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Air conditioning - Can't I turn it off and just get outside air?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by Mag Gris, Mar 26, 2008.

  1. Mag Gris

    Mag Gris New Member

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    On the east coast, it's nearly springtime with temps trying to push past 60. When I'm driving, I'd like to just get the outside air in, maybe with the fan. But the temp. is really cool, as tho the AC is on.

    I looked in the owner's manual, and it seems that the climate control system always has the AC on, unless you power "Off" the air circulation completely. . . Am I imagining things? Is there no way to get just airflow w/o having the AC actually on? :confused:
     
  2. ny biker

    ny biker Member

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    Yes - do this:

    Turn AUTO off.
    Turn A/C off.
    Select preferred fan setting.
    Set temp to lowest setting (Max Lo or something like that).
     
  3. SpartanScott

    SpartanScott Michigan Member

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    What 'ny biker' said is correct.

    Reducing the temp setting to LO makes sure the engine will not heat the air, and turning off the A/C button makes sure the car will not cool or condition the air.
     
  4. patsparks

    patsparks An Aussie perspective

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    Here is what I do.
    1. Press climate button beside screen
    2. Press desired fan speed
    3. Select desired airflow, face level vent and fresh is what I normally select.
    4. If AC button (top left of my 04 screen) has a bright green bar across the bottom press it.
    5. Adjust temp with steering wheel buttons to minimum.

    Because the Prius is such a slippery shape there isn't a lot of air flow through the vents without the fan, I always have my fan on low if I'm not using heating or cooling.
     
  5. Mag Gris

    Mag Gris New Member

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    Thanks everyone - - I swear I had tried to use that A/C button before, but the green bar wouldn't go away. This time (maybe b/c with your help I knew it should) it worked. :rolleyes:

    Last thing my fuel efficiency needed was unnecessary A/C!! Maybe I'll get 45+ mpg this tank (have filled 2x and am at 680 miles).
     
  6. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    The Prius won't run the A/C compressor unnecessarily. When the A/C button is green, it just means the compressor is enabled, it doesn't mean it is running. Also, the Prius A/C compressor has an electric variable speed direct drive; it can run at any needed speed. If you leave your climate control on auto and set the temperature as needed, the Prius will do a good job setting the fan, compressor, and heat. A lot of people make it harder than necessary, and end up fighting the system. If it is cold outside, the Prius will not run your A/C compressor unless you have the temperature set to max cool or the humidity is very high and you need defrost.

    Tom
     
  7. xsmatt81

    xsmatt81 non-AARP Member

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    good infos gbee, thank you
     
  8. Boo

    Boo Boola Boola Member

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    Yes, good info! Thanks!

    BTW, I haven't taken a poll, but because of the font and underlining, a lot of people seem to misread Tom's "qbee" moniker as "gbee". Life is hard.:p
     
  9. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I'm used to it, but thanks for pointing it out. Gbee has a snazzy sound to it, like the Gee Bee racers of the 1930s. Those airplanes were pretty much all engine. Qbee comes from my nickname, plus the "bee" at the end of my last name.

    Tom
     
  10. bbald123

    bbald123 Thermodynamics Law Enforcement

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    Actually, by turning of the A/C button I increased mileage by about 5%. This indicates to me that the Prius is, indeed, running the compressor unnecessarily.
     
  11. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    It shouldn't, unless you have the controls on manual. Otherwise it's strictly a function of the temperature setting and humidity.

    Tom
     
  12. Mag Gris

    Mag Gris New Member

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    qbee, I'm curious - - how do you know this? Are you a Toyota mechanic or engineer by any stroke of luck? My manual is bare bones, and I haven't done any research of it further than this forum, but if there's a definitive answer, I'd love to know the how & why & who says.
     
  13. Lola'05

    Lola'05 New Member

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    I am in your area, so dealing with the same weather and temps. Right now Lola is showing 51.7 mpg on this tank. I turn off the AC and just run the fan. Even in the winter I do that and adjust the temp to a comfortable setting. The only time I use the AC is in the hot, humid summer. You know about that.
    You will find that life with a Prius just keeps getting better and better as the price of gas goes up.

    Donna
     
  14. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    I'm an engineer. There are several (many) of us on P.C., and collectively we have spent a lot of time studying and experimenting with the Prius, plus reviewing Toyota's technical information. There are also a couple of Prius techs who contribute to the forums (and one Hobbit). It's really not all that complicated, and some of the information is self revealing when examined with a bus analyzer which shows the messages sent back and forth between the various controllers.

    Tom
     
  15. mathan

    mathan Junior Member

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    Thanks for this info - I just got my 2009 Prius on Monday last week and was wondering why the A/C was constantly turned on. So different from my Echo. LOL
     
  16. richard schumacher

    richard schumacher shortbus driver

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    Or you chronically have the temp setting lower than you need it. Raise it a little and that will shut off the compressor sooner. (Uhh... just as QB noted above.)
     
  17. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    Problem I have is in AZ, we have wide temp swings. I'd love to be able to set a "heat on" and a "cool on" range, such as with a home thermostat. I find myself setting 72F in the AM for heat and 75-78F in the afternoon for A/C. Mostly for economy purposes, but I don't need heat blasting at 75-78F in the AM, nor do I want to run the A/C full blast for 72F in the afternoon. During late fall/early spring, I'll also disable the compressor to help MPG as it's not hot or humid enough to warrant its operation.

    Sadly, for all, it's not just set and forget as we'd like it to be.