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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / August 2005Portable Air Conditioners
Has anybody used a portable air conditioner in their pop-up? If so, did it work OK? Isby > Has anybody used a portable air conditioner in their pop-up? If so, did > it work OK? I have not, but was considering it. Having just returned from a trip with my new roof-mounted Carrier 13,500 btu unit I can say I am glad that I spent the extra money to have it installed. For one thing it took no space in the trailer as a portable unit would and second, it performed well in temperatures in the mid 90s with direct sunlight on the trailer. A lesser unit, and one not mounted high (cold air sinks) would not have been as efficient. My unit shoots the air in two directions, towards the bunk ends, and has oscillating vents to help move the air around. Just something for you to consider. On a separate but related note, when I was in a CG in GA I saw this chap who had a large Jeep 10-man tent and had a household window AC unit sitting on the ground outside, with some ducting leading to the inside of the tent. From the size of it it must have been about 5000 btu or so, the kind you can get at Wally World for about $80. Now his tent has a less R-value than our popups and it was mounted at ground level and it was a small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was still warm in there.  SignatureRegards, Wayne Moses, Houston, Texas Dutchmen Duck 801D 1996 Dodge Grand Caravan 3.8l You make two good points about roof top unites ( space and cold air sinks). My pop-up is old (1969) and unfortunately when I redid the roof a few years ago I did not think about putting in an AC unit. I even forgot to put in a vent :( So putting in a roof top unit is kind of out of the question. As for floor space I took out the Icebox as we were never using it. So I think I have a space where I could put a portable air conditioner. But I am concerned that a portable air conditioners may not be effective especially in a pop-up. Isby. >> Has anybody used a portable air conditioner in their pop-up? If so, did >> it work OK? [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was still warm > in there. I say something is better than nothing. If you keep the curtains closed and use a tarp or something over the top of the PU to provide some shade, you may be surprised. Most folks are only really in the PU at night, when it is dark, so a portable unit may do a good job. my rooftop unit runs us out at night, while just maintaining during the day. YMMV, but I would go for it. Gerry 99 Mesa 01 Sporttrac > You make two good points about roof top unites ( space and cold air > sinks). My pop-up is old (1969) and unfortunately when I redid the roof a [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] >> small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was still >> warm in there. Well I think you convinced me. Now the hard part is convincing my wife that we should spend $400 on a portable Air Conditioner on a camper worth only $750 :) Isby >I say something is better than nothing. If you keep the curtains closed >and use a tarp or something over the top of the PU to provide some shade, [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] >>> was a small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was >>> still warm in there. About like us spending nearly $900 on a new gas/electric fridge for the 18' Travel Trailer we paid $1700 for a few years ago (not counting new tires and few odds and ends)... We like to dry camp, so I think it was a worthy expense...but still...ouch! :-) Wesley > Well I think you convinced me. Now the hard part is convincing my wife that > we should spend $400 on a portable Air Conditioner on a camper worth only [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] > >>> was a small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was > >>> still warm in there. > About like us spending nearly $900 on a new gas/electric fridge for the > 18' [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Wesley congrats on the new purcahse :) By 'portable' do you mean the roll-around kind that exhausts thru a length of dryer-type ducting? They are bigger, heavier and alot more expensive than a similar rated window unit. (Still cheaper than a rooftop unit!) I bought a clearance 8000 btu window unit and mounted it in the pass-thru door to the front storage box (Coleman Cheyenne). I open the 'portals' on the sides and put a small fan in one to ventilate the heat out. $75 and works as well as you would expect a 8000 btu unit to work in a PU. That means it doesn't quite keep up with high temps in direct sunlight. Space blankets on the bed ends help alot. Now that I've had a taste of AC/pop-up camping I'm definitely getting my next one with thr rooftop unit. >Well I think you convinced me. Now the hard part is convincing my wife that >we should spend $400 on a portable Air Conditioner on a camper worth only [quoted text clipped - 48 lines] >>>> was a small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was >>>> still warm in there. Yes, that is what I mean. I took out my ice box which is on the side of the camper. I am not sure there is enough space there to put in a window A/C unit, but maybe there is. I was just thinking if a portable A/C unit was effective it would be relatively easy to make a vent in the side of my pop-up where I could hook up the exhaust for the portable A/C until. Isby. > By 'portable' do you mean the roll-around kind that exhausts thru a > length of dryer-type ducting? They are bigger, heavier and alot more [quoted text clipped - 76 lines] >>>>> was a small unit for a much greater inside volume. I would say he was >>>>> still warm in there. >Having just returned from a trip with my new roof-mounted Carrier 13,500 btu >unit I can say I am glad that I spent the extra money to have it installed. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >directions, towards the bunk ends, and has oscillating vents to help move >the air around. So, what does a new unit for these days? I have an older Starcraft that I haven't used in 15 or so years (long story), and I'm sure that the A/C probably doesn't work right. Probably cheaper to get it repaired (have to have it converted to the new freon first, I guess). But, I'm getting the camping bug again. Jaminn aka Don Williams |
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