Disable ac on startup

[carpingtaz]

Is there a way to disable the ac from running when i start the car
at hot/cold temps?
Thanx for any help

[rwb]

Indeed it is a little irritating.
We mentioned this recently but didn't reach a conclusion.

[Welly]

I think it switches the AC on if you leave the climate in 'Auto', it might not do it if you use manual fan speed but that's a bit crap really.

You are stuck with switching it off every time you hop in.

[steve_earwig]

I'm pretty sure it sets itself to auto anyway if there's a big difference to what it's set to and the ambient temperature. Or something. Leave it alone anyway, unless you want condensation inside the BSI...

It's one of the things I like about the toy otter (the other two being a good handbrake and decent lights), the air con has an off button and once off it don't come back on, nor does condensation form everywhere (but that might be because it's a draughty piece of s##t)

[scotty73]

I've not found out how to switch it off auto so since someone on here told me last week about the risk of condensation getting in the bsi i've let it do what it likes.

[OdinEidolon]

Mine does what it wants, sometimes it turns on by itself on turning the car on, sometimes it doesn't.

[Doggy]

I turn mine off, except when I want it on.

I am not convinced of the benefit of 'dehumidifying' in cold weather, as all the moisture winds up back on the windows when you park it, (which is kind of inevitable as they will become colder than the evaporator at some point, or am I missing something)?

[Busman]

Why do you want to disable it on starting? It does that its self. If you listen after it starts, you'll hear the clutch kick in.

[carpingtaz]

Why do you want to disable it on starting? It does that its self. If you listen after it starts, you'll hear the clutch kick in.

Just like the old school way of doing it. it heats up quickly anyway
dont like everything kicking in just like to do it myself
dont really use the ac is there a fuse i could pull ?

[Welly]

I turn mine off, except when I want it on.

I am not convinced of the benefit of 'dehumidifying' in cold weather, as all the moisture winds up back on the windows when you park it, (which is kind of inevitable as they will become colder than the evaporator at some point, or am I missing something)?

Bang on Doggy! actually what happens is the moisture collected on the evaporator and drip tray gets vaporised by the heater matrix which then 'drops out' again on the cold windscreen when you walk away so in effect you're adding moisture to the interior - a bit like leaving a soaking towel in the footwell. Sure the a/c takes away the condensation but it can't get rid of it all to outside using the drain tube alone.

In winter most of the moisture carried in the air outside has fallen out onto the ground so the humidity is very low - this is perfect for demisting once heated a bit. I never run my a/c in the winter and my windows never steam up.

[steve_earwig]

I've never seen the car fog up when parked but ac cars always fog up if it's cold & you don't use the ac when you're driving. The thing to avoid would be the condensation from the evaporator boiling off & condensing on anything cold inside the car, be that windows, your sunglasses or any circuit board.

I do remember turning the ac off in my first winter driving the D9 and having condensation running down the inside of the windscreen...

[OdinEidolon]

I've never seen the car fog up when parked but ac cars always fog up if it's cold & you don't use the ac when you're driving. The thing to avoid would be the condensation from the evaporator boiling off & condensing on anything cold inside the car, be that windows, your sunglasses or any circuit board.

I do remember turning the ac off in my first winter driving the D9 and having condensation running down the inside of the windscreen...

I always turn it off and never had any kind of condensation problem... I have to say that from this point of view the 406 is just perfect.

[steve_earwig]

Perhaps I need to check under the carpets...

Hold on, the only car I had with ac that didn't do this was the first BX and that was mainly 'cos it was broke

[OdinEidolon]

Perhaps I need to check under the carpets...

Hold on, the only car I had with ac that didn't do this was the first BX and that was mainly 'cos it was broke

Well I have to say that in Britain it's for sure less dry than it is here.
EDIT: well, but not in Croatia... who knows. I have a magic 406

[Welly]

But there's the issue, you turn on the a/c in winter - the moisture that collects in the evaporator box sits there and when you leave it fogs the windscreen because the windscreen is really cold on the outside. You then need to run the a/c to get rid of the condensation - this becomes a deadly cycle if you like.

I don't run my a/c and I have no condystation problems.

The only time I would see this 'dehumidifying' as a benefit would be when 4 people jump in the car with wet clothes on a coldish day. The rapid demisting would be useful, temporarily.

I might carry out an experiment with my digital hygrometer to compare a/c on or off to see what goes, it has a recordable Max & Min memory so would be interesting.

The dehumidification of summer air is welcomed as it helps our skin vaporise sweat and therefore cool, you're unlikely to get a foggy screen in summer because it's too warm out there.