How I Mounted A Heat Pump Mini Split On My Lance 2185 Travel Trailer

[@thinker2328]

1. Ur smart AF 2. Ur an awesome dad 3. Amazing build and great vid! 👍

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks! You're very kind.

[@Ram-re5em]

I am adding a mini split in addition to my 2 roof ac and also keeping my propane. I am adding mini split for comfort not to save energy. I tow with my Ram 3500 diesel and love to use as much resources as possible.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Interesting.

[@gabbyschultz3572]

What is this comment 😂

[@Rob-eg7ur]

Check out the idle air diesel APU then you'll have propane and diesel power

[@WestCoastRoller]

Excellent install and video production. Thank you for all the suggestions and examples!

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks! I'm glad it was helpful. It has been awesome to have!

[@allynonderdonk7577]

Did a similar conversion on my box truck overlander. Innovair 9k 19seer. It pulls 400 to 700 watts most of the time. I also have a black and decker heat pump at 12k BTUs that I can add for really hot days as my insulation is a bit on the lighter side. With 2350 watts of solar and 560ah of batteries I get by without the generator. Solar was about 2700, 220v split phase inverter 1000, heat pumps 1100. Batteries 1200. I can charge my electric motorcycle as well as running the ac too most of the time.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

That's awesome, thanks for sharing!

[@potodds_trading]

Excellent, very thorough, methodical installation!

[@tls453]

Great video. Really appreciate that you are so efficient with your explanations.

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

The original noisy, cooling only, roof top unit was consuming 1300W. That seemed kind of low. It was not inverter based or variable speed like our Fujitsu unit. They are much gentler on out inverters/wiring. Note for those buying heat pumps, they consume twice the energy in heating mode, so figure that in when you size your battery bank.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

The 1,300 Watts was as high as I measured it with my meter. It's possible it pulled more when the weather was a lot hotter. I actually never used it other than this one time to test how much electricity it used before I removed it and installed the mini split. In my experience with my Fujitsu the peak consumption of heating is about double cooling, but when it achieves the set temperature the maintenance is not double. It obviously varies a lot depending on the indoor set point vs outdoor ambient temperature, plus how often the door is opening, how windy it is outside etc. Generally AC maintenance is around 300 Watts and heating maintenance is around 400 Watts. Roughly. The huge advantage cooling has is that it's needed at the same time that solar yield is high. Where the battery size comes into play is heating overnight when there is obviously zero solar so the battery has to supply all needed power overnight. Plus the night is extra long in the winter, and the day is short to resupply the battery, and the sun is low in the sky etc... (Although that depends on the latitude.) In short, heating in the winter is a struggle and compromises must be made whether it be lowering the internal set temperature or acquiring energy through alternative means like a generator, or heating with propane at times. I'll be making a video in a couple months about my learnings over the last two winters with my system.

[@benkanobe7500]

You do really nice work. I work with my hands and am a retired Mechanical Engineer and I know what good work looks like. You are a very talented person.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks, you're very kind.

[@Mywhtjp]

Nice system.. I recently install a Pioneer 9k mini split on my RV. I have a smaller sized solar system on mine too.. but found it wouldn't power mine. Need to upgrade some wires to be able to handle the 8 amps of draw. 4 BB 100Ah lithiums, 2000w Xantrec, 1600w of panels and a Victron 150\85 controller with CERBO and touch 50. I'm a trucker and like to monitor it from the road.

[@jpnm81]

yo SEER 33.1 is crazy. nice job

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@jpnm81 I agree, and it's worked well for us!

[@jaredchapman6709]

This is really cool Anthony! Mark showed me this. Really great stuff!

[@danfraser107]

Very nice video! I am considering installing a mini split AC, so your video was very informative and helpful. Much appreciated!

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Glad it was helpful! We just got back from a 9 day hot weather test in the Moab, UT area where temperatures peaked at 104 degrees F and it performed well. I'll be publishing a series of videos about the trip once I get caught up with editing.

[@rafacq]

Excellent work. You’re so talented! Thanks for sharing.

