Running Bear's January 2025 Coffee Shop

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Seems funny to me. Walthers has mystery boxes and they are back ordered. Seems weird, wouldn't you think that a mystery box would be filled with different "cheap" things as your order was being filled. How can a mystery box of basically unwanted items or least purchased items be backordered.

Heck, grab a box and fill it with something and ship with order. the customer isn't going to know what's in it anyway...... IT'S A MYSTERY BOX for pete sake.
 
Using your argument, you should immediately stop operating any powered device, since absolutely none of them will match your criteria for operation.
Sorry, don't know exactly what you mean it all went over my head I guess. But if you mean all things are made from oil and there fore we should stop using them. Sure why not? Worked in the past, will work in the future. Only catch is, in today's world, everyone wants it now, and will not wait for the hand power way of doing things because we are living in a "use once, throw away" world.

But yeah you're right if I'm understanding where you're coming from. If oil is bad, then nothing should be done, true. But that's not the way the world works. The world works on fear ........... now a days. climate change. well no sh#t. the climates been changing for decades and will continue to do so. We can't change it. Nature will do it's thing whether we like it or not.
 
Sorry, don't know exactly what you mean it all went over my head I guess. But if you mean all things are made from oil and there fore we should stop using them. Sure why not? Worked in the past, will work in the future. Only catch is, in today's world, everyone wants it now, and will not wait for the hand power way of doing things because we are living in a "use once, throw away" world.

But yeah you're right if I'm understanding where you're coming from. If oil is bad, then nothing should be done, true. But that's not the way the world works. The world works on fear ........... now a days. climate change. well no sh#t. the climates been changing for decades and will continue to do so. We can't change it. Nature will do it's thing whether we like it or not.
For the car to move forward, it needs an energy source. The energy from your petrol engine is transferred to the drive train.

If we were to hook an "alternator" type of contraption up to the wheels of the auto, to charge a bank of batteries while it drives, that would create drag on the wheels, slowing the car.

So you'd push more on the gas, burning more fuel, to go the same speed you were without the battery charging.

What' you are asking for is a "Perpetual motion machine." (The Link Terry gave)... those don't exist. There is always friction in the system (tires on the ground, mechanicals rubbing against each other, air drag, etc. All modes of transport USE energy.

The only two ways right now to charge a battery that is also powering the engine of a car are the "dynamic braking" - which doesn't use the brakes, but lets the drive train in a downhill coast (gravity as the power source) or a slow-down to use instead of pushing the brake pedal... OR Solar power. And the tech in solar isn't enough to move a normal car just by solar. The few that exist like that are HUGE panels attached to ultralight vehicles with no real hauling capacity, and no great speed.

Give the tech sector another ten years to keep working on Solar tech, and Battery tech, and we'll be close to running cars off of solar.
 


Now, if you go back and read your 60s and 70s SciFi, you'll find the idea of nuclear powered vehicles for the consumer as something the futurists of the SciFi world saw coming. And that may be on the horizon as well. Small nuclear reactors are feasible, but pricy right now. Another 10 years, and they may be small enough to power busses or locomotives.
 
So, what everyone is saying is that there is no way to have a vehicle that will recharge itself as it is traveling down the highway. So, why have them if the traveling distance is less than gas, recharging is way more time consuming than gas, and the minerals mined needed for the batteries pose more harm than good.
Gas vehicles don't "recharge" themselves either. The regeneration systems recover as much of the energy as possible so they do in effeect recharge themselves to the limits of the possibilities. So to be fair, this is a plus for EV since ICE doesn't get any benefit going down the road.

I'm not pro or anti EV. But I like the cost of running one and the ability to charge at home and have the torque and performance. This is based on my experience with my PHEV.

They're not perfect and I am not on the "save the world" bandwagon as they do have a lot of hidden environmental costs. I think they are a mid-term "solution" while we figure out the next long term solution. Let the market decide.
 
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What' you are asking for is a "Perpetual motion machine." (The Link Terry gave)... those don't exist. There is always friction in the system (tires on the ground, mechanicals rubbing against each other, air drag, etc. All modes of transport USE energy.

hey I mentioned "perpetual motion" in my reply a page or two ago ;)

Now, if you go back and read your 60s and 70s SciFi, you'll find the idea of nuclear powered vehicles for the consumer as something the futurists of the SciFi world saw coming. And that may be on the horizon as well. Small nuclear reactors are feasible, but pricy right now. Another 10 years, and they may be small enough to power busses or locomotives.

Or better yet small neighborhood reactors providing power in their local area -- the power which is used to charge the batteries or whatever. And larger nuke plants generatoring power to manufacturer whatever next gen clean fuel they develop or improve (like hydrogen based).

While I said that I think that EV is a stop gap soltion for the mid term, EV components are probably part of the long term solution. Much like we have diesel electric locomotives, a vehicle with electric motors and a small battery able to provide instant current response coupled with a next gen clean combustion or a fuel cell system of some sort keeping that battery charged or supplying direct electricity if the battery is full is probably what a long term solution will look like. Even if some sort of next gen clean fuel combustion (hydrogen or whatever) system is develioed, mechanical transmission of that power to the wheels (tracks/treads, whatever) is inefficient compared to using electric power derived from those sources.
 
Curious, how much has your electric bill gone up due to charging your vehicle at home. How many miles do you travel each day or until you need to charge the vehicle. Finally, do you let the battery "get to empty" before charging? or charge every night? Will charging even a "1/2 full" battery shorten the life of the battery (battery tools usually run battery til dead and then recharge or it will shorten the life or charge of the battery). Think I said all that correct.

