Installing A Window Mounted Air Conditioner In A Van

[@jmnasman]

I have the same unit in my van. Mine is mounted next to the ceiling and works great. Cold air needs to exhaust as high as possible close to the roof. Insulation is absolutely critical. Metal is a heat sink and windows are solar heaters. You have large windows in that can which need reflectix with 1/2 inch of wool insulation and felt on the inside. (Reversible to alternate blackout window). I have 2 inches of natural wool insulation. ALL metal has insulation over it. I filled unreachable areas with expanding foam. (Certain areas in doors, roof beams, etc). I can run that same ac in 105° F weather parked in the sun and stay cool with the ac compressor cycling on 50% of the time. With proper air circulation through the condenser it pulls 420 watts when the compressor is on. I have a Giandel 1200w 12v pure sine wave inverter. It pulls 480 watts with conversion losses factored while the compressor is running and 65 watts while the fan blower. It pulls an average of 300 watts in an hour according to my Victron 712 battery monitor in 100°F weather while parked in the sun. I hope you find this useful.👍

[@Senior62]

Hey Jonathan I did this last year and had mixed results. Would you share some info on how you made it work please?

[@mimit5669]

I wish you had a video out

[@staciebamsch2810]

Please tell us more!! 🙏

[@J2ffery]

Thanks for your honesty. It helps a lot

[@rjay5506]

the issue is you dont have nearly enough air coming through the box, this will work well If you can way open up the intake and exhaust like 2 6" in and 2 6" out, put your fans on the exhaust side, use the biggest fans you can, those will be able to move the amount of air. a decent amount of flow could be added to the system just by removing the caps and grates. I lived on a sailboat and had similar issues to overcome. they key is getting the airflow through the condenser coils in the back. you guys did a great job sealing up the box, your pretty close to having this work, just think about how much airflow the unit has when its installed in a window, like the volume pulled through the coils, and try to replicate that.

[@mitchellwintercat]

You are awesome to honestly show how this didnt work. Thank you so much! You saved me countless hours.

[@dmdm8018]

Your videos are cool. This video is educational and it’s good to see you got to work with your father and spend precious time experimenting. Greetings to your pets.

[@dzedogranatovich7085]

This is a very valuable video for trail and error. Thanks for sharing all your trials and frustrations. Very informative.

[@djmjr77]

this is what I was going to comment, its a method that kinda works but gives a jumping off point for discussion and refinement

[@nicolemayer1671]

I live in a 32ft travel trailer on the east side of the mountains in Washington state in a desert with highs of 100+ degrees in the summer. I have one dometic rv AC roof unit hooked up on shore power and even with it cranked up high I'm walking around in a silk dress still sweating my ass off. I'm glad you share your journey of what doesn't work perfectly. If you live in a nonconventional small space finding ice cold AC is a real challenge, I'm glad you aren't fronting :)

[@nwbudro9210]

My 18' trailer has one ducted unit and it works great. The air cools quickly but it takes hours to cool the trailer itself down. A 32' trailer probably needs two AC units especially one that is parked in the sun.

[@JamesEast]

Your dad cracks me up. Keep on keeping it real. Enjoy watching!

[@katreilly3094]

My AC vents out a window through a dryer hose that I rigged on to the back of it and I just leave the door cracked ever so slightly because clearly if I have to have my AC on it's a hot day and yeah no issue but I am moving it to the front seat so I won't have to crack my door anymore it'll just be a window vent entirely bringing in air and still venting the hot air out through a separate vent

[@gregweber802]

I appreciate what you have shown.. .I was going to do literally the same thing... but now I am reconsidering... thanks for sharing..

[@andpoof9305]

Are you reconsidering because its so complicated and you can no experience... because same...

[@mimit5669]

Omg the special effects were hilarious!

[@apryl6788]

Great Video! Thanks for sharing all the Pros & Cons & bumps along the way.

[@dogcatmanvan]

Thanks for watching!

[@olympiclam3350]

*We're very happy with the unit. Pretty Easy to instal **Fastly.Cool** too.*

[@jttaylor_]

If you do RV AC, put it above your bed so you aren’t risking “headspace” bc ideally you’re laying down back there, not standing. :)

[@ricardoorourke]

I have my travel trailer with 600w of solar and a window unit sticking outside, it doesn't look pretty outside but it works! I also have 370ah of sealed lead acid batteries, and I can run it over night no problem

[@flowrob6861]

When u have a chance , where do u use it at & do u hit 50% of discharge . I'm planning to have 450 ah of gel batteries . Thanks

[@KevinPeroni]

Hey I think it's great you posted that. It seems like a reasonable idea. Thanks for saving me some time in the future.

