Honda Car Forum

I have an 05 Accord

Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the temperature
setting? I was thinking that the lower the temperature the more often
the compressor would have to come on. Is this accurate?

thanks,
-Mark

Waiving the right to remain silent, MF <me@isp.com> said:

> I have an 05 Accord
>
> Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the
> temperature setting? I was thinking that the lower the
> temperature the more often the compressor would have to come on.
> Is this accurate?

Of course. When the compressor runs, it takes some engine power.

But if the compressor is running 75 percent of the time, or 85
percent of the time is going to mean extremely little in terms of gas
mileage.

--
Larry J. - Remove spamtrap in ALLCAPS to e-mail

The United States is the greatest country in the world..!
Twenty-five million illegal aliens can't be wrong.

"MF" <me@isp.com> wrote in message
news:a13ac$42e3c647$18d67c4b$27647@KNOLOGY.NET...
: I have an 05 Accord
:
: Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the temperature
: setting? I was thinking that the lower the temperature the more often
: the compressor would have to come on. Is this accurate?
:
: thanks,
: -Mark

No. When you have the A/C on, the compressor is running pretty much all the
time. If you set the temperature higher than the minimum setting, there's a
heating coil in the system that brings the temperature back UP to the
setting you want.

Paul

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 21:17:23 GMT, "Paul"
<paulDONTSPAMMEmueller@mindspring.com> wrote:

>
>"MF" <me@isp.com> wrote in message
>news:a13ac$42e3c647$18d67c4b$27647@KNOLOGY.NET. ..
>: I have an 05 Accord
>:
>: Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the temperature
>: setting? I was thinking that the lower the temperature the more often
>: the compressor would have to come on. Is this accurate?
>:
>: thanks,
>: -Mark
>
>No. When you have the A/C on, the compressor is running pretty much all the
>time. If you set the temperature higher than the minimum setting, there's a
>heating coil in the system that brings the temperature back UP to the
>setting you want.
>
>Paul
>

Interesting points. Now, I'm not sure of something:

When you tip in on the accelerator, from a steady cruising speed, does
it curb or temporarily disengage the a/c compressor, as many cars have
been designed to do, for purposes of 'giving the power back' to the
engine?

I ran the A/C constantly in mixed city/highway (mostly highway) driving
and averaged 30MPG in my 95 Accord 4cyl/Vtec.

So whats the difference if your hot and want the comfort who cares how much
gas it uses.

Tom


"MF" <me@isp.com> wrote in message
news:a13ac$42e3c647$18d67c4b$27647@KNOLOGY.NET...
>I have an 05 Accord
>
> Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the temperature
> setting? I was thinking that the lower the temperature the more often the
> compressor would have to come on. Is this accurate?
>
> thanks,
> -Mark

The amount of additional gas used is proportional to the compressor
"on" time and the outside abient temperature.

Professor
www.telstar-electronics.com

"twfsa" wrote

> So whats the difference if your hot and want the comfort who cares how
much
> gas it uses.
>
> Tom

In fact, I have yet to notice any difference in gas mileage between a/c on
or off in my '04 Accord 4-cyl auto.

MF wrote:

> I have an 05 Accord
>
> Is the amount of gas used by the AC proportional to the temperature
> setting?

As it would relate to compressor run time, yes.


> I was thinking that the lower the temperature the more often
> the compressor would have to come on. Is this accurate?

The compressor run time is determined by the evaporator outlet
temperature. As long as the evaporator temperature is above 33F. the
compressor will run. Regardless of the setting.

Best fuel economy can be had by driving with ac off and windows
up. Any time the ac is on, it costs gas, and is proportional to
compressor on time. So the question is: how much do you like to sweat?


>
>
> thanks,
> -Mark

--
Tp,

-------- __o
----- -\<. -------- __o
--- ( )/ ( ) ---- -\<.
-------------------- ( )/ ( )
-----------------------------------------

No Lawsuit Ever Fixed A Moron...

TomP wrote:

> The compressor run time is determined by the evaporator outlet
> temperature. As long as the evaporator temperature is above 33F. the
> compressor will run. Regardless of the setting.

This is what confuses me about the discussion of AC relating to fuel
economy. I have a 93 Honda Accord & I can feel when the compressor
clutch engages & disengages. When it engages I can feel the engine is
under more load(more vibration at stop or slight drop in acceleration or
speed in motion). Surely fuel economy increases when the compressor is
disengaged even with the AC "on".
Thanks for your input.
Rich