I would hope the cost of not paying for fuel, but having to pay for electric, the electric bill would be a lot less per month than fuel costs. The cost of the vehicle, when do you break even on it compared to a "regular vehicle". Loans about the same term wise?
 
Could you have in a vehicle two batteries? while driving you're charging one and running off the other. Like having two fuel tanks. Is this even possible?
This doesn't solve the problem,. The energy to move the vehicle is coming from the battery. Putting it back into the battery doesn't help you. Whether the original or a different battery. And because the process is not 100% efficient you're losing energy for no gain at all.

I would hope the cost of not paying for fuel, but having to pay for electric, the electric bill would be a lot less per month than fuel costs. The cost of the vehicle, when do you break even on it compared to a "regular vehicle". Loans about the same term wise?
It depends what your costs for electricity is but I found I'm paying about 1/3 the cost per mile as I do running on gas (since mine is a PHEV). You really want to look at the cost per mile. If you have excess solar it's basically free from ongoing costs (obviously you had the cost of the solar installation itself).

If you're charging at most public stations -- especially high speed / high current chargers (not level 2 at home) -- you're probably paying 2-4 times more per mile since those are businesses charging you a retail rate of 25/30 to 50 cents kwh vs the 10-15 cents (guess for average across the country) you're paying at home. In Utah depending on season and usage we're paying 10-12 cents.
 
you all are smarter than me. I leave it to you guys, cause I don't get it. I can't believe you can't drive on one battery and charge another so you can drive longer. You're telling me you can't. Okay. I was just thinking if you could have a vehicle that could power itself with one battery source while charging another battery source, you could travel a farther distance. Basically a circle of energy. If it can't be done than it can't.

Guess I don't know how things work. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
 


you all are smarter than me. I leave it to you guys, cause I don't get it. I can't believe you can't drive on one battery and charge another so you can drive longer. You're telling me you can't. Okay. I was just thinking if you could have a vehicle that could power itself with one battery source while charging another battery source, you could travel a farther distance. Basically a circle of energy. If it can't be done than it can't.

Guess I don't know how things work. Seemed like a good idea at the time.

Where is the energy to charge the second battery coming from? Think it through.
 
Good morning Burger Fans

there cant be enough burgers! damn i wana BBQ, but its too cold outside.
anyway, in other news:

- airport ZRH up and running fine
- cloudy all grey in grey
- just to let you know, i did order a Walthers Mystery Box - i dont tell you for what value hahaha.

@Bill Tidler Jr. i got it confirmed, so i dont know why they do it on back order. maybe to see how many will be ordered so they can set it on hold if the warehouse is empty :D Iam also wondering how big the package will be, and what customs will think about when it arrives in switzerland hahaha.

picture today:

IMG_8932.JPG
 
Curious, how much has your electric bill gone up due to charging your vehicle at home. How many miles do you travel each day or until you need to charge the vehicle. Finally, do you let the battery "get to empty" before charging? or charge every night? Will charging even a "1/2 full" battery shorten the life of the battery (battery tools usually run battery til dead and then recharge or it will shorten the life or charge of the battery). Think I said all that correct.

I would hope the cost of not paying for fuel, but having to pay for electric, the electric bill would be a lot less per month than fuel costs. The cost of the vehicle, when do you break even on it compared to a "regular vehicle". Loans about the same term wise?
I have solar on my roof, I charge to 80%, between the hours of 8am to 5pm. Cost 0. I also have a 220 outlet for charging. drove 80 miles today, returned at 3pm, charged when I got home, went from 57% to 80% before 5pm. According to experts, you should only charge to 80%, for better battery life.
 
Good morning gang!

15° as I head out this morning under cloudy skies only expecting a high of 30° today.

IMG_1720.jpeg

My early birthday present has arrived and wifey allowed me to unboxed it for inspection and test run. It’s an Atlas silver series B 32–8. Decorated for the western Maryland scenic railway in Cumberland. I have seen the real thing now I have it in HO scale . It runs very smooth and is almost a perfect speed match to the Bowser F units behind it.

BBL
 
Where is the energy to charge the second battery coming from? Think it through.
I was thinking as I said before the energy to charge the second battery would come from the wheels, but everyone said that’s impossible to do because of the draw on the first battery would be to great because of the drag coming from the wheels trying to power the vehicle and to charge the battery.

What’s puzzling to me is, so what if there is too much drag or power lost from the first battery, would the power lost be the second battery power gain? I know some would be lost but wouldn’t there still be a charge going to the second battery? Which if there was, then you could go farther than just one one battery. Then when the time comes to stop for a total recharge, charge both and continue on.

Sure it would be great to have one charge the other and then the second charge the first as you’re traveling down the road but everyone says that’s impossible. OK for now it is. Future who knows.
 
Yeah George, that's what they say. I cut way back, dropped to 143 lbs, and was told to bulk up...Too much is bad, not enough is just as bad. We use low sodium products as much as possible. Had home made soup the other night. Better than pre made. But once in a while a canned soup won't hurt.
I only know this Boris my doctor before he moved to FL told me start preparing your own food. There's way too much salt in everything you buy. I have friends who now have kidney problems because of this. It doesn't look good for them some have already died. I don't want to be in the same boat. I know it's a pain to prepare everything from scratch but it's either that or not being on this forum in the future.
Swal
 


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