiency which you, of course, will NOT > get) would require 0.01609227 HP. Lets round it up and say 0.0170 HP > > > > A frequently used power equation for the rotary is HP = lbm fuel/0.55. So > reworking the equation slightly we get Fuel = HP*0.55 = 0.0170*0.55 = > 0.00935 lb of fuel/min > > > > So lets say you need to fly 30 minutes to get to the nearest airport. > 0.00935*30 = 0.2804 lb fuel required to power the 12 watt component for 30 > minutes. > > > > Since there is approx 6 lbs of fuel per gallon, you would use 0.2805 / 6 = > 0.0467 gallons of fuel or approx 6 oz of fuel (three jigger size shot > classes worth - you might need that after this flight {:>)). > > > > At a throttled back cruise rate of 4 gallon per hour of fuel burn (if you > can lean it back that far and stay airborne and get good mileage) you would > save enough to keep the engine running > > > > 4 gallons/hr = 512 oz (approx) /hr , So 6 oz = 6/512 *60 minutes = 0.703 > minute or 42 seconds longer of flight (very approximate) > > > > > > So the bottom line is the 42 seconds of flight more valuable than having > your GPS and radio - it could be if that made the difference between making > the airport or not (but you don't know that bit of important information), > but then if you lose the most direct route to your airfield because you > turned off your GPS, you could easily use much more fuel just doing a 360 > turn or two. > > > > On the other hand, if your battery was fully charged then you might not > draw the battery down enough to trigger the voltage regulator to send power > to it, in which case you may not save any fuel (over this short time period) > by giving up your 12 watt GPS /Radio. > > > > > > Hypothetical scenarios are fun to discuss and give you a ball park > quantification of factors that might turn out to be useful in decision > making (should you every face the situation), but my view is it is seldom > you find yourself in a real world situation that other factors don't screw > up the decision that the hypothetical scenario would call for {:>) > > > > > > Just my 0.02 worth > > > > Ed > > > > Ed Anderson > > Rv-6A N494BW Rotary Powered > > Matthews, NC > > eanderson@carolina.rr.com > > http://www.andersonee.com > > > http://www.dmack.net/mazda/index.html > > http://www.flyrotary.com/ > > > http://members.cox.net/rogersda/rotary/configs.htm#N494BW > > http://www.rotaryaviation.com/Rotorhead%20Truth.htm > > > _____ > > From: Rotary motors in aircraft [mailto:flyrotary@lancaironline.net] On > Behalf Of Ben Baltrusaitis > Sent: Thursday, March 19, 2009 9:09 AM > To: Rotary motors in aircraft > Subject: [FlyRotary] Alternator (Off topic) > > > > Since it's quiet: > > > > When I was a kid a guy at the parts store demonstrated to my Dad that when > electrical power was needed, a generator put a load on the engine. After > that, my Dad was careful not to run lights, radio, heater fan, or other > non-essentials when he was trying to get good gas mileage. > > > > I have continued that tradition, however, I have seen it stated that > electrical draw on an alternator doesn't increase the mechanical load. > > > > When low on fuel will it help to turn off electrical components not needed > for flight? > > > > Is it true of an alternator; an electrical power demand doesn't cause an > increased mechanical load? > > > > Or, does keeping headlights on during the day decrease gas mileage? > > > > Thanks! > > Ben > > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 3267 (20080714) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > -- N93BD - Rotary Powered BD-4 - http://www.bob-white.com 3.8 Hours Total Time and holding Cables for your rotary installation - http://roblinstores.com/ -- Homepage: http://www.flyrotary.com/ Archive and UnSub: http://mail.lancaironline.net:81/lists/flyrotary/List.html __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 3267 (20080714) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com