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Change auto AC's default fan speed?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by toolbox2014, Mar 25, 2015.

  1. toolbox2014

    toolbox2014 Junior Member

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    Each time I turn on the A/C, the fan seems automatically to be in the highest position even though the inside and outside temperature is only one or 2 degrees apart. Can this be changed? I know I can manually slow the fan down but seems like i have to do that every time I start the AC.
     
    #1 toolbox2014, Mar 25, 2015
    Last edited: Mar 25, 2015
  2. wickedpsi

    wickedpsi Junior Member

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    i find this annoying as well. hopefully there is a solution
     
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    i never use auto, just for that reason. would be great to have it default to 2 or 3 bars.
     
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Try raising the target temperature a degree or two. Or three. 'Till the fan speed falls back. As the car cools (and it will, even with moderately high temp set) drop the target temp incrementally, not so much that the fan races, until you reach some kind of balance.

    I find 24C good, what's that in Fahrenheit, 72?
     
  5. Paradox

    Paradox Prius Enthusiast / Moderator
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  6. toolbox2014

    toolbox2014 Junior Member

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    I find the target temp has nothing to do with the fan speed. For example, the fan was went full speed when I pressed the "auto A/C" button this morning when the target temp was 72° F and the interior temp was 73°F
     
  7. drysider

    drysider Active Member

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    Try Auto in ECO mode.
     
  8. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk Senior Member

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    Raise the target temp to 76~78F. Yeah, I know makes no sense, but humour me. And trust me: it'll still be cooling. Raise target temp enough and the fan speed will go down. Play with the target temp until it does. Then as the climate stabilizes start bumping the target temp down.
     
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  9. Easy Rider 2

    Easy Rider 2 Senior Member

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    And I think you are absolutely totally wrong in saying that.
    It may not change at exactly the points you think it should but it will change.

    And I have never noticed that "problem" with my C......or any other car for that matter.
    I sometimes think the fan should be running FASTER, not slower.......and I can get it to do that with a slight adjustment of the target temp.
     
  10. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    What are you using to read interior temp?
     
  11. DoubleDAZ

    DoubleDAZ Senior Member

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    JD posted a good question. The temp on the display is the ambient outside temp, not the interior temp. So, if it read 73, the interior temp was probably a few to several degrees higher resulting in a high fan speed with the auto set to 72. I've had no problems with the auto setting. It comes on high when the temp diff is great and low when it isn't. I assume you don't have the defroster on, that always comes on high, at least in my experience the few times I've had to use it.
     
  12. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    Anyone who knows anything about air conditioning, knows that the fan must circulate air through the evaporator at a certain CFM rate or the evaporator may frost over.

    So, that is why the fan is programmed automatically for a higher speed.
     
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    but in manual, it allows you low fan speed.
     
  14. CR94

    CR94 Senior Member

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    Right. Even if you're not confusing interior with exterior temperature, and are using an accurate thermometer, it makes a big difference where you're measuring the interior temperature, because of solar radiiation in the daytime.
     
  15. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    can't you read the interior with an obd II?
     
  16. Mike500

    Mike500 Senior Member

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    Correct... The compressor just cycles off more often, and it will take a lot longer for the interior to cool down.

    You wouldn't want a block of ice in the evaporator. It's basic air conditioning; NO need to explain it in complicated thermodynamics.
     
  17. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    gotcha.(y) i kick mine on manually, start with a fan speed that suits my cooling patience, then slowly bring it down.
     
  18. Christian_cool

    Christian_cool Junior Member

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    Mine also did it. I used the downloaded app "Carista" to configure the sensitivity temperature so the fan speed is lower.
     
  19. macman408

    macman408 Electron Guidance Counselor

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    Minor detail: The Prius uses a variable-speed compressor, it's not cycling on and off.

    Also, I've tested it by manually setting the temperature to the minimum and the fan speed to the lowest, and watching the compressor power on a ScanGauge; the compressor stays at full power, even though very little air is moving. Maybe there's something else that prevents it from icing up, but it doesn't kick in right away.
     
  20. qdllc

    qdllc Senior Member

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    I'd say live with it.

    If the outside temp is COLDER but the sun is out, the temperature in the AC unit may be high enough to make it think it needs the blower on high speed. As soon as the temperature drops in the AC vents, it will adjust automatically. This is all perfectly normal.