[@brucefrazier9051]

Wow, the victron system, I'm guessing 3K 24/70 synced., I'd like to see more on that. Great job 👍👍

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@brucefrazier9051 I'm not following you... What does 3K 24/70 synced refer to?

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Oh, I think you're referring to the inverter is 3k VA (yes), the batteries are in a 24 volt DC configuration (yes) and the 70 is the amps the DC to DC converter can output (yes). I created a video that goes over all those components and here's the link to it kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqTIkISNbMt3o80 and additionally here's a playlist of all modifications (not trips) related to the trailer studio.kzbin.infoPLhYygFlMh_bdUV3KcSWNLRnPi4-WUWkFl/videos

[@brucefrazier9051]

Thanks, I'll check out the video. I've got my matching Victron but haven't completed the wiring . Running the Montana on 1 till things are completed. Using Eve 3.2 v cells to create the 24 V arrangement. I'm stationary in the Ozarks using 18-320 watt panels and really studying all the mini split options. Thanks for responding

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@brucefrazier9051 No problem I wish you the best on your project!

[@dezertraider]

VERY VERY COOL!,GREAT JOB..SAFE TRAVELS..

[@robertgregory2618]

Nice job. Very well done...

[@jaredchapman6709]

33 Seer is a really great efficiency rating for a mini split. Most home ac are 13-16 Seer now a-days. Old acs are only 10 Seer! I would've tried to wall mount the mini split instead of on the trailer frame. Im not sure if that was looked into but daikin comes with brackets specifically for that. I think mini splits and heat pumps are the future for hvac. I would say invest in a mig because that could've been pretty easy mounting for the backet on that trailer frame.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I'm not sure what you're referring to by you would have tried to wall mount the mini split. I assume you mean the outdoor unit since the indoor unit is wall mounted. For the outside unit the only wall that could possibly make sense is the back wall since the sides are the width of traffic lanes, and the front is rounded and would have ended up with the mini split basically where it is already. On the back there is no available room for the mini split since there's a ladder and rear door back there. I've been interested in getting into welding someday, but this project already had a steep learning curve and I didn't want to add yet another tool to research, purchase and learn how to use for this project to be completed. I also like the idea of being able to unbolt this mini split and there's nothing permanent done to the frame.

[@AsManThinketh]

First off, such a fantastic idea of using the infrared camera to find the studs. I'm stealing that idea. Also, how does your minisplit work at such a low ambient temp? Mine completely stops working if it's anything under 40°F outside. Is that your line insulation being so sophisticated, or your unit is rated for that low altogether. Mine is rated around 30°F. Thanks!

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

You'd have to ask the engineers who designed my mini split how it works at such low temperatures but it is straight out of the manual that it goes that low and it has nothing to do with the line set. If we ever camped in such cold weather I would likely have to supplement energy from an external source though because typically in the winter, solar production is quite low and energy consumption is the highest when heating at low ambient temperatures.

[@AsManThinketh]

@ElectricTechAdventures Got it. Your mini-split is just clearly alot better. I'm sure your line insulation plays a big help to it as well though.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@AsManThinketh I didn't purchase the line set with the mini split though. The lineset I purchased separately and it's just a standard mini split lineset with standard insulation that I would expect yours to have as well.

[@Swenser]

Sweet. Wanting to run an ac off solar in Thailand. Looking for good pricing on batteries and inverter atm. So sunny here but government does not want to help promote solar and help people install solar. I guess the planets green ness is not important enough. Thanks for showing.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@Ram-re5em]

I would take it directly into the front cap bedroom keeping line clean and short.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

The minimum lineset length was 10 feet and the route I took was just barely over that. I'm not sure what you mean by "directly" but I couldn't have done it much shorter. My route up through the floor was by far the best route considering aesthetics and the position of everything.

[@matthewknight5641]

I just ordered the 38 seer inovair 9000 btu unit for my 93 model holiday rambler. Its a 30 foot travel trailer with low ceiling and its really kinda small for a 30 foot trailer but hopefully my install goes as good as yours. I have 1800 watts of solar and nissan leaf battery modules. 24 modules in a 24 volt configuration. I have 2 inverters qnd the mini will be running off of my 4000 watt sungold power.

