1st build

[hankaye]

kathy chorjel, Howdy;

Not one to give out incomplete information, and as I did mention the ST type tires that generally
are in use and come as original equipment on new trailers and RVs I did a wee bit deeper dive into
the Tire Rack site to see if I could find some info to share about the ST tires. Here's what I found.
https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech ... techid=219

Hope that helps folks.

hank

[kathy chorjel]

Super easy bed platform!

[kathy chorjel]

So, the 1st attempt to vent the portable a/c was a fail. I thought we could vet it out of the 3"vent already in place, but it was too much force to successfully vent. Too much "back-flow" I guess. Now we are thinking that 2 of these 6" marine hatches will work. One inside and one outside just put the vent hose straight through and close them up when not in use. Any thoughts?

[Iconfabul8]

Asking people's advice around here about portable ac is a bit risky, just sayin, be prepared. I have never used one but I know a lot have had bad experiences. Don't get me wrong, we're all rootin for ya and hope to hear raving reviews. Good luck.

[Padilen]

Some where in my thread I tried the vent also. I ended up going through the floor. I learned on a hot day my AC compressor hits it's limit. So it just clicks on and off. Mines a single hose I looked on line and the common cure is a fan blowing at the intake on my unit.

[CoventryKid]

Kathy:

On our 6 month trip to the east coast last year, we made it to Quebec before the heat got to us. We stopped at a Walmart and picked up a portable AC. I knew we were going to be purchasing one at some point in our trip, so I put a "door" in the side of our CT for the vent before we left.

I had done some research and found that there really wasn't much difference between a single hose unit and a 2 hose unit, so I opted for a single 5" outlet - one less hole in the side of the trailer to leak!



We carry the AC in our clothes (hanging) closet at the front of the trailer. We just pull it out, attach the hose, point it to the rear and turn it on. BTW, I installed 1/2 of the window mounting bracket so the hose attaches securely. The pink "plug" is my winter cover.



On the outside, I got tired of having to open the door, so I installed a louvred vent. We're still waiting for Spring here on Vancouver Island so I haven't had a chance to fire up the AC but with all the rain we've had recently, we haven't had any leaks.



We have not had any problems with our portable unit. And you are right, the air leaving the hose is quite strong - that's why I used the window bracket so I can attach the hose securely. My early attempts were the same as yours - too much "wind", just blew the hose right off.

As far as our unit is concerned, there is a noticeable difference in temperature in the CT. In the living room at the rear, it is nice and cool. At the front, on the "other" side of the AC, it is noticeably warmer. All in all, we are glad we've got the AC. We lived very comfortably through 101F temps on the east coast of the US last summer.

Hope this helps.

[kathy chorjel]

Thanks Doug! I love the louvered vent, I'll be looking hard at that one. Good to hear from someone who has had success with the portable! I'll keep ya'll posted.
Kathy

[kathy chorjel]

Thanks Padelin, good tip about the fan!

[kathy chorjel]

@ Iconfabulate, I hear ya, lots of "porta-haters" out there . However, since we already had one, we are giving it a try. Thanks for the good vibes...

[kathy chorjel]

Looks like we'll be cutting a bigger hole in the skin for the a/c vent. What do folks use to cut a round hole? I don't have a compressor or a jig. Would a dremel possibly work?

[Iconfabul8]

A dremel will work if you use rotozip blades. Probably have to take it slow. And be careful, cuz rotozips have a tendency to pull and wander if you don't hold tight. Cutting counter clockwise also helps as it pulls away from the line. The picture below shows how I used a rotozip. I use the wood as a guide, drill a starter hole, then cutting from inside the trailer, rest the smooth part of the bit on the wood and it works just like a router bit. Best method around in my book.

[kathy chorjel]

@ Iconofabul8, Those are nice looking holes sir! I won't have the advantage of a nice study plywood back though. I have been thinking that some aviation snips may be better for my purpose. Giving me more control over the cut. Saw a nice you tube vid that was very instructional. https://youtu.be/8QsiOppAU1s
This is pretty much my situation as I will be cutting an existing hole larger. I am having so much fun with this and I really appreciate everyone sharing their experience with me on this site! Made a bedrail yesterday for our rather high bunk, and am happy with the way it turned out, love, love, love, e track!

[hankaye]

Iconfabul8, Howdy;

Nice handy hint about the counter-clockwise direction to use and the precut wood
to use as a guide. Thanks.

hank

[McDave]

Nice Jigs, Icon.

McDave

[jwh92020]

Kathy -
On a previous build, I needed 5" holes for the a/c intake and exhaust. "Good ones" were in the $50 range. That's a lot for 2 holes (IMHO), so I went to Harbor Freight and spent under $20 for a hole saw set that had a 5" saw in it. Drilled the 2 holes. At that point I got my $ worth from the set. On this build, I used the same saw to go through the floor of the trailer. They are still sharp enough to drill wood, probably wouldn't drill metal again. As a bonus, I have saws that go from 1" to 4" that I haven't used. Might be worth checking the set out.