Electric AC

Busting this out from another thread.

Seeing as I live in a place that's hot and with 2014 the hottest on record and global warming meaning it's only getting hotter, looking for way to air con my S so I can drive it between Nov and Feb.

Looking at maybe lifting an electric system out of an electric or hybrid car like this:

http://www.sae.org/events/aars/prese...ns/2010/W2.pdf

This is from an imiev but think I am more likely to pull a system from Hybrid Camry or Prius.

Obviously delete the heating component. Will have to fit some super powerful batteries but plenty of provision for that. Electric compressor under hood, condenser with fan behind front bumper.

Would replace the Behr fan unit with something that actually moves air and use period under dash outlets.

Lethal voltage is not something to play with unless you're fully conversant in proper safety and assembly procedures. You will either need a hybrid battery and/or an equivalent voltage source to power up a hi-voltage A/C motor. You'll also need an electronic control system or equiv. to handle the switching duties. In addition, your charging system must be robust enough to recharge the battery/batteries. In the end, you'll end up with a hybrid vehicle that only drives the HVAC system. A challenging project. The cost will surely be in hobby territory. If you have enough engine power, what are the drawbacks with two belt-driven A/C compressors/systems?

Sherwood

not driven by logic but the ability to retain the stock engine look and the packaging neatness and the efficiency appeals. Avoids running lines backwards and forwards thru the car and the condenser in engine lid etc. I don't yet know for sure it's using lethal voltages, there are plenty of 12V systems but generally designed for large areas like caravans but could use the 12V compressor. Early days, just floating concept and seeing if anyone else has an opinion/knowledge as I have 'blank canvas' to work with - at the moment just the Behr fan that blows about as much air as an 85 yr old with emphysema can puff through a straw, and makes a sound like a cat being tortured because someone at Behr/Bosch decided that actual bearings (rather than steel bushes) were an inordinate luxury (I had the same problem with my old bmw and replaced bushes with sealed roller bearings - man what a difference that made, quiet, blows more air and lower current draw).

looked into this for a client building a project and not wanting all that a/c stuff in the engine compartment. Not realistically possible at this time. Maybe once components keep shrinking and being more efficient it might be possible, but the fab work would be quite extensive

A worthy cause Mitchell! Drove past your place today and it was hot there also. How about this (right colour too):


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxSLbpAwibg

Probably too technical for me Merv ha ha. Just flew back from Canberra today so heat hit me like a brick.

Looks like 48v is the magic number for electric AC compressor due to current draw which I suppose is possible with 2 x 24v batteries which would require some tricky inverting to charge - but then again charging current is low, compressor draw very high.

Will keep poking around to see what I can find. Or leave the car in the garage until March :)