[@matthewknight5641]

Great job and thanks for sharing

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks for the positive feedback, and I wish you the best in your own mini split journey! It's been a wonderful upgrade to our RV and combined with solar I love camping in our trailer. The RV electrical system upgrade swapping to all electric components has been a similar upgrade to when we switched from ICE vehicles to a Tesla.

[@loristyles7786]

How come you didn’t mount the inside unit of your minisplit on the shelf above the bed. That seems like such a good place to do that on the lance trailers. You could put in some bracing (aluminum L) if needed and attach that to cabinets on each side. I am not questioning your decision just trying to find out if there is a reason I can’t do this on a 1995 😁

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I wanted to mount the mini split above the bed, but ultimately decided it was too complicated of a location and likely to have problems down the road. The indoor mini split unit is significantly larger than the space above the shelf. Also the air intake is on the top of the unit so it must be installed several inches down from the ceiling. The ceiling there is curved making installation much more difficult and there's no aluminum frame there too hang the weight from. Initially I was considering removing the shelf and making a metal bracket that hangs from the first roof truss then I found the Z brackets and figured out that the side wall is a much better option so that's where I installed it.

[@chucktrisdale3539]

I really enjoyed this. I have a 600ah system and 4 of the same size panels you have and a victron multiplus 3000. I am very interested to know how the mini-split has performed in the summer. I am considering swapping out mine for the mini split as well. I have also had thoughts ab pulling with an EV truck and charging. No idea if its even possible while in motion, but its just wasted energy on top of the rig while you are driving

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks! On hot days (every day right now) I run the mini split in the trailer to keep the batteries from going over 100 degrees F. We also keep food in our trailer and I don't want the food sitting in 100+ degree F temperatures all the time. The solar array is large enough that I'm able to charge my Tesla at 1,650 Watts (7 amps) and run the AC through the middle 8 hours of a sunny day. The AC consumes 300-500 Watts most of the time. Right now it's set to 75 degrees F inside the trailer and outside it's 98 degrees F and it's pulling 400 Watts. When I first turn on the AC, the trailer is usually approaching 100 degrees F inside and for the first half an hour or so while it's pulling the inside temperature down to 75 F it's pulling closer to 900 Watts. I intend to make a video about all this, but alas haven't taken the time to do so yet.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Regarding towing with an electric truck and charging that truck while in motion, I know of someone on KZbin who did that with a Model X, but he never got into the details on how he tied it into his vehicle. He did so with some internal wiring though, not through the regular charge port. The way the Tesla firmware is written, if the vehicle knows it's charging then it won't go into drive. In my case when I'm towing the trailer the solar energy is going into the battery bank of the trailer so no energy is wasted unless that battery bank fills up. When I'm towing with the Cybertruck in the future I'll try to offload as much energy as needed to the truck prior to driving to hopefully avoid the trailer battery getting full.

[@evil17]

@@ElectricTechAdventures cool idea, I have reservations about how much juice you will get into the cyber Truck tho, will be interesting to see, nice setup, hope it all goes well. Cheers

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

He’s right on with the power consumption. My solar power shed system is the same model: typical Cooling amps 2.6-3.9A; Heating amps 4.0-7.0A at 240VAC.

[@liamgray9113]

Any issues with the outdoor unit moving at all? I’m in the process of mounting mine and despite the mount being solid and the feet well bolted down, there’s a good amount of front to back wiggle on the outdoor unit. I’m figuring out some type of big clamp up over the top.

