In-line AC System | In Progress

[yiucycle]

Totally agree with Djkeev. I don't get why all the negativity when he is doing all the work, spending his $ and testing his design. What do we all get to lose???
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1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[?Waldo?]

What negativity? I haven't seen any negativity in this thread. I've seen helpful people asking questions, pointing out potential issues, and relaying information in an attempt to assist the OP in his quest.

[Howesight]

I don't think I am being negative. The Peltier approach is viable for spot cooling very small areas and is superior to vapour-compression cycle units for such applications in terms of space requirements for the latter. For the large space in a Vanagon and the rate at which high exterior ambient conditions add heat to the Vanagon interior, the Peltier approach is just not doable.

If the goal is reduced to, say, supplying a small amount of cool air to a highly-targeted area, like the driver's face or chest for example, and to leave the rest of the van as is, then the Peltier experiment would likely be successful.
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'86 Syncro Westy SVX

[greebly]

[djkeev]

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat."

Theodore Roosevelt
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[Yellow Rabbit]

As an engineer I have to appreciate the ingenuity and effort. I'll stop now.

[Paulbeard]

Some of the comments go beyond a healthy or helpful skepticism. It's his time and money and reputation.

I'm not 100% sure how this replaces a working air conditioner, given that one of the benefits of A/C is dehumidifying the air as it cools it, as Dave pointed out. I wish the engineers who put the A/C as far from the windshield as possible in my van understood how helpful dash-mounted A/C is. But maybe the OP isn't bothered by humidity where he is.

But as I don't have working A/C, this is interesting to follow, assuming the OP doesn't give up on explaining his ideas to a hostile audience.
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Currently -> Frida: 87 Tizian Red (mostly) Vanagon GL Westfalia w/ 2.0L ABA conversion
Formerly -> Steward of a 73 Super Beetle (Beater) and 67 Beetle 1300 (Little Max) both names by POs

[wcdennis]

If this was a workable concept, I'm thinking Tesla would be using it to cool their electric cars. Instead, they use a compressor powered by an electric motor.

[Abscate]

The latest Tesla is powered by Ben Pons and Fleischmann cold fusion..creates both energy and cold for the AC.
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.ssS!

[boroko]

An interesting side note: some satellite "batteries" are actually a container filled with radioactive material giving off heat surrounded by tens of thousands of Peltier devices producing the electricity. The idea of electric generation from waste heat is being looked at in industry as a way to capture lost efficiency. Unfortunately, the cost for the devices is still high.

Bo
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'87 SyncroWesty: Smokey the Turtle, '85 SubiWesty: Chappie, '84 GTI, '86 GTI in full Rally trim,
previous: 2 Syncro tin tops, 2 Vanagons, 3 busses, 3 Ghias, 2 Jettas, a 411, a gas and a diesel Bunny and about 25 Beetles, one that only drove left.

[Abscate]

[MidwestDrifter]

Depending on what the OPs goals are, there may be some useful outcomes of his experimentation. No one is saying that his learning, experimenting, and testing is pointless. Most of us are tying to point out flaws or unreasonable expectations. Constructive sriticism is not to be confused with negativity (easy to do in a forum with no tone/body language). With technical projects there are technical responses. No one has questioned the OPs commitment, or personal qualities. We are judging the project on its technical merit. Nothing more and nothing less.

Many of those who say something is impossible are simply ignorant. But when someone presents you with scientific fact and math to back it up, its best to take it seriously when they say something is impossible (or at least unfeasible). As a engineering professional, I reserve the use of absolute terms such as impossible except when something is restrained by an inviolate law of physics, or by mechanical/spacial constraints. The reason for this is that I am highly aware of the limits of my own experience.

When embarking on an endeavor it is often easiest to just jump in and start experimenting/experiencing. However in the technical fields, it is best to start by educating oneself. Check out the free MIT online course videos on Thermodynamics and physics.
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2004 Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter (Custom Camper)
2000 Jetta TDI
1982 Diesel Westy W/ ABA I4 hybrid (Sold)
Epic Road Tripping since 08/05/12 | http://VagariesAbound.blogspot.com/
My Current Build | http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41215

[agon.parts]

First and foremost, it is an embarrassment to see such professionals acting in an arrogant fashion.

I am a professional in the engineering, architectural and robotic fields. I always show respect regardless of another individual's expertise. I have also invested a lot of time mastering some pretty difficult stuff.

Many of the so-called unrealistic expectations stem from assumptions that were made regarding the application of this concept.

Among the many technical fields I am a part of, I have also done numerous studies via MIT OCW.

I am not here to brag about my personal accomplishments, or jump on some bandwagon of perpetual motion. I am merely here to share concepts and develop a professional dialogue that doesn't consist of sarcasm, cartoons, and arrogance.
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Forrest Walker Whitmore
AGON

FREEBIES: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AkqzgREEtE9Aj7poRLxLuW-oGORuiQ?e=eSKThT

[bobbyblack]

I like what you are doing Forrest, I am seriously interested. My design was nowhere near as elegant, and I appreciate what you are doing very much. Thanks for your hard work. Keep it going.
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'87 Westy 'Flossie','86 Westy 'R1','86 tintop GL - Subi2.2 'J2','83.5 stock tintop L 'ZoomBus','74 Karmann Ghia, '63 Notch

[yiucycle]

Same here, i really want to see the result on your design. I have look into using peltier cooling but i don't have the science and engineer background to pursue it. Please keep us updates on your design/testing.
_________________
1980 2.8LV6 Fiero ASI/Riviera Vanagon
"there is no point in being embarrassed of all the stupid shit i done and will continue to do"

Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[90Doka_Guy]

[?Waldo?]

[schenks13]

Thanks for sharing, Forrest. Present your ideas when you can. It's very interesting.
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'87 Syncro High Roof
'07 Rabbit
'94 Jetta
Old Town Tripper 172
Mad River Courier

[agon.parts]

Thank you to those who are genuinely interested. I'll post updates as I go.

@Andrew A. Libby: I was waiting for you to find the answer to your question.

It can be found on Page 1:

[?Waldo?]