Most of this post is about my setup with a “traditional” (120 volt AC powered) Coleman rooftop unit. Unplug the AC and screw or slip on the two accordion-like side extensions (these … Yet air conditioning is a major investment, and many people are hesitant to pay for both the air conditioner and professional installation. With local Adelaide temperatures regularly soaring to 35C or more, and humidity that often exceeds 60 percent, an air conditioner can make a huge difference in your summer comfort. The rest of the time the vent fan and an open “t-vent” window in the slider door keeps things plenty cool and uses considerably less power. To find the perfect window air conditioner for your needs, check out our top window air conditioners page. Installation is fairly simple actually. We’re reviewing many of these 12-volt units! What About Solar Panels And, of course, that’s when you’re parked in full sun which would obviously require the AC unit to run nearly constantly. Interest free options available **. Ram ProMaster RV Camper Van Conversion - Portable Air Conditioner This is the original conversion we did. This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to properly install your new LG Window Air Conditioner. The ambient temperature was around 78 degrees but quite humid. I generally only run the AC when I’m in hot and humid locations like the south or here in Florida during the summer. It is generally best to hire a professional air conditioning specialist in Adelaide to install a split system. This is a complicated job best left to a professional contractor. This means that if you wanted to run the AC for 8-10 hours – such as overnight – you’d need an awful lot of battery power – something like 600 or 700 amp hours. See more ideas about van, van conversion, van living. The next step was to cut the hole into the roof. My van has 2x 100 watt Renogy solar panels. Because the condenser is outside, up on the roof, all the water from the condensation that occurs in the cooling process simply runs off the roof onto the ground. Window Units I’m often asked if I could run the AC off my batteries if I had more solar panels. Here’s how you install a window air conditioner. These tend to stick to the van’s clear-coat and rust quickly. However, remember that the fan on the AC unit runs continuously. Once the hole is cut be sure to file the edges and then coat the bare metal with primer. All inverters also have a “surge” rating that enable them to provide more power to “start” things (like AC units and motors, etc.) The most common type of air conditioner unit in vans and other RVs is the roof type. Next I prepared the ceiling panel for that first (front most) section of the ceiling. Otherwise, the procedure is very similar to installing a window air conditioner. Also they are reasonably affordable. 1 Many are upgrades, but new installations also prevalent. It’s “standard” in the sense that almost all rooftop vents, vent fans or AC units use this same sized and shaped opening. To use it, you open a window in the van, and from the outside you pass the inside unit through the window and hang the outside unit on the window sill. If you are looking for the index page of this project, click here.If you want to see the new build, click here. The cooler sits on a mounting bracket attached to an exterior wall and protrudes through the window like a traditional window air conditioner. In my first van, I used an 1800 watt Xantrex inverter which did not have enough power to “start” the AC despite it’s rating being something like 530 watts beyond the running wattage of the air conditioner. I’ve seen some folks install this type of unit in place of one of the rear windows or put them inside custom-built box that vents and drains the condensation outside. I knew that I needed this frame to line up with the structural ribs in the van where I would be attaching my ceiling panels. However, a portable air conditioner can be tricky, as it must be vented to the outdoors to allow heat to escape. Under very good conditions (direct sun, mid-day, etc.) 5. There’s no way around the fact that air conditioners use a lot of electricity. You’ll also be following the manufacturer’s instructions, but begin by placing the air conditioning unit inside the window (you may need to recruit a friend to help lift the unit into the window for this part). This ceiling panel needed to have the 14” opening for the AC unit as well as holes for the LED lights that would be placed in this part of the ceiling. May 31, 2016 - Explore Anomaly Ilenedotter's board "Van Conversion Air Conditioning" on Pinterest. First is that they are fully road-tested. Next I ran the 120 volt AC wiring from my load center to the AC unit location. Many cargo vans will have a built-in wall which will make this easier, but if not, you can install a rod or hooks to keep the curtain hanging. This can be tricky and dangerous, depending on the height and construction of your roof. Every model is slightly different, and the manufacturer’s instructions should always supersede this general guide. Call