electricity and preformance.............. - Toyota Yaris Forums

JapRulezz · 12-27-2009, 06:19 PM

i know this question may sound stupid , but does installing devices which consume electricity ( such as a car audio video system or fog lights )
decrease a cars preformance and acceleration ?

127.0.0.1 · 12-27-2009, 07:21 PM

yes it does by tiny amounts

1) added weight, very very small decrease

2) added alternator load, variable decrease that depends on electric load

real world use decrease is negligable

BuildCode · 12-27-2009, 07:22 PM

Yes, the more load you pull, the harder the alternator will have to work (it gets harder for the engine to turn) and therefore uses more gas and power. It's a very small amount, but it's there.

All you'd have to do to get that horsepower back would be turn off your fog lights and stereo system for example - they only sap engine power while they're on of course.

Sidicas · 12-27-2009, 08:22 PM

Yup. You can't magically pull electricity out of nothing. It takes work to generate electricity, and to make that work, the engine burns fuel. The more electricity you need, the more load the alternator puts on the belts, and then the more work the engine needs to do to keep it rollin' which saps your available horsepower.

12-27-2009, 06:19 PM	#1
JapRulezz Drives: yaris sedan 2NZ-FE Join Date: May 2007 Location: Egypt Posts: 75	electricity and preformance.............. i know this question may sound stupid , but does installing devices which consume electricity ( such as a car audio video system or fog lights ) decrease a cars preformance and acceleration ?

12-27-2009, 07:22 PM	#3
BuildCode View User's Garage Drives: Black 5-Spd Sedan S Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 81	Yes, the more load you pull, the harder the alternator will have to work (it gets harder for the engine to turn) and therefore uses more gas and power. It's a very small amount, but it's there. All you'd have to do to get that horsepower back would be turn off your fog lights and stereo system for example - they only sap engine power while they're on of course. __________________

12-27-2009, 07:21 PM	#2
127.0.0.1 Banned Drives: '10 Yaris5drHB+99 4runner LTD Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NE Posts: 672	yes it does by tiny amounts 1) added weight, very very small decrease 2) added alternator load, variable decrease that depends on electric load real world use decrease is negligable

12-27-2009, 08:22 PM	#4
Sidicas Drives: 2010 Toyota Yaris Hatchback Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: NY Posts: 82	Yup. You can't magically pull electricity out of nothing. It takes work to generate electricity, and to make that work, the engine burns fuel. The more electricity you need, the more load the alternator puts on the belts, and then the more work the engine needs to do to keep it rollin' which saps your available horsepower.