[Paladin79]

I feel like I've been promoted. Just a few short weeks ago it would have been a cardboard blindfold.

Finnegan refuses to turn loose of cardboard at this time.

 

[RCBinTN]

I also love New Riff from KY.

Four Roses and Angel's Envy are good brands, especially the small batch or single barrel.

 

[Ableza]

Like switching from fuel to electric cars.
Only changing the time and location of the pollution.

Partly true as long as we rely on fossil fuel, but not completely true since the pollution from burning gas gets removed from the equation without a correspondingly large increase in power plant emissions. But leaving the "green" discussion out of the argument (since it had very little to do with my decision) I am saving money by using solar energy and driving an electric vehicle. It's a personal win for me. The idea that it may also be helpful in a small way to the larger climate situation is just a plus.

 

[Ableza]

By the way "dust on cables affecting sound" is a brand new level of audionervossa to me, but hey whatever floats your boat I always say. And also, send me $1600 for a genuine audio-certified Swiffer. I think I still have some "THX Certified" stickers in my garage.

 

[porchwizard]

Like switching from fuel to electric cars.
Only changing the time and location of the pollution.

In the 80' or 90's that may have been nearly true. Today it's Fake News and FUD. Where and how electricity is generated makes all the difference in the world and, way beyond the benefits of centralized pollution control, the grid is being rebuilt with renewable energy as we speak. Not becase it's better for the planet but because it's cheaper and easier. Just ask Texas.

 

[RCBinTN]

I learnt to drive in my BF's father's 1972 AMC Gremlin w/ manual transmission, in their neighborhood of gently rolling hills. Was a good way to learn a clutch. I think he bought the car just to teach us how to drive ...

 

[Ripper2860]

In the 80' or 90's that may have been nearly true. Today it's Fake News and FUD. Where and how electricity is generated makes all the difference in the world and, way beyond the benefits of centralized pollution control, the grid is being rebuilt with renewable energy as we speak. Not becase it's better for the planet but because it's cheaper and easier. Just ask Texas.

Just be careful WHO you ask in Texas.

 

[wout31]

In the 80' or 90's that may have been nearly true. Today it's Fake News and FUD. Where and how electricity is generated makes all the difference in the world and, way beyond the benefits of centralized pollution control, the grid is being rebuilt with renewable energy as we speak. Not becase it's better for the planet but because it's cheaper and easier. Just ask Texas.

You're just talking about the electricity. I was talking about the whole chain of recourses, production, operation and recycling at the end of the life span.
Totally different story.

 

[45longcolt]

The whole cable lifter discussion is another example of peoples' brains working harder than their ears. I don't rule out the possibility of improvement, but then again I don't rule anything out until I've done the experiments. I strongly suspect it's very condition dependent. As in, synthetic carpet in a low-humidity environment or one's home being right next to high-voltage transmission lines. Then there's the construction of the cables themselves. In theory it's possible to completely insulate the signal-carrying wires from the environment, both physical and electromagnetic. If, that is, you don't mind fire hose-diameter cables that cost more than a luxury car per meter. Maybe I'll play around with it next time I rearrange the system. Maybe.

 

[JamminVMI]

I may build some cable lifters just because it will allow me to use up some wood I rescued when a limb fell on my property. I have tiled floors where my audio equipment sits and I believe the lifters are used to get the cable away from carpeting. I will most likely give the lifters to someone who wants to try them.

In recent experiments I found I could kiln dry small pieces of wood in our convection oven. I did this with honey locust for a hatchet handle.



I will turn the lifters on a wood lathe.

You, sir, have an very understanding potter (er, wife). Kiln drying is not an overnight thing, IIRC. I do not know many spouses who would react positively (or even neutrally) to pieces of wood “drying” out in the oven.

