Rooftop, Portable, Window Air conditioning

[offroad]

No cellphone camera ? Thought you could not own a cellphone without a camera. But you like old school so have to believe you. See if you can get a buddy to take pictures and email them to you. Most cellphones have cameras now. Like the link though.

 

[SoulRaven]

No cellphone camera ? Thought you could not own a cellphone without a camera. But you like old school so have to believe you. See if you can get a buddy to take pictures and email them to you. Most cellphones have cameras now. Like the link though.

Greetings!

Believe it or not, I don't have a cellphone. I use Magic Jack. No sense paying for both internet service and a cellphone.

When I had a cellphone, I would turn it on once a day to check for messages, same exact coverage as my internet. With Magic Jack I can do the same thing without the added expense of a cellphone, and I don't have to worry about losing the darn thing, or getting it wet, etc.

Just try working on other people's computers remotely using either an Android or an Ipad. It sucks big time. So I needed my laptop plus my air card anyway. Magic Jack also offers me something that my cellphones didn't, I can get my voice mails in text format, which I find much more convenient than trying to understand some people via a voice message.

I can just click on their number to call them back or send them an email if they're in my address book. Very handy. It wasn't so much about saving money, as it was having a system I liked better. I had the Magic Jack long before I ditched my cellphone, and usually used it to return people's calls anyway.

It might sound hokey, but it works really well for me...

I will work on getting some pictures though. Most of my picture taking friends have died in the last couple of years... I gave up on taking pictures clear back when I had a Brownie camera, just never was any good at it. A few years back, I did a temp gig at a real estate office and they sent me out to photograph several houses. They gave me the distinct title of the worst photographer they ever had. I did give them fair warning...

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Belinda2]

Campervan_man,
1.What kind of internet service do you have?
2. When you call them with magic jack, are you talking live via voice? For example, I have voice google. It will give me a print out of their voice message, but to call them back and speak live, I need a cell and/or landline to port it to.

 

[SoulRaven]

Campervan_man,
1.What kind of internet service do you have?
2. When you call them with magic jack, are you talking live via voice? For example, I have voice google. It will give me a print out of their voice message, but to call them back and speak live, I need a cell and/or landline to port it to.

Greetings!

Oh no, with Magic Jack, you get a dongle which has a standard phone jack on it. It also has the option of using a headset plugged into the computer which is what I use.

So you use it just like a regular phone, voice to voice. This is basically the same system that many off grid houses use for their home phones.

Off grid houses, boats, and 18 wheelers are set up to be off grid 100% of the time, which is exactly what I am. So instead of setting my rig up like a typical RV, mine is fashioned after those. I still have all of the modern conveniences that I want, I just never have to plug into shore power, and I never run out of juice in the middle of the night.

Even though my entire system is 12v only, I still have a microwave, bug zappers, electric blankets, Peltier thermo-electric heating/cooling/massage seat cushions, fully dimmable LED lighting, fans, Air Conditioning, TV, Laptop, etc. Plus I have lots of toys to keep me entertained, a solar Sun Oven, a solar magnifier type stove and grill (two separate units, made by an outfit out of Eugene, Oregon.), and a solar umbrella cooker.

I am currently playing with the idea of running a Stirling Engine, and a Steam Engine via either magnified solar power, or umbrella solar. My goal is to be able to fully charge an electrical system with under a half an hour of sunlight per week, using no fossil fuels. The challenge is in converting solar power into strong mechanical power, and keeping the system portable, no bigger than 1' x 2'.

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[Zil]

What internet service do you use to connect all of this?

 

[SoulRaven]

What internet service do you use to connect all of this?

Greetings!

I've got a verizon air card, on an old $55/mo unlimited plan. I don't think the plan I have is available anymore though. Somebody told me the best they could get was 10GB @ $80/mo.

