W124 aircon used for heating?

[jaques2k]

Hi everybody! Just a short question: I have a 1989 W124 230CE with aircondition. I have the 3 buttons: top is a windscreen with two lines on it, middle one a snowflake and the lowest one recirculation. In summer I know how everything works (and get cool air), but now when it´s -15C outside, does the air/interior heat up faster if I engage the top button?? Tried to find out from my user manual, but my german is nicht sehr gut. Also tried to do some search on the forum, and got pretty close, but now I wonder if anybody has tried this in cold weather or know how it is??

 

[Geoff_Slade]

ich haben klein deutsch auch :? Bit of a problem here because my W124 manual doesn't show a snowflake symbol. I've got 3 buttons one with the two lines (that's for rapid demisting of the screen set the rotary knob to the up demist setting as well). It's working when the light is on (this button is known as the dehumidifier button in my manual). An EC button which is where your snowflake button is. When the light is on on that button that's the air conditioning off (EC is an abbreviation for economy mode). And a recirculation button. Recirculation is on when the red light is on. According to my a/c manual the quickest way to heat up the interior is:

Air conditioning on (I assume that this means that on your system the red light under the snowflake will be off!)
Set both temperature controls to max.
Turn recirc on
Set the outlet position knob to the position with two white arrows one facing up one facing down. Open the side vents (not the middle ones unless you want a blast of icy cold Arctic air ).

So in answer to your question a/c on and the recirc button pressed in is the quickest way to heat it up.

My a/c manual says (my a/c is a retrofit Diavia which is standard MB but I've got the benefit of a two manuals ). I hope it makes sense

- When the warning light is on the relevant function is enabled.
- When all the warning lights are off the the air conditioner operating conditions are normal.
- The recirculation function is independent of the others while the dehumidifier and EC functions switch off each other.

What that last sentence means (it's probably best to be in the car for it to make sense) is that if you press the bottom button it works with or without a/c (but be warned, without a/c on your car will steam up inside). You can't have the dehumidifier on with the a/c off so if you've pressed the dehumidifier button and a/c is off a/c will automatically switch on. if you've got dehumidification and a/c on and you switch off the a/c the dehumidifier will automatically switch off. See what I mean about being in the car. Best of luck and just think if it's minus 15 now what will it be like in January!

 

[Robert Cox]

My '86 W124 230E also has three buttons, the top and middle like yours (middle one has a snowflake on it). My bottom one has "EC" on it, meaning "Economy" mode ie. no a/c compressor on.

From my manual, the top one engages the a/c compressor continuously and is for quick defrosting and in particular, drying the air to help demisting (hence the compressor permanently on).

The snowflake simply refers to "air conditioning on" and the compressor cuts in and out as required to maintain the chosen temperature. (And the lower one is as I mentioned).

I don't have the top one on for too long in cold weather, other than to dry the air (not that Aussie "cold weather" compares with Finland! )

Cheers,

Robert

 

[jaques2k]

Thanks a lot guys! Now it made it all more clear! The top button must be for defrosting then, so I guess that´s the one I should use when warming up... Luckily I have a warm garage for most of the time, so not so often I need to use that. But well worth knowing in Januari with -20 and below...
Thanks again!!