Power

[Ilovthevu']

V2 would be number one. That would be confirmed by mostly everyone. Which one is second, D Vu, Whizzer, or another one?

[DejaVu The Ride]

50% of the actual V2 ride is based on the use of power. Most of the other rides rely on gravity.

[Chitown]

I say it's Condor because of the massive lighting it has at night.

[Timmy179]

ILovTheVu, Your saying that you think Vu takes up a huge amount of energy because it picks up a train at a complete vertical position, did you forget that Condor and Sky Trek Tower also do that, with fairly heavier loads (maybe not on condor but definatly on STT)

[playerplex]

What about Stargate? It runs all day, and over and over. It has the motion seats and the movie on screen. Or the Rue Le Dodge. They must take a lot of power. I'd say most of the flat rides.

[Timmy179]

"What about Stargate? It runs all day, and over and over. "

So do coasters!

[playerplex]

What about Stargate? It runs all day, and over and over.

So do coasters!

Yeah but Stargate is always using electricity. Like people have said the only real coaster with a lot of electricity is V2.

[Ilovthevu']

On STT, it has six cables in which means each cable takes less of a blow. This in turn would mean less power is diverted into the whole operation of the ride. On Rue Le Dodge, I believe there is less effort per area of power than many roller coasters. If you really think about it, carnivals wouldn't have bumper cars if it was a power guzzler. They would need a generator for just for the bumper cars.

I heard that KC needs it's own generator at a carnival in which no rides need there own. So, if your going for a flat, KC would be the power guzzler. Considering the amount of people it takes, and the fact that it doesn't use tires such as Power Dive, River Rocker, or Revolution to turn you upside down, it needs power. I guess Stargate would be in the hunt also.

[Supreme_Overlord]

There are more motors than just the lift of the Whizzer. They are in quite a few places.

That's true, there are more motors in the Mid-course brake run, and the final brakes, and the station. all of the other coasters also have these motors. The fact is that most are on either a level surface, or a slight decline, so they can be less powerfull. The cost to run these motors won't increase the power consumption so that it exceds any of the "big coasters"

I know that at least IW, BTR, and RB lifts shut off after the train is done is going up them. However, I believe that even the big tires shut off on IW too.

I doubt that the lift shuts off after the train is done going up it. If anything there is a clutch that disengages the motor from the chain allowing the motor to slow down, increasing efficency.

If you are saying that since the lift hills are on an angle, that means that they need more power than Whizzer. D Vu must need even more because they are two vertical "lift hills". The way I look at it is pushing a 50 lb box up a slope compared to lifting it. Yes, a pulley (wheel on top) does help somewhat reduce the weight, but that is still harder to lift something than "push" it.

Ok, it's time for a physics lesson boys and girls. First, we need to clear up some terminology. What this topic is about is Power (eletrical) consumption, not the mechanical power needed to do something. Also when I use the term "POWERFUL" I am refering to the level of force that The Power(eletrical) consumption of the motors is is completely dependent on the motor itself, and I can not estimate that without knowing the specifics of each motor that drives the chain. But it is reasonable to assume that the more powerfull ( the more force it applies ) the more power(eletrical) it consumes. So I tried to show that the force required for wizzer is less than that needed for some of the other coasters.

Now to simplify everything Force = Mass * Acceleration (due to gravity). At first glance you mak look at this and say, o"k, I know gravity is 9.8 meters/sec^2, so it will make no difference whether I pull it straight up or at an angle". This of course is not quite true this is because it is the acceleration due to gravity. In order to figure this out you need tou use some trig(not much). All you do is take the sine of the angle you're lifting at times the force of gravity (A=sin(angle)*9.. So now the equation becomes F=M*Sin(Angle)*9.8. now for those of you who don't know trig, or how to work with sines, the sine of 90 degrees is 1, and the sine of 0 degrees is 0, and the valuse in between those angles range between 0 and 1, so your Force ranges between 0 and 9.8*m.

