Window unit aircon in cargo barrier.

[townline]

I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

When I was running an 8000W portable AC in my apartment I was dumping a half full 5 gallon bucket three times a day. It will depend on the humidity in your area, but they can extract a lot of water. You probably will need to do more than crack you windows too.

 

[Tony's Dream]

Running an AC unit and running your Maxx fan.......kind of thinking this would be futile? Won't you be sucking out the cool air through the max fan? I'm looking at installing a portable AC unit too, thinking I would drain it using a tube and a hole in the floor.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power.

'Cracking' the windows would not work, they will need to be wide open for the entire time the A/C unit is running. And you will probably need a fan to move the air around on days when there is no breeze to clear out the heated air.

 

[Malamute]

I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power.

I suspect you will be happier overall, and less troublesome to decide on a point in an outside window or wall you can install it so it operates more normally regarding heat dump and water draining.

I use one in the right rear side window of my 4runner with a generator in the rear cargo box. It works very well.

 

[maki2]

Not a great concept but it is your vehicle and your money and you absolutely have the right to try anything you want to. You will learn much valuable information about window AC units in your project.

 

[islanderxx]

Not a great concept but it is your vehicle and your money and you absolutely have the right to try anything you want to. You will learn much valuable information about window AC units in your project.

When you say not a great concept, what is a great concept?

 

[islanderxx]

I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power.

The advantage to your idea is that you won't be spending a lot of money and won't need to cut an opening to your rig. Putting AC inside will not look bad compared to window AC mounted on the outside wall of your van.

 

[FlipperFla]

It’s not going to work, not enough ventilation, super noisy, and water everywhere. How do you expect to get rid of gallons of water, 3/4 of the unit hanging over your passenger seat or center access between the seats? What if you are in an accident and it breaks loose a flies thru the front or side window and take your or your passengers head off?
IMO a professional looking install so you don’t look like the Beverly Hillbillies, on a rear door window, looks is in the eye of the beholder. Everywhere we travel we get complements, dozens of questions. People even used to come into where I used to work and and ask who’s van with the AC, how did you cut the glass? Where did you have it installed, will you mine? Used to drive my Boss crazy. He called it my fan club. We were in one campsite and a fellow camper who owned a van dealership asked if I would install them for him.
When it come to water draining, I built a custom fitting the mounts to the drain pan that feeds back into my fresh water tank, about a gal or more a day. I have to keep and eye on it when it connected so I don’t overflow the tank. I also installed dynamat in the door to decrease vibration. The rear window blank was made out of fiberglass and rolled and tipped with Interlux Marine paint. Looks as smooth as glass if done correctly, I even had some people argue that they insisted it was glass. The canvas cover from a Marine Canvas Shop finished off the pro look.

 

[bullfrog !]

^^^Money wise it is great and does not add height as an RV unit would but that is extra weight on the door hinges and would take some effort to avoid when walking around the van. Basically what I did with my camper but over the hitch. I made my cover out of a tight fitting foam cooler coated with canvas and glue them painted to match the camper.

 

[eDJ_]

I can understand the concept and if a person were wanting to do this I would approach it like so. An elbow duct work of sheet metal that could attach to the A/C unit and exhaust out thru the passengers window. (as I see that the more logical side to use) The window could be rolled down and a heavy plastic sheet attached to the window end of the duct that would would secure with magnets and seal off the open window from the elements. A square hole in that plastic fabric shield would fit over the open end of the duct that allows A/C exhaust to blow outside.

I would see the A/C working in the recycled indoor air mode for cooling using this elbow duct. Fresh air could be vented into the living area thru another partly open window. (or other arrangement)
But you should have some fresh air exchange in your rig.

You would have to design your own condensate system.(perhaps a hose that would lead to a hole in the floor such that water could drip on the ground.

 

[Happy Camper]

Since you're running in shore power, you might consider a portable AC unit. You can vent the exhaust out the passenger window using an adapter so it doesn't need to be open much.

Most use the window AC units to minimize electric draw, and because they are more efficient.

But in your case, if you only plan on using it with shore power, portable probably makes the most sense in terms of simplicity.

 

[VanFan]

Adventure Van Man did a video on his version of this years ago. It worked, marginally, to get him through a few months, but the unit gave out prematurely and it definitely was not a long-term solution.

