Campervan Window AC Install (No Exterior Protrusion)
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- Опубліковано 26 чер 2020
- 2005 Express van using a Toshiba 6000 BTU window AC unit.
900+ watts solar and 360AH AGM battery bank.
➼Condenser floor grille: www.lowes.com/pd/Construction...
I get small commissions for purchases made through the following links:
➼Exterior side grille- amzn.to/3rjy2kf
➼Alternative floor grille - amzn.to/3qfpBFk
➼Victron battery combiner: amzn.to/2OjuYWT
➼60A solar charge controller: amzn.to/2MIZQ2o
➼3000w power inverter: amzn.to/2MTJbt1
➼200AH Renogy battery: amzn.to/30ck9IE - Авто та транспорт
As an ac service man for 35 yes , I have some thoughts on this . The first thing is the small units don't last very long being bounced around so it should be made to remove it with ease. They also need to be washed every season for mold and algae, the area around the unit should be water proofed with a drain pan and drain system . What normally happens is the condensing coil gets blocked and the fan then starts throwing water out the side vents in the ac getting that area very wet around the unit so putting the unit in a water proofed area is key to stopping the damage that comes. I would also add that as the ac ages they tend to rattle as well so a rubber pad system to sit the unit on will be needed I have installed many units and water damage from the old unit is almost always part of the deal. I have always advised my customers about possible water damage and the last job I did involved repairing the water soaked area. If you plan ahead you can minimize these issues
After 35 years I'm sure you've seen some wild things. I'm actually really surprised it's still working after 1.5 years of being bounced around so roughly. Didn't expect these little Chinese compressors to handle it.
I guess I should also be worried about the copper lines fracturing from all the movement...
I drilled (and rust-proofed) a handful of extra holes in the drain pan to hopefully stop any water pooling issues. Fingers crossed!
I remember having to annually clean the coils on all 88 PTAC units at my college job (hotel maintenance). Incredible how nasty they can get.
When this unit dies (and it will die) I think I'll add some extra cushion in the mounting points. That's a great suggestion.
For now, I suppose it's an ongoing experiment in longevity in the harshest of conditions!
Thanks for checking it out and sharing some pointers Carl!
What I find in mobile applications is the foam and plastic pieces break so that rattle the compressor is OK but the copper tube do Crack, one other issue is some ac units are using flammable refrigerates so check before you buy it .
Water is the biggest issue besides mold
@@carlstephens1532 Hey Carl, have you seen this setup? He split the condenser from the window AC and mounted it under the van. Pretty clean but I'd be concerned on the longevity of the condenser getting hit with rocks and road-spray. Thoughts?
ua-cam.com/video/AXgHIrFqm9o/v-deo.html
Two issues about splitting the unit up and moving coils , most 5000 units use one fan motor, now you need two. And you have to allow for building a new box for that plus extending the refrigerat lines . It's usually a job that anyone can do . The bottom line really to me, is can it be fixed when you really need it? Having the unit together is cheap , and very easy to repair or replace and your very quickly back to getting cool.
You made it look like it was an OEM install. Your installation looks so much better than having the a/c sticking out through a hole.
Thank you! A was a little extra work but well worth it for me to have a clean looking installation.
Best AC solution I've seen yet. Well done.
Thanks Jeff
I have a Ford Econoline E350 van and have been thinking about installing an AC unit as well. As I watch this clip of my dream plan actually being accomplished by "Van with Tim", it was like seeing my dreamwork come to life. OMG this video brought tears to my eyes...it can be done and looks good as well!
Hell yeah. You were going HAM on the floor vent.. That was awesome 😂
Excellent video and build. Further everyone's comments and suggestions is very helpful. I am having excellent results from a similar install in a lower area deflecting the cold air up a bit. Carl makes a good point, that in these installations' there are always compromises. The area in a van is small in relation to most 5000 btu units and even with some compromises will work fine. That said, as noted several times by many adequate air flow is one of the key factors. As to positioning high or low, as a practical matter in such a small confined area it has mattered little. Keep in mind almost every major hotel chain mounts the individual room a/c units down low with the vent facing up and control panel easily accessible to the user. Again, great job Tim.
Thank you for the kind words Doug. I finally ran a proper test with the AC unit alongside a perfectly insulated living space of same volume. The results were more extreme than expected in terms of energy loss. amzn.to/3BuJpel
Windows are a nice luxury but I think I'll eliminate them in any future builds.
