2010 Solar power

Why is it that the optional solar panel in the 2010 Prius is used to power the A/C and not to charge the main battery pack?

Reply to
Randy
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It doesn't power the A/C; it powers a small exhaust fan. It's not powerful enough to power the A/C, nor to charge the traction battery.

Reply to
Michelle Steiner

I'm not positive about this but I think it just runs a fan to circulate outside air through the car to maintain an interior temperature roughly equal to the interior. On a sunny, 105 degree day in Phoenix the interior would probably be around 110 instead of 140.

Reply to
Was Istoben

Nest, the need to figure out a way to make the windshield opaque when the car is turned off, so the steering wheel doesn't get so hot it raises blisters when you need to use it to drive the car.

Reply to
Peter Granzeau

People in Australia use sunshades

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35-- John Oliver snipped-for-privacy@westnet.com.au AIM or MSN jdoliver98

Reply to
John Oliver

It is REALLY there to cool the traction battery. cooler battery longer life!.. IMHO..

Mark

Reply to
Mark F.

I don't think it's really there to do any of this stuff. It certainly isn't big enough to provide sufficient power to run any sort of air con system (it would probably need a couple of 30 foot "wings" to achieve this, somewhat like earth orbiting satellites). All it does is to provide sufficient power to operate a low voltage - low current fan to circulate ambient temperature air from outside the car in an attempt to reduce greenhouse effect temperatures inside the car on sunny days. This means that the air con (when eventually switched on) will have less work to do to get the internal temperature comfortable, thus saving gas, etc. The battery cooling fan (as I understand it) will only run if the hybrid system is on and the battery is too hot. I suspect that "too hot" in this case is a lot hotter than the battery temperature is ever likely to reach from sunshine alone.

However, those Prius equipped with the "moon roof" solar panel are also equipped with remotely controlled air con (which runs off the traction battery for up to 10 minutes, I think) to allow you to make the interior of the car even more comfortable before you get in. Unless you live somewhere really hot I would say this little lot is overkill. Here in the UK it's a

3000 UK Pounds optional extra. Can't see many people going for it, to be honest. I didn't.

Chas

Reply to
Chas Gill

Reply to
Peter Granzeau

Murphy's law would dictate that is would become opaque at the wrong moment.

Reply to
Was Istoben

Chas Gill a émis l'idée suivante :

the remotely controlled air con can run 3 minutes

Reply to
Freegate

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