Metric units for motors forum!

enda1

Hey all,

just wondering what peoples general feeling on the units used on this thread are? I find it quite confusing reading through and coming accross psi-bar, miles-kilometres, mph-kph, bhp-kw, lbspsf-Nm etc.

So a little poll to see what you all think. My suggestion would be for the mods to insert a rull asking people to make a conscious effort to use metric units.

If you don't know the conversions the formulae could be stickied for a couple of months or something - but really just type into google something like "130 bhp in kw" and it tells ye!

Anyway lets see what ye all think.

Gumbo

enda1 wrote: »

Hey all,

just wondering what peoples general feeling on the units used on this thread are? I find it quite confusing reading through and coming accross psi-bar, miles-kilometres, mph-kph, bhp-kw, lbspsf-Nm etc.

So a little poll to see what you all think. My suggestion would be for the mods to insert a rull asking people to make a conscious effort to use metric units.

If you don't know the conversions the formulae could be stickied for a couple of months or something - but really just type into google something like "130 bhp in kw" and it tells ye!

Anyway lets see what ye all think.

why?
im used to BHP
mph or kmph doesnt bother me as i can interchange them no problem.
im used to talking psi when it comes to turbo pressures and tyre pressures
im used to using Ft. Ibs when talking about torque

imo it doesnt matter as long as the post is correct and factual and contains the correct information that another user can use then the communication is perfect. my opinion though

R.O.R

enda1 wrote: »

Hey all,

just wondering what peoples general feeling on the units used on this thread are? I find it quite confusing reading through and coming accross psi-bar, miles-kilometres, mph-kph, bhp-kw, lbspsf-Nm etc.

So a little poll to see what you all think. My suggestion would be for the mods to insert a rull asking people to make a conscious effort to use metric units.

If you don't know the conversions the formulae could be stickied for a couple of months or something - but really just type into google something like "130 bhp in kw" and it tells ye!

Anyway lets see what ye all think.

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!!!!!!

I'm still loyal to the Queen and all her fantastic Imperial measurments :pac:

mike65

Gary ITR

Do you not think we have enough to be doing? :pac:

robtri

Onkle wrote: »

Do you not think we have enough to be doing? :pac:

what you mean, you don't have the time to go through everybodies posts to ensure that they are quoting figures in teh correct measurements..:D

I can just see the infractions now... you have been infracted for being naughty.. reason: using Kmh instead of mph

alias no.9

enda1 wrote: »

Hey all,

just wondering what peoples general feeling on the units used on this thread are? I find it quite confusing reading through and coming accross psi-bar, miles-kilometres, mph-kph, bhp-kw, lbspsf-Nm etc.

So a little poll to see what you all think. My suggestion would be for the mods to insert a rull asking people to make a conscious effort to use metric units.

If you don't know the conversions the formulae could be stickied for a couple of months or something - but really just type into google something like "130 bhp in kw" and it tells ye!

Anyway lets see what ye all think.

Nonsense idea I'm afraid. I've hardly ever heard an Irish person refer to the power output of a car in KW, or pressure in bar (never mind the fact that the metric unit is the Pascal). Everybody here should be able to interchange MPH and KPH since the changeover. All in all, this would be an unnecessary nuissance to most users here.

enda1

alias no.9 wrote: »

Nonsense idea I'm afraid. I've hardly ever heard an Irish person refer to the power output of a car in KW, or pressure in bar (never mind the fact that the metric unit is the Pascal). Everybody here should be able to interchange MPH and KPH since the changeover. All in all, this would be an unnecessary nuissance to most users here.

Bar is metric, Pascal is metric also but is also SI.


Well the reasoning being that people are not thought anymore the imperial way and it can lead to misinformation and misunderstanding having two systems floating around.

I'm a mech. engineer working in automotive and don't even know the conversions off hand!

So in the interest of progressivness and as a way to teach people and prepare people for the future maybe boards.ie could pioneer this cause and get people into the 21st century!

peasant

enda1 wrote: »

I'm a mech. engineer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOtoujYOWw0

enda1

^
flash is blocked but I guess it's not flattering :P

jmck87

enda1 wrote: »

Bar is metric, Pascal is metric also but is also SI.


Well the reasoning being that people are not thought anymore the imperial way and it can lead to misinformation and misunderstanding having two systems floating around.

I'm a mech. engineer working in automotive and don't even know the conversions off hand!

So in the interest of progressivness and as a way to teach people and prepare people for the future maybe boards.ie could pioneer this cause and get people into the 21st century!

Serious like? Its an interweb forum....not a standards commitee :rolleyes:

bazz26

enda1

Just a suggestion to make this place a bit easier to navigate. Its the general premise of charters on fora to include some rules about sig widths, NSFW tags, and whatever to enhance the user experiance.

