What a difference some believable weather makes!

[mailmannz]

What a difference some warmer weather makes to efficiency!!

This morning we drove to Birmingham in 6 degree temps and managed 3.7 miles to the kWh and this evening we pinged 4miles to the kWh in 16 degrees all the way home!!

With that efficiency we’d just be pushing 200 miles, which I guess isn’t too bad

But yeah, nice to get some miles under the belt in some warmer weather

 

[emmrecs]

What a difference some warmer weather makes to efficiency!!

Agreed!!

Prior to this current warm spell I was seeing figures at or around 3 miles per kWh, now they're at 4, or above.

Happy Days!

 

[Peterboat]

Our average is climbing its now at 3.7, I reset it when we got it in January, I expect it to be at 4 in a couple of months

 

[MonsterMonster]

Since lowering the cabin temp to 16c I regularly get over 4miles/kWh when 0c.

Lastnight 0c, 24 miles journey I got over 4 but the weird bit is that my wife had set cabin at 20c unbeknown to me.

Even got 4.5 at around 4c on 24 mile trip.

I've been doing this since early Feb. The downside is a chilly cabin. However I've now brought the heater up to 18c and it's not had any negative impact.

The heater is working but in previous years I had it set at 23c+.

Early morning defrost doesn't help figures though.

Bottom line is that the cabin heater hammers the efficiency.

 

[Peterboat]

Since lowering the cabin temp to 16c I regularly get over 4miles/kWh when 0c.

Lastnight 0c, 24 miles journey I got over 4 but the weird bit is that my wife had set cabin at 20c unbeknown to me.

Even got 4.5 at around 4c on 24 mile trip.

I've been doing this since early Feb. The downside is a chilly cabin. However I've now brought the heater up to 18c and it's not had any negative impact.

The heater is working but in previous years I had it set at 23c+.

Early morning defrost doesn't help figures though.

Bottom line is that the cabin heater hammers the efficiency.

Heated seats work wonders

 

[Gomev]

Since lowering the cabin temp to 16c I regularly get over 4miles/kWh when 0c.

Lastnight 0c, 24 miles journey I got over 4 but the weird bit is that my wife had set cabin at 20c unbeknown to me.

...

LOL, my wife keeps turning the heating up too. I'm sure she thinks that the higher it is the faster it will heat up.

 

[MickeySw]

LOL, my wife keeps turning the heating up too. I'm sure she thinks that the higher it is the faster it will heat up.

In a closed loop control circuit the heater power is reduced ahead of reaching the desired temperature to prevent overshooting, the higher the set temp the longer the heater runs on full power.

The effect is that the interior heats up quicker, wife knows best...

 

[maskull]

On a 38 mile round trip to Cardiff today ( temperature between 4 and 9 C ) my PFL 5 returned 4.9 . No heater the wife was at home

 

[AndyB87]

Since lowering the cabin temp to 16c I regularly get over 4miles/kWh when 0c.

Lastnight 0c, 24 miles journey I got over 4 but the weird bit is that my wife had set cabin at 20c unbeknown to me.

Even got 4.5 at around 4c on 24 mile trip.

I've been doing this since early Feb. The downside is a chilly cabin. However I've now brought the heater up to 18c and it's not had any negative impact.

The heater is working but in previous years I had it set at 23c+.

Early morning defrost doesn't help figures though.

Bottom line is that the cabin heater hammers the efficiency.

In the pfl the heater uses 10 to 11 amps regardless of what temperature you set it at, about 8 to 9 amps on ECON. Is it different in the newer models? E.g does it actually make a difference to the power consumed by turning the temperature down?

 

[Gomev]

In a closed loop control circuit the heater power is reduced ahead of reaching the desired temperature to prevent overshooting, the higher the set temp the longer the heater runs on full power.

The effect is that the interior heats up quicker, wife knows best...

I bow to your superior knowledge, you say the heater power is reduced before it reaches temperature. So in effect the heater is at full power regardless of setting until a short while before it attains that temperature. Therefore in my mind there really isn't any benefit gained in setting the temp higher than needed.
However the wife is always right....even if she isn't.

 

[MickeySw]

So in effect the heater is at full power regardless of setting until a short while before it attains that temperature. Therefore in my mind there really isn't any benefit gained in setting the temp higher than needed.
However the wife is always right....even if she isn't.

Not sure how far off the mark the heater starts reducing power, the manual seems to suggest that the airflow damper also plays a significant role in regulating temperature but if in doubt, the wife is always right…