Good job Sam, you have taken a seemingly complex task and broken it down in easy to understand steps so that those of us who are not as skilled as you can understand and do.
😂 I had to watch a 3rd time because I missed a lot of details originally. Recommendation to all you DIY people, watch 3 times before starting, have your materials ready, take your time! BIG thank you to Sam!
@@jimdishman4761 good eye sir. I was about a 2 and a half inch wide area spray foam I put underneath the air conditioner. What's the phone cured it provided a bit of isolation for the vibration of the unit sticking through the wall like it was. Just a little added support for the air conditioner to sit on
I added pieces of thin plastic cutting boards on both sides from the inside of the AC unit, to correct it while camping. I may have to do this in the fall to help with airflow.
Pure gold Sam! I've continued to put this project off again, and again, I even cobbed it up when I replaced my AC. I feel a lot more motivated to take this project on… Maybe in NC?
Thanks for the video. I don't think the air conditioning is used all the time. So if it was my camper I would put in a slider some kind of Slider one I use only when I need to use my air conditioner. That way it would get all the ventilation and drainage it needed for a window unit.
Great enhancement Sam. Simple yet effective mod to make the AC run more efficiently and reduce the chance of condensate draining to the inside of camper. Briliant! 🏅🏆
Your videos are highly informative. Really appreciate the efforts you make in creating. You bring attention to many flaws that are made in factory production. Keep them coming.
Good walkthrough of the issue and a good way to resolve it. I haven't used my AC yet. I least I know what the issues are and a good way I can address them. I hope I still have some roll flashing laying about. Thanks Sam and be mindful of heavy weights wanting to be picked up while you are still healing.
Thank you Jeff. It really was not bad to do it just took quite a while because I was making the video as I went. I hope it helps you out being able to see what you're going to be dealing with when you open yours up.
Very very impressive, Sam. Even though I don't own a teardrop, I love all the mods and the work you put into yours. Entertaining stuff that always gives me ideas. Now here's a challenge - can that AC unit be made to slide in and out, so that all you'd have to do is slide the unit out when you get to camp, and slide it back in and secure it when you're ready to hit the road? I believe you have the skills and design chops for that!
there are split unit, almost same opening size, fit just about right. I am looking to replace sunray 149, has wall mount unit same set up as Bushwhacker. much quitter, nice design and made 12V ready for about $650
I have a similar set up on my 2021 keystone hideout. I’ve never noticed any issues till last weekend. I noticed water running across the floor coming from the base of the wall.then I noticed stains where it’s done it before most likely in storage at home since it’s tilted the other way. I looked around the best I could without disassembling anything. When running I noticed dripping from the right corner from outside but I don’t see any drain hole in the pan but it’s hard to see. Mine has an outer foam seal on three sides also.It has the same slotted cover. I noticed a gap on the top of the cover letting rain in. I also noticed multiple loose screws that are not stainless and are also not sealed and exposed to the elements. That’s a bad bad install. It also looks like it’s not sealed around the fan where it goes through the body which will let water come in the bottom side and causes it to get trapped between the body of the travel trailer and that outer cover. So basically I need to pull it and make it sure it has a drain too and seal all around the ac unit. My plan is to glue a flush drain nipple then put a short hose to make sure it directs out past that cover . I may do a decent size hole on each corner that way it will drain regardless of which way it’s tilted and if one clogs.
Thank you for posting and taking the time to perform a walk through of your idea. I will definitely be doing this myself. The issue I am having is that when I run my a/c it will start to blow cold air and then after a few minutes or so, it will start blowing warm air. Is that due to the problem you just corrected or is the unit possibly broken. The trailer is a 2022 10HD model and the woman that had it before me never used the A/C unit. Any help or info would be of great help. Thank you.
Thank you for watching. That soundd more like an issue with the AC unit its self. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace. Just make sure to drill the drain pan in a low spot if you replace it with a new one.
You are correct, there is no way the pipes provide enough air. Opening up the sides actually help. I have a new mod in the works to finally let the ac breathe properly. Should have it done by spring. Stay tuned.
@@adventuresofthememorymakers I am getting ready to build another teardrop camper and every time I watch video's to get more knowledge. I have seen large roof vents for ac that look like upsidedown cookie sheets.
