On a hot day and traveling in a car, which method of keeping the occupants comfortable with the A/C is more energy and fuel efficient?

  • Set the thermostat to a lower temperature and keep fan speed to the lowest setting

  • Set the thermostat to a slightly higher temperature and compensate by setting the fan to a higher speed so you can feel cool enough with the breeze

  • I don’t really know anything about electronics but I don’t think resistors work that way.

    I think it’s something like creating a narrow point in a water pipe. Less water can get through so less water world be taken from the source.

    • KillingTimeItself
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      110 months ago

      part of the reason resistors lower voltage is because they produce heat “slowing” down the flow of the voltage. Think of it like a pipe with a set flowrate and a set pressure, but you want to lower the flow rate, so you restrict the opening, which lowers the flow rate, but now the head pressure is much higher (before the restriction)

      Imagine this imaginary water source as a water pump. Now it’s burning more energy due to the flow restriction, and working against it.

      You can also calculate the heat dissipation of a resistor, and how much power it will let through, which allows you to take a mathematical approach to it. I’m not doing that though lol.