AC install

[GeorgeT]

I Installed my AC so's it would slide out the side. Made a frame and door for it.




Under zee door



And in camping position. It slides on a couple of wooden slides. Goes out very smoothly and easily. I bolted on a couple of pieces of aluminum L stock to each side and used the bracket that came with the unit on the top to keep it from falling through the door. The weatherstripping is applied to these brackets. I have a sort of lever system using a couple of bars vertically pressing against the side brackets from the inside to provide compression force for a good seal. It works very well. I will post some pics of these brackets and the levers when I take the AC out to paint the camper. The door becomes an awning and weather protector. When traveling the AC goes back inside and sits in the position of the second pic. There are wooden stops that keep it from going any further and from falling out on the floor when the road is bumpy.

[BufordT]

Good idea George. I like the design of the tear also.

Keep us posted.

Bufordt

[SteveH]

Looking good, George.

[David Grason]

NOW THAT'S A VERY GOOD IDEA!!

The best I've seen come down the pike in quite a while concerning A/C systems. Yes, that gets the "DAVE" seal of approval.

[BufordT]

I saw Bob's tear in Jacksonville Fl at the state park and he did his almost the same way.

How about it Bob. Share how you did your A/C

Bufordt

[Keith]

This is how we are doing our ac units. We duct it through the front into the cabin. We got it all hooked up yesterday and tested it. It was 80 out and within ten minutes the ac had it cooled to 65 inside the trailer. Within about fifteen minutes it was down to 60. It looks like it should work fine.

<img src="http://saber.net/~kings/trailers/ac1.JPG">

<img src="http://saber.net/~kings/trailers/ac2.JPG">

Keith.

[Steve Frederick]

Kieth, Are you taking the return air from outside? That probably helps prevent the freeze-up potential.

[Arne]

Keith, can you explain how the air flow works. I understand you blow cold air out the top and take return in the front, but your tear drop holes look like they are at the same level..... but that is nice.. Do you have a box with a baffle that covers the whole front of the a/c unit?

Personally, I don't like the idea of hauling the a/c around separately, but may try to copy your idea...... cause I also don't want to chop a hole in my tear...

Finally, do you have to remove the cover you put on to adjust the temp dial???

[Keith]

I forgot to include the picture of the inside of the trailer. We are taking the return air from outside of the trailer. We are just now installing ac on Kevin and my dad's trailer. Norman and I have each been running a similar setup for the past three years and haven't had any problems with them. We've used them in both humid and dry heat and they work great. Here is a picture of the inside of Kevin's trailer where the air blows in.

<img src="http://saber.net/~kings/trailers/ac3.JPG">

If you look at the first picture I posted you can see how we used a sheetrock mud tray to cover the ac outlet. We cut two holes in it and put a threaded conduit through it. We used the same type of setup on the trailer side. The tube in the middle is aluminum drier vent. It allows for some flexing of the joint.

Keith.

[Arne]

Keith, those thru-walls are electical conduit pieces? Find them in the electrical dept at home depot type things? What diameter are they, 4"?

[Keith]

Hi Arne,

The fitting are 3". On Kevin's we used two holes and it seems to have enough air flow. There is space on the mud pan to put a third hole if we find that we need more air flow.

Keith.

[Arne]

Oh, kay..... You are taking outside air into the a/c and just piping in cold air... I was wondering how you got the 2 holes to be in line with each other...

If I am right, how with the thermostat know when to turn the unit off. I may be confused, but doesn't it need air from the tear to return to the unit so it knows when it is cold enough?

[Keith]

Arne,

You are correct that we are taking outside air and cooling it and piping it inside the trailer. As for the thermostat, if you look at the third photo that I included you can see two extention cords coming through one of the ducts. The ac units we purchased are the type with just an on off swith and a dial type knob to set the tempature. The extention cords are to connect the ac unit to the ac control panel. We just extended the wires out with the extention cords and put the control panel that has the thermostat attached on the inside of the trailer. The ac unit cycles on an off at the desired setting.

Keith

[Arne]

Keith, that is great..... a/c units are slowly starting to appear (Walmart now has a few out)....

I'm going to reread this whole thread, I didn't see mention of a control panel... that means you pulled pieces out of the a/c and put them in the tear to control the temp.....

Anyway, thank you for the information. I'll go back up and start at the top... sounds like you have a winner design... And, it would keep me from cutting a big hole in the front of my tear..... a job I was not looking forward to....

[Keith]

Arne,

If you are going to use an ac unit this way just make sure you don't purchase one with an digital control. My dad did and had to extend out 17 or 18 small wires. It works fine but it was a lot more work.

Keith.