Air Conditioner

[bobhenry]

Freeze up and the resulting loss of performance has been a problem often discussed. I have taken a few minutes to e mail these folks to see it their knowhow would be of any value with just such a problem. Interesting reading but a bit pricey $$$$

http://www.storeitcold.com/index.php

[Shadow Catcher]

bobhenry an interesting idea, and yeah a bit expensive. We have not had a problem with any of our 5000 BTU A/C units icing up. when I was shopping for small units I went to an ABC warehouse which it advertised in an inexpensive price on the 5000 BTU and promptly got a bait and switch, oh you want the one with the digital controls as they don't ice up. At that point I left the store and went elsewhere. In most cases that I've been exposed to where an air conditioner was icing up and had a problem with low Freon. It will be interesting to see how ours works out next year running through the 4 inch ducts. I have however found four-inch bilge fans that will fit in the duct.

[bobhenry]

The answering e-mail from coolbot........Hi Bob,

A problem I didn't even know existed! So... the short answer is YES it
would definitely solve the problem... but... as much as I'd love to
sell a bunch more coolbots... I don't think you should use us for this
purpose. It's a huge amount of overkill.... they are doing a lot more
than you'll ever need.... you'd be paying for stuff you aren't going
to use. What you really need is just need an air conditioner that has
a pre-built in frost sensor. Sears Kenmore brand, for example, is now
made by TOSHIBA (just starting at the end of 2010 summer) and they
have freeze-up protection BUILT IN. Their older units (2008-earlier
2010) were made by LG.... so those might have frozen up on you.... but
then newer ones shouldn't.

I BELIEVE all the LG air conditioners that will be made in 2011 have
added it also (we try to keep up on the air conditioner industry and I
know the first models to roll out do have it).

Most (but not all!) models of Frigidaire that have DIGITAL controls
had it... but recently I think they ditched it.... so that's a bummer
for you.
GoldStar definitely does NOT have it.
HAIER definitely does NOT have it (even if they have digital controls)

The poster who replied to you (he was baited and switched and was told
at "ABC" warehouse store was told that all the air-conditoners that
are digital have freeze control was totally lied to!!! It's good he
walked out on them!

Sucking in warmer air from outside as you're doing... that would solve
the freeze up problem, but... just as you noticed... it will limit how
cold your internal temperature can get... so that kind of stinks...

Venting the cold air farther away from the intake probably would help,
too... but that could be a pain

[hoofhearted]

You'd think someone would've come out with a 12 volt DC a/c unit by now. I know the compressor and blowers use a lot of current but something small enough for a teardrop trailer wouldn't have to be that big. Perhaps something based on a Peltier junction and no bigger than a shoebox. I built a water cooled pet bed for my cats based on a Peltier junction and it worked fairly well. I'm sure there's an engineer out there that's got his braincells working on the idea right now.