Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us
Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network
HomeAnnouncements
Discussion Groups
By Brand
BMWChevroletDodgeFordGMHondaLexusMercedes-BenzNissanPeugeotToyotaVolkswagenOther Brands
By Topic
4x4 CarsRVsDrivingMaintenance & RepairCar AudioCollectible Cars
Country Specific
Australian ForumsUK Forums
ArticlesAuto InsuranceBuyingCars & TechnologyMaintenanceMiscellaneousSafety
DMV Resources
Related Topics
MotorcyclesBoatsMore Topics ...

Car Forum / Hyundai Cars / November 2006

Tip: Looking for answers? Try searching our database.

Getting non-preheated outside air

Thread view: 
Enable EMail Alerts  Start New Thread
Thread rating: 
BETA-32 - 15 Nov 2006 19:25 GMT
I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.

When it is cool outside (say 55 to 65 degrees F), and my vehicle has been
sitting in the sun, I like to be able to just have cool outside air coming
in to cool the car off while I drive.  Of course, I can open one or more
windows to let cool air in but I would rather have cool air coming in
through the vents -- it's much quieter that way.  What I do is set the
temperature to "lo", set it for outside air, set the mode for dashboard
vents only, and turn on the fan.

But, no matter what I do, the air coming in through the vents is not cool
like the outside air that comes in through an open window.  It's not hot,
just vaguely luke warm at most, but definitely not cool and not the same
temperature as the cool outside air.  Am I doing something wrong or
expecting it to do something that it cannot do?

Of course, I could turn on the AC but I don't want to do that since the
outside air is already cool.
Edwin Pawlowski - 15 Nov 2006 20:48 GMT
>I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Of course, I could turn on the AC but I don't want to do that since the
> outside air is already cool.

The last half dozen car I've owned (various makes) were like that. The vents
travel through areas that seem to be warm and the vent air is never the same
as the straight outside air.  I just use the AC as it does not affect fuel
mileage very much these days like 25 years ago.
Brian Nystrom - 15 Nov 2006 23:16 GMT
>> I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> as the straight outside air.  I just use the AC as it does not affect fuel
> mileage very much these days like 25 years ago.

That depends a lot on the particular car in question. The A/C cost me at
least 3 mpg on the highway in my Elantra. On one of the Elantra sites,
someone did dyno runs with and without A/C. The A/C cost him 17
horsepower! Judging by the way the car reacts when I turn it on, that
seems entirely plausible. It makes sense that it's less of an issue with
cars that have more powerful engines and get lower mpg to begin with,
but it still costs you.

As for the windows down vs. A/C debate, it all depends on the particular
vehicle in question. Some may do better with the A/C on, but my Elantra
does better with the windows open.

BTW, I've found a method that works very well for cooling the car,
without excessive noise or drag. I tilt the sunroof open, open the rear
passenger's window 1/3-1/2, then open the front passenger's window
2"-3". This creates a swirl in the car's interior that cools very
effectively, even at modest speeds. The windows can be opened or closed
to regulate the amount of airflow. I can still listen to the radio
comfortably, as I don't have the noise from having the driver's
window(s) down.
BETA-2K - 16 Nov 2006 00:42 GMT
> BTW, I've found a method that works very well for cooling the car, without
> excessive noise or drag. I tilt the sunroof open, . . . .

I don't have a sunroof, but if I did I wouldn't want to have to open the
sunroof or anything else just to get cool outside air into the car.  I have
a hunch that even at the lowest temperature setting there is still some hot
water going through the heater core and partially heating the incoming air.
Brian Nystrom - 16 Nov 2006 11:43 GMT
>> BTW, I've found a method that works very well for cooling the car, without
>> excessive noise or drag. I tilt the sunroof open, . . . .
>
> I don't have a sunroof, but if I did I wouldn't want to have to open the
> sunroof or anything else just to get cool outside air into the car.

Why not, that's what it's for. I didn't say that it was mandatory
(obviously you wouldn't use it if it was raining), but it does increase
airflow through the car when using the vents, since it gives the
incoming air an easier exit point. It also lets out the warm air near
the ceiling.

> I have
> a hunch that even at the lowest temperature setting there is still some hot
> water going through the heater core and partially heating the incoming air.

No, there isn't. The issue is heat from the engine compartment and sheet
metal.
nothermark - 16 Nov 2006 14:00 GMT
>>> I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>>>
[quoted text clipped - 32 lines]
>comfortably, as I don't have the noise from having the driver's
>window(s) down.

It is my understanding that the fuel savingis speed dependent.  At low
speeds drag is les than the air conditioner uses.  At speed somewhere
above 30 MPH the air drag drom the open windows uses more fuel than
the air conditioner.  As they say, YMMV.

;-)
Brian Nystrom - 16 Nov 2006 20:44 GMT
>>>> I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>>>>
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
> above 30 MPH the air drag drom the open windows uses more fuel than
> the air conditioner.  As they say, YMMV.

And vary it will. The mpg numbers I quoted above are for highway speeds.
Matt Whiting - 15 Nov 2006 21:58 GMT
> I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> temperature as the cool outside air.  Am I doing something wrong or
> expecting it to do something that it cannot do?

Does it get cooler after a few minutes?  All cars I've owned have acted
this way after sitting in the sun.  Basically, the car gets heat soaked
in the dash and cowl area where the air intake and ductwork is located.
 When you first start out these warm components preheat the incoming
cool air.  However, most of my cars will being to deliver air closer to
ambient temperatures after a few miles of driving, but it certainly
takes a little while to cool things off.  I generally use the AC for a
few minutes to cool down the ductwork and then switch to outside air.

