Fitting an aircon override switch
Discussion
I appreciate I'm talking to a limited number of owners who have the factory-fitted aircon!
I have often pondered that it would be useful to replace or bypass the microswitch that switches the aircon on. It has always struck me as a bit limiting that you can't have aircon in combination with warm air, as you can in most cars, so that you get the drying effect which would be useful to clear the misted screen in winter.
I assume this is a microswitch located on (or adjacent to) the temperature wheel that makes it kick in near the cold end. Does anyone know which way round this microswitch works - does it close to turn the aircon on, or does it open?
If it closes to switch the aircon on, then it would be simple to fit a switch somewhere in parallel with it. When that switch closes it would short the open microswitch. I suppose if the microswitch opens to switch the aircon on, then you could wire the override switch in series.
A simple way of doing it would simply be to commandeer the dashboard lighting switch above your left knee (I don't use that for a fan override as some people do). It would be nicer to fit an aircon button into the dash itself, but I don't think I fancy trying to drill through it without wrecking the veneer.
Has anyone done this, or can anyone offer any help or advice? Thanks!
I have often pondered that it would be useful to replace or bypass the microswitch that switches the aircon on. It has always struck me as a bit limiting that you can't have aircon in combination with warm air, as you can in most cars, so that you get the drying effect which would be useful to clear the misted screen in winter.
I assume this is a microswitch located on (or adjacent to) the temperature wheel that makes it kick in near the cold end. Does anyone know which way round this microswitch works - does it close to turn the aircon on, or does it open?
If it closes to switch the aircon on, then it would be simple to fit a switch somewhere in parallel with it. When that switch closes it would short the open microswitch. I suppose if the microswitch opens to switch the aircon on, then you could wire the override switch in series.
A simple way of doing it would simply be to commandeer the dashboard lighting switch above your left knee (I don't use that for a fan override as some people do). It would be nicer to fit an aircon button into the dash itself, but I don't think I fancy trying to drill through it without wrecking the veneer.
Has anyone done this, or can anyone offer any help or advice? Thanks!
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