@@mlangfordoutdoor there are numerous ways to get the air into the compressor section. I am trying to keep it as simple as I can so others can do it as well.
@@adventuresofthememorymakers I am with you sir please do and appreciate your content just enjoy visiting with a fellow tinkerer. Again thank you for showing me how they do this and how you help to make it better-big fan here
Excellent project, I am going to do the same to mine. Anybody have any idea where to get the gasket that was under the AC, mine came without it. Also, what sealant did you use for all that, silicone?
I am still looking for a similar seal as so far our camper is the only one that had that type. Most have been foam tape, one had no seal at all. I think they use whatever they have on hand at that time.
Why were you planning to drill the hole 23:19 in the bottom if you’re sealing it all up? Wouldn’t allowing the water to “sling” safely across the coil help it be more efficient?
There are several reasons why I drilled the pan to drain it out. One is to prevent water from being stuck in the pan when you go to leave your campsite and have it Splash out inside your camper. The Slinger fan is fine if the air conditioner is stuck out the window of a house and the spray off of the Slinger fan doesn't cause an issue because it drains outside of the house. Being inside the wall your camper is a totally different situation. Due to centrifugal force some water gets slung off the fan blade and exits out the side vents of the AC. It's not an issue in a house. There is a big issue inside the wall of a camper. You don't want water slinging inside the camper like these do. I personally cannot stand the sound of the water slinging off of that fan. What little efficiency is gained is lost in my mind to water getting into camper and the noise driving me crazy. If you noticed in the video the drain pan was already drilled from the factory just with a very small hole and a big Burr around the edge of it that would prevent water from getting out easily. I just enlarged and deburred it.
I've got a 2022 buschwachker 15fk same steps right ? Same kind of setup it's pours out water so kuch it floods the cabinet.... can't get it out from the front that's for sure
I can but lately I've been using my portable power station to power through the night. Then the next day I will recharge the power station with solar unless there's not enough sunlight then I will recharge the station with a generator.
Todd, you might be able to nut inam not a fan of cutting anymore holes in the roof. If I could find the right roof top vent to replace both of those 1½ pipes I would consider that. I have done 4 of these mods now and I encourage all Bushwacker owners to remove their air conditioner and inspect around the opening. I have found damage on all but ours, we had yet to turn ours on. One was only 6 weeks old!
@@adventuresofthememorymakerswhat about adding little fans to those vents? I’ve got ideas of how to make the fans only turn on when the ac does, but it seems like the AC is going to push so much air out of the black vent that it won’t benefit from the added space on the sides
@midnight121190 My main reason for doing this originally was to prevent the leaks that so many owners report having. Once I saw how starved for air the unit was is when I decided to leave the sides open. You would not think the open sides would make much if a difference but it does. The same fan that is blowing the air out of the compressor coils is what is drawing the air in so it has quite a bit of intake power. Several owners have reported back to me that they could tell a difference in how well it works after doing the mod and leaving the sides open. It is still starving for air but it's able to breathe a little better with the open sides. Best part is water won't be dripping in your camper.
I was thinking how the air conditioner is the worst feature of this teardrop. It would be the main reason I wouldn't buy this teardrop. It's been poorly 'engineered.' In fact, it wasn't engineered, it was rigged. I really wanted to like this trailer, but I don't think I deal with the air conditioner hole. I guess I could frame it out for a window.
A few thoughts. Those 5000 btu ACs need 500watts to run and that is lot for most off grid applications unless you run a loud generator. IMO, It would seem like if the A/C were just resting on the tongue it would be better location right? Here in Hot and humid Florida, I'm in a self converted micro campervan where my living/sleeping space is only 4x7x4 over a 6 inch foam mattress. I can't stand, but i can sit up and kneel up. 1/3 of my van is a semi sealed garage area in the back with a counter I access from the back outside. All appliances that generate heat and noise are back there facing the living space. That garage has a shared 10" vent hole and fan that runs 24x7. One appliance i have a is a 24v plastic 1800btu Chinese Air conditioner. It has no side vents. It sucks air the front and pushes out cold air. Hot air pushes out the back and there is a drain tube i run out the van. I vent the air conditioner naturally (no tubes) out into the garage where everything else vents up under a 320w solar panel including a 32 inch TV, a 15L fridge, my inverter, mppt and dc-dc chargers. Also a 460AH battery is back there. All share the same 10 inch vent hole and fan on the top. I'm happy to report that this tiny Air conditioner only consumes 170 watts and is able to make the micro camper comfortable enough in thick shade, rain or darkness. Not going to say it makes the cabin ice cold or can overcome direct sunlight, but the it manages to make it comfortable enough for me. Also the 460AH battery and my charging setup seems to run it endlessly and quietly with no limitation so long as I move around in 3 days or park it in the sun when I'm out.
