[FriendlyWombat]

Wonder if somebody could clear this up for me. I was always thought that air con lowered your mpg (anything from 5-15mpg)and it was best to leave off if you don’t need it.<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

However talking to somebody at work today, who is usually very clued up on this stuff, and he says thatany new air con system should be very efficient i.e., the design, and so the actual rate would be no more than 1 mpg.

So who’s right? Has the Juke got an efficient air con system? If what he says is true then why would the eco mode limit the level of air con?

Just a thought

 

[...]

use of anything electric in a car affects mpg i would assume however that as collegue states things are more efficient now not being currently in possession of my Juke i can only go by what i have read and heard but i do belive the climate control odes have an eco setting to use less energy

 

[olderjuke]

I've had my Juke for a week and have driven over 350miles mostly on eco setting with air con on most of the time and have averaged 41mpg

 

[iamdabe]

A/C will decrease your fuel economy fact, newer cars are going to be more efficient though due to advances in technology et all. The Juke has as a special 'economy air conditioning' mode which uses less petrol at the expense of A/C effectiveness.

Also as far as I'm aware A/C compressor is belt driven off the engine and not electric hence you can hear the *clunk* when you engage it. Again might be wrong here!

We've been running around for a week now in eco mode with AC off and our mpg is 36.5 this is all town driving.

 

[beachhuggy]

Technical bit here.. The air con pump pulley is constantly rotating by means of a drive belt of the engine, the clunk when you switch it on is an electro magnetic clutch being energised to pull the clutch onto the internal workings of the compressor and start the compressor pumping the refrigerant. Also A/C systems pump a mist of oil round with the refrigerant gas to keep o rings moist and stop them from cracking/shrinking. Even in the depths of winter it is very advisable to run the A/C for a while weekly to keep the o rings moist or they will dry out and come the first time you actually need it it may not work due to a loss fo refrigerant.

 

[FriendlyWombat]

Thanks for the info guys big help. While were on the subject what kind of MPG to you guys get on the motorway at 70mph? I've got the normal 1.6 petrol, 5 gear but please feel free to post anyway.