AC Unit |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Topic: AC Unit Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 8:18am |
+1
If I camped in Arizona in the summer I would probably want the 13.5K btu/hr unit but even on a hot humid day in NC I never went over a 50% duty cycle, meaning that the temp can be maintained in the trailer with 13.5/2= 6.7K btu/hr. You need some additional capacity to pull down the temp on arrival so 9K should be fine for most of the country unless you're really impatient to get cool right now. Reduces the current demand by 1/3 as well. I'm sure FR doesn't pay more for the 13.5K units so they just install those standard for use everywhere and don't get complaints.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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geewizard
Senior Member Joined: 16 Apr 2017 Location: Spokane Online Status: Offline Posts: 347 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 9:05am |
I'll make you a good deal on mine too!
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2021 Winnebago Micro Minnie 1708FB
2017 R-Pod 177 (Blue) HRE SOLD 2004 Outfitter Apex 8 camper 2014 Toyota Tundra DC |
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Olddawgsrule
Senior Member Joined: 20 Sep 2017 Location: New Hampshire Online Status: Offline Posts: 1014 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 9:28am |
[/QUOTE] I'll make you a good deal on mine too! [/QUOTE]
Two years newer, but oh the miles to get it... Thanks though! |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 10:32am |
1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2654 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 10:53am |
if there was an elegant way to add a mini-split, that would be the way to go. You could probably use a really small one to cool the 100 or so square feet inside the typical Rpod.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 11:20am |
On the 179 a minisplit should fit OK. I plan to get one of these:
The nice quiet evaporator should fit above the head of the bed and the condenser on the a frame where the batteries are. Should be an easy refrigerant line run along the front wall in the corner and down through the floor in front of the water heater. Replace the batteries with a Li inside the trailer. SEER is 21 plus which is probably close to twice the efficiency of the roof mounted jet turbine we have now. I think my biggest risk is that the minisplit won't handle the movement from travel and might develop refrigerant leaks. |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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StephenH
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6326 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 1:28pm |
Edit: Another consideration is air flow for the outside unit. From the front it should not be a problem unless you also have dual LP tanks with a hard cover. The back side though would need to have sufficient space to allow for proper air flow. The outside dimensions are 30.3 x 11.8 x 21.8 Inches.
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StephenH
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 2:17pm |
All good points. I will have to move the condenser forward from where the current battery frame is. It won't be usable anyway. I have only the single mounted propane tank which will need to be moved forward a little as well. The rear clearance for the condenser at its closest will be significantly less than specified but with the curved front of the rpod I think it should be OK. A removable cover will for sure be needed, we will need to get one made up out of some heavy vinyl or equivalent material. The most expensive item might be a new wdh, the A frame clamps for mine look like they will interfere with the condenser mounting points. From looking at the few ppl who have done this on rv's I think I should try to use rubber mounts and flexible refrigerant lines at the condenser. The evaporator mounting location above the valance at the head of the bed is tight but looks like it should work. I'll need to attach an aluminum plate to the wall box tubing and then mount the evaporator to that. It weighs 18 lbs. Add the refrigerant lines and g forces and I'll need the wall mount to be able to handle 50-60 lbs to be safe, so a bunch of self tapping screws into the wall tubing. The refrigerant lines will be exposed where they curve down to the corner of the mattress but it looks like there are flexible covers available for that. Once the a/c is in the "bedroom" I want to make a curtain up to close it off from the rest of the trailer at night to save even more energy. A condensate line and control/power to the evaporator runs along with the refrigerant lines. I've installed mini splits before (in my house) and found the hard way that they need to be pretty near level for the condensate pans not to leak, so no running the a/c until set up and leveled out at camp.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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GlueGuy
Senior Member Joined: 15 May 2017 Location: N. California Online Status: Offline Posts: 2654 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 3:07pm |
I would be real concerned about mounting the condenser in the front, but the added 83 lbs or so at the back would also be a concern. I guess I would also be concerned about the exposed refrigerant lines. The exposure would be somewhat manageable and that 37.5 dBA is very, very enticing.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
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offgrid
Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290 |
Posted: 27 Apr 2020 at 6:03pm |
I agree, not way I'd put it on the back of the trailer.
The compressor only weighs about 67 lbs, not much more than one of two GC2 batteries, so tongue weight will go down. Maybe a little metal plate to protect the refrigerant lines? Wouldn't take much, its only a foot or so that is exposed before the lines turn up into the front of the trailer.
The advantages are substantial: much quieter much less energy consumption, making solar powered a/c a possibility possible to cool just the "bedroom" in the 179 frees up roof space and allows for an additional roof fan/skylight reduces drag heat pump for cold weather use as an alternative to propane (also much quieter than the furnace) cost is roughly the same as a Dometic disadvantages: lots of custom work to install risk of vibration and impact damage need to put on and take off cover to use ? |
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
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