Air Conditioner Cleaning - Easy DIY Job!

photome

I never have the problem either as my air con is on all year round

utopia_11

Some cars have the 'Econ' button that turns off the AC compressor. Is it true that its good to turn off the compressor every now and then to prevent it from seizing?

facade

In The Olden Days, when everything was built up to a specification certainly no.
Nowadays, when everything is built down to a price probably yes.

Iceweasel

I agree with most everything already said.

I run the AC (actually Climate Control) all year round.

Never had any bother with leaks or had any need for a re-gas due to that.

Using the AC along with heat gives dry air which keeps windows clear in the winter.

AC stands for Air Conditioning - not Air Cooling.

I smile when I see cars in the winter with steamed up windows when I know for certain that they have AC as standard spec but think they don't need cool air in the winter.

In summer using the AC uses less fuel than opening the windows.

Unless it's a very small engine - the extra fuel used is minimal.

EdGasket

Of course having air-con on all the time will waste fuel. You can't get something for nothing. On my Merc there is an economy mode which turns the air-con OFF. Enough said.

Iceweasel

EdGasket wrote: »

Of course having air-con on all the time will waste fuel. You can't get something for nothing. On my Merc there is an economy mode which turns the air-con OFF. Enough said.

Of course you are correct - but can you tell us how much fuel is actually saved by using the ECO mode?

My Climate Control has no ECO mode - it decides automatically whether it needs the AC or not.

I have no idea how often that is.

Leave all the settings on auto - CC, fan speed, distribution etc.

I might just a couple of times a year alter the temperature control but otherwise I leave it well alone.

Why pay for something and then switch it off?

BeenThroughItAll

Iceweasel wrote: »

Of course you are correct - but can you tell us how much fuel is actually saved by using the ECO mode?

My Climate Control has no ECO mode - it decides automatically whether it needs the AC or not.

I have no idea how often that is.

Leave all the settings on auto - CC, fan speed, distribution etc.

I might just a couple of times a year alter the temperature control but otherwise I leave it well alone.

Why pay for something and then switch it off?

Exactly. The difference between AC on and AC off will, in the real world, be so small as to make no practical difference.


The effects of a headwind or tailwind, how close you are to other traffic's slipstream, opened windows, different road conditions, tyre brand, fuel load, vehicle load, gradient, journey length, ambient temperature and air pressure will all be affecting your fuel consumption by similarly small amounts all the time.


Absolutely not worth even thinking about. The benefits of having the AC running all the time significantly outweigh any barely-perceptible associated running cost.