[@cesalt2408]

Red's Custom Design (see channel) uses window units in the rear of his Promaster builds. He builds a wall inside the barn doors to mount it, so the unit isn't hanging out the back window. You open the doors to use it while camping and close the doors when you're ready to travel. No one knows the wall or unit are there.

[@debbiedebbie9473]

Nice

[@marcushennings9513]

I thought of that idea but the problem I think most will encounter is having the door open during a rain storm may cause flooding or water problems in the van then, if anyone has ever been in a hot and sticky mid afternoon Florida monsoon they'll understand my point and that may dominoe to mold or other problems. Having the door open may also cause security issues a night.

[@marcushennings9513]

I still believe a custom made box with a small generator and window type ac that can be attached to the hitch carrier wirh ducting ran into the back door is a better bet because all exhaust heat and fumes are outside of the van without the security issues of leaving the front windows cracked for plastic inserts for an intruder to pop out and reach in as I've seen in other videos.

[@OverlandOne]

I like the rear window installation myself. Several folks have done them and they seem simple and very effective as this raises the unit pretty high in the van so the cool air, when it sinks, can filter through the van better. Just my opinion and this is what I am going to do. I have also seen Fantastic Fan installations in the rear window and they seem to work ok too. (Not as good as it would in the roof, but it still seems to work for people.) The nice thing about having the AC unit in the rear window is you can just run the fan without the compressor if you want and with some windows open at the other end of the van, you will get good circulation with very low power draw.

[@deliaqua6213]

Due to some RV parks and camping parks not allowing window ac units, this is exactly what I've been looking for. So many other videos don't say how much room they left between the ac and the walls, floor, and ceiling. Thank you. This will be my next project for my homemade travel trailer!

[@nmartin5551]

I agree with folks who say your dad should have his own channel. He’s good. I also appreciate your sharing the stuff that doesn’t work. Florida Van Man has the a/c set up similar to yours, except he put the unit high, with long separated venting. That way the air at least passes by on its way to the floor. I don’t recall what he did about condensation.

[@ISCFworld]

great video guys, good too see what doesn't work instead of perfect videos al the times even though its bad for you guys.

[@tylercollins1532]

I live in South Florida, and am officially moving into my van next week with my soon to be wife! We decided to go with a portable air conditioner. It is a little big but we have some room behind the passenger seat. it's an 8000 BTU unit, and we are going to run it off of a generator. The generator is going to be on a swing away hitch mount on the back of the van so we can still open up the doors. Living in South Florida, cooling down the van was the biggest obstacle and I researched it more than anything else, and this was the best way I could find. Haven't tested it out yet, but I'm sure it'll work. The worst part is the space that it takes up, but it's definitely worth it

[@MorsCertaMoraIncerta]

How did it work out?

[@sergiobalcorta1915]

Your conclusion ?

[@gregvittore5004]

Signore "awesome dad" is back! Man, what a struggle with that ac...! Thank you for sharing the experience 👌🔥🔥🔥

[@katielay3288]

On another channel, I saw a guy install a split air conditioner system. He was living in a converted Box truck. He said it worked great. Maybe that could be something for the future. There is also that portable tent air conditioner ZeroBreeze and I saw a couple that installed a ClimateRight Dog House Air Conditioner & Heater Unit just in their sleeping area It used 400watt to cool and 800watts to heat could do 400 sq feet. Anyway, these are just suggestions of things I have seen on youtube. I am sure you will work it out one way or another. Great Channel I look forward to your videos.

[@debbiedebbie9473]

Yes

[@Kirbywinson]

thanks for the free content and your experiences with building the van, Ben!

[@racehorsecharlie6423]

I liked that this video came out later. We know how it was going to turn out after your earlier videos showed the aircon not working how you wanted. And it show the real life experience. Also, DogCatManVanDad has some great one-liners. Thanks for the video!

[@Shineysideup1]

Great vid and nice editing. Thanks for sharing your mistakes. Im facing the same problem right now.