Great observation Doug, as I just installed an a/c unit in my van , then got paranoid about its position and searched utube and found this guy and your comments. Thanks y’all I subscribed 👍
this is the only video i've seen that someone took the time to make a down slope not only for exhaust (not the best result) but also to drain any condensation from the dripping to leave the area at any angle! great job!
You never know when you'll be parked on an angle for the day! Don't need the condensation getting into unwelcome spaces. Thanks for the comment!
-Tim
@@VanwithTim yup i have a 1989 28' terry travel trailer with a 5000 inside only thing i did different was drill a hole in the bottom of the unit on both back corners an attached aquarium hoe to a t fitting to drain out the bottom
@@VAMPIREBRIAN Nice! Have you had any issues with dirt / dust clogging the hoses? I wouldn't imagine you would have any problems with the setup.
Thank you for posting this video .
🎉wonderful work Beautiful transformation
Very nice job, my friend. Excellent idea.
Thank you!
Good job,on the install. I put one of these in a van once and it worked great for the 30,000 miles we had it. I’m now preparing one for a cargo trailer, thinking about making a cutout with a door cover and just sliding the unit in place when camping.
Just passed 32k miles on this one! Still doing great.
I like that idea. Can gain a lot of winter storage space where the AC would be in the summer time.
Also makes for easy replacement should the time ever come!
Our cargo trailer has a shelf and an exterior opening cover that we remove when we need to use the AC. Just slide it out until its in position and plug it in. Previous owner was a fabricator and we lucked out that he did this.
Nice work. I was planning the same on my express conversation, but after reading comments i think i have to plan it out for replacement in case it goes bad.
I maybe would have though ttyt about a portable unit,but hey atleast ur out there making it happen, good job,best luck to u!
I like your style 👍🏼
I'm old school.
My 5000 btu window unit is mounted in the window of the rear door.
After 5 yrs this is my third a/c unit.
Easily swapped out. This ' Arctic King ' has lasted the longest 2 1/2 yrs.
Any moisture from it easily drys out with the door open on a sunny day.
I dig it. I'm sure it will be an all day job to swap mine out when it fails.
Simplicity can be a beautiful thing!
These window units are so affordable I'm sure you weren't too bummed or surprised when it came time to swap it out.
Dusty roads and water spray will clog the condenser fins quickly. Therefore, covers for the vents (maybe operable louvres?) should be used whilst in transit. Shading the vehicle during the day is preferable, so portable solar panels may not be sufficient to charge large battery banks for the A/C. I live in the tropics of Australia and the simplest solution to cooling off is to keep submersing yourself in cold water and reclining under a strong fan (wet the sheets at night). A cold beer or ten to knock yourself out doesn't hurt, either!!!
I give the condenser a quick spray down each time I wash the van (which unfortunately isn't too often!)
Here's a view of inside the insulated box after around 25k miles (40k kilometers) ua-cam.com/video/wq_KdOZR2R0/v-deo.html
Saw another build which uses a large hatch on the outside for keeping the dust and debris out of the condenser - looked really nice!
100% on the shade being the biggest savior! But like you said, it limits you to portable panels. Best to just keep a cold 30 pack on hand haha!
Cheers!
-Tim
It would be neat after improving the drain area / exhaust area to route a grey water dump and exhaust a diesel heater through the same location. Seems like it could be very clean.
Maybe have a way to easily remove the vent for maintenance and a fresh water hook up.
So cool, thanks for sharing.
clean and stealth!
Nice no gloves & no cut hands ! Impressed
Maybe just lucky 🤣
Very nice best Cheap way I seen yet maybe going off your ideas I would make a Sleeve for it just for Placing it in the future but very low key not ugly at all and definitely make best use of space
Thanks Ryan!
Idea on doubling your solar setup.
Would be cool to have a second set of panels on top of the panels you already have. Set them on a frame that can slide 100% over the passenger side or driver's side, lock and pivot on either side. When extended the corner of the roof would be the center of weight and pivot point so the panels could tilt 30 to 40 degrees or so to catch more sun and provide shade to the side of the van as well as vent the panels better over the roof with a wider air gap. Would make a cool awning as well.
Would probably be difficult to design and build and surely if it was done you would already have several revisions if you had it to do over again.
