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Glad to hear that you've gotten results you were looking for Chris. Good news.
Anyone from East TN at the Corral?
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Happy 4th everyone !
Ok my annual question series - first .… are we a Democracy? Yes or no?
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No. A representative democracy.
Not quite. its said in our Pledge. Our founding fathers HATED Democracies. They referenced Greece as the bad example. A democracy is “mob rule” where the majority has rights and minority has ‘nuttin’.
In A Republic the ultimate minority - the individual-has rights that others can’t trample.
”…. the Republic… for which it stands….”
In A Republic the ultimate minority - the individual-has rights that others can’t trample.
”…. the Republic… for which it stands….”
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Both are true Chris --- the form our government takes is that of a Republic. The way the voters' voices are heard in our Republic is through a representative democracy. Democratic votes are held to elect people who represent (supposedly) their electorate.
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De Tocqueville over 200 years ago-
“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”
“Society will develop a new kind of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate. It does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”
“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”
“Society will develop a new kind of servitude which covers the surface of society with a network of complicated rules, through which the most original minds and the most energetic characters cannot penetrate. It does not tyrannise but it compresses, enervates, extinguishes, and stupefies a people, till each nation is reduced to nothing better than a flock of timid and industrious animals, of which the government is the shepherd.”
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Yes we are, unfortunately.
It is supposed to be a democratic Republic, including appointed Senators, not elected Senators. Before that amendment, our U.S. Representatives were critical elected positions, and the Senators were primary advocates for each state, without the influence of politics(getting reelected). Since then it has been downhill as the entire Congress has devolved into a power hungry mob of elitists. There was a balance of power before then, the Senators were extremely important to protecting the states(and people's) rights.
Senators USED to be chosen from state governments…. thats a whole other thing.
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Elected or appointed - absent term limits, we’re toast. And the pot is boiling - WATCH: Dutch Farmers Become Ungovernable After 'Climate Change' Agreement
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Interesting towing comparison - electric vs. traditional pickup. Can't see how it's going to work - ever.
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As someone who tows regularly, I can tell you now it won't work unless they embed inductive charging in the highways. Let's do some quick analysis:
Towing a camper typically nets around 10mpg, give or take. This is in comparison to, lets say 20mpg unloaded (modern trucks of course). So, for easy math, it takes twice the amount of energy to tow vs not tow.
Now, we know physics is undefeated, as Michael likes to remind us. So, we know that towing requires roughly twice the amount of work compared to not towing. Lets apply that to battery power.
An EV that has a 300 mile range is now cut back to 150 miles. And how long does it take to charge back to a full charge? 1-3 hours according to which fast charge station is available. And sometimes longer.
And the trick? Finding one that will fit a truck and trailer. I've literally never seen one that would work for a truck or trailer. Have you? Most are on the other side of a curb that you pull up to. Something tells me the cracker Barrel won't approve of 60' truck and trailer parked crossways in their lot, taking up 8-10 spots. Or the local target blocking through traffic.
Of course, a person could add a power pack to the trailer, I suppose. I guess that could double your range. Buuuuuut, good luck charging that when you get to the campground. Most campground infrastructure was built in the 80s or 90s. Especially state parks. I have a surge guard/power monitor wired in line on my shore power hookup. Ask me how many times it has disconnected (via a solenoid) due to (1)Low voltage (2)bad ground (3)floating neutral (4)reversed polarity?
I'd say I have saved my 120v appliances at lest 10-12 times due to low voltage. Low being less than 104v. Point being, campground power cannot support fast chargers. Even though it is a 50a connection (two legs of 120v, not 240v), the grid in those campgrounds isn't set for that demand. Heck, most have enough trouble just keeping up with normal usage from the campers.
Towing a camper typically nets around 10mpg, give or take. This is in comparison to, lets say 20mpg unloaded (modern trucks of course). So, for easy math, it takes twice the amount of energy to tow vs not tow.
Now, we know physics is undefeated, as Michael likes to remind us. So, we know that towing requires roughly twice the amount of work compared to not towing. Lets apply that to battery power.
An EV that has a 300 mile range is now cut back to 150 miles. And how long does it take to charge back to a full charge? 1-3 hours according to which fast charge station is available. And sometimes longer.
And the trick? Finding one that will fit a truck and trailer. I've literally never seen one that would work for a truck or trailer. Have you? Most are on the other side of a curb that you pull up to. Something tells me the cracker Barrel won't approve of 60' truck and trailer parked crossways in their lot, taking up 8-10 spots. Or the local target blocking through traffic.
