Electric AC compressor

[poboyjo65]

Has any body tried one or know anything about them?

http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance- ... 0/10002/-1

Makes me wonder if there is a way of using a cheaper one from something used.

[lavron]

What would be the purpose? To save room? Or does it use less HP to run?

Certainly would have to be cheaper for me, but the compressor looks like one of the small ones like are in window air units for homes, not sure if they run on 120 ac or 12 volts dc that has been reduced by a transformer? Might one thing the control box does is transform up to 120?

See Ya,
Mike

[poboyjo65]

Yea the HP loss, MPG loss, save room , see more motor ,but mainly the aggravation of installing a compressor, & it's mounts with adding another belt & having enough room to put it in. but I'm certainly not paying 1200 bucks !! maybe these will get cheaper some day.

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

Having been an AC tech for over FORTY years,I can see a LOT of issues with this,where to mount it [trunk],run refer lines,condenser coil,filter/dryer,evap coil,controls and wiring [plus updating of power supply] .I'm not sure about this whole setup,yes,it would clean up the engine bay,but at what costs? JMO , ROY.

[poboyjo65]

That is the biggest problem, the cost. but like electric power steering, maybe new cars will switch to this style someday & if they do then retro fitting them in old rides will soon follow. a few years ago we wouldn't have dreamed about electric PS yet today it is in many new cars & now some old ones.

Roy if you click on the link,then click on the instructions it says put it where constant air circulates on it & has it's own control box,shows normal looking hoses.My thought was to put it between the grill & rad support. I'd think everything else would be as normal in a car, condenser in front of rad & evap in or under dash. yea a bigger alt would be needed. I dont think this is for me,I dont know enough about AC, but just wondered if anyone have ever seen one in action.

[Comechero65]

Also being an ac tech person I also don't see much advantage to switching to a dc powered ac system. Puts a huge demand on the electrical system both battery and charging system. Maybe they have it worked out on todays electric cars but on the hybrids it's probably still old school. What's worked all these years still seems to be working. Not worth the expense to change.
Ron

[poboyjo65]

Also being an ac tech person I also don't see much advantage to switching to a dc powered ac system. Puts a huge demand on the electrical system both battery and charging system. Maybe they have it worked out on todays electric cars but on the hybrids it's probably still old school. What's worked all these years still seems to be working. Not worth the expense to change.
Ron

So it would draw more than EPS? or elec fan? more than a bigger alt could handle?

[ants875]

They already are using these, the prius has had them since the start since the engine only runs when needed and they do wor very well. I think they are a great idea for a hot rod like mine where I don't have a ton of space to mount and run a traditional system.

As an Auto tech who has done a lot of a/c work it's not as big a deal as some of you might think. High amp alternators are very common so that's not a real issue. I'm not sure about the ones your looking at but one thing u know about the prius is they take a special oil and you cannot mix them, has to do with it not being flammable.

Ant

[poboyjo65]

They already are using these, the prius has had them since the start since the engine only runs when needed and they do wor very well. I think they are a great idea for a hot rod like mine where I don't have a ton of space to mount and run a traditional system.

As an Auto tech who has done a lot of a/c work it's not as big a deal as some of you might think. High amp alternators are very common so that's not a real issue. I'm not sure about the ones your looking at but one thing u know about the prius is they take a special oil and you cannot mix them, has to do with it not being flammable.

Ant

This is what I wanted to know,,if anyone has been around them. Thanks for the input Ant! So it sounds like this may be a possibility of working, if we could figure out the best way to make it work. I saw some of the prius ones used on ebay for 125 -200$ .so getting one from a junkyard or used from ebay or where ever would be key to being affordable.
Fan clearance is my main reason for looking for a different type compressor. my motor is happy where it is, it wont go back anymore & I really dont want to deal with another belt, or having a big compressor on top of the motor,right in the way. I think a person could make this a more out of site ac system, keep the hoses over to the side or behind the apron & compressor behind the grill .
It would be nice to have AC by next year.

[Comechero65]

The one posted said 30 amps which is not great but still a heavy load. My eps probably never draws that much except when sitting still and trying to park. Probably draws more like 5 to 10 amps if that much most of the time while in motion. The larger alts available today should not be a problem.
The units installed in prius and others probably more effecient and draw a lot less but they were probably engineered that way.
Probably in time most cars will probably go that way.
Ron

[CALIFORNIA CALIENTE]

I do not see any positive reason for using this!! You would need a larger,more powerful electrical system,plus there is NO room between the grill and core support to mount ANYTHING!!Even if you could get a used one for $150 or so,how much would the rest cost,special refrigerant oil,special refrigerant,someone to plumb,evacuate and charge the system!! I just DO NOT see any point in this!! JMO , ROY.

[poboyjo65]

Ant if we could find a car with comp & a control box or what ever it takes to run it would solve the biggest problem. I think I could flush this underdash evap well enough to use, the condenser, dryer, expansion valve/orface & hoses would all be new . It may not be for everyone but for people who do not have room for a reg style comp it may be as easy as the EPS conversion someday if we could find the right donor car.

[lavron]

You guys need to pioneer this and document it (with pictures) for all the rest of us If it can be done cheap I have a bit of interest, but I have plenty of under hood space.

I will probably go with one of the aftermarket hidden systems. One of the few luxuries I am allowing myself on my Comet.

See Ya,
Mike

[poboyjo65]

Mike I will do it if it pans out. I'm not spending a bunch more than a regular system. but I would spend a little extra to be able to do it. right now I have an underdash unit only,which is evap & blower & need the hoses,comp ,ex.valve/orface & condenser,,, so I will pursue this somewhat, it doesn't cost anything to research it.

[Jims65cyclone]

Go for it John! What Ron was for EPS you can be for EAC! You know...."To boldly go where no Cometeer has gone before"! (Besides, I want to know if it works so I can add it to my list of to-do's along with the EPS. )
Jim