Can I Demist windscreen without A/C?

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Bails
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Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2022 6:59 am

Post by Bails »

I haven't managed to Demist the windscreen without turning on the air con. Any advice please as it's presumably more expensive to run with it on.? Thanks

Nacaduct
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Post by Nacaduct »

Open the windows?

People focus TOO much on saving energy when driving electric (IMO). As has been said here elsewhere, the difference between AC on and off is not really noticeable in real life driving conditions. Use AC when you want to/need to, don’t when not:)
Last edited by Nacaduct on Wed Sep 14, 2022 8:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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monkeyhanger
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Post by monkeyhanger »

The quickest way is to use AC. You have water vapour inside the car condensing on the coldest part of the interior - either you dry out the air with AC or you warm the windscreen so it evaporates again (slower than AC, uses more energy).

As Nacaduct says, we are all efficiency obsessed, even though for most of us here with home charging, efficiency on the shorter journeys just means charging a little more often, especially in the Winter months.
Or you can open the window and wait for things to equilibrate (slow).
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SPARTAN SAM H
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Post by SPARTAN SAM H »

Nacaduct wrote: Wed Sep 14, 2022 7:42 am Open the windows?

People focus TOO much on saving energy when driving electric (IMO). As has been said here elsewhere, the difference between AC on and off is not really noticeable in real life driving conditions. Use AC when you want to/need to, don’t when not:)
I've found A/C has a massive impact if switched on, my usage has increased by roughly 1kWh/h with it on so I've tried hard to run without,

In comparison with it on during a trip I can max achieve 3.8kWh/h, with it off I can easily manage 4.5kWh/h
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Daveion
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Post by Daveion »

I think it's worth trying all the methods mentioned and find the one that suits you best for the prevailing weather, ambient temperature and journey you are on. I use all of them.
I actually find the worst to deal with is a mild day with very high humidity and rain. Only AC ON seems to deal with that quickly.
If I'm on a long journey and it's cold'ish, below 12C I cracked the windows at the front and set heating to 18C+. That doesn't hit range too much, makes the cabin comfortable and works for me.
Cracking the windows helps keep the humidity down in the cabin and on a cold'ish day there is much less water suspended in the air than say 20C and the RH balances quickly.
You don't need to see a gap in the window opening. Just one flick to break the seal to the rubber is enough so you don't feel a draft.
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Bails
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Post by Bails »

I notice it mists up more when it's raining or I'm wearing damp clothes but I never open the windows when I'm on a motorway so I was simply looking for a way to blow air onto the screen. I tried using the a/c for a short period but it quickly mists up again when I turn it off . I'll try opening it just a crack but it ses intertuotive to have an open window and the a/c on.
Cliffjp
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Post by Cliffjp »

I don't know to what degree this applies to EV cars but it is generally accepted that with ICE cars, you need to keep the AC on at least a significant proportion of the week otherwise it stops working. I have always kept it on all the time in my cars and they never gave any trouble but my wife rarely used it in her Toyota Yaris (left it off for months at a time) and it packed in after a year or so. When I took it in for a re-gassing many years later, the AC only worked for a month before it packed in again. I know this is just one case but it does fit with the guidance I had picked up on.
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