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[crapseven]

I am in the process of designing a conversion from a cargo van to a camper van that I intend on building myself. I plan on buying a Chevy Express extended 3500 as my rig. While doing my homework of all the different type of A/C units and considering my past experiences with Window Units, Roof Top RV Units and even a split system that I installed in my home, I have come to some conclusions. First of all I live in Las Vegas where temps reach in the 100 plus range all summer long. Considering that I have had days where my RV Air Conditioner in my 2000 Nomad had to really work it's tail off to keep my trailer cold and the amount of power it used in the process not to mention the noise it created made me look at the other options right away when considering my van. It boiled down to two roof top units for my needs. The Coleman Mach 8 Cub and The Dometic Penguin 2 the BTU size was as small as you can get for this type of A/C. I spent most of my time going over all the specs on these two units. Honestly I found nothing good about this option other than the esthetics of having a unit on the roof. I plan on throwing a fiberglass Hi-Top on and thought about hight and weight as two of the factors as well. So I figured what the heck let me just look at window A/C units just to compare specs and to my astonishment everything about the little window unit I bought last summer just to cool my bedroom when the main unit went out in the middle of summer turned out to be a gem especially when I compared it to the roof top RV units. Over all it is a no brainer for me now. It may not look pretty sticking out the back of the high top but here is the deal. First of all The window unit is a 6000 BTU LG. It is super quiet and cooled my bedroom with BTU's to spare. By comparison it only weight 50 lbs. to the Mach 8's 105 lbs. and the Penguin 2's 115 lbs. but the power usage is what blows me away the LG window unit uses 520 watts (4.9 rated amps) to the Mach 8's 13-14 Amps and the Penguin 2's 12-13 Amps. I believe that with that kind of difference in power consumption my idea of off grid camping might be very doable. I intend of installing solar panels on the roof of the van and now that I have freed up space where the roof top A/C would have been I can add some more panels in combination with a serious bank of AGM storage batteries I can run the LG 6000 BTU system pretty much whenever I need to. Also my 2000 watt Honda generator will be more than enough when and if I need the juice. Another advantage I find with The LG unit that I already own is that it only cost $179. much cheaper that the roof top units. So that is where I currently stand. If I missed something here please reply and advise me. I hope this post helps. I provided links below so you can see for yourself>

http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Elect...ir-Conditioner-with-Remote-LW6015ER/205649393

http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...cub-air-conditioner-arctic-white-shroud/72717

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/low-profile-penguin-ii-11-000-btu-air-conditioner/69639

 

[jimindenver]

The little 5000 BTU window shaker that we use in the trailer does a respectable job considering the trailer is 25 ft and poorly insulated. Then again it's very dry here and that helps a lot. Now that I know how well it runs off of the solar I would have bought the next size up.

 

[debit.servus]

What style of air conditioners have you folks went with, rooftop, portable or window air conditioning. The window air conditioning seems cheaper and seems like it puts out a good deal of cold air.

     My first A/C is a HAIER 5000 BTU window A/C bought from TARGET half-off On September 8th, 2014; after 6 months of swealtering. It was installed in the back window, then removed to be permantly installed above the fridge in a creative space-saving and stealthy arrangement.

     Seasonally, plan to install a HAIER 10,000 BTU A/C into the back window for this summer, and have the DELONGHI 12,500 BTU Portable A/C in the van for my EDC 2016 & Beyond trip. There will be a combined 27,500 BTUs of A/C capability in the van, not including the vans built in climate controls. Only 2 of the A/Cs can be powered from the 3200 watt HF genset, so one of the A/Cs is acting as a spare incase an A/C goes bust. 3 is 2, 2 is 1, and 1 is NONE.

     I will NOT be swealtering in Vegas this time, I swealtered in Vegas last year because I didn't have a large generator. And on my first trip running on wood, I will be truly FREE(mobility wise).

somebody figured out for my van's V6 engine the cost of doing that is like 2.00 per hour. I'm not sure if the combined cost of electricity, a wall AC unit, the mods you'd need to make, and the gas to run the generator would be worth it over the cost of just keeping the auto AC on for the hours its necessary.

     Idling the engine at $2 an hour is cheaper in the short-term, and an A/C & generator combo with cost of gas is cheaper in the long-term. 

I owned several dog grooming vans and we installed 5000 btu ACs in the rear of the hightop and it would freeze you out in Florida.  I've seen them in the rear window and don't think it looks too bad.

     "freeze you out in Florida"? At what temperature and humidity?

...
I use a 12v Non-Evaporative Swamp Cooler like this:
...
Ice or Dry Ice will last the better part of a week, if running just water, which is the vast majority of the time, you never have to add any, since it is a sealed system.

One summer in Death Valley at 130°f I used the dry ice, and it got so cold I was wearing a sweater and had to open a window to let some heat in...
...

... I'm fascinated by this cooler!

     This sounds too good to be true. A gallon of water weighs 8 pounds, 1 pound of ice has 144 BTUs (assuming 1 pound of water equals one pound of ice). A 5 gallon bucket filled with 5 gallons of frozen water, would be 40 pounds of ice. 40 pounds of ice with 144 BTUs a pound equals 5,760 BTUs. AFAIK, A/C BTUs are rated per-hour; so a 5000 BTU A/C transfers 5000 BTUs of heat in an hour. To get the same cooling a 5000 BTU A/C, one would need a 5 gallon bucket block of ice every hour. There are not a lot of BTUs in ice.

...
I just don't understand people who spend thousands for some elaborate set up to be able to run an AC Air Conditioner when there are better ways to go, that work just as good or better, for waaaaayyyyyy cheaper.
...

     Possibly because most people don't know about non-evaporative swamp cooling, plus the fact that A/C can cool one down even in the most extreme heat. I am skeptical about your Non-Evaporative Swamp Cooler, but am interested in the system as a viable alternative to A/C.

...
Just try working on other people's computers remotely using either an Android or an Ipad.  It sucks big time.  So I needed my laptop plus my air card anyway. ...

     Exactly. Contrary to what many tech blogs say, desktop and laptop computers will not go extinct. What platform are the iOS and Android applications developed on? What surface are the developers typing their code on? They're developing the mobile applications on a desktop or laptop computer and typing on a keyboard, viewing their code on a life-size screen.
     Smartphone vs desktop/laptop computer is like bicycle vs car. The former is good for basic things, and is not really compatible for most things. The latter is good for serious things, and is very compatible for most things.
     You don't need to defend your need for a laptop.

 

[Konaexpress]

Forgive me for putting in my two cents....

Though I have not worked in this field in many years, I was trained as a 52C in the ARMY. The unit that is in that video is not an A/C and it is not a swamp cooler either. It's more of a hybrid. It will not work as well as an air conditioner but lacks many of the pitfalls of a S/C. I can't see why it should not work to "some degree ".

Science is great but don't let it get in the way of what works. 

John

 

[ZoNiE]

The problem with the portable units on wheels is that they radiate heat from the cabinet since the whole thing is inside. That hot air exhaust hose that you are supposed to stick out a window does not remove all the heat. You are basically sitting next to a little radiator that is trying to remove heat from the space it is radiatively heating. These things are only good if you are sitting with your face in front of the vent...

Cut the BTU output number in half on these, and you probably are getting about that.

5K BTU window units work pretty well cooling small spaces, and can sometimes run on a 1000W genny, depending on the startup surge and the capability of the genny to handle it.

 

[akrvbob]

Let's stay on topic which is AC and cooling, not laptops and technology.
Bob

 

[Konaexpress]

i must add that I took the video only as proof of concept. You would want to separate the condenser coil from the unit and have the air intake coming from inside the room you are cooling flowing past the condenser. Do not suck air into the cooler chest with the ice and water in it, you will just melt the ice faster that way. I think I would have to draw this out to make it clear how to make it work correctly.


John

 

[debit.servus]

...
But wondering if you could park near water and get a fish tank pump and drop a copper coil in the water to circulate the heat. Suppose too rare if a situation in finding a water heat sink area.

That is a cool idea, even in a swealtering place a body of water can have a much cooler water temperature. This is the how nuclear power plants near bodies of water cool things down, using the river/lake/ocean as a heatsink by circulating water to transfer heat. The recirculating pump, copper coil and tubing is multipurpose. One use would be to take water from a pristine lake to fill ones freshwater tank.

The problem with the portable units on wheels is that they radiate heat from the cabinet since the whole thing is inside. That hot air exhaust hose that you are supposed to stick out a window does not remove all the heat.
...

Single hose portables will exert a negative pressure inside a space, so they're less efficient than window A/Cs but provide a nice air exchange that makes up for the loss in efficiency.

...You are basically sitting next to a little radiator that is trying to remove heat from the space it is radiatively heating. These things are only good if you are sitting with your face in front of the vent...
...

The DELONGHI doesn't radiate heat as far as I can tell, maybe some portable A/Cs do. Can see the hose radiating some heat back into the space. Portable A/Cs are nice because well, they're portable. And they can be super stealthy, need to be right next to the van to hear the portable A/C running.

Cut the BTU output number in half on these, and you probably are getting about that.

How can that be?

