Easy Offgrid AC Install on a Sprinter Van

We're starting a new Sprinter Camper conversion! Since it's the height of Summer, we're tackling the 12v air conditioner first so we can keep cool during the rest of the build.
This is our first time having an AC unit in a camper, so we're really excited to see how this changes the way we camp and explore!
Big thanks to Velit for sponsoring the video and providing the unit.
Check out their 12V AC units here:
velitcamping.com/products/vel...
All of the materials we used for this install are linked below:
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[@stonecoldcougar]

Wow!! This is an amazingly thorough video. Thank you so much for all of this valuabke information!

[@accountingstepbystep2229]

Great video! Informative and well done. Thank you!

[@rafaelbetancourt3551]

Very cool product, this makes me think of how to apply this AC unit into other projects :)

[@64maxpower]

You both truly are amazing

[@IMEEMADE]

Thanks for watching!! 😁

[@Blztrls]

I just bought this unit and this was helpful for my installation. I bought the sealant you recommended for the install.

[@TheManWithTheFace]

Great work very thorough

[@edman813]

That's such a cute little doggy! 😊

[@paulutd69]

Cool...just what I was looking for. I've seen other 12volt AC units over $2500. Look forward to seeing you complete your build and how the AC does cooling your liveable space. Thank you for posting!!!

[@IMEEMADE]

Thank you for watching!

[@peppermeat8059]

me tooo

[@garagemonkeysan]

Great video. Learned stuff. Love the short form. For sure this addition adds value. Mahalo for sharing! 🙂🐒

[@IMEEMADE]

Thank you Gary!

[@MrTarrasque]

Super helpful, thanks!

[@Truenergy13]

Great video. Thank you

[@beautifulindonesia787]

Nice work ❤

[@user-nu2ol6kb3v]

Beautiful ❤️

[@MobileSolarConsulting]

Awesome work on the install! We are thankful that VELIT has dropped a more affordable AC unit than other brands. SOK batteries are great too. Small tip is to avoid impact guns on battery terminals. Torque wrench is best :)

[@IMEEMADE]

I have a calibrated trigger finger I use for the impact gun 😝. It’s definitely a bad habit using the impact but I get to save 0.5 seconds lol

[@bonnierodger7719]

Thank you, now I feel confident that I can change out my 8 yr domestic ac that I hate. Great video.

[@IMEEMADE]

You can do it!!

[@sylviemolette9619]

Awesome job IMEE MADE!!!

[@IMEEMADE]

thank you for watching! 😁

[@ALEXANDR9911]

It’s very cute and cool 🤙 😅

[@misters2837]

I have a rather silly question, but the owners manual on their site does not say.... What is Max LOW/HIGH temps of this unit? - I liked your video... I hope Velit gave you a good discount, you made a very good install video for their unit!

[@marianobruno7491]

I wont lie, I was scared when you picked up the A/C and that table moved sideways. Great video! thanks.

[@IMEEMADE]

😂😂

[@mega-hb4re]

Love it. Congrats. I wish I would’ve done that in my cargo trailer conversion

[@IMEEMADE]

Thank you!

[@functionalvanconversion4284]

Awesome details! I wish the exterior profile wasn't so large as to block solar panels.

[@IMEEMADE]

We agree!

[@broncofun5636]

Great video. Could you do one on the folding shelves you have in this van?

[@IMEEMADE]

Thanks for watching! The shelves actually came with our van 😅

[@vanvittles8651]

Terrific video thanks! I'm going to be installing an A/C unit as well and can't find any justification thus far for spending an extra 1500$ for a nomadic cooling x2 model. Is your Velit still holding up? What would you say the max temperature is you've been able to handle?

[@sdawqe6574]

Purchased: August 2022 - still works GREAT! kzbin.infoUgkxxsUnXhGsSJLim_XnMHyQK0u3XVaW-CGn I live in a studio and during the summer it gets scorching hot - really old building with no ac units. I can’t express how EASY it was to install.This unit has been a life savior during the summer and some days during other seasons where it can still be a bit warm at night. In this small place is my friend, a husky, poodle mix and myself. We need AC - lolI don’t use the dehumidifier option - I’m not sure if it will leak in my house, since I did not install the small draining hose that came with it. May look into it late but I don’t worry about much humidity in the apartment.I don’t understand why the negative reviews since all things mentioned, I personally did not find issues with. Definitely worth it!

