Horsepower: Do you really use yours?

[Shannow]

LOL, most of the conversion factors are hardwired after 30+ years of doing them.

Do you use hp for the power consumption of your TV, strip heater, washing machine and drier ?

Phone batteries in Calories ?

Why not, if they are so intrinsic ?

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: Nyogtha
Why be squirrely or mousey inventing units of squirrelpower and mousepower? Just quote power in ergs, an existing CGS unit of work over time if you want a larger numerical value. Already set and done.

Besides, hamsters would be more appropriate for imports, since Kia Soul comes from Hamsterdam.


Given that the horsepower is built upon the grains of wheat and barley (the initial pound being 7,000 of said grains), both the erg, and the hamster fit in well with the discussion.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Do you use hp for the power consumption of your TV, strip heater, washing machine and drier ?

Phone batteries in Calories ?

Why not, if they are so intrinsic ?


Of course not. What you're missing is that Mr. Watt defined mechanical power, not electrical power at that time for a reason, with a horse's ability to do a sustained level of mechanical work so it could be associated and compared to machines (steam engines) that did mechanical work.

There was no electricity in use when he defined the mechanical HP in the late 1700s - so how could anybody define power in terms of electricity. Edison got the electrical world going in 1879, about 100 years after Watt defined the mechanical HP. Ben Franklin did his kite experiment in 1752, not much going on with electricity when Mr. Watt defined the mechanical HP.

 

[Silk]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Semantics and hair splitting.


I see you are an expert in that, well done you.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: Silk
Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Semantics and hair splitting.

I see you are an expert in that, well done you.


That's all you got on the subject now?

Maybe the title of the thread should be: "Kilowatts: do you really use yours?"

I could see people responding about hair dryers, microwaves, stereos, flood lights, power tools, generators, etc.

 

[KrisZ]

I still haven't heard a compelling argument why HP is not an antiquated unit.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: KrisZ
I still haven't heard a compelling argument why HP is not an antiquated unit.


Because Americans want to compare themselves to each other in HP units irregardless..isn't that compelling enough for you ?

 

[robertcope]

As often as I can....

 

[BrianF]

I have used everything my truck could give me. 20,000lb load up a hill and used enough throttle to keep a good steady pace. I used a bit more throttle to see where she was at and there wasn't much else she could give me. Plus it kept coolant, oil and trans temps well in check.

 

[Patman]

.

 

[Patman]

I try to go full throttle often in my Corvette but I can only do it in short bursts because I end up being way over the speed limit very quickly, and 50km over the limit means a 7 day licence suspension, $10,000 fine and they impound the car for 7 days too. I'm definitely going to go to the drag strip with this car so I can spend a few hours legally being able to go full throttle for a longer period of time (although it'll still only be about 11.5 to 12 seconds at a time)

 

[Shannow]

Couple of times per week the Colorado gets jandal to the metal to quote our kiwi friends.

One hill on a highway that I can nail on the entry slip way, and see the speed as I cross a bridge over a river...E30 and Caprice would hit it at 160(km), the Colorado 130.

But I can hold 120 full throttle up the hill.

Never ever had the DPF hold light come on since I purchased it. Guess preventative maintenance is the go.

 

[CR94]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
...
Do you use hp for the power consumption of your TV, strip heater, washing machine and drier ?
Phone batteries in Calories ?
About the foregoing circular discussions in general ...
The fact that we still use such a ridiculous jumble of antiquated units for power and energy in different contexts hinders many people's understanding of basic principles. Calories (which confusingly come in "large" C and "small" c varieties) are just as much an abomination as metric horsepower. Back in Mr. Watt's day, the interchangeability of forms of energy was not well understood. Now it is, at least by those who stayed awake in high school. Why not move on and simplify to consistent metric units for everything?

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: CR94
Why not move on and simplify to consistent metric units for everything?


The USA was planning to go to the SI system many decades ago, but I think it was too "locked in to" the system it has always used. Still is IMO.

Most people aren't going to come across or have to deal with the SI system much unless they take higher education and go into science, enginering or other fields that deal with this kind of stuff in depth. I had to deal with both system and had no problem working with both. The SI system was a little simpler for some applications, but IMO not worth changing a whole country over. Could you imagine the work and cost to switch the whole USA to a totally metric system - not gonna happen.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Could you imagine the work and cost to switch the whole USA to a totally metric system - not gonna happen.


What sort of effort and cost ?

Nobody makes you go and take all the imperial fasterners out of the superstructure at the local walmart and replace them with metric.

Water pipes are still 12.7mm and 19.05mm.

How many Z06 threaded fasteners are metric ?

How much did that add to the Unit cost ?

 

[02SE]

Just the effort and cost of switching road signs to metric all across the country, would be huge and arguably unnecessary.

 

[Nyogtha]

We were taught the metric system beginning in 7th grade as part of the (failed) push to convert the US to the metric system in the 1970's. In the chemicals industry use of yhe metric system is more common but not in the petroleum industry. Crude oil pricing is still based on the US Barrel of 42 US gallons @ 60°F. But at Lubrizol for example all my marine custody transfer inspection work was done in metric tons, measuring cubic meters at observed temperature times specific gravity (relative density) at observed temperature back in the 1980's. I'm fairly ambidextrous between the systems but it is true the US is one of the few countries that does not use the SI system as standard.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Originally Posted By: 02SE
Just the effort and cost of switching road signs to metric all across the country, would be huge and arguably unnecessary.


Yep, I was going to say that one. How about all the gas pumps, and any other kinds of meters that read gallons (ie, water meters) or other US units. All of the diffetent industries that might still be setup on a non-metric system, etc, etc.

Shannow - of course my Z06 and every other US made vehicle has had metric fasteners for a long time. That's one industry that did switch at least that part over. Who knows how much of the other parts of their business is using the SI system. Are all of Ford's and Chevy's manufacturing drawings in metric units, are all their automation during production controlled in SI units? The automakers probably use more SI than most businesses in the US due to their international business. If companies want to adopt the SI system that's up to them, but there's not going to be a country wide directive to convert everything in the US to be totally in SI units.

 

[KrisZ]

In my prior company all designs were done in metric, but for regulatory reasons the engineering drawings had to be done in imperial. It is easy to do in CAD, and I suspect many other industries do the same since manufacturing is done all around the world. NA is more metric than many realize, problem is that for some reason the appearance of being under the imperial measuring system is still being perpetuated.

 

[red7404]

if i am forced to go to metric on the road and gasoline and else where. iam ready for the care home.