This aint after-hours, there's no need to shoot it down so quickly, a good reasoning for your rebuttal would be more constructive...

I know people find change difficult and fear it but really Ireland's really grasping at collonial straws with talk i imperial, do people not feel it's time to move on!?

-Chris-

R.O.R wrote: »

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!!!!!!

enda1 wrote: »

...it can lead to misinformation and misunderstanding having two systems floating around.

Personally, I don't see any fear of misinformation/misunderstanding - the information here is essentially self-policing. If someone's wrong (intentionally or otherwise) it's never long before they're corrected.

If we brought in a "metric only" and then one person takes it upon themselves to correct another's use of the incorrect units of measurement? To me that would be as bad as the grammar/spelling Nazis.

Also, what would you have done if the vote came out in favour of Imperial?
You've got to work in Metric, but surf in Imperial? Confusing...

enda1 wrote: »

So in the interest of progressivness and as a way to teach people and prepare people for the future maybe boards.ie could pioneer this cause and get people into the 21st century!

In the interest of truly dragging boards/motors into the 21st century, we should probably ban discussion of fossil fuel-driven cars and focus on electric or hydrogen powered vehicles instead. Fossil fuels are so 1900s.

enda1 wrote: »

^
flash is blocked but I guess it's not flattering :P

It's deadly is what it is! You'll enjoy it.

stealthyspeeder

R.O.R wrote: »

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!!!!!!

I'm still loyal to the Queen and all her fantastic Imperial measurments :pac:

+1 I hear ya!!

But seriously, come on, use of the forum implies use of a computer and the internet, if you cant convert metric to imperial, or imperial to metric with this sort of calculating power and information at your fingertips, you need to ask yourself......

"should I be sharing my opinions and dicussing facts and figures with members of the public?"

enda1

I'm not talking about a strict rule or banning/correcting people. Just a sticky or something to say please post in metric if possible. Just a reminder cause its easy to fall into old habits.

stealthyspeeder

enda1 wrote: »

I'm not talking about a strict rule or banning/correcting people. Just a sticky or something to say please post in metric if possible. Just a reminder cause its easy to fall into old habits.

maybe we could tell people to refer to any time of the day by 24hr clock as well?

ART6

Wasn't it that Napolean feller who came up with the metric system? Typical bloody frogs. We should ignore it all and stick to the good old engineering terms of Ergs, Rods, Poles, Perches, "stuff", dynes---On second thoughts.....:D

crosstownk

Grandpa Simpson wrote:

The metric system is the tool of the devil! My car gets forty rods to the hogshead and that's the way I likes it.

I'm in favour of metric. While I'm not too familiar with all that 'old stuff', I have a computer (imagine that) and some handy conversion software so I'll survive!

Tipsy Mac

I think it's fine once people don't go back as far as measuring things in Hundredweights

slimjimmc

R.O.R wrote: »

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!!!!!!

I'm still loyal to the Queen and all her fantastic Imperial measurments :pac:

Which Queen is that now.... the Queen of Thailand,the Queen of Belgium, the Queen of Spain, the drag Queen of San Francisco? And how come we don't see her on pg 3 with her fantastic measurements?

Those damned imperial units are too wierd, for example 12 inches=1 foot, 3feet=1 yard, 220yards=1 furlong, 8 furlongs,= 1 mile, 3miles=1 league.
And that's just the units of length never mind ounces, pounds, stones, hundred weight, etc !!!

Stick with metric, much easier to divide/multiply in units of 10,100 & 1000.

T-Maxx

I voted metric.

This is 2009 lads - get with the times. The imperial system is dated, complicated and just outright stupid.

colm_mcm

I find the whole idea of enforcing the use of a particular system quite nanny-ish. it may vother a small number of users here, but for the normal people, mpg and the likes will do just fine.


honestly, give these people 25.4mm and they'll take 1.609344km

Esel

Rulls? We don't need no steenkin' rulls!

enda1

Again. Its not about enforcing - my suggestion was just to have a leaning/an official preference for metric. Its a general embarrassment that we're not forward enough as a nation to embrace the metric system.

The only reason we still use imperial is because we were part of the UK but its been nearly 100 years! About time we made our own decisions and those in the direction of logic and common sense.

colm_mcm

I wouldn't be embarrassed about using imperial measurements. for example, the US still uses imperial without feeling bad. what's the big problem here?

I reckon more people on the motoring forum understand mpg than understand km/l or l/100km - on that basis, I reckon metric measurements should be banned from any future topics. makes about as much sense as your argument/suggestion

enda1

colm_mcm wrote: »

I wouldn't be embarrassed about using imperial measurements. for example, the US still uses imperial without feeling bad. what's the big problem here?

