Some inconvenient facts for EV cheerleaders!!

[The Duke]

In 1906, a Stanley Steamer Vanderbilt Racer set a land speed record of 126 MPH. A record that remained unbroken for eight years.

There is one remaining 1906 Vanderbilt Racer and it belongs to Jay Leno.

The Stanley Streamer require 30 minutes to go from cold start to driving but it had more range than a modern EV and only takes minutes to refuel.

That's a heck of a machine! Doesn't it run on coal oil?

 

[The Duke]

Got some data showing that EVs produce more CO2? I think if that were really true, you‘d be broadcasting the cites far and wide!

The enironmental impact is large on both ends: Strip-mining for LIthium and dead battery disposal. Not to mention all the electricity costs, and my electric rates just went up 50%. That's pretty foul.

 

[fncceo]

That's a heck of a machine! Doesn't it run on coal oil?

Kerosene.

 

[The Duke]

Kerosene.

O, that's fairly expensive these days, but it actually uses steam pressure and a little bit of kerosene.

 

[ReinyDays]

I'm guessing this is complete stupidity ... I got as far as gasoline MAGICALLY appearing in your gas tank, without any infrastructure at all ... Bubba didn't finish Middle School ...

 

[ReinyDays]

I can’t think of a better way to get rid of a bad idea than to force everyone to experience it.

I commute 20 miles to work ... I only have to "plug-in" over the weekends, I don't commute then ... usually, wind/solar/hydro will charge this for free ... saving me $100 per week gas and maintenance ... occasionally not, and I burn a small about of high-sulfur, lead-base radioactive coal ... oops ... and I'm only saving money on piston-engine maintenance; not tires, wheel bearings, brakes and the like ... have you flat-landing city-slickers every done a full tune-up on your rigs? ... obviously not ... dumbasses ...

Why is this a bad idea? ... keep in mind, you don't know where your oil drain plug is or what a 710 cap is ... do you? ...

 

[westwall]

I wonder if steam vehicles would be more efficient.

Nope.

 

[The Duke]

Nope.

Idk about all that..like that kerosene/steam vehicle fnnceo was talking about.

Or maybe small diesel/big electric motor like trains.

Big heavy flywheel, clutch, lotsa gears, a stator..things could be done!

 

[westwall]

Idk about all that..like that kerosene/steam vehicle fnnceo was talking about.

Look up how corrosive high pressure steam is. Talk about a maintenance nightmare.

 

[The Duke]

Look up how corrosive high pressure steam is. Talk about a maintenance nightmare.

Must be the reason so much brass was used.

 

[westwall]

Must be the reason so much brass was used.

Yup, and that also explains why so few survive.

 

[fncceo]

O, that's fairly expensive these days, but it actually uses steam pressure and a little bit of kerosene.

A Stanley Steamer boiler, a very efficient and safe design, could be heated more efficiently with an LPG burner. While LPG produces about 30% fewer BTUs per gallon than kerosene, a computer could control the flow of gas to provide a constant boiler temp / pressure.

 

[Sunni Man]

Look up how corrosive high pressure steam is. Talk about a maintenance nightmare.

Yes, high pressure steam is very corrosive on boilers and pipes if you don't have the water's pH correct.
If you check the pH balance on a regular schedule you can keep corrosion under control by adding the correct chemicals. It's just basic chemistry.
I was a tech at the power station at the entrance to Cape Cod with the 500 foot tall smoke stack for a couple of years.
We had high pressure steam, and also 1000 psi super heated steam that feed a 9 story high boiler.

 

[westwall]

Yes, high pressure steam is very corrosive on boilers and pipes if you don't have the water's pH correct.
If you check the pH balance on a regular schedule you can keep corrosion under control by adding the correct chemicals. It's just basic chemistry.
I was a tech at the power station at the entrance to Cape Cod with the 500 foot tall smoke stack for a couple of years.
We had high pressure steam, and also 1000 psi super heated steam that feed a 9 story high boiler.

pH is not something the normal person will check on a daily basis though.

 

[Sunni Man]

pH is not something the normal person will check on a daily basis though.

True, unless you have a backyard swimming pool. ..

 

[westwall]

True, unless you have a backyard swimming pool. ..

Which is checked weekly, not daily.

 

[Crick]

Which is checked weekly, not daily.

A boiler system could simply have a pH meter installed.

 

[westwall]

A boiler system could simply have a pH meter installed.

Yes, it could. But that is the least of the maintenance problems.

And let's not even consider the poor passengers being par boiled in an accident.

 

[Sunni Man]

A boiler system could simply have a pH meter installed.

Our boiler and piping would cost tens of millions of dollars to replace.
So trusting in a pH meter would be foolish.
We took water samples and did a chemical analysis to determine pH

 

[Sunni Man]

Yes, it could. But that is the least of the maintenance problems.
And let's not even consider the poor passengers being par boiled in an accident.

I was extremely careful when around the live 1,000 psi super heated steam.
There were yellow painted lane lines on the floor that you stayed on the outside of to keep you safe.
Because if there is a pin hole leak on a super heated steam line. It will shoot out a tiny invisible, quiet jet of super heated steam will go out for up to 10 feet before it condensates in the air and you can see it.
If a person happened to walk through the invisible jet of a pin hole super heated steam leak. It will cut you in half like a razor blade.
Sometimes I had to cross the yellow safety line to repair something near the super heated boiler or piping.
So just to be safe, I'd carry a piece of wood like a broom handle, and swing it up and down in front of me as I walked.