Thread: AirCon Why not electric?

A stab in the Sunday dark:

AC requires the compression of refrigerant and that is a mechanical thing therefore the most direct way is from a direct connection to the engine. Otherwise you would need to power an electric motor to power a compressor...energy lost in translation?

a 12V DC electric motor to drive the compressor would be fairly large and draw a massive amount of current which would mean a huge alternator that would drag as much power out of the engine as a direct belt drive from the crankshaft .....

The lotus elise uses electric airconditioning. The compressor is driven by a electric motor. It is supposed to be one of the lightest airconditioning systems ever put in a car. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>The lotus elise uses electric airconditioning. The compressor is driven by a electric motor. It is supposed to be one of the lightest airconditioning systems ever put in a car. Smile[/b][/quote]

WOW, that's impressive. Maybe it has something to do with the size of the cab.

Originally posted by Captain_Rightfoot
The lotus elise uses electric airconditioning. The compressor is driven by a electric motor. It is supposed to be one of the lightest airconditioning systems ever put in a car. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

There isn't much cabin space to cool though [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Hi Guys
Your "normal" aircon compressor "absorbs" something like 5 to 6 HP at the crankshaft when is use. 8O 8O 8O
Andrew

8) yep the lotus elise has about as much cabin space to cool as a modern refridgerator to cool.
we have put electric aircon in light aircraft .rfds was one and it weighed heaps, used lots of smoke filled thick wires and really was rubbish.
just put up with the engine driven jobbie.
at least you don't flatten the batery when the engine is silent.
anyway, hasn't it got windows?

Originally posted by LandyAndy
Hi Guys
Your "normal" aircon compressor "absorbs" something like 5 to 6 HP at the crankshaft when is use. 8O 8O 8O
Andrew

I was thinking of loss of power in a 900cc Charade, where loss of any HP is the difference between go and no go.

I'm reasonably happy with the AC I have now, almost no AC blows cool enough on a hot day. I also noticed in another thread a few weeks ago that the alternator puts out a huge amount of power.

I also wondered if it was a similar thing to electric winches and hydraulic winches.

Just one of those questions.










































I know, PTO AC [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif[/img]

Cheers
Simon