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Old 08-07-2009, 10:31 AM   #59 (permalink)
Intrigued
Losing the MISinformation
 
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Southern Missouri
Posts: 393

Quad Cam - '00 Oldsmobile Intrigue GX
Last 3: 25.94 mpg (US)
Thanks: 15
Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by gascort View Post
... insulated the low pressure parts of my air conditioning system under the hood with foam pipe insulation and fiberglass insulation around the accumulator.
Good catch there! Doing JUST the low side is key to gaining efficiency, since the idea of keeping the car cool depends on how cool your refrigerant is. Insulating the low side, which has COOLER than ambient contents, helps keep it even cooler, which then results in less A/C needed.

The high pressure lines, which are smaller in diameter than the low pressure lines, will run hotter than ambient temps when the A/C is operating, (because of the pressure AND the heat pulled out of the cabin of the car) and therefore should be left uncovered, to help cool off the refrigerant a tad.

Oh, by the way: better than 40 percent over EPA on your car, Gascort! Excellent! My car is there temporarily... I turn in my last Final project for the semester today, so maybe I'll get started with the blog on my success on the trip to KC in the heat for the meet!!!
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Last edited by Intrigued; 08-07-2009 at 10:38 AM..
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