Do you need an Automatic Temperature Control (ATC) system? |
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Steven Magill
August 2, 2007
Steven Magill
http://www.buyspain.co.uk
With technology in the driver's seat today, new age innovations are making life easier for us. Let's take for example: cars. Over the past few years, one of the most common features in all automobiles has been air conditioning . In the past, air conditioning was a premium feature available only in premium cars or ‘fully-loaded' variants of cars. But increasingly off late, air conditioning has become standard equipment for almost all medium and large sized cars, not to forget that it is also very popular on commercial vehicles.
While many people shared the thought that air conditioning was a requirement for tropical or Mediterranean weather, it didn't take much time for the majority to realize that air conditioning can be very helpful in UK as well. The thing is irrespective of whether our summers are warmer or winters are cooler, the reason why air conditioning has become so popular is that we spend much more time in our cars. Traffic jams, and long distances commuting require a more comfortable environment and our cars with proper air conditioning provides just that.
So on a sunny day you can turn the air conditioning low and enjoy comfort in the car, or turn the air con up during winters and enjoy the warmth. Additionally, air con also reduces the levels of humidity and pollution within the vehicle, thus allowing you to breathe easy.
As the technological advancements strive to provide better and better facilities to the car users, we find that car manufacturers are also working hard. So, now you have cars, which boast of automatic temperature control (ATC) systems that work to not just regulate cooling, but also regulate heating for complete passenger comfort through out the year.
These climate control systems come with their own computers. Usually the computer is built into the control panel head or included in the control module or located somewhere else. These climate control systems come in various complexities, but the only common factor is the complexity of the control mechanism that is dependent on the level of sophistication of the ATC. Operating logic may also increase the chances of things going wrong.
With rapid regularity, we find that simple and easy to comprehend manual controls are becoming extinct. In this digital age, the car air conditioning boasts of a new swanky look with digital pushbuttons and computer logic. Even the new car owners like yourself, are interested to have separate controls for the driver and the passengers. SUVs and Minivans come with separate controls for the rear seat passengers. Let's understand in some more details, why climate control makes more sense especially if the passengers in your car require different levels of comfort.
ATC or climate control allows you to control the ambient temperature in your vehicle based on the driver's and/or passengers requirements. So how does ATC do this? Well the ATC is programmed to contact your air conditioning and heating systems directly. Besides this, some ATC come with a memory, so you can store different temperature settings based on your own personal needs. Climate control is a viable option to replace manual air conditioning and heating control system.
The reason why most ATC systems go wrong, though, is due to lack of proper understanding of their ATC systems. Many motorists do not understand the control mechanism and very few actually grasp the logic. However, regardless of the problem, have your ATC system diagnosed by a professional.
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Steve Magill is the Managing Director of LVV Services Ltd. which is located in South Wales.Covering Cardiff, Swansea , Newport ,Bridgend and surrounding areas. http://www.lvvservices.com He advises all car owners against any technician who suggest that they can repair your alloys in less than an hour. This probably means they are taking shortcuts and will not do a proper job.