I'm in mid-conversion and have spent a good bit of time trying to figure out the AC system. I've got my setup as bench-top right now (still need to work out where the bits & pieces go in the car), but it runs really well.
My donor-car had AC, so I am re-using the coils/radiators that came with the car. I swapped the ICE_driven compressor for a Benling 350V unit. EVwerks sells one http://store.evtv.me/proddetail.php?prod=Benling but it's "only" 27cc / 16,000 BTU which should be totally fine for an average-size EV. My car is too large for this one so I went with the 34cc/22,000 BTU unit direct from the factory in China https://benling.coowor.com/shop/product-detail/20170802102659859QK7IQ7.htm
The scroll-compressor is quiet, and it's simple to run straight off the traction battery. It uses a cheap 12V PWM circuit. I use an Arduino to set fan-speed and compressor speed based on duct temp <> cabin temp (cooling and heating) but almost any PWM circuit will do. Including S&H and tariffs it came to $650.
I did look at the used Tesla compressors, they're all over ebay for $200, but I couldn't find a wiring diagram anywhere. I half-expect them to have a CAN-bus control interface, my project does not, so I let it be.
All in all, for straight AC I would definitely recommend the Benling.
I am trying to get the AC system to also run in heat-pump mode so I can use it for heating and cooling (same idea as the Nissan Leaf), and I'm still figuring out the expansion valve reversal. It shouldn't take much longer to get this to work, but I'm not there yet. Still, compared to the typical 5 kW water-boiler units, the heating capacity should go up and the power-requirement gets cut in half, there's only 1 coil in the fan-duct and no dampers/flappers to move so a pretty elegant under-dash system, it's a very clean setup...
My donor-car had AC, so I am re-using the coils/radiators that came with the car. I swapped the ICE_driven compressor for a Benling 350V unit. EVwerks sells one http://store.evtv.me/proddetail.php?prod=Benling but it's "only" 27cc / 16,000 BTU which should be totally fine for an average-size EV. My car is too large for this one so I went with the 34cc/22,000 BTU unit direct from the factory in China https://benling.coowor.com/shop/product-detail/20170802102659859QK7IQ7.htm
The scroll-compressor is quiet, and it's simple to run straight off the traction battery. It uses a cheap 12V PWM circuit. I use an Arduino to set fan-speed and compressor speed based on duct temp <> cabin temp (cooling and heating) but almost any PWM circuit will do. Including S&H and tariffs it came to $650.
I did look at the used Tesla compressors, they're all over ebay for $200, but I couldn't find a wiring diagram anywhere. I half-expect them to have a CAN-bus control interface, my project does not, so I let it be.
All in all, for straight AC I would definitely recommend the Benling.
I am trying to get the AC system to also run in heat-pump mode so I can use it for heating and cooling (same idea as the Nissan Leaf), and I'm still figuring out the expansion valve reversal. It shouldn't take much longer to get this to work, but I'm not there yet. Still, compared to the typical 5 kW water-boiler units, the heating capacity should go up and the power-requirement gets cut in half, there's only 1 coil in the fan-duct and no dampers/flappers to move so a pretty elegant under-dash system, it's a very clean setup...