Air-Con Question

[grinner82]

I have a 2011 GO! It has air-con. I noticed today something that I have not noticed on any other car I have had with air-con and was wondering if anyone Else has noticed the same!

When the car is stationary, and idling and the air-con is on, it cuts in and out with a click on about a 10 second cycle. If I look under the bonnet I can see the air-con clutch engage to run the pump, it runs for about 10 seconds, then disengages for 10 seconds, the re engages again. When the air-con pump engages, the cooling fan for the radiator turns on as well, then when the air-con turns off, so does that fan!

Is this a fuel saving device that runs air-con in bursts? When driving I have noticed it cut in and out at slow speeds, cant really notice at high speeds.

Any thoughts??

Thanks

[zlatko_k]

I have a 2011 GO! It has air-con. I noticed today something that I have not noticed on any other car I have had with air-con and was wondering if anyone Else has noticed the same!

When the car is stationary, and idling and the air-con is on, it cuts in and out with a click on about a 10 second cycle. If I look under the bonnet I can see the air-con clutch engage to run the pump, it runs for about 10 seconds, then disengages for 10 seconds, the re engages again. When the air-con pump engages, the cooling fan for the radiator turns on as well, then when the air-con turns off, so does that fan!

Is this a fuel saving device that runs air-con in bursts? When driving I have noticed it cut in and out at slow speeds, cant really notice at high speeds.

Any thoughts??

Thanks

Hi,

i have noticed it on mine too, but i'm not sure why is happening. I hope some one else has some technical knowledge about it to explain.

[daveyjp]

It's normal operation for the Aygo. My Ford, Audi and Jaguar all had two cooling fans, when aircon was turned on both fans would also turn on.

[Cyker]

That's a very 'cool' fuel-saving idea if it does do that, assuming it doesn't lead to the aircon clutch wearing out too quickly

[Jan van de Wouw]

This has nothing to dow with fuel saving, but is normal operation for ANY A/C-system.

The system in our cars is similar to that in a refridgerator: the evaporator sits inside the area to cool,

the condensor sits outside the area tht need sto be cooled. On a car in front of the radiator, with a

fridge the condensor sits at the back. On a car there's a fan inside and on one the outside,

a fridge is closed and insulated, so doesn't need fans to make air flow over the elements.

There's also a pump on both and in both systems the pump only runs periodically.

How long and how many cycles depends on both inside- and outside temperature and humidity,

on a car the compressor also varies in rpm, which is an influence on cycle-time as well.