measuring fuel efficiency
in [Design]
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From: Jim Thompson on 12 Aug 2010 14:26 On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:22:39 -0700, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon(a)On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:13:14 GMT, zekfrivo(a)zekfrivolous.com (GregS) >wrote: > >>In article <s2r666tikq13rei7psmgrmsslgakidgidm(a)4ax.com>, Jim Thompson <To-Email-Use-The-Envelope-Icon(a)On-My-Web-Site.com> wrote: >>>On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:38:37 -0700, "Joel Koltner" >>><zapwireDASHgroups(a)yahoo.com> wrote: >>> >>>>"Rich Grise" <richgrise(a)example.net> wrote in message >>>>news:pan.2010.08.12.00.24.08.626089(a)example.net... >>>>> 1. Fill up the gas tank at a certain pump at a certain station, just until >>>>> the nozzle clicks off - don't top it up. Record the mileage from the >>>>> odometer. >>>>> 2. Drive. Note driving conditions, if desired for more granularity in your >>>>> mileage assessment. ;-) >>>>> 3. Fill up again at the same station and pump, again just until the nozzle >>>>> clicks off. Note gallons. >>>>> 4. Subtract previous mileage (see step one) from current mileage. >>>>> 5. Do the math. ;-) >>>> >>>>The more interesting question is how accurate the results are with a random >>>>select of stations and pumps, since this is what the vast majority of people >>>>use... >>> >>>I think station pumps are quite accurate, at least in those states >>>that penalize heavily for inaccurate delivery... like AZ :-) >>> >>> ...Jim Thompson >> >>I'm still pissed off. The other day I was fueling at my Giant Eagle Get Go, "supermarket" >>Got my 30 cents off per gallon. The darn thing shut off and started computing total, and >>I still had a gallon or two to go. I complained, but that did not work. I >>didn't hear or feel anything, like it usually does when the air tube hits gas. >> >>greg > >Some of those auto-shut-off nozzles are downright flaky. And it >depends a lot of how your car filler-tube "fits" the "standard". > > ...Jim Thompson Forgot to mention... One time in California, in the middle of nowhere (I5 way north of LA) I got gas, had to go inside to pay, signed the slip, was handed a form to fill-out, with name and address... station had been seized by FBI for fraudulent pumps... and I got a rebate check in the mail a few months later ;-) ...Jim Thompson -- | James E.Thompson, CTO | mens | | Analog Innovations, Inc. | et | | Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus | | Phoenix, Arizona 85048 Skype: Contacts Only | | | Voice:(480)460-2350 Fax: Available upon request | Brass Rat | | E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 | Spice is like a sports car... Performance only as good as the person behind the wheel.
From: Rich Grise on 12 Aug 2010 20:00 On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:38:37 -0700, Joel Koltner wrote: > "Rich Grise" <richgrise(a)example.net> wrote in message > news:pan.2010.08.12.00.24.08.626089(a)example.net... >> 1. Fill up the gas tank at a certain pump at a certain station, just until >> the nozzle clicks off - don't top it up. Record the mileage from the >> odometer. >> 2. Drive. Note driving conditions, if desired for more granularity in your >> mileage assessment. ;-) >> 3. Fill up again at the same station and pump, again just until the nozzle >> clicks off. Note gallons. >> 4. Subtract previous mileage (see step one) from current mileage. >> 5. Do the math. ;-) > > The more interesting question is how accurate the results are with a random > select of stations and pumps, since this is what the vast majority of people > use... Well, that's not really the point of this exercise - of course there will be variations, that's why for the measurement you use the same station, the same pump, and push it down your filler the same distance both times. It's to establish a baseline for that particular vehicle, that you can use for reference in the scenario you've cited above. Cheers! Rich
From: Rich Grise on 12 Aug 2010 20:03 On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 20:38:23 -0700, Jim Thompson wrote: > On Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:38:37 -0700, "Joel Koltner" >>"Rich Grise" <richgrise(a)example.net> wrote in message >>news:pan.2010.08.12.00.24.08.626089(a)example.net... >>> 1. Fill up the gas tank at a certain pump at a certain station, just until >>> the nozzle clicks off - don't top it up. Record the mileage from the >>> odometer. >>> 2. Drive. Note driving conditions, if desired for more granularity in your >>> mileage assessment. ;-) >>> 3. Fill up again at the same station and pump, again just until the nozzle >>> clicks off. Note gallons. >>> 4. Subtract previous mileage (see step one) from current mileage. >>> 5. Do the math. ;-) >> >>The more interesting question is how accurate the results are with a random >>select of stations and pumps, since this is what the vast majority of people >>use... > > I think station pumps are quite accurate, at least in those states > that penalize heavily for inaccurate delivery... like AZ :-) > Does Arizona have those vapor recovery cuffs like in CA? The last time I went to Vegas was almost 20 years ago, and I noticed that their gas pump nozzles didn't have those cuffs. I wonder if NE or AZ has them nowadays? Thanks, Rich
From: Charlie E. on 13 Aug 2010 13:30 On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:03:53 +0100, "Nial Stewart" <nial*REMOVE_THIS*@nialstewartdevelopments.co.uk> wrote: >> Oh yeah, certainly the "gallons delievered" read-out is accurate... but if you're doing as Rich >> says (and this is what my parents taught me to do decades back), it relies on your filling your >> tank up to the same level as it previously was, and hence the question is how consistent are the >> auto-shut-off detection devices from pump to pump? (...this is why Rich says to use the same pump >> at the same station, to avoid this variation...) > > >This doesn't really matter as long as you finish at the same pump you started at! > > >Nial. > Also, if you have a filler tube like mine, it tends to cut off multiple times during a fill up, so you often don't get a 'full' fill up every time. But like anything, it is the average that is important. if you do the calculation every time, then pretty soon you know what mileage to expect for the type of driving you do. And, when you don't get that mileage, to start looking for what is wrong! (like an almost flat tire... ;-) ) Charlie
From: GregS on 13 Aug 2010 14:12
In article <e40b66l29jvukhp6bcab5cll4lqgc117ni(a)4ax.com>, Charlie E. <edmondson(a)ieee.org> wrote: >On Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:03:53 +0100, "Nial Stewart" ><nial*REMOVE_THIS*@nialstewartdevelopments.co.uk> wrote: > >>> Oh yeah, certainly the "gallons delievered" read-out is accurate... but if > you're doing as Rich >>> says (and this is what my parents taught me to do decades back), it relies > on your filling your >>> tank up to the same level as it previously was, and hence the question is > how consistent are the >>> auto-shut-off detection devices from pump to pump? (...this is why Rich > says to use the same pump >>> at the same station, to avoid this variation...) >> >> >>This doesn't really matter as long as you finish at the same pump you started > at! >> >> >>Nial. >> >Also, if you have a filler tube like mine, it tends to cut off >multiple times during a fill up, so you often don't get a 'full' fill >up every time. > >But like anything, it is the average that is important. if you do the >calculation every time, then pretty soon you know what mileage to >expect for the type of driving you do. > >And, when you don't get that mileage, to start looking for what is >wrong! (like an almost flat tire... ;-) ) I normally get a good fill by waiting a couple seconds after the thing shuts off, and push again, and again. This lets the fuel settle down into the main tank. I remember those Ca. or elswhere vapor stops on the ends of the filler spout. I never figured those out. I also cannot figure out why a couple tablespoons of gas goes on the walkway, every time after I remove the filler tube from my car. greg |