Lowest setting = heat?

[PerryA]

There were other discussions about temperature sensors and air conditioning, including one with a nearly scientific account of air temp measurements at the vent vs. ambient and outside air temp as I recall.

One of the conclusions of that thread was to pick a setting and let the car adjust the cabin temperature and then bring it down/up as desired. I believe one of the issues there was achieving a rapid cool down without keeping the car cold as ice. . .or having it cut off the a/c at a higher-than-desired temperature.

It will begin to heat if it thinks you need heat and then cut out when it senses it has reached the right (or nearly right) cabin temperature. Shifting the setting repeatedly seems the confuse the little fellow, so I suggest either the lowest setting (where nothing is on) or the notch above. Then leave it and don't open the windows or otherwise disturb the ambient temperature to see if you can find a comfortable setting.

[jediknight36]

Originally Posted by PerryA

It will begin to heat if it thinks you need heat and then cut out when it senses it has reached the right (or nearly right) cabin temperature. Shifting the setting repeatedly seems the confuse the little fellow, so I suggest either the lowest setting (where nothing is on) or the notch above. Then leave it and don't open the windows or otherwise disturb the ambient temperature to see if you can find a comfortable setting.

That's what I was trying to do. It was blowing cool air at a HIGHER temp setting than at the cooler setting (it was the last notch). I couldn't stand it!

[PerryA]

Well, I'm definitely perplexed, then. The thing I noticed in the a/c discussion was that it seemed like people got impatient and kept switching the setting and when that didn't work immediately, switching again.

It sounds like there are enough cases here that someone at Smart should have an answer.

[bigcritter]

The thing that I've noticed about mine is that it seems to be 'blended air', for lack of a better term! In other words, the heat, for instance, doesn't blow HOT and then shut off, and then blow HOT again, etc. It's not ON-OFF-ON-OFF. If I set my thermostat at 70 degrees, the air will be only slightly warm, then will get slightly cooler, and it will tend to maintain the temp at the same setting. It doesn't blow HOT unless it's REALLY cold inside the car, or if you set the thermostat all the way to the top. If you set it all the way up, for instance, it'll blow the hottest air available depending on your current water temp. Then..... if you immediately drop it down to 70 degrees, it'll blow cooler air for awhile, then warm up slightly when it gets close to the setting, but it WON'T blow HOT. The main thing seems to be pick a temperature, e.g. 70 degrees.......and leave it there for awhile until it adjusts to the ambient temp in the car, then it seems to keep it at that level. When I drive my wife's Aveo now, and I have to use the heat, I seem to be constantly searching for a comfortable setting, because the AIR coming out is either too HOT, or too COLD! I 'kinda like the way my smartie works, even though sometimes the air blowing on you doesn't seem to be as warm as maybe you'd like it, it does regulate the ambient temp and keep it where it's comfortable overall. If I've gotten a chill for some reason, and need to get warm quick, I just push it all the way to the top, and it'll blow HOT air until the ambient temp finally stabilizes to where it's set.

[Old smart]

Might be a small “re-heating system.” If the A/C has a constant output, it would have to keep cycling on-off-on-off-… with the compressor clutching in-and-out to maintain some mean temperature. On the heat side it is different, as a hot water valve can be open or closed or anywhere in between. It would be easier to regulate mixed air heat if the cold side operated continuously and the hot side adjusted the final air temperature.

That is how ships’ climate-control systems work when central, constantly operating A/C compressors and air handlers serve a number of compartments on a deck or watertight zone, and each individual compartment has a thermostatically controlled, variable re-heater in its discharge vent.

[chieftmc]

Originally Posted by bigcritter

....If I've gotten a chill for some reason, and need to get warm quick, ....

I just push the heated seat button

Ou La La