>Correct me if I'm wrong (yeah, right, like I have to ask!).
Dan, I think you are right on target. Probably optimistic a bit on efficiency
of motors and generators. 30% sticks in my mind....
I agree that on the face of it, an alternator (or generator) should
only suck up a small amount of power. Maybe I don't understand the
effect of a little extra load on idle speed, but when I take my 4 liter
V-8 and suddenly load it with a seat heater and a rear window defroster, the
idle
drops considerably until the computer catches it (about 1/2 to 1 sec) and raises
the idle speed a tad. Also interesting to see the voltage drop a lot in that
time and then re-stabilize at the 15.3 I usually see.
Does the added load of one HP really drop the idle that much? Must be...
Another issue this raises. Once I was in the market for the accura integra.
At that time, in an effort to wring the maximum HP, they put a clutch
on the alternator (like the AC) and with the throttle wide open, the engine
stopped spinning the alternator and AC compressor! It seems to me that if the
alternator load is so minimal, it is not worth the complexity and expense
of adding the clutch.
What do you think?
-Tony
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