I haven't ever saw anything like what I'm talking about but I would think something like this would set you apart from the rest of the crowd.
Might be standard for high rollers for all I know though.
The goal would be to make it strong for obvious reasons.
Sleek so it looks good and adds minimal height to the van, and doesn't weigh a ton.
Easy functioning would probably be the tough part because it would have several variables to simplify and condense into reliable working components. No one would use it if it was like putting together an erector set every time you deploy or adjust it.
Just my ramblings. I'm sure an a/c could always use more power and if this sounds like a good project I'd love to see it. Or any outside the box ideas.
You got some good videos so I'll subscribe to make sure I catch more.
Hey James, I've actually been messing with some drawings and checking out videos for linear actuators and tilting solar panels.
I have seen a horizontally sliding solar array being bench tested in one video!
I have a metal working friend with a CNC should I end up trying a project like that.
Love the idea of using it as an awning! The girlfriend keeps asking for one so maybe that's a good justification to pursue something like this haha.
Thanks for subscribing!
(Next video may be a little boring from a technical standpoint (Van Tour) but will keep the fun side projects coming along!)
Cheers!
-Tim
don't know what that hole looks like up close but looks really good from far. nice work.
Thank you. There's actually a little 3/16" long cut in the top left corner... I originally planned on bolting the grille to the outside (so I wasn't originally worried about precision cuts) then changed my mind to mounting it inside. oops!
But it still looks pretty good even after 1.5 years.
Thanks for watching!
-Tim
I ran same type ac unit in a bedroom where it couldn’t stick outside the screen. Ran a drip basin with a 5/8 piece of clear flex hose to drain into a bucket inside room. Works great. Am mocking up the same type system in my van but running a venting system with variable speed fan to suck out heat to the top of window where ventshades are installed. Building it in a cabinet inside side window. IMO AC should be mounted closer to ceiling and not the floor. Cold air drops, heat rises.
Nice job
Thank you!
nice job!!!!!
Thank you
I see a lot of people saying they're going to break from bouncing or whatever.... This AC unit costs 150-250. Have y'all seen how much a roof unit costs. Cheapest I see is $1599. So even if his breaks, he can replace it 5 times and from what I see, roof units are breaking just as fast. I'm going to do the window unit in my van conversion this week. Why? Cause I have 2 brand new ones that have 6 days of use and I am not spending 2 grand on something that adds even more height to my tall roof van. I've also come across videos of flying road debris tagging and shattering housings and one even was dislodged and ripped the roof open. The window unit is the smart way to go!!
Wait til fall I got a clearanced 5k btu window unit at Walmart for $55
Someone should design an insulated box where you can place a window ac in and easily place that box on a hole on a van or trailer. Similar concept of installing a vent fan or an RV window on a "hole", wherein that box is supplied with a template so you know how large the hole on you van should be. And the box should be able to accommodate varied sizes of window ac. Then it would be easier to install/replace or clean/service the windows ac.
Very nicely done, and super functional. Does not restrict input or output hot side airflow. Can you tell us where to get the grate for the floor A/C input air hole. Can't seem to find something like it. Any issues with water penetration through the outside side or bottom vents when it rains? Thanks.
Peter Schroeder check out the foundation or soffit vent sections at your favorite hardware store.
Here’s one:
www.lowes.com/pd/CMI-8-in-L-Silver-Galvanized-Steel-Soffit-Vent/3284518
No issues with water penetration. It’s built to double as an air intake and condensation drain, so if any rain gets in, it drains right back out.
Hope that helps!
But does it cool though. You should make a video showing it cooling down.
Was hoping to be able to film that but will have to wait until it warms up outside.
Want to show the interior and exterior temperatures as well as battery voltage in a nice time-lapse.
Will update once filmed and uploaded!
U should do a video about ur solar set up and where you bought it all
I have some info on the solar setup in this video for the time being:
ua-cam.com/video/cxpxg82UV3g/v-deo.html
Hi there, how did you route power? I seen you mentioned solar panels and a battery bank.
Nice job, but like other's have commented. Mount a/c high as possible, mount heaters low as possible. Otherwise great install.
....first thing to do with a brand new AC, is take it apart, to coat the interior metal, which is paper thin, to protect it from corrosion. I learned the hard way, these new units, that are sold by Box stores, don't last very long, they're practically disposable units.