Now for those who are concerned about the 0 value and are wondering why motors are needed in the stations and other places, you need to remember that the F I was calculating is just the force needed to keep an object moving at a constant speed. Also remember that for the sake of simplicity I was neglecting things such as friction.

If you want to experiment with this at home all you need is a flat board, a small 1-2 pound object, a fishing scale and a piece of string/rope. Tie one end of the string to the object, and the other end to the fishing scale. Lie the board flat on the ground, and slowly pull the object along it, and note what the scale reads. Now lift one end of the board alittle and try it again. The scale should read higher. Do this for several angles, and it will steadily get higher.

What about Stargate? It runs all day, and over and over. It has the motion seats and the movie on screen.

Stargate Uses hydraulics on the seats which use very little eletricity, and the movies is projected using a projector which uses about as much electricity as my computer.

You forgot to answer how much power the whole park would use compared to a Wrigley Field or a Gurnee Mills Mall.

I doubt anyone on here knows for sure. I have never heard any information about this, and I really couldn't even begin to guess.

And so you know, I'm a Computer guy who works with robots, and needs to know alot about physics. Plus Physics is Phun!

I also promise that al my posts won't be novels.

[coastrcorey]

Plus Physics is Phun!

Oh gosh, that reminds me of my physics teacher last year...he always said that! I understood exactly all of what you were talking about, but I think it'll be over the heads of most of these 12-13 yr olds .

I know that at least IW, BTR, and RB lifts shut off after the train is done is going up them. However, I believe that even the big tires shut off on IW too.

Yeah, they don't fully shut off but they do slow down. For very large motors, like lift hill motors, they use something called a Drive. The Drive allows the dynamic change of speed on the motor.

[Virtua Tennis]

Ok, it's time for a physics lesson boys and girls. First, we need to clear up some terminology. What this topic is about is Power (eletrical) consumption, not the mechanical power needed to do something. Also when I use the term "POWERFUL" I am refering to the level of force that The Power(eletrical) consumption of the motors is is completely dependent on the motor itself, and I can not estimate that without knowing the specifics of each motor that drives the chain. But it is reasonable to assume that the more powerfull ( the more force it applies ) the more power(eletrical) it consumes. So I tried to show that the force required for wizzer is less than that needed for some of the other coasters.

Now to simplify everything Force = Mass * Acceleration (due to gravity). At first glance you mak look at this and say, o"k, I know gravity is 9.8 meters/sec^2, so it will make no difference whether I pull it straight up or at an angle". This of course is not quite true this is because it is the acceleration due to gravity. In order to figure this out you need tou use some trig(not much). All you do is take the sine of the angle you're lifting at times the force of gravity (A=sin(angle)*9.. So now the equation becomes F=M*Sin(Angle)*9.8. now for those of you who don't know trig, or how to work with sines, the sine of 90 degrees is 1, and the sine of 0 degrees is 0, and the valuse in between those angles range between 0 and 1, so your Force ranges between 0 and 9.8*m.

Now for those who are concerned about the 0 value and are wondering why motors are needed in the stations and other places, you need to remember that the F I was calculating is just the force needed to keep an object moving at a constant speed. Also remember that for the sake of simplicity I was neglecting things such as friction.

If you want to experiment with this at home all you need is a flat board, a small 1-2 pound object, a fishing scale and a piece of string/rope. Tie one end of the string to the object, and the other end to the fishing scale. Lie the board flat on the ground, and slowly pull the object along it, and note what the scale reads. Now lift one end of the board alittle and try it again. The scale should read higher. Do this for several angles, and it will steadily get higher.

Well thaught out and explained, too bad it has nothing to do with the topic (or at least from what the other posts have suggested).

[mschulz5]

Plus Physics is Phun!

Hahaha! One of my friends found a shirt at the local Goodwill store that said taht on the front, then on the back it said "Physics, yum, yum"

If you don't know what it means, don't ask.

