To be white or to be green, that is the question.

Today we are giving some attention to the fuel consumption of the Fuso Santek and to the subject of what colour we wish the camper box to have.

The Fuso Santek has been driving from Riverside, California, USA, to Punta Boca del Salado, Baja California, Mexico.
This is a distance of about 1300 miles. (2.090 kilometres)
Each time diesel was bought, the odometer reading was written down as well as the amount of litres bought.
This makes brain-cracking calculations necessary because the odometer of the Fuso Santek shows miles and the Mexican diesel pumps show litres.
While we wish to achieve a unit called MPG (Miles per Gallon) or KPL (Kilometres per litre).

Four times diesel was bought therefore on three occasions the MPG/KPL could be calculated.
688 kilometres with 129 litres gives 5.3 KPL
461 kilometres with 80 litres gives 5.76 KPL
379 kilometres with 67 litres gives 5.65 KPL

For people thinking in gallons and miles the average the Fuso Santek made, 5.57 kilometres per litre, doesn’t probably say much.
Although smoke came out of the solar powered Canon Electronic Calculator when making the conversion, those fervent and loyal blogreaders only familiar with gallons and miles are now kindly served with the MPG of the Fuso Santek: 13 miles per gallon.

We must remember that this MPG of 13 was achieved while the GVWR is close to its maximum of 14.000 pounds.
And we must remember that the road was often crossing steep mountains and that the engine was always kept at a maximum of 2.000 RPM.

Reports from fellow owners of a Mitsubishi Fuso FG say that by time the MPG/KPL will increase.
That would be an interesting and welcomed phenomenon and therefore notes will continue to be made each time diesel is purchased.

Now to the subject of the colour of the camper box of the Fuso Santek.
Originally it was planned to have the complete Fuso Santek painted green.
With that in mind a green Mitsubishi Fuso FG was ordered.


Next, in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico, a professional vehicle painter was going to paint the camper box in exactly the same colour as the cabin of the truck: Jupiter Green.

There are several reasons why the colour green was selected.
Green is associated with harmony, love and abundance.
It is the colour of nature making the Fuso Santek blend best in the landscape.
Green has also a calming effect and is experienced as positive.

Now the camper box is white and this colour is hated.
It makes one think of an ambulance.
Only the Red Cross is missing.
White also identifies with coolness, lack of emotions, frigidity, inability to play basketball, cantankerous radio hosts and it disharmonizes with nature except on the North and South Pole.



But strong doubts have been initiated to have the Fuso Santek become a beautiful green expedition vehicle when visiting dear friend John in Temecula, California, USA.
John, who is a very wise man, former general manager of Callaways Vineyards and Winery, explained that green is a colour notorious for absorbing heat.
According to dear friend John, painting the camper box green would result in a much higher inside temperature.

Dear friend John is right.
Scientific tests have proven that after black and blue, green is the colour absorbing the most heat.
Not much light is reflected nor radiated away.
The light the colour green absorbs is converted into heat.

This creates two groups of arguments resulting in one conclusion: green is the best colour except for its lack of cooling capacities.

What to do now?

How much more will the temperature in the Fuso Santek camper box rise if painted green instead of white?

To find some sort of answer to this question the surface of the camper box was measured, excluding of course the roof.
From this total the surface of windows and door was excluded because windows and door are not involved in the dilemma.
The result of the measuring and the calculations is that 70 % of the Fuso Santek camper box will be white or having a colour and 30 % of the surface consists of windows, the door and diamond plate.
Next, we must realise that when the Fuso Santek is in the sun not all sides are in the sun.
For example, this very moment, at 7.13 a.m., only the passenger side of the Fuso Santek is in the sun.
Which is 31 % of the total surface.
Of which 21 % absorbs: 10 % are windows and door.
If it were green only that 21 % of the total Fuso Santek camper box would absorb heat.

What also influences the possible heating by the colour green is the outside temperature.
Again, right now, it is 23 degrees Centigrade (73 Fahrenheit) and if the Fuso Santek was green, the heat absorption characteristic of the colour green would not affect much the inside temperature.
More so because a sea breeze is bringing cool air into the Fuso Santek thanks to her large windows and large roof vents.

Many fervent and loyal blog readers are experts and kind to express their opinions in comments and e-mail messages.
In about a week the Fuso Santek will go to the shop where they can do the painting.
Is she going to have a green cabin and a white camper box?
Or is she going to be green all the way?

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To learn more about heat absorption of colours, click on:
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/image_galleries/markers.html