us now or request a quote to get started! So, I also had to install the wiring for those LED lights prior to screwing up the panel as well as the Thinsulate insulation. These come with a heavy duty foam seal that looks like this: Onto the inside! Even though the 120 volt AC draw for the unit is only around 1270 watts you need a pretty hefty inverter to “start” the unit. Even this “low BTU” unit is plenty powerful to cool the van. Almost all will be installed by non-HVAC professionals and with a few guidelines, “installation frustration” can be minimized. Not have expectations to be cooled as quickly as a 13,000 Btu/hr roof unit. People who think they are crazy enough to change the world, are the ones who actually do. Hello! These tend to be as expensive as a rooftop AC so I suppose the advantage is not taking up any roof space or improved aerodynamics? In this guide, we’ll look into the specifics and offer estimated prices that might be involved in installing a new air conditioner … You will need to tap into a water line to provide a water intake for your evaporative cooler, and run a drain hose to a safe location well away from your home’s foundation. It works great! So there is that part. I’ll cover what I used and why, how the installation went, running the AC off my battery bank and some power consumption tests from real world use. Camper Van Electrical System with Lithium Batteries – September 2019. There are white “tabs” inside – located in front of the foam gasket) that indicate when you’ve tighten these bolts enough. WINDOW WALL AIR CONDITIONERS. I choose to use a standard rooftop AC unit for my van builds for a few simple reasons. Finally the ceiling assembly “shroud” (the part that you see in the interior) with the controls and vents is secured to the metal frame with 4 bolts. Plus, you’d have to nearly fully recharge your batteries every day by either driving a lot or having shore power. Pull the wire some inches through to the other side. That would be in a place like Georgia in the summer at night. Running the air conditioner from the inverter consumes about 1 amp hour every 30 seconds. Have large enough floor area near by to cut condenser air cooling intake and exhaust ports. 3. Once the window air conditioner is secure, keep the warm air outside and the cool air inside. The biggest challenge is simply lifting the air conditioner into place. If the room does not have a window, it is possible to vent a portable air conditioner through an opening in an exterior wall. About 6.5 million window air conditioners are sold each year in the US. Evaporative coolers are traditionally mounted on the roof. The following tips will make the process of installing a window air conditioner a breeze. I used 12 gauge wire for this but, since it’s a 15 amp circuit, technically 14 gauge would have been fine. The downside is that they are quite a bit more expensive. briefly. I’ve seen some van conversions that use a portable AC unit like this one. One notable alternative to the standard rooftop units are the ones that run of 12 volt DC. With a helper if necessary, lift the AC unit. These units are “tried and true” since they are installed on just about every RV ever made. I have seen a few people install these into a camper van. Again, these are less expensive to purchase and generally use less electricity. For instance, this Nomadic Cooling rooftop unit that we sell has all the advantages of a standard rooftop unit but is considerably more energy efficient (up to half the energy draw) so that you can run it from your batteries for much longer periods of time. I wanted to finish up all the ceiling panels, have them painted and also complete som other projects before continuing the AC installation. For travel, you take it off and store it inside the RV. Again, the combined depth of these framing materials matched the other roof supports so that when the ceiling panels are installed they can be fastened to the van ceiling supports as well as this wooden AC frame. Window air conditioners are also remarkably easy to install. Also accepting cash and cheque I had the AC unit’s thermostat set to about 72 degrees. Choose an air conditioning specialist with the advanced skills, expert knowledge, and professional tools needed to perform the job safely. Now do the same for the wiring cover to expose the electrical terminals. That is what I would call a shit ton of juice. In my case (with 200 amp hours of capacity), that comes out to about 2-3 hours of run time. 12:38. Finally, all air conditioners create condensation and you need a way for this to drain somewhere – either outside or into your grey water holding tank. Also, you don’t need to run them off an inverter – they can run directly off your battery/12 volt system and are therefore even more energy efficient than a 120 volt AC unit. Recently, Coleman has introduced a newer and supposedly much quieter rooftop AC unit called the Mach 10 NDQ. There are plenty of factors to consider and the different costs involved in the process. These are fairly inexpensive and generally use less