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How do you get A/C to act like a Gen 2 Prius?

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Main Forum' started by nategold, Mar 26, 2016.

  1. nategold

    nategold Member

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    In my Gen 2 Prius when you turn on the A/C on auto, recirculated air is used until the temperature and fan speed is low enough, and then outside air is used. This is what I want in the Gen 4. But on the 1 day that I used A/C here in Boston, it stayed with recirculated air. Auto obviously changes fan speed.

    There are 2 knobs to turn. On p 758 of the manual, one is user selectable which is switching between outside air and recirculated air mode linked to A/C auto switch operation. That one is on by default and if you turn it off you won't get recirculated air at all. The other can only be done by the dealer and says A/C auto switching operation. It is off by default, and I have no idea what this does if it is on.

    Does anyone in a warmer climate know how to get the A/C to do what I want?
     
    #1 nategold, Mar 26, 2016
  2. aurelio

    aurelio Member

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    Why do you want it that way? It doesn't seems logical.

    When you use recirculating air, you are cooling previously cooled air, so the AC system works less and better, and as side effect you also don't smell external odors like others car exhausts.

    If AC system takes air from outside, the temperature gradient with the interior will be higher and you will have to cool down the air way more.
     
    #2 aurelio, Mar 26, 2016
    alanclarkeau likes this.
  3. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Don't turn on ECO Heat/Cool.
     
    #3 Tideland Prius, Mar 26, 2016
  4. nategold

    nategold Member

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    I do want recirculated air at first, but when the temperature gets down and the fan speed gets down I want fresh air from the outside.
     
    #4 nategold, Mar 26, 2016
  5. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    I've never seen that on any car - mine is manual a/c though, and I start with it on "fresh", and turn to "recirculate" once it's approaching the target temperature. That's what the owners manual says to do.
     
    #5 alanclarkeau, Mar 26, 2016
  6. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    The Prius always had automatic climate control, even the 1st generation.
     
    #6 Tideland Prius, Mar 26, 2016
  7. alanclarkeau

    alanclarkeau Senior Member

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    Sorry - I was referring to non-Prius - to the general principle of cooling a car effectively.
     
    #7 alanclarkeau, Mar 27, 2016
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