[@grasta1001]

Wow,that's a easy digestive price!😮

[@randybobandy9828]

Wow 34amps@12v is pretty good for a 7,000btu unit! That sounds too good to be true!

[@IMEEMADE]

It's pretty awesome!

[@PunjabiKalakar]

The fan on thr top, can bring water in the van if rain? Does it need to cover during rain or something? Help me understand this please. Thank you

[@madhusudanbbtg]

How do you give Power to that Battery? Have you connected that battery with your Sprinter Van's engine ?

[@jonathonmolette3599]

Was it quiet and did it cool the van?

[@argimiromalave3216]

May I install it in a VW bus T2 or should i install traditional bel compressor a/c?

[@ooigfgnnkhjjnc]

How big is your battery bank? Did you upgrade your alternator?

[@PlumbingBanana]

So im just curious, can you just run this straight to your car battery? Since its 12 volt? Or do you need to add more batteries and a bank and solar panels etc?.... im just not that smart on electronics yet

[@gamerdan2310]

Quick question. How many Amp Hours does your battery system have in total? Or are you only using that 1 battery w solar?

[@oscarbottazzi4231]

Thanks for the video, curious about noise level? You guy’s able to sleep?

[@IMEEMADE]

It’s tolerable! At the lowest to medium setting it’s similar to a standing oscillating fan noise. At the highest setting it would be rather tough to sleep through

[@camperhureninspanje8201]

Nice vid! very technical. One question. You mention that it's pulling up to 34 amps. With a 100 Ah you say you can run it up to 3 hours. Any update on this? Did you run it on turbo on a full battery until battery depleted? I'm anxious to know since I am between a compresor AC and a 12V evaporation/humidifier aparatus that pulls only 1/10th of the amps as it's basically just a fan pulling the outside air through a humidifying mesh. Thanks for your time.

[@IMEEMADE]

We haven’t had a need to run it completely dead since we have solar. But we stayed comfortable all afternoon last summer on turbo while solar charging.

[@joemelchiorre6883]

How has it doing after a year?

[@thebg7532]

Thanks for sharing this video. Will you be able to share your experience with this unit after 10 months? Also what battery setup do you have on your van for supporting this AC unit?

[@IMEEMADE]

Sure thing! It’s been pretty great and haven’t had any issues. We have a 400W solar with 200ah lithium batteries and we rarely deplete the system when using the AC

[@cryptomoordexterjbey6196]

Can this ac run of just engine alternator and the two truck batteries?

[@IMEEMADE]

@@cryptomoordexterjbey6196 sure can as long as it is 12v!

[@Utahdesertrat222]

is 7000 btu enough to cool your van in 95d? what size is your van? how much solar and battrey do you need to run the ac for 8 hours?

[@asmongoldsmouth9839]

Turbo and ECO mode? There should be a plethora of compressor settings and 3+ fan speed settings. This should all change the amp/hour draw. Putting the compressor on a 20% load and fan speed med or high may only draw 12 amps/hour. Or is there literally only 2 settings?

[@jeremyneumeister5154]

How do you charge the battery

[@ma.d.racingtrackdayteam5028]

Nice build. Only why didn't you just drill from below with like an 3mm drill and from the top with like an 9mm? Using a stepped drill it seems so awkward.

[@patrickilfrey4543]

I was thinking of putting this in my finished camper and replacing the max fan. Is there a way to cover the large black mounting brackets on the ceiling?

[@IMEEMADE]

Yes absolutely! The AC unit comes with a plastic cover. We didn't show us installing it since we haven't finished the walls and ceiling on our van yet

[@briankim6155]

Hi it was a great video. Do you install A/C unit for my sprinter? I live in chino,ca,

[@IMEEMADE]

We replied to your email! Thank you 🙂

[@Gibbowr80]

How is your VELIT ac working so far ?

[@Van-life-4-Jesus]

They igbored half these valid questions.........

[@JRao]

Did it do a good job of cooling? What is the noise level - can you have a conversation when it is on full blast?

[@IMEEMADE]

Yes it does a great job cooling the small space. With insulation and everything built out, the cooling efficiency would be even better. At full blast it is a bit noisy, but you can still carry a conversation without shouting. Although I wouldn't see the need for it to be full blast since the space is small and cools rather quickly on eco mode.

