Calculating Fuel Consumption

**Gremlin** · 25th August 2005, 09:12

A bit has been asked about this, some don't know how they fare, so I figured I would share my Microsoft Excel spreadsheet with anybody who wants it.

First worksheet is a blank one for you, second is mine so you get an idea about how it works. Some of the calcutions have a range manually entered (down to Row 42 I think) that would need to be updated when you get down that far.

Date and Bike Mileage don't have to be entered, the price of fuel is in dollars (ie 1.439), and for the trip type enter "City", "Country", or "Mixed". The sheet will give you a breakdown of 3 (and an overall) consumption figures. When entering the station you filled up at, write it exactly the same as the names in column I at the top, also, fill it in in the row one down (ie, the station brand was responsible for that consumption)

Now, a question. Does anybody know of a way to enter the station on the normal row but adding the numbers on the row below without using VBA??? Currently if you enter the station (L26 on my sheet) into the correct spot it will factor in the blank row.

Then again, does anybody know what I'm talking about?? Or did I go just a little overboard in the calculations...

If you want a simple one, just ask.

**Slingshot** · 25th August 2005, 10:07

Nice work,
In my experience though, unless you limit the input choices (i.e.. the station name) users will always cock it up.

Best way to do this is select the cells you want, goto data, then validation. Select from the "allow" box: "list" then fill in the details.

The other piece of advise I have is to lock the cells that have formulas and unlock the cells that require the user to enter data into. Then protect the sheet so the user can't overtype formulas.

I don't get why you've entered mobil on L26, surely you wouldn't enter that data until you had figures to also enter into that row.

Thanks for putting this together though...I'm going to use it.

Cheers

**Gremlin** · 25th August 2005, 10:22

Originally Posted by Slingshot

Nice work,
I my experience though, unless you limit the input choices (i.e.. the station name) users will always cock it up.

Best way to do this is select the cells you want, goto data, then validation. Select from the "allow" box: "list" then fill in the details.

I never knew about this, but I also want to leave things open for people to change. Definitely play with this tho.

Originally Posted by Slingshot

The other piece of advise I have is to lock the cells that have formulas and unlock the cells that require the user to enter data into. Then protect the sheet so the user can't overtype formulas.

Thought of that, but some who really know what they are doing may want to modify the calculations, others may have no idea whats going on, so catering for a range really twisted me into knots.

Originally Posted by Slingshot

I don't get why you've entered mobil on L26, surely you wouldn't enter that data until you had figures to also enter into that row.

I originally had all the stations up one cell, ie you fill with x fuel, at x price at x station. But on reflection, this doesn't work. Its when you next fill up that the station fuel has had an impact. I tried to manipulate the formula, (ie if found x station on row 2, then add row 3 x data) but without VBA the formula is pretty basic, and you would need a variable to hold the current row you are in. The formula doesn't have this to my knowledge.

So the way around was to move the station down one cell. However, if you enter the station into K26, the formulae think you have entered another row, and your consumption is re-calculated. So I enter the station to the right, then when I fill up again, I move the station in.

Originally Posted by Slingshot

Thanks for putting this together though...I'm going to use it.

Cheers

No worries, little bored at the time, then I kept adding more detail. Good for extending the excel formula skills. The specific consumptions took a couple of minutes to get right, all the searching, then add if matched, then average it

Oh, if you are using this, it would seem that the auto calc that seemed to happen on my sheet has disappeared with deleting the data, so highlight the cells above, and drag down using the little black box on the bottom right.

**Slingshot** · 25th August 2005, 10:42

Good points,

The station thing makes sense to me now, it's a little to early in the morning. Would this impact on the trip type too?

**Gremlin** · 25th August 2005, 10:53

err... no. Hadn't thought of that, hmmm will need to see if there is an easy way with existing figures.

But I already know it will probably be a table beside stations, with 4 (city, country, mixed, overall) figures...

Got a test tonight so I'll play with it afterwards.

It was kinda funny coz I remember people debating as to which station's fuel was better, and I always reckoned the fuel was the same. The spreadsheet can tell you, but I would need more data to have a definite answer.

**zadok** · 25th August 2005, 11:12

I like to convert into MPG instead of Litres per hundred K (I'm old school, or is that 'just old'?).
Using a calculator multiply k's by .625 to get miles; divide Litres by 4.54 to get gallons. Then simply divide miles by gallons and hey presto.

**Gremlin** · 25th August 2005, 11:28

umm... just old and everybody who's anybody uses metric

yeah, I wasn't going to go there, but if its wanted, then I can add it, or people can add it to theirs.

I only have a 1024x768 screen, and its just about across that, so more detail would make it harder to read. Horizontal scrolling is annoying and more difficult unless you have a double wheel mouse.

**SimJen** · 25th August 2005, 11:56

Heres one I did earlier

Does MPG and Litres/100km

**The Stranger:Me** · 25th August 2005, 11:57

MPG and Averages added

**MacD** · 25th August 2005, 13:16

Originally Posted by zadok

I like to convert into MPG instead of Litres per hundred K (I'm old school, or is that 'just old'?).
Using a calculator multiply k's by .625 to get miles; divide Litres by 4.54 to get gallons. Then simply divide miles by gallons and hey presto.

Only mpg makes any sense to me too (like height in feet/inches)!

Easy way - calculate km/l then multiply by 2.83 to get mpg

**loosebruce** · 25th August 2005, 14:48

Fuck fuel comsumption, thats the least of my worries, costs me more in a rear tyre on a ride than what it does for petrol

**enigma51** · 25th August 2005, 14:52

Originally Posted by loosebruce

Fuck fuel comsumption, thats the least of my worries, costs me more in a rear tyre on a ride than what it does for petrol

Second that fuel consumption is only 10% of my problems 340 for a new rear 270 for a front every 6000k's

**mattt** · 25th August 2005, 14:55

Yeh, you need a rear tyre calculator where you input weather you're riding on one wheel, or revving 12grand, or both.
Spent 5hundy on new rubber yesterday - took the rear down to the canvass

**Hitcher** · 25th August 2005, 15:06

Buy an ST1300. It tells you most of this on-dash, in real time...

**Gremlin** · 25th August 2005, 15:22

Originally Posted by Hitcher

Buy an ST1300. It tells you most of this on-dash, in real time...

ahh, but does it break down like the spreadsheet??

And uhhh, sorry no rubber calculators, waaaay too many variables, not the least of which is your spring-resistant right wrist.

hmm some calculators to look at when I have time. Cheers Guys.