 

[johnny b]

... By comparison it only weight 50 lbs. to the Mach 8's 105 lbs. and the Penguin 2's 115 lbs. but the power usage is what blows me away the LG window unit uses 520 watts (4.9 rated amps) to the Mach 8's 13-14 Amps and the Penguin 2's 12-13 Amps.... So that is where I currently stand. If I missed something here please reply and advise me. I hope this post helps. I provided links below so you can see for yourself>

http://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...cub-air-conditioner-arctic-white-shroud/72717

So I followed your link to the Coleman Mach 8 Cub and found the amps listed as 11.2 - 11.7. And from the Airxcel site I found the weight to be 87 lbs., not 105.

Campingworld:
"Running watts cooling (80ºF)—1270
Running watts cooling (100ºF)—1550
Running watts heating with optional heater assembly—1748
Approximate full load amps cooling—11.2-11.7 "

Airxcel:
"    Cool/Heat Capacity: 9,200
   Electric Heat Element Capacity: 6,000
   Electrical Rating: 115 VAC, 60HZ
   Cooling Amps-High: 11.7
   Running Watts Standard: 1270
   Running Watts Desert: 1550
   Running Watts Heat Strip: 1748
   Locked Rotor Amps: 58.4
   CFM: 300
   Weight (Lbs.): 87"

Would run just fine on a Honda 2000. [no heat strip model]
I don't disagree with your choice of the LG for your purpose, just wondering where you got your specs for the Coleman Mach 8 Cub.  :s

 

[debit.servus]

So I built what TheCamperVanMan described, and created a video of me first turning it on, filling the loop with water, and a short lesson on ice cooling.
It took me five hours to build this, one of which was spent acquiring the copper coil (First was going to buy it as OSH then discovered by searching LOWES website the same size and legnth of copper coil was $1.49 cheaper, so went across the street and bought it there since I am a poor boi needing to stretch the few dollars I have).

After a few hours, notice a few degree temperature drop in the direction the fan is blowing; this is with the amount of ice that is was in the chest in the video linked above.

This kind of loop system has a lot of possibilities. Like in places with extreme day/night temperature swings, one can chill the water during cool/cold nights and store the cold water until the hottest part of the day, providing for some temperature swing air conditioning. Or be used as a heater, boiling water and pouring it in the cooler (be sure the plastic and other components can handle the hot water), providing stored heat for the night.

 

[freeskiier13]

Hello!

I came across this post and wanted to direct a question regarding it your way. If you are using dry ice in this system, are you submerging it in the water so there's something to pump? I'm just curious how long dry ice in water lasts. Thanks!

Ian


Greetings!

I use a 12v Non-Evaporative Swamp Cooler like this:



Up to ~95°f = just plain water
~95°f - ~120°f = add big block of ice
> 120°f = add dry ice

Ice or Dry Ice will last the better part of a week, if running just water, which is the vast majority of the time, you never have to add any, since it is a sealed system.

One summer in Death Valley at 130°f I used the dry ice, and it got so cold I was wearing a sweater and had to open a window to let some heat in...

Cheers!

The CamperVan_Man

 

[ascii_man]

Dry ice could suffocate you, unfortunately.

 

[debit.servus]

The problem with the portable units on wheels is that they radiate heat from the cabinet since the whole thing is inside. That hot air exhaust hose that you are supposed to stick out a window does not remove all the heat. You are basically sitting next to a little radiator that is trying to remove heat from the space it is radiatively heating. These things are only good if you are sitting with your face in front of the vent...

Cut the BTU output number in half on these, and you probably are getting about that.
...

Can you please cite your source? Other than the negative pressure exerted by single-hose portable A/Cs, how else are portables less efficient?

Cut BTUs in half? Are portable A/Cs that less efficient than window A/Cs?

Can somebody do a side-by-side test of portable vs window A/C, same BTU rating for both units?

 

[ascii_man]

Just look at the comments on the portable units (and RV units) on Amazon. While a dual-hose unit may not be 2x less powerful, it will radiate heat from the body and hose. But cooling effectiveness is only one metric: you have to also look at acquisition cost and efficiency. Window units are far cheaper and have much better energy efficiency.

In general, "COTS" (commercial, off-the-shelf) equipment provides far better value than specialty stuff. While everything we are discussing meets the military's definition of COTS, my point is that window units are a very competitive and mature industry, while portable and roof-mounted units are specialty items and, relatively, garbage.