Thursday, November 28, 2013

Electric Vehicle (EV) Conversion - Should You Choose an AC or DC Motor?

One of the choices you will have to make when undertaking an electric vehicle conversion is deciding whether to install an AC or a DC motor. Both have different characteristics and challenges associated with them. So which is right for you? The following points may help you to decide.What do the terms AC and DC mean?:AC stands for alternating current, and DC stands for direct current. Most commercially produced electric or hybrid vehicles use an AC motor, these motors are lighter than their DC counterparts, and can have a device fitted that will provide charge to the batteries as the vehicle slows down. This is known as regenerative braking, the AC electric motor that drives the car is used to slow it down, when the motor spins it generates a current that is used to pass charge back to the battery pack.However AC motors present many more challenges when they are installed, and are very expensive to buy. For this reason most amateur home builders opt for the DC motor.Save even more:There are many sources of suitable DC motors. Used ones can be picked up for very little cost, and even reconditioned ones can work out very inexpensive. Used or reconditioned is a good choice to make because these motors have a very long service life, and will last a lot longer than a traditionally fueled engine.This is because electric motors have only one moving part, whereas a diesel or gasoline one has many hundreds. In an electric power plant there is little heat generated, therefore no cooling is required, and no parts move against each other so it needs no lubrication either. There is very little to go wrong, so your motor will give many years of trouble-free service.Motor size:The vehicle you choose to convert should be as light as possible, as the more weight you can save the more usable and practical your finished vehicle will be. When choosing the motor size you should be careful not to fit one with a lot of overcapacity, as the weight of the motor will be a factor. Plus the larger the motor the more batteries you will need in your storage bank, and batteries are heavy as well.It is a balancing act, decide on the range you want from your vehicle and the performance you need too. Your conversion plans will help you with this calculation. Getting this right will save a lot of heartache later. Finding your project can't go as fast as you want or has a limited range will be difficult to fix after the build, so spending time to get your motor selection right will be well worth the effort.A do it yourself electric vehicle conversion should be a rewarding and enjoyable project. Motor selection is an important part to get right. Making your own is a lot cheaper than buying an electric car from the showroom, and your motoring costs will be greatly reduced, plus you will be helping the environment too.



Convert your existing car:Did you know that most cars or trucks can be converted into an electric vehicle (EV)? Find the most comprehensive, and easy to follow, electric car conversion plans, by visiting our how to build an electric car site at www.how-to-build-an-electric-car.blogspot.com/.

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Diabetes and LDL Cholesterol: 6 Lifestyle Changes to Lower Your LDL Cholesterol and CVD Risk