The styrene foam is practically translucent, I learned to coat them with paint, to make them last longer. I'm still experimenting, with other techniques.
The metal pan, I usually coat them with truck bed liner spray, that can be purchased from Walmart. fyi.
never make a hole in metal, with sharp square corners, always drill out the corners with a drill. 🤔
I noticed it felt surprisingly light (not in a good way)
Will be interesting to see how long it lasts! (Past 1.5 years right now)
Honestly surprised none of the copper lines have fractured from the non-stop bouncing of the van.
Will keep the channel updated once it finally dies out!
Did this work out for you? It appears that the air intake/air flow (going thru ur floor) would not be sufficient enough for this system to stay cool. Maybe you can add a fan to puse the air in the intake vents... Please correct me if I'm wrong.
You can use a Wall Unit, they don't require cutting the floor.
Did you spray paint the freshly cut metal edges to prevent rest from forming? You should have.😮
Bug screens glued around both holes you cut, would prevent ants and small bugs from getting in.
i will try same like you it good idea.
where did you get air conditioner back side grill cover ?
thank you
The outside grille was made from this amzn.to/3IfRZ4F (your size may be slightly different than my requirements were).
I wish there was a stainless-steel version. Even with priming, painting, and clear coat, the paint seems to chip away over the years.
-Tim
very nice AC installation thanks for sharing. I have the same chevy 3500. mine was built as a RV it has the roof style AC that sticks up threw the fiberglass high roof. even when new these roof AC leak rain water. I'd love to remove the roof AC an install a window type in it's place I think there's enough room w/ a smaller AC.
what I'm concerned w/ is the condensation draining.I have a pleasureway class B have you ever sean a road trek class B? they installed a window type heat pump AC under the high roof it's made for RVs the cool cat that's what I like to have..
Hi Steve,
Not super familiar with the Pleasureway's on the Chevy chassis, but I know 90%+ of rooftop RV AC units utilize a 14"x14" roof opening (which is conveniently the same size as the RV rooftop fans / vent systems).
I've seen the Roadtrek's on the Chevy chassis and love their use of the window AC unit mounted into the rear of the fiberglass top. (Makes for easy servicing I would imagine).
With yours however, you might be better off removing the current AC unit and spending the time to really seal it up properly (assuming the unit still functions).
You would probably save time and money going this route vs a retrofit of a window unit.
***********
With that said, if you were to utilize a window AC unit, you would want to source two threaded barbed hose fittings. You could drill holes to thread them into the sides of the lower AC pan. One on the left side and one on the right, then with the appropriately sized tubing, let gravity take care of the rest.
Drilling into the lower AC pan is a bit risky, as the refrigerant lines are all over in that area, so measure twice, drill once!
Nice way of doing it.. Question though.. Because it's sitting on the floor it's pulling in the cooler air as opposed to hotter air at the ceiling.. Is it keeping the van cold ? Have you looked into adding a deflector to direct more of the cooled air towards the ceiling? Thanks for an inspiring video.
Hey Matt you nailed the major issue we have with it. I’ve actually been thinking of cutting out the top of the unit and ducting it up through the cabinet above, then out the sides at the top. For now I have multiple low wattage fans to help move the cool air around.
Check out the “finished” setup here:
ua-cam.com/video/cxpxg82UV3g/v-deo.html
Yes, Exactly. Cold air goes to the bottom, so being that the ac is on the floor would make it pretty much useless. 😬
Other than extra hot days a 6000 window unit should work ,,, as long as the install allows enough air to flow on the condenser side. And the unit is clean
Space is very limited, there are always compromises , your ac if in good working condition will cool the space no matter if it high or low , yes it might technically be better up higher but food for thought , most windows units sit in a window , with little or no insulation and work just fine, if your concerned about how cold it gets.the cheapest answer is get a bigger unit. And figure out how to power it. My thought is the kiss principle, keep it simple.
@@carlstephens1532 I am sure it could work sitting low.. but most windows are not on the floor. Also in a "normal" room it's more open than in a van. I am guessing with perhaps an extra fan in a van, you could get the air to circulate and also allow AC to cool better.
Or are you saying the window AC in this install is not getting enough air around its "outside" to cool properly?
