Tiny air conditioners? I found some! - (new info)

[GeorgeTelford]

You could easily hook up a evaporator/blower assembly from a car. This system has a lot of potential. The only thing is, I don't have $600 to play with.

Hi Asianflava

Thars rge first place I looked for a 12v compressor, but the compressor on a car unit is run by a belt from the crankshaft, you would have to add an electric motor to run the compressor.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_a ... 30,00.html

[Nitetimes]

Now you got me thinkin about this car AC again. First big plus is that it's design permits piece work. Another words, if all the parts of it were used it can easily be filled after it is installed and refilled when nessesary later on, and it could pretty much be mounted however you want with a little ingenuity (of which there seems to be no shortage of around here). Now it seems like the biggest drawback is the compressor which is belt driven, so is there any way to replace this compressor with one that is either 12v or 110v. If someone could come up with a suitable replacement I think this would be the way to go. The cost should be able to be kept reasonably low (not as cheap as the window units of course but not bad) as most everything could be scrounged from the bone yard, all you'd have to do is wander around loosening fittings to see which ones hold a charge (I'd never do that!). The ideal way to get a good one would be to get one out of a car they were pulling a motor out of that they drained the freon out of and pull that one because it would make it much easier to pull all the parts.
Now back to that little inconvienience of the compressor, anybody got any ideas? I've got a scap car in the driveway with AC and no motor, let's try it out.

[Sonetpro]

I have often wondered if a small engine would have eough power. Like maybe a 5 HP?

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Sonnet

Quote: I have often wondered if a small engine would have enough power. Like maybe a 5 HP? :Endquote

but by then you might as well use a cheap 120V AC and a smallish genny......

[Sonetpro]

Hi George,
Your right just thinking aloud. small engine $100 small jenny $1000.

[asianflava]

You could easily hook up a evaporator/blower assembly from a car. This system has a lot of potential. The only thing is, I don't have $600 to play with.

Hi Asianflava

Thars rge first place I looked for a 12v compressor, but the compressor on a car unit is run by a belt from the crankshaft, you would have to add an electric motor to run the compressor.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_a ... 30,00.html

Yes that's kinda what I was thinking. That is how the guys who convert vehicles to electric do it. They just have a small electric motor turn the compressor via a belt drive.

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi Sonnet

Just had a quick look can find gennies that would run AC for $500, I believe the small AC mentioned here are are $150 total $650

Car Air con costs (again what I have read here) costs $600, add one motor $100, add extra fittings to make the motor run the compressor say $50 (that must be way to cheap) so thats minimum $750 before you add the cost of whatever the AC engineer will charge for filling the system.

The first will certainly cool the air better.

But if its a matter of design, cost may not be a factor, I must be missing the reason that this is worth trying.

[asianflava]

You could easily hook up a evaporator/blower assembly from a car. This system has a lot of potential. The only thing is, I don't have $600 to play with.

Hi Asianflava

Thars rge first place I looked for a 12v compressor, but the compressor on a car unit is run by a belt from the crankshaft, you would have to add an electric motor to run the compressor.

http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/ab_auto_a ... 30,00.html

I got to looking at the back posts in this thread, this quote was in reference to this link.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&langId=-1&catalogId=10001&productId=6290

This system already has an AC/DC compressor and condenser. To be converted to an a/c unit it lacks a blower and evap unit.

The electric motor reference was if someone wanted to use an auto a/c system to save space with a split system. Which was in another thread or maybe just in my mind?

[Sonetpro]

I agree I don't think it's cost effecient to do this. I opted for a 2000 btu Petcool mounted in the rear overhead cabinet. It is going to vent out the side and draw from the galley with a vent. I am installing a hatch cover to cover the side vent when it not in use. it also has heat. I tested it with a meter and the amp draw running is 3.6 amp with a 5.9 amp start spike. It was pretty noisy when I got it because of a cheap fan for the condenser coil. I have since replaced it with a 12V transformer and muffin fans. It's alot quieter now. I didn't want a big cheap unit sticking out of the side.
Pet cool $350. I picked up a Honda EU2000i genset for $900. Total self contained heatpump $1250. Kinda pricey but the boss will be happy. and as everybody knows when Momma's happy everybody's happy.