Delving into the conversion Update 8-27-12

[ilbigredtruck]

Well, spent about 20 hours between Saturday and today working on the trailer, got quite a bit actually done. Started off insulating the ceiling with 1" foam (r5), put up 1x3 roof spurs and insulated again with 3/4" (r4) foam. So I have a total of R9 for the roof for insulation. I then started staining/poly urethane the plank bead board to put on the ceiling. I then put my ceiling up, trimmed around the roof vents, and ac roof vent (refrigerator vent). Installed the 2nd roof vent in the "bathroom" area, and installed the refrigerator vent on the roof for the ac unit. Rough framed in the ac unit. All in all it was a busy, productive weekend. This week after work I guess I will be running the 12V and 110V wiring. Still have a ways to go but its getting there. Here are some pics for ya's.

Jake

[Partsman]

Looks great!

[Glenlivet]

Good work! One thing stands out to me, the air conditioner does not appear to be mounted on a track and if the pictures show the A/C in its intended installed position the louvers that draw air to push through the condenser will be drawing this air from inside the trailer, which will make the trailer interior a low pressure enclosed space.
This means that each cubic foot of air that is expelled through the condenser has to come from inside and must be replaced by a cubic foot of air from outside through whatever cumulative leaks cracks and spaces the trailer has, or from an opened window.
With windows and doors closed air flow will be restricted and this will reduce the efficiency of the air conditioner. With a window cracked open the air that is drawn in will be warm outside air, also reducing A/C efficiency.

Usually these case louvers are outside and they permit outside air to be drawn into the back part of the A/C case by the condenser fan, which pushes this air through the condenser to carry away the heat that the refrigerant has absorbed from the evaporater. (The front of the A/C, the lower 2/3 draws inside air through a filter and through the evaporater and blows it back inside through the top 1/3 of the front grill, as colder air. The rear of the A/C, as said above, draws outside air through the louvers and pushes it through the condenser, blowing it back outside as warmer air. Two separate and divided air systems that ideally shouldn't share each others spaces.)

This issue is the reason many people are disappointed with the performance of their free standing and often quite high BTU rated air conditioners that use a single vent hose, when used in a relatively small room volume trailer. Great for dehumidifying, not so good at cooling.

I can't see an outside pic, and maybe the box that the A/C is mounted in will seal at the front, and has a provision for outside air to be drawn into the box to supply the condenser system independent of the trailers inside air, and all this babble was uneccessary. (or maybe it seals around the air conditioner and the air conditioner protrudes from the trailer outer wall far enough that there are sufficient louvers outside the trailer to supply the condenser with adequate air flow)


I like the bright interior from all that glassed area. Nice use of wood too.

[ilbigredtruck]

Thank you for the comments.

About the ac unit. It is mounted right where it will sit. I need to finish trimming out the front to close it in. The air flow needed for drawing in is provided by the roof vent above the ac. I have looked and studied how the rv manufactures are now doing this and took the idea from them. It only let's 2" of the unit stick outside of the exterior. Jayco and forest rivers are both doing it. I guess for me time will tell. I can explain better later when at home onthe actual computer.

Jake

[b.bodemer]

I've noticed that the smaller travel trailers are being build, with a window unit, just as Jake is describing.

It only sticks out the exterior side of the camper by a few inches and also has another protective vent on it. Then on the inside it lays flush into one of the upper cabinet spaces.

Please let us know how it works for you Jake.

Barb

[Glenlivet]

An outside air supply from the top! Never thought of that. Excellent.

[ilbigredtruck]

Ok, home for the evening now. Worked on the conversion for just a little bit tonight, but the heat and humidity today has me worn out so now inside.

When it came to the air conditioner I looked at doing a roof top but did not like the inside plenum sticking down from the roof as me and the Mrs. will have to climb into bed. I could see that would have been a real head knocker. So her and I went to Camping World, and Colerain Rv here in Indy and scoured through travel trailers for ideas. It was then when I noticed a lot of the smaller light weight TT companies were now putting in window ac units and didn't have the whole big box sticking out a foot. So me being me took out my camera, snapped photos, peered around and figured out how they were doing it. In my pictures I don't show the completed trim and wood work done yet as I wanted to see how the ac would run. So, this is what I found out.

They are only extending the back of the ac unit about 2" from the outside of the wall. They build a cabinet around the unit closing off the front panel from the portion that would normally be outside the "window". Then they install a roof top refrigerator vent above the ac unit for drawing air in. If you look closely at the following pic you can see my vent in the picture mounted to the roof top.



