DIY: Shutting off A/C during defrost mode
Si(R) killer # 1
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From: London, Ontario, Canada
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the reason the ac comes on automatically is because it dehumidifies the air, therefore it won't condense on the windhield. I can't imagine the heat cracking the winshield.
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From: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 0 Yeah stylze is right it comes on cause it helps take the moisture out of the air... thats the reason why you put on wondow defroster usually so this just helps that to work a little faster
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From: nebula, California, US
Rep Power: 0 it only condences because the hot air touches the cold windshield and causes condensation. You can either heat up the windsheild so that doesn't happen or you can use cold air and make the air inside the car colder than the winsheild and it will go away. Have you ever poored hot water on a car that has ice on the windsheild? It iwll crack the hell out of it!
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From: Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Rep Power: 0 Aslo the A/C come on so that when you turn the car on the pump for that runs... so that if in the winter when you wouldnt use it the motor doesnt seize... or become so unused that it just doesnt work... lots of you are complaining about that... but really Hondas more or less just trying to help....
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From: Northern Virginia
Rep Power: 318 This is great. I also use the defroster for heating up my car. I don't like warm air blowing directly toward me, but don't wanna reposition my vents every season. the cool air feels great in the summer [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] thanks for the info
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From: Souderton, PA, Pennsylvania, US
Rep Power: 0 that worked great, i was able to drive all the way home tonight in the snow with the defroster on and not have to worry about the a/c[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG]
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From: Davis, California, US
Rep Power: 0 OK, here's an update. First off THANK YOU for sharing this with us. I've found a way to make it fool-proof, and even easier. You do not need to even start the car. The "vent" that people talk about is the rotary fan switch, but just twist all three ***** all the way to the left and you're set. The other part that was confusing people is the blinking recirc light. DON'T release the buttons when that starts to flash. Keep holding the two buttons down until the AC light also comes on. Then you can release them. Seven seconds is about right, but you can just wait for the AC light to finally come on. So here it is in a nut-shell:
OVERRIDING A/C
--------------
1) Have the car turned off.
2) Turn all rotary ***** to full counter-clockwise.
3) Press and hold both the recirculation and AC buttons
3) Turn the ignition key to "ignition on" position (last position before starting the car - or you can just go ahead and start if it you like) and keep both the AC and recirculation button button depressed for 7 seconds.
4) Wait for air recirculation button to stop flashing and for the AC button to light up.
5) Release buttons and turn the car off. You're all set.
* To turn the original feature back on, repeat all
steps, but for "STEP 2", turn the **** (All the
way to the right, clock-wise.
I've noticed a bit of mis-information in this thread as well. Please note that hot air holds MORE moisture than does cold air. That is the entire reason for condesation. Warm air, holding lots of moisture then touches a cold surface (window, glass of beer, what have you) and the moisture cannot be held in the air any longer. It comes out as liquid. The AC dries the air through this same pricipal. That's the function of the condensor. In fact, AC was originally designed as a dehumidifier. Just happens to also have the effect of cooling the air, but that's somewhat of a side-effect. At least it used to be that way. Now we consider the dry air a side-effect.
Next - yes, the car IS designed to help you defrost quickly (by turning the AC on for us, since we're obviously too thick to do it ourselves), and that's great. BUT you don't always need the frigging AC on after it is defrosted, and you've warmed up the windshield enough to prevent the warm interior air from condensing on it. If only the AC would now turn itself back off when you move the dial away from defrost settings it would be perfect. But this is WAY closer to perfect now.
OVERRIDING A/C
--------------
1) Have the car turned off.
2) Turn all rotary ***** to full counter-clockwise.
3) Press and hold both the recirculation and AC buttons
3) Turn the ignition key to "ignition on" position (last position before starting the car - or you can just go ahead and start if it you like) and keep both the AC and recirculation button button depressed for 7 seconds.
4) Wait for air recirculation button to stop flashing and for the AC button to light up.
5) Release buttons and turn the car off. You're all set.
* To turn the original feature back on, repeat all
steps, but for "STEP 2", turn the **** (All the
way to the right, clock-wise.
I've noticed a bit of mis-information in this thread as well. Please note that hot air holds MORE moisture than does cold air. That is the entire reason for condesation. Warm air, holding lots of moisture then touches a cold surface (window, glass of beer, what have you) and the moisture cannot be held in the air any longer. It comes out as liquid. The AC dries the air through this same pricipal. That's the function of the condensor. In fact, AC was originally designed as a dehumidifier. Just happens to also have the effect of cooling the air, but that's somewhat of a side-effect. At least it used to be that way. Now we consider the dry air a side-effect.
Next - yes, the car IS designed to help you defrost quickly (by turning the AC on for us, since we're obviously too thick to do it ourselves), and that's great. BUT you don't always need the frigging AC on after it is defrosted, and you've warmed up the windshield enough to prevent the warm interior air from condensing on it. If only the AC would now turn itself back off when you move the dial away from defrost settings it would be perfect. But this is WAY closer to perfect now.
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Joined: May 2002
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From: Charleston, South Carolina
Rep Power: 0 Thank you , very cool! I did it and it works!!! It is awesome! What a waste to have to a/c on taking away from power when the defrost is on!
Whoever said it is better to have the a/c on...wake up bro! My old crx didn't have the a/c on with defrost it works fine without the a/c on plus the a/c chokes power out of my car! The guy that already said this is right on, we need all the power we can get! Thanks again, awesome trick, no more a/c with defrost for me ever!!!
Whoever said it is better to have the a/c on...wake up bro! My old crx didn't have the a/c on with defrost it works fine without the a/c on plus the a/c chokes power out of my car! The guy that already said this is right on, we need all the power we can get! Thanks again, awesome trick, no more a/c with defrost for me ever!!!
