Well, I have only a high school education. Does that make me more to your liking? :)
Electric generators are not real efficient. Like an alternator - they waste a lot of energy as heat.
You drag one on a wheel, and it will use energy to do so. Makes sense, right? Gotta put energy into the wheel to make it go around, to make the alternator go around?
So, you lose energy doing this while you are powering the car to go forward.
The only time you can gain any power is when you are trying to slow the car. Then any energy the alternator makes will also be slowing the car down. Won't heat the brakes quite as much, will power up the alternator some.
But here's the rub: You need to carry the extra wheel, alternator, and control devices with you all the time. So your car will weigh more. A heavier car takes more fuel to drive around.
And, braking is a big use of energy - you need a pretty big alternator & big power cables & such to capture a whole lot of energy in a short period of time. The nature of braking - a little whimpy alternator or generator won't do it - needs to be big & beefy.
So, the contraption will be kinda heavy.
Now, the question is, will you capture enough energy back into a battery while braking, to make up for the extra energy you need to get moving again with the extra weight of the alternator & all the controls & such?
Will the thing give you more back than what it uses while riding along?
A whole lot of research has been done on this in electric & hybred vehicles, and some use it. But it is not easy, or free, energy. You really have to design it out carefully, and it only gives back a tiny little bit more than it uses.
Make sense? If not, why not? What part do you disagree with?
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
Today's Featured Article - Restoration Story: Fordson Major - by Anthony West. George bought his Fordson Major from a an implement sale about 18 years ago for £200.00 (UK). There is no known history regarding its origins or what service it had done, but the following work was undertaken alone to bring it up to show standard. From the engine number, it was found that this Major was produced late 1946. It was almost complete but had various parts that would definitely need replacing.
... [Read Article]
Latest Ad:
1964 I-H 140 tractor with cultivators and sidedresser. Starts and runs good. Asking 2650. CALL RON AT 502-319-1952
[More Ads]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
