It might help to know just how hot it gets where you live.

 

YES. Location: Hotlanta (We don't call it that)

 

I'm also in Atlanta. What he said.

 

Actually, the climate isn’t particularly relavent, since your interest in the package means you will use your AC for more than defrosting.

What the package does is add a high-volume condenser that allows the A/C to function properly when the van is idling for extended periods of time. The standard A/C system is excellent when the van is being driven, it’ll blow ice cubes at you in 105 degree heat.

However if you idle for extended periods of time, say 15 minutes of pure idle, or 35 or so of bumper to bumper, the condenser begins to lose its ability to cool, and the A/C will eventually become pretty weak. This is because air is not being driven over the condenser to cool it. Likewise, the car will not cool down on a hot day until you start driving it- although a few minutes in it will be blowing ice cold.

The enhanced A/C has the ability to to generate cold air when the car is not moving, and thus will cool down in a parking lot, and will stay cool in extended idle situations.

If you do not find yourself sitting still in your car for extended periods on hot days, the enhancement is literally useless to you- remember, remote starts are not compatible with MB vehicles. It really is intended for livery services, who leave the car idling to cool down for customers.

 

Actually, the climate isn’t particularly relavent, since your interest in the package means you will use your AC for more than defrosting.

What the package does is add a high-volume condenser that allows the A/C to function properly when the van is idling for extended periods of time. The standard A/C system is excellent when the van is being driven, it’ll blow ice cubes at you in 105 degree heat.

However if you idle for extended periods of time, say 15 minutes of pure idle, or 35 or so of bumper to bumper, the condenser begins to lose its ability to cool, and the A/C will eventually become pretty weak. This is because air is not being driven over the condenser to cool it. Likewise, the car will not cool down on a hot day until you start driving it- although a few minutes in it will be blowing ice cold.

The enhanced A/C has the ability to to generate cold air when the car is not moving, and thus will cool down in a parking lot, and will stay cool in extended idle situations.

If you do not find yourself sitting still in your car for extended periods on hot days, the enhancement is literally useless to you- remember, remote starts are not compatible with MB vehicles. It really is intended for livery services, who leave the car idling to cool down for customers.

Is the enhanced condenser something that can be added aftermarket? I would like this feature as I travel with pets and would like the option of cooling the car while at idle. Thanks!

 

Your described driving in Atlanta perfectly. Sitting in a hot parking lot.

With the enhanced AC package you get more than that according to the docs.

 

Compared to a loaded worker Pax model (which has the multi-zone climate control) what you get is an additional heat exchanger (I dunno why I confused it with the condenser, but I hope you can tell that I was describing a heat exchanger) and the software to take advantage of it.

Thank god im not in Atlanta. I generally understand anyone who has a desire to leave NJ, but gosh, Atlanta...

 

I love it here after living all over. Just a touch hot in the summer, but sunny most of the year. I used to live in Cherry Hill NJ and Atlanta is 10x better. NJ has the worst property taxes. Thieves.


I have a 3yo. Pretty important to get the car to cool off quick after shopping etc. You can remote open the windows and vent. Wish you could remote start from the factory.

 

Having lived in central PA you don't have to get roasted to escape NJ. And the enhanced AC package does not cool the car down any faster assuming you don't potchka around in the parking lot. The best thing you can do with a 3yo is have some rachmones and get them home quickly.

 

Problem with PA is all the people from PA. I moved there from Chicago and the first things my coworkers asked me was "What high school did you go to?" I was in my 40's. I was very confused by the interest in my high school. I learned that this is the local way people find out if they can be friends. If they went to rival high schools they cannot be friends and at work they generally don't socialize.

Funny, the documentation for the option package is very specific that the enhanced AC does in fact cool the car down faster. Are you claiming that is a false statement from MB?

 

Very much so. An additional heat exchanger will not raise the capacity of the systems airflow, nor its compressors.

The good thing about Central PA is the people. Fun, friendly, decent people who aren’t judge mental and go out of their way to be good neighbors. PA is a large state, perhaps you weren’t in the same area. I lived in northern Lancaster county, practically on the border of Berks.

The basic HVAC system is excellent in just about every situation except pre-warm-up idling (you need the electric heater booster, standard for ‘18- it’s a blast furnace almost immediately with it) and in long sitting isles on hot days (cured with the enhanced A/C system). My car has absolute base Pax model system- semi-automatic one-zone.

Disclaimer: I have a thyroid problem; I want to move to Churchill and snowbird to Winterpeg because of the climate, not in spite of it.

My main issue with the heater is getting it to blow small enough amounts of hot air in the winter to keep my wife (a native Floridian) warm without making me sphitz.

 

Thanks everyone for responding.
We currently reside in Phila area, however would be taking the van up (Boston) and down (North Carolina) the coast as well Western PA and Ohio. A/C and heat are very important, as we have little kids.

I had a VW Eurovan a while back and it had a little heater just below the 2nd row pass sear. We lived in NE Ohio and it could get below 0 often. The van was very cold around the 3rd seat area. Now my wife is so cautious about these pseudo-European vans and their climate control. I know for the fact that in Europe and Scandinavia, they put an additional diesel powered heater in the back for some extra comfort. Obviously, not available in the US along with a diesel engine.
I am hoping that the above package will help with heat/cold and cabin moisture. Not sure if the standard heater is deficient.