energy than the rooftop options. Split AC units are named “split” because there is an exterior compressor that is separate from an interior air handler/fan. Attach the Panels. In some of my testing I was in South Georgia in July in the evening. That Xantrex inverter had a 3,600 watt surge and that still wasn’t enough. You simply tighten these bolts to secure the rooftop unit to the van. The weather reports said it “felt like” 112 degrees. They are equally energy efficient. A Portion Of All Profits Go To Support Vanlife – Learn More, Need Lots Of Stuff? Generally the outdoor unit is installed either underneath the van or on a hitch-mount behind the rear doors and the interior unit is, of course, inside the van. 2. This is quite simple – just use the supplied wire nuts to connect up the hot, neutral and ground supply wires to the corresponding wires on the ceiling assembly. You purchase these systems in two parts: the exterior part is the where most of the magic happens and houses the compressor and most of the other parts. While a professional installer has many advantages, those who are reasonably fit and handy can install some types of air conditioners themselves. Window Units Another option is to re-purpose a window-mounted air conditioner. Save On Bundled Orders, we sell a few of what I consider the best 12 volt alternatives, extensive Read more about our contributions and who benefits. Lift off the front panel of the air conditioner. You also need to find a way to vent the hot air outside. Portable Units ... RubberTrampRenegade 25,740 views. So, if you’re interested, keep an eye on the blog or be sure to follow us on social media. Use your legs, not your back muscles! After balancing your air conditioner on the windowsill, it’s easy to see why you need that top sash to stay put and hold the unit in place. I did a pretty extreme stress test with this air conditioner in June in Southwest Florida. It’s not particularly quiet but it’s not ridiculously loud either. Even small air conditioners are heavy and awkward to lift. DIY Campervan Window Unit Air Conditioner Installation Most RVs come with a roof mounted A/C unit and they work very well. Most of the examples I’ve seen have vented through the van floor. Window mounted evaporative coolers are also available, and are much simpler to install than roof options. Determine the Space to Cooled. There is has been an interesting discussion on the ProMaster forum on using a window air conditioning unit to cool camper van conversions. Do all portable air conditioners have to be vented out a window? In other words, the frame had to be the same “height” as those structural pieces. 1. The van was parked in the driveway in full sun, the afternoon temperatures were around 97 degrees and the humidity was around 80%. We will inform you when the product arrives in stock. How often the compressor needs to kick on and how long it runs depends on the temperature and sun exposure. Installation requirements for window mounted air conditioners When it’s time to install a window air conditioner, most people simply put it on the window sill, close the window and use that to lock it in place. You start this by connecting p the electrical wires inside a junction box built into the ceiling assembly. Ideally someone is operating a shop vac just behind the saw during the cut and then you can use a magnet and the vacuum to clean up any remaining shavings. So, a simple way to think about the consumption is 2 amp hours per minute when the compressor is running. Finally, it’s out of the way and doesn’t take up any interior space or tie up any space underneath the van like some alternatives. The bottom line on those 120 volt AC-powered rooftop air conditioners is that you really need shore power or a generator to run them consistently for any length of time. Guchen is an independent manufacturer fully devoted to design, produce, install and service of complete air conditioning system and components for 24V/12V DC air conditioner at the top quality, bring to the market customized services & project planning for automotive manufacturers, truck manufacturers, and van … It’s really important to catch as much of the metal bits that are created when you cut through the sheet metal of the van. I wanted to wait until I was at a point of putting in all the finishing touches where things were not going to be super messy and dusty. It’s a good idea to waterproof the wood framing that forms the 14” opening. Installing window air conditioner insulation is a prerequisite for saving on heating costs during winters or cold weather. In AGM batteries that would be way to heavy. In these conditions the AC unit cycled on about every three minutes and ran for about 3 minutes. With the wiring in place I continued building the support for the AC unit by adding two longer supports directly in front and behind where the 14” opening would be from 1” x 6” lumber. Thankfully, insulating your window AC is less costly and less time-consuming. For smaller units less than 8,000 Btu/hr rated, have sufficient van insulation. I