[@richgran]

Just saw your video because I'm looking to do the same thing. I was also going to mount my AC unit near the floor, back to the drawing board. Before I started designing my shroud for the AC unit, I ran the unit in open air for a couple days just to make sure that it wasn't going to break down. I noticed that as the condensation pooled in the belly Pan of the AC unit, water gets splashed onto the intake air vents. This could be the source of your leak.

[@jamey48]

All the van build videos i've watched have had the a.c. unit in the back door. I'm going to take out one of my rear door glass. And install it there. I think you just need more air getting in and out. Wanderlust estate said his works great. Very good video. Lots of info for shure.

[@Samanthie11]

And side note, your overalls are not silly they’re cute!!

[@CreampieSamuri]

Still seen EVERY episode homie! Been here since the beginning, cant wait to see you get huge! If you're ever in Maine, post it up on instagram and I can show you some SICK climbing, hiking, and snowboarding spots dude!

[@dogcatmanvan]

Thanks for sticking around. If we're ever out that way we will post about it!

[@sailingeden9866]

I did a similar install on my sailboat. I think you need more ventilation. I used 6 inch high volume fans to suck out the hot air and suck in the outside air. Its all about ventilation. With a high volume exhaust fan blowing hot exhaust air over the drip pan, you don't have to worry about condensation, the hot exhaust air dries it automatically like a hair dryer.

[@CJR2024]

Thanks very useful for my project!!

[@kennymartin3416]

Thank you.. If you removed your spare wheel, hang it on the door, use the space to hang a small 5000 btu under the van, then vent up the cold air to the van via flexible duct. Solves all the issues with condensation.

[@dogcatmanvan]

That's where my propane tank is located.

[@kennymartin3416]

@@dogcatmanvan ah ok...your one ahead of me

[@jamesisham2707]

3 ideas to try. 1-since cold air falls downward, place a/c higher or closer to roof to aid in cooling inside of van. A cool air tube from existing holes in floor going up to a/c will not heat inside much, especially when insulated. The warm exhaust tube sent out of the a/c near roof and vented out through roof will give little heat inside. Also since heat rises and cold falls this creates a natural air flow in tubes. 2-both vents in bottom of floor are too close together outside of van. You are sucking in hot air. Attach extension tubes to each cool air intake hole tube going towards back of van. This will reduce warm air being drawn in from exhaust and improve cooling. 3 - install a drip pan like a baking sheet between 2x4s and a/c unit. Make pan just wider than entire a/c unit. Create drain in pan where your former drain went out of van. This will catch those pesky uneven parking leaks. Bonus-try putting a spray on truck bed liner on roof. Saw this on a VanCity VanLife video. They live in Canada and only have bed liner for insulation... Chrome vlogs almost everyday, so he has hundreds of vids...

[@SewingBoxDesigns]

Yeah, #2 sounds like.

[@marcushennings9513]

I would just mount a custom waterproof box that accommodates a small inverter generator and the window ac and mount it all on a trailer hitch shelf. I would also make custom brace and window trim specific for my particular vehicle over the passenger seat for the ac to rest on while in use. When not in use, it would be stored back in the hitch-mount box.

[@wincrasher2007]

there are travel trailers with a similar AC setup to what you did. On almost all of them, the exhaust is out the side of the RV. You might have also put fans on your discharge tubes too. But I suspect your intake and exhaust are too close together, as well as counting on exhaust air to blow out below when hot air wants to rise. When I had my Xplorer van, they used a window unit air conditioner mounted from the ceiling and exhausting out the back. It worked extremely well, and when I replaced it with a high efficiency unit, it could run off battery for 8+ hours. In that setup, the unit sat in a fiberglass box glassed into the roof structure. The front panel was inside the van, but the rest of the unit was essentially outside, set in that fiberglass box which had it's rear end nothing more than a grate exposed to the outside. Roadtrek used that same design on almost all of their vans - many thousands of units produced. I think that worked so well because the installation was no different that mounting it in window at a residence - it's intended design.

[@CallMeAllan]

I want to use a rear door spare tire hard shell cover with holes and screens in it to hid the window unit. Then just mount the AC in the back door. The shell cover doesn't need a bottom, where people can't see and that should allow enough air flow.

[@truthseeker1833]

Brilliant

[@artest7]

Did you ever try your hard shelled tire cover method? I would think the holes would have to be to large...