I reckon more people on the motoring forum understand mpg than understand km/l or l/100km - on that basis, I reckon metric measurements should be banned from any future topics. makes about as much sense as your argument/suggestion

Do you really? So when you put 50 litres in your car, you know how many kilometres it will get you?

I think the US probably felt pretty stupid when it crashed that Mars explorer into, well Mars, due to a mix up between imperial and metric systems. Have been talking to some American's recently, in the engineering field, and they were saying that they are thought in metric now too, its only that they usually have to convert their results into imperial for the exams.

Seems kinda pointless no?

Tropheus

As an old fart, I have to say that it's up to the individual user. I can't get away form miles, mph or mpg. Nothing else really makes sense.

Busta Hyman

slimjimmc wrote: »

the drag Queen of San Francisco? And how come we don't see her on pg 3 with her fantastic measurements?

anyone else see something wrong here?

ksimpson wrote: »

As an old fart, I have to say that it's up to the individual user. I can't get away form miles, mph or mpg. Nothing else really makes sense.

im with you bud although i do have my satnav set to km but its just an abstract concept tbh i see 23.5 km to destination it may as well be measured in frisbee throws. i just watch the numbers go down lol

R.O.R wrote: »

BACK OFF BRUSSELS!!!!!!

totally we need to fight the urge to become a nanny state. its a dowhill spiral from there

enda1 wrote: »

I know people find change difficult and fear it but really Ireland's really grasping at collonial straws with talk i imperial, do people not feel it's time to move on!?

i dont think ppl are sitting at there keyboards and shakeing with fear at the thought of this thread tbh. but whats you desire to control the way ppl think or state measurements? this thread was the worst idea since mr & mrs hitler had an early night and a bit of "hows yer father". funny enough that ended up with a guy that wanted to control ........

Big Nasty

Busta Hyman wrote: »

this thread was the worst idea since mr & mrs hitler had an early night and a bit of "hows yer father". funny enough that ended up with a guy that wanted to control ........

Not fair at all! He was just making a suggestion!

Busta Hyman

so was mr hitler but that didnt end well did it

alias no.9

slimjimmc wrote: »

Those damned imperial units are too wierd, for example 12 inches=1 foot, 3feet=1 yard, 220yards=1 furlong, 8 furlongs,= 1 mile, 3miles=1 league.
And that's just the units of length never mind ounces, pounds, stones, hundred weight, etc !!!

Stick with metric, much easier to divide/multiply in units of 10,100 & 1000.

You must really struggle with time, 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week, anything from 4 to 4.3 months in a year, 365.26 days in a year.

People should use the units they feel comfortable with. Take BHP v's KW, does it really matter to anyone that 1 KW is 1000 kg per meter per second? What is the advantage to using it over BHP? Given that time is a fundamental component of the unit, why arbitrarilly pick seconds, why not have it relative to minutes? Hell, even the europeans use the PS unit which is for all intents and purposes equivalent to BHP.

BuachaillAbroad

enda1 wrote: »

The only reason we still use imperial is because we were part of the UK but its been nearly 100 years! About time we made our own decisions and those in the direction of logic and common sense.

For logic & common sense, I think you need to remember that alot of Imperial units have a fairly logical basis, tbh.

For example, 1 cubit = tip of middle finger to tip of the elbow, 1 mile = 1000 paces (2 steps), 1 inch = the length of a thumb (from tip to the 1st knuckle thing (don't know the scientific name!!) etc.
These are based on people so yes there was changes obviously depending on the person but in general most people would have the same proportion.

This was based on human anatomy. Back 2000 years ago the common man used the body to measure things.

Also alot of Imperial units are in multipes of 4 as back then people counted with their fingers, but left out the thumbs.
Hence 12 inches = 1 foot, 36 inches = 1 yard, etc.
Its relatively recent the people included the thumb into counting.

I think it depends on the person. Personally, I also think people should know the conversions for common things like distance, volume & weight.

Interesting thread tho

mikemac

colm_mcm wrote: »

I reckon more people on the motoring forum understand mpg than understand km/l or l/100km - on that basis, I reckon metric measurements should be banned from any future topics. makes about as much sense as your argument/suggestion

Maybe, but who buys fuel by the gallon?

And even there isn't there a difference between a gallon in Europe and a US gallon.
What a messy system!

But I suppose people should use what they are comfortable with.

colm_mcm

mikemac wrote: »

Maybe, but who buys fuel by the gallon?

I think you'll find most people buy fuel by the Euro

I know people who stick 20 quid in at a time regardless of how expensive the fuel is.

Wertz

If it's such a problem for those reading a given thread then a quick trip to google from your toolbar will reveal a calculator that does Imperial -> Metric conversion and vice versa. Simply "search" for "20lbs to kg" or whatever and the first result is the converted amount.

I can work with either system but like others have a preference for certain units over others, some imp, some metric...