If recirculation is on for too long (several hours on a trip), I start to feel the same way as if I were on a transatlantic flight.
Car air conditioning: fresh air vs recirculate?
- Thread starter Pajamarama
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
You are right.
Recirc cools much better.
But, it does not dry the air out as much - this can be a factor.
?????????? Re-circ removes far more moisture from the air vs fresh that's continually trying to cool humid air...
You are right.
Recirc cools much better.
But, it does not dry the air out as much - this can be a factor.
?????????? Re-circ removes far more moisture from the air vs fresh that's continually trying to cool humid air...
recirc to get it cooled down, then turn off recirc to get fresh air.
Originally Posted By: azjake
recirc to get it cooled down, then turn off recirc to get fresh air.
+1
recirc to get it cooled down, then turn off recirc to get fresh air.
+1
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
When we start either one on a hot day, the RECIRC light will immediately come on, and the system will stay in RECIRC mode for a duration of time that pretty closely correlates with the ambient temperature. The hotter it is, the longer the system stays in RECIRC. If it's hot enough outside, it will sometimes always stay in RECIRC mode. If it's in the 80s, it'll usually stay in RECIRC mode for 5-10 minutes then revert back to fresh air.
That is exactly the opposite of how the automatic climate control on my car works. It will not automatically go into recirc until the temperature inside the car is lower than outside--which is most definitely not the case when it's first started. This makes sense to me--why try to condition 110+ degree air inside the car (thanks to the greenhouse effect) when it's likely 10-20 degrees cooler outside?
When we start either one on a hot day, the RECIRC light will immediately come on, and the system will stay in RECIRC mode for a duration of time that pretty closely correlates with the ambient temperature. The hotter it is, the longer the system stays in RECIRC. If it's hot enough outside, it will sometimes always stay in RECIRC mode. If it's in the 80s, it'll usually stay in RECIRC mode for 5-10 minutes then revert back to fresh air.
That is exactly the opposite of how the automatic climate control on my car works. It will not automatically go into recirc until the temperature inside the car is lower than outside--which is most definitely not the case when it's first started. This makes sense to me--why try to condition 110+ degree air inside the car (thanks to the greenhouse effect) when it's likely 10-20 degrees cooler outside?
I usually run a mix... approx 75% recirc & 25% fresh. Then adjust if/when needed. But 95+% of the time I leave it alone.
Originally Posted By: brianl703
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
When we start either one on a hot day, the RECIRC light will immediately come on, and the system will stay in RECIRC mode for a duration of time that pretty closely correlates with the ambient temperature. The hotter it is, the longer the system stays in RECIRC. If it's hot enough outside, it will sometimes always stay in RECIRC mode. If it's in the 80s, it'll usually stay in RECIRC mode for 5-10 minutes then revert back to fresh air.
That is exactly the opposite of how the automatic climate control on my car works. It will not automatically go into recirc until the temperature inside the car is lower than outside--which is most definitely not the case when it's first started. This makes sense to me--why try to condition 110+ degree air inside the car (thanks to the greenhouse effect) when it's likely 10-20 degrees cooler outside?
I've debated that myself whether a hot car interior in recirc cools down quicker than in fresh air mode. On one hand, some owner's manuals and auto A/C systems suggest that recirc cools a hot interior quicker by pulling hot air out of the car and returning it cooled. On the other hand I reason that IF you crack the windows and maybe the sunroof open and use fresh air intake, you'll be cooling cooler outside air AND pushing the hot air out.
It seems to me that the hottest interior air will be higher up and the cooled recirculating air will be denser and lower where the A/C draws interior air to recirc anyway, so the hot air is not being drawn out through the A/C that effectively in recirc.
When I tried it both ways, it seemed that cracking the windows and running fresh air mode at first cooled the interior down faster than using recirc. Now, once the interior temp is closer to outside temp or lower, then recirc cools better.
Maybe recirc cools a hot interior down quicker than fresh air intake only if the windows are left closed?
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
When we start either one on a hot day, the RECIRC light will immediately come on, and the system will stay in RECIRC mode for a duration of time that pretty closely correlates with the ambient temperature. The hotter it is, the longer the system stays in RECIRC. If it's hot enough outside, it will sometimes always stay in RECIRC mode. If it's in the 80s, it'll usually stay in RECIRC mode for 5-10 minutes then revert back to fresh air.
That is exactly the opposite of how the automatic climate control on my car works. It will not automatically go into recirc until the temperature inside the car is lower than outside--which is most definitely not the case when it's first started. This makes sense to me--why try to condition 110+ degree air inside the car (thanks to the greenhouse effect) when it's likely 10-20 degrees cooler outside?
I've debated that myself whether a hot car interior in recirc cools down quicker than in fresh air mode. On one hand, some owner's manuals and auto A/C systems suggest that recirc cools a hot interior quicker by pulling hot air out of the car and returning it cooled. On the other hand I reason that IF you crack the windows and maybe the sunroof open and use fresh air intake, you'll be cooling cooler outside air AND pushing the hot air out.
It seems to me that the hottest interior air will be higher up and the cooled recirculating air will be denser and lower where the A/C draws interior air to recirc anyway, so the hot air is not being drawn out through the A/C that effectively in recirc.
When I tried it both ways, it seemed that cracking the windows and running fresh air mode at first cooled the interior down faster than using recirc. Now, once the interior temp is closer to outside temp or lower, then recirc cools better.
Maybe recirc cools a hot interior down quicker than fresh air intake only if the windows are left closed?
Off Topic, but this point/counterpoint is the best part of the thread:
Originally Posted By: JHZR2 from NJ
In really nasty places like FL,.......
And, the rebuttal:
Originally Posted By: Eddie from FL
When I was in NJ, I had to use rec 90% of the time.
)
Originally Posted By: JHZR2 from NJ
In really nasty places like FL,.......
And, the rebuttal:
Originally Posted By: Eddie from FL
When I was in NJ, I had to use rec 90% of the time.
)
- Status
Similar threads
