Electric pumps/compressors and cars for A/C (retrofit?)

[Mitsuru]

While I pondered on something I did with my car (to do with engine swaps or just needing the
space) I did another search which I often do for alternative ways around things, like having to
remove the A/C compressor. Although I have removed the compressor and condenser, the
condenser could be refitted, but the compressor could not be due to lack of space near the
serpentine belt.

I know some have in the past wished they could fitted A/C to their old motors to make it better
for them in those times when you would rather be locked in a fridge with a constant set temp
than be in a greenhouse in traffic!

Now I knew there was an electric powered alternative for the cooling system pump, but I never
knew there was an electric powered alternative for the A/C compressor!
http://globaldensoproducts.com/climate- ... ompressor/

So here are a couple of questions

Does anybody know what vehicles these are fitted to(so people can raid the scrapyards for them)?

Does anybody have any experience of working with these 12v dc electric powered compressors?

Has anybody replaced the belt driven compressor with an electric powered one? or know a vehicle
that has had it done?

Since they are not in need of being belt driven they can be fitted anywhere and apart from the
condenser and the pipes which could be hidden. Would you retro fit your car with an electric powered
compressor driven A/C system?

Just something to think about while the weather changes and we are forced indoors and long for those
barmy days of summer! And if we do get higher temps in the UK with global warming(yeah right rain!)
we might be needing it or it could be something for the pc mag to do an article about.

[JPB]

Your best bet for 12V refrigeration gear is someone like that big camping and caravan place on Sandy Lane (by Gosforth Park race course). There's also one at Clifton Caravans, just off the A1 Northbound by Morpeth. These provide parts for DIY teardrop and camper builders so must be worth looking out.
There's probably a similar company closer to you but I rarely get off the 19 when I'm that far south so haven't had cause to find out such things.

[Mitsuru]

Thanks John, I was using myself as an example in this case but the ideas and thoughts
behind my original post is to get people thinking and discussing it as I have never heard
it even being mentioned on any forum!

And there are quite a few people out there who would like a/c put into their car or who are
doing engine swaps and don't have the space to keep the compressor running off the belt.

[TerryG]

Do you have a mechanical PAS pump? it may be easier to swap that for the A/C compressor and fit electric PAS. That is on many different cars so could be found in a scrappy fairly easily.

[Mitsuru]

Terry that would come back to the space needed issue! A power steering pump is thin while
an a/c compressor may need the same pulley space the compressor unit behind it is about 6
to 8 times the longer and far wider body makes it harder to find a suitable location.

Hence the thread, times change and stuff that is made now can run rings around something
made in the early 80's and a lot of water has passed under the bridge in 30 years!

Which is why we need to visit the fountain of knowledge every once in a while, or be left in the
past ourselves. Just look at household light bulbs and how much they have changed in the last
5 to 10 years!(I wish they would make it clear on the packaging what the bulb is equivalent too
in old wattage comparison!)

[JPB]

Not just a space issue though I understand why it is in your Neon's case, the power steering pump needs to run constantly, that's its nature but having an aircon compressor running and giving the engine a constant load (nigh enough constant, the larger the engine the nearer) will obviously be less efficient than engaging an electrically driven device to do the same job but only when it's required.
I would mention that my Mexican modern uses an electric aircon compressor but that would probably elicit the usual negativity and ignorance toward the breed so instead I'll cite the electric aircon compressor found in newer examples of other modern cars, including some that are built in Belgium.

[TerryG]

I am not in any way anti modern technology. The A/C compressor in my focus is about 1.5x longer than the PAS in my RR and more or less the same diameter if you include the housing. The pulley sizes are drastically different so the modern one appears to need to spin faster.
Call some scrappies and see what the cost of a complete electronic A/C system and weigh it up against swapping the location of some components (alternator, etc) to fit a mechanical one in.
Couple of other things to check:
Type of gas used by a modern system, will it work with the factory a/c unit in your car?
Does an electronic compressor need a controller? If so does it speak to the CAN bus in a specific car?
How many amps does it draw and does your system have enough spare?
As you don't have enough space for a mechanical compressor, do you have enough suitable space for an electronic one?

[kstrutt1]

You might find something at a van breakers, they use them on some refridgerated vans.

[mr rusty]

Firstly, do you REALLY need aircon! its possibly the most useless add on I could imagine for any car....if t is something you really must have, dig around in 'car mechanics' mag archive, I have a vague recollection of them fitting an aftermarket aircon kit to an Alfa, but it was years ago!

personally I just leave the hood down unless it's snowing!

[Mitsuru]

Rusty some of us do have one or two(in my case a hell of a lot more) health issues, and
add in age as a factor in some cases This tends make us suited to a narrower range
of temperatures especially when you tend not to travel far from your home area.

An example my brother has lived in Southampton for 10+ years now and what my parents
call stifling hot he considers normal when my parents visit him. And when he comes back
up here to the North East it can be a nice t-shirt and shorts day for us but bloody cold for
him!

So air conditioning is a must for some

'car mechanics' mag archive, I have a vague recollection of them fitting an aftermarket aircon
kit to an Alfa, but it was years ago!

Now that is the information we do need!!!

A soft top you jammy git!!!!!! But yours is a manual so that rules it out for my family
I have this topic running on a couple of forums to get a good wide breadth of knowledge and
ideas on this subject. So if something comes up I will pass it onto the other forums

here's a bit of info from an american EV company

http://www.revoltev.com/2013/08/02/the- ... -solution/

Basically i think the compact denso units as used in the prius are the only available real option
for diy projects on a budget, but even then the load could be a problem.

Another system i found, which is not based on refrigerants, like conventional aircons and
refrigerators, but on peltier elements, commonly used in processor cooling and 12v
refrigerators (camping coolers). These have limited cooling and heating capacity but are much
easier and almost unbreakable.

a supplier:
http://www.top-cool.eu/products

and a manual for fitting these into a car:
http://www.top-cool.eu/component/phocad ... -car-airco

Basically remove heater from engine, fit a second radiator or aircon rad, attach pipes to heater
and aircon rad, install peltier element and two 12v pumps and electrical stuff and aircon is added
to your classic car.

With cheap peltier bits and heatsink stuff you could easily build something like this, and build it
into your center console:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/2 ... 56442.html