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So are you liking your solar sunroof and what temp effects are you seeing?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by windstrings, Sep 9, 2009.

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  1. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    As I left this morning to work in the dark, it was only about 73 degrees outside so I opened my sunroof and while driving down the road I looked up and saw the 3/4 moon overhead crystal clear with all the stars around shining down in my car. I then realized how cool this was!

    After experimenting with it I discovered as long as no windows are down, you can open all the way to 3/4 open with virtually no air turbulence in the car and it doesn't even mess with your hair!... Of course if I had more, that may be different!

    However, if you open it all the way "and" open all the windows, you will vacuum out your car... so better tie down everything and squint your eyes so no dirt gets in them! :eek:

    1. I see no MPG loss that I can detect when open.. even up to 80mph.

    2. Currently, I am using the vent mode when my car sits in the hot sun all day. Today, it was 91 degrees outside and I had all windows shut as well as the sunroof and the inside cover and a front reflective visor.... when I went to lunch, the vents were blowing and it was 106 degrees inside.
    Thats a 15 degree difference from inside verses out. Normally when I go to lunch, it will be between 140 and 150 degrees inside and you can barely breathe.

    I can actually sit in the car and tolerate the heat without instantly perspiring all over the place....opps.. I mean "sweat".. only women perspire!
     
    #1 windstrings, Sep 9, 2009
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  2. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    I think the sunroof suck the big one
    The Hollandia installed aftermarket in my pickup truck is 100X better
    The Prius sunroof is noise:eek:
    Probably since it goes on top of the roof instead of inside it
    There is no auto close when you turn the car off
    On the Hollandia you have 5 buttons switch.
    one to tilt up , open and closed
    the 2 arrow button the move the roof back and forward

    I do like the ventilation part of the solar roof and it does look cool with the black roof
    I also like the light it allows to come in with the roof closed
     
    #2 Airbalancer, Sep 9, 2009
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Love it! I agree, at the first open position, there's minimal turbulence and noise. Also, it works well even this far north and this late in the summer. 30°C and I can sit in the car and stay cool (not recommended!!! It was only an experiment) without a sunshade. So far, I've never had to get into a furnace. I haven't used the Remote A/C function yet.
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
  4. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    #4 Airbalancer, Sep 9, 2009
  5. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I haven't seen any car at this price that auto-closes the moonroof when the car is switched off. I don't know if the LS even does that??
     
    #5 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    LOL I love how we're just quoting each other at the same time haha
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
  7. patflanagan

    patflanagan New Member

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    Not only do I like it when it is open but I never shut the cloth cover and always have the sun shining in through the sunroof glass. I t gives me a more open feeling. I do agree when the windows are open and the sunroof open my hair looks like I have wings from being sucked upwards
     
    #7 patflanagan, Sep 9, 2009
  8. MaggieMay

    MaggieMay Active Member

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    I agree - it is remarkably quiet. I haven't noticed any difference in MPG - if there is one, I don't want to know - don't want to feel guilty about opening it up. Personally I'd rather bundle up and feel the fresh air - especially in the fall! In the summer, I have really enjoyed that little fan running when I get in the car and not have the blast furnace affect. To Airbalancer's dis, my 10 year old Saab had auto open/close sunroof and poking at the Prius' open button three times is a teeny bit annoying.

    I've been a bit of a dope about the remote AC. My keyfob is buried somewhere deep in my purse - honestly - I've only seen it a couple of times since I got the car. So I never think to dig around for it just to turn on the AC 5 seconds before I get to the car and turn it on manually. In a couple of months I'll really wish it was remote heat. ;)
     
    #8 MaggieMay, Sep 9, 2009
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  9. dogllama

    dogllama New Member

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    I dig the sunroof. Nice to have the car a bit cooler on a hot day. I don't drive too much with it open, but I like to leave the cover back for an open feel.

    I wish it was a bit more functional. Seems like a waste of energy to just use the cells for A/C while the car is parked. I would like it to help with my battery too, however minimal that might be.

    In my experience the remote A/C isn't very useful. By the time you get close enough to your car to use it, the 15 secs of air does very little to cool the car down. I guess if you don't mind sitting outside and waiting a while before getting in, but I'd rather be in my car.

    Had a troubling experience with my sunroof the other day. I parked with a nearly full battery and when I came back I had only 2 bars. Not sure why or if it is related, but I am going to start monitoring my energy before and after to see if it is secretly sucking battery juice to keep the vents running.
     
