# Fuel Efficiency and Seat Heaters

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724>\
**Category:** Power/Fuel\
**Tags:** fuel-economy, gasoline\
**Created:** [January 17, 2010, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724 "2010-01-17T16:23:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 12:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724/21 "2010-01-30T00:42:44Z")

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In exact opposite from this, but related to the known drag of alternator load.

The super avid ( rabid ? ) hyper-miler will turn OFF absolutely everything electical to maximize mpg by reducing the alternator drag to as close to zero as they think possible.  
Even going as far as;

- removing light bulbs that aren’t 100% legaly neccessary. ( high brake lamp has 3 bulbs ? take 2 out ! after all, 1 is “legal” ) Brake lights, 1 each. NO interior lights ( hey, the lower the battery is when you start it, the longer the alternator will have a load. )
- Use the turn signal ONCE to change lanes.
- Turn OFF the signal if already in the left turn lane. That’s redundant information.
- no radio
- no a/c, and if the belt routing can be altered…no a/c belt.

The alternator’s electrical load is real , but you gotta be a real tree hugger to even think about that .091 gph for extra electrical usage.

Moral ?  
Don’t even worry about it.

Sure did draw some conversation though.

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**Author:** ![Bodybagger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@Bodybagger](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bodybagger)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 9:05am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724/22 "2010-01-30T09:05:05Z")

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Nice catch. The best place to have an extra zero is at the beginning because it screws everything up evenly. I think it’s called the Distributive Property of DOH!

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2010, 2:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724/23 "2010-01-30T14:38:21Z")

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It sure did.

But I admit that I did find the question of how much gasoline does it take to generate the amount of heat in a seat heater interesting from an academic standpoint. I’m too lazy to look up the numbers and do the math, and thank others for doing it for me.

[Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fuel-efficiency-and-seat-heaters/42724.md?page=1)