[@nomadrvmontreal2733]

I'am a bit confuse.... You'r comparing a mini split, 9,000 btu with a 9,000 btu roof unit ? I doubt that a RV roof unit would pull 1,300 watts if it's 9,000 btu... that's more the wattage of a 12,000 btu, right ? Thanks

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I could not find the BTU rating of the rooftop AC unit I removed. Here's the manufacturer's website for it and BTU is not listed anywhere that I could find, even other websites about this device. It's an Airxcel, Inc model Number 9430-4553 "Coleman Mach 9430-4553 Air Conditioner Ceiling Assembly". It's what came on my trailer from Lance and assuming it was sized appropriately for cooling my trailer, I'm comparing it to my new 9k BTU cooling/12k heating BTU mini split which has been the right size for my trailer too. I'm comparing the power consumption between them and also the mini split is far quieter than the Coleman Mach rooftop unit. If you're able to find out the BTUs of the Coleman Mach I'd be curious to know. Does that answer your question?

[@akshonclip]

If you are already running solar it would be more cost effective not to mention less labor intensive to just get a 12 Volt rooftop replacement. The efficiency is almost the same not to mention you don’t need an inverter.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I looked into those options and never found a unit as efficient as the one I installed. If you have a specific example I'm curious to see it, not so much for me as I'm very happy with my setup, but more for others who are researching their options. When we're camping we leave our inverters on continuously anyway so needing an inverter is a non-issue. However it is more efficient to stay DC so for that reason a DC AC unit would have been good. I also didn't want a unit on the roof because I wanted to cover the entire roof with solar panels as I did, and I wanted to keep them lower than a rooftop unit would have allowed for.

[@GeorgeOu]

It took 1400 watts for 12000 BTU/h of heating? That sounds about right with a COP of 2.5, which means it produced 2.5 times more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumed. Do you have any measurements for how much power it took when cooling? In theory based on its 18 EER spec, it should consume around 500 watts for 9000 BTU/hour of cooling.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Yes I have a lot of data/videos cataloging the power consumption in all kinds of weather and temperatures. Unfortunately video editing is time consuming and I still have a day job and a family so I'm kind of behind so the videos aren't published yet. :( I'm getting through them as fast as I can manage. I will say though that when the mini split is in cooling mode maintaining a cool temperature in the mid-60's F and the outside is near 100 degrees F it does consistently pull around 500 Watts. Stay tuned for those videos where we camp in hot weather.

[@GeorgeOu]

@@ElectricTechAdventures 500 watts in cooling mode is what the spec sheet says it will pull while cooling 9000 BTUs per hour. This Fujitsu unit has an EER of 18 which is much higher than the typical 11. It only draws about 61% of the power to do the same cooling so it's quite good. It's nothing like the nonsense SEER rating suggests but it's probably the most efficient mini split on the market. You're getting your money's worth for the premium you paid.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@GeorgeOu I'm glad to hear that. It's been working well for us. It's powerful enough to make my family uncomfortably cold in the summer in extreme heat situations outside.

[@BrandonPickens-x4b]

Man I've converted a 6 window short bus and my final step is to install a mini split and Solar system to run the mini split. Im looking for a relatively simply system. As im not an idiot yet i and new to solar, any dirrection youd recommend going?

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I love my solar array powering my mini split. I have no problem simply recommending what I did and I've documented all the big parts of what I did in this playlist kzbin.info/aero/PLhYygFlMh_bdUV3KcSWNLRnPi4-WUWkFl especially because I don't know more specifics of what you're situation is. That being said I'm not a consultant. In the description of my videos I have a link to a google spreadsheet that lists all the components I used in my build if that's helpful to you.

[@SamCarleton]

In watching your last video (Can The Solar Array Fully Charge Our RV Batteries In One Day In February? + Valley of Fire!) it got me wondering... why an AC mini split and not a DC? In this video, you talked about needing 240V for charging the Tesla, which makes sense. But I was wondering... did you look into a DC-based (12v or 24v) option? I am wondering if they might be more efficient then an AC unit.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