[@krisg3984]

Is it quiet ?

[@Pravee-kj3vq]

Is this rain resistant? 😅

[@davidbeede6852]

I think you have come up with some cool creative solutions with your van build. I'm curious as you did not add any re enforcement around the AC opening if you've noticed any defection allowing water to penetrate inside the van. Also, I'm curious about your satisfaction with the Velit AC. Has there been any issues with it and does it keep the interior cooled down in your van? Thanks for creating this content.

[@IMEEMADE]

Thank you! So far no leaks despite not adding reinforcements, we like the unit so far it kept us cool during the heatwave last summer and still kicking!

[@dang6832]

Could it be mounted to the side of the vehicle instead? I think it could be used to provide ac to small rooms. My best thought is for people with batteries and inverters. Keep it cool in the electrical room.

[@dickfitswell3437]

Only one way to find out

[@peTeMelster]

Does it actually cool enough in hot weather, say 100-120 F Las Vegas summer heat?

[@johnnyphan9466]

I wonder why this comment was ignored

[@chubbypanda4422]

Is there a fan mode to this? Thinking about replacing Maxx Air with this and AC is not always needed.

[@IMEEMADE]

We linked the site to the manufacturer in the description, so you can check that out for the most up to date features. For our unit we don’t have a fan only mode, but we can increase the temperature to ambient so it’s not blasting cold constantly.

[@richardoliver1621]

Add a roof coating and temps will drop even more

[@IMEEMADE]

Good call!!

[@WzupMydudeNdudettes]

Questions: 1.Does it need its own battery source and 2. How do you prevent leaks from the hole That was cut into van

[@ianbaughman3433]

Yes, and the caulk

[@shellyshore3803]

I have a high Roof Ford transit van. Just bought it. Looking for an easier hook up because I got quotes for $13,000 they’re crazy. I have search and rescue dogs. I don’t know much about this. What did you hook it up to do have to get the batteries or solar panel? Do you guys do the installation?

[@IMEEMADE]

We hooked it up to a battery to power the unit.

[@narrowpath2980]

Does it come with a cover or optional cover for winter months ?

[@IMEEMADE]

It does not come with an additional cover

[@dheymedina2530]

How to buy ac 24v amd how much

[@longtenk8547]

I really want to buy this air conditioner, how many times have I seen this fan facing the sky, what should I do if it is stormy?

[@IMEEMADE]

The unit does not need to be covered in stormy weather.

[@tedosmond413]

How do you charge the battery... Via solar panel? Via engine?

[@IMEEMADE]

Both!

[@bholatiwari7401]

I have a cargo van but I don’t have AC inside! Do you know anywhere they put AC and bed 🛌

[@IMEEMADE]

Check out Sprinter Mobile Care in San Diego!

[@ThomaHawk6310]

What was the size of the hole you had to cut in the roof?

[@IMEEMADE]

We go over all that in the video! 😉

[@villabetancur]

Hola soy de Colombia dónde puedo conseguir ese aire acondicionado

[@IMEEMADE]

We left a link in the description where you can order it!

[@josephferrergangat7697]

How to order and is it possible to my vintage beetle?

[@IMEEMADE]

Check the link in our description to order

[@lithion]

that table rocking back and forth on the casters at 3:15 made me so uncomfortable.

[@fahadalissa]

Can use it for boat

[@IMEEMADE]

Not quite sure. 🤔

[@oksaturn2928]

Does it have a heating option?

[@IMEEMADE]

No, just AC

[@pawandeepjoy]

How many batteries i need to run AC for 5-6 hours

[@cferdinandi]

I'm not the video creator, but I can help with this since I've done of a lot of research into RV electrical systems. Don't think "number of batteries," think in "amp hours (ah)". If a device uses 10 amps when it runs, a 100ah battery can power it for 10 hours (100 ah / 10 amps = 10 hours). In this case, if you ran the AC on max with a 35 amp draw, you'd need 210 ah of battery to run it for 6 hours (35 amps * 6 hours = 210 ah). It's also worth noting that devices like this basically require lithium iron (LiFePo4) batteries. Lead acid and AGM's cannot discharge watts fast enough to keep up with the demand the way that a lithium battery can.

[@shellyshore3803]

Are there dealers that install this in Los Angeles?

[@IMEEMADE]

We replied to your message on Instagram 😊

[@6Sisu9]

I would pay up too 5k if I were living full time in a van. So anything less is a bonus!!

