Best A/C for hot climates

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: ekpolk

The Toyota hybrid AC is a credit to Toyota engineering. .


No, its a credit to Sanden or Nippondenso (whoever built it). Toyota doesn't build AC systems.

And yes, electric AC IS the way of the future. GM was even looking at that even for non-hybrids before their current problems. There is a move afoot to raise all future conventional car electric system voltages up to ~50 volts to better handle electric assist steering, electric assist brakes, and electric AC compressors.

 

[ekpolk]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: ekpolk

The Toyota hybrid AC is a credit to Toyota engineering. .


No, its a credit to Sanden or Nippondenso (whoever built it). Toyota doesn't build AC systems.

And yes, electric AC IS the way of the future. GM was even looking at that even for non-hybrids before their current problems. There is a move afoot to raise all future conventional car electric system voltages up to ~50 volts to better handle electric assist steering, electric assist brakes, and electric AC compressors.


Hey, in the end, I guess I really don't care who designed it. It could have been designed by Martians -- but it ended up being an integral part of the HSD cars from -- Toyota. Seriously though, they're a good match. From the engine side, since the ICE is not always running, especially in city traffic, there needs to be another way to drive the AC compressor. From the AC side, the voltage and current from the traction battery works well for driving the compressor. Match made in automotive heaven, as it were...

 

[ffhdriver]

If you check you'll see that the "convert from 12 to 42 volts" idea is long dead for several reasons.

 

[FXjohn]

Originally Posted By: vweosdriver
If you check you'll see that the "convert from 12 to 42 volts" idea is long dead for several reasons.


where do i "check"?

 

[GMBoy]

I, too like the electric AC compressors. They are a little heavy (atleast in the GM truck Hybrids) but they do cool down very well with the engine off.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: ekpolk


Another reason to love electric-driven AC with a variable-speed compressor. So far, as far as I know, we're only seeing this technology on the hybrids, but I hope it spreads to other cars. It really is that good. You can be sitting in summer time grid-lock traffic, with the gas engine OFF, and the system will feed in just enough cool to keep you happy. You want meat locker cold? It'll give it to you pronto. If you want to extend the time before the ICE comes back on (to recharge the traction battery), set it a new notches warmer.


That's not going to happen until we go to 42 Volt automotive electrical systems, if that happens in our lifetimes.

Newer cars use variable-displacement compressors - GM was first to have them.

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: ekpolk

The Toyota hybrid AC is a credit to Toyota engineering. .


No, its a credit to Sanden or Nippondenso (whoever built it). Toyota doesn't build AC systems.

And yes, electric AC IS the way of the future. GM was even looking at that even for non-hybrids before their current problems. There is a move afoot to raise all future conventional car electric system voltages up to ~50 volts to better handle electric assist steering, electric assist brakes, and electric AC compressors.

Toyota systems are 100% Denso, while Honda uses Denso, Sanden or Keihin for compressors with the in-car HVAC unit made by Denso or Keihin. Nissan is Calsonic Kansei or Valeo.

The Toyota hybrid AC system is more "elegant" than Honda's system. It uses a similar compressor as seen on home/commercial HVAC and a single 201V line from the traction battery to run it. Honda uses a much more complex system - a compressor power supply is installed near the 100/144V battery pack, and the compressor itself is actually 2 units in 1. The first half is driven by the gas engine, the second half is electric.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: XS650
Originally Posted By: ekpolk


Another reason to love electric-driven AC with a variable-speed compressor. So far, as far as I know, we're only seeing this technology on the hybrids, but I hope it spreads to other cars. It really is that good. You can be sitting in summer time grid-lock traffic, with the gas engine OFF, and the system will feed in just enough cool to keep you happy. You want meat locker cold? It'll give it to you pronto. If you want to extend the time before the ICE comes back on (to recharge the traction battery), set it a new notches warmer.


That's not going to happen until we go to 42 Volt automotive electrical systems, if that happens in our lifetimes.

Newer cars use variable-displacement compressors - GM was first to have them.


That's another way to skin a cat, and interesting, but the topic was electrically driven variable speed compressors.

 

[RoGuE]

Ford has the best systems. My 96 Taurus was icy. My 07 Malibu pales in comparison. My sisters 05 Explorer is also quite bone chilling.

 

[stranger706]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
The worst A/C I have come across in a newer car is in the Mazda 3. My mom and sister both own 3s and those cars take forever to cool down. The lowest fan speed is pretty useless, and the black interiors absorb a lot of heat. They are great cars in every other way, but the A/C could be a lot better.


This is very true, its my daily driver. I don't know what the deal is. I'm glad I don't live in the city. During the summer the A/C will not blow cold air unless I am driving over 40 mph. It has a single huge electric fan that does seem to pull a lot of air sitting still but its just not effective. I can get COOL air sitting still but not COLD air unless I'm driving 40+. I consider myself lucky to drive on the interstate for most of my commute. I routinely check the charge and its right where it should be. This is a very common complaint with the 04-09 Mazda 3's.

