INSTALLING A MINI SPLIT AIR CONDITIONER IN A CARGO TRAILER CAMPER EP. 10

In this video, we will walk you through the process of installing a mini split air conditioner in a cargo trailer camper. Mini split air conditioners are an excellent option for smaller spaces, and they're perfect for use in a camper or RV. We'll show you the tools and materials you'll need for the installation, as well as the steps involved in the process. From the placement of the indoor and outdoor units and how to mount them securely to the running the necessary electrical wiring and connecting the refrigerant lines, we will show you how we did it. By the end of this video, you'll have a fully functioning mini split air conditioner that will keep you cool and comfortable on your camping trips. If you have any questions about the installation process, please leave them in the comments section below, and we'll do our best to help you out. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more helpful videos like this one! As always doing things yourself saves you money and allows you to BE FREE!!! #diy #cargotrailerconversion #minisplit #camper #befreebenson
Products Used:
Mini Split AC Unit- amzn.to/49BRcr8
For links to products used, tips & tricks, step-by-step instructions, and more visit our website at www.befreebenson.com
Follow us on Instagram @befreebensondiy
To check out some of our adventures visit Be Free Benson Adventures - / @befreebenson
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. This is at no extra cost to you. We do not recommend any products we have not used and benefited from. Our videos are for entertainment purposes only. We are not “Do It Yourself” or travel experts. Please be sure to do your own research to determine what is right for you.

[@Westerntrailboss]

Hands down one of the best cargo conversion mini-split install videos! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thank you so much for your kind words. It really means a lot. We are really happy to help any way we can. Thanks for watching!!!

[@backfortybrotherhood6496]

Guys! You've outdone yourselves! Best vid yet! Can't tell ya how much I appreciate your efforts! Keep it up!

[@befreebensondiy]

Thank you for watching and your words of encouragement!!! We really do appreciate it!!!

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

A mini split is a great option. Binge watching a couple to boost session times. 👍🛠

[@befreebensondiy]

Thank you!!! You always boost our videos!!!

[@heathestes3450]

I really liked how you explained everything in detail. This is really gonna help when I install one on my cargo.

[@befreebensondiy]

I am so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@patrickmckowen2999]

Good vid. Anyone not choosing these style over any other style is going to regret it IMO. Cheers

[@befreebensondiy]

I agree. I was really impressed. Thanks for watching!!!

[@user-ej9dp9wn4z]

Another winner with this video. A new fan and subscriber. Thank you for educating me and not trying to entertain me.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! We really appreciate it!!!

[@timmysrvlife]

This is a very well made cargo trailer. Look at those aluminum walls!

[@befreebensondiy]

I am very impressed with the build quality. It was a great platform to use for a build. Thanks for watching!!!

[@thunderbear0]

My father is an AC technician, all the tools you showed im seeing them from my child hood He now moved for bigger AC units league like the ones you see in walmart and shopping malls they have giant central AC units to cool down whole infrastructure, but miss seeing him doing work on home AC units

[@befreebensondiy]

I definitely admire the folks that keep AC units going. It's a lot easier to install than it is to diagnose and fix! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@slim5391]

My Dad is a television repairman he’s got an ultimate set of tools

[@Nutintoitbut2doit]

Great job, i like the way you used the LB for the line and wire penetration. But you released your line vacuum when you pulled off the hose, you need to release the charge before you disconnect the blue hose. other then that great job on that install.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thanks for watching!!!

[@sabrinashelton918]

Could you provide a picture of how you done your hitch bolt where you use the impact to raise and lower your trailer

[@shawnnoname9291]

Ty.

[@befreebensondiy]

Your welcome, and thanks for watching!!!

[@carolhewett3756]

Great idea. My only concern is whether the unit can withstand prolonged road vibration.

[@befreebensondiy]

That is my concern as well. So far it has gone to the Outer Banks of North Carolina 11 hours each way, and Colorado 24 hours each way. It is holding up as of now. We will keep everyone posted! Thanks for watching!!!

