Honda Car Forum

My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.

Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
factory requirements?

TIA, `93 Honda Accord lx

"Tibur Waltson" <Toush@hi.com> wrote in message
news:5f8fa2d7e906ce266257a00849c6492c@news.bubbane ws.com...
> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.
>
> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
> factory requirements?

I can't answer that question. But, I use the A/C pretty much all year long,
it does a great job defogging and defrosting the interior of the windows.
We've had temperatures in the -25 to -30 (Celsius) over the last few weeks,
and my A/C has never, refused to operate.

--
Brian
www.accesswave.ca/~orion

On 1/27/04 7:51 AM, in article u1uRb.5207$Ja2.57354@nnrp1.uunet.ca, "Brian
Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote:

>
> "Tibur Waltson" <Toush@hi.com> wrote in message
> news:5f8fa2d7e906ce266257a00849c6492c@news.bubbane ws.com...
>> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
>> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
>> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.
>>
>> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
>> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
>> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
>> factory requirements?
>
> I can't answer that question. But, I use the A/C pretty much all year long,
> it does a great job defogging and defrosting the interior of the windows.
> We've had temperatures in the -25 to -30 (Celsius) over the last few weeks,
> and my A/C has never, refused to operate.

Are you sure its actually engaging the compressor? Most cars used to have a
cut out that won't turn on the compressor when the ambient temperature is
below freezing. There also used to be a mention of it in the owners manuals
up until the mid 90's.

Is suspect there is nothing wrong with the AC if it doesn't engage at 20
degrees F. Does it engage after the engine compartment warms to above
freezing?

Btw - Only running the engine for a minute or two at freezing temperatures
is not doing it any favors.

"E. Meyer" <e.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> wrote in message
news:BC3BD5CF.4183E%e.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org...
>
> Are you sure its actually engaging the compressor? Most cars used to have
a
> cut out that won't turn on the compressor when the ambient temperature is
> below freezing. There also used to be a mention of it in the owners
manuals
> up until the mid 90's.

Yes, the condensation on the windows is removed at a rapid pace, as opposed
to using just the heater.

--
Brian
www.accesswave.ca/~orion

On 1/27/04 8:56 AM, in article E_uRb.5279$Ja2.57560@nnrp1.uunet.ca, "Brian
Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote:

>
> "E. Meyer" <e.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org> wrote in message
> news:BC3BD5CF.4183E%e.meyer0SPAM@ieee.org...
>>
>> Are you sure its actually engaging the compressor? Most cars used to have
> a
>> cut out that won't turn on the compressor when the ambient temperature is
>> below freezing. There also used to be a mention of it in the owners
> manuals
>> up until the mid 90's.
>
> Yes, the condensation on the windows is removed at a rapid pace, as opposed
> to using just the heater.

I no longer see the statement in the user manuals of the newer cars. Maybe
it went out with the switch to R-134 from R-12?

I think his '93 Honda has an R-12 AC system though.

Honda recommends 10-15 minutes per week


"Tibur Waltson" <Toush@hi.com> wrote in message
news:5f8fa2d7e906ce266257a00849c6492c@news.bubbane ws.com...
> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.
>
> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
> factory requirements?
>
> TIA, `93 Honda Accord lx
>
>
>

You are correct most modern AC system do have a ambient
temperature restriction, your government at work, but it
is 35 degrees not 20. Only applies in the AC mode not the
defrost. In defrost mode the AC only cycles enough to chill the
air before the air passes over the heater coil. The restriction
is EPA mandate that applies to the manufactures of ALL new AC
systems sold in the US. It is part of the regulation that
restrict the sale of toilets and washing machines to the amount
of water they can consume, as well.
Soon the only cloths washing machines one can buy will be
front loaders that will cost over twice as much to buy.


mike hunt



"E. Meyer" wrote:
>
> On 1/27/04 7:51 AM, in article u1uRb.5207$Ja2.57354@nnrp1.uunet.ca, "Brian
> Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote:
>
> >
> > "Tibur Waltson" <Toush@hi.com> wrote in message
> > news:5f8fa2d7e906ce266257a00849c6492c@news.bubbane ws.com...
> >> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
> >> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
> >> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.
> >>
> >> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
> >> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
> >> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
> >> factory requirements?
> >
> > I can't answer that question. But, I use the A/C pretty much all year long,
> > it does a great job defogging and defrosting the interior of the windows.
> > We've had temperatures in the -25 to -30 (Celsius) over the last few weeks,
> > and my A/C has never, refused to operate.
>
> Are you sure its actually engaging the compressor? Most cars used to have a
> cut out that won't turn on the compressor when the ambient temperature is
> below freezing. There also used to be a mention of it in the owners manuals
> up until the mid 90's.
>
> Is suspect there is nothing wrong with the AC if it doesn't engage at 20
> degrees F. Does it engage after the engine compartment warms to above
> freezing?
>
> Btw - Only running the engine for a minute or two at freezing temperatures
> is not doing it any favors.

In article <4016BF3F.DC2615B9@mailcity.com>, BigJohnson@mailcity.com
wrote:

> In defrost mode the AC only cycles enough to chill the
> air before the air passes over the heater coil.

no.

The purpose of AC is *not* to chill the air. The purpose of AC is to
dehumidify the air. That it does so by chilling is almost
inconsequential.

Roughly 1/27/04 05:33, Tibur Waltson's monkeys randomly typed:

> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.

This isn't a good idea. Not only is that not long enough to allow
the A/C to spread the oil around and lube its seals, but it is also
EXTREMELY bad for your engine and exhaust system. You really want
to run the engine long enough to come up to full operating temperature
and then stay there for at least 10-15 minutes.
>
> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
> factory requirements?

Some vehicles turn the A/C on with the defrost position. Plus if you
have the old style separate manual A/C button, you can turn on the
A/C and the heater at the same time so you don't freeze while
setting there with the car running. This warms up the inside
enough to allow the A/C to come on....

--
Now that Spirit Rover has confirmed the presence of weapons of
mass destruction on Mars, we are preparing to invade...

I have several collector vehicles, as old as a 1941. I learned
from other collector over the years. I take each one out on the
road every month. If the weather doesn't permit me to do that, I
run them, with one drive wheel off the floor, for at least twenty
minutes. That seems to be enough time to return the start
voltage to the battery and keep all of the seals and mechanical
stuff lubed. I also run all of the switches through the
functions, as well. That regimen has served my cars well over
for fifty years.


mike hunt



Tibur Waltson wrote:
>
> My Honda user manual says to operate the AC once a week but
> doesn't say how long. The car is in storage and every week I go
> start the car and operate the AC for half a minute and shut it off.
>
> Sometime it's so cold outside that the AC will not turn on. I'm unsure
> if it's empty of freon or it's just too cold outside, 20-degree F. How
> long should we start a car and operate the A/C in order to meet the
> factory requirements?
>
> TIA, `93 Honda Accord lx