@@12vLife there are countless ways to set up and run AC off grid. It all depends on which setup works best for your application. We just released a video showing how we get the air conditioner out of the sidewall so they can breathe more freely. It runs at 360 Watts on 120 volts when the compressor is running. Only 60 watts when the fan is running. We run it off of a portable power station and the way that we use it it only uses about 500 watt hours of power per night
Good job Sam, you have taken a seemingly complex task and broken it down in easy to understand steps so that those of us who are not as skilled as you can understand and do.
Thank you for all your help yesterday with all the heavy lifting. Could not have done it without you buddy!
😂 I had to watch a 3rd time because I missed a lot of details originally.
Recommendation to all you DIY people, watch 3 times before starting, have your materials ready, take your time!
BIG thank you to Sam!
Glad it was a help!
@@adventuresofthememorymakers What am I seeing at 43:39 under the word Frigidaire on the drip pan?
@@jimdishman4761 good eye sir. I was about a 2 and a half inch wide area spray foam I put underneath the air conditioner. What's the phone cured it provided a bit of isolation for the vibration of the unit sticking through the wall like it was. Just a little added support for the air conditioner to sit on
I added pieces of thin plastic cutting boards on both sides from the inside of the AC unit, to correct it while camping. I may have to do this in the fall to help with airflow.
That was a great idea to do while you were camping!
Pure gold Sam! I've continued to put this project off again, and again, I even cobbed it up when I replaced my AC. I feel a lot more motivated to take this project on… Maybe in NC?
Thanks for the video. I don't think the air conditioning is used all the time. So if it was my camper I would put in a slider some kind of Slider one I use only when I need to use my air conditioner. That way it would get all the ventilation and drainage it needed for a window unit.
@@aunttriciaattic that is in tge works.
Great enhancement Sam. Simple yet effective mod to make the AC run more efficiently and reduce the chance of condensate draining to the inside of camper. Briliant! 🏅🏆
Thank you Steve. It's definitely a better setup now than when I started.
Are you going to the North Carolina meet? Hope to see you there!
Your videos are highly informative. Really appreciate the efforts you make in creating. You bring attention to many flaws that are made in factory production. Keep them coming.
Thank you very much Sir. Have a lot more to make, just hard to find time since we started The Wizard of Modz camper repair and modifications.
They should call it the Bushwhacker 10DIY, I own one too and it's a lot of DIY.
One of the best sayings I ever heard about the campers was " Braxton creek, making every day a DIY day! "
Good walkthrough of the issue and a good way to resolve it. I haven't used my AC yet. I least I know what the issues are and a good way I can address them. I hope I still have some roll flashing laying about. Thanks Sam and be mindful of heavy weights wanting to be picked up while you are still healing.
Had a good friend come down and help me come down and help me with the heavy lifting. I am kinda going to miss being a invalid 😆
Another great video Sam! One more project on my list.
Thank you Jeff. It really was not bad to do it just took quite a while because I was making the video as I went. I hope it helps you out being able to see what you're going to be dealing with when you open yours up.
Very very impressive, Sam. Even though I don't own a teardrop, I love all the mods and the work you put into yours. Entertaining stuff that always gives me ideas. Now here's a challenge - can that AC unit be made to slide in and out, so that all you'd have to do is slide the unit out when you get to camp, and slide it back in and secure it when you're ready to hit the road? I believe you have the skills and design chops for that!
Tom, that was my first idea but tge aluminum framing is so close to the AC that there isn't enough room for the slides.
You do such a great job educating us! You are a good teacher and make us smarter!
