In the interest of full disclosure, I sometimes
(sometimes, mind you) watch bits of “The Price is Right.” My favorite aspect is
when the announcer says the prize is a new car. Except that he says, “A new
caaaaaaar!!!!!!!!!”
One recent such prize included in the breathless
pitch that it was a “partial zero emissions” vehicle.
Huh? “Partial zero”? How can you have “partial
zero”? Isn’t any fraction of zero, still zero? So it is either a
zero emissions vehicle or it isn’t.
To do extensive research on this
topic, I spent 10 seconds and went to Wikipedia and found this definition: “A Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle is a vehicle that has zero evaporative emissions
from its fuel system, has a 15-year (or at least 150,000 mile) warranty and
meets SULEV tailpipe emission standards.”
OK. Maybe that
means something to you car guys or gals. But us bicyclists haven’t a clue what
that means.
But it did
give me a thought for HVACR. If a system isn’t running perfectly tight, we say
it is a partial zero emission unit. In fact, contractors can ship a defective
unit off to “The Price is Right.”
“The
next prize assures you of perfect comfort in your home! It’s a new airrrrrrrr…conditioneeeer!!!!
And best of all, it has partial zero emissions!!!!”
I figure if contestants and audience
jump and scream over a partial zero emission car, they should do the same for
an a/c unit.