    #9 dogllama, Sep 9, 2009
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  10. Pugsy

    Pugsy New Member

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    I've only had my car 3 days but so far I'm loving the SR. The moonroof is the quietest I've ever had, something I didn't expect.

    I drove out into the desert to visit my parents, and left the car outside with the ventilation on. Normally getting into the car in the desert would be like stepping into a furnace. You can't even breathe because of the heat, it hurts your lungs. I was pleasantly surprised to find that, while hot, it wasn't choking hot when I got in the car about 2 pm.

    As for mileage, I guess I'm not a good judge because I've only got about 350 miles on my car, but so far I'm averaging 51.6. I figure that's not bad for this being my first hybrid.
     
    #10 Pugsy, Sep 9, 2009
  11. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    Had a troubling experience with my sunroof the other day. I parked with a nearly full battery and when I came back I had only 2 bars. Not sure why or if it is related, but I am going to start monitoring my energy before and after to see if it is secretly sucking battery juice to keep the vents running.

    We leave it in ventaltion mode all the time, could this be the reason why the gas motor is always starting up when we leave the driveway and going slow mmmm
     
    #11 Airbalancer, Sep 9, 2009
  12. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    Wow I don't know for a fact, but I can't see why there would be "any" circuit tie in at all relating one to the other "of so, lets use it to charge!.... LOL!" because the vents will "never" run if the direct sun is not hitting the panels.

    Be sure your car is completely dark when you lock your car at night to rule out whether a light is left on somewhere.

    --------------

    I agree about the remote A/C.. I'm gonna do some experiementing to see just how far I can set the remote A/C off from... I'm in an elevated building and my office is about 400ft from my car, but up 3 stories so the elevation may help.. if not, that feature is not much use.. but it came with the car, so I'm not complaining.

    I do wish the solar roof button had a tiny led on it.. its hard to find in the dark while driving... I guess in time I'll learn to find it by feel.

    As far as the button, I'm assuming Toyota had a third party make these.. if not, the same technology that goes into the car window could have worked fine for these too IMO... that way you could pull or push the switch fully to engage an auto shut or open function.
     
    #12 windstrings, Sep 9, 2009
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  13. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    LOL!.. your quite refreshing.... welcome to the forum!.... you will be reading about 6 months before you finally start thinking your beginning to know what all this marvelous car does.
    An excellent place to start is John's website.
    as he has one of the best collections of knowledge in one place I know about.

    The solar ventilation circuitry should not be linked to anything else in any way, at least that I'm aware of.

    The engine starts simply to get the car up to a warm operating temp so it will have good emissions. However, if you hit "EV" soon enough before it starts and only go slow and don't punch the gas, you can run on electricity for a little while.. if you go to fast or accelerate too much it will kick out..and the engine or (ICE, "internal combustion engine") will turn on anyway.
    Without changing the subject, the GenIII makes it much easier to run off the battery and heats up much faster by connecting the water from the ICE to the catalytic converter and runs it back up negating the need for the ICE to run so long to warm things up.

    Again, I don't think there is any relation at all to this and why your 12Volt accessory battery ran down.
    BTW.. that 12V battery is not as big as normal car batteries because all its really used for is to boot up the computer and run light accessories... all the big stuff runs off the main traction battery that keeps the 12V battery charged too through an inverter.. once the car is turned on.
     
    #13 windstrings, Sep 9, 2009
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  14. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I doubt it. I had the car parked last week in 30°C weather for 3 days in a row with the ventilation running. I can creep out of the lot in EV/stealth mode (Not EV Drive Mode)
     
    #14 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
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  15. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    LOL!.. you just opened up another can of worms!
     
    #15 windstrings, Sep 9, 2009
  16. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    No relation. They are not connected.

    Tom
     
    #16 qbee42, Sep 9, 2009
  17. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    No I didn't. You just decided to link the firm and well-shaped to creeping out the lot =Þ
     
    #17 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
  18. Airbalancer

    Airbalancer Active Member

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    :focus: what was the topic again :D
     
    #18 Airbalancer, Sep 9, 2009
  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    something about heat and sweat and stars shining down on his car :D
     
    #19 Tideland Prius, Sep 9, 2009
  20. windstrings

    windstrings Certified Prius Breeder

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    creeping out?... I wasn't talking about my stomach!
     
    #20 windstrings, Sep 9, 2009
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