Phil's motor/ free HP

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

In message <970421200311_75363.2524_EHI83-1@CompuServe.COM> Joe Yakubik writes:

> Why might this be so?  From the Handbook of Engineering Fundamentals:  1 HP =
> 1.341 kW or (oh no!) 0.9863 metric horsepower.  "The 'horsepower' used in these
> tables is equal to 550 foot-pounds per second by definition.  Other definitions
> are one horsepower equals 746 watts (U.S. and Great Britain) and one horsepower
> equals 736 watts (continental Europe).  Neither of these latter definitions is
> equivalent to the first; the 'horsepowers' defined in these latter definitions
> are widely used in the rating of electrical machinery."  
> 
> Ferdinand Piech be damned!  Our horses are bigger than theirs.

Hmm.  I see a conflict between 1.341 kW and 746 watts.  Can't have both.
 
I think we can lay claim to be the originators of the measure - though no one 
ever seems to have developed a "standard horse" in the same way that massive 
effort went into the "standard candle".
 
So, starting with the "UK horsepower" set at 1:
 
550.00009    feet lbf/second
0.07602      boiler horsepower
0.9996       electric horsepower
1.01387      metric horsepower
745.57698    watts 
 
1 metric horsepower is 735.37766 watts.
 
Yes - our horses _are_ bigger than theirs - although Audi always prefers to 
quote power in kW, perhaps for this reason.
 
I was also told, during my own engineering education, that the "standard" horse 
was a pretty poor specimen.  A modern draught horse (e.g., a Percheron) can 
produce several horsepower with ease.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club