If I could have everything on board use DC electricity I would, because in that extreme scenario I could completely eliminate the AC components from the trailer's design saving the money on device purchase, labor to install, and efficiency losses inverting from DC to AC. However it's not realistic at this point in time to do that unfortunately. Plus there's other miscellaneous devices we bring from home such as our blender that work on AC power. I did look for a DC HVAC unit of some sort, such as rooftop mounted AC/heat pump units. I never did find a device that I felt like was the best solution considering efficiency, lots of devices out there with people using them and sharing reviews of longevity etc... Ultimately I just decided on the relatively "regular" heat pump mini split design with the indoor and outdoor units because it's efficient and commonly used technology that's not overly expensive or specialized which would make it harder to find help if I needed it in the future. Regarding the Tesla charging, I don't have to use 240 volts, I can charge it from 120, but 240 volts doubles the speed at which I can charge the Tesla and increases the efficiency. Plus the most efficient mini split I could find (the one I purchased) required 240 volts and it's a lot more efficient than equivalent sized 120 volt versions. Obviously some of that gain in efficiency is actually lost due to having to have two inverters with their fixed standby losses, but ultimately I needed to make a decision and get past the "analysis paralysis" of the design so I just went with two inverters and it's worked fine for me. The losses in efficiency easily overcome by the large solar array on the roof and being able to transfer energy quickly to my Tesla is helpful in some situations.

[@SamCarleton]

@@ElectricTechAdventures I am with you when it comes to analysis paralysis. Personally, I think it is very cool that you have been able to get into your Lancer. The reason I am asking about the AC is I am trying to shorten my hunt for the right solution. From your R&D did you find a noticeable difference in efficiency between the 12/24v systems and the 120/240 systems? Right now I don't know exactly what I am building out, I am 99% sure it isn't our little InTech Luna, new developments are such that we might be full timing in 6~9 months, so... I am starting to do more series info gathering ;)

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

The main reason why I stopped researching the 12 volt DC HVAC systems is typically they had little to no documentation and I couldn't find details like the efficiency. My suspicion is that they're cheap foreign products with zero local support and likely poorly made and inefficient. Perhaps I'm being too harsh, but if a manufacturer is not going to give me lots of confidence in these important aspects of a product them I'm going to assume the worse and move to a product with good reviews and exact details. Keep in mind my research was all in late 2020 to early 2021 and the market could be better now. Sorry I don't have better direct answer to your question. You may consider joining the Facebook group named RV AC on Solar to see if you can get good insights from that group.

[@Familyadventure369]

I had a question did you run the inverter ground to the frame for grounding along with did you run the battery to trailer ground as well

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Yes I did. I installed a grounding busbar that all the various equipment that needs to be grounded are all connected to and that busbar is connected to the frame. It's shown in this video kzbin.info/www/bejne/mqTIkISNbMt3o80si=Dft_uTHye2-mDY6b&t=423 at 7:03

[@Familyadventure369]

Your a life saver i cant believe i missed it thank you i design stuff like this but i couldnt wrap around the grounding as it was floating until i get to a site where i put 3 small rods in ground and cable to that but chassis is muuuuch easier

[@randybobandy9828]

Very nice set up! Solar and minisplits are the way to go. I was Honestly shocked that the 12k minisplit was pulling 1400w+ on heat. Is there a turbo feature that pumps out more than 12k btu?

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Thanks, it has been a great setup for us for sure! If I remember right the most Watts I've seen the mini split pull was heating the cold soaked trailer pulling about 2,000 Watts for a couple minutes. I just looked up your question in the PDF manual and it states that for cooling the rated BTU/hW is 9,000 but it's min-max range is 3,100-12,000. For heating it's rated for 12,000 but min-max is 3,100-22,000. There is a "Powerful" button on the remote that I believe sets the BTU to max for a short period of time.

[@Rickwells-b3o]

Mr Cool has the turbo mode, I have never needed it, I live in Tucson and have seen 4 inches of snow, the heater kept me toasty warm and so far 100 degrees, I can keep it as cool as I want strictly off my 1200 watts of solar, I haven’t needed turbo mode yet, I have a 38’ toy hauler

[@randybobandy9828]

@@Rickwells-b3o this isn't a mrcool. My question was about how much power it was pulling, 1400w for a 12kbtu unit is way too much. It should be using about 900-1000w.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I'm not sure what "too much" means as there's a lot of variables depending on how the engineering on one particular unit is designed. All I know for sure is what our unit is doing and how well it's working for us.