Thank you very much for the kind words Rebecca. I used to teach people how to fly and really enjoyed it but that was a good way to starve.
I’m all about staying comfy while we sleep. Love the mod!
Thanks for the video and I spy that Chief Jeep in the background!
Good eye. I finally got to drive it. Cindy let me pull it put of the garage so I could wash it for her!
Great Vid !!! Thank you !!!
Your very welcome. Hope it helps!
there are split unit, almost same opening size, fit just about right. I am looking to replace sunray 149, has wall mount unit same set up as Bushwhacker.
much quitter, nice design and made 12V ready for about $650
Thank you for that information. Do you have a link for the one you're using
Excellent video! Getting ready to do very much the same on my cargo conversion.
Just make sure it can get enough free air to the compressor side of the unit.
Had to watch twice 🎉
I have a similar set up on my 2021 keystone hideout. I’ve never noticed any issues till last weekend. I noticed water running across the floor coming from the base of the wall.then I noticed stains where it’s done it before most likely in storage at home since it’s tilted the other way. I looked around the best I could without disassembling anything. When running I noticed dripping from the right corner from outside but I don’t see any drain hole in the pan but it’s hard to see. Mine has an outer foam seal on three sides also.It has the same slotted cover. I noticed a gap on the top of the cover letting rain in. I also noticed multiple loose screws that are not stainless and are also not sealed and exposed to the elements. That’s a bad bad install. It also looks like it’s not sealed around the fan where it goes through the body which will let water come in the bottom side and causes it to get trapped between the body of the travel trailer and that outer cover. So basically I need to pull it and make it sure it has a drain too and seal all around the ac unit. My plan is to glue a flush drain nipple then put a short hose to make sure it directs out past that cover . I may do a decent size hole on each corner that way it will drain regardless of which way it’s tilted and if one clogs.
Thank you for posting and taking the time to perform a walk through of your idea. I will definitely be doing this myself. The issue I am having is that when I run my a/c it will start to blow cold air and then after a few minutes or so, it will start blowing warm air. Is that due to the problem you just corrected or is the unit possibly broken. The trailer is a 2022 10HD model and the woman that had it before me never used the A/C unit. Any help or info would be of great help. Thank you.
Thank you for watching. That soundd more like an issue with the AC unit its self. Luckily they are cheap and easy to replace. Just make sure to drill the drain pan in a low spot if you replace it with a new one.
That is crazy no way those pipes will properly cool an ac and the slinger on the plug is nuts, I have always wanted to see how they did this.
You are correct, there is no way the pipes provide enough air. Opening up the sides actually help. I have a new mod in the works to finally let the ac breathe properly. Should have it done by spring. Stay tuned.
@@adventuresofthememorymakers I am getting ready to build another teardrop camper and every time I watch video's to get more knowledge. I have seen large roof vents for ac that look like upsidedown cookie sheets.
@@mlangfordoutdoor there are numerous ways to get the air into the compressor section. I am trying to keep it as simple as I can so others can do it as well.
@@adventuresofthememorymakers I am with you sir please do and appreciate your content just enjoy visiting with a fellow tinkerer. Again thank you for showing me how they do this and how you help to make it better-big fan here
@mlangfordcamper thank you sir. Appreciate you taking the time watch
Excellent project, I am going to do the same to mine. Anybody have any idea where to get the gasket that was under the AC, mine came without it. Also, what sealant did you use for all that, silicone?
I am still looking for a similar seal as so far our camper is the only one that had that type. Most have been foam tape, one had no seal at all. I think they use whatever they have on hand at that time.
Why were you planning to drill the hole 23:19 in the bottom if you’re sealing it all up? Wouldn’t allowing the water to “sling” safely across the coil help it be more efficient?
There are several reasons why I drilled the pan to drain it out. One is to prevent water from being stuck in the pan when you go to leave your campsite and have it Splash out inside your camper. The Slinger fan is fine if the air conditioner is stuck out the window of a house and the spray off of the Slinger fan doesn't cause an issue because it drains outside of the house. Being inside the wall your camper is a totally different situation. Due to centrifugal force some water gets slung off the fan blade and exits out the side vents of the AC. It's not an issue in a house. There is a big issue inside the wall of a camper. You don't want water slinging inside the camper like these do. I personally cannot stand the sound of the water slinging off of that fan. What little efficiency is gained is lost in my mind to water getting into camper and the noise driving me crazy. If you noticed in the video the drain pan was already drilled from the factory just with a very small hole and a big Burr around the edge of it that would prevent water from getting out easily. I just enlarged and deburred it.
