TheSamba.com :: View topic - Nissan Leaf A/C

Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:58 pm

I was looking under the hood of a LEAF today and noticed that the AC compressor is not run by a belt. And according to my friend who owns the LEAF, he can run the AC with the car plugged up for a charge during lunch.

Does this make it a possible candidate for supplying AC in a Bus?

It would be "cool" if the same AC could be run on shore power when you're at a camp site. :lol:

Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:26 pm

Automotive electric a/c isn't new, the hotrodders have been doing it for quite some time now. The biggest issue you may run into is how much draw the particular a/c compressor has on the battery and charging system. Also, a reminder that you will have to make sure that the a/c cooling fan comes on to keep the system in check and allow it to work properly especially when the vehicle isn't moving.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:28 pm

My guess is that it would need to run on electric only since it can't run of an engine hence the no belt. I doubt a bus could run such an A/C unit without some additional batteries and wiring. Which seems like a lot to go through for a/c. By the time all is said and done you could probably just by one of the aftermarket A/C units for around 1500 bucks.

If you just want A/C on shore power, you can buy any kind of A/C unit you want and just plug it in.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 1:36 pm

I love the idea of thinking outside the box.

The upside is that, hey...no belts, mounting, or other fiddle-faddle.

The downside is...what is the interior volume of a Nissan Leaf? What is the interior volume of a Bus?

I think trying to cool that considerably greater volume would make the solution (even if it was able to work functionally) somewhat moot.

M

Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:26 pm

Webwalker, good point on the volume.

I have the early Bay and I've seen the Gilmore unit, but I'm not crazy about that extra belt. I like the simplicity of maintaining the engine as it is now.

And if one could run the AC while plugged the shore power this solution would eliminate the extra belt and the extra bulk of other air conditioners that some of us have hung out windows to enable summer camping in hot, humid environments.

So it would solve a couple of drawbacks at once....

Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:30 pm

Not sure about the leaf in particular but similar cars like the Prius use the high voltage batteries to power the compressor, not a 12vdc car battery.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:46 pm

I did some perusing online, and people said that in hot areas, their A/C in their Leaf uses around 1.5kw when doing major cooling, and then drops considerably. I can't find a number for when it's just maintaining cool temps. The people on the mynissanleaf forums seem to claim that the A/C design is extremely efficient, but no one is actually backing up those claims with numbers.

Anyway, consider that you would need an alternator in the realm of ~150-160 amps to run that A/C at full blast (assuming a 75% max load on the alt.) Can we do that safely in our buses, let alone even cram one into the spot?

It is conceivable that, depending on how long is pulls that large amount of watts, you could have some large house batteries being discharged at around ~1C, while still using a stockish alt, but we would need to know the actual current draw once it is just maintaining a temperature. The size of the Leaf is certainly relevant here, in terms of total volume.

Thu Jul 17, 2014 3:58 pm

or do this

http://www.gilmore-enterprises.net/

or this

http://iceautoair.com/index-1.html

and move on. sizing the system would be a bitch, and do you want to gear up with all the a/c equipment to properly do the job?

this will be a VERY expensive learning curve for most. custom hoses, receiver/drier condenser, evaporator....

not saying it isn't possible, but look at the manifold gauges, vaccum pump (if you don't have a a/c machine)

the cost of tooling up would be cost prohibitive for most