[@livefreeordie1985]

Where did you find the rubber mount?

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Row 75 of this spreadsheet referenced in the video description docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1L2IxNuZ8ZQl3-Fey8dBsKHQH7RidaSkTDCVPGTeikKc/edit?usp=sharing

[@livefreeordie1985]

@@ElectricTechAdventures great, thank sir.

[@amsoiltek]

Great video, did you also look into cassettes to go in the hole from your old roof top air?

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Yes I looked into ceiling cassettes for the mini split delivery and there are two main reasons why I decided not to go that direction. One is the routing of the line set and wiring would have been impossible to hide and would have been unsightly going up the side or front of the trailer and across the roof. Second the cassette top side is not designed to be in the weather so I would have had to build my own box to go over the top side of the cassette and that was more work than what I did.

[@amsoiltek]

@@ElectricTechAdventures gotcha, makes perfect sense, I wasn't sure how much clearance was needed. Now all RV mfg's need to build in this technology.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

I agree. It would have been easier to buy what I now have, but it was a fun project where I learned a lot. I'm afraid RV manufacturers will charge exorbitant prices for the end result of what I have now.

[@coffee838]

slideouts were a bad idea bro

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@coffee838 not necessarily. Depends on design and maintenance. In my opinion it makes a huge difference on the space and one slide out is certainly a lot better than many RVs with more than one.

[@coffee838]

@@ElectricTechAdventures then you just get a good layout and go longer lol, the insulation is around half that of the rest of the camper walls on the slideout walls and the floor is just as bad. not to mention, longer camper, more panels and less loss through inefficiency I plan on doing what youre doing but also tearing out the inside, reinsulating and then cedar planking it. so far for the floor loss, I just use the cheap insulating outdoor foam but I would like to create a better insulated underbelly and add my own heating pads to the tanks, I just want to do more research so I don't accidently create a moisture zone. and I already am planning on renovating the interior.

[@coffee838]

Although I will concede its a lot less of a problem if you don't live in the thing. I live in mine lol, i really love travelling. and I prefer the winter, so its kind of a constant battle of hating weather or my camper hating it. 4 season or not, the 4 season stickers are jokes haha

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

My Lance is well insulated with R9 floor and walls, R15 ceiling which is foam sandwiched by fiberglass. The slide out is made of the same material as the normal walls but since there are moving parts and there are rubber gaskets between them technically there is probably more air leakage around the slide out. I installed supports under the slide out to give extra support while we're traveling down the road. I did not want a longer trailer because it limits maneuverability and we often take our trailer in really tight places while boondocking.

[@coffee838]

@@ElectricTechAdventures The camper wall is made of the same thing but it's less, it's a lot thinner because it needs to be lighter. Specifications on modern campers are mostly half truths that you need to kind of dig into. I just would rather drive slower with a 35 ft then a little bit quicker with a 28 ft or 40 ft versus 30 whatever I guess it might also just be different that previous career is trucking. Hell I could have a 48 ft and get it in the smallest areas you could imagine around a bend but yeah I don't care what you do with the slide out seals those will always have a consistent breeze. Just stick your hand down by the carpet meeting on a breezy cold night and It will feel like the window is open lol Anyway have a good one. I don't remember if you had them but another good thing is those little overpriced awnings that go over the slide outs yeah those kind of help a decent amount when it comes to snowfall

[@devaugnmaxxll7420]

If I can make a suggestion, I did enjoy the video, but if you could try to work on your monotone voice, then I could’ve finished watching the whole video lol great job other than that good day

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

Noted

[@guyinthewrinkledwrangler]

​@@ElectricTechAdventurespay no mind to this joker. You did beautifully, your girls seem happy, and keep it up! God bless you and yours.

[@ElectricTechAdventures]

@@guyinthewrinkledwrangler I certainly don't lean on internet random guy comments for self worth. Thanks for your kind words and support!