[@johntatman9168]

Wish I could have seen this sooner. I did the same on mine and the only problem is it can cause you to hit your bumper on the unit when you're backing up. I would have recommended raising it up above the ht of your bumper. Also I'm sure you've figured out by now that raising and lowering the trailer with the tongue jack is not going to work unless you switch to an electric jack.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thanks so much for watching!!! We had to use a hitch extender to have the clearance. For the hitch we fashioned a large nut to the top of the hitch and use an impact wrench to bring it up and down. We are hoping to find and extended handle eventually.

[@UnknownMOI]

​@@befreebensondiychange the handle to a nut. Then use cordless driver to raise and lower leg.

[@andrewtaylor5421]

Thank you for sharing. Very well done. Does the outside unit effect the turning radius, or interfere with the tow vehicle?

[@befreebensondiy]

We had to use a hitch extender to get the clearance between the unit and the spare tire. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@jondiffee]

Fantastic video with great details to help others! Due to any type of unknown objects/debris on the road, that could damage the underside of your vehicle or trailer, i feel you did the right thing by going thru the front wall, and using the ridgid schd40 PVC, for protection! Well done,sir! What brand and size mini split is this? TIA, and again , great educational video and DIY professional install!

[@befreebensondiy]

Thank you so much for your kind words!!! I really enjoyed doing this install. I have included the Amazon link for the mini split below. amzn.to/3H5CgWa

[@shawnleary]

put this in the video description, you'll get more clicks to it :) great video!! i'm torn betwen the 9,000 and 12,000 BTU of that same model. @@befreebensondiy

[@terrydonovan6783]

Two things I wonder, how will that outdoor unit hold up to the road travel such as stones, dirt and snow/salt spay and that fitting you used to secure the power lines were for indoor use not weatherproof. I do like your videos you explain things well. I have a 6’x17’ v-nose Legend trailer I’m going to modify this summer . Thanks for all the great ideas. 0:02

[@befreebensondiy]

The outdoor unit has a cover for travel. So far the trailer has traveled 6000 miles and everything is working great with no problems. The AC cover really does a great job of protecting the unit. If we have any problems I will definitely do a video on it. Thank you for your kind words and thanks for watching!!!

[@2hotscottpro]

No body ever says anything about a traveling cover,great vid!😊

[@icemanzf524]

Pretty cool but I would undo the wiring and run it through some MC so those wires are protected.

[@befreebensondiy]

That's a good suggestion!!! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@alangeddes268]

Might want to consider some type of rubber mounts and running everything down and under then up the inside.

[@befreebensondiy]

That's a great idea! Thanks so much for watching and sharing!

[@2hotscottpro]

I thought the same but his walls and floors are tight and clean his way.Wouldn’t he have to build out his inside wall for the line set bend 6 inch.Real nice!

[@Daniel-he4it]

Do you have any problems with turning and backing up? It seems like the outdoor unit and the truck bumper would interfere with each other. I’m looking at installing one on my enclosed trailer very soon. Thanks in advance

[@user-px7tx6iw2f]

You made your job so much harder by using the LB box and hard conduit. You should have used the plastic snap in place gutter used to hide the electrical and HVAC copper lines. It’s so much easier to route and bend the copper that way.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thanks for the tip! Thanks for watching!!!

[@seanstevens9619]

If you would’ve made a hole on the floor, will that work? That way would be so much cleaner on the outside instead of making a hole on the side

[@befreebensondiy]

We pondered a lot of possibilities and that was one of them. We wanted to be able to access the lines and not have a pipe or lines inside the camper. There are many different ways that can be done based on the specific needs! Thanks so much for watching and sharing!!!

[@chuckparson6712]

I know hindsight is 20/20, but just wondering if you had to do it again would you do it differently? I'd think the outside units coil should be facing away from the trailer to blow the hot air away from the wall of the trailer? Would it be better to run the wires and copper tubing through the floor verse cutting a hole in the side of the trailer? What do you use to cover it while in transit? Rocks and road debris kicked up from the tires could cause serious damage to the unit.

[@befreebensondiy]

We would do this the same way. It is whisper quiet and performs very well! Also, their is a heavy nylon cover that covers the unit during travel to keep it clean. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@beefbiz]

Kevin, Just wondering, what do you use, if anything, to cover your mini split compressor when traveling? Thanks very much........

