British Thermal Unit Rating

[Les]

Chad,

Why couldn't I rig up something on a diesel engine to heat my house? Maybe a couple of quick connect hoses welded on a four inch iron post and a mating set on the front bumper, so I could drive into it like a quick connect snow plow.

Now the real question - What is the btu rating for my truck heater? Also the a/c. I know the horsepower, alternator rating, tire size, etc - but can't convince my wife that we just can't get a bigger heater system (for her comfort).

Waiting with baited breath for this tid bit of knowledge!

[Chad Fabry]

Diesels run around 22 % efficient. That means that 78 % of the energy consumed is 1) either not consumed and emitted in the exhuast or 2) lost in heat energy.

The amount of heat energy lost by far makes up the majority of "wasted" energy. Maybe 2% gains could be made by higher combustion temps to reduce emissions.

So, as a heating source it'd be inefficient because some of the heat energy would be consumed creating motion... but, it'd be awsome running on vegetable oil, generating electricty and heating the house and pool all winter.

Google Lister engines or the Chinese version Listeroids and you'll find the perfect power plant for this.

A/C units in cars are huge..cars are rolling green houses with no insulation so the average a/c capacity is around 2 tons. That's why it dramatically affects fuel mileage.

Heaters are in the 25,000 btu range for a sedan.

Figuring diesel at 80,00 btu per gallon and subtracting the energy used to create motion will yield the possible heat output.

[Les]

Crap! another one of my good ideas down the drain.

[randynavarro]

Originally posted by Chad Fabry

A/C units in cars are huge..cars are rolling green houses with no insulation so the average a/c capacity is around 2 tons. That's why it dramatically affects fuel mileage.

I though MythBusters disproved this "myth"?

[StevenT]

I don't know anything about B.T.U.'s, my girlfriend has a B.U.T. as big as a T.U.B. and that ac unit had better work! [:-paperba