[@lunatune3714]

I use to show dogs and had a low roof van....I hung an air conditioner out the passenger window supporting it with a wood platform....total trailer trashy but it worked

[@SewingBoxDesigns]

I wonder if your hot air exhaust is blowing right back into your intake and overworking the AC unit? Maybe extend your hot air pipes away from the intake vents?

[@turtlepoi]

hmmm. directing it away seems smart

[@mattcm32]

I’m currently working on a converted utility trailer with a nearly identical setup. I was going to try adding a vent in the wall directly behind the unit. If that doesn’t work, I might just push the back end of the unit out through the front of the trailer and build a box to cover it while traveling, then remove it while it’s in use so it’ll be setup just like it was designed to be used in a window.

[@marcushennings9513]

Years ago I enclosed a 4×8 trailer with an opening and shelving in the front to store a the small HF predator and the ac unit while traveling. While parked I just put it in the front window. Vans rust fast enough in the area I live so not sure I want to start expediting the process even more by cutting holes.

[@mattcm32]

@@marcushennings9513 I ended up switching to a dual hose portable ac with heat and it worked phenomenally, would highly recommend that unless you put a window unit on a slider with a hatch to push it through when parked

[@jennyralphs]

You've got a cool dad

[@miafrench9688]

I needed a very small ac to fit my window. I was able to install this one only using one of the side panels. I like the Eco feature where the AC cycles on and off maintaining a room temperature.

[@oliviarichey2599]

This video feels really professional in editing/ camera work and conversation

[@rickmathews1154]

Thanks for all your efforts, great lesson learnt

[@flipflopdaz4472]

Don’t know how I got here , but now I’m watching your other video’s and now I just subscribe... Ya never know where life will take you 😂!!

[@siennavanlife9502]

Looks great! I have a Frigidaire 400 watt/5000 btu window unit in the back of my Sienna minivan. I got the Napier 'Sportz Cove' tent but sometimes I just prop open the back gate and that works just as good. I cut 'Smart Shield' reflective insulation around it so the exhaust heat doesn't come back into the van. It works great as long as you have the power to run it. Working on a new setup for it out my side window so I don't have to open the back gate. I'll post some pics on my IG of that.

[@maryproveaux9200]

Absolutely Love this video!

[@hardrock6034]

Well that was a cluster fuck. We’ve all been there. Nice perseverance 👍 very informative.

[@marcusbost8481]

Good video. I made a similar ac last year. I am looking for a hot water drip pan that will cover the bottom plus a bit extra. I also made a little air deflector to help cool the upper part of the van. Cool air falls so it seemed right. It works good. I believe if we installed our ac up high then it would cool the whole van much better. I used to have it out the back window. That was too ugly for me. Also, the hot air should be vented going upwards not down. Heat will rise. Go with the flow.

[@Russellbeta]

Dude this is super informative, thanks for deciding to put this out there even though it had its setbacks. I know the mobile units aren't efficient, but it's nice that it's just a single tube for hot air and a small tube for condensation so it's convenient to install and replace. atm I think I might go that route. the roof mounted ones make sense because they're tried and tested for vans and they take the hottest air at the top directly but the price is a bit steep. I'm considering a mini split air conditioner too with the part that would traditionally go outside a house being inside a seperate vented space inside the van, that would be more efficient than the mobile unit but the install would be more complicated too.

[@TeutonicNordwind]

We are doing a build and determined to be able to run on our inverter(3000w)/solar panels(500-600w's) and battery bank(min 300ah). We found a Frigidaire 5000btu window shaker unit (FFRE053WAE) that has excellent ratings and only uses 350-400w when compressor and fan are both running. Rated to cool 150sqft room and we have 78 (Promaster 3500 159 wb ext). Cool air drops so floor is no bueno to begin with. I am mounting higher up in the rear driver's side door over bed. We shall see...

