boandsusan
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Post by boandsusan on Jul 4, 2013 23:33:20 GMT -8
I`ve been checking our local RV places every time I see a new batch of trailers come in. They all seem to have the same setup in their small models. I really like it and it works fantastic (I had them turn it on in several models). I think we`re going to go this route with the 1500. The under the bed ac that we put in "Skeeter" works great in the Spring, Fall and at night only in the Summer. The in the closet ac that we installed in "Mr Sam" works fantastic all year round(because it`s placed higher in the camper than the under the bed), but I hate giving up any closet space. I see no other choice but to cut a hole in her skin and do this install. We`re in lower Alabama and it gets so hot and muggy here that we HAVE to have ac or we`d only be able to camp in the Winter months and very early Spring. Anyway here`s the picture....  |
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 3:03:36 GMT -8
Cold air falls so it is always better to mount it high. one of the problems with your under bed unit was you were pulling air from inside the trailer to blow out through the condenser this created a negative pressure inside the trailer causing more hot outside air to be drawn in through the cracks (Doors and windows). Do they cover the back of the unit on the outside with some kind of grill work or do you just see the rear of the condenser? Where and how are they draining the condensate water? I think if I was doing this i would also allow my cabinet to cover the cord and plug, you could wire the outlet with a remote switch during you remodel. Just my thoughts.
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 5:32:43 GMT -8
Someone certainly did a nice job on that cabinet it looks like it came that way.
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kevschofield
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Post by kevschofield on Jul 5, 2013 6:31:00 GMT -8
one of the problems with your under bed unit was you were pulling air from inside the trailer to blow out through the condenser this created a negative pressure inside the trailer causing more hot outside air to be drawn in through the cracks (Doors and windows). Can you clarify this? I've been researching AC for our Airflyte and when I consider what you are saying here, I'm wondering why window AC units have an interior air intake / filter then? Air from the room pulls into the AC unit through the filter panel, and cold air comes out right above that through the vents.. I bought (but have not installed yet) a 7000 BTU portable AC unit that vents to the outside through a hose.. My plan is to put it under the countertop and vent it out the side of the trailer.. The side of the counter I'm putting it has no door right now so I'm just going to let it blow out into the interior.. Once the doors and whatnot are done on the kitchen area, I plan to run a dryer type hose from the cold air vent to an opening I put someplace else in to the interior space.. This is what I bought.. www.ebay.com/itm/370654524422?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_7193wt_1161Its rated for 200 square feet, I've got just under 110 so even if it's not super effecient, I should be able to keep cool.. |
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 7:03:10 GMT -8
What I was saying is Boandsusan's unit they put under the bed they routed the condenser exhaust out side but they cut slots to supply air to the condenser from inside the trailer so as the unit pulled air through the condenser and blew it outside this created a low pressure inside the trailer causing make up air to be pulled in through the natural leaks around the doors and windows. Which during the heat of the day caused the A/C not to be able to handle the extra heat load but when it was cooler at night it worked fine.
I assume they had a 5000 btu a/c your 7000 will probably work but to be sure a complete heat load study would need to be done. The air that is pulled in through the filter is blown back into the trailer after it crosses the evaporater and becomes cool so it doesn't affect the interior air pressure.
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boandsusan
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Post by boandsusan on Jul 5, 2013 9:57:44 GMT -8
Yes we used a 5000 btu in both of the installations. If we didn`t live so far South, I believe the under the bed installation as we did it would be more than enough but living where we do, it just isn`t enough for 90+ degrees. I believe the problem is that as bigbil stated, cold air drops. I don`t believe that the low pressure was a factor as the ac that we installed in the upper closet space in (In Mr Sam) was installed identical to Skeeter`s but up higher. It too only draws air from inside the cabin, preconditioned air through the front filter plus preconditioned air through the side vents via slits each side of the closet. Mr Sam`s upper ac works so well that once the cabin is cooled down, we have to turn the unit to med. Regards condensation...Skeeter did need a drip hole to the exterior. But when I checked for a hole position for the unit we intended to install in Mr Sam, I removed the top and sides and let it run an it produced NO condensation. We`ve used it since last year and it just doesn`t produce any water  . A member on the forum was Mr Sam`s PO and she purchased a portable unit but she said that due to the way the exhaust was set up, there was no way to use it in a small space. I think if she had removed the 6ft hose and vented with a short piece of rigid hose it would work. |
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kevschofield
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Post by kevschofield on Jul 5, 2013 10:11:02 GMT -8
I'll be posting pictures of my installation when I get the new unit..
