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[ale] OT geek motorcycle?
- Subject: [ale] OT geek motorcycle?
- From: kjkrum at comcast.net (Kevin Krumwiede)
- Date: Mon Apr 19 23:53:44 2004
- In-reply-to: <1082322628.10621.22.camel@pip>
- References: <[email protected]> <1082322628.10621.22.camel@pip>
On Sun, 18 Apr 2004 17:10:29 -0400
Danny Cox <danscox at mindspring.com> wrote:
> The main problem with electrics, as always is the throttle, or
> more
> precisely, the lack thereof. The mini-bike had an on/off switch. If
> you use a rheostat, you lose the energy as heat, and the batteries
> wear down as if you were full throttle all the time.
I wonder how diesel locomotives do it. Their engines drive generators;
electric motors drive the wheels. Massive transmissions and drive
shafts are less efficient and harder to maintain, I guess.
IIRC, an electric motor's torque varies with current, and its speed
varies with voltage. So, what about using a transformer tapped for
various voltages? It'd be like an electric transmission.
Krum