2002 Corolla Turning the AC on when defrosting
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From: Ray O on 29 Jul 2010 00:23 "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message news:Xns9DC2F27677FCBJaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... > =?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?= <Trueno(a)e86.GTS> wrote > : > >> On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:08:17 -0500, Jane Galt wrote: >> >>> When the windshield fogs up a little and we direct the vents up there >>> to clear it, it turns the AC compressor on and freezes us. >>> >>> Did they seriously design the car this way, or is something wrong? >>> >>> Because this is NOT gonna be fun when it's 0 degrees outside and it's >>> all we can do to heat the car, and because the vents are set on the >>> windshield, to keep it clear, the AC is running too. >> >> >> You'll never notice it. > > My gas bill will notice it, and it puts wear on the compressor. Fuel consumption on a modern AC system is negligible; there are several other factors that have a bigger effect on fuel consumption than whether the AC is on or not, like ambient air temperature, drivinng conditions, variations on fuel quality, tire pressure, etc. Check your gas bill in February and July - assuming you drive the same roads at the same time of the day, I'd bet your gas bill is higher in the winter than in the summer. Compressor life is longer when it is used frequently, and the AC charge usually lasts longer as well when the compressor is used frequently. This is because the lubricant in the system is circulated and keeps the seals moist. <snipped>> > If I could modify the car, I'd put a switch in there to select headlights > on all the time, or not. That switch already is in your car. I'd put a darn thermostat in for the AC compressor > so we dont have to do that by hand. ( the AC is SO cold in this car that > if > it's cloudy in the summer, we have to keep switching the ac button on and > off! ) Try turning the temperature control up a little. And I'd put in an option switch to either turn on the AC compressor > in the windshield mode, or not. Then your vehicle would probably not be in compliance with FMVSS 103, which pertains to windshield defrosting and defogging systems and how quickly they clear the winndshield of frost and/or fog. One way to comply with the standard is to have a larger blower fan (which would be noisier) and apply heat to the windshield (which would affect cabin temperature in warmer climates) or to dehumidfy the air. Since most vehicles have AC, the easy solution is to dehumidify the air and hope that the operators are smart enough and not too lazy to adjust the temperature if they are not comfortable. > > More options are better, especially when they cost almost nothing. > > You know, I was with someone in a Cadillac in the early 70's and we were > driving at night, and the Caddy dimmed its headlights automatically when > an > oncoming car appeared, then turned them back up after it passed. I > remember being in awe of how advanced that was for that time, but they > still dont even do that in these cars, despite it being a really > inexpensive thing to do. > > > -- > - Jane Galt An automatic headlight dimmer would probably add about $50 to the retail price of a vehicle (it is available in some Toyotas and Lexus models). In a Corolla, you could run the AC year round for around 5 years for the cost to add an automatic headlight dimmer. ;-) -- Ray O (correct punctuation to reply)
From: Jane Galt on 29 Jul 2010 01:19 FatterDumber& Happier Moe <"WheresMyCheck"@UncleSamLoves.Mee> wrote : > Jane Galt wrote: >> When the windshield fogs up a little and we direct the vents up there >> to clear it, it turns the AC compressor on and freezes us. >> >> Did they seriously design the car this way, or is something wrong? >> >> Because this is NOT gonna be fun when it's 0 degrees outside and it's >> all we can do to heat the car, and because the vents are set on the >> windshield, to keep it clear, the AC is running too. >> >> > Do you have the vent setting on outside air or recirculate? If it's on > recirculate the only way to remove moisture in the air is to run the AC > or open a window, I guess you could leave a door open. > Not in Colorado. In the 93 we always leave everything shut and always recirculate and when we put the air on the windshield it dries it. -- - Jane Galt