What’s the red bottle for😮
这是我见过最有空间效率的制冷方式，不知道博主对于柴暖是如何解决的？
wow, that looks great, and apparently works that way, i though they pulled from the front and exhaust from the back, enhance the screen in the front, but i guess they all work different. too bad, you had to cut the floor and all that. it’s the looks great though, and you placed it right by the bed, very smart build. is that enough to cool the van on hot days? maybe your next video.
It has no trouble keeping up when it's in the shade, but once the sun starts shining in it has trouble cooling the whole van.
Could really benefit from an Infrared blocking window tint. ($$$$$)
Here's a comparison of a fully insulated box being cooled (the size of the van interior) vs the actual van: ua-cam.com/video/V0r2ijuKd-c/v-deo.html
The van with all its windows used 227% more electricity to keep cool.
Fascinating job. Does it really cool down the van? For how long?
Check out my video showing the electrical side of the system.
ua-cam.com/video/cxpxg82UV3g/v-deo.html
It cools really well. Things to keep in mind:
I’m only cooling 250 cubic feet of airspace. (For comparison, the average size of a child's bedroom in the USA is 1,100 cubic feet.)
However, the van has huge windows all around it (making it into a solar oven of sorts)
Overall, though, it runs great throughout the day off of solar. Once the sun goes down it runs solely off the batteries, but it doesn’t need to run very long since the outside temperature drops at night.
I plan to make a new video this summer showing real-world power consumption and cooling ability with outdoor vs cabin temps.
Thanks for watching!!
I watched all those sparks going into your van and on to the floor, would drilling a small hole in each corner and cutting from the outside have been possible?
Good call, but unfortunately there wasn't enough clearance to fit the grinder down below.
I should have made my cuts before laying the floor to make clean-up easier, but wasn't sure if I actually wanted to tackle this project at first haha.
The flooring itself has been mind-blowingly durable. (Just some Pergo stuff from the big box store.)
Thanks for the comment Carl.
-Tim
How is this still holding up?
those sise vents will suck all your cold air from inside and blow it outside- tghe rear has to be encased and use outside ambient temp to work as designed- granted you will cool it better, by using teh cold air you want to cool yourself with.
So what did you do to the bottom grill? How you keeping rain, dirt, mud, snow etc from blowing up into the ac?
Good question Mike.
It is totally open to the elements on the bottom and back of the condenser, just as it would be in a residential installation.
Any water that enters (rain spray / car wash) drains back down through the bottom just as the natural condensation does.
Dust and dirt seemed to rinse out the bottom during routine van washing.
No heavy mud has reached the area yet but will update if it does / becomes an issue!
With that said, I put it directly behind any of the tires. My diesel heater is installed behind the rear wheel, and I had to blow out a bunch of soft sugary sand from a wild trip in Death Valley.
Very valid concern!
You can actually see what the inside of the AC looks like after 1.5 years of being open to the elements here ua-cam.com/video/wq_KdOZR2R0/v-deo.html
Hi, about how far into the van does this unit stick out and how wide is it including the boxing? I watched your venting video as well. How cold is that able to keep your van?
thank you
Thanks for checking out the videos! The depth of this 6,000 BTU unit is 16" but with the curvature of the van wall it sticks out around 18.5".
Width of the AC is 18.5" then with the thick foam board boxing, total width is around 33".
As for cooling, it does okay with my cheap felt window covers on, but has trouble keeping up if the sun is shining in through all the windows.
It would no doubt do fantastic if the van didn't have all the extra windows.
I desperately need to have the purchase that expensive ceramic tint which would make a huge difference.
If I were to do it over, I would go with the 8,000 BTU unit. It's only an extra ~90 watts
I also installed a rooftop AC in a high-top Promaster. It was 13,000 BTU and was WAY too much. It would get uncomfortably cold and use way too much power.
Hope that gives you a rough idea for your build.
What vehicle are you working with?
Best solution was to take the AC Unit apart. Mount the external parts under the Van. Then mount the rest inside...Where it takes up little space. I seen many that did this and it's more effective. As the unit is hidden and protected under the RV...
I've been seeing more of that style install as well!
Agreed that's the best solution. (As well as mounting the evaporator up as high as possible inside the vehicle!)
Lots of lessons learned over the years.
Is there a video on this method?
Why don't put it on the top of the van.?
What about it sucking fumes into van ?