[@befreebensondiy]

You can buy a mini split cover: amzn.to/3OAKMja Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@UnknownMOI]

Just curious. Why didn't you bring the wires and hose come up from underneath trailer? Would have been a cleaner look, without the big conduit seen from outside.

[@befreebensondiy]

We pondered many options and felt this would allow easy access if we had issues down the road. No issues so far!!! Thanks for watching!!

[@2hotscottpro]

Hey there! At 30 minutes my face was in my iPad cinda close .She laughed ,I can’t even hardly hear it .Dang I couldn’t either but I was laughing wit joy cinda to say with her.😊 Where did you buy the ac unit? I seen them awhile back but don’t see that brand any more,rebranded probably Dxxx?

[@befreebensondiy]

It amazed us all at how quiet it was!😃. We purchased it on amazon. I will see if I can find the link. Thanks for watching!

[@befreebensondiy]

Here is the link- amzn.to/49BRcr8

[@2hotscottpro]

Ok I see it’s 6.26 amps,720 watts.Funny Greer 38 seer shows 6.2 amps and costs way more.

[@valentinsalas8300]

Wondering how come you didnt just wire the head unit direct to the breaker panel and have the black cable go out to connect to the unit because the l and n wire are just jumper and sends it to the inside unit so why not just have one of the cables go outside instead of the romex cable aswell?

[@befreebensondiy]

We just followed the directions. Thanks for watching!!!

[@BBLombardi]

Have you had any condensation issues with it being uneven? How’s the backing up with it on the tongue?

[@befreebensondiy]

Not yet…. If it’s not level the condensation tray could leak on the inside. The tray is not super deep as it’s designed to be stationary. Having level jacks on all four corners definitely helps. No issues backing up. Due to it being towed by a jeep with a big spare tire, a hitch extension is necessary. This keeps everything at a good distance with no issues even when cutting pretty sharp. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@rodneymiller4248]

What size braker are you using. What btu ac? Thanks in advance

[@befreebensondiy]

20 amp breaker for the split system. It’s a 9000 btu. Thanks for watching!!!

[@bobbyhoward266]

Are you planning on a electric jack? Doesnt appear to have space to operate the crank now

[@befreebensondiy]

Actually we are using an impact wrench with a large nut attached to the jack, but we are not super happy with this. We may modify the manual handle to extend above the A/C, or install an electric jack. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@ctclimberguy34]

They make a sidewind jack that spins vertically vs horizontal

[@davidbender9621]

Isn’t there a minimum line length for the refrigerant line typically 10ft. Over 25ft then you need to add additional refrigerant .

[@befreebensondiy]

That is correct. I spoke with a friend who installs these for a living. He told me that we were good with the amount of line we had, and we didn't need to remove any coolant. Everything is still working great! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@rossr277]

how many feet of wiring do I need for that? What all will I need in terms of wiring?

[@befreebensondiy]

I have 2 links below to a list of all items used in the mini split and trailer wiring. You need about 25 feet of wire for the mini split depending on how far you mount it from your box. I had to buy a 100 foot roll because they didn't have a 25 foot available when I needed it. www.befreebenson.com/diy/cargo-camper-escape-pod/mini-split-ac-install The wiring is a lot more for the rest of the camper, but is based on how many outlets etc. www.befreebenson.com/diy/cargo-camper-escape-pod/electrical I hope this helps! Thanks for watching!!!

[@louisaliotta335]

Did you have any problems with the road vibration?

[@befreebensondiy]

No! It has really performed better than I could have expected! I hope that it continues to work well over the long haul! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@seanstevens9619]

Does the vehicle clear it when you make a turn?

[@befreebensondiy]

We have a hitch extender due to the spare tire sticking out so far. This allows for even the sharpest turns!!!

[@tonyhenry2012]

Has anyone tried traveling with it running or will it mess the fan up?

[@befreebensondiy]

We have not tried that... It could do some damage. It cools down quite quickly... Thanks for watching!!!

