Arduino for car heat/air conditioning?

Is Ardiuno the board that I should attempt to use for this?

I want to convert my car to have a digital temp control, there isn’t anything available aftermarket.

Basically the arduino would need to control a flap door to regulate the heat or A/C(3 inch throw lever under dash), turn on and off an 12v signal for a A/C compressor(relay), and operate motors behind the dash that regulate which vents receive the airflow(10 motors that operate flaps). I’d like an airflow sensor that monitors that the airflow, verify’s that the air is coming out specified way and tempature, etc. And take temp input from a simple 2 character display, well 2 actually, one on each side of the car(drivers/passenger), and an up and down input for each side.

I’m sure all this can be programmed in, I just want to make sure before I start that this is the way to go for a board, that the capabilities within the board can run all these items at once, has logic capability to do all of this.

Otherwise, this is my first post on this board, if you could suggest some links for other forum sites or guides that would be helpful as well.

Thanks,

Andrew

Yes the Arduino can do it. If necessary you may need some port expanders or something. Take a look at the existing mechanisms. Cars used to use vacuum actuators, not servos. I don’t know what they use now, but converting the mechanical actuators might be hard (depending on your mechanical skills).

This is a pretty complex project. You didn’t say what your skill level is but judging just by your first question, I might suggest you start with something simpler and work your way up.

Good luck with your projects!

  • Chip

I do not work for SparkFun

Chip, I appreciate the feedback. My skill level is near zero for this medium, I’m a very hands on person however, so I’m not intimidated by converting mechanical actuators to a step motor, limit switches, etc. Just trying to figure what board I would need really. The arduino seems like a powerful piece of equipment, I’ll just have to buy a kit and screw around with it for awhile, and learn the programming as I go.

For my car(1999 Subaru Legacy/Outback), only the flap door that operates the heat/cool is mechanical, everything else is electronic. I actually have a spare heater control that I’ll be pulling apart to test the pin out on it, map what functions do what, how much amp/volts they push to the ducting motors, etc.

This is a long term project, I do realize that. Just wanted to make sure I was on the right path, worse thing would have been to just jump in head first, then realize half way down the road that I was using a board that wouldn’t do what I was trying to do. Though that might be the case, and in some regards it could be seen as a good learning tool.

Andrew