 

[porchwizard]

Yeah, sad but true, and it's worse than that, ORT. The total carbon footprint to manufacture a a "mid-sized" EV (think Tesla Model 3) is 2X that of a mid-sized IC-engined auto (say M-B C300). Based on that, you'd need to drive both cars 250,000 miles for the EV to come out ahead. The real solution is hybrid; IC motors are stunningly efficient at constant RPM, e.g., driving a generator/alternator. The Chevy Volt was a spectacular car for the planet. Too bad it was not "sexy". Our well-meaning but uninformed governor has mandated that no new IC cars be sold in CA after 2035... so sad. With today's engine controls and available CPU power for energy management, there is no reason why a high-performing full hybrid couldn't get 100 MPGe, while reducing emissions to super-ULEV levels.

But science, that's hard. And, for the record, I rented a Model Y last week in Chicago and now I really want one. Not quite enough to trade in my twin-turbo V6, but the Tesla was a hoot

The CO2 emissions claim has never been true and has been repeatedly debunked. There are a lot of ways to cherry pick data (all coal fired electricity generation from the oldest and dirtiest plants and ignore the emission of oil extraction and refining of gasoline). Current studies do show that, primarily from battery manufacturing, EV car production produces more CO2 than ICE cars but the turnover is around 20,000 miles with life time emissions of EV's more like 1/3 of ICE. The emissions of battery manufacture and ongoing battery charging is going steadily down as renewables displace fossil fuels for electricity generation and battery recycling (95% materials recovery) replaces mining and refining. The EPA has an interesting web site.
As the EU is finding out, the real world efficiencies for PHEVs (Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are much closer to straight up ICE cars. Non plug-in hybrid vehicles are, of course, powered entirely by gasoline and will forever be bound by the thermodymic limits of and internal combustion engine and consequent CO2 emissions and of course reliance on fossil fuels.

 

[porchwizard]

You're just talking about the electricity. I was talking about the whole chain of recourses, production, operation and recycling at the end of the life span.
Totally different story.

No. Total lifecycle.

 

[porchwizard]

Just be careful WHO you ask in Texas.

I know that's tongue in cheek but meant to include a link
I guess it's "look at what they do, not what they say".
Texas led the country in new renewable energy projects last year

 

[Les Strat]

The CO2 emissions claim has never been true and has been repeatedly debunked. There are a lot of ways to cherry pick data (all coal fired electricity generation from the oldest and dirtiest plants and ignore the emission of oil extraction and refining of gasoline). Current studies do show that, primarily from battery manufacturing, EV car production produces more CO2 than ICE cars but the turnover is around 20,000 miles with life time emissions of EV's more like 1/3 of ICE. The emissions of battery manufacture and ongoing battery charging is going steadily down as renewables displace fossil fuels for electricity generation and battery recycling (95% materials recovery) replaces mining and refining. The EPA has an interesting web site.
As the EU is finding out, the real world efficiencies for PHEVs (Plugin Hybrid Electric Vehicles) are much closer to straight up ICE cars. Non plug-in hybrid vehicles are, of course, powered entirely by gasoline and will forever be bound by the thermodymic limits of and internal combustion engine and consequent CO2 emissions and of course reliance on fossil fuels.

Following the unprecedented rise in electricity prices here in the UK (typical households' bills have tripled in 12 months) a recent study found that the average electric car will now be more expensive to run than an ICE vehicle, due to the increased cost of home charging.

This ignores the additional initial purchase price of an electric vehicle compared with an ICE equivalent.

I accept that electric vehicles are the future, but I certainly wouldn't buy one yet.

 

[Ableza]

No. Total lifecycle.

Nay-sayers always cherry-pick their data. The truth is electric vehicles will be at net zero once battery recycling is in full swing. Tesla is already doing it, other manufacturers like LG (probably the largest battery supplier in the world) are experimenting with methods. New battery technology is being developed by some of the brightest scientists and engineers in the world that will both increase power deisity and reduce environmental impact. In another 10 years, there will be no valid argument against EVs other than "it's not what my Grandpappy drove."