Hey guys I was wondering what of the two options are more efficient? Also is it ok to keep the a/c on at very low levels once the car is cooled? I also heard you could get a solar charger and plug it into the cigarette lighter to help compensate for the energy used by the a/c, is this true? If so where would be a link to buy one

Thanks guys!
-Chase

 

Hi
If you turn the air on with the fan set at lower speeds and set the temp setting at 76 you will still get the auto stop to engage as for the solar charger they put out about 2 watts which would not amount to much benefit. The power sockets that you would plug the charger into also are not energized when the ignition is off . So the solar charger would not do anything when the car is parked. Also if your driving slower than 45mph I would think youd get better mpg with the windows open and air off. I personally dont think its worth 1or2 mpg when its hot out. Above 45 I think your better off putting the air on.

 

On my last trip home from school I tried cracking the front driver and rear passenger windows. At 60 mph I didn't notice a mileage hit, and it wasn't hard to keep the iFCD at 60 mpg, where it is near impossible with the AC on at those speeds. It was also cooler than just using the fan.

 

I do keep the AC on the "Auto" setting and I ensure that the target temperature is reasonable so the it does not have to work too hard to get there. I adjust the temp target down, gradually as required.

The other thing that helps a great deal is to actively manage the IMA battery state of charge. If you do so, it is possible to have great FE and comfort all at the same time. To mitigate the effects of a greater drain in the available 12V power it does help to plug in a solar panel rated at 2 watts or better. Remember, the IMA will divert power from NiMH battery to keep the 12V battery at a good charge level. The lesser the number of charging interventions, the better your FE will be.

Please note however, that when the car is turned off and the key is out of the ignition, the power sockets are not energized. Both power sockets have each a relay that disconnects the power when the vehicle is not in operation.

In my case, what I have done was to connect the solar panel directly to the 12V live circuitry (available in the fuse panel), PM me if you wish to see any details or pictures of my setup.

The solar panel does make a significant difference especially if the panel is allowed to operate while the car is parked. Even in a cloudy day, it will provide a good boost to the 12 V battery. In my case, the panel provides a 40mA charge (or more in a sunny day)... which is more than enough to power the alarm, along with the other active systems in the car, in addition to keeping the 12V battery topped off.

During the colder winter days this boost is even more beneficial. All in all, I highly recommend this mod.



Cheers;

MSantos

 

I Used to run a small solar panel in my last car,
do you have pics to show where its mounted etc

Steve

 

Yep. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Cheers;

MSantos