Can I cool my garage with the Model S AC?

MikeC said:

I wasn't sure where to put this - I have workout equipment in an unventilated garage which gets pretty hot. I was wondering if I left the AC running in the Model S with the doors or windows open, would it cool my garage? I think it may not because the cool air coming into the car is balanced by warm air exhausted to the exterior of the car, so in the closed garage the net effect would be zero.

I'm hoping some knowledgeable people might be able to confirm or refute that?

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Hereby confirmed.

(Actually it would probably get hotter in the garage. You're using power to run the compressor and fans and this produces waste heat.)

Too Bad! I was planning on leaving the kitchen freezer door wide open to cool the kitchen when it gets hot. :wink:

The AC system simply moves heat from one place to another, it doesn't "generate cold". If you park it outside and build some flexible pipes to bring the cold air inside it might work.

Replace the garage door with a curtain that lets you park the nose of the MS outside, and leave the hatch open inside, sealing around the middle.

It would be far less expensive and more economical just to buy a portable A/C for to cool your garage than use your $70K+ car even if it were possible.

How about a solar power vent? This says it is for attics but assume would work for a garage but check on that.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Ventamatic-Solar-Powered-Roof-Vent-Dome-Mounted-Panel-VXSOLDOMWGUPS/202913789

MikeC said:

Interesting to know, but unfortunately my garage is built into the first floor of the house so I don't really have any exhaust routes.

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Sticking the front of the car out and then sealing the rest of the opening with some tent like material would allow the Model S to cool the garage somewhat as wk057 says. I can't see it being very efficient though. Besides the a/c you'd also have a vampire drain as the car would never sleep. However, as the garage is attached to the house, it would be easier and cheaper to open the door between the two and just let the house do the cooling while keeping the large garage door shut. You might need a fan to get some airflow going.

As has been mentioned, you need to do something with the waste heat if you're using your car to cool the garage. Air conditioners and refrigerators/freezers simply move heat (energy) from one place to another.

An easy solution would be a high-volume (cubic feet of air, not noise) fan from a hardware store. I used a $30 squirrel cage worksite fan for the following. Back when I had my homebuilt airplane project in my two car garage (it was a full-time workshop, no gas vehicles parked inside), I simply insulated the garage walls and door and would open up the inside garage door to use the furnace/ac in the house to heat/cool as needed. If I opened the door about an hour ahead of time, it would get to a reasonable temp by the time I was ready to work. Just blow as much air as possible from the house into the garage and you should be good.

If you do this, it would be best to not have any gasoline or sources of CO in your garage. You don't want any of those fumes getting in the house. I never left the door open overnight. It was only open when I was actively using the garage/workshop.

Tesla 940 said:

Too Bad! I was planning on leaving the kitchen freezer door wide open to cool the kitchen when it gets hot. :wink:

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The freezer can make a local cold spot in front of the fridge while heating the rest of the room a little, which may be desirable for human comfort.

Doesn't anybody screen these calls?

Reykjavik said:

The freezer can make a local cold spot in front of the fridge while heating the rest of the room a little, which may be desirable for human comfort.

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As long as they don't eat the food

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]"For my birthday I got a humidifier and a dehumidifier... I put them in the same room and let them fight it out.[/FONT]" -Steven Wright

MikeC said:

... but unfortunately my garage is built into the first floor of the house so I don't really have any exhaust routes.

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Portable A/C units (spot coolers) often come with accessories to facilitate window venting or drop ceiling venting. You can also drill a hole to vent into your crawl space or something like that. Something like:

http://www.costco.com/De'Longhi-Pin...eater+Dehumidifier+Fan.product.100104402.html