News, 16-year-old converts gas truck to electric, reminds us of our wasted youth.

[Philip T]

wow.

Y'all are harsh.

Let's go down your list?

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Kid's Income:

$6000 for say 3 months of life-guarding?

$6000/3 months =$2000 per month.

So say he was getting $12 / hr = $2000 / 12 = 166 hours per month, or a 40 hour week.

Sounds right.

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Free-loading his parents electricity. Maybe so, maybe no.

Many areas have deep discounts on overnight electricity. Some even deeper discounts if you state you are recharging a battery car. Here (Texas) Electricity goes "Free" in some areas between 10 pm and 6 am.

But the overall cost path comparing Gasoline v. Electric cars -- the Electricity cost is about 1/4 of the Gasoline Costs, even when paying retail for Electricity.

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Jetta. Volkswagen. Diesel. "Cleaner." mkay.

Must not have followed that fraud?

VW is paying out Billions for cheating on the EPA tests.

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Why was this not "In The News?" Because folks have been doing this since the 1980s. There are entire clubs that do this >>>

DIY Electric Car Forums - Electric Vehicle Build and Conversion Community

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The Money.

Figuring his pick-up would have gotten maybe 20 miles per gallon, and Gas at $2 a gallon for now. His Gasoline costs would be about 10 cents per mile.

$6000 / 10 cents per mile = 60,000 miles to Break-Even, if the Electricity is "free"

If the Electricity is 2-1/2 cents per mile, the Break Even is:

6000 + 0.025 per Mile = 0.10 per Mile,

so that is 80,000 miles to Break-Even.


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And finally . . .

Dad-burn-youngsters-tomatoes-were-better-back-in-my-day . . . .

it is all okay, go back to sleep, grandpa.

[Electrician4you]

Originally Posted by IDoPhysicsPhD

Although lead acid batteries aren't the best example, energy loss involved in the charge/discharge cycle is extremely small compared to energy lose in an internal combustion engine to heat and exhaust.

You know what it takes to make batteries? Especially Li-Ion batteries. Nothing green about it

[IDoPhysicsPhD]

Originally Posted by Electrician4you

You know what it takes to make batteries? Especially Li-Ion batteries. Nothing green about it

Do you even know what a charge/discharge cycle is? It has nothing to do with making batteries.

Here's a good place to start in order to learn: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battery_(electricity)

[Dirt Grinder]

Originally Posted by IDoPhysicsPhD

Although lead acid batteries aren't the best example, energy loss involved in the charge/discharge cycle is extremely small compared to energy lose in an internal combustion engine to heat and exhaust.

True, but a lot of folks think the efficiency of the batteries remains the same over time, and they also think they are getting a true one-for-one during the cycle. Also, the extent to which a battery is depleted before charging can really put a dent in the efficiency of the battery.

[k350]

Originally Posted by Philip T

Kid's Income:

$6000 for say 3 months of life-guarding?

$6000/3 months =$2000 per month.

So say he was getting $12 / hr = $2000 / 12 = 166 hours per month, or a 40 hour week.

Sounds right.

Tax free? I doubt it. So subtract taxes off the top of that amount.

It also stated "part-time", so not 40 hours per week.

With it being part-time and taxes taken out, looks really unrealistic pay for a teen lifeguard.

[Zymer]

Originally Posted by Dirt Grinder

True, but a lot of folks think the efficiency of the batteries remains the same over time, and they also think they are getting a true one-for-one during the cycle. Also, the extent to which a battery is depleted before charging can really put a dent in the efficiency of the battery.

Yep.

When I ran a warehouse a few years ago, I was responsible for maintaining the electric material handling equipment. The manufacturer of the batteries for the Hyster forklifts recommended that the batteries not be discharged below 80% before re-charging. Allowing the batteries to go below 80% would negatively affect the expected life-span, the deeper the discharge the more severe the effect. If the batteries are discharged to the 20% level, the forklift shuts down completely (at a point just prior to this, the on-board computer kills the hydraulics so that the forks cannot be raised anymore).

A battery that is discharged too far will become unable to take/retain a charge. Batteries that are discharged to between the 20% and 80% will begin to exhibit shorter and shorter periods of usable power and will have to be recharged more frequently. The number of times a battery can be charged is limited. With every charge/discharge cycle the plates deteriorate until the battery is no longer useful.

[Redraven]

Lead acid batteries are pollution free?
SURE they are!
Let's see, what are they made of?
Oh yeah, LEAD! poison.
Sulfuric acid! Poison.
installed in a case made from (gasp) PETRO-CHEMICAL PLASTIC!

He used 20 of them. TWENTY!
for 120 volts, so they are obviously 6 volt golf cart batteries @ about 70 lbs. each. That is 1400 lbs. (or more, don't forget all those copper cables) He has NO cargo capacity left!
Kudos to him for doing the job.
Not so much for doing a viable job!