God job and nice rv van👍Bro what kind inverter you are using and it will handle to work the ac?
Hey thanks for checking it out!
Here's my 3,000 watt inverter:amzn.to/3BuJpel but a 2,000 watt unit would probably work just as well.
Are you powering a fridge off the same Inverter?
How is it powered?
👍
You insulate your floors with foam board but not your wall, why? What about your ceiling? I do like how flat it appears on the outside of the van.
I know it's not "recommended" but I stuffed fiberglass between the finished walls / ceiling and the van.
If I were to do it again I would probably go with foam board!
It was a pretty rushed and budget build (6 weeks and $3,300) and I really didn't have much research in place at the time. My build total has since jumped to $4,900 with the constant upgrading lol.
Thanks for checking it out!
-Tim
When u next take it out for what ever , trim the louves on back of exhaust & install soft start capacitor . Both will reduce electric wattage .
Good idea Rob
I seem to remember older electric motor driven equipment all had capacitors to start did newer designed more efficient electric motors not need capacitors ? Thank you for your information .
@@13699111 You're right and this unit actually already has an integrated capacitor! I suppose an extra one wouldn't hurt but probably wouldn't make too big of a difference in my situation.
Some smaller inverters / battery banks might not be able to handle the initial draw I suppose.
The new compressors don't need a soft start capacitor. Most are a form of a rotory style. And are not the piston version. The unit needs a lot of air on the condenser side to work at its best
The factory that make the newest units say you can kill the new compressors by adding what we call hard starts.its best to not add anything
werent you concerned with exhaust
fumes coming in while driving?
Not too much. The exhaust exits on the passenger side behind the rear wheel. This was all on the drivers side mid-wheelbase. The giant beads of silicone and expanding foam between the foam board joints has held up wonderfully so far (3.5 years).
I opened up the foam board "casing" last year to add ducting to the unit. I found a good amount of dust and dirt on top of the AC (inside the casing) but none had made it's way inside the van.
You could test with a fog machine inside the van with the factory A/C running (not on recirculate or max AC). This pressurizes the cabin and any air leaks will be shown as fog coming out of the van. (Also a great way to find bad weatherstripping!)
Cheers!
-Tim
Wonderful build! I was looking at how to put one in through the back window, but I would like the van to remain stealthy. The AC in the back draws attention to the fact that you're camping in a members only marina! lol
My air conditioner keeps turning off and back on after a few min over. I have it in a 1500 watt converter attached to a 2nd battery that is wired to the main battery. Any ideas?
Does it sound like your power inverter is failing? (Any beeping alarms?) Or does the AC unit just turn off?
Do you know if your inverter is a modified or pure sinewave? (Should say on the inverter). Some electronics -especially AC units- really disagree with the modified sinewave inverters.
Nice job man. No condensation issues or water trapped producing weird smells?
Seems to drain well! No odd smells or mildew. I did drill a few extra holes in the bottom above the outside air inlet to be safe (and painted the holes to hopefully prevent rust)
Thanks for checking it out 👍
@@VanwithTim I was considering a RV rooftop unit or this. I think this just seems a bit easier for sure. I never really thought about this. I’m doing this and just mounting solar on the roof instead.
@@kolbymonroe5569 the rooftop units are typically a bit more powerful (and power hungry) this 6k btu unit seems to be good for a van this size. Maybe even go with an 8k btu unit if it’s a high top!
All the best!
-Tim
You need to putlike a pool noodle chain rail under you New AC, the road pounding will break your new AC.
Seems like you gave up 25% of you floor space just to not have it hanging out the rear window. Any regrets?
Wow. You're doing all the job and don't test it at the end.
Is it working ?
Still working after about 19 months! Waiting for summer to hit for a good timelapse / voltage / temperature video.
Hope u don't have to remove it to work on it
Saving a cold six pack and Tylenol when that day comes.
Will certainly be a pain to remove.
Does anyone know if it's possible to use the oem condenser and blower motor(rear AC)with a mini split? In other words... Use only the outside unit from the mini split and mate it to the oem condenser? Something I'd like to try but don't know enough about Hvac to try it
That would be interesting. Wonder what specialty valves would be needed?
Not sure if any of the mini-splits utilize R134a as a refrigerant which of course would be a necessity to mix with the automotive system.