 

[sciphi]

My 99 Buick LeSabre has excellent air. Even on low it's enough to get you chilled. My fiancee's 09 Honda Fit has terrible air. That car didn't spew much cold air at all, even on recirculate, full-force fan, going 60 mph on the freeway. We were sweating quite freely in that car.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
My fiancee's 09 Honda Fit has terrible air. That car didn't spew much cold air at all, even on recirculate, full-force fan, going 60 mph on the freeway. We were sweating quite freely in that car.

Wha? I find as long as I have the outboard vent pointed at me I am frigid. I think that's where all the air that could be going out the center vents goes!

 

[sciphi]

We tried it a bunch of different ways and ended up sweating. Could be it's not broken in yet, as it wasn't used much for the first 1200 miles we had the car.

Car with 1700 miles on it, the dealer can play with that problem.

 

[ARB1977]

On 100 degree day and with tinted windows the Jetta is like an ice box. Every now and then you have to shut it off.

 

[BrianWC]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
We tried it a bunch of different ways and ended up sweating. Could be it's not broken in yet, as it wasn't used much for the first 1200 miles we had the car.

Car with 1700 miles on it, the dealer can play with that problem.


Oh, that could be part of the issue, my Fit came with dealer-added tint. Really like it!

 

[MariusVT]

Originally Posted By: stranger706

This is very true, its my daily driver. I don't know what the deal is. I'm glad I don't live in the city. During the summer the A/C will not blow cold air unless I am driving over 40 mph. It has a single huge electric fan that does seem to pull a lot of air sitting still but its just not effective. I can get COOL air sitting still but not COLD air unless I'm driving 40+. I consider myself lucky to drive on the interstate for most of my commute. I routinely check the charge and its right where it should be. This is a very common complaint with the 04-09 Mazda 3's.


As I said earlier, we have a 3 and a 6. The 6's AC puts the 3 to shame. At setting 2 it puts out as much air as the 3 on setting 4.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: vweosdriver
If you check you'll see that the "convert from 12 to 42 volts" idea is long dead for several reasons.


It'll never be "dead," just delayed. As vehicle electric systems get more and more complicated, the huge currents needed with only 12 volts become a serious limiting factor.

 

[440Magnum]

Originally Posted By: nthach

Newer cars use variable-displacement compressors - GM was first to have them.


Variable-displacement compressors are a tiny fraction of the market. Good idea in theory, but very little or no real benefit in practice and a lot of downside (reliability, or more precisely lack thereof). Thermal expansion valves and EPR valves that effectively reduce the load on a fixed-volume compressor effectively achieve the same goal and do so more reliably. Electric compressors will replace the fixed-displacement compressor long before variable-displacement becomes dominant in the marketplace, IMO.

 

[artificialist]

Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: ekpolk

The Toyota hybrid AC is a credit to Toyota engineering. .


No, its a credit to Sanden or Nippondenso (whoever built it). Toyota doesn't build AC systems.

And yes, electric AC IS the way of the future. GM was even looking at that even for non-hybrids before their current problems. There is a move afoot to raise all future conventional car electric system voltages up to ~50 volts to better handle electric assist steering, electric assist brakes, and electric AC compressors.

Toyota systems are 100% Denso, while Honda uses Denso, Sanden or Keihin for compressors with the in-car HVAC unit made by Denso or Keihin. Nissan is Calsonic Kansei or Valeo.

The Toyota hybrid AC system is more "elegant" than Honda's system. It uses a similar compressor as seen on home/commercial HVAC and a single 201V line from the traction battery to run it. Honda uses a much more complex system - a compressor power supply is installed near the 100/144V battery pack, and the compressor itself is actually 2 units in 1. The first half is driven by the gas engine, the second half is electric.

My mother had a 1985 Nissan Maxima and it had a Hitachi compressor. Some of her friends had 86, 87, and 88 models with a Hitachi compressor.
Those compressors never lasted.
First FWD Nissan Maxima, worst AC system.
1997-2001 Honda CRV... Also junk

More interesting to me in this thread is durable AC systems versus problematic ones

 

[CROWNVIC4LIFE]

Originally Posted By: artificialist
Originally Posted By: nthach
Originally Posted By: 440Magnum

More interesting to me in this thread is durable AC systems versus problematic ones


What I generally find is the people who don't use the A/C much have the most problems...I see this all the time...Even down here in the jungle there are some people riding around with their windows down...They wait for the weather to get real hot and humid then turn it on and it blows warm air...Gee what a surprise that is...It is always the same people complaining all the time no matter what car they own at the time.

The people that leave it on all the time [we leave all our cars on automatic all the time] generally have the least amount of problems.