Best,
Joe

 

There are 5 potential HVAC systems in the 2018 Metris:

1. Cargo Tempmatic: auto single zone temperature control, manual fan and direction, single A/C
2. Cargo Climatronic: dual zone, auto temperature, auto fan, auto direction, single A/C
3. Pax Tempmatic: auto single zone temperature control, manual fan and direction, dual A/C compressor, rear compressor manually deactivatable
4. Pax Climatronic: Three-zone auto temperature, fan, and direction, dual compressors, rear compressor separately controlled and deactivatable.
5. Pax Climatronic-Enhanced: Three-zone auto temperature, fan, and direction, dual compressors, rear compressor separately controlled and deactivatable, additional heat exchanger.

You get that rear A/C unit in any passenger van.

 

The enhanced option you posted is different than the others in that it includes an additional heat exchanger, No?

 

Yes, but an additional heat exchanger does not improve the power of the compressor, or the blower. Which you would need it to do in order to increase the systems actual spatial cooling capacity. The main limit for rear cooling capacity in the Metris is the blower, which moves a surprisingly limited volume of air.

 

So what is the actual difference technical in the package?

From what I can tell there are differences in the evap core part in the front and expansion valve is different. This may be balancing the system differently and moving more to the rear or increasing output (assuming there is headroom on the compressor. I think you assume there is not). You may also have differences in the controller since it is climate controlled.

 

The difference is that the additional heat exchanger gives more cooling area, allowing the cooling to take place with much less airflow.

 

Do you think people are getting ripped off if they buy the enhanced option?

 

Not at all. If you have need for enhanced cooling at idle, it’s worth it- as I suggested, professional livery drivers. But I would call it a special purpose option, like the 4x4 system on the Sprinter.

 

Thanks. Have you experienced it first hand? How about families and conversion van's. Added value?

 

Yes. It does provide better cooling when the van is idling. I'm not sure why the equation would be different in the presence of families or a conversion van. If you sit idling for long time periods, it makes sense. Otherwise, no.

In Yiddish we have a phrase to describe you, I think. Roughly translated, you are meditating on whether or not a fly has a belly button.

 

I think you don't find value in the feature because you don't need it or want it. Would it not be better to say there is an advantage to anyone that lives in a hot location such as families with small kids and conversions where cooling off a parked van is often required? I think you said it really is intended for livery services, but so many situations are the same use case for families and recreational needs in hot places or for anyone that just wants to ensure they have the horsepower. I'd say its worth it esp if you like a black van.

Maven?

 

I think you are not fundementally seeing the point: the item has value, but not in the way you think it does.

What you are talking about, the circumstances you describe it’s benefit, IT DOES NOT DO THIS. It does things, it has value, but it does not increase the cooling performance of the vehicle while it is moving; the efficiency of the single heat exchanger is sufficient to handle the entirety of the systems needs.

Except at idle. Where your second heat exchanger starts serving a purpose. This is simple a/c physics here.

I’m not a maven. I’m a polymath with an eidetic memory and a mind palace filled with mostly useless data.

 

I think GML is both right and wrong. Right when he mentions the compressor and blower limitations, wrong when only considering the second heat exchanger useful at idle.


An added heat exchanger would help a faser heat transfer making the fluid cooler hence increasing the whole system cooling capacity, unless the fluid is already getting at ambient temperature (Which is the lowest it can get with a heat exchanger) with just one heat exchanger you will always notice a difference, being more obvious at idle when you don't have any airflow to help the heat exchange.

 

Assuming one may have an interest to install a pop top conversion: Are any of the A/C components located in the ceiling in the back of the van?

 

No, the rear unit is on the drivers side in between the rear wheel and the back of the van.

 

Thank you!

 

The rear AC is, I think, standard on the passenger model and unlikely to be an easy install afterwards on Cargo ones; though I have seen cargo models with an aftermarket refrigeration uplift, via a rooftop AC.

 

Thanks! I have the rear AC on a 2021 passenger (Getaway) model. I was curious about the enhanced condenser. It's different than having rear air, correct?

 

Interesting. I was under the impression that the compressor was belt driven from the engine (so there's probably only one) and that the poor cooling when stopped was due to the low RPMs. Have you tried a little pedal to see if it helps cooling? I seem to remember doing this back in the 60s. Maybe the enhanced AC compressor has a different pulley ratio (or is just different).

 

There is a second evaporator in the rear of the passenger van along with a second hydronic heater core. There is no compressor in the rear of the van. There is a different compressor for vans with rear ac.

 

No need to roast me.
Yes, I misunderstood the question, was on my phone, perused new posts, did not see a whole thread attached and just hit a quick reply … on what I thought was the question.
Mea Culpa.

Oh, and revolving door skiing is fine, you just need a commercial door.

 

I don’t understand a lot of questions that get asked here, often I have nothing useful to contribute. Some times That Manifests as an obvious joke if I think of one; more often it manifests as my not participating in the thread. If I just have an opinion, I try to make it clear that my opinion is just that- an opinion. I only attempt to provide a factual answer if I am pretty confident I have a factual answer to the exact question asked.

I think people around here tend to think I know what I’m talking about. I don’t want to risk that by going off half cocked about something I don’t understand.