(Although I've seen people successfully fill their R134a systems with propane. Maybe matching refrigerants aren't as much a necessity as previously thought)
Just my thoughts as a non-engineer
Hello Tim, you can't mix refrigerates. Propane is not a refrigerate, but is used like one. When you start making your own system you will find its going to be difficult to set the metering and the amount of refrigerate, I've seen your videos and believe that your better off with the window unit . Being cold requires lots of power . The real problem is at nite during the summer . Can you power an ac for 8 hours or so with batteries?
Food for thought about using propane as a refrigerate, it's not a good choice, freon is used world wide because it won't explode.
@@carlstephens1532 I remember needing to refill my brothers R12 1992 Park Avenue. Heard a lot about propane but eventually sourced some old R12.
There’s something just sketchy enough about running propane that I wouldn’t want to do it.
Hey Tim Down as I read you post you are talking about adding a coil to an existing system, if you have separate systems in your vehicle like my suburban does it would not provide a real benefit, if your talking about a stand alone system , your better off buying a ac unit thats for boats , all the engineering is done, if you want to build your own. My advice is don't. Unless your willing to spend money and time to sort it out. It could take awhile , my advice is keep it simple, window units are cheap ,easy to put in,and are easily replaced,if installed correctly,
Put a guard on that grinder aka death wheel
I've seen some gruesome pictures and videos on the topic.
Good call
Cant the intake air be ducted thru the side of the van around the exhaust air? So cutting the floor can be avoided.
Spot on George, I actually met a retired Chrysler engineer who did exactly that.
He actually used a large color matched RV hatch for the exterior vent. It was a really clean build.
On the other end of that spectrum, I saw a video where they had both the air intake and exhaust under the van and the window AC unit mounted up high inside.
Seems it would be tough for the condenser fan to such the cool air and push the hot air through the two small ducts. (Haven't seen any updates on that system)
-Tim
@@VanwithTim im leaning towards a rooftop unit but it'd be cheaper to adapt a window unit.
@@georgeperkins4171 Certainly cheaper with the window units.
I'll also offer this insight (incase you plan on running via solar / battery):
The window AC units are SLIGHTLY more efficient when looking at BTU's per watt of electricity.
This 6k BTU unit uses 510w on a 75F day or 600w on a 95F day for an average of 10.9BTU per watt.
The few rooftop RV AC's I've sampled average around 8 BTU's per watt of electricity, with the higher efficiency units claiming 10.6 BTU's per watt.
That being said, typically the smallest rooftop AC outputs 13,500 BTU which is total overkill for a van.
If I were to do it again, I would probably use a 8k BTU unit. My van has so many windows that the 6k BTU just takes too long to cool it down. (I should probably bite the bullet and get some ceramic window tint in the future)
Hope that helps a bit. Sorry for rambling haha.
-Tim
@@VanwithTim Never heard of ceramic tint, does it actually work or is it all gimmick and hype? Any brands, links?
@@Santor- The theory of its effectiveness is correct, and most videos show a cheap gimmicky infrared meter demonstrating the IR blocking qualities, but all the videos simply show cars sitting in the sun before and after tint. Not really helpful as the interior will still heat up without any type of active cooling.
A TRULY helpful test should show how much cooling energy is required to maintain a set interior temperature before and after tint.
None of the tests have an electrically powered AC mounted in the vehicle which could quantify the improvements.
I would LOVE to test it myself, but it's very cost prohibitive.
You need to think about how easy and quick it will be to replace. They are made in China and they do crap out. 500 miles away from home and it goes out what then. It’s a good start though. The coils should stay clean being inside.
I'm actually surprised it's still working after 19 months. These compressors really aren't made to be bouncing around!
Ac units are wet dust sticks to both coils that why cleaning the unit is needed
@@carlstephens1532 dust in general gets in there. Wet or dry.
Is it legal to drive intestates and main roads with one of these on a van?? Lol
What btu is your air conditioner installed??
6000btu or 8000btu？？？
6,000 BTU. I would recommend at least 8,000 BTU though (Or paying for the expensive IR blocking window tint - not the standard UV blocking stuff)
Your van flooring will surely corrode in time because of the dripping from the condenser.
Definitely something to watch out for.
On this unit I drilled a bunch of drain holes in the AC bottom directly over the floor opening.