From: Jane Galt on 29 Jul 2010 01:27 "Ray O" <rokigawa(a)NOSPAMtristarassociates.com> wrote : > > "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message > news:Xns9DC2F27677FCBJaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... >> =?iso-2022-jp?q?Hachiroku_=1B$B%O%A%m%=2F=1B=28B?= <Trueno(a)e86.GTS> >> wrote >> : >> >>> On Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:08:17 -0500, Jane Galt wrote: >>> >>>> When the windshield fogs up a little and we direct the vents up there >>>> to clear it, it turns the AC compressor on and freezes us. >>>> >>>> Did they seriously design the car this way, or is something wrong? >>>> >>>> Because this is NOT gonna be fun when it's 0 degrees outside and it's >>>> all we can do to heat the car, and because the vents are set on the >>>> windshield, to keep it clear, the AC is running too. >>> >>> >>> You'll never notice it. >> >> My gas bill will notice it, and it puts wear on the compressor. > > Fuel consumption on a modern AC system is negligible; there are several > other factors that have a bigger effect on fuel consumption than whether > the AC is on or not, like ambient air temperature, drivinng conditions, > variations on fuel quality, tire pressure, etc. > > Check your gas bill in February and July - assuming you drive the same > roads at the same time of the day, I'd bet your gas bill is higher in > the winter than in the summer. > > Compressor life is longer when it is used frequently, and the AC charge > usually lasts longer as well when the compressor is used frequently. > This is because the lubricant in the system is circulated and keeps the > seals moist. Oh ok. ><snipped>> >> If I could modify the car, I'd put a switch in there to select >> headlights on all the time, or not. > > That switch already is in your car. Huh? > I'd put a darn thermostat in for the AC compressor >> so we dont have to do that by hand. ( the AC is SO cold in this car >> that if >> it's cloudy in the summer, we have to keep switching the ac button on >> and off! ) > > Try turning the temperature control up a little. > > And I'd put in an option switch to either turn on the AC compressor >> in the windshield mode, or not. > > Then your vehicle would probably not be in compliance with FMVSS 103, > which pertains to windshield defrosting and defogging systems and how > quickly they clear the winndshield of frost and/or fog. Oh frap, more government regs? What will they dictate next, what kind of TP we have to use? -- - Jane Galt
From: Ray O on 29 Jul 2010 01:30 "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message news:Xns9DC3E747AAB38JaneGgulchxyz(a)216.196.97.142... > "Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff(a)yahoo.com> wrote : > >> >> "C. E. White" <cewhite3(a)mindspring.com> wrote in message >> news:i2pv67$tj1$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >>> >>> "Jeff Strickland" <crwlrjeff(a)yahoo.com> wrote in message >>> news:i2peh1$ird$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >>>> >>>> "Jane Galt" <Jane_G(a)gulch.xyz> wrote in message >>> >>>>> My gas bill will notice it, and it puts wear on the compressor. >>>> >>>> You gas consumption from the AC isn't worth the discussion. Less than >>>> a few miles on a tank of gas. >>> >>> For years I have kept a gas mileage log book. I've never been able to >>> find a difference in mileage based on the time of the year >>> (Winter/Fall/Spring versus summer). This implies to me, the cost to run >>> the A/C is negligible. >>> >>> As for wear, running the compressor occasionally is actually a good >>> thing - it assures the internal components and seals stay lubricated. >>> >> >> I agree. There can't be more of an affect than few miles on an entire >> tank of gas that comes from using the AC. > > A couple of mpg? > Jeff is saying (IMO correctly) that the effect of having the AC on is a couple of miles on a tank of gas, which is not the same thin as a couple of MPG. In other words, you might get 320 miles out of a tank of gas instead of 322 miles. If you used 10 gallons of gas, you would get 32 and 32.2 MPG respectively. Modern automotive AC systems are so efficient that the effect on MPG is not easily measurable by the average driver in real world driving conditions. -- Ray O (correct punctuation to reply)
From: Clive on 29 Jul 2010 05:13
In message <i2pv67$tj1$1(a)news.eternal-september.org>, C. E. White <cewhite3(a)mindspring.com> writes >For years I have kept a gas mileage log book. I've never been able to find a >difference in mileage based on the time of the year (Winter/Fall/Spring >versus summer). This implies to me, the cost to run the A/C is negligible. > >As for wear, running the compressor occasionally is actually a good thing - >it assures the internal components and seals stay lubricated. On my Nissan it says run the A/C every month and on my Toyota it say's run it weekly, but both agree that it should be run for an equivalent of about 15 minutes per week. A/C is rarely used in this country as our climate is very temperate. -- Clive |