I know that if I am using the stereo in my car it will be using energy and thus lowering MPG, but at what level will it lower it more than 1-2 MPG.
No expert here but I'd keep the amp at normal listening levels and enjoy your ride. Ther's no way you're going to significantly hurt your milage. Driving without heat, no headlights, tires at 52lbs pressure, and NO RADIO? There comes a point where MPG is high enough (except in some sort of competetion) and the Prius keeps us at a very good MPG level. Follow the PC suggested practices on air pressure, grill blocking if needed, and learn to drive you Prius wisely...and enjoy music while you save :cheer2:
Do you notice a MPG drop when you turn on your headlight? How about when you put on some extra pounds of a passenger? If it affects it, it would be in the decimal place difference, perhaps in the 2nd digit. It might be better to walk, infinite MPG
i'm not talking about having the stereo on or off, i'm talking about playing it louder. I don't blast my music but i do like it on the louder side.
What we're all trying to say is that "NO" it doesn't make any difference. Now, if you boil it down to pure math then yes, it takes a tiny, but measurable, amount more energy to play the stereo louder, but with the multitude of variables in normal driving this is not something that is reliably measured by your end MPG and certainly nothing on the order of 1-2mpg...I'd be shocked if it was as great as 0.01mpg difference from off to full volume.
The loudness and type of music can effect the driver though, for example loud music with a fast beat is going to raise your heart rate, which in turn may result in driving faster and accelerating/deaccelerating more argressively. So yes, the loudness of stereo may cause a change in the MPG.
just to dispel any other comments making fun of me, the reason I asked this is because i read an article that said blasting the stereo system would drain the battery and have a large impact on MPG (the article was not prius specific).
Just for future reference, it's best, whenever possible, to provide that kind of information, along with a link when possible, in the OP. So we know where you're coming from, can read the article for ourselves as sometimes there interpretation issues, othertimes it can be outright ridiculous. And look, if you've got a monster 5000W system with powered base, 20" LCD TV, DVD all blasting at once then heck yea, it may cost you 1-2mpg in a Prius...that's a lot of juice. If that's the sort of system the article was talking about then I'll agree in part. But if you're in a 10mpg Hummer with a Sparkomatic 40W stereo you'll never see a measurable difference from off to "cranked".
No, we're not making fun of you, just having a bit of fun Certainly, if the stereo is on in accessory mode, in time the battery will drain, like an inside light left on. But, if you are driving, that battery is recharged as needed. It would be interesting to contact that author and have him show his data from 3rd party independent testers
A conventional car stereo will draw less than 1 amp from the 12vdc source,,, about 60 watts. The rough equivalent of one headlight bulb. To put this is perspective,,,the amount of fuel required to produce 1 amp from the 12 volt alternator is a rounding error in any calculation. If you did wind tunnel testing you might find that the radio antenna "burns" more gas than the stereo itself. Icarus
What about my 400 watt system, with DSP and Cleansweep? I know it can drain my 12 V battery in less than 45 minutes while parked.