[@2MasterBuilder2]

I put my window AC unit in a similar location when I built my mini man cave on wheels. Cold air is heavier than warm air, so the closer the unit is to the floor, the least efficient it'll be; unless you have a way to force the air upward. You gotta get it off the floor and the back part with the vents on the side has to be outdoors. No other way around it man. I ended up sticking it in a window. Used pop-up campers are a dime a dozen for cheap online. Just grab a used unit from one of those. Your Pops is def a OG

[@jimc5624]

Cool air falls down that is why the vents are high or a fan pushing the air. Since you'll be plugged in set a fan blowing up right in front, stir the air. I put one just in my front window and something around the top when I went on vacation (in new Orleans) and set a fan on the center console to blow it back worked ok overnight till about 11 then overpowered from the heat but at least we could sleep (I have a e250 ford)

[@adriengaro5289]

If you buy on of those very efficient chest fridge that's big enough, you can sleep in it and be cool 👏

[@Brock79]

What temperature does it get the van to?

[@anthonyr2319]

Here's a really cool tip, use dryer vents to redirect the cold air

[@thefunwarden]

You are just so awesome, Love your dad he’s so funny, couple videos that would be great to see 1)what you love and hate about living in a van. 2)Rafting trip with Andy, jobe and nick (tell Andy your leaving 5 hours before you actually need to have to do that with a friend of mine because he’s like Andy)

[@dogcatmanvan]

Haha good ideas! I'll have to start doing that with Andy

[@KeriKalmbach]

I have the same unit but just built a frame to fit it in my passenger window. Looks a little janky but it works fine for the few times a year that I'd want to use it. Runs off my rooftop solar.

[@jeffu7472]

I added 2000w Power inverter with battery backup with battery maintainer to charge of while driving from the inline Power inverter with option of adding solar panels. I cut a hole in the back door behind the license plate and built my duct work out.

[@carenmckenzie6205]

K this is way out there- think heated floor in reverse.Instead of the floor it would be the roof/ ceiling instead of water heater use the setup for water cooler (borrow one from the break room at work) or maybe through your refrigerator compressor???

[@dogcatmanvan]

Creative

[@ChefBoiImHungry]

i built almost the same design but i drilled 4 holes 1 in each corner an put in a drain pan underneath the ac so no matter what angle or level it still drained with no leaks! (i refused to spend over $1000 to replace my roof unit) mine is not on the floor but up on an interior wall in a 28' travel trailer. but great video!! 👍

[@barbara0509123]

Hi there. Just saw my first video and am now subscribed. There is an incredible van build on you tube and they installed a small dog house air conditioner directed into the bed are of the van. I guess it cools around 450 sf, so maybe give that a try?? You never know. LOL.

[@karenjohnson4433]

My mouth actually puckered when you bit into the lemon! 🍋

[@Ron-f9u]

You must insulate the hot from cold air intake exhaust the exhaust is to close to the intake I'm running a simple 5k BTU ac the little PC fans work perfectly leave those as it brings cooler intake air I hope that helps I'm always tuning my ac down it gets so cold in here when 110+ outside hope that helps 🤟

[@stephenm6019]

....convinced me to buy a very small dual hose portable. Cost is 3 times a small window unit. But wow..... I'd have to redesign the whole thing if I went your route. Your next design will be better.

[@imtiffanycrosdale]

omg I'm sorry but your dad looks like an old Italian mobster from the movies loool

[@dogcatmanvan]

Yeah he kind of does!

[@DanVanLife]

Thats exactly what I thought!!

[@comeonwindows7]

Yes it does work, as long as it has ventilation

[@marialopes9365]

Finally a video that I watched & understood the technical explaining 😆😆😆 the AC needs to go up I think ? Cause cold air goes down and hot air goes up. I'm a moron in explaining things I know 😂😂 And maybe tilting it more to one side could help. Cheers !

[@patrickh8602]

Hey I have a solution, come live here in the UK, we only need AC units for about 2 days of the year! lol Vanners here just use fans and Maxx air vents to cool down. You probably already figured this out but that AC unit needed to be mounted up near the roof of the van, cool air falls and all that.

[@dougvoigt1140]

Thank you for the video and sharing. An air conditioning unit (like the one you have with no ducting) should be mounted as high as possible to utilize thermodynamics (warm air rising and cool air falling). It looked like your unit is a 5,000 btu capacity. A rule of thumb for air movement is 400 cfm for every 12,000 btu capacity. The fans you have mounted for the condenser inlet are probably too small. Your helper fans need to move at least 200 cfm (more is better to a point). Another thing to think about is separating the condenser discharge and intake. The way it looks on your video you are probably recirculating the warm discharge air. Best of luck. I look at van life like an experiment. It is fun to find out what does and doesn't work.

