Fuelly Forums - Car Air Conditioner Controller Kit

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Car Air Conditioner Controller Kit

Hello -

What do you think of this :

Car Air Conditioner Controller Kit
https://www.jaycarelectronics.com/pro....asp?ID=KC5437

Quote:

Refer: Silicon Chip January 2007
This kit stops the air conditioner in your car from taking engine power when accelerating such as when you're overtaking or going up a hill. It automatically switches the air conditioner's compressor off when the engine is at a high throttle setting and will allow the compressor to run with low throttle even when the cabin temperature setting has been reached. It also automatically switches the compressor off at idle. When the throttle position is normal the compressor will operate normally. The kit features an override switch, an LED function indicator and is supplied with PCB with overlay and all electronic components.

If you need AC (like in Phoenix!!!), I think that the one drawback is that maybe it start/stops the compressor too much. I say that because I have read on (this or the SaturnFans?) forums that you want to give the compressor maybe a 3 minute rest between starts.

CarloSW2

Couple of questions, couldn't find more info on the site so I'll ask

A) Doesn't the ECU automatically cut off the A/C when WOT is detected?
B) Unless the car has a climate control system, isn't the the AC usually designed to pump out cold air period? Not vary between a target temp?

Red -

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red (Post 67184)

A) I don't know. I will have to check.
B) Yeah, mine is "just cold" AC. It seems to be designed for fancier AC systems, but that would allow it work for more types of cars.

For people good at electronics, I think they could modify the circuit design to suit their own purposes.

CarloSW2

Red -

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red (Post 67184)

Couple of questions, couldn't find more info on the site so I'll ask

A) Doesn't the ECU automatically cut off the A/C when WOT is detected?
B) Unless the car has a climate control system, isn't the the AC usually designed to pump out cold air period? Not vary between a target temp?

Ok, here is a little more information :

Intelligent Car Air-Conditioner Controller
https://www.siliconchip.com.au/cms/A_108207/article.html

Quote:

During the hot summer months, your car’s air-conditioner works quite hard to keep cabin temperatures cool. As a result, fuel consumption increases due to the extra load imposed on the engine by the air-conditioning system or more specifically, by its compressor.

But that’s not all – the extra load imposed on the engine by the compressor is readily noticed when travelling up hills, particularly in smaller 4-cylinder cars.

In order to get around this problem, many drivers manually switch off the air-conditioner to ensure extra power during hill climbing or when overtaking. It’s almost like giving the car a mini "turbo boost". On some new cars, this can even happen automatically. These cars have a "Wide Open Throttle" (WOT) cutout relay and this automatically switches off the air-conditioner’s compressor during high throttle conditions.

If you wanted to maximise engine performance, you would only turn the air-conditioner on when going down hills or when slowing down. That way, the air-conditioner compressor could be used as a brake that converts the energy into cooling the cabin rather than being wasted as heat in the brakes or via engine braking.

In practice, of course, it’s quite impractical for the driver to continually switch the air-conditioner on and off. In any case, the compressor would also have to run for at least some of the time on a relatively flat road in order to keep the cabin temperature to a comfortable level on very hot days.

The rest of the article is via subscription, :( .

CarloSW2

Thanks

Quote:

If you wanted to maximize engine performance, you would only turn the air-conditioner on when going down hills or when slowing down. That way, the air-conditioner compressor could be used as a brake that converts the energy into cooling the cabin rather than being wasted as heat in the brakes or via engine braking.

While that would maximize regenerative performance, it still doesn't really cut down on the over all load the AC compressor generates while driving. Granted it would give a little more pep when you need it, (passing, climbing a hill, etc) but at cruise it is still going to be going full blast and sucking gas. Having it shut off at idle would suck, especially with the kind of traffic seen up here in the Bay and down in LA.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Red (Post 67206)

Thanks

While that would maximize regenerative performance, it still doesn't really cut down on the over all load the AC compressor generates while driving. Granted it would give a little more pep when you need it, (passing, climbing a hill, etc) but at cruise it is still going to be going full blast and sucking gas. Having it shut off at idle would suck, especially with the kind of traffic seen up here in the Bay and down in LA.

I agree, even my Metro before being de A/C'd had a control to stop the comp. when accelerating. Can't see how this could add to your FE? Might as well just turn it off, except it can be a bit hot!