Do You Turn On AC/Heat At Start Of The Engine?

Indirect air makes sense. An AC clutch cutoff switch would be in order there.
If I remember right, put a switch on the control side of the AC's relay.

 

I have mine on immediately after start. It's hot here in the valley and my lil girl don't like it. I even idle it alot with ac running. I figured a vehicle is bought to be used so use it.
P.S and the satellite station must be on Disney at all times even before I start the car!

 

How can the electronic clutch for the compressor engage before the truck is on? When I start my truck, I clearly hear the truck start, then a second passes, and THEN the clutch engages bringing on the compressor. They do not start simultaneously.

Furthermore, an A/C system in cooling is a dehumidifier. That is why you have a condensate drain. The water dripping on the pavement and running down the PVC drain attached to the air handler in your house is the moisture removed from the air. The refrigeration cycle was designed to be a dehumidifier, it wasn't until the condenser was moved to a remote location did they realize that it could be used to cool the air as well.

 

I'm from the same school.

 

Duh, this is 2010 not 1950. Time to get with it. If your vehicle won't handle a start with the a/c on then you got big problems.

 

I clicked no, But actually its both yes and no. Depends on the situation, if its really hot out and I'm just running in some where I might just leave it on. I would say normally I turn it off though. And now that I think of it I don't know why, Guess I'm just alittle old school myself and feel like it should'nt be on. Now with the heat in the winter, unless its defrost, I'll just leave it on. Just not a fan of the compressor being on at start up. Good question. Alot of different opinions on this.

 

We'll see in about ten years fella.You do it your way and I'll do it mine

 

The AC compressor is not engaged at engine startup. If the AC is on when the ignition is turned off, when the engine is started, the AC compressor is not engaged, then after 3-5 seconds or so the AC compressor will engage. I know this as I have an electric fan wired into the AC clutch engagment signal so that the electric fan comes on whenever the AC compressor is engaged.

 

Duh,
I've had my 2002 since new so I'm coming up on nine years, fella.

 

10 years as of next month with 297k on the odo with original A/C components and no engine problems - my A/C is almost always ON. I've never even taken the caps off the A/C lines.

Turning the A/C off before starting a vehicle is much ado about nothing.

 

Having your AC on or off at start up doesn't make a difference. As stated before the AC is technically off while cranking the engine even if the knob is set in the "on" position. While cranking, all power is sent to the starter to turn the motor over, once the motor starts, accessories are then powered. Leaving your AC off then turning it on after the motor is started is the same thing the truck does automatically. All vehicles operate this way.

 

I start the truck then turn on the AC and I turn the AC off before I turn the truck off...I don't use a heater cause I live in AZ

 

X2 I do the same.

 

Having the a/c at startup won't hurt anything I wouldn't think. The belt is still there for the compresser whether it is on or off, and besides I don't think it turns on until after the engine has been started. But usually if it is cold outside I wait until after I've driven a few miles and the engine temperature gauge just starts to move to turn on the heat, because otherwise cold air will just come out and blast me in the face.

 

Nothing special for start up. But for shut down I turn off my a/c and blow out the the cold air to get rid of the moisture during the summer months.

 

A/C yes, heat no.

 

I am a creature of habit and I turn everything OFF (Heat/AC, Radio, Lights etc.) before I turn the engine OFF. Then I don't turn it back ON until my engine is ON and ready to go. I was told that having everything OFF when turning the engine ON it saves your battery, starter, and alternator. I don't know how much truth is in it but I just do it.

 

gen 1 and 2??? also what about defrost/floor???

 

Me too, but since I have gotten this truck I leave the lights on. I'm a fan of them shutting off on there own. Even if me turning things off doesn't do anything I still do it.

 

I have always been taught to do this, but on the other hand with many of today's cars having the automatic climate control, not sure it really matters?