I'm not planning on running the bendy hose either.. rigid out the back of the unit seems like what is going to work best.
The unit I bought has a small footprint which is one of the reasons I bought it. Less than 14" by 12" (and under 30" tall as well.)
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boandsusan
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Post by boandsusan on Jul 5, 2013 10:12:14 GMT -8
@ bigbill. The trailers that I`ve been checking out for the past 8 months are all brand new at rv retailers. The pic I posted is a new trailer so it did "come that way" lol. I agree about the cord and elec outlet. It was the first thing I noticed when I saw it(tacky IMO). These units start at $17,000 and are made like "beep". The photo does the trailer and ac justice, in person everything in it was cheap, cheap and even cheaper. The exterior of these campers had doors to the rear of the ac unit. The door I liked was similar to the Shasta baggage doors. They have to be lifted when the ac is in use. Remote Ac is a great idea and is going on the 1500`s shopping list . |
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boandsusan
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Post by boandsusan on Jul 5, 2013 10:31:14 GMT -8
I'll be posting pictures of my installation when I get the new unit.. I'm not planning on running the bendy hose either.. rigid out the back of the unit seems like what is going to work best. The unit I bought has a small footprint which is one of the reasons I bought it. Less than 14" by 12" (and under 30" tall as well.) I truly believe this unit will work. The portable was another option we`d mulled over for a while but like I stated, I don`t like giving up closet space. BUT our 1500 is 7ft wide and so there is gobs of leg room under the table. Does the 30 inches tall include the casters? If so I would consider trying one under our upfront dinette. The 1500 won`t be ready for her ac for months, so Please post or pm me with your thoughts after your`s is installed. Are you in the South, hummid area or ? |
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 10:32:46 GMT -8
Yes Susan you are right but if you wouldn't have had the extra load it would have done a better job even down low the more strikes you put against a system the harder it is to do its job. I wasn't knocking the way you did it. I was just suggesting a way to make it better. That is like a friend of mine bought a house with central air that worked fine until temps got up around 100 then it wouldn't keep up so he would set his yard sprinkler so it sprayed the outside condenser on those hot afternoons and it allowed the house to stay cool because it increased the heat transfer out of the refrigerant. My own home I installed a 2 ton A/C unit and it works fantastic but I also blew 30 inches of insulation in the attic and installed triple pane windows. A/C is effected by many different factors that is why there are multiple things to consider. another friend bought a roof air for his truck camper and he wanted to be sure that it would be cool so he got a 13,000 btu unit. when you walked in it was cold but it was also very wet feeling and uncomfortable because the unit was to big and didn't run enough to dry the air.
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lopo
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Post by lopo on Jul 5, 2013 10:41:41 GMT -8
I'm the PO of boandsusan's Mr. Sam, and have the portable unit that I want to install in the closet of my Frolic. It's crazy to try to use the long hose with these units because they take up way too much space, and the heat radiating from the hose from the unit to the outdoors is ridiculous. I want to install mine without the hose, more or less flush to the side of the trailer where I will cut a hole to vent it. But the "more or less" part is what I need help with. Here are the issues:
1) Does the vent need to be fitted into a circular hole with a tight fight? If so, what about having to pull the unit out periodically to clean the filter?
2) The unit is on casters. How to keep it stationary, yet also able to come out so that I can reach the filter?
