Quote:
Originally Posted by trikkonceptz
You may be on to something there ... visit a dump site and get a hold of an old fridge or even a water cooler set up, like the ones in offices. Either do maintain cold temperatures and are likely compact enough. If you do not carry passengers often I still think it may be best to set it up on the passenger side floor simply because you can pipe it into the recirc vent right there on the floor and use your a/c ducts to cool you off. Also it would leave the power cord really close to the cars 115v jack. I would then weigh the amperage draw against that of the car's a/c compressor as to whether or not you would even need a seperate converter and batteries.
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Ummmm... You can't put it in the passenger compartment. Where would all the heat go???
I'd bet that the belt driven compressor on the cars system would be more efficient than using an alternator, converting it to DC than converting it to AC while stepping up the voltage. The AC electric motors on those units also pull some serious amps when cranking up the compressor. My fridge is only 2 years old and the kitchen lights dim when it cranks up.
I think we are starting to overthink this. Yes, I'm sure somebody could rig up some Rube Goldberg setup that would work, but the complexity and weight would relegate it a mere mind exercise; not something practical on a common production basis. The tractor A/C unit is practical because it eliminates the running of the diesel engine overnight and the additional weight is of little consequnce on something that heavy. A car already has little space available for what would be essentially a redundant system.
I'm not sure that Tango Charlie's original request is doable:
"1. Be more efficient than the current standard compressor/refrigerant system. i.e.; not affect mpg.
2. Not require recharging or servicing before every trip.
3. Be contained within the vehicle. (Can't be ruining aerodynamics, now.)"
He wants a system that uses no energy to perform a task that takes considerable energy. Then he says you can't recharge it every day, so all the battery powered ideas are out the window.
This has become a tail-chasing exercise.
