I have actually owned 3 original minis, plus my Dad and sister had one each.
I also had a Beetle Volkswagen with a 6 volt battery under the back seat
and the headlights were virtually useless.
Peter


>From: "laurence200857" <laurence.wilkins@...>
>Reply-To: Beyond_cheap_fuel@...
>To: Beyond_cheap_fuel@...
>Subject: [Beyond_cheap_fuel] Re: Appliances on Standby - is it hot or is it
>not??
>Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 22:18:22 -0000
>
>I agree with Peter's point about high current and ensuing voltage
>drops. But I guess you've never owned an original Mini, Pete!! :)
>
>But seriously, Folks. USA's HOMEPOWER magazine has done the math on
>this one. In off-grid systems, the COST of laying heavy duty 12V
>circuits around the typical US home (fat copper cable costing fat
>bucks) is GREATER than the costs of an inverter and conventional 240V
>(or 110V in their case) supply, and local down-converters.
>
>Did you know?? With the ever-increasing electrical loads and more
>complex automotive electronics, the NEW STANDARD for cars is going to
>be a 42V (yes, THAT Number) supply around the car.
>
>Laurence
>
>-- In Beyond_cheap_fuel@..., "Peter Eggleston"
><petereggleston@...> wrote:
> >
> > The problem with a low voltage ring main is you get a big voltage
>reduction
> > over long cable distances. That is why the distribution companies
>transform
> > up to hundreds of thousands of volts for travelling across country
>and then
> > back down to 240 volts near your house. Its also why your car starting
> > battery is usually near your starter motor and not tucked away at the
> > opposite end of the car.
> > Peter.
> >
> >
> > >From: Dave Gordon <Dave.Gordon@...>
> > >Reply-To: Beyond_cheap_fuel@...
> > >To: Beyond_cheap_fuel@...
> > >Subject: [Beyond_cheap_fuel] Re: Appliances on Standby - is it hot
>or is it
> > >not??
> > >Date: Fri, 30 Mar 2007 09:49:24 +0100
> > >
> > >Clive wrote:
> > > > A simple way to judge whether an appliance is wasting
> > > > power or not on standby, is to feel how hot it's getting
> > > > when left overnight - easier with a plug in power pack
> > > > then a TV I must admit. The small solid state 'switch
> > > > mode' plug in charger that came with my mobile 'phone
> > > > is stone cold when left plugged in and on, yet the power
> > > > supply to my external disk drive sits there roasting hot,
> > > > even with the switch on the drive set to 'off', so I
> > > > only plug it in when I need the external 'archive' drive.
> > > > My old BT voyager 105 broadband modem was powered by the
> > > > USB port, the new faster one they brought out is powered
> > > > by a separate transformer, and both it and the transformer
> > > > used to sit there 24/7 wasting energy. As I didn't notice
> > > > much of an improvement in surfing speed, I went back to
> > > > the old one.
> > >
> > >I've been wondering about the possibilities of having a
> > >low-voltage (probably 12v) "ring main" in addition to
> > >the normal 230v. This would allow the many small power
> > >conversion transformers common today to be replaced with
> > >a single larger one.
> > >
> > >In general transformer efficiency increases with size,
> > >so this should save power. The low-voltage circuit could
> > >also be used to supply low-voltage lighting circuits,
> > >which again often have their own transformers. This will
> > >be a particular win as low-voltage halogen is superceded
> > >by low-voltage LED lighting ...
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Get Hotmail, News, Sport and Entertainment from MSN on your mobile.
> > http://www.msn.txt4content.com/
> >
>
>

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