Running the AC while parked

[LEAFfan]

For me, I believe the pre-cooling is a waste of energy. I tried pre-cooling yesterday for almost 40 minutes while connected to the station (our garage), but not charging.

Uh, doesn't pre-cooling/heating only run for about 15 minutes before it shuts off? So if you waited 40 minutes the car was likely warming up again.

Drees, I saw your post after I posted, so you know the 15 minutes is only if it is unplugged.

 

[LEAFfan]

For me, I believe the pre-cooling is a waste of energy. I tried pre-cooling yesterday for almost 40 minutes while connected to the station (our garage), but not charging.

Found it. It will run up to 2 hours when plugged in and 15 minutes when not plugged in.

Has anyone who has 90-100 heat in their garage found out how long it takes to reach 77 degrees inside their LEAF while not charging, but connected? I know it takes much longer than 40 minutes. I'm going to find out tomorrow afternoon.
It was 98 degrees in the garage when I started the pre-cooling and I ran it for two hours. After two hours the car was 86 inside. Also, I had it set to 80% charging and it was already 'fully' charged, but this time something overrode the % and it went to 100%. I did the same thing the last time, except ran the A/C for only 40 mins., and the % didn't change. I'm wondering what made it start charging.

 

[dfwcre8tive]

I also love to lock the car with the AC on for my dogs while at the gym. I also put a sign in the back window explaining that the AC system is on @ 72 degrees & not to call the authorities.

We've been doing the same thing for the dog when running into the store, though I do need to make a sign to put in the window.

The pre-cool option is one of the features that makes our friends most jealous. It's a crazy feeling to walk though the hot parking lot and immediately feel refreshed and cool inside the vehicle (especially with the extreme Texas heat this summer).

 

[GerryAZ]

For me, I believe the pre-cooling is a waste of energy. I tried pre-cooling yesterday for almost 40 minutes while connected to the station (our garage), but not charging.

Found it. It will run up to 2 hours when plugged in and 15 minutes when not plugged in.

Has anyone who has 90-100 heat in their garage found out how long it takes to reach 77 degrees inside their LEAF while not charging, but connected? I know it takes much longer than 40 minutes. I'm going to find out tomorrow afternoon.
It was 98 degrees in the garage when I started the pre-cooling and I ran it for two hours. After two hours the car was 86 inside. Also, I had it set to 80% charging and it was already 'fully' charged, but this time something overrode the % and it went to 100%. I did the same thing the last time, except ran the A/C for only 40 mins., and the % didn't change. I'm wondering what made it start charging.

LEAF Fan,
There is a setting that selects charging or climate control as primary function when plugged in. If you use 80% charging and have charging as primary, the car may charge to 100% before turning on climate control while plugged-in. This would explain your lack of adequate precooling. Due to my daily mileage, I always charge to 100% and use precooling while plugged-in whenever I remember to pick up the iPAD and turn it on. I normally have charging as primary so I must go into the menu and change to climate control as primary to precool while plugged-in with a partial charge. The A/C seems to cool down as quickly when plugged-in as when the car is fully on (although the set point is 25C or 77F instead of the colder setting I normally use while driving). As others have already mentioned, I too wish there were a convenient way to turn on A/C without using the remote function and without turning the car fully on (it would also be great to have the temperature set point programmable).

To answer the original post--I consider the ability to precool (on battery or plugged-in) and to use A/C while parked to be among my favorite features and use them often.

Gerry

 

[shay]

The precool combined with the climate timer is one of the nicest features of the car. I precooled the car today for two cycles from the bus today. The temperature was was 106 here. The car felt great.

 

[JPWhite]

Are current owners finding these features useful?

I use the Carwings/nissan owners website to pre-cool my car just before I leave work. It is a VERY enjoyable feature and doesn't sap too much power that I can tell. It doesn't run at full tilt when the power is off, but runs well enough to take the edge off and reduce the humidity nicely.

The only way to turn it on after locking ata store will be via the iPhone app. Can't wait for the Android app.

 

[dpodoll]

Android app is out

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/lifestyle/nissan-leaf_bfdgk.html

Are current owners finding these features useful?

I use the Carwings/nissan owners website to pre-cool my car just before I leave work. It is a VERY enjoyable feature and doesn't sap too much power that I can tell. It doesn't run at full tilt when the power is off, but runs well enough to take the edge off and reduce the humidity nicely.

The only way to turn it on after locking ata store will be via the iPhone app. Can't wait for the Android app.

 

[JPWhite]

Android app is out

http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/lifestyle/nissan-leaf_bfdgk.html

Awesome, GOT IT!! Just turned my AC on I'm headed home!!

 

[dznit]

Turn on AC:
1) Sit in car, start (foot on brake, one push on start button) turn on AC (but drive motor is on)
2) i-phone (or other smart phone) app: can turn on AC only
3) internet computer: can turn on AC only

After reading several posts, there doesn't seem to be a process to sit in car & ONLY turn on AC.
i.e. the ONLY way to turn on the AC is with a smart phone or computer. Without smart phone, (or computer) if you leave the AC on and leave the car, the drive motor is ready to go.