Cardiovascular disease, or CVD, is the leading cause of death in diabetics living in the United States.CVD is a general term which refers to people with blockage of the heart's blood vessels (also known as coronary artery disease or CAD), blockage in the vessels of the leg (peripheral vascular disease or PVD), and blockage of the carotid arteries (the blood vessels supplying the brain).Diabetes alone is a risk factor for CVD, increasing your risk 2-4 fold.Another very important risk factor for cardiovascular disease is your LDL cholesterol.When your doctor tells you he/she is obtaining a blood sample to "check your cholesterol" or "measure your lipids," he/she may check your total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and total triglycerides.If all four measurements are included, it is called the "lipid profile".The cholesterol blood test is typically obtained after an 8-12 hour overnight fast.Although the LDL and HDL cholesterol may be further divided into sub-fractions (basically good and bad LDL and HDL subtypes), this level of sophisticated testing is rarely performed.Given the association of elevated LDL-cholesterol (or LDL-c) levels and CVD, LDL is known as the "bad cholesterol".Since diabetes alone is a risk factor for CVD, the LDL-c goals are lower in diabetics.In diabetics without known CVD, the goal LDL-c is 100 mg/dl (2.6 mmol/l). In a non-diabetic without known CVD, the goal LDL-c is 130 (3.4 mmol/l)In diabetics with documented CVD, the goal LDL-c is typically 70 mg/dl (1.8 mmol/l).Although a prescription medication is ultimately recommended to most people with diabetes, lifestyle modifications play an important role in improving your lipid profile.There are 6 parts to an effective lifestyle program.1) Reduce your saturated fat intake.If you reduce your saturated fats to 7% of total calories, along with reduction of your cholesterol intake to 200 mg per day, you will reduce LDL-c levels by 9-12%.Low saturated fat food options include fruits, vegetables, and grains.Among the fruits, tropical fruits such as watermelon and mango should be avoided given their negative impact on sugar levels.Fruit juices should likewise be avoided.Within the grains, bread, pasta, cereal and rice intake should be minimized/avoided given their negative impact on sugar levels.Tree nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans) are an easy to use, low saturated fat food option which can reduce LDL-c levels by 2-19%.Nuts also provide fiber, some minerals and vitamins.Nuts are calorie dense, so make sure intake is limited to 1-2 ounces per day.The effects of nuts appears to be most favorable if you have a high LDL-c at baseline, and are not overweight.2) Eliminate trans fats.Trans fats will raise your LDL cholesterol and lower your HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol).The combination of high LDL levels and low HDL levels is not good in people with diabetes who are trying to prevent CVD.You'll find the highest concentration of trans fats in baked goods (cookies, cracker etc.) and fried foods.Other sources of trans fats include fast food, some soups, chips, cereal, candy, packaged food such as cake mixes, some frozen foods, toppings and dips.If a food label mentions "partially hydrogentated vegatable oil", the product contains trans fats.Unfortunately food labels aren't as helpful as they should be regarding trans fat content.If a serving of food is labeled as "no trans fats", it means it has 0.5 g per serving.It could thus have no trans fat or 0.4 g of trans fat!3) Begin an exercise programAerobic exercise (walking, jogging etc.) may reduce LDL-c by 10-15% and raise HDL-c by 20%.The benefits associated with exercise are likely due to weight loss as well as still undefined factors that improve with physical activity.Most studies support a 30 minute per day, 5 days per week exercise regimen.Although this does not have to be intense exercise (many study participants limited their exercise to a leisurely walk), it appears that greater intensity and longer duration exercise will have a greater impact.Given the increased risk of silent heart disease (absence of typical symptoms such as chest pain) in people with diabetes, cardiology consultation and a stress test should be obtained before you begin an exercise program.The combination of diet and exercise is more effective than either approach alone.4) Add fiber to your dietThe addition of fiber to your diet will reduces LDL-c by an average of 5 mg/dl (0.13 mmol/L).High fiber foods include bran, beans, berries, whole grains, nuts, deep green leafy vegetables, squash and fruits.Fiber has the additional benefit of lowering your sugar levels.Although most organizations recommend a daily fiber intake of at least 30 grams per day, the average fiber intake in the United States is only 15 grams per day.5) Consider the Mediterranean "diet"This is a diet which includes many of the recommendations noted above.It is more a lifestyle change than a diet.Benefits of the "diet", with respect to reduced CVD, as well as cancer and Alzheimer's disease, have been supported in several large clinical trials.Increased physical activity/exercise is recommended.Red meat intake is reduced to several times per month.Fish, poultry and plant based food intake is increased.Fruit is included, as are olives and olive oil.Modest alcohol intake (1 drink per day) is optional, and may raise HDL-c levels.A comprehensive review of the diet is beyond the scope of this article, but can be easily found with a Google search.6) Improve your sugar control.This is listed last since steps 1-5 will help you achieve this goal.Improved control of your sugars will improve your lipid profile, especially the triglycerides.If the 6 lifestyle modifications mentioned above don't help you achieve your cholesterol goal, medical therapy will be initiated.Become involved in the management of your diabetes.Take a proactive approach.Make a difference in your life, starting today.



Dr. Michael Dempsey is an endocrinologist with over 20 years of experience caring for people with diabetes. His goal is to improve diabetes control within the parameters of your life. You can learn more about Dr. Dempsey's practice at https://sites.google.com/site/thediabetesdoc/. You can also follow him on his Facebook page for daily updates on diabetes and nutrition at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002052992954&ref=tn_tnmn

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