Keeping Cool

[Simon_P]

Having Just driven across europe in 34oC and sunshine I found that the interior got quite hot.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping cool?

Thanks,

Simon

[Gary]

Buy one with Air con ?

[Sy V]

Drop the soft top down?

[firebobby]

Failing that driving naked may help??
regards
Dave

[tweetdriver63]

:agree:
Failing that driving naked may help??
regards
Dave

Just don't forget the sunscreen

[dapinky]

Does anyone have any tips for keeping cool?

Go on hols in December

[GeoffSmith]

Does anyone have any tips for keeping cool?

Head North.

[Rambo]

What about taking a shower with all your clothes on ? Then go driving with the roof down and the evaporative effect of the water being removed at +70 mph will certainly cool you down

[Simon_P]

Sorry for the delay in replying.

Doing 1000 miles in a day renders most of the suggestions impractical.

The Lotus just seems to get much hotter than other cars and I was looking for ways to keep the heat out in the first place.

I have aircon but sat in a traffic jam it couldn’t keep up.

[ektrolleyboy]

Most A/C is pants in that kind of midday heat whilst sat in traffic. On the move it's not so bad... But when you get to 36 degrees, after that A/C in the heat of the day is pretty poor car in every car I've tried except for the Japanese/Korean stuff. So look into the prospect of a compressor from a cheap Jap' car. Sounds crazy but I can promise you they're the best and put German exotica to shame!
I know because I'm just coming out of the other end of a summer that tops 40 degrees plus and 100% humidity on days.

Also a big help is window tint/ clear film. It's expensive but heat reflective film is a good buy.
Solar-guard.
3M.
V-Kool (probably the best).
Etc...

[rip]

Doing 1000 miles in a day renders most of the suggestions impractical.

Why?

[Elanlover]

Dynamat (or other sound/heat insulator) under the carpet and on the firewall will help. Make sure your heater fans position is set to recirculate and the temp control isn't on high.

[Bolsom]

Bonnet/hood vents?

[tweetdriver63]

A/C in the heat of the day is pretty poor in every car I've tried except for the Japanese/Korean stuff. So look into the prospect of a compressor from a cheap Jap' car. Sounds crazy but I can promise you they're the best and put German exotica to shame!

Not that it really matters, but he's already got a jap one in there.

[ektrolleyboy]

You know. It's funny!
All A/C is pretty poor in the height of summer here in the Middle East and you need to be in the car and moving for at least 20-30 minutes before you get decent cooling. Stopping in traffic is a no, no. But... The cheapo Hyundai's and the Toyota's etc. Etc. Have the best A/C you can imagine. I have no idea why.
My MINI COOPER S is dire, as have been every other car I've owned except for a hand me down Hyundai I once ran. I used to be a dealer here in the UAE and even Rolls Royce's are pants. The Pacific rim and Jap' stuff etc. Are untouchable for A/C performance. Now why other manufacturers can't compete I don't know.
Someone must have some technical knowledge about this one?

[nitroman]

You know. It's funny!
All A/C is pretty poor in the height of summer here in the Middle East and you need to be in the car and moving for at least 20-30 minutes before you get decent cooling. Stopping in traffic is a no, no. But... The cheapo Hyundai's and the Toyota's etc. Etc. Have the best A/C you can imagine. I have no idea why.
My MINI COOPER S is dire, as have been every other car I've owned except for a hand me down Hyundai I once ran. I used to be a dealer here in the UAE and even Rolls Royce's are pants. The Pacific rim and Jap' stuff etc. Are untouchable for A/C performance. Now why other manufacturers can't compete I don't know.
Someone must have some technical knowledge about this one?

With the "new" (since 1993) R134a refrigderant the vent air will only cool in direct proportion to the condenser temperature. The condenser is the A/C's "radiator". That is why, when the temp outside has heat-soaked the condenser to a high centigrade, it takes 20 minutes of cooler moving air to remove that heat & have a temperature gradient high enough that the R134a can shed heat through a cooler medium.

The old R12 refriderant was 3 times as efficient at removing heat, and so could still do its job even with a hot condenser.

[ektrolleyboy]

I had a feeling this was the case because a car parked under cover in the summer will cool fairly quickly. A car left in the open will be terrible at cooling efficiently!
But... It still doesn't explain why the Jap' stuff is so much better at cooling? And believe me, there is a huge difference between let's say. A Toyota Echo versus a VW Golf. As just one example...
During the cooler months most cars perform pretty well, but once the summer comes (the kind of temp's that most on here wouldn't know about driving in) there's a clear distinction in the A/C world! Why? Why can't a BMW 5 Series cool as well as a similarly sized Toyota or Hynudai? And in this case a Lotus Elan...

[algirdas]

Dear Ektrolleyboy:

Unfortunately, I learned more about A/C this summer than I ever wanted to know. Most of those observations will be in another post. My Elan is still on R-12 with a rebuilt compressor, a fresh receiver/drier and a long Saturday's worth of attention from a seasoned A/C pro (not me). First, my Elan now cycles between 33 and 39 degrees F on the center vents with the top up and the outside temperature at 90 degrees F in stop and go traffic.

Second, and this took me a while to understand, but the A/C system cools the car's interior not by introducing cold air into it, but by sucking out the heat and moisture. I realize that this may be a restatement of the incredibly obvious, but it was an epiphany moment for me.

Sincerely,

Algirdas

[DeanG]

On the practical side, proven in high altitude heat and sun and low altitude HEAT and sun (Colorado and Death Valley). When parked, use a car cover. Put a cotton towel on the center arm rest. Wear light weight long sleeve shirts with collars to keep the sun off.

My unresolved A/C problem is related to a vacuum leak. Someday our M100 will work again.

[surfboardfiller]

My solution is to get a white hood or line the one you have with some sort of insulating material. There is a really good product used in loft insulation which looks like fabric wadding with a foil layer (quite thin). It's safe to handle and doesn't break up - unlike older insulation material.

My AC used to work well, but the gas was replaced with the new wonder stuff and now it's useless!