[monopotassium]

I know that at least IW, BTR, and RB lifts shut off after the train is done is going up them. However, I believe that even the big tires shut off on IW too.

I doubt that the lift shuts off after the train is done going up it. If anything there is a clutch that disengages the motor from the chain allowing the motor to slow down, increasing efficency.

The lifts activate when the trains reach them, slow down extremely when the trains clear.

What about Stargate? It runs all day, and over and over. It has the motion seats and the movie on screen.

Stargate Uses hydraulics on the seats which use very little eletricity, and the movies is projected using a projector which uses about as much electricity as my computer.

Unless your computer has vacuum tubes and fills an entire bedroom, it's most likely that your computer uses far less electricity.

[twixmix0303]

Just the projector uses as much electricity as a computer, not the seats, too.

[Ilovthevu']

If you want to see B&M lifts at work, look at this silver circle with two circles (bolts) inside it near the lifts (At least on BTR it's silver). IW would the hardest to see because the train is on the other side of the fence. RB can clearly be seen from the stairs.

While I'm talking about B&M's, a mark that separates them from other coaster companies are the "hills" before the first drops. (Maybe other companies do that, I don't know.)

[Supreme_Overlord]

yes, the projector itself used about as much power and my computer, not the whole ride. The ride will use more power, than my computer, I'd estimate about as much as an average sized house(ok, maybe alittle). Hydraulics use very little eletricity since all they require are pumps to move the hydraulic fluid.

Well thaught out and explained, too bad it has nothing to do with the topic (or at least from what the other posts have suggested).

Thank you for the compliment. It does have something to do with the topic. In my first post I explained how Wizzer uses less eletricity than most of the other coasters. This caused a little bit of confusion from Ilovthevu, so my post was made to address this and clear it up. True, it had nothing to do with the power consumption directly, but I would not have brought it up if I didn't think it would help at least a little

Back on Topic: Here is my unofficial educated estimate for the top rides that use the most eletricity:
1) V2
2) RB
3) Deja Vu
4) AE
5) SkyTrek Tower
6) Superman
7) Batman
King Chaos(when it is running)
9) Roaring Rapids
10) Viper
[/quote]

[Ilovthevu']

Yeah V2 and Whizzer. V2 because of the LSMs and Whizzer because they have motors in the bottoms of the cars to get up the chain lift, that is why the chain lift on whizzer is just sharpe things. I guess there isn't a chain lift.

^The reason why I did say Whizzer in the first place is because of the "electric spiral lift." I actually knew that pyshics stuff already that SO said. The Whizzer train can't possibly have motors on the bottom of the trains, because drive tires and mini-tires wouldnlt be necessary. Everytime you go on that ride, you can hear the electricity jolt on. The way I can compare it to is the L or a minature train. You give it electricity and it moves.

[Timmy179]

Back on Topic: Here is my unofficial educated estimate for the top rides that use the most eletricity:
1) V2
2) RB
3) Deja Vu
4) AE
5) SkyTrek Tower
6) Superman
7) Batman
King Chaos(when it is running)
9) Roaring Rapids
10) Viper

Really!, I thought that gian drop would be somewhere in there.

Didnt Revolution blow a circuit or something to that matter this year?

[twixmix0303]

The reason why I did say Whizzer in the first place is because of the "electric spiral lift."...The Whizzer train can't possibly have motors on the bottom of the trains, because drive tires and mini-tires wouldnlt be necessary. Everytime you go on that ride, you can hear the electricity jolt on. The way I can compare it to is the L or a minature train. You give it electricity and it moves.

Do you mean the Whizzer trains don't or do have motors on the underneath the trains? It does work like the el in Chicago, where a third, electrified rail provides power to the train. However, the third rail is only on the lift. It uses drive tires to move the train through brake runs and the holding brakes before the station.

[sixflagsguy5]

I was at sfgam during a blackout, and once the power came back on, they had to wait for a mechanic to come and fix the ride. That was on viper. But dont forget that they have to have a backup generator for all the lights in the park too and food.