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A/c Clutch in the Winter

jimmydaux

jimmydaux

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Centerville, Utah
Is there any reason why my ac clutch should be cycling about once a minute without using the a/c? Its butt cold out and im using the heater. Is there any problem with me removing the fuse so it cant start up? Does the heater require the a/c pump to run to pull the moisture out of the air? Im just lookin to save on the gas anywhere I can and the a/c pump is an obvious drain on the tank, however insignificant it really is.

Jeremy
 
The AC should cycle on and off when you have the defroster selected... but don't think it should when the heat is selected. I would not recommend removing the fuse for the AC... but lets hear w/others have to say.
 
For long life, the compressor should be run regularly. If you don't the lubrication can drain and you can get corrosion, causing a compressor failure. The AC is used to dehumidify the vehicle interior, cutting down o fogged up windows.
 
I agree that regular running is a good thing. The seals will dry out if not run and then you will loose the refridgerant. Just minimize the use of the defrost setting to save gas.
 
it's normal becuase it still help draw mosture out of the air so your windows don't fog as easily. leave it alone....
 
Your first post referred to the heater and I assume you were referring to the selector being on the "defrost" setting as opposed to the "heat" setting (Redsnake referred to this). The compressor should not be running while on the "heat" setting, at least on XJ models I am familiar with.

WRT gas mileage, I know that "all Jeeps are different" but mine show no significant difference in mpg with or without the AC in summer or winter so I can't imagine that using the defrost in a typical season would affect your mileage that much. Of course your winter is WAY different than mine. In any event I don't like the AC competing with the heat so I switch from the defrost setting as soon as I no longer need the defrost/defog feature. I assume that is what most people do but don't know that for a fact.
 
Well I was thinking that I didnt have it on defrost when this was happening, but with a bit more thought realized that it may have been on the floor/defrost combined setting. Im not sure exactly. Ill have to pay attention and see if it cycles when just on vent or just on heat. I figured it would have to do with pulling the moisture out, but it just seemed strange that it cycled so often. Thanks for the input guys.

Jeremy
 
Yep, normal.

Floor or vent will keep it off.
 
I know it's supposed to run occasionally for the sake of the seals, but I still disconnect mine in winter. I hate to have the AC running when I'm trying to defrost at near-zero temps, and the AC multi-level positions give much more heat than the heat positions, too. In addition, when it's cool but not freezing, using AC for defrost makes the window fog up faster when it goes off, so you end up having to run it constantly. Heat-only defogging takes longer, but it stays clear after you shut it off. One of these days I'll get around to putting in a switch, so I don't have to go under the hood and unplug/replug the pressure switch.
 
The defroster kicks the compressor on to dry the humidity out of the defrost air. It blows dryer air on the glass to speed defrosting. Disconnecting it only serves to lengthen the time it takes to defrost the glass.

Wait till it rains and see how clear your windshield stays. Kinda like having a bad heater core and blowing wet air on the glass.
 
Matthew Currie said:
I agree it works very quickly, but if it's cooling the air at the same time, it makes the windshield dry and cold. As soon as you shut it off, it fogs up again worse than before. It's like an addiction.
Click to expand...
I don't have that problem.
 
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