What do you do with Climate control
02-12-2017, 02:37 PM
#1
What do you do with Climate control
The manual says to set climate control to auto and 72. Here where Im at in cooler temps it works great but the compressor still seems to run. Sometimes I go to manual and turn ac off. Whats the correct way to run this in winter. Summer no brainer.
02-12-2017, 03:08 PM
#2
Race Director
If I do not need the removal of excess humidity, if the windows are not fogging up, I set the thing to auto and 72F then press the compressor button to turn off the compressor. The snowflake symbol goes dark. The system still runs in "auto" mode in that it adjusts the vents flaps and amount of air passing through the heater core and the evaporator (even though the compressor is not running) to keep the cabin at 72F. This works real well until the ambient temperature gets too warm or one finds himself in direct sunlight.
In these cases if it is too warm but not hot enough to warrant turning on the A/C what I do then is with the compressor off -- the snowflake symbol dark -- I set the temperature control to its lowest setting, and then adjust the fan speed to give the right amount of circulation. IOWs I use it in manual mode. I leave the vent control buttons alone so all vents (under the windshield, the center dash vents, and the under dash vents) blow air but open the center dash vents and direct them to blow air at me. The left hand side dash vent I then aim down and in (rather than its usual out and up direction) to also aim cool air at me. This works well until it is just too hot then of course I turn on the A/C.
Occassionally in the winter while the cabin temperature is ok the windows tend to fog up -- winter where I live/drive is not about real cold temps, snow/ice but cool temperatures and rain -- I sometimes have to actually run the A/C in true auto mode with the compressor on (the snowflake symbol illuminated) to keep the windows clear.
Have to add the auto climate system in both of my cars is superb. I like the fact it manages to keep the cabin comfortable in 0F all the way to 118F ambient temperature with me never having to adjust/fiddle with the controsl and without me even knowing it is on.
(Driving on I-40 west of Kingman AZ and noticed the outside air temp reading was 118F. The Turbo's gages read all normal and the auto climate temperature was of course set to 72F and the fan speed wasn't even at the 1/3rd of the way up the scale. Yet the cabin was very comfortable to the point had I not had the outside temperature reading to go by I would not have known it was that blasted hot out.)
The compressor is a variable displacement type so if the snowflake symbol is on the compressor clutch is engaged but the compressor's displacement is varied to cause the compressor to generate just the right amount of pressure to create the desired amount of cooling. This is much better than the technique of periodlcally engaging/disengaging the compressor to control the amount of A/C cooling.
A really impressive system.
Oh, you should change the cabin air filter once in a while. Every year might be too often, but it does trap alot of trash. Also, it can develop a moldy/musty odor that only replacement can cure. Whether you use the plain old filter or the activated charcol filter is up to you. I have run both and I can't tell the difference.
Also, the above all assumes the A/C system is healthy, has the right amount of refrigerant and has no leaks and both radiator fans are operating correctly. Don't dismiss this.Twice now with the Turbo and once with the Boxster I have found a radiator fan not running. The Turbo lost one due a snapped radiator fan motor shaft. Another time the other side was running but not blowing any air and the tech found it was drawing way more current than the other side and replaced the fan motor. With the Boxster one radiator fan motor died and was replaced.
FWIW, my experience is the passenger side radiator fan motors seem to fail first/more often.
02-12-2017, 05:08 PM
#5
Rennlist Member
