does air conditioning reduce mpg?
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Consumer Report put several cars to the test and published their findings in their Gas-savings Tips and Myths yths article. Since the AC system relies on the vehicle's engine for power, it only makes sense that the fuel economy goes down when you turn the air up.
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The short answer is “yes,'' but a longer explanation is in order. While manufacturers of aftermarket performance products claim tuners can add 3-4 mpg, the actual savings, if any, largely depends on how and where you drive. By definition, performance products are designed to increase engine output.
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Energy efficiency: The ductwork required for many traditional AC systems generally increases energy expenditures. Heat exchange in the air duct system leads to loss of energy. Since split system air conditioners do not require a duct network, there is little room for energy loss.
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Air conditioners can negatively impact the environment in the same way that other machines that burn fossil fuels do: by emitting harmful by-product gases into the atmosphere. ... In fact, some studies predict that by 2050, roughly 25 percent of global warming will be caused by air conditioning.
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Using the AC in your car does lower your car's fuel efficiency by an average of 3 miles per gallon depending on the age and size of your car. AC lowers your fuel efficiency because it is diverting energy from the engine to power the car.
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Car air conditioning is a system within your car that allows you to cool the interior air of the vehicle in hot weather, providing for a cooler environment for the occupants. Air conditioning now comes as standard in almost all newly produced cars and is a feature that most car owners have come to expect.
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In our AC tests, we measure how long it takes a portable air conditioner to lower the temperature in the test chamber from 90° F to 85° F. It takes at least 20 minutes—and often much longer. By comparison, the best window air conditioners can cool the room by 10° F in about 15 minutes or less.
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It's generally less efficient. Portable air conditioners often take more BTUs — and therefore use more electricity — to cool the same square foot space as a window unit. This is likely because they generate waste heat indoors instead of outside, creating more overall heat for the unit to deal with.
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Air is free at QuikTrip. Remember that keeping your tires properly inflated can improve gas mileage by up to 3%.
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Most vehicles don't need refrigerant to be added more than every few years unless there's a leak somewhere in the system. Once your AC has been topped off, your car should provide icy cold air for several seasons.
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That in turn means more emissions and even hotter temperatures. That feedback loop exists at a local level too. Air-conditioning units funnel heat outside, exacerbating the so-called “urban heat island” effect, which makes cities warmer than the countryside.
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Using the AC in your car does lower your car's fuel efficiency by an average of 3 miles per gallon depending on the age and size of your car. ... If you're driving at high speeds, leaving your windows down can actually lower your fuel efficiency more than using your AC would.
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An air-conditioning (a/c) system can increase fuel consumption by up to 20% because of the extra load on the engine. The actual load depends on the vehicle's interior size, the outdoor temperature and other conditions.
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How does air conditioning work? ... When the air conditioning system is switched on, the gas travels to a condenser. Fresh air from outside the vehicle passes over the condenser and the temperature of the gas drops quickly and causes the refrigerant to liquefy.
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Most vehicle manufacturers recommend that you service or regas your car's air conditioning system every 1-2 years. There are some vehicles with air con units that can go for more than five years without needing to be regassed. That being said, it is recommendable that you service the unit due to the compressor.
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It's generally less efficient. Portable air conditioners often take more BTUs — and therefore use more electricity — to cool the same square foot space as a window unit. ... For example, a 10,000 BTU window unit will cool 450 square feet, but a 10,000 BTU portable AC unit will cool only 300 square feet. It could get loud.
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Car air conditioning is a system within your car that allows you to cool the interior air of the vehicle in hot weather, providing for a cooler environment for the occupants. ... They all work together moving a substance called refrigerant through a high pressure/low pressure closed-loop system.