Matt
Brian Nystrom - 15 Nov 2006 23:17 GMT
>> I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
> takes a little while to cool things off.  I generally use the AC for a
> few minutes to cool down the ductwork and then switch to outside air.

That's what I've seen as well.
Vineeth - 16 Nov 2006 00:13 GMT
I also usualy leave the ac on for a few minutes & if it was real stuffy
just tilt the sunroof for a while too. I want to ask something slightly
related though a bit off track>
I have read here that it is best to not use the recirculate feature
with the ac to prevent the forming of mold or something which ends up
causing a stink... However quite a few people I have traveled with tell
me it is best to use recirulate rather than breathe the polluted
outside air? I guess it may be true for cities though won't we
breathing the same air we breathe out???

> > I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> Matt
Wayne Moses - 16 Nov 2006 01:31 GMT
V> I have read here that it is best to not use the recirculate feature
V> with the ac to prevent the forming of mold or something which ends up
V> causing a stink...

I have had 3 Hyundais with A/C out of 5 total, starting from 1989 to 2002
and now 2005.

All had stinky A/C. The non-A/C cars I had did not have this problem. Even
the ones which had/have A/C had no problem when not using A/C. I doubt that
recirc is the culprit because I usually keep it on fresh when using the A/
C.

The problem is like this - when the A/C was not used for a couple or more
days and is then switched on, the first 5-10 seconds of A/C is stinky.

Spraying deodorizer into the cowl in take vents helps for a while but the
smell comes back.

I have heard others complain of his also so my conclusion - Hyundai makes
stinky a/c ducting designs. Looks like some water is entrained somewhere,
providing puddles for bacteria to grow and decay.

What are others' experiences? Have a real solution?

Best Regards
Wayne Moses <wmoses@houston.rr.com> Wed, 15 Nov 2006 18:46:12 -0600
Brian Nystrom - 16 Nov 2006 11:47 GMT
> I also usualy leave the ac on for a few minutes & if it was real stuffy
> just tilt the sunroof for a while too. I want to ask something slightly
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> outside air? I guess it may be true for cities though won't we
> breathing the same air we breathe out???

Exactly. You have a choice between interior pollution and exterior
pollution. The interior air filter will remove most particulate matter
(the Elantra doesn't come stock with this filter, you have to install
it), but it won't remove chemical pollution. You could make your own
filter element using filter media with carbon in it, but it's debatable
how effective it would be.
BETA-2K - 16 Nov 2006 00:37 GMT
> Does it get cooler after a few minutes?

No, but I know what you mean.  I keep expecting that it will get cooler but
it never does.  I have a feeling that something in the system isn't allowing
the heat function to completely turn off.  If I had a manual control, I
would move the heat control all the way to the coolest position.  In every
car I've ever owned, when I did that only cool or cold air would come out.
This seems to be functioning the way it would if a manual control wasn't
turned all the way to the coolest position.
Brian Nystrom - 16 Nov 2006 11:49 GMT
>> Does it get cooler after a few minutes?
>
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> This seems to be functioning the way it would if a manual control wasn't
> turned all the way to the coolest position.

It's possible that you car is malfunctioning. There should only be a few
degrees difference between inside and outside air temps when the heat is
off. It sounds like you need to take the car to the dealer.
BETA-32 - 28 Nov 2006 17:53 GMT
Ahah!  I just figured it out today!

To do what I want, I set the temperature to "Lo", which is one click below
the lowest actual temperature option of  "63 degrees".  That automatically
turns ON the AC, which I do not want, and the "recirculate inside air"
option, which I also do not want.  Then I turn OFF the AC, and I switch from
the "recirculate air" setting to "outside air".  That lets outside air -- at
whatever temperature the outside air is -- come in through the vents without
ANY preheating.  That's what I wanted.  And I don't have to open any windows
or sunroof to get non-preheated outside air in, which is also what I wanted.

If I click the temperature setting up just one click, from "Lo" to 63
degrees, I can immediately feel that the incoming air is being preheated.  I
think it does that because, if the outside air is say 55 degrees, and it
thinks I want 63 degrees inside the vehicle, it naturally starts to preheat
the outside air to help bring the inside vehicle temperature up.  But, by
selecting "Lo", it is not governed by any specific temperature setting, so
it COMPLETELY turns off the preheating of the air that is coming in.  It
seems to work in the same way that a manual heater system does when moving
the temperature setting "off".

>I have a 2004 Santa Fe LX 4WD 3.5 L.
>
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> Of course, I could turn on the AC but I don't want to do that since the
> outside air is already cool.
Edwin Pawlowski - 28 Nov 2006 18:04 GMT
"BETA-32" <BETA-32@betabcghfd.cbd> wrote in message 0
> degrees, I can immediately feel that the incoming air is being preheated.
> I think it does that because, if the outside air is say 55 degrees, and it
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> coming in.  It seems to work in the same way that a manual heater system
> does when moving the temperature setting "off".

That makes sense.  It would be interesting to see what the actual
temperatures are and if it does rise anyway on the path through the ducts.
Even on cars with no automatic AC, or even no AC, it always seems to have a
noticeable gain.

Rate this thread:






 
Sign In
Join
My Latest Posts
My Monitored Threads
My Blog
My Photo Gallery
My Profile
My Homepage

Start New Thread
Enable EMail Alerts
Rate this Thread



©2008 Advenet LLC   Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.