portable air conditioner

[bitzandbytes]

anyone tried a portable air conditioner in a Class B or other RV? I realize that we need to vent it but we are thinking of venting it into the space our fridge vents into. Of course we would only be using it with shore power as we have no generator.

looking at something like this Portable Air Con

Wondering if anyone has done this and how it worked out? It seams cheaper and easier than a rooftop air.

Thanks for your opinions

[markopolo]

I don't think you should use the fridge vent. If the fridge is running on propane then carbon monoxide gas is produced. It would leak back into the van through your air conditioner or the seal. C0 weighs about the same as air to it would readily mix and find its way into the van. The air conditioner hose wouldn't be made to withstand the fridge heat either. C0 can be deadly.

People with small trailers and pop-ups use portable air conditioners. I would consider using one but I can never find the space for it.

[Mike]

markopolo: Would they be able to add a rear window unit like the one you're considering for your
van? I know they are more expensive, but it might be worth it, if it works, and is convenient
to install and could run off shore power or a generator if dry camping?
I can't find the link to the one you were considering. Still got it?

[markopolo]

Here's the rear window air conditioner link:
http://www.classbforum.com/phpBB2/vi...hp?f=12&t=2156

That package is just about as expensive as a roof air conditioner, offers less cooling and is designed for the rear door on a GMC Savana / Chevy Express. You can remove the glass and put the air conditioner in and vice versa.

I've notice smaller trailers at RV shows have small window type air conditioners mounted in the side wall of the trailer.

[Mike]

An advantage of the rear window system might be, that it wouldn't increase the height of your van,
just the length a bit, maybe?
If you keep your van in a garage, it would probably still clear the door, unless you had cleverly
made one of the garage doors "Sprinter sized".

[markopolo]

Yes, that 10' door was a clever idea I wonder who suggested it

But......... If you only have a 9' garage door and van with a roof top air conditioner then replacing that with a fan and adding a window air conditioner could let you park in your garage and the swap might not cost you anything. A window air conditioner might not be good enough in southern summers though. Depends on insulation and shade etc.

[Mike]

Some smart dude probably?

When dealing with standard garage door clearance, shorter is better.

[markopolo]

bitzandbytes - did you remove the fridge in your van?

[bitzandbytes]

Nope did not remove the fridge.

I figured that if we were running the air conditioner we would need to be hooked up to shore power (no generator). When hooked to shore power we would be using the shore power for the fridge not propane so - no propane, no carbon monoxide, no problem running air through this vent.

I am looking at the window air and the rooftop air as well and trying to find the cheapest solution.

Don't think we will ever go with the generator but hubbie is very interested in solar. Solar limits the roof space for rooftop air. need to keep that in mind.

[markopolo]

The fridge in my van fits under the countertop. The top fridge vent is behind the fridge but below the countertop. From the outside it looks higher but there would be no way to access the vent from the inside of my van without removing the fridge. Maybe your fridge is like mine.

I've also been trying to come up with a air conditioner solution for my van. A portable seems so easy (other than the venting) but I just can't figure out where to put it. I don't want to have to climb over it in the aisle etc. I don't want to give up closet space either.

Roof air is the way to go if you need 11,000 to 13,000 btu cooling. The window type air conditioner I'm getting is only 5,000 btu. I think it'll be ok for me here in the Northeast.

[bitzandbytes]

We are thinking of the portable air because of cost mainly. The rooftop air is at least twice the cost of portable. I don't really want to go with a window unit. I think these look, well, out of place, to put it nicely.

We have an older van that is basically the same as an older roadtrek. The major difference is that the kitchen and bathroom are reversed. Our kitchen is on the passenger side and the bathroom is on the drivers side. We have removed the jump seat behind the passenger. We did not want this here anyway as it gets in the way and there is only the two of us. We find it much easier to get in and out the side doors with the jumpseat removed, and the van seems so much bigger without it. We left the other jump seat for the 4 legged passenger.

We would be putting the air conditioner in place of the passenger jump seat. The back of the jumpseat goes against the wall where the fridge and counter are. I was thinking we could go through this wall to the space behind the fridge where it vents to the outside. The air conditioner is considerably smaller than the jump seat so we would still have lots of room to get in through the side door and to streach our legs when the captain's chairs are turned around.

Since we would only run the air when we have shore power, the fidge would also be on shore power so there would be no propane or other gass in this vent area.

Aside from the issue of venting, does anyone have any coments on using the portable unit?

[markopolo]

I've seen quite a few discussions re: portable air on the Fiberglass RV forums.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/

Water removal, venting and heat from the unit are what I recall reading about.

I don't recall seeing any on Class B related forums. Probably because of space issues.

[Vegasrandall]

Desert area RV,s can use this almost foolproof air conditioner. I ordered the fan mentioned in the site and am building one for my van. And it's CHEAP!
http://eplaya.burningman.com/viewtopic.php?t=33842