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Car Forum / Toyota / Prius / June 2007

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Re: Air and Heating Question.

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timespace - 11 Jun 2007 20:42 GMT
When the ICE shuts off when not required and battery power is
motivating the vehicle does the air conditioning shut off
as well? Is the compressor operated by a belt connected
to the ICE's cranshaft like all other cars or is the Prius system different?
Similarly in the winter does the ICE have to be running to provide
heat?

Roger in Canada
Michelle Steiner - 11 Jun 2007 20:55 GMT
> When the ICE shuts off when not required and battery power is
> motivating the vehicle does the air conditioning shut off as well? Is
> the compressor operated by a belt connected to the ICE's cranshaft
> like all other cars or is the Prius system different?

No.  The A/C is powered by the traction battery.

> Similarly in the winter does the ICE have to be running to provide
> heat?

That, I do not know.

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Mike Rosenberg - 11 Jun 2007 22:08 GMT
> > Similarly in the winter does the ICE have to be running to provide
> > heat?
>
> That, I do not know.

I do.  Heating _does_ occur when the ICE is not running.

Say, Michelle, you just can't stay away from heating/cooling threads,
can you?  ;-)  (Don't worry, folks, she'll know what I'm talking about.)

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Michelle Steiner - 11 Jun 2007 22:53 GMT
> > > Similarly in the winter does the ICE have to be running to
> > > provide heat?
> >
> > That, I do not know.
>
> I do.  Heating _does_ occur when the ICE is not running.

That is good to know.  Living in AZ, I rarely have the heater on anyway.

> Say, Michelle, you just can't stay away from heating/cooling threads,
> can you?  ;-)

I've pretty much avoided the heating threads.  The cooling threads are
another story.

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Mike Rosenberg - 11 Jun 2007 22:55 GMT
> I've pretty much avoided the heating threads.  The cooling threads are
> another story.

But, of course, the cooling threads in comp.sys.mac.system have gotten
rather heated.

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mrv@kluge.net - 12 Jun 2007 02:24 GMT
> In article <mBhbi.101160$Y_.69...@read1.cgocable.net>,
>
> No.  The A/C is powered by the traction battery.

Not on my Classic Prius.  One method to consistently turn the gasoline
engine on is to turn the AC on with the MAX button.
Michelle Steiner - 12 Jun 2007 06:28 GMT
> > No.  The A/C is powered by the traction battery.
>
> Not on my Classic Prius.

But it is in the 2G Prius.

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mrv@kluge.net - 12 Jun 2007 14:42 GMT
> In article <1181611470.048415.253...@r19g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> But it is in the 2G Prius.

This is alt.autos.toyota.prius, and the OP didn't specify which model
of Prius he was looking at.  So it would be incorrect to say that the
AC in the Prius is electrically driven, without the caveat that it is
only electrically driven in a particlular model (since this group is
not model-specific).  The OP would probably be very annoyed if he
purchased a used Classic Prius thinking that it had an electrically-
driven AC and then found out that by turning the AC on he'd
consistently turn his gasoline engine on...

Oh, and the NHW10 also has the belt-driven AC, but I haven't heard of
any showing up grey market in Canada yet...

-Michelle, who almost purchased her 2001 Prius from Canada to import
into the US just to get the color she wanted and cruise control (which
was standard in Canada and not available in the US at the time)...
mrv@kluge.net - 11 Jun 2007 22:14 GMT
> When the ICE shuts off when not required and battery power is
> motivating the vehicle does the air conditioning shut off
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>
> Roger in Canada

if you want more specific local information, I'd suggest:
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Canada-Prius/

Which Prius are you asking about?  The NHW11 (2001-2003 "Classic"
sedan) or the NHW20 (2004-current hatchback)?

On the NHW11, the AC compressor is directly powered by a belt off of
the gasoline engine.  For the AC compressor to run, the gasoline
engine will also run.  (So, in the heat of summer, the engine may come
on more often than otherwise just to power the AC compressor.)
However, unless you have the front windshield defroster/defogger
position selected or the MAX AC button pressed, the AC compressor does
not run full-time/constantly (the ICE always on).  The AC compressor
may be used if you have the AC button on, but not always.  If at a
stoplight, for example, and the cabin is already at/near the desired
cool temperature, the ICE will still shut down, and the fans will
continue to blow the remaining cold air into the cabin.  When the air
being blown into the cabin or the cabin itself gets too warm, the ICE
may turn on (even while the car is stopped/idle) just to power the AC
compressor.  The AC compressor/ICE will cycle on/off as needed to
maintain the coolness of the cabin.

On the NHW20, the AC compressor is electrically driven by power from
the hybrid traction battery.  So, the gasoline engine is not required
to power the AC compressor.  However, should the charge of the hybrid
traction battery become too low (say from a long time stopped while
the AC is on), the gasoline engine will be restarted just to recharge
the battery.  But the ICE use is independent of the AC.

Depending on your country and region, your Prius may have some small
PTC (electric) heaters to help with some cabin pre-heat (though it is
barely noticable).  However, all of your cabin heat comes from the
conventional source - "waste" heat generated by the gasoline engine
and stored in the engine coolant.  The Prius' engine is rather
efficient, as it only runs as necessary, so there isn't a whole lot of
waste heat, so the ICE may come on every so often just to provide heat
for the passenger compartment (and also to warm itself and emissions
components up).  Again, it shouldn't be constantly on, once the car
and the cabin are up to the set temperatures, but should cycle on and
off.  (There's some residual heat left once the engine shuts down at a
light or such, so the fans keep circulating this heat, but once it
gets too cold again, the engine will come back on to provide more
heat.)
Elmo P. Shagnasty - 11 Jun 2007 23:24 GMT
> When the ICE shuts off when not required and battery power is
> motivating the vehicle does the air conditioning shut off
> as well? Is the compressor operated by a belt connected
> to the ICE's cranshaft like all other cars

No.  Just like your home air conditioner, the compressor runs off of
electricity.

Decoupling systems like this from the ICE is part of what makes a hybrid
so attractive.  There are many little items like this that can add up to
a significantly more efficient car.

> Similarly in the winter does the ICE have to be running to provide
> heat?

In the current generation, the only heat source is the ICE.  I've been
wondering if maybe future generations wouldn't see electric-based
auxiliary heat.
 
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