[@Qawqazz]

that's exactly the issue it's just recirculating the hot air right back through it lol

[@EileenMRyan]

Brandon a Michigan van lifer had a pop out windows and used at cookie sheet to direct the water for his ac but he used a gas generator.

[@TotallyAGoblin]

You can get some dryer tube and rig up a velcro funnel to move the air up towards the bed so it covers more area as a cheap quick fix. Not the prettiest but would be good just for sleeping

[@JayCeeGee]

Good attempt and video. At least you know now. I think part of the problem is just the fact that heat rises so it's getting too hot in that box even with a little forced air passing through. Also, the escaping heat may be getting brought back in from under the van. If I were to do something other than a rooftop AC, I would probably try a small minisplit unit and mount it in a box on the rear.

[@thayle997]

Mini split, yes. Mount the unit underneath or at the rear like a spare tire or cargo box.

[@weswynn1]

Do you have any updates as to the effectiveness of your install, the work you did looks nice and hidden

[@dogcatmanvan]

I don't. I ended up removing the unit and installing a roof unit and then selling the van.

[@mariematlock3963]

22:50 - Dad's face: priceless.

[@otrookie]

I think the best ac is probably a mini split, but in this case maybe building a bigger box would help? I wanted to do this myself as well

[@cwsmith7366]

Roadtrek, Xplorer, and a few other class B builders incorporated small window units for years with success. They have a one piece fiberglass tub that the ac is installed in with around a 5-7 degree drop toward the exterior drain, and the ac 's are installed with an additional 5-7 degree downslope toward the rear of the unit, and are diligently sealed at the interior face. These were rear mounted but I don't see any reason that they could be side mounted as well, with parking slope limitations of course. However, I'm sure that wherever you put one it will have to be mounted high in the van, unless you install ducting with high cold air exhausts. I had a 19' Xplorer that was set up that way and it worked great up to 90 degree or so exterior temps but that was because it was only a 5000 BTU unit like yours. I currently own a Xplorer 230 XLW class B, and recently replaced the 5000 BTU unit that had been in it with a 8000 BTU unit by LG that had the same exterior dimensions as the 5K unit, that only pulls about 15% more power (around 6.5 amps) and it keeps the van ice cold in 100 degree full sun conditions, and have never had any problem with condensate dripping into the van.

[@chrismerrow8231]

Heat rises and cold false to the lowest point. The higher you mount it the easier it is to circulate. I’m going to try it building a false wall between the bedroom and the shower hoping to use the roof vent and the shower drain to exhaust heat and water

[@David-rx2to]

Build an insulated wall across the back of your van about 16-18" from the back door. Make a shelf up high in the "garage" on the wall and cut a hole through for the AC unit. Hot air rises, cool air falls, so you want the AC flush mounted in the living space, up high on the wall. Mount the AC unit on a plastic or metal baking tray on the shelf. Drill a hole in the tray and install a screw in hose fitting. Attach a short hose to catch condensation and direct it to a bucket with lid or a gallon jug with a cap on the floor of the garage. Install one or two holes in the floor like you did before for the air intake for your garage area. Install a small fan in the roof (or a side wall) to draw air up from the floor and exchange the air in your garage from the heat generated by the AC. Doesn't have to be a big fan...one of those 6" diameter fans will work. Alternative way to exchange air in the garage would be to install pop out windows in the back doors and put a 12V fan on the garage shelf.

[@xedonite1179]

It's good to know what not to do so in that respect it's impossible to make a bad video.

[@robertmclean6629]

Red guard is a shower sealing product... also maybe a $6 concrete tub used as a drip pan with an added drain?

[@tantryl]

Would it be easier to build a tiltable platform for the AC to sit on that you can adjust instead of adjusting the entire van? With the vents yeah, you've kind of got to pull the air from a different place you're exhausting it. Thanks very much for doing this video. I understand it can be hard to "show off" a problem. Problems with builds teach me a lot more than problem free builds though. So I find it incredibly helpful. Thanks!

[@dogcatmanvan]

A tiltable platform could be a good idea

[@doughaines1694]

Thank you for sharing! Hopefully, your failures will save us (and others) from making the same mistakes. Much appreciated!

[@weswynn1]

Any update on the ac performance, I’m building a moto van down in az.

[@dogcatmanvan]

I removed this unit and installed a roof mounted unit a long time ago, but I have since sold this van. I never put the time into getting the window mounted unit working properly.