There's also the plastic "funnel" I made from the 6-mil sheeting (see @7:52)
That sheeting is sealed on the inside and to the exterior vent hole.
So far so good after 1.5 years but will keep an eye on it!
Thanks for checking it out!
-Tim
Cut the chassis
This is super shortsighted. Not only is a lot of the heat still staying inside, but you now have 2 permanent holes, that aren't easily fixed, and if anything happens to that A/C, you have to find one the exact same size. No bueno.
Eh fair enough, but the van is kind of trash anyway. Super high mileage, garbage paint, etc.
Luckily nearly all 6k BTU AC units are the same size so when this one fails (and it WILL FAIL) I'll grab another and pop it in.
Cheers!
-Tim
Tim is correct most ac units in the 6000 range are close in external sizes , the key factor here is we all know they don't last, making it easy to replace should be the first concern. And then a proper install is necessary to get the rated cooling. I live in Florida and this is extreme heat. They work if installed correctly. There isn't one way to do this but understanding what is needed is mandatory to get the rated cooling.
Better to install a portable air conditioner rather than a window unit?
For some people the portable AC would work better. The electricity usage would be about the same, but there's no installation needed.
The portable AC units are usually much larger in size though and our van is very small inside already!
-Tim
What is your solar system size?
920 watts:
(4) 230 watt Sunpower panels
Hot air rises, cold air goes down, you don't want AC on the floor.
Spot on Greg. If it weren't for the windows fully wrapping around the upper portion of the exterior I would have definitely mounted it higher.
I've since added ducting to push the cool air up to ceiling level.
Probably as good as it's going to get.
Thanks for checking it out!
I built a similar system, but mine ducts out the driver's side rear door. You can see it at Adventure van man channel on UA-cam, Man follows his dreams video title, I'll give you a time for the a/c part in the next comment.
This puts the a/c up high to work effectively.
The a/c explanation starts at 8:43, you should watch the whole video to see more of the cabinet I built for the a/c, it holds a 20lb propane tank and some other storage below the air conditioner and leaves space for storing my bicycle between the back door and the cabinet.
@@duane4972 Thanks for watching Duane. Just checked out your original video and your updated video (you're correct that it's a never-ending project!) We just did a diagonal trip to the west coast as well.
I really like your small trap door you added in your AC intake section to cool you off at night using your roof fan.
Really cool AC setup! We're doing some functionality improvements and I think we're going to remove the front vent on our AC and duct directly off the internal fan up towards the ceiling.
Also adding a diesel heater (8F nights in northern Arizona pushed that high up the priority list!)
For anyone curious, here's Duane's setup! ua-cam.com/video/FysRmXlnp7c/v-deo.html
@@VanwithTim Thanks for linking to my friends channel, I subscribed and rang the bell to your channel, I'll keep up and may be able to meet up somewhere, sometime. I usually winter in Florida, but ya never know where I'll be, Peace, enjoy your van !
Tim, A friend of mine has a Chinese diesel heater, she said she found some help and explanation online about re programming the unit to help it not produce too much heat and not make as much noise, she says it made it work much better than the way it came.
eh, with a better location - there is no need cutting the bottom floor.
lol, not gonna say a word on this one.
Your compressor starting wattage is at least 50% more than your running wattage. So your calculation is way off! They build air-conditioned with a circuit that reduced starting wattage but their a lot more.
The unit does incorporate a capacitor to mitigate the high amperage at startup. Even at 50% higher wattage it would be less than 1,000w and only for a very short amount of time.
Those AC units with reduced starting draw sound really interesting though! I’ll have to check them out. Love learning about new tech 👍👍
@@VanwithTim it's called a "soft start" you can either modify the unit, or go full aftermarket. also good for fridges because they have a higher startup draw as well. With a 3kw inverter, you'll be fine without the mod (as you've experienced).
@@theborednerds Ahh I understand now.
I can imagine a 1,000w inverter overloading on the compressor start.
Thanks for clearing that up!
I don't believe you run that on solar..!!
Will have a better timelapse video this summer for you!
ua-cam.com/video/cxpxg82UV3g/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching Alan
-Tim
Couldn't see the outside and too much moving around with camera
heavy metal concert lol
I'm sorry, I was like nooo you didn't but... You sure enough did. That van will never have any resell value.
Mileage is so high I'm sure it will just hit the dump afterwards lol
RIP