DOES RUNNING THE AC STRESS YOUR CAR’S ENGINE

The engine in your automobile is fantastic because nothing in the car will function without it, including the air conditioning. The system draws energy from your engine during operation because it is powered by it, which could affect how well your machine performs. You have most likely seen the RPMs of your car increase in idle state when the compressor kicks on.

There is no decisive answer to how much power it consumes. It could depend on the model, the state of the engine, the air conditioning system overall, and several other factors.

WHAT IS A CAR AIR CONDITIONING

Car air conditioning is a regular feature in most present-day cars and is especially necessary for warmer climates. Your AC temp should be based on the outside temperature because if it is not, the AC pulls more from the engine and may cause your compressor to cut off, this will lead to a no-cooling effect. It cuts off if it exceeds the safe limit.

Since the AC draws power from the engine, your engine needs to work relatively harder to accommodate this extra load and maintain the same performance. The extra load on it will increase wear and tear in the engine. Thus, affecting the performance of the vehicle.

All engines have a service life. Every load placed on it will reduce its working life to a degree. Based on what we have described, let us answer the question. Does running your AC in your car affect the performance of your car? Yes, it does. Here are some additional factors that can affect the load your car AC puts on your engine.

FACTORS AFFECTING THE LOAD YOUR AC PLACES ON THE ENGINE

WEATHER CONDITIONS

The outside environment’s pressure, relative humidity, and temperature affect your car’s climate. These factors affect how much load the AC puts on the engine. There will be more load on the engine when the gap between these two factors is wider.

The compressor will have to do extra work if the temperature difference between inside and outside is more. It follows that when an action in your car’s system requires more power, the engine will pull more, and vice versa.

COMPRESSED AIR FLOW

The majority of the compressors are powered mechanically. The performance of the engine directly correlates with compressor speed. When the rate is high, it subjects the engine to greater loads.

DOES RUNNING THE AC STRESS THE ENGINE

If the AC cooling system goes through excess pressure, your engine will be stressed. The air conditioning system affects the engine based on;

How strong your car AC is
How old your car is

These two things determine how much running the AC affects the engine’s performance. This means you could stress your engine if, for example, you put your AC on when it’s hot outside and you’re in slow-moving traffic because the gap between the temperatures outside and inside will be wider. Hence, more stress on the engine.

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