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Air Conditioner

PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 10:25 am
by hoofhearted
I don't know if this has been discussed already but has anyone mounted a small 5,000 BTU a/c unit in the front of their tear? I''m planning to build a BenRoy and was thinking about mounting the a/c in the flat part in the front. I'm more concerned about air circulation in and out of the unit more than anything.Thanks.

PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 5:40 pm
by GPW
Hoof , sounds fine if your structure is made to support it ... But you may want to make a removable hard cover for it for towing and storage ..

PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:11 pm
by planovet
It's been done several times. You have to make sure and build an enclosure for the AC or water will get in if you are driving in the rain.

A couple of examples I found real quick:

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PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 6:53 pm
by mikeschn
Gary has one on the Winter Warrior that worked well.

The one I stuck in the wall of my Winter Warrior leaked like a sieve when I first installed it. It took a lot of weather stripping to keep it from leaking. But still, I think Gary's design is better. Gary, got a pic of your design handy?

Here's mine...
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Mike...

PostPosted: Thu Oct 14, 2010 9:40 pm
by bdosborn
Now you see it:

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Now you don't:
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:lol:

Bruce

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:47 am
by Shadow Catcher
The other alternative is to not have the AC attached permanently. I have had a 5000 BTU unit adapted so that it takes 4 inch ducts, and these will be run into deck plates in the side of the camper.

A/C

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 10:24 am
by hoofhearted
All great ideas guys. Thanks.

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 11:17 am
by b.bodemer
I really like Bruce's idea. Add a slideout and a baggage door and you are good to go.

I used the same idea for my TTT installing a bigger baggage door on the side and sliding the ac out when needed.
http://barbsserroscottymakeover.shutter ... mpergetsac

On my td I went with an insert to the side door. Since I had two doors I didn't mind for the few times ac was needed that I gave up the use of one of the doors.
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There's no wrong way to ac...............as long as it keeps you cooled off!
Barb

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 7:37 pm
by Lou Park
I guess that would be a yes

PostPosted: Fri Oct 15, 2010 8:30 pm
by chorizon
That's exactly how I planned mine...
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 16, 2010 7:54 am
by RAYVILLIAN
Here is the Ac set up on the WW.

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Since the bed is raised I put a vent inside to shoot the cool air up and along the roof where is returns back under the bed.

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Gary

PostPosted: Sun Oct 17, 2010 2:01 pm
by cracker39
Building a TTT with galley in front, and planning another, ditto, I put the AC in the rear where water wasn't blown into it when driving so it didn't need a cover.

It was positioned where it might blow on the heads of anyone sitting on the couch, so I bought a Haier 5K BTU unit that has the air outlets that blow UP and OUT. You might consider that factor in a TD. Having one blow air up toward the ceiling rather than directly over you while sleeping in it might be preferable.
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The PT will be too low to mount on in the rear, so I'm putting a mount in the side with an outside cover. The AC will sit on the floor for travel and put in the mount for use, pushing the cover up as it slides in (after unlocking the cover that is).

PostPosted: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:53 pm
by tuber
Does anyone have manyfacturers for small A/C's? I'd be interested in 12V and 120V units. I still haven't decided which power to use. Probably come down to reliability, and cost. I did see the name Haier mentioned.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 9:03 am
by Shadow Catcher
Florida+12 AC, not a chance with out a huge battery bank and way to recharge it. The thread above mentions a 12 V swamp cooler, but the individual is in Wyoming where it does tend to stay pretty dry. Virtually/probably all of the small A/C units come out of China and they tend to be pretty much same same! All four of our small A/C units, three for the house, and one for the tear, are Frigidaire and you guessed it made in China. We had a bad experience with a Haier remote room AC that unfortunately did not have manual controls and the controller failed, we returned the unit. A good bit depends upon what you want in the way of features, digital and remotes add to the cost of a basically very simple unit. We have been very happy with our basic 5000 BTU Frigidaire unit and I picked it up off season at Lowe's for something like $50.

PostPosted: Wed Oct 20, 2010 10:15 am
by GPW
QUOTE: "I picked it up off season at Lowe's for something like $50." Now we're talking ...
8) :thumbsup: