Advice on removing Heating/Cooling system

[vandergraaff]

Hi Everyone,<br>I'm new to this forum, so hopefully this is the right place for this post. &nbsp;<br>I am slowly converting a 2001 Chevy Express extended 15 passenger van that I've owned for a bit. &nbsp;I've removed the back 3 rows of seats, paneling, and seatbelts. to convert this to a living area. I will be adding 170 watt solar system.<br><br>Because it is a passenger van, it is set up with a cooling/heating system for the rear with separate controls from the front. In tearing off the paneling, i've noticed that the ceiling panels are set up to route the heating/cooling (without separate ducts).&nbsp;<br><br>I have a little knowledge of heating and cooling systems - but know nothing about it when it concerns vehicles.&nbsp;<br>My questions is this - how does the a/c work in the vehicle, and if i have a separate battery/solar system - could i leave the system in tact for occasional a/c usage?<br><br>Other considerations - it takes up a bit of valuable space. If I don't keep it, I don't plan on having a dedicated a/c heater unit, so it isnt a big deal. But if i can keep it working off solar, it could be a bonus. Also, I assume the heating only works when the engine is running correct?<br><br>Thanks for any advice you have!

 

[Zil]

Is the system ducted air flow from the front, or like some I have seen, ac coolant and hot water with heater and cooling coils in the rear..

 

[highdesertranger]

that aux system runs off the engine.&nbsp; you must have the engine running for it to work.&nbsp; you can't run it off solar.&nbsp; but if it's working i would leave it in.&nbsp; also you should take it to an ac shop if you want to remove it so you don't release the Freon if you did release it your front ac wouldn't work.&nbsp; same goes for the heater it's connected to the front system.&nbsp; highdesertranger

 

[Wild_E]

Leave it in, you will probably need it sometime in the future anyways. Better to have it there than gone.