Side Air Conditioner Replacement

[Wavery]

I just finished waterproofing the cabinet bottom about 20 minutes ago. I outlined the area to be waterproofed with 1/4 round molding. Then I laid in a layer of 8oz fiberglass cloth, poured the F/G resin on it and brushed it in with a brush. The 1/4 round is used because F/G does not like to make right angle bends. It will just pull away from the surface as it hardens if you go more than a 45 degree bend. In areas where you can't make that bend, you just lay the glass cloth flat on one surface. Then cut another piece to lat flat on the other then fill the joint with resin.

After about an hour of dry time, I'll go out and trim of the excess cloth with a razor blade. By tomorrow morning that cabinet will be as waterproof as some bathtubs.

You'll notice that I left the outer edge flat so that water can just drain down the side of the camper. Just like the water drains down the roof on your camper.

 

[Wavery]

It's a warm day so the F/G set up pretty fast. I went ahead and finished it up.

I installed framing that also act as air separators behind the AC unit. They are screwed into the frame members of the body with "L" brackets. Then I used metal braces that screwed into the new braces and into the back of the AC unit. This will keep it from bouncing on the shelf and damaging it. This also holds the AC firmly in place.

Then it was time to install the outer grilles.

I'll attach the air deflectors by pop-riveting a piano hinge to the grilles. When the AC is not in use, the air deflectors will cover the 2 outer (air intake) grilles.

 

[kutzweb]

Nice job! I like the screen name too!?

Hope to see it in person soon!

 

[B_and_D]

It looks good. I'm anxious to hear how it works on your first camping trip. We usually camp in the mountains, by the coast, or in the desert in the winter, so until recently we haven't really needed an a/c. I'd like to get one rigged up and ready to take with us should we want to go somewhere that we could use it.

 

[Wavery]

We will be camping with the grandkids this weekend. It's not supposed to be that hot (high 80's) but it should give me an idea of how well the AC performs in moderate conditions. I'll keep you posted.

I left it on all day yesterday (by accident). When I went inside the camper at about 3M, it was like a meat locker inside. I had the thermo set at 68. I also had a small fan going on the aft bunk facing forward.

A fan to circulate the inside air is critical with this configuration. That AC could not be mounted in a worse place. The cold air bounces off of the bathroom wall and is immediately picked back up by the air intake in the AC. This causes the AC to think that it has reached it's set temp and it cycles off. If you use a fan to blow the cold air, coming out of the AC, across the camper then it gets a more realistic reading of the inside temp and it will be longer time periods between cycling.

 

[B_and_D]

Where did you put your fan? I have a clip-on fan that could be attached to the top of the bathroom wall, or even on the top of one of the drawers under the wardrobe.

 

[Wavery]

Where did you put your fan? I have a clip-on fan that could be attached to the top of the bathroom wall, or even on the top of one of the drawers under the wardrobe.

Thanks.... That's a great idea. I just put a small (12") box fan on the counter . My wife isn't real happy about that.

Looks like I'm in store for another trip to Walmart.:new_gmorn

I guess the ideal thing would be to put one small fan up high, pointed one direction and another small fan down low, pointing the opposite direction. They wouldn't even have to be enough to feel the air move, just enough to keep the air circulating.

We are going to do "Camp-Driveway" with the grandkids, at my daughter's house in Anaheim this weekend. It's supposed to be in the low 90's so it should be a decent test run for the AC.

 

[Wavery]

We completed our test run on the new AC unit. It worked great.

We made our trip to Walmart and picked up that 6" clip-on fan (good tip....thanks).

It was 92 outside and 72 inside, with no problem. I tried it first without the outside air deflectors. It was not nearly as efficient as with them.

The next day, I tried it with the air deflectors first and the camper cooled down right away and the AC cycled about every 5-10 minutes. I then removed the air deflectors and the AC cycled every 3-4 minutes. I put them back on and the AC again cycled every 5-10 minutes. The air deflectors absolutely make a big difference.

 

[Shrimpburrito]

It is great that you have reduced the cycling time, but my factory side-mount AC also cools about 20 degrees off ambient temp without any modification. Did you have the AC turned on "max", or did you possibly have more potential to cool more than 20 degrees?

Dave

 

[Wavery]

It is great that you have reduced the cycling time, but my factory side-mount AC also cools about 20 degrees off ambient temp without any modification. Did you have the AC turned on "max", or did you possibly have more potential to cool more than 20 degrees?

Dave

Good question......the controls on this unit are digital. I turned it down to 65 and froze us all out of the camper. I didn't want to ice up the unit so I didn't try it any lower.

The one thing that I don't know is how well it will handle humid conditions. We live in SoCal and just don't have to deal with humidity over 60%. If we do get into a high humidity camp-out, I'll report back again.

 

[final5]

Harveyrv, I have tried to find your photo's on your ac. Did you ever do anything about the outside look or did you just keep the cardboard. I just bought a 99 and the previous owners put in a window a/c but it does not seem to stay on. Not sure if it is the ac but I would be interested in find out more on how you did yours and take a look at the final pictures....thanks.

 

[B_and_D]

I can see the pictures OK, perhaps you can't see them because you're a trial member?

 

[Wavery]

Harveyrv, I have tried to find your photo's on your ac. Did you ever do anything about the outside look or did you just keep the cardboard. I just bought a 99 and the previous owners put in a window a/c but it does not seem to stay on. Not sure if it is the ac but I would be interested in find out more on how you did yours and take a look at the final pictures....thanks.

Can you not see all of the pics that are in this thread? If not, PM me with your email address and I will send you the pics.

My original plan was to install a couple of pieces on aluminum on piano hinges to separate the hot exhaust air from the fresh air intake. I have the aluminum panels but I found that if I just push them in the slots between the center and outside vents, they fit tight and do a fine job. I use the AC so seldom that it isn't worth permanently installing those panels.

 

[Bill]

You are referring to the pictures in post #22 above? Yes, they are there. A Trial Member should be able to see anything on the board. It is only when the Trail Member decides not to become a Sponsor, and is downgraded to Registered Guest, that he loses any access. When this happens, access to the entire thread is lost - and most of the Forums as well - not just photos.

Bill

 

[Wavery]

You are referring to the pictures in post #22 above? Yes, they are there. A Trial Member should be able to see anything on the board. It is only when the Trail Member decides not to become a Sponsor, and is downgraded to Registered Guest, that he loses any access. When this happens, access to the entire thread is lost - and most of the Forums as well - not just photos.

Bill

That would be posts 13 and 22. Post 13 shows the air flow separators (which apparently the OP could see).

 

[final5]

Alright member now.

Harvey, I must have skipped over some of the threads, I do now see the extra pannels on the outside and the fiber-glass mod. I am not sure that I am going to be that handy and in Fl. we do have a lot of humidity!!! I really do not want to spend the money for the top ac but think that is the direction I am headed...if I do, do you think it would be better to take out the vent fan or just do another hole for the ac. If I were to take out the vent fan it would save $50 and have one less hole in the roof what do you think. We usualy do most of our cooking outside but now that we have grown from a pop up we might do more inside.
Thanks.

 

[Bill]

Be aware that if you install an air conditioner on the roof, the existing torsion bars probably won't be strong enough to lift it. You may need to replace all four torsion bars on whichever shell you modify - and they ain't cheap! Check with the factory.

Bill