impact of running Air Cond. all night while I sleep

Have travelled for a week with two teenage boys, we slept in the car overnight for 2 nights. No problem. Engine kicked in when needed, turned itself off when the charge had got back up.

There was an exhaust smell when we first did it, so opened all doors for a minute to blow clean air through the car, then switched the ac to recirc mode. Turned the map display off and threw a towel onto the dash to block the other LEDs.

No problem at all.

 

This car is so friggin cool! Literally and figuratively!

 

I spent 3 nights in my car overnight during a trip this past December, sleeping for about 8-9 hours. Two of the nights the temperature was around 0 degrees. I was pleasantly surprised to find it only burned around 1.5 - 2 gallons of gas to maintain the temperature in the cabin at 70 degrees.

 

Nice to know you can run the Prius AC overnight if necessary.

Next time our power goes out overnight (usually during peak summer heat & humidity).... it's out to the driveway to Hotel Prius!

 

What effects of CO might there be compared to a regular car? I realize the ICE would have to run a lot less but wouldn't there still be some CO buildup to could be harmful?

 

I must admit, I slept in my Prius the other night because my folks left the key in the other side of the door so I couldn't get mine in! Even so, it was surprisingly roomy but not something I'd want to be taking up as a regular thing... Also, with regards to the A/C, have you considered some wind deflectors? CLIMAIR Car Wind Deflectors TOYOTA PRIUS 5DR 2009 2010 2011 SET (4) NEW | eBay

Well worth the money and the air circulates pretty well


Zakk

 

In addition to automatically starting the engine only when needed for the AC, you can leave your machine plugged into the Prius all night, and as long as the car is in Ready Mode, it will startup automatically to keep the 12V battery charged for the apnea machine as well. So you're covered. The Prius is a uniquely good car for this. There are people who rig them as emergency home generators. Ordinary cars can't do that, at least not very efficiently.

 

It depedns on ventilation. I recently read about a whole family dying when their car was left running in the garage with closed doors.

 

I do not know: using a fuel efficient car as air conditioned accomodation just seems wrong to me.

 

1) I am worried about CO carbon monoxide too.
Don't see why portable CO detector from Walmart is not best idea (KIDDE KN-COPP-B_LPM) has digital read-out. CO source could be the 74 Maverick next to you, or some strange thing.

2) ...another thread someone mentioned EBAY tent for rear of Prius looks like fun

 

I have sat in the rental Prii for hours while my wife was attending meetings. Never a problem running the heat or AC that long. As far as CO, it would be no different than sleeping in a big truck all night with it idling. Ive done that for many years and am still alive to post here

Mike

 

Except they are made to do that. They route the exhaust up and away. In cars, if the wind is right on a non-moving vehicle, some of the CO can get back into the car.

 

The stacks try to get the exhaust up over the trailer. I have woke up many mornings smelling of diesel exhaust because I forgot to point the tractor into the wind but still am here to type this reply I think the Prii exhaust is a bit cleaner than an old school big truck that had its fuel pressure bumped up for more TQ & HP Still best to park your Prii nose to the wind to make it better for the brain cells

Mike

 

...fyi I noticed that this is a revived thread...the OP posted some months ago.
Sheesh I keep posting my best material to by-gone threads.
Still good to consider safety.

 

We should know that Prius A/C is an 100% electrical one. Not belt drive compressor by the engine. Good design,right? The compressor of our baby is electrical. And it is even intellegently running by computer. Lower temp. set, run faster. Higher temp. runs slower to save elecrticity. And this electricity is come from HV BATTERY. Not the stupid baby 12V. That's why the engine needs to maintain the charge of the HV battery to provide juice for the compressor, fan.. or the electrical heater(in winter).

 

Pretty sure the heater is the same as other cars (basically pulling heat off the engine). That's why the ICE has to run so much when the heater is on.

 

no problem with the A/C it can run for 10 years, so long as you never let the refrigerant level get low.

 

Nothing will happen -- just let it run. I used to let my MB diesel runs all weekend in sub zero weather. A few weeks ago I had to leave the dog in the P when I went to a different part of the city -- ended up being 6 house .. I did not see any change in the fuel bars