[@IMEEMADE]

Right on!

[@jinstkdCypress]

Is AC work well without problem?

[@IMEEMADE]

None so far!

[@jinstkdCypress]

@@IMEEMADE do you know where is made from?

[@IMEEMADE]

@@jinstkdCypress We know the company is based in Seattle, Washington ☺️

[@jinstkdCypress]

@@IMEEMADE Thank you.

[@Amarillobymorning777]

You think I’m crazy but I like to put it in the roof of my big truck peterbilt. I think is easy and cheaper.

[@Viraldanceworlds]

I'm not sure this unit is a good choice it says 8000btu that is 2300watt but ppl are saying the use 600 watts so more research I would say

[@tracym427]

Page not found- when I click the link for the a/c

[@IMEEMADE]

Thank you for letting us know! The link has been updated :)

[@bharatprajapati503]

Is it available in India

[@IMEEMADE]

The link to purchase is in the description 😊

[@mohmmadnaveedbd35fdccompre3]

How much new one

[@IMEEMADE]

Check the link in the description ☺️

[@triplebbb2862]

How much did you spend?

[@IMEEMADE]

We left a link in the description to the site so you can check out the cost. Thanks!

[@miguelmacias6763]

Where does the water fall out of?

[@IMEEMADE]

there's no water in this system

[@asmongoldsmouth9839]

Miguel is referring to the compressor condensation run off that all AC's have to drain. There is an evaporator on this unit. I assume it purges back into the atmosphere as there is no plumbing.

[@drizzyswales2173]

So what kind of battery is used to power this? And how much is it?… trying to do this on my Chevy cargo van. Thanks!

[@IMEEMADE]

You can use a regular 12v car battery to run it!

[@cferdinandi]

I would strongly recommend a lithium iron (LiFePo4) battery. Lead Acid car batteries are not meant for rapid discharge over long periods of time like this. 100 ah lithium batteries can cost anywhere from $600-$1,000.

[@user-md9el4nu6g]

حيدر الخطاط

[@user-cx2gn2gs1m]

ممكن رابط مالتكم

[@IMEEMADE]

Link is in the description. Thanks!

[@Rick-qf5de]

A fool and their money soon part..... All those rooftop air units are junk.... Cut a hole and use a Walmart special window unit... And expect to throw it away in 3 years.....

[@F_antomas]

yeah but the window unit dont work on 12v !!!!

[@pleb2dev605]

Hillbilly Comment

[@AskRemy]

$1600 is way too much

[@Koushi82]

Just install a portable ac unit and connect it to the window shrug

[@christopherbradley5575]

OMG!! After all this time, why in the name of God are people still using jigsaws to cut automotive sheet metal?!?! Haven't we learned anything?

[@pleb2dev605]

What part of the nice cut she made hurt your feelings. Did you need to go cry to your wifes boyfriend about this?

[@stirlingfromla]

So a 6 minute commercial....sigh...You're not going to build subscribers THIS WAY

[@IMEEMADE]

I think we'll be just fine and dandy thank you!

[@Nsxer838]

Commercial??? I didn’t see any. Gotta love youtube premium, hint hint😉. Great tutorial.

[@misters2837]

What Commercial? - I certainly don't think their "Install Video" was a complete shill, but if Velit gave them a discount on buying the unit, and they mention their name? Whats the big deal? Are you that jealous? - (Go wash your sand out)

[@heathers_home_videos]

How does this do in the cold? Does it allow a lot of cold air in when you’re trying to keep the van warm? (If it’s off?

[@sophiesmith5922]

​@@heathers_home_videos they may not know yet. Great question, tho

[@12vLife]

I wonder if a 12v 7k BTU AC like this would be more efficient in cooling the back of a future 2025 Promaster 1500 EV van with 113kw EV battery using it's OEM A/C coming from the front? I suspect not and so it would be brilliant if those future EV vans had the forethought to realize we would like to use the OEM compressor to cool just 1/3 back half of the van overnight?. Some van lifers and EV fanatics are speculating a Van like this might be able to run the OEM A/C overnight for 10+ nights on a full charge! This would be insane if true, safe and did not void the 10y powertrain warranty on the van. .

[@udayn76]

Is it available in India

[@IMEEMADE]

We left a link to the company in the description you can check for more info