I've got a 2022 buschwachker 15fk same steps right ? Same kind of setup it's pours out water so kuch it floods the cabinet.... can't get it out from the front that's for sure
It should be close to the same.
Do you use a generator to power that ac?
I can but lately I've been using my portable power station to power through the night. Then the next day I will recharge the power station with solar unless there's not enough sunlight then I will recharge the station with a generator.
Could you have added a 3rd or 4th vent in the ceiling?
Todd, you might be able to nut inam not a fan of cutting anymore holes in the roof. If I could find the right roof top vent to replace both of those 1½ pipes I would consider that. I have done 4 of these mods now and I encourage all Bushwacker owners to remove their air conditioner and inspect around the opening. I have found damage on all but ours, we had yet to turn ours on. One was only 6 weeks old!
@@adventuresofthememorymakerswhat about adding little fans to those vents? I’ve got ideas of how to make the fans only turn on when the ac does, but it seems like the AC is going to push so much air out of the black vent that it won’t benefit from the added space on the sides
@midnight121190 My main reason for doing this originally was to prevent the leaks that so many owners report having. Once I saw how starved for air the unit was is when I decided to leave the sides open. You would not think the open sides would make much if a difference but it does. The same fan that is blowing the air out of the compressor coils is what is drawing the air in so it has quite a bit of intake power. Several owners have reported back to me that they could tell a difference in how well it works after doing the mod and leaving the sides open. It is still starving for air but it's able to breathe a little better with the open sides. Best part is water won't be dripping in your camper.
I was thinking how the air conditioner is the worst feature of this teardrop. It would be the main reason I wouldn't buy this teardrop. It's been poorly 'engineered.' In fact, it wasn't engineered, it was rigged. I really wanted to like this trailer, but I don't think I deal with the air conditioner hole. I guess I could frame it out for a window.
A few thoughts. Those 5000 btu ACs need 500watts to run and that is lot for most off grid applications unless you run a loud generator. IMO, It would seem like if the A/C were just resting on the tongue it would be better location right?
Here in Hot and humid Florida, I'm in a self converted micro campervan where my living/sleeping space is only 4x7x4 over a 6 inch foam mattress. I can't stand, but i can sit up and kneel up. 1/3 of my van is a semi sealed garage area in the back with a counter I access from the back outside. All appliances that generate heat and noise are back there facing the living space. That garage has a shared 10" vent hole and fan that runs 24x7. One appliance i have a is a 24v plastic 1800btu Chinese Air conditioner. It has no side vents. It sucks air the front and pushes out cold air. Hot air pushes out the back and there is a drain tube i run out the van. I vent the air conditioner naturally (no tubes) out into the garage where everything else vents up under a 320w solar panel including a 32 inch TV, a 15L fridge, my inverter, mppt and dc-dc chargers. Also a 460AH battery is back there. All share the same 10 inch vent hole and fan on the top. I'm happy to report that this tiny Air conditioner only consumes 170 watts and is able to make the micro camper comfortable enough in thick shade, rain or darkness. Not going to say it makes the cabin ice cold or can overcome direct sunlight, but the it manages to make it comfortable enough for me. Also the 460AH battery and my charging setup seems to run it endlessly and quietly with no limitation so long as I move around in 3 days or park it in the sun when I'm out.
@@12vLife there are countless ways to set up and run AC off grid. It all depends on which setup works best for your application. We just released a video showing how we get the air conditioner out of the sidewall so they can breathe more freely. It runs at 360 Watts on 120 volts when the compressor is running. Only 60 watts when the fan is running. We run it off of a portable power station and the way that we use it it only uses about 500 watt hours of power per night
FYI, I'm uploading a video with my set up now.
@@12vLife I would like to check it out if you could share a link with me please
ua-cam.com/video/5Hg-VhpdZPo/v-deo.html
up on my channel. I was unable to send link here for some reason.