[@wetspotswimwear1199]

I hate wires, plumbing out in plain view, personally I would have placed the interior unit in the center of the V nose, then bring the wiring/plumbing in from behind the tounge at the bottom of the trailer (maybe even up through the floor instead) this way you are hiding 90% of the exterior wiring/plumbing AND hiding that ugly box on the front of the trailer, you also give yourself plenty of space to connect the interior unit with that V space behind it, sure you lose a minimal amount of space behind the interior unit, but it will really not even be noticed as you build up that front wall because you will be able to make a storage closet under that unit (broom, mop or whatever) Again, it's just me, driving semi's for 40ys, I hated wiring showing anywhere. It keeps the look, inside and out, sleek and clean

[@befreebensondiy]

Great Idea!!! Thanks for Watching!!!

[@slim5391]

Bingo! And we have a winner! Also, using liquid tight on the electric would have worked nicely

[@almonjacob3496]

10 months, how has that mini-splitt tolerated the bouncing and vibration of driving the trailer? Please reply I am building my trailer and need to decide how to proceed.

[@befreebensondiy]

We have had absolute no issues at all and has been great. We do travel with a nylon cover on it to keep the dust out. We took a road from Georgia to Colorado and tons of weekend adventures. It has been great! Happy building and camping!

[@johnbooth1229]

Can the hoses run through the floor instead?

[@befreebensondiy]

Yes... We just chose to do it this way. You can do it many different ways! Thanks for watching!!!

[@anthonycontreras4357]

How big of a generator would I need to power a mini split?

[@befreebensondiy]

We are using a 2400 start up 1800 running watts that has a 30 amp circuit. They are available at Sam's Club for around $399. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@charlesfaulkner8653]

How many BTUs did you install for the 6x10 cargo trailer?

[@befreebensondiy]

I believe it was 12,000 if my memory serves me correctly…. It has held up very well even after about 6,000 miles of travel! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@charlesfaulkner8653]

@@befreebensondiy thank you!

[@chad3601]

L is load, not live. The cheapest wire is nit always best, something with some better insulation would have been wise. Maybe some number #12 stranded with rubber insulation.

[@befreebensondiy]

Thanks for the heads up!

[@bultacowally]

seems like your trailer tongue will be way over the 10-15% tongue weight with that mounted there. I think you'd have been smarter going with the window AC unit...

[@befreebensondiy]

These are surprisingly light. It doesn't seem to be too tongue heavy. There are definitely pros an cons to the mini-split. Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@seanstevens9619]

Why couldn’t you use fender washers to even add up?

[@befreebensondiy]

It has worked out well!

[@bigjoe2458]

Yu are not going to be able to crank up the leg because the mini split is in the way.

[@befreebensondiy]

We actually put an adapter that turns it into a 3/4 inch nut, then we use an impact wrench to get it up and down. It works really good!!! Thanks for watching!!!

[@sabrinashelton918]

Could you share a picture of how you did this

[@hognott]

Better go back to your panel and isolate your neutrals from your grounds. NEC Electrical 101 .

[@befreebensondiy]

Thanks for sharing. I appreciate it!!!

[@mikemoore466]

It might have saved you money but it sure voided your warranty.

[@ctclimberguy34]

Warranty probably voided already because it's mounted on a trailer in the first place. Getting ready to do mine. I guarantee I could buy & install 3 minisplits on my trailer vs hiring an hvac pro to do one. & I wouldn't have a "warranty" on their install either. I had central air put in my house & I asked the hvac guys about a mini in my trailer. They told me "They don't make a specific unit for trailers". So they wouldn't touch it.

[@befreebensondiy]

It definitely wasn't our first thought... After weighing the options it was an economical solution that didn't require a giant hole in the trailer. It is still working great and is so much quieter than our other roof top unit that sounds like a jet! It may not be the best solution in all situations, but for this one it was perfect! Thanks so much for watching!!!

[@ctclimberguy34]

@@befreebensondiy definitely mini split the way to go. I'd get annoyed real quick listening to that "turbine" of a rooftop AC unit. Mine is ordered. Can't wait to put it in! Thanks for your video. Take care.