heating system question

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tafkam @ Nov 24 2007, 10:33 PM) [snapback]543800[/snapback]</div>

Full auto works fine, temp up or temp down is about all you should need. It makes pretty good decisions on its own. You will have to request defrosting of it every once in awhile by pushing the defrost button, but it's pretty rare in the Prius because it actually monitors cabin humidity and takes steps to reduce it before it reaches the point where they start getting foggy. Most cars with automatic climate control, even luxury cars, don't do that!

Now for the gadget lover, there are two sides to the coin. It's fun to be able to control every detail, but you can also sit back and watch it make decisions on its own. Most people leave the display on the energy flow and MPG screens most of the time, but I can be entertained sometimes just by watching the Climate screen. On a cold morning, it waits until there's heat available, then slowly ramps up the fan speed, not too much if you don't need a lot, but full blast if you're really cold, then as you get closer and closer to your temperature setpoint it ramps it back down. Then you maybe change your mind on the setpoint and it reacts again. In hot weather, it doesn't start the AC full blast until the air in the ductwork starts to cool down, then it selects the face vents and runs recirculation full blast until it starts to get close to its setpoint. Then it starts to ramp down the fan speed to maintenance levels (but not as low as with heat, because the face vents have to blow the A/C all the way to the back seat but there are heat ducts back there), starts to mix in some fresh air to keep things from getting too stagnant.

BTW it's also taking into account the solar gain (a given temperature feels hot in strong sunlight and cool in the shade, so "72" isn't always REALLY 72 in the Prius, it's just making you feel like you would think it's 72). Some engineers in Japan sweated a long time to make sure it made good decisions for their customers!

 

I find that Auto A/C doesn't always clear the windshield fog (I'm in very, very humid and now COLD WA state), but for most of my driving, Auto A/C works quite well.

It's rather like a hotel room A/C unit... you know, you turn it on, tell it warmer or colder, and then it just works? Yeah, like that

 

question regarding my 2006. i have the heat coming up through the vents on my dash (highest temperature setting).... the heat is going well once the car is warmed-up (as expected). However, the air temperature will get fairly cool if i am parked on the side of the road after about 5 minutes. Then it will start to get warm after 2'ish additional minutes.

Is this normal?