Of course, a person could add a power pack to the trailer, I suppose. I guess that could double your range. Buuuuuut, good luck charging that when you get to the campground. Most campground infrastructure was built in the 80s or 90s. Especially state parks. I have a surge guard/power monitor wired in line on my shore power hookup. Ask me how many times it has disconnected (via a solenoid) due to (1)Low voltage (2)bad ground (3)floating neutral (4)reversed polarity?
I'd say I have saved my 120v appliances at lest 10-12 times due to low voltage. Low being less than 104v. Point being, campground power cannot support fast chargers. Even though it is a 50a connection (two legs of 120v, not 240v), the grid in those campgrounds isn't set for that demand. Heck, most have enough trouble just keeping up with normal usage from the campers.
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The numbers I think I heard in the test were more like 8mpg for the GMC - and only about 100 miles of range for the Lightning -- 1/3 of the advertised range for non-towing. Most of the problems you mentioned are right there in the test....but not the real-life campground limitations which also make things a non-starter for EV towing/camping.
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The entire EV situation with range and infrastructure issues reminds me of a great old Larson "Far Side" cartoon. Shows two opossums standing beside the road looking at a road sign. The road sign is a pictograph of a opossum being run-over by a car with a "don't cross here" line through at a diagonal. One opossum says to the other -- "What's it say?" The reply - "It says you go first."
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Yeah, it's all about how you drive them. You can easily lose 2mpg going from 60mph to 65mph on a gasser. Most of those articles are done by people who have never actually camped, and it shows. Heck, most ST (trailer) tires are only speed rated to 65mph. After that, the higher the speed the less load they are rated to carry and can actually be damaged by heat. That's how I'm able to get 10-11mpg pulling 10,000# camper - I run 55ish mph, and time hills so I can take full advantage of gravity assist and such.
But yes, the article is certainly a true world test, and I lol'd when I saw their distance results. Far less than I estimated but certainly not surprised.
But yes, the article is certainly a true world test, and I lol'd when I saw their distance results. Far less than I estimated but certainly not surprised.
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It's wild that the politically correct narrative is that we are almost ready for a full conversion to electric vehicles. They imply that the problems are supply of EV's, some charging infrastructure, and the bad guys(us) who are resisting EV's by bad mouthing them and promoting gas engines.
They never discuss the massive lack of electricity, and they avoid anything that points out the other major issues such as the batteries and charging infrastructure. My big wonder is do they really believe what they spew constantly, and do not know about the actual problems, or do they not care and it's really about control(and the world/people be damned)?
They never discuss the massive lack of electricity, and they avoid anything that points out the other major issues such as the batteries and charging infrastructure. My big wonder is do they really believe what they spew constantly, and do not know about the actual problems, or do they not care and it's really about control(and the world/people be damned)?
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Not that many years ago (early 80's) --- A&W Root Beer Stands was planning to take on MacDonald's 1/4 Pounder with a 1/3 pound burger. After making a go of it, the product failed. The reason? Most people thought a 1/4 pound burger was bigger than a 1/3 pound burger. You know - because 4 is bigger than 3.
Is there any wonder that the "public" doesn't dig in and hold elected and appointed officials accountable? Is it any wonder why it's so easy to get crap like this started? Just an old fart....
Is there any wonder that the "public" doesn't dig in and hold elected and appointed officials accountable? Is it any wonder why it's so easy to get crap like this started? Just an old fart....
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Like I said ages ago as a qualifier for voters; have a brief multiple choice quiz at the beginning of all voting. Make it fairly easy, but only really stupid people would fail it. Thus we should only count votes by barely competent voters. Of course none of that is useful if criminals are counting the votes(altering the votes).
Easy questions, how many stars are on our US flag, how many Senators are there etc? Make it stuff that anyone that's ever paid attention to the US, should know, even illegal aliens would know. Most idiots are not paying attention to the country or the world, and don't care, so they would fail such an easy quiz.
Easy questions, how many stars are on our US flag, how many Senators are there etc? Make it stuff that anyone that's ever paid attention to the US, should know, even illegal aliens would know. Most idiots are not paying attention to the country or the world, and don't care, so they would fail such an easy quiz.
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That's a pretty strenuous test, and a disadvantage to those with little education or been out of school a long time. I think a more simple and telling test would be - who is the current president and Vice President of the US? Or perhaps "how often is the presidential election held". LOL
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