AC Install Idea

[eieio1]

Will this work? I would have to find some way to secure the AC door while in transit. I also wonder if the AC door/hinge would be able to support the 40 lb AC. I would like to make the AC door removable (hinges with pins) when not needed. Constructive criticism is welcome.

[john]

Clever. I haven't seen this one before. I like the extra space it generates over my perminant interior method, but i also have a preference for not being able to see the A/C at all. I have to think about it.

You might have to figure out a way to drain it after use so as not to leak on the mattress.

Door and hinge would have to be very strong.

There are some hurdles but looks workable.

john

[doug hodder]

I agree with John...it does appear workable...I think that in the storage transport mode though that you would want to support the unit with something other than hanging on a hinge...maybe a nylon webbing strap through a d type ring on the roof to support the unit and not let it hammer on the bumps...if not that, just something to help support the rear end of the unit weight...that much weight with leverage is going to work on the hinge pretty hard....just my thoughts on it....Doug

[GeorgeTelford]

Hi

On runners you may get away with this, but sealing would be a problem.

On hinges it will take such a complex and time consuming set up of extra support, I would be more worried about the damage to the Teardrop wall than the door or AC unit.

[SteveH]

Or, you could do it like this and just haul the air conditioner in the back of your tow vehicle like I'm going to do.



That way, the AC unit takes up no space in the trailer and is out of the way when you don't want to use it.

[GeorgeTelford]

Outside on the ground? Maybe I have a Jaded view of the world but cannot help thinking that it will go walkies at some point. Still needs securing for traveling and just another thought, is it really rated for outdoor use (rain etc) the control knob on slant and the general case design suggests to me that it not a weatherproof unit.

[SteveH]

George,

You may be right, it may go "walkies", but if it does, I've only lost 75 bucks. Being an ex World-Com employee, wish that was all I'd ever lost!

As far as being weather proof, it's built to hang out a window, so that's good enough for me. Actually, it's no worse than an extention cord exposed to the weather, and my plan is not to go camping in the rain.

The way I feel about it is, these trailers at best, are problematic to put an air conditioner in. If you put it down low in the front wall, it blows on you and makes the tongue weight too high, and eliminates the use of a tongue box, which I have. If you put it in the cabinets in the rear, ventilation to the hot side is a problem as is the draining of the water, and it's almost impossible to retrofit in that area as was my situation.

Just have to choose your poison.
We'll see.

[Steve Frederick]

Or, you could do it like this and just haul the air conditioner in the back of your tow vehicle like I'm going to do.



That way, the AC unit takes up no space in the trailer and is out of the way when you don't want to use it.

Ever had an ice-up problem due to restricted air through the evaporator??
Your set up interests me for an add-on for a TD not built for A/C.

[SteveH]

Ever had an ice-up problem due to restricted air through the evaporator??
Your set up interests me for an add-on for a TD not built for A/C.

I'll let you know after the first time I use it.

I have run it in the garage for several hours in 90+ temperatures and it has worked great...pulled the trailer down to 68 degrees inside.

[JunkMan]

eieio1,

The main problem I see (besides securing it when traveling) is that you have to swing it out to use the trailer. I like to pull into rest areas for a quick snooze sometimes, and wouldn't want it to be obvious that I am camping. The other thing is that it it will always be there even when you don't need it (fall camping for example). You might want to make the A/C door/mount removable for cool weather camping so you don't have to haul the extra weight when you don't need it.


SteveH,

My wife and I were just discussing doing something similar for our tear. We really don't want an A/C unit on our tear all of the time, since we would rarley need it (most of our camping is done in the mountains where it usually gets pretty cool at night).

Did you have to make a custom face for the A/C unit? Some pics of the other side would be helpful. Please keep us posted as to how it works, we hate to pay the price of a Pet Cool if we can modify a window unit to do basically the same thing for considerably less $$$.

[BILLYL]

Besides always being there - the other issue I see is how do you get out of the TD in case of an emergency? Yes - you could have another side door ( and I ssume you will) but I would feel a whole lot more comfortable knowing that nothing is in my way.
Just a thought...........

BILL

[SteveH]

hate to pay the price of a Pet Cool

Jeff,

My sentiments exactly.

I bought the AC unit at Lowes. It had a flat front/top air outlet that I covered with a piece of plastic, which I cut a hole in, and added a piece of molded 4" PVC pipe as a duct. Attached to it is a 4" dryer hose. All of the plastic pieces were made out of 4" PVC pipe.

Thru experimenting, I learned you can bake PVC pipe in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes and then shape it any way you want while it is still hot. (Maybe this should be in the cooking section )

Then I cut a hole in the floor of the trailer and built a wood plenum up the back of the galley wall to an air outlet into the trailer. The dryer hose plugs into the hole with another piece of formed PVC pipe, and when not in use, there is a plug to close the hole.

I'll try to get some more pictures.

[Steve Frederick]

I bought the AC unit at Lowes. It had a flat front/top air outlet that I covered with a piece of plastic, which I cut a hole in, and added a piece of molded 4" PVC pipe as a duct. Attached to it is a 4" dryer hose. All of the plastic pieces were made out of 4" PVC pipe.

Thru experimenting, I learned you can bake PVC pipe in the oven at 250 degrees for 10 minutes and then shape it any way you want while it is still hot. (Maybe this should be in the cooking section )

Then I cut a hole in the floor of the trailer and built a wood plenum up the back of the galley wall to an air outlet into the trailer. The dryer hose plugs into the hole with another piece of formed PVC pipe, and when not in use, there is a plug to close the hole.

I'll try to get some more pictures.

I think I love it!!!

[JunkMan]

Steve,

That sounds a lot like what i want to do, pictures please

[Roly Nelson]

E-eye-E-eye-Oh........... Hey I like that. I do think your swing-in AC unit would work, but I do agree that the mattress clearance would be a problem, but could be overcome with a bottom-hinged panel, swinging down into the door opening when the AC unit is in the working position. As far as the weight of the unit, I do know that if I had that much weight hanging on my door piano hinge, the whole side of my little woody would bend inward. One solution to this problem would be to install a screw eye in the roof members and tighten a turnbuckle from the top of the AC unit to the roof eye. This would carry the weight while on the road, and be out of the way when parked.

I agree that an AC unit is really nice to have when camping in hot weather, (when shore power is available) and I bring my little Lowes AC unit along whenever I feel I may need it. It's usual location, is cooling my workshop, and when I want to use it in the tear, I place it in the backseat of the car and lower it into the tongue box when we reach the campground. (eliminates unwanted tongue weight).

I have found that the curved scoop for the inlet air, circulates the cool air up across the roof, and doesn't blow across my nose when I am in bed. The exhaust grille in the tongue box takes care of the compressor heat. So far, I have had no problem with water generated by the unit, because it rarely runs long enough, since I am convinced it could freeze ice on the windows.

Roly. ~~ learning that when I roll the new 6ft, 1/4 Nelson Stacker over on it's roof, I must first sweep the floor. Otherwise, any junk on the floor will punch a hole in the 1/8 " roof plywood, requiring a carved mustache patch on the inside to hide my mistakes. (been there, done that) Duh!

Go for it, and take some pics so we can see the finished product.