A/C Usage and Impact on FE

[dkjones96]

Also remember though that the hotter the road the more inflated your tires 'become' from being heated.

[bowtieguy]

i tested(scangauge verified) my Accord for the first time. it has ~30% increase in fuel consumption air on vs air off at idle. much better than doubling it w/ the prizm. but i've taken a big hit on total FE.

[shatto]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

i tested(scangauge verified) my Accord for the first time. it has ~30% increase in fuel consumption air on vs air off at idle. much better than doubling it w/ the prizm. but i've taken a big hit on total FE.

I have sat in the Dakota with the A/C on full for three hours a few times.
It affected my MPG, but I'd rather be comfortable.

[bowtieguy]

i'm w/ ya fully. this is just a notation. in the summer, i generally do not run the a/c in the morning to work(still dark), but on the way home, i always run it(90*F+ often w/ heat index in the 100s).

[fowljesse]

I grew up in Arizona, and had crappy cars most of the time. I got used to the heat, sort of. I had a '66 Buick Skylark that had an Iron block V8 with Aluminum heads... Not good in 100+ degrees. After the 1st time I heard the "Tink" of the metals expanding at different rates, I started running the heater in rush hour traffic. I sat in about 170 degree heat for about an hour, 5 days a week. I usually had a headache, and was nauzious when I finally got home.
Now I have A/C, and it doesn't affect my car much (about 240HP/ 2400lb. car), and I never use it, just out of habit, and ridiculous FE interest.

[imzjustplayin]

One thing you guys can do to improve the efficiency of the air conditioner is to switch to a hydrocarbon refrigerant over using R134a.

[shatto]

Think about this;

I spent ten years driving around in Jeeps and Land Rovers with no sides.
Lots of wind whipping around my head.
Lots of wind noise.

Now the noise NEVER stops.
Tinnitus (pronounced /tɪˈnaɪtəs/ or /ˈtɪnɪtəs/, from the Latin word tinnītus meaning "ringing")

Go ahead and drive with the windows open to save a few cents of gas.

[imzjustplayin]

Originally Posted by shatto

Think about this;

I spent ten years driving around in Jeeps and Land Rovers with no sides.
Lots of wind whipping around my head.
Lots of wind noise.

Now the noise NEVER stops.
Tinnitus (pronounced /tɪˈnaɪtəs/ or /ˈtɪnɪtəs/, from the Latin word tinnītus meaning "ringing")

Go ahead and drive with the windows open to save a few cents of gas.

Well it has been proven that it's better to drive with the windows closed and the A/C on than with the windows open and the A/C off when cruising on the highway. But if you're just stopped in traffic or driving at a slow speed, then driving with the windows open and the A/C off is a better idea.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Well, it looks like the Geo will probably get its A/C back this year. Since my wife has decided to ride with me in the little car, and summer is coming, she is voting for fixing the A/C. (When I bought the car, the condenser was trashed, and the compressor was missing.) I voted against fixing it, so it looks like we'll have to compromise...I'll have to fix it.

[shatto]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

Well, it looks like the Geo will probably get its A/C back this year. Since my wife has decided to ride with me in the little car, and summer is coming, she is voting for fixing the A/C. (When I bought the car, the condenser was trashed, and the compressor was missing.) I voted against fixing it, so it looks like we'll have to compromise...I'll have to fix it.

Bet it'll cost more than the car.......