Posted on 01/07/2022 6:38:14 PM PST by DUMBGRUNT
If that were the case starting but a week ago (2022), I 95 would probably still be clogged with EVs and their dead batteries. That is, unless the snowplows had pushed them to where they belong - the ditches alongside the highway. There would be no equipment available to recharge them all in the time since the snowstorm.
It's not clear that there ever could be such equipment, considering all the evil fossil fuel that would be necessary to carry to the roadway to run the charging equipment. Long extension cords anyone?
Unfortunately, that isn't gonna work. A gas powered generator would need as much engine size and fuel tank size as an automobile has now (Plus a large generator) to be able to provide enough power to extend the range to what an automobile gets now. It actually would take quite a bit more than that, considering the extra tire rolling resistance and air resistance and weight of the trailer. There ain't no free lunch.
But I'm not, and do, and it isn't.
Actually, it's 30 states.
I’d get one for local errands but I’ve heard it does wonders for the electric bill. Not for $50,000+. I’ll stick with my old Tahoe and the fun car.
I replaced both my gas furnace and my A/C unit with a variable speed heat pump. Part of that was to save power in general, which it does. And part of that is so that most of the time when it's on it uses low power so that my sum total of power needed at any time is usually within the limit of my inverter. So not only does my heat pump use less power in a day's time, when it does use power it doesn't demand a lot at that moment.
Basically, my inverter can convert DC to AC at a max of 9.5 kW continuously. If I need more power than that it pulls the extra needed from the grid, even if it's a bright sunny day (read: max solar coming in) and my batteries are fully charged. A variable speed heat pump runs more often than an A/C unit, but usually when it runs it's at a lower speed (needs less power). Thus, it's rare it demands 4 kW like my old A/C unit did. Thus, my wife and I can have other appliances running while the variable speed heat pump is running without exceeding the 9.5 kW limit of my inverter (at least usually). I did the same kind of thing with my water heater. It's now a hybrid water heater with a built-in heat pump to slowly heat the water after just one shower (after two showers the temperature cools enough for it to use normal heating elements which requires a lot of power, but that's only when we have company or my wife and I shower separately).
That's part of the cost when I said the whole thing will pay for itself in a decade.
Bonus points: my inverter is one of the ones that has a feature I'm not using but will if I get an EV. The inverter can be set to power a separate circuit (or circuit panel) only on the condition that my solar batteries are charged at least X% (let's say 80%). So let's say I come home in an EV and it's 75% charged (we'll say 3/4ths of a "tank" left to keep from confusing the EV's battery charge with the home solar batteries' charge). And let's say I don't plan to drive the EV on a long trip soon, just 20-40 miles per day to work and running errands. Thus, I don't NEED it to be charged but would like it to be charged if I had excess free power. I'd therefore plug it into an outlet that's on an excess power only circuit. If my home batteries are over 80% charged my EV will get charged some. When my home batteries lose enough charge to be below 80%, my EV will quit being charged, the idea being I need at least 80% of the home batteries' charge for my home to make it through the night without pulling from the grid. And if I leave my EV parked and plugged through the night and on into much of the next day after the sun comes up (i.e. it's a day I work from home or an off day or whatever), then the EV will automatically start being charged again after my solar batteries get 80% charged. And all of that without me having to monitor it on my apps and go out to the garage and manually unplug it for a while, then plug it back in for a while, etc. The solar system would do that for me automatically.
Of course, if I come home in the EV and NEED a charge (i.e. my EV "tank" is low or I plan to do a lot of driving over the next couple of days) I can plug it into a normal constant power outlet. I'd do that knowing that a significant portion of that power is power I'd have to pay for because it'd come from the grid. Thus, it's not a 100% off grid "net zero" solution like the Dims pretend can happen. But it moves the needle significantly so that I don't lose as much sleep when the Dims raise our energy costs to force us to repent from our cow farting ways.
Thanks for taking the time to put all those details out there. Much appreciated....
“Think libertarian with green energy, not exactly a prepper, but not exactly wanting my long term financial plan to be derailed by Dims jacking up energy costs like they’re talking about doing.”
I totally agree with one exception.... I would never call it ‘green’.
Regardless, your thinking and approach seems to be totally sound, I agree wholeheartedly... and I wish I was as far along with that as you. You are way ahead of me with where you are at but I’m getting there. My starting point was that I’ve been taking the view that the folks who establish energy policy (and/or are in charge in some way of my energy needs) are nuts and wildly off-base... and for this reason, I think that everyone should be taking the approach of going off-grid for no other reason than to put it back into one’s own control... if not totally (and most people can’t), at least as far as they can go with it. The nut cases making decisions are basing them around idealistic concepts.... not practical considerations and that means big trouble down the road. And the only way to avoid the problems is by taking matters into one’s own hands. Instead of living one’s life with the assumption that one can depend on others to take care of certain things, one has to live under the assumption that others won’t... and that means self-sufficiency and backup plans.
Just curious... what is the approximate heating and cooling degree days where you live? https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/units-and-calculators/degree-days.php
Sounds like you have a well-designed system. Thanks for sharing.
But, you probably can’t keep a gasoline engine idling all night either.
—
Done routinely during commercial snow removal. Turning the engine off is recipe for trouble, if it will not start again for any reason. Multiple properties depend on snow removal and salting in timely fashion during storms.
Gas is cheap compared to the cost of having a mechanic on call to service the truck in the field, not to mention the cost of down time and customer dissatisfaction for not completing the job in a timely fashion.
And that’s just the States getting income to repair state roads - wait until Congress passes a federal law to generate funds to repair the interstate system. Right now these laws are based on mileage traveled, but that is not reliable.
They will, sooner or later, make the tax on power used which will be collected on home power bills and at charging stations.
New home construction will be required to have in-home charging stations as well, adding significantly to the home costs. Then, later that will be made retroactive to all homes.
Herein lies the angle that explains why the Dems are pushing EVs : Federal government control of electricity - that will likely be coupled with your social credit score and determine the level of personal transportation use or not ...
Unless one wants some heat, of course.
You bet. I can go about 120 miles on 2 gallons and I can use the rack and backpack...It's so fun I'm surprised the Communist have not tried to outlawed them yet.
I know I sure do. Don't leave home without 'em. Spending the night in a car or truck can get pretty cold and damp, even in summer.
Finlanders eat lukefisk too but that doesn't mean I should.
You think a 200 unit apartment complex is going to install 300 charging stations throughout its parking lot for its renters?
Sorry but there is absolutely no logical reason why we should be forced to purchase electric vehicles.
Tesla’s have heated seats. It doesn’t take much power to heat them.
Put the cars on the electric grid, then put all home heating and all appliances on the electric grid, then place everyone’s use of electricity on a government designed usage schedule. ???
What state are you in? How well would they last Michigan?
I’m in Georgia but am very familiar with New York and physics.
Here’s two tests of Tesla in Michigan winter:
https://youtu.be/i3E0t0kGeug
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/amp31739529/how-much-does-climate-control-affect-ev-range/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.