AC Hacking a Figidaire 5000 BTU

[working on it]

If I ever "hacked" a 5k window unit, I would use a large rectangular shroud covering the entire front of the unit (with a divider separating the intake from exhaust), connected to the trailer via a short rubber accordion boot/truck camper pass-thru gasket. The A/C unit would sit above ground level on a side-table secured as usual, so it wouldn't fall, and the exhaust and chassis cooling would be left to nature, not having to flow thru too small flex hoses. Just an easier solution to hoses. I wish I hadn't done my complicated exhaust duct, but instead, just use a short accordion boot to vent out mu closed hatch...I've thought about this easy-out method for awhile, now.[*][/list]

Thanks. Here's another idea for your accordion boot seal.

The evaporator squirrel cage moves the cooled air upward, and then forces it around a tight 90 degree internal elbow to the front grill. In order to allow even more cfm to be moved, why not blank off the internal elbow, and cut a rectangular hole in the top of the window shaker? This would allow more cfm because we have omitted a inefficient short sweet elbow .. Then use your accordion boot rectangular "duct" to connect the new cold air supply hole on top, through the trailer floor to a plenum inside the trailer? Or a rectangle to round "boot" if you dont have enough room under the trailer.
Regular flexible Return duct is fine. Its the supply air that needs a easy slippery path, and with the above design, if you looked down the trailer supply plenum you would see the squirrel cage blower. Cant get much better than that and not have to worry about any other support booster fans.

Window shakers were never designed to be mounted inside anything other than a window, and will run hotter with shorter lifespan if not supplied enough fresh condenser air. From what I remember, the beauty of a window shaker design is that it uses one motor to move evaporator air and condenser air.

• The accordion boot seal is just meant to totally remove the right-angle vent register boot/ducting from the equation. It will be a straight connection to the hatch vent (not installed, nor needed, until a window unit replacement makes the conversion worthwhile!), so the unit can still run with a closed hatch. If operated while the hatch is raised, the accordion will point the exhaust straight back (making standing there quite hot), still far away from being a source of contamination for the condenser/chassis cooling air, which will still be drawn-in thru a side vent, pulled thru by the case fan. This way, I'll only have to install a shutter/directional vent on the hatch door, and no holes on top or bottom of the trailer. Simple. No hoses, ducts, or extra lines to mess with, and I'll free up much-needed room in the galley.
• I have no worries about the hot exhaust mixing with the required cooler air needed for the chassis cooling; a regular home window unit has no such barrier (like my sealed ducting, accordion boot extension, or sidewall-vent ambient air cooling intake), but draws in whatever temperature air is nearby; in my experience, the window units are drawing in their own exhaust in the still, stagnant, hot summer air (100-110 degrees, usually, in the Texas sun), and live many years doing so. I've only had one A/C window unit fail (except for 1 punctured coil, and 1 with a bad fan bearing) over 60+ years of dealing with them, under those conditions. That unit, an old Fedders from 1960?, that ran night and day in my bedroom, from May 1st to mid-late October, and finally wore out, shortly after I left home following HS graduation (1969-70). It wasn't thermostatically controlled, had only Hi-Lo outputs, and just plain worked itself to death. It sat in a tight space between two homes, mostly blocked from any breeze...the only air it had nearby was already heated by the exhaust. Almost 20 years of constant 1/2 year usage, seems like a long life to me. P.S. It was a window unit, mounted thru a wall, so I could still have a view...of the neighbor's garage wall.

 

[Socal Tom]

My goal was to make this easily portable and while you can make this more efficient I have two four inch holes and left it home this last week while we were north of Lake Superior (ran the heater one night).

Shadow Catcher, your idea is a great one. Its worked for me for several summers now. The CFM is fine, despite what the guys above who haven't done it believe.
Tom

 

[pinkelephant]

I'm planning a trailer and this mod saves so many headaches. I plan to hook up a digital thermometer in the trailer to a relay to control an outside plug so the AC only needs power and ducting. I want the AC to be plug n play so it can hook to a tent also. I may even set up an inside plug to another relay to make a dumb electric heater into a smart one. Realizing this concept I'm going to hook up a dumb 12,000 BTU window unit in my house to my internet connected thermostat to make my AC controllable and programmable. 12,000 seems to be the biggest one Wal mart sells without fancy controls.

They sell speed controllers for duct fan boosters.
https://www.amazon.com/CISNO-Variable-C ... B01KJPMZYO

 

[pinkelephant]

Why isn't this a sticky?

What came first? the climate right or this thread?