3) It's not supposed to need to drain, but reviews of this unit say it's prone to overflowing onto the floor, so I think it would be wise to put it on a baker's pan or something, and put a drain through the floor to the ground. Can someone help me with designing the installation?
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 10:45:31 GMT -8
Susan I got a 5050 btu wall unit for my 1500 and it will blow the cool air out a couple of feet above the floor exhausting the hot air out the side through the old furnace vent and I will duct cool air from under the trailer to pull in the sides and I plan on do the best insulation job possible in the ceiling as I put it back plus I am going to coat the roof with three layers of Kool-Seal which they claim will reduce heat gain taking part of the load off the A/C. I think it will work but we won't know for sure till we try it. Wish me luck.
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kevschofield
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Post by kevschofield on Jul 5, 2013 10:51:16 GMT -8
@ Lopo.. My first trip this year starts on July 25th so I'll have it in by then.. I'll show how I do the vent, and the 'caster containment) I've got a couple ideas on how to makethe vent look good and function well, but I need the unit 'in hand' before I start cutting ~ @ Susan.. I live in NH, but the last 7+ days have been 90+ with high humidity with more coming.. It's not as bad as the SOuth, but we have plenty of warm air in the summers |
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boandsusan
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Post by boandsusan on Jul 5, 2013 10:52:44 GMT -8
Yes Susan you are right but if you wouldn't have had the extra load it would have done a better job even down low the more strikes you put against a system the harder it is to do its job. I wasn't knocking the way you did it. I was just suggesting a way to make it better. That is like a friend of mine bought a house with central air that worked fine until temps got up around 100 then it wouldn't keep up so he would set his yard sprinkler so it sprayed the outside condenser on those hot afternoons and it allowed the house to stay cool because it increased the heat transfer out of the refrigerant. My own home I installed a 2 ton A/C unit and it works fantastic but I also blew 30 inches of insulation in the attic and installed triple pane windows. A/C is effected by many different factors that is why there are multiple things to consider. another friend bought a roof air for his truck camper and he wanted to be sure that it would be cool so he got a 13,000 btu unit. when you walked in it was cold but it was also very wet feeling and uncomfortable because the unit was to big and didn't run enough to dry the air. Oh it wouldn`t cross my mind that you would knock anyone`s method . Ac installation has always been a good topic of conversation. It seems everyone is in search of the "perfect" install. If we all post what we discover with our different methods, hopefully in the near future we`ll find that perfect ac solution for vintage trailers. I wouldn`t change anything about Mr Sams Ac install other than the closet space it used. |
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Post by bigbill on Jul 5, 2013 11:10:02 GMT -8
Lopo I think siting it in a drain pan is a good idea. if you are sitting it back against a wall how about just getting a door pull handle screwing it to the wall run a ratchet strap through the handle and around the unit to secure it. As far as the tight fit it depends how many rodents or bugs you want in the trailer. seriously you could even use a square hole then make a rubber or vinyl flap that fit the pipe and fasten it to the wall to prevent air infiltration Then I would cover the hole with screen like Boandsusan did on their unit. For a drip pan you might check Lowes or Home Depot for pans like are used to mix plaster or mortar in, find one of a suitable size then you can cut the sides off shorter on the end where you want to slide it out. Possibly you might find a plastic dish pan large enough to make your drip pan, your idea of a bakers sheet pan also might work then place the drip pap in place drill a hole at the lowest point through the floor then remove the pan get apeice of copper tube with a flare on one end drill the hole through the floor so the tube is a snug fit the place in hole and tap down till it is flush with top of floor, place a small ring of plumbers putty inn a ring around it then reset the drain pan pressing it down to flatten and create seal. I would place a few screws through pan into floor to hold in place. |
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. A member on the forum was Mr Sam`s PO and she purchased a portable unit but she said that due to the way the exhaust was set up, there was no way to use it in a small space. I think if she had removed the 6ft hose and vented with a short piece of rigid hose it would work.