Does keeping the AC on use lots of gas?

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

I leave my windows down most of the time. I only use my A/C a few times during the summer.

amish

 

[DaiShan]

My aunt seems to think so, as she will not use the AC even on 90+ days it is 4x40 air (4 windows down at 40mph) Does not make sense to me, I tried for 3 weeks I ran with AC blowing at 50% in my car (the coldest comfortable temperature before I got too cold) and averaged the MPG I got, I then went three weeks with no air at all with all windows up (I don't really need air conditioning even when it is 80-90 degrees, I get cold pretty easily) and averaged the MPG I got per tank there as well, I averaged 1MPG and change more while using the AC, which I attribute to just differences in traffic over the time period and assume the difference is negligible.

 

[DaiShan]

Originally posted by: wfbberzerker
isnt a/c one of the biggest contributors to increased CO2 in the atmosphere, i.e. global warming?

Considering no one has offered definitive proof that global warming is occuring and if it is what the cause it, that would be a tough case to make.

 

[brtspears2]

It does use gas to run, but it isn't much. Went to Vegas this last weekeend, I know car can get 30mpg at 75mph with A/C off, windows up. But when putting A/C on at near full blast, only achieved 28mpg.

Lets just say the 20-30 less miles per tank is so worth it. Sure beats baking in a car in the desert.

 

[UTmtnbiker]

Amish,

You live in Salt Lake, and you only use the AC a few times a YEAR???!!!!??? It's been insanely hot here this summer.

I tip my hat off to you sir, you are a better man than I! Nice, frostly, chilly air...it's mmmm, mmmm good.

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

I leave my windows down most of the time. I only use my A/C a few times during the summer.

amish

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: UTmtnbiker
Amish,

You live in Salt Lake, and you only use the AC a few times a YEAR???!!!!??? It's been insanely hot here this summer.

I tip my hat off to you sir, you are a better man than I! Nice, frostly, chilly air...it's mmmm, mmmm good.

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

I leave my windows down most of the time. I only use my A/C a few times during the summer.

amish

I have used it more this year than any year prior.

 

[Beau]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: UTmtnbiker
Amish,

You live in Salt Lake, and you only use the AC a few times a YEAR???!!!!??? It's been insanely hot here this summer.

I tip my hat off to you sir, you are a better man than I! Nice, frostly, chilly air...it's mmmm, mmmm good.

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

I leave my windows down most of the time. I only use my A/C a few times during the summer.

amish

I have used it more this year than any year prior.

Wish I had air conditioning
Need to get a freon recharge.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Beau

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: UTmtnbiker
Amish,

You live in Salt Lake, and you only use the AC a few times a YEAR???!!!!??? It's been insanely hot here this summer.

I tip my hat off to you sir, you are a better man than I! Nice, frostly, chilly air...it's mmmm, mmmm good.

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
Where the hell do you people live that rolling down the windows does any good?

There are maybe 3 days a year here when open windows are tolerable. It's either big ass hot, or too cold.

I leave my windows down most of the time. I only use my A/C a few times during the summer.

amish

I have used it more this year than any year prior.

Wish I had air conditioning
Need to get a freon recharge.

Yeah, it's been pretty hot even for Heber/PC. Went through there the weekends of July 12th and 19th. I was amazed at how warm it was.

We went camping up Daniel's Canyon (the first weekend) and it was freakin' cold at night and sweltering during the day. :\

The second weekend we were camping up my Mirror Lake and it was cooler during the day and warmer during the night than it was in Daniel's.

amish

 

[LordRaiden]

Originally posted by: Doggiedog
You do lose alot of power though. You can definitely feel it.

Maybe in your car, but definately not in mine. Same pickup with or without AC.

 

[AMCRambler]

My 91 Honda Accord definitely loses some power when the AC is running. At idle you can hear then engine start to labor. I would say yes, AC decreases fuel efficiency

 

[ElFenix]

Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis

Originally posted by: ElFenix

Originally posted by: Slickone
At low speeds, AC uses more gas than having windows down. Above a certain speed, AC uses less than windows down.

yup... of course you could just set it on vent

I hope you don't use vent in Texas.

i can in november. sometimes. most of december and january and sometimes february.

 

[tk149]

I've heard the magic number was 30 MPH for AC vs. windows open.

Also, AFAIK you notice less power available if the AC is on if your engine is smaller. For example, in my V-4, I usually turned off the AC before accelerating onto an Interstate merge. In a V-8, I never notice any power difference. I only notice the power difference once in awhile in my V-6 when I'm accelerating hard.

 

[Slickone]

Yeah, the more horsepower you have to begin with, the less power loss or fuel milage difference you're gonna notice when using the AC. Kinda like PC overclocking. You'll definately notice a 200Mhz overclocked 100Mhz, but overclock a 2Ghz 100Mhz and I doubt you'll notice.