Larry,

How true. So many people have this idea that if they turn a thermostat to its extreme setting the temperature will change faster. They don't seem to appreciate that in a closed loop system with feedback the heating or cooling is either on or off as required until the desired temperature is reached.

I think I finally have convinced my wife to leave the temperature controls alone in our 300TE but I still see my father setting those in his E320 coupe at extremes. Unlike the fully automatic system you got in the US, most W124s in Australia got the (very reliable) manual climate control system which still was a closed loop system (except with separate left and right temperature zones and manual fan speed and air direction controls). I even submitted an article to our MB club magazine explaining to owners how the sytem should be used after noticing that most owners constantly fiddled with the temperature controls and often set them to extremes. Even the owner's manual recommends 22 degrees C as a comfortable year round setting.

As to the topic of this thread, we usually leave the aircon enabled year round (the EC economy button disables it) since the compressor will only engage should the cabin temperature require it anyway.

Attached image shows the system most of our W124s got (note dual temp controls calibrated in degrees C).

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.

That's what I do, but since there's no reason to do it I'll just leave it on from now on.

__________________
1992 Mercedes-Benz 400E
2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500

have you ever seen a person push the elevator button once it was already lit?or how about the person who presses the street-crossing button time and time again.most people understand these actions don't accelerate anything but it releives some kind of nervous tension.that's all

__________________
'95 s500 (bought for wife but can't bear to share!!!) 125kms
'92 legend 180kms
'88 tbirdturbo(fantastic car-only regular maint.)120kms
'87 mustang gt(gone)
'86 tbirdturbo(gone)
'85 mustang gt(gone-but not forgotten)

Actually, even with the heat on, the a/c compressor is still running to remove humidity from the air (by design).

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Just as a clarification, this may be the case with the automatic climate control system (with horizontal row of buttons and single temperature wheel) on North American delivered W124s. On the "manual" climate control system we got in Oz (as shown in previously posted pic) the compressor only engages when the cabin temperature is high enough to demand it. To have it operate at low ambient temperatures to reduce humidity (ie. at same time as heaters) the "demist" function (uppermost of the three buttons) must be activated. The only other situation that would operate the compressor together with the heater would be in the (unlikely) situation where the temperature wheel for one side of the car is set to a significantly lower temperature to that for the other side. The EC mode (middle button) disables the compressor.

__________________
107.023: 350SLC, 3-speed auto, icon gold, parchment MBtex (sold 2012 after 29 years ownership).
107.026: 500SLC, 4-speed auto, thistle green, green velour.
124.090: 300TE, 4-speed auto, arctic white, cream-beige MBtex.
201.028: 190E 2.3 Sportline, 5-speed manual, arctic white, blue leather.
201.028: 190E 2.3, 4-speed auto, blue-black, grey MBtex.
201.034: 190E 2.3-16, 5-speed manual, blue-black, black leather.

Chip - I hear you man. Most women (smack!) are like hampsters on the hamster wheel when it comes to the thermostat. Too hot? Wheel it to max cool. Too cold? Wheel it to max heat. Drives my buddy and I nuts (our wives in this regard).

Larry and Paul - I've followed your advice on this subject, and have my wife educated on using the ACC in her E320. Thanks for the education. Paul - come back to Dallas soon - love to meet up with you, Larry and the other 'locals' again.

I'll be back in Dallas from June 2 - June 5.

I'll probably be flying back home the evening of Saturday, June 5, so a Friday, June 4 dinner would work for me.

Mark it on your calender.

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Friday, June 4 it is. We should start a thread here and in the events forum once we nail down time and place.

Where will you be staying this time Paul?

Have a great day,

NOT applicable to Texas in the summer or the Dakotas in the winter
Its just to much of an extreme, Were not living in the perfect weather of Sothern California

Dave

__________________
1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Dave,

The thread was talking about the 124 climate control. It does a better job than the 123 automatic unit and can be set to the temp that you desire. The system will automatically get you to that temp just as fast as if it were turned to the extreme.

It is able to operate like the thermostat in your house where regardless of if you set it five degrees colder than current temp or max it out, is just turning on a pair of switch contacts so it will not get the temp to the set temp any faster.

Dave, do you know enough about your schedule yet to know if you can join us for dinner the evening of June 4?

Have a great day,

I'll be staying at the Sheraton across the street from the Wyndham Anatole.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Okay then, you'll be close to the West End again. Barbeque?

Let us know and we'll pick a spot and kick off the advertising campaign.

Have a great day,

What's the matter with ya'll?

Everybody knows the thermostat works just like a volume control...The further you turn it to cold, the colder the output and the further you turn it to hot the hotter the output.

Why do you think it is adjustable like a knob, and clearly not like a switch?

The one in my house is the same way.

Simple physics.

__________________
2012 E350
2006 Callaway SC560

brewtoo
You sound like my wife
Don't think simple physic, think simple logic.
JackD

Barbeque sounds great. Let's do it.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".