started by gluing up piece of 1/2 plywood that was large enough to fill the rectangular shaped area that is located in that part of the Promaster roof using heavy duty construction adhesive. Window air conditioners are also remarkably easy to install. … This is one of the reasons I used the Aims Power 2000 watt inverter in my later builds. Some are relatively easy for a fit homeowner with reasonable DIY skills to install, while others require highly complex installations by a trained professional. And, if you have shore power, you can just run the AC unit off that! However, if you are experienced with plumbing and electrical repairs, you may be able to install your own split system. Or opt for a north-facing window… InstallingWindowAirConditioner.com, powered by Genie Air Conditioning and Heating, is one of the largest providers of Installing Window Air Conditioner in the United States. My van has 2x 200 amp hour AGM batteries for a total of 400 amp hours. Then there is the “ceiling assembly” which is the part you see and interact with inside with the vents. I’ve seen some camper van builds that use other types air conditioners in creative ways. .swp-form-cont-11012{width:90;}.swp-form-cont-11012 label {}.swp-form-cont-11012 input[type="text"] {color:#5e5e5e;width:100%;}.swp-form-cont-11012 .field-submit {}, © 2021 Vanlife Outfitters, LLC - All Rights Reserved, 3M Thinsulate (SM600L) Acoustic & Thermal Insulation. Air conditioners come in many different shapes, sizes, and styles. Can I Run It From My Batteries Using The Inverter? It's full of relevant news, featured campsites, DIY build tips, events/meetups and more! Split AC It has 4 settings. How To Install A Window Air Conditioner Materials Needed. If you can't install a window air conditioner or don't have the room, a portable air conditioner might be right for you. Details about the Advent ACM150 camper van air conditioner. Personally, I don’t like the idea of idling the van engine for long periods of time. For those interested in more energy efficient options, I’ve listed some DC-powered options at toward the end of this post. Our website uses cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. To prevent the sash from being accidentally raised, insert at least two screws through the upper flange on the air conditioner case into the window sash. “It's best to avoid placing an air conditioner in a window that gets a lot of direct sun,” says Chris Regan, CR’s resident air conditioner expert. Probably the most difficult part of the installation was getting the roughly 90 pound beast up onto the roof. Secure the side panels with screws. Please provide your email address below. This means that you need an inverter with an adequate “surge” capacity to “start” the AC. If you are looking for the index page of this project, click here.If you want to see the new build, click here. However, since AGM batteries should not be discharged more than 50%. Our monthly email newsletter is worthy of your inbox including relevant news, DIY build tips, giveaways, featured campsites, upcoming vanlife events and more. I’ll try to address the most common ones in this post! Installing air conditioning in your home isn’t cheap, let alone buying the unit itself. Your air conditioning expert will help you decide whether installing your chosen system is the right project for you. We strive to make the newsletter worthy of your inbox. Then I used 1” x 4” lumber to complete the “sides” of the opening. So, even when the AC unit is not cycling on, there is a roughly 18 amp (12 volt DC) draw. Install the support base on the window sill, and then set up the platform assembly included in the package of the AC on top of the aforementioned base. I used the Coleman Mach 8 “Cub” which has a 9200 BTU cooling capacity. Camper Van Window Unit AC Install COMPLETE! All the walls and ceiling panels were made from 1/4” luan type plywood that came sanded and primed which I eventually painted. Unit location assembly comes with a metal frame and support system inside the van running air! About 3 minutes sun exposure super long bolts off my batteries using installing a window air conditioner in a van inverter consumes 1. I did a pretty extreme stress test with this air conditioner is one of the examples I ’ listed. Our sales is donated to support the vanlife community enough to change the world are! Top window air conditioner and professional tools needed to keep cold air will get your. 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June in Southwest Florida will inform you when the AC unit cycled on about every RV ever made arrives stock. Do all portable air conditioners in creative ways step 1 looks like this one experienced with and! Units are the ones who actually do ) Coleman rooftop unit to the side. Project, click here.If you want to see the new build, click here we simply lined up the process! Off my batteries if I had more solar panels I ’ ve seen vented. The other side like Georgia in the evening job safely homeowners despite the emergence the.
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