The EV fact thread

[ChipChop]

One odd thing i have noticed as i live by the sea is that when it is very windy, like today (50+mph gusts), the offshore wind turbines are not spinning quickly at all. A westerly wind yet they are not angled to take full advantage. Maybe they are low on cooling oil.

 

[SmartAmg]

Oh and it looks like these could hit UK roads soon if the road-safety campaigners get their way…. So that’s the end of the supposed 85mph cruisers who slow down for the gantry…

New anti-braking speed cameras target drivers trying to avoid fines

New devices will penalise drivers who attempt to avoid fines by braking harshly to slow down for speed cameras then speed back up too quickly after passing them.

www.fleetnews.co.uk

Thanks for that.
Merry Christmas.

 

[clk320x]

Thanks for that.
Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas

 

[clk320x]

One odd thing i have noticed as i live by the sea is that when it is very windy, like today (50+mph gusts), the offshore wind turbines are not spinning quickly at all. A westerly wind yet they are not angled to take full advantage. Maybe they are low on cooling oil.

Probably fixed speed turbines.

 

[ChipChop]

Probably fixed speed turbines.

No idea. They are fairly recent so you would assume they would install the most efficient type of turbine not something that is unable to take advantage when the wind decides to blow a hoolie.

 

[clk320x]

No idea. They are fairly recent so you would assume they would install the most efficient type of turbine not something that is unable to take advantage when the wind decides to blow a hoolie.

Wind turbines have a rated capacity, and exceeding this doesn't necessarily make them more efficient. They are designed to operate optimally within a specific wind speed range. Beyond that, increasing wind speed may lead to issues like overspeed, where the turbine can't efficiently convert the extra wind energy. Additionally, safety concerns and wear on the turbine components can arise at higher speeds. So, while more wind theoretically means more energy, turbines are designed to balance efficiency and safety within a specified range.

 

[ChipChop]

Which translates to when it is very windy they angle the blades so they are hardly spinning at all. Renewables eh?

 

[Ted]

AC generators are intrinsically current limiting with rotational speed, because as they spin faster, the current frequency increases and the impedance goes up.
Car alternators are the same, and self limiting.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

View attachment 150961View attachment 150962Are my eyes deceiving me about the price difference between a new car and one that’s 9 months old?

Understood, but discounts on dumped pre-registered cars aren’t unique to EV’s

A friend picked up a six month old SL63 with a couple of thousand on the clock for £60k off.

A mere £80k instead of £140k, including extras

And you’d certainly see similar deals on pre-reg S class

 

[clk320x]

Which translates to when it is very windy they angle the blades so they are hardly spinning at all. Renewables eh?

I think you missed the point?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Oh and it looks like these could hit UK roads soon if the road-safety campaigners get their way…. So that’s the end of the supposed 85mph cruisers who slow down for the gantry…

New anti-braking speed cameras target drivers trying to avoid fines

New devices will penalise drivers who attempt to avoid fines by braking harshly to slow down for speed cameras then speed back up too quickly after passing them.

www.fleetnews.co.uk

We do, of course already have speed averaging cameras on British motorways, not that the police implement fines and points for most speed cameras. (Else we’d all be stuffed)

 

[BTB 500]

It would be interesting to know how many people here have MB cars with plates starting with a 'K'.

My guess is as followed:

A and B Class - a minority
C and E Class - a fair share
S Class - almost all of them

Both our C Classes (2007 S203, 2019 S205) had K prefix plates. The S205 was a low mileage ex-demonstrator sold at 12 months old during Covid and had only been owned by MB. Don't know about the S203 - that was 6 years old when we got it, and had 2 previous owners.

 

[BTB 500]

We do, of course already have speed averaging cameras on British motorways, not that the police implement fines and points for most speed cameras. (Else we’d all be stuffed)

Presumably there must be *some* prosecutions from average speed cameras ... I suspect the threshold might be set quite high though. Fixed speed cameras are more obvious as most of them emit a visible flash when someone gets nicked ... AFAIK it's only the front-facing ones that don't (for obvious safety reasons!).

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Presumably there must be *some* prosecutions from average speed cameras ... I suspect the threshold might be set quite high though. Fixed speed cameras are more obvious as most of them emit a visible flash when someone gets nicked ... AFAIK it's only the front-facing ones that don't (for obvious safety reasons!).

For sure there's some, as I said, they don't implement for "most." As you know yourself, you (and I) routinely drive past speed cameras at speeds above the speed limits, and we don't get fines or points.

You can't cruise hundreds of miles at an average of 70mph, as you do, without breaking the limits most of the time

As I said, the police don't use the data that's already there from the cameras that are in place.

Anyone driving at the speed limit on UK motorways and A roads knows that a lot of people drive above the limit.

 

[ChipChop]

I think you missed the point?

Every time my electricity bill goes up i get the point. Renewables are expensive.

 

[markjay]

Every time my electricity bill goes up i get the point. Renewables are expensive.

So are wars in Eastern Europe. Not to mention the Houthie in Yemen. Etc.

 

[clk320x]

Every time my electricity bill goes up i get the point. Renewables are expensive.

The global energy crisis lead to this, not renewables.

 

[ChipChop]

The global energy crisis lead to this, not renewables.

There is no question that war is expensive (maybe it should be banned?) but so is the transition to Net Zero. Also known as the green premium.

A fundamental of Western governments Net Zero policy which artificially creates energy inflation.

The Green Premium | Breakthrough Energy

Focused on developing and deploying the critical climate solutions our world needs to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

breakthroughenergy.org

 

[markjay]

.....Western governments Net Zero policy which artificially creates energy inflation....

Not a bad thing, mind.

Western societies have become very wasteful.

As anyone who spent time in the developing works can testify - where little gets thrown away and nothing gets wasted.

Perhaps it's about time that we should put a price tag on 'energy'. Maybe it shouldn't be so cheap and plentiful. We will learn to appreciate it more, and will start using it sparingly. And it will be worthwhile for us to spend more time on finding clever ways of becoming more energy efficient.

(With apologies to our AMG-owner members....)

 

[Petrol Pete]

"Which translates to when it is very windy they angle the blades so they are hardly spinning at all. Renewables eh?...."

They have to look after the 'blades' and try not to wear them out prematurely......mainly because they can (mostly) not be repaired or recycled , when worn out they become landfill. ..... nice.