We are down for maintenance Phone: (404) 968-3130  |  are no longer available. Please Click Here for our Carrier RV Air Conditioners are No Longer AvailableWhen you are driving for up to eight to ten hours a day, having a working and efficient AC system in your commercial motor vehicle is key. An air conditioning (AC) system can keep you cool and comfortable in the driver's cab, affecting your performance and driving safety. But even though it may be a necessity for your comfort, have you ever stopped to think how the constant run of an AC system affects your truck? Unfortunately, not only do AC units affect fuel consumption in your commercial motor vehicle by increasing fuel consumption by 10% for some vehicles, but studies have also shown that it can affect your truck's engine, causing it to run more slowly.How Do AC Systems in Commercial Motor Vehicles Affect Fuel Consumption?It has long been maintained that depending on the type of vehicle you drive, the conditions under which both your truck and the AC system have to operate, and the type of air conditioning system you have, your vehicle's fuel consumption may be increased by up to 10%.

Some of the operation conditions include outside temperature, humidity, solar radiation, cabin temperature preferences, and comfort level, the size of the cabin, road grade, and aerodynamic drag, driving speed, the length of time AC is in use and more.wall mounted air conditioner heater unitsFuel economy drops significantly for a vehicle when the AC compressor load is added to the engine.ac unit 1 ton In fact, the amount of fuel just the United States of America uses for air conditioning is substantial enough to warrant multiple studies. best ac unit warrantyA 2002 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory published by the Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. stated that the amount of fuel used for AC in vehicles is equivalent to:

Since historically the burden of AC usage in commercial motor vehicles has been quite large, many car manufacturers, scientists, and engineers have been working around the clock to develop new and more fuel efficient ways and strategies to be comfortable in the driving cabin. Some of these ideas include:Some of the ways in which you as a driver of a CMV can help reduce your trucks' fuel consumption include: Remove excess weight from your vehicleAvoiding aerodynamic drag on your semi-truck or busKeeping your engine in tuneEnsuring tires are inflated to the recommended air pressure (this improves fuel mileage by 3-4%)Planning your routes for efficiency and consolidating your tripsDriving a fuel-efficient vehicle As summer approaches, bringing with it soaring temperatures and unbearable humidity, millions of people will turn on that marvel of discovery and invention – the air conditioner. These comfort units that homeowners activate with the ease of flipping a switch are  complex electromechanical systems, the end products of nearly a century of engineering development in cooling, thermodynamics, controls, and energy efficiency.

In 2000, air conditioning/refrigeration was named among the 10 greatest mechanical engineering achievements of the 20th century, according to a survey of ASME members. Air conditioning actually has roots in second century China, where an inventor named Ding Huane crafted a manually powered rotary fan. The concept of air cooling also intrigued the great American inventor and statesman Benjamin Franklin, who in 1758 conducted experiments with evaporation and alcohol to attain freezing temperatures. Willis Carrier: The Father of the Air Conditioner The first modern air conditioner was invented in 1902 by Willis Haviland Carrier, a skilled engineer who began experimenting with the laws of humidity control to solve an application problem at a printing plant in Brooklyn, NY. Borrowing from the concepts of mechanical refrigeration established in earlier years, Carrier’s system sent air through coils filled with cold water, cooling the air while at the same time removing moisture to control room humidity.

In 1933, the Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America developed an air conditioner using a belt-driven condensing unit and associated blower, mechanical controls, and evaporator coil, and this device became the model in the growing U.S. marketplace for air-cooling systems. Today’s air conditioners, while operating on the same fundamental science as Carrier’s 1933 system, incorporate advancements in vapor compression, diagnostics and controls, electronic sensors, materials, and energy efficiency. Carrier’s new top-of-the line central air conditioner, the Infinity, is far different than the founder’s early models, featuring advanced components including a two-stage scroll compressor for quieter, more energy-efficient performance. Energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy are driving improvements in air-conditioning systems. “Minimum efficiency standards for a/c systems have progressively increased, particularly in the last five years, requiring manufacturers to optimize systems to reduce energy consumption,” says Dennis Thoren, vice president of engineering and technology at Ingersoll Rand, Davidson, NC, which markets the popular Trane line of air conditioners.

To comply with the regulations, air-conditioning manufacturers have successfully increased the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) to 16 or 18, exceeding the DOE’s efficiency standards. Some high-end models like the Lennox XC21 and Trane XL20i, in addition to the Infinity, are rated up to 21 SEER, further aiding the environment while enabling energy cost savings for customers. In a further effort to reduce energy usage, some air-conditioning manufacturers have begun to stretch the capabilities of the standard wall thermostat, developing sophisticated microprocessor-based diagnostic and control kits that automate the operation of the compressor and air-flow system. The Trane ComfortLink II remote thermostat allows the homeowner to adjust functions and settings on the air conditioner from off-site computers and web-enabled cell phones; ComfortLink will even send text and e-mail alerts on when to replace the filter or arrange routine service inspections. “We are using innovation to put a whole new level of control in the consumer’s hands, in the process reducing home energy consumption,” explains Thoren, a longtime ASME member.

He says Trane views the air conditioner as one component in the automated, energy-efficient home of the future. In the next wave of technology development, Ingersoll Rand and other manufacturers will advance smart technologies to interface their systems with the national electric grid, allowing units to be regulated according to geography and changing weather conditions. Grid interoperability could push air-conditioning research down the pathway of fully variable speed systems, further reducing energy consumption. Today, some 80% of American households have air conditioners, mostly central systems, according to the Energy Information Administration. Air conditioning has grown from a luxury to a necessity and contributed in many ways to the quality of life in America and the industrialized world. In addition to the obvious benefits and enjoyments of comfort cooling, the air conditioner altered architectural design, allowing windowless office buildings and houses without porches.