Side Air Conditioner Replacement

[Wavery]

I installed an AC in my '98 2720 today. It didn't have one before so I have nothing to compare it with.

Here is the one that I bought. It fit perfectly. I had to cut 1 1/8" off of the left side of the cabinet front panel and 3/8" off the top.

This is the one that I installed:
10,000 BTU Cool
9.8 EER
With Remote
Unit Dimensions:
20 3/32"w, 13 7/8"h, 19 3/8"d.
This unit is made to fit windows or thru-the-wall. Comes with a sleeve and a window kit.

Shipping Weight: 69lbs.
$252.00
LG Model LWHD1006R

It cooled the camper down from 88 degrees to 70 degrees in about 30 minutes.

You need to use a fan be help move the air because of the location of the AC unit. It cools that small are in front of the AC quite quickly and cycles too soon if you don't.

Where the AC comes thru the camper wall, I cut the hole 3" wider than the AC unit on one side and 8" wider on the other. That's so that it can take in outside air for the condenser. I also cut the vents out of the side of the AC housing so that the air can move more freely.

It was an easy installation and it took about 1.5 hours to complete. I cut through the wall with a hole saw, then a saws-all. It cut like butter.

[ShrimpBurrito]

harveyrv -

Any pics of your work? Sounds interesting...

Dave

[Wavery]

I did take pics but not a lot. I'll try to describe as I go here.


This pic is the inside of the cabinet. Note the pre-existing 110V outlet in the back right side of the cabinet.


I started by drilling 2, -1/4" pilot holes from the inside of the cabinet, 2" from the cabinet bottom. This gave me orientation to take measurements on the outside. Once my lines were drawn, I drilled a 2" hole with a hole saw to start my cut.

Once the hole was cut through the trailer wall, I went inside and cut the cabinet out. I left the bottom lip of the cabinet because that lifts the front of the AC to allow for drainage. I was then able to insert the AC from the inside.


When cutting the outside wall. I found that it cut very easily and it was very clear when I came to any framing. It was like hitting a brick wall with the fine tooth cutting blade. That told me where to stop and actually made the job easier than I expected.

I cut the wall outward until I hit the framing. This left me about 2" on the right (from the outside) and 5" on the left. There is a frame member on the left that I left in but there is still 3" of cabinet that can be opened up. I will Open the remaining 2" (leaving in the 1" frame member), if I feel the need for additional air flow.

The openings on the sides are for outside air intake to cool the condenser.

After I water-proof the cabinet and install the outside grilles, I will put 2 pieces of sheet aluminum (painted to match the trailer) on piano hinges so that they can be opened up while the AC is running. These will act as baffles (like the pieces of cardboard that you see in this pic) to keep the hot air that is exhausting from the back of the AC from being recirculated back into the cabinet.


Notice in this picture, I cut out the louvered vents on the side of the AC housing to allow for increased air flow.


I feel that the reason that so many people have issues with these side mount AC units is because the factory may not have allowed enough outside air flow for the condenser. There is also nothing to keep the hot exhaust from being recirculated back into the condenser. I'm a little surprised that they work at all, the way that they are installeded.

The AC is working quite effectively with those cardboard baffles. Without them, it was struggling.

I will put 1, 15"x 18" grille behind the AC unit for the exhaust and 1, 15"x10" on either side of the AC for fresh air intake.

I'll post more pics when I'm finished.

[Bill]

Harveryrv -

Looks like a vey NICE job! Yours is the first method I have seen - including the factory's - that actually takes account of the air flow needed to cool the condenser. We've talked about it a lot, especially in the threads having to do with portable air conditioners. For example http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7189 But you are the first one to actually do something about it. Many thanks for your insight.

Re your second picture - what supports the weight of the air conditioner? We've had a couple of threads regarding the inability of the cabinet structure to support the built-in microwave that TM offers as an option. I would think that an air conditioner would weigh more or less the same, and would be subject to the same catastrophic crash-through if the cabinetry isn't reinforced.