My questions:
A) Is there any way to sit in car and run AC only (drive motor off) without a smart phone or computer?
B) Is there any way to leave the car locked for a few minutes (<15min) with the AC on and
drive motor OFF?

 

[TonyWilliams]

My questions:
A) Is there any way to sit in car and run AC only (drive motor off) without a smart phone or computer?
B) Is there any way to leave the car locked for a few minutes (<15min) with the AC on and
drive motor OFF?

A) Why do you need the drive motor off ?

B) No... use smartphone of computer

 

[JJnHAWAII]

You can turn off the car by pushing the start button, then simply push the start button twice without pushing the brake. The ac will work and so will the radio. I'm out of town so can't go to the car to confirm, but I believe that is what the salesperson told me. I simply leave the car in park and on, because it won't go anywhere unless you push down the brake peddle and push the lever over and then back. You shouldn't worry about having the car "on" with the ac going, because it isn't wasting any energy driving the car or as you put it the traction motor is not on and ready to go when it is in park. If you want to leave the ac running while you go inside go ahead it works fine. Lock the door and take the key fob with you, it will be ice cold when you get back.

This car s so efficient that I indulge myself with running the ac as much as I need it. Go ahead enjoy one of the best benefits we have with this car, it doesn't need the engine to "run" for the ac to blow ice cold every time.

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I wonder if the no-cooling in ACC mode is a bug.
It seems like the car believes it is cooling, based on indicators, but it is not.
I don't hear the AC Compressor.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I wonder if the no-cooling in ACC mode is a bug.
It seems like the car believes it is cooling, based on indicators, but it is not.

Possible. When I do a search through the address book, it works when stopped, but when moving, it only lets me scroll through about 25 of the 50 entries. It will keep looping through those 25 as I drive.

Hopefully, the place I want to go is in A through L..... I have to stop to see M - Z.

 

[planet4ever]

You can turn off the car by pushing the start button, then simply push the start button twice without pushing the brake. The ac will work and so will the radio.

That puts you in what Nissan calls "ON", not "READY", mode. (I think when GroundLoop said ACC mode he really meant ON mode.) In my car, at least, the A/C light can be on, and the fan will be blowing air, but the air never gets cold if I am in ON mode.

At the risk of being repetitious, ON mode has both console and dash lit up. So does READY mode. The only visible difference is the green car with the double arrow under it. The tactile difference seems to be cold air or not. The motor isn't using any power either way, and I can't imagine the inverter would be either. In terms of power use the only difference may be whether the climate control is working. So, yes, READY, and Park, and locked doors sounds like the answer.

I know, it takes a while to get past the ingrained knowledge that a "running" car wastes gas.

Ray

 

[PhatBoyG]

Am I the only one with the nerve to question PhatBoy's choice of friends? Apparently grand theft and getting pranked is a subtle distinction.

As others said, I'm mostly concerned with one of my kids putting it in R/D by "accident."

And my envious friends might just want to take it for a spin or change parking spaces to freak me out, etc.

It's how Geeks have fun during lunch.

 

[amtoro]

I'm planning on having the side and rear windows tinted with a heat reflective film, then, have the windshield "tinted" with an almost clear, 70% film that also reflects heat.

I hope that would help keep the A/C use to the minimum during commute after pre-cooling from the grid.

 

[linkim]

I recently did a stupid thing. I left my Leaf AC running for about 3 hours while I was out enjoying dinner with friends. For some reason, I got distracted when parking. Put car in Park, locked the door and left. When I returned one of my friends noticed the bright lights in the dashboard - eyebrow lights for battery temperature and battery capacity, as well as the other usual indicator lights. AC was set for about 78F, and car had about 4 bars initially. Upon return, the car had 2 bars (my recall). Don't remember if temperature inside was different because it was already cooler outside in Mountain View, CA. Had about 10 mile drive home, and made it with 1 bar and Low Batt indicator showing. This is my first experience with LB warning.

 

[kovalb]

I wonder if the no-cooling in ACC mode is a bug.
It seems like the car believes it is cooling, based on indicators, but it is not.
I don't hear the AC Compressor.

No bug. Even ICE cars do not activate the climate control circuits in ACC mode; only in ON mode.

 

[dznit]

The reason for desiring the:
"AC On" & "Main motor Off"
Is to keep the car cool & not risk someone breaking in & driving off!

 

[JPWhite]

I wonder if the no-cooling in ACC mode is a bug.
It seems like the car believes it is cooling, based on indicators, but it is not.
I don't hear the AC Compressor.

No bug. Even ICE cars do not activate the climate control circuits in ACC mode; only in ON mode.

But you can't start AC in an ice car without switching it on. With an EV the AC can run and all dash lights be off, if started remotely. OP wants to do the same from inside the car.