Also looking at the rough frame in you can see that I have it ready for put my finished paneling on around the front of the surround where the extending bellows of a window unit would be. Once all trimmed out the front and rear will be totally separated from each other just as if it were in a window in the house. I made a pan to place under the unit so if it were to get water in there from the ac it would direct it back outside. My unit sticks out of my trailer 2". The only thing is that I can't get the TT makers to figure out the part that trims the outside of the ac unit. Even Camping World parts person couldn't figure it out and I even showed them a picture of what I was talking about from a Jayco they had on their lot. So I will custom bend this piece out of aluminum and install. So far I think it will work good. As I get this finished I will keep posting pics on the total ac unit.

Could anyone follow this? I feel like I babbled

Jake

[Goatdog]

Excellent A/C install!

[8ball_99]

Its looking really good. I like the window ac idea. Gives up a little bit of interior space but you have a cheap AC so if it ever plays out on you its an inexpensive fix! I'm digging the wood ceiling. Quick glance at my trailer and its not hard to figure out I like trailers finished out with stained wood. It just looks so much better then all white or painted plywood! I mean you are camping it just makes since to have them finished out a little like a cabin in the woods not a gas station bathroom. Look forward to seeing how yours turns out!

[ilbigredtruck]

Thanks all for the comments.

Been working on the conversion for the past couple of nights. Was planning on wiring the camper this week after work but decided to keep working on framing in some walls.

I installed the upper part of rear wall that will separate the sleeping/front area from the rear gallery. The bottom foot of the wall will be made in 2 sections so we can take it out if we need to change the mattress. Started on the walls that will surround the porta potti room. One wall will have a bench over the furnace and under the ac. The other wall will share with a closet. Getting closer. The maiden voyage (won't be fully complete) is scheduled to be the weekend of June 23.

Jake

Pics to show some of the progress.

[d30gaijin]

Jake,

Fabulous! With those huge windows your CT looks like my mother-in-law's sun room, and that's a huge compliment because her sun room is gorgeous. You do beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your build with us. Man, I love that ceiling you put in!

Don

[ilbigredtruck]

Thank you Don.

I had the trailer cleaned just this past weekend and it looked better than the latest pics, however I sure make a mess when i work.

Still have a lot of trimming out to do. Sometimes it can be overwhelming but I just keep plugging along. I take my time and try to do the quality work. Somethings I can fudge on just a little because they will be covered up with the finished trim boards. Will lose the next 3 days working on it due to other obligations I already committed to so next week in the evenings will be somewhat of a crunch time. Stayed tuned for further updates (probably early next week)

Jake

[bigbendhiker]

Jake,

Fabulous! With those huge windows your CT looks like my mother-in-law's sun room, and that's a huge compliment because her sun room is gorgeous. You do beautiful work. Thank you for sharing your build with us. Man, I love that ceiling you put in!

Don

X2!

Those large windows let in a lot of light and really make your trailer look big. Really nice work your doing. Thanks for taking the time to post your pics and progress.

[ilbigredtruck]

Ok, so after the taking the maiden voyage, beating the heat, and starting a new job, I have been able to work a little more on the CTC. Added some more 12V, 110V, radio, building the closet, bathroom, and step, working on the rear kitchen and some trim here and there. Hopefully I will be starting to build the cabinet doors in the next couple of weeks but we are going out Labor Day weekend and then a friend asked to borrow it for the following weekend so I am going to be loosing a little bit of time working on it. Still have a ways to go like the plumbing, propane, and the slides for the kitchen.

Here is some eye candy and ideas for ya'll

Jake

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

Hi Jake

Great idea & post on the window ac unit using a refrigerator roof vent, with a small unit like that one could even install 2 smaller 5,000 But ac's into a larger trailer.

I would guess that the fan in the ac has enough suction on the rear end. We have a section on hacking an ac here also by shadow catcher...
I guess the roof vent is like this model approx. ? Can you post some roof vent pictures ?

a roof vent.png (127 KiB) Viewed 3899 times

I would also assume there is some kind of pan to drain the water to the exterior or ??

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-refrigerators/rv-refrigerator-roof-vents.htm?utm_source=google&utm_medium=partsshopping&utm_campaign=partsfeed&gclid=CNeC_eKhibICFad7QgodICcA1g

Keep up the good work on your CT


http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/