Minimizing A/C use

[NeilBlanchard]

Beaded seat covers help. And I have found that opening the windows a bit 1"-1 1/2" on all four, actually helps the aero at speeds up to say ~50mph. So, I have not replaced the A/C fuse in my xA since last year; and I don't think I have used more than a day or two in the last three years. A little sweat won't kill ya'! Drink cold water or lemonade.

A white roof helps a lot -- this should become an ecomod!

[Frank Lee]

I hate climate control. Moon Unit has it and when I select "Vent" sometimes I'll detect the a/c clutch engaging. So now what I do is select outside temp, get the reading, then match that for my interior temp setting- so when I put it on "Vent" I get "Vent". I'm thinking of installing an a/c clutch cut-out switch anyway, just to be sure.

[California98Civic]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

A little sweat won't kill ya'! Drink cold water or lemonade.

Amen, though there are places where "a little" just is not the quota this time of year.

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

A white roof helps a lot -- this should become an ecomod!

Totally true! But maybe not just white. There is all kinds of new crazy paint out there: Planet Supra Nano Heat Reflective Paint products, buy Planet Supra Nano Heat Reflective Paint products from alibaba.com

[SentraSE-R]

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

No automobile can avoid getting hot enough to fry an egg on its hood in Orlando Summer sun. All a fan does is move that 100+ degree air around inside the Malibu. So, park that Malibu in the Summer Orlando sun for half an hour, starting with it being 75 degrees inside. Take a house fan and extension cord with you. Do you seriously think it's not going to rise to 150 degrees inside that car within half an hour?

Originally Posted by dieselbeetle

I never said anything about the car being turned off.

So you seriously think your rental Malibu's AC produced enough cold air in 2 minutes to keep the cabin cold for the next 30? In Orlando, in the middle of July? The laws of thermodynamics don't apply any longer?

You're not going to man up to the fact that the Malibu had to have automatic climate control, and you didn't notice it?

[SwamiSalami]

That's gotta be it. So in other words, the A/C IS on even when it's off!!!

If this isn't exactly so, can you help me to understand what climate control means?

[roosterk0031]

I have 03 Malibu, 95 degrees out today, ac on/recirc on for first 15 miles temp OK. Turn ac off, recirc on, no change in temperature inside car for 15 minutes, turn recirc off, humidity & temp rises in minutes. I think the recirute button overrides the ac switch, it was without adoubt running, no change switching ac button on or off, all highway so I couldn't feel it cycling but I know it was. I'll try with the 10 Impala I bet it works the same.

[SwamiSalami]

Here's a great link to some wonderful information about climate control and similar systems and related woes.

Automotive climate control: Information from Answers.com

[gone-ot]

...'Mother Nature' has a nasty habit of not stopping the afternoon air temperature at balmy 72ºF but rather always seems to continue UP to 105-110ºF around here (southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas).

[SwamiSalami]

Couldn't agree more. I was in West Texas during the month of June. It got up to 113 during this time. Where A/C is concerned, this was an ecomodder/hypermiler's worst nightmare.

I guess in a car with a larger engine it is more subtle, but in my 1.9l tdi, the draw from the A/C is quite significant.

[SwamiSalami]

Originally Posted by NeilBlanchard

A white roof helps a lot -- this should become an ecomod!

Yes, Neil. This should definitely be added to the list. Believe me when I say that ALL of my future vehicles will be white.

Unrelated question: what are "trackbacks"...concerning posting to threads? Thanks in advance Neil.