Does anyone have any info on a standalone AC kit. I dont want a compressor in the engine bay, I thought I saw something from Factory Air But after a quick google I couldnt find it. thanks

 

 

hahaha ya I dont think thats how I wanna do this, but thanks for the info I also found some decent stuff on the vintage air website but it still looks like you need a compressor running off the engine. - TOT

 

You mean something like this?


http://161.58.79.191/cgi-bin/SoftCar....cfg+090-00464

 

Just the good 'ole boys...

 

ya pretty much just like that but Im pretty sure that still requires a compressor running off the engine

 

Your probably not going to find an automotive ac unit that does not require an external compressor or condenser. The condenser gets freaking hot when in use so it has to be vented or mounted externaly. This requires a healthy pump.

If you do find one let us know I'd like to put one my my truck.

 

This is the closest thing i could find. I dont know much about them though. I think you are pretty much stuck with a compressor n the engine compartment.

http://www.hotrodair.com/pg2a.cfm

 

Well that sux:/ O well I guess ill just keep looking maybe I can fab something up

 

Im surprised noone has designed a peltier cooling system that could accomodate the amount of btus required to cool the compartment of a car.

Something similar to this.

http://www.melcor.com/ssair.html

 

exactly. the thing is those things draw a decent amount of power since the size we would need would be fairly large. I remember reading some guy only made a beer cooler with a cooling disk and it killed the batteries in like 5 mins. and that was just a real small disk. I guee ill have to do some more reading, Anybody know the cubic feet of airspace in a thirdgen?

 

Peltier coolers are hideously inefficient, the heat sink you'd need would probably weigh as much as the car.

 

thats what i was thinking, and heres the link about the beer
http://www.grynx.com/index.php/proje...r-beer-cooler/

 

Check this out. It doesnt look that far fetched. Looks like something thats being worked on.

http://www.amerigon.com/peltier-cooler.htm

I think lexus uses this technology already.

http://www.familycar.com/RoadTests/LexusLS430/Index.htm

 

I've actually seen those seat coolers available before. It was like $300-$400 I believe, I wish I remember where.

 

In order to get adiquate capacity, you have to have the engine drive the A/C compressor as it takes a good deal of power to move all that heat around. I guess you could use an electric compressor if you didnt mind having a couple extra alternators. Youd probably be talking something like 150 - 200A @ 12 volts to run a decent sized A/C unit that actually keeps the car cool in the summer.

 

Well...1 HP = 746 W or 51.8A @ 14.4V, assuming decent efficiencies (90%, from what I see in web searches). An alt with ~120A excess capacity will give you around 14A @ 110V. A small window A/C unit will probably draw ~8A @ 110V and put out ~6000 BTUs.

These are generalizations based upon actual specs turned up in web searches, but it looks possible and you'd only lose between 1 and 3 HP, by my estimates, due to the various losses in each system.

NOTE: I rounded the living crap out of my numbers so they are not too precise.

Would look funny, though...

 

I guess you could always break a house AC unit down and make it work behind the dash? only problem would be recharging it but I be it could be done with some modification.

 

The problem is how are you going to power it. Even the small unit in the above example would probably need in excess of 80A. An alternator would probably puke under the constant load. Itll be alot higher when you first start it and if the rotor in the compressor locks, itll possibly damage the alternator from the load. The easiest way to aircondition a car is, well, to use a standard belt driven compressor.

 

Ya but that would require me to either notch my frame to fit the AC compressor in or swap out to Vette accessories. and if I swap out the Vette stuff I cant use the Procharger I have.

 

Two-for-two. Ford must have the answer for A/C problems.

 

hahah that generator would come in handy!! lol

 

Just swap some peltier seats frm a junked luxury car and your set. I believe cadillac and a few other auto manufactures are using that system now.

 

then what am I going to do with my race seat? unless caddys had provisions for 5 points! although I bet I could strip the cooling system from the seat and install it in my seats. just have to make sure I get the right side up haha.

 

Have you heard of velocity based cooling? All you have to do is your windows when its hot. J/K.

All joking aside, if this is pretty much a race only then you may be stuck with no A/C.

 

well its not full race but it is race and will be raced often. and I dont need it to feeze the cabin just bring the temps to around 70 on those hot hot summer days. I didnt think a 15deg temp change would be that hard, what do they use in F1 and nascar? they have piping going into there suits dont they?

 

70 degrees on a hot, humid summer day is probably close to the design criteria of a stock A/C system. In the hot, humid weather the water is going to gobble up all the cooling when it condenses out on the coil with a small unit, if it manages to get cool enough to fall below the dewpoint, so it may take awhile to produce any noticable temp. drop.

 

hmmm the design point would have to be cooler, I was thinking around 50-60 but either way your right something big enough to get below the dewpoint would draw alot of juice. maybe I can find a smaller compressor that will work where the stock LT1 would have went, the thing is it would have to be about 4 inches shorter and thats pretty short.

 

Blower fans and cold suits. I'm sure in the future when NASCAR gets more wussified they will come up with a drive shaft driven AC unit.