 

[RonDean]

In my trailer I had a side window that fit my standard size window AC almost perfectly. I could also just slide it in quickly to rest on an interior table if I needed to move in a hurry. My big problem was I didn't always park where shore power was available and I hate noisy generators (mine or anyone else's) even more than getting a little warm. Now that I've moved into a van I am still trying to figure out a solution. So far I haven't gone anywhere the temperature would be a problem. But I know I eventually will, so I'm following this thread with interest.

 

[bullfrog !]

You can install a 4 sided drawer on slides behind a regular exterior cargo compartment door that holds the AC unit and seals to the interior wall when open. In colder weather you can use the area as a slide out for your feet if you want to try to sleep crossways! Lol!!! Basically a mini slide out.

 

[Malamute]

In my trailer I had a side window that fit my standard size window AC almost perfectly. I could also just slide it in quickly to rest on an interior table if I needed to move in a hurry. My big problem was I didn't always park where shore power was available and I hate noisy generators (mine or anyone else's) even more than getting a little warm. Now that I've moved into a van I am still trying to figure out a solution. So far I haven't gone anywhere the temperature would be a problem. But I know I eventually will, so I'm following this thread with interest.

The small Honda generators are pretty quiet on eco mode. I can hear it inside the vehicle, but its a low hum more than anything. Some people almost get completely by me vehicle in a parking lot and sort of realize theres and out of place sound, then look around and figure it out, this is all without any effort at sound deadening. If the cargo box was lined with some material that absorbed sound it would be quieter.

Im very heat sensitive, I seriously dislike cooking. I'm willing to put up with a lot to cool down when needed, though I was pleasantly surprised that the Honda didnt really make much noise.

With some of the work arounds mentioned to use an AC unit without mounting it, it seems like more work to avoid the work of installing it better, though Ill admit I really dont care how it looks in the window since it works so well, is instantly available to use when desired, requires no floor space to set up to use or storage space to have along, and no plan to exhaust the heat dump or condensation. The door seems to work fine with it installed, I try not to slam it hard, but Toyotas mostly dont require the doors to be slammed anyways. people often slam the door and have to tell them its not a chevy, you dont have to slam them to make them close right.

The most work it requires is I put a contractor trash bag over it with a bungy and closes in the door what it rains, and put a doubled over towel over it on the inside when driving highway speed since you can hear some wind noise in it. The towel takes care of most of it.

 

[bagabum]

"I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power."

That is ingenious, with 1.5 inches of gap on each window and I am assuming the maxfan is in the non-air-conditioned section, that will work great. You will get plenty of fresh air for the condenser circuit. Great idea sir!!! OK, now for the slinger ring on the condenser fan, on humid days it will be a problem, you will be slinging condensate spray on your dash, so do this, make note of where the compressor discharge copper tubing is laying in the condenser side pan so you don't damage it, drill a 1/4' hole and let the condensate drip into a bucket. I personally would epoxy a barbed 1/4" hose fitting to the pan and run Tygon tubing to a Tide jug. (Note: If you drill this hole, place a piece of tubing over the drill bit only leaving a 1/4" of bit exposed, now when you break through, you do not shoot up 3" into the unit and damage something.)

 

[Malamute]

"I had the thought of installing a home window air condioner in the cargo bulkhead of my van exhausting warm air into the cab. I would crack the windows as i do now when running the maxxfan. i know there will be moisture coming from the unit but it might be worth a try. Will use 110ac shore power."

That is ingenious, with 1.5 inches of gap on each window and I am assuming the maxfan is in the non-air-conditioned section, that will work great. You will get plenty of fresh air for the condenser circuit. Great idea sir!!! OK, now for the slinger ring on the condenser fan, on humid days it will be a problem, you will be slinging condensate spray on your dash, so do this, make note of where the compressor discharge copper tubing is laying in the condenser side pan so you don't damage it, drill a 1/4' hole and let the condensate drip into a bucket. I personally would epoxy a barbed 1/4" hose fitting to the pan and run Tygon tubing to a Tide jug. (Note: If you drill this hole, place a piece of tubing over the drill bit only leaving a 1/4" of bit exposed, now when you break through, you do not shoot up 3" into the unit and damage something.)

The unit I have has the drain hole in the lower outside edge of the housing. It has a shaped hole that a fitting is available to use to drain the condensate anywhere one chooses to run tubing to, no need to drill other holes, but other makes or models mat be different. Where mine is installed it doesnt really matter what the condensate does, its free to go where it wishes, though I guess if i were on a slope with the left side lower it theoretically may run under the case back to the door and window, perhaps dripping inside. Hasn't been a problem so far though, in about 5 or 6 years.