Bill

[ShrimpBurrito]

Nice job, harveyrv. Wouldn't have thought of such a mod. Please do post additional pics if you have a chance once you get the exterior louvers and sheet aluminum installed.

Dave

[Wavery]

Originally Posted by Bill

Harveryrv -

Looks like a vey NICE job!

Re your second picture - what supports the weight of the air conditioner? We've had a couple of threads regarding the inability of the cabinet structure to support the built-in microwave that TM offers as an option. I would think that an air conditioner would weigh more or less the same, and would be subject to the same catastrophic crash-through if the cabinetry isn't reinforced.

Bill

Has there been any mention of AC units falling through that shelf??

The cabinet is pretty well braced from the underside. The whole thing seems to be pre-designed with the AC in mind. I have no idea what the issue is with the microwaves.

I do intend to put down a layer of fiberglass cloth, under the AC unit and about 1 or 2" up all sides (except the outside). This should also provide some reinforcement for that shelf. It will extend out to the outside wall and allow any water that may escape the unit to simply drain out under the outside grille. I'll notch the grille bottom to allow the water to escape.

I appreciate the heads-up though and I will take a second look in the cabinet below to see if it might need some additional reinforcing.

[Wavery]

I went down this evening and checked it out again. That cabinet is much better reinforced than the one under the stove. However, just as a precaution, I cut a couple of 2x4s to go between the bottom of that shelf and the top of the wheel wells. That will give it extra support and it really doesn't take up any space. It is 3" between the bottom of the shelf and the top of the wheel well so not much can be stored there anyway.

[B_and_D]

We had a side a/c in our 97 model but it died. I took it out. We have a microwave oven in there now. Our cabinet frame was slanted to the right towards the back just like yours. Ours had a drip pan with a hole in the middle and a tube attached leading to the underneath of the trailer. It was strapped down with a metal ribbon around the sides and top. The drip pan was quite large and probably helped support the unit. Does your unit create condensation that drips into an internal drip pan? I think that the external drip pan was used as a precaution in case the condensation created by the unit was so voluminous that the internal drip pan overflowed. I recall some people complaining about the external drip pan overflowing because of a kinked or clogged drip hose and making a big of a mess inside the cabinet.

I looked up your model of a/c on the internet and it is said to be a window mount a/c. Someone else earlier on mentioned that the factory recommended a "through the wall" unit vs. a window mount. Although I haven't seen one in person, some of them that are combo "window" and "through the wall" units come with a metal sleeve that seems to be made to surround the vents on the side and block them off. I wonder if those are designed to both take in and exhaust through the back solely vs both the back and the sides.

I've been busy researching a replacement a/c and found that "through the wall" units are much more expensive.

You did a nice job on the installation. It looks great!

[Wavery]

This is a combo-unit. It says that it comes with a sleeve but it didn't. I wouldn't use it anyway. The way that I opened up that wall allows for sufficient fresh air to enter the cabinet and flow through the condenser.

I thought about putting a catchment tray in there and installing a drain. It has to many possibilities for problems such as you mentioned.

I have decided that a better option is to fiberglass the inside of the cabinet, thereby making the cabinet itself, "The tray". I will take the F/G all the way to the outer edge and even grind a couple of small notches in the outer wall (that will be sealed with F/G) to allow for water to just run down the side of the camper. After-all, the roof air just runs down the roof and down the side of the camper....

I'll post more pics as I go. I wasn't very good at taking pics at the 1st part of this project because I didn't know if there would be much interest.

[ShrimpBurrito]

I saw an Aliner recently that has a side-mount AC unit like this, except it protruded from the side of the wall. That certainly resolves the circulation problem, but it looked unwieldy sticking out all by itself, ready to get whacked, or frankly, whack into with my head. Would also seem difficult to support....

I'm looking forward to seeing how you finish off the wall. Aliner and Chalet may be interested in your technique.

Dave