Has anyone considered buying these hoses and 2 sets of 4" or 5" lock rings instead of making homemade hoses?
https://climateright.com/air-conditioning-heating?p=2

 

[Shadow Catcher]

This came about out of my frustration with a Climateright
I have an expensive digital thermostat which I could not get to play well with the AC and using the one out of the AC itself and running the control wires through the intake hose has worked well.

 

[FM82]

Hopefully I didn't overlook the answer to this question, but I am curious about the duct length. Do you think shorter ducts would help alleviate the problem with air flow? This is one of the 2 ways that I am trying to decide on for my own build, and for years, I have been wondering how much the ducts will restrict the flow, compared to the conventional/intended use of window units. Is this the reason why you encountered freezing up, and had to boost the flow?

New to the forum, btw. Hello, all! [emoji16]

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[Shadow Catcher]

Anything that restricts air flow is going to contribute to icing and there are those that went to a larger duct. The ducts I used are high temp and can be used with an Eberspacher diesel heater. They were bigger than the ones for a Pet Cool/Climate Right so I did not anticipate a problem, they are smooth on the inside so not a huge restriction.
So I guess the answer is I do not know, I would however bet it will not with out going bigger. Using the bilge blower also means better distribution in the tear.

 

[FM82]

I would however bet it will not with out going bigger.

Come to think of it I bet you're right. I suppose without a substantial, impractical change in length, it wouldn't matter too much. Maybe only the friction from A to B causes the biggest problem.

By chance, did you happen to take a look at the internal design of the Pet Cool?


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[Socal Tom]

There are some pics of the interior of a pet cool in the thread. The PC has the exhaust from the side, and I believe that having the air flow that direction will reduce potential icing.

 

[ChadO]

Just wanted to say thanks to the OP and others for the inspiration on the ac unit hack ideas. I knocked out my version of the hack yesterday. We're about to head south to Florida and camp on the west and east coast over the next week. So, our first stop, fort de soto, is already see mid 80's temps. So, the ac unit will be a must for the sanity of myself, my wife and keeping our 3 yr old comfortable.

Here's a few pics I snapped while doing the mod. I used double width window seal gasket to seal the adapters to the unit. I'm getting really good pressure out of the outlet and the return has very good draw as well. I do have an inline fan for the return feed, to help prevent icing. I'm definitely looking forward to not having the unit sitting right at my head while we sleep!

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[StrongFeather]

Nice work, JKC. Where’d you get the black square-to-round transition piece screwed to the front of your unit?

Steve


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[kevin13]

Its a dust collector hood

 

[drhill]

I like the dust collector parts idea. How did this hack work out? Did you need to add a booster fan to get enough air circulation?
Thanks

 

[rebar]

I keep referring folks to this topic.. Even folks who have a small cabin..

Can anyone shed some light on the on/off control circuit part please? The window airs Ive seen lately have a control board with integrated buttons. Is that the type to stay away from if you want a wired remote stat?

Thanks

 

[Shadow Catcher]

The AC units I used were the least expensive with the dial control and that was easy to pull out of the AC. There are only four control wires. In looking at the digital control units one I see has two PC boards and a much more complex wiring. Can it be done yes but it is above my desire to mess with one.

 

[Socal Tom]

The AC units I used were the least expensive with the dial control and that was easy to pull out of the AC. There are only four control wires. In looking at the digital control units one I see has two PC boards and a much more complex wiring. Can it be done yes but it is above my desire to mess with one.

If you go for the fancy electronic one, I recommend getting one with a remote. Then you don't have to deal with the wiring.

 

[Shadow Catcher]

The advantage of having it wired is that the sensor is on the inside of the tear.

 

[Socal Tom]

The advantage of having it wired is that the sensor is on the inside of the tear.

Some of the remotes have a sensor too. FWIW, mine is the old school dial version, I set the knob at about 5, and it works fine all weekend. The dial is still on the AC unit outside in the plenum.

 

[rkolibar]

I just finished a similar build, but I have a 3-inch box on the front and feed the hot air return in from the top this will eliminate the icing because the moisture-filled air will not be concentrated on one spot of the radiator. The air will need to turn and the moisture will drop to the bottom. I also changed the on-off switch to the main power so we could run both high and low.

 

[Shadow Catcher]

My understanding it is more a matter of airflow through the coils to keep moisture from freezing on the coil. I get a good bit of drainage of the condensate. I did however add a drain as many/most of these use the fan to sling the condensate on the exterior coils to further cooling, I felt the noise annoying.
Let us know your experience.