2006-10-09 06:59:46 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Anything that imposes additional drag on the engine causing power to be diverted from the wheels will use up gas. Anything. Including headlamps. And the radio. And the heater fan. Now, whether it uses enough to have any sort of sizable financial impact will have to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
2006-10-09 07:03:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How does it work? A car's a/c takes warm (outside) air in, compresses it, then releases it into the cockpit of the vehicle. As the compressed air enters the interior of the car, it expands and cools off.
It creates a mechanical resistance to compress air. Try to squeeze a balloon to experience this first hand, or squish an empty plastic bottle with the cap tightly screwed on.
Many car a/c units have a bearing that are turned by an accessory belt. The pulley for the a/c unit is on a clutch. Turn your air on and off, and listen. You should be able to hear the clutch engage and disengage. If you can't hear it, pop your hood and watch it while someone else turns it on and off.
So, yeah, you need to use more gas while that clutch is engaged. How much is it really? You could measure how much gas you burn with it on and off, but I think for most cars this is not a very big deal in all practical senses. You're not going to burn 25% more gas (unless something is severely wrong w/ your car!).
2006-10-09 14:08:14 · answer #2 · answered by bigdogthepirate 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes; but the question is how much? Everything on your car uses gas, the lights, radio, a/c, power steering, power brakes, computer, etc. If it uses electricity it uses gas to generate electricity.
The real question is does the a/c use more gas than driving with the windows rolled down? In most cars the answer is yes. In some of the cars that get high mileage the answer is no. It is cheaper to use the a/c because at highway speeds there is more wind resistance with the windows down and that creates more drag on the car. This drag causes you to use more gas than you have to.
So the answer depends on what you drive and how fast you are driving.
2006-10-09 14:08:20 · answer #3 · answered by my_iq_135 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes your engine runs the a/c via your fan belt. When the a/c is engaged it requires some extra umph from the motor to turn the a/c units wheel which is where the unit gets it's power from. Notice that when the motor is of you can only run the fan not the a/c it's because the fan is electric the a/c unit is powered by your motor running. So when it's on your motor has more parts to move and thus needs more gas to move them. get it? got it? GOOD!
2006-10-09 14:14:03 · answer #4 · answered by brian L 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you turn on your ac unit in the car, a compressor pushes a gas through a couple of heat exchangers (one in the car to pull out heat and one in front of the radiator to get rid of the heat again) where both exchangers have fans to move the cold air/pull the heat from the exchanger.
If anyone tells you this can be done for free, I would like them to come by my house and install their system.
Any system in your car that is hooked up to the engine uses energy and energy equals gas. (excluding regenerative braking)
Some systems use little enough you'll never notice it (instrument lights, small radio) but it still uses energy.
Below certain speeds it is cheaper to run with open windows than with the ac, (see mythbusters) but that only works if it not too hot outside.
Proof for this would be doing the experiment: run a tank with and one without ac (turn it on full blast).
Another one would by renting one of the compact cars with AC, see how long it takes for 0-45 with and without AC on full blast.
2006-10-09 14:11:37 · answer #5 · answered by Don't look too close! 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its said that a modern AC unit takes about 5 horse power to run. It takes more horse power than that to overcome the drag caused by rolling down your windows. What little bit extra gas you use is worth the comfort in the summertime.
2006-10-09 14:33:39 · answer #6 · answered by Captleemo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My wife's four cylinder uses slightly more gas. But that is because it was designed to be aerodynamic even with the windows rolled down. My big a$s diesel truck doesn't use a bit more because it is more aerodynamic with the windows up. and with 460 horses of brute diesel torque, it doesn't even know when I turn the thing on. My truck has retard strength!
2006-10-09 14:14:07 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, engine has more rpms running when i run the air conditioner and I have a special volt meter than normally runs 14-15 with the air conditioner off and when it is on it hits 13-13.5 volts. That power is going to the air conditioner.
2006-10-09 14:30:00 · answer #8 · answered by trigunmarksman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When your air conditioning is in use it makes your car use more horse power to operate in what you feel are your normal parameters. (Try going up a hill with and then without your A/C on to test this.) This causes your engine to require more fuel. Therefore it affects your gas mileage.
2006-10-09 14:09:17 · answer #9 · answered by smoothie 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
¿Proof? Simple everyday run your' auto w/the Air Condition on!
And you'll notice. youare going to be buying gas more often!!
2006-10-09 14:13:08 · answer #10 · answered by alfonso 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