RV Mini Split AC Install Inside Unit
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- Опубліковано 18 жов 2024
- This is a follow up video to my 5th wheel mini split install. A few folks asked to see what the inside unit looked like, so here it is! This is a Pioneer brand 12K BTU heat pump. I installed it primarily to help with cooling down the camper while using less amps than our 15K BTU roof air conditioner, and to help with heating the camper in the Winter. Our camper is only 30 amps, so we can only run two of the three air conditioners off the main power (15K main, 11K bedroom, and 12K mini split). I also brought a small inverter generator with us to provide "extra" power if we needed to run all three units....because it gets HOT here in South Texas.
Great so how did you installed?
I love this mod! Thanks for posting. Question, why didn't you just install the line-set down the outside wall versus the inside? Not a critisizm....just wondering what logistics I may run into doing the same :)
Hello! Adding it to the outside was an option, but I didn't want any more penetrations on the outside than necessary. The line-hide is attached to the wall with screws, and any screw hole is another opportunity for water to get in. Also, I had some concerns about the line-hide blowing off when I was driving down the road. Probably wouldn't happen, but you never know. I suppose either option would have worked, and if something had been in the way, I probably would have mounted the line-hide externally. By the way, the heat setting on the mini-split works well in moderate temps. I had to supplement the heater with a diesel heater in Colorado, simply because it gets so cold up that way.
I checked your videos after subscribing and can't find the first video of the outside install. I am thinking of doing this for my 2014 Heartland that only has one ac unit. Live in the "cold" AZ desert. Yesterday it was 98 outside and 116 inside the RV. The factory installed Coleman unit would only bring it down 20 degrees to 96 until just after sundown then quickly hit 64. two units would hopefully keep the RV at a nice 72. I like what you said in the comments about having the pig tail to select what unit and how it is powered. We got our RV to travel to texas Fort Worth area for several biweekly trips a year to see grandson, campfires, fishing and outdoor fun at Grapevine lake. Your area in Texas also is quite humid too right? does this split unit remove most of that as well with the condensate line?
I think this is the video you're looking for. The primary focus was the bumper, but I do show how the mini-split is mounted on the bumper.
ua-cam.com/video/hR1GvoLEPOQ/v-deo.html
I don't know if installing this 12K BTU unit on your RV will help in that type of heat, especially with no shade. It's certainly worth a shot though!
If you're still reading these, I suggest you take a look at the RV ducting mod. Just do a search on UA-cam and it should come right up. I did this to my RV and a friends RV, and in both cases it increased the airflow (and cooling) significantly. It basically directs the cold air to the ceiling ducts in the AC plenum.
Great insight to the project and how you did it. Would be cool to see how you mounted the fan and run your wiring in another video! 👍
I really like your idea of just using a standard male plug on the outside. We might keep our roof mounted ac for a while to see how the mini split does by itself so having the flexibility of plugging into a 20 amp service or the wall plug on the RV seems like a good idea. Also, it looks like the unit you have has been discontinued... It's not available in most places online anymore. Darn. Its one of the better options. The Mr. Cool is better but costs nearly twice as much!
Those were my thoughts as well regarding keeping the rooftop unit. It's not hurting anything being up there, so we just left it up there. If it came down to it, I could run the rooftop units and the mini-split. Power would be an issue, but I could run the mini-split off the generator and power the rooftop air using our regular shore power.
I think the units are still out there, just not available at the moment for some reason. The site I bought from lists them as being available soon.
I think that you could just bolt through the wall for a more secure mounting. It would just take some caulk and you'd be sealed well enough.
I am getting ready to do a mini split install on my 5th wheel in April so these videos are very helpful! I have an older 30amp trailer as well and I have a couple of questions. How long is your camper? How well do you think this unit alone would cool your entire trailer in 90 degree heat? We make it down to Texas and Florida during summer months but not very often so I'm not too concerned about 95 + degree weather. Our trailer is 34 ft and the 15k btu rooftop ac is louder than hell and doesn't keep the place nearly cool enough. Thanks for your help.
Hello! My 5th wheel is 35 feet, and it cools the trailer pretty well in the Summer heat. It gets up to 105 here, and it's managed to keep our trailer pretty cool. However, that's using placement strategy, where we angle the camper to receive less BTUs. We pick a spot that's shaded, or we pick a spot where the site is oriented North/South, and we try to put the awning on the side that receives the afternoon sun. The mini-split is only 12K BTUs, and you have to receive equal or less than that amount of BTUs from solar gain for your camper to remain cool. Also, you gain a significant boost in efficiency from the mini-split in that it vents cool air directly into the camper vs. a roof-top ducted air conditioner that pushes cool air through roof mounted ducts. I suspect you loose about 3K BTUs going through the ducts because the ducts are being heated by the sun.
If it helps further, I can tell you we haven't used our 15K rooftop air since we got the mini-split.
How do you power the unit?
Hello! Power for the entire system is provided through the outdoor unit. I have a 12 inch long 15 amp male plug wired into the outside unit. That allows me some flexibility to run an extension cord from the 15 amp plug to my 1200 watt generator, or the 15 amp electrical connection on the power pole, or I can use one of the 15 amp plugs on the outside of my 5th wheel.
@@justman777texas2 I thought you would need a 7000 watt generator
@@sovereignindividual2625 Nope! Unit runs around 9 amps max, and 1400 watts max. My generator is rated at 2000 watts surge. The AC unit is an inverter, so it starts soft and ramps up. Electricity usage varies based on the load, and can be as low as around 300 watts.
We would like to do this in our motorhome. Where in South Texas are you located?
Ed---I'll leave it as an undisclosed location in South Texas. If it helps, we're pretty far South and it gets plenty hot. Air conditioning is a must.
@@justman777texas2 We are in the Harlingen area. If possible we would like to see your set up.
@@justman777texas2 You really cant say the city? geez
Dude...this much effort into a video and 30 views and 2 likes? WTF?!
Ha ha! I don't put a lot of effort into these. First take, and that's it. No editing. But then, my intent isn't to monetize my videos and get advertising. It's to help people out. You never know though! One of these days, I may be able to retire as a UA-cam star!