[@mokomako8193]

under the air unit where the water come out put a 30 degee slant board or plastic sheet slanting to the back wall of the box, in the middle of the board or sheet against the back wall put the drain hole the water will come out slide down the board or plastic sheet and drain out no matter where you park it will drain out the drain hole.

[@grannieannie1371]

Unfortunately heat rises and cold drops. This idea doesn't seem to take this into account. You never know till you try it though so kudos for having a go.

[@joeo7257]

I was thinking of using an a/c floor duct to convert from square to round. I'd put the entire window unit outside and run one duct inside.

[@HeroCP7]

You can improve the AC better by removing the heat leaks. Heat likes to equalize meaning when your insides is cool, heat would try to force its way in where the insulation is the thinnest. That is why the fridge exterior is hot. In your case, your van has many leaks. Get a thermal cam and plug it up. Expect that you need to redo your van's interior walls. Another is to add a divider between the home space and the driver cockpit. This is because glass is not a good insulator and you have plenty of glass in the cockpit. You could also make the paint a little thicker. Maybe add vinyl tiles they are thin and does help a bit with insulation.

[@HeroCP7]

If you do a proper job with removing thermal leaks, then your ac only needs enough power to fully cool the interior after which it can then lower its power output enough to be able to "maintain" the current temperature. If you have plenty of leaks then your ac is practically doing nothing. Nature would be constantly undoing your cooling.

[@TABrown-xh7xc]

I would check into the low profile non ducted units for the van 14 by 14 inch opening 13,000 btu and you can by the heating element kit also for it so you kill 2 birds one stone. Go to a camper dealer these new small tiny units use a window unit that is mounted inside and supposedly work well but remember a/c goes up top where the heat is to cool properly so yours is a little low could add a piece of cardboard to blow the air up from the intake.

[@timhardman4764]

If you have a place to plug in every night that is a good suggestion. If you can't plug in, you can't collect and store enough energy to run a 13k BTU every night.

[@emilliozapatta6108]

Joolca shower. A/c. I used slider so I could slide a/c out side

[@LucysVanAndale]

Wow, that was a huge project to install it. I remember you sharing how it really didn't cool well. I know with your fur friends you need it cool in there. Have you seen the guy with a similar ac in the back of his van? He put up a faux wall then opens his door when he runs the AC. Good luck finding the right system.

[@angelina20161]

Do to it being a do it yourself project, you did quite well.

[@64maxpower]

I have that AC unit in my RV. It's super quiet

[@nicholasgabel4797]

Cold air is heavier and sinks so I think you need to move the ac up over your counter and have the air intake come from the roof and run a tube to your sink to drain it. Just a thought .... At least you tried and like any dwelling, it's never "done"...Good luck ..

[@vanlifenomadfirekeeper]

Great idea. Ive seen smaller A.C units. I think if i used a curtain i could split the A.C. sqf in half. And use less power. (-:

[@JakeEarp]

this video couldn't of come at a better time for me. Been driving myself nuts on an A/C solution, often thinking about something like this, but just pulled the trigger on a rooftop RV model unit. Thank you for sharing your experience and making this video entertaining!

[@lorenwright3202]

an upgrade would be to use water to remove the heat from the hot side by submerging to coil in a coolant and that coolant is pumped to heat exchanger to heat water all while enjoying your ac

[@Doorgon]

First of a soon to be popular youtuber

[@64maxpower]

Is there room to mount it under the van like a water tank and make a plentum to duct the air up?

[@jamesrogers4674]

With all refrigeration the process is to remove the heat leaving a coil that is depleted of heat. Heat is always dominant. You are just moving heat from where you don't want it to where you do. In this case you want it outside the van. Rule #1: you must remove the heat. Problem #1: you aren't removing the heat through 9.4"sq pipes when the condenser is probably 200"sq of surface. Those computer fans and drain caps are further restrictions. Might have better luck making a sloped drain out of shower floor membrane. But first remove the heat. The condenser fan is adequate but not the vent holes. You could probably check amp draw on the fan motor to know when you've cut sufficient ventilation. Or anemometer the inside and/ or outside flow because both fans probably run off of one motor.

[@quepaso568398]

Your fresh air inlet is inches from your exhaust which isn't helping but the biggest problem is location. Hot air rises, cold air falls.