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Don’t laugh ~ 120 volt a/c in a Westy
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:54 pm    Post subject: Don’t laugh ~ 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

First off, this is just an experiment. Our Westfalia does not go off the beaten path very far. We do a lot of camping at state parks with have 120 volt power. Anyway, had this idea of puting a portable air conditioner in the van. It vents out the passanger wind wing (still working on how to seal it). Any thoughts? Oh yeah, this a/c had a timer, temperature settings and remote!

Ok let me have it..... thanks!
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Abscate Premium Member
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 3:59 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

If you have to have AC, build a window unit hanger and put the heat and noise outside.

We don’t do camping with AC though so I’m a bad data point
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
If you have to have AC, build a window unit hanger and put the heat and noise outside.

We don’t do camping with AC though so I’m a bad data point


Its more for the wife.. its gets pretty uncomfortable in va, mid summer. Like i said, just messing around.
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

Or, since you already have the machine you have, wrap the duct with some insulation, run with it & report back in the fall...

Cool

- Dave

PS: Any plans to drain the condensate...???
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:13 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

MichaelCampingInVA wrote:
Abscate wrote:
If you have to have AC, build a window unit hanger and put the heat and noise outside.

We don’t do camping with AC though so I’m a bad data point


Its more for the wife.. its gets pretty uncomfortable in va, mid summer. Like i said, just messing around.


Gotcha. I think a window unit would be so much quieter and easier to seal

Condensate would just drop out

Driver side window since You can’t get out around the steering wheel , anyhow.
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:17 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
MichaelCampingInVA wrote:
Abscate wrote:
If you have to have AC, build a window unit hanger and put the heat and noise outside.

We don’t do camping with AC though so I’m a bad data point


Its more for the wife.. its gets pretty uncomfortable in va, mid summer. Like i said, just messing around.


Gotcha. I think a window unit would be so much quieter and easier to seal

Condensate would just drop out

Driver side window since You can’t get out around the steering wheel , anyhow.


I did try that. It looked like something off the Beverly Hill Billies. It was pretty loud..
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 4:20 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

It’s gotta be quieter than the inside unit ?

That inside unit will put out a lot of heat , too
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:00 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

Abscate wrote:
It’s gotta be quieter than the inside unit ?

That inside unit will put out a lot of heat , too

All the heat is vented out the side wind wing... we will see. I could do a sound test from both units..
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:03 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

We have one of those for hurricane power outages. Took it camping once. It worked, but the design has a flaw. Because it is exhausting outside the van, outside air will enter where it can to balance the pressure. So you end up having to cool that air. The window unit recirculates the air, so you don't have the same problem. The window unit takes up less space than the portable ones, so it is easier to travel with. Another member built the portable unit into his rear cabinet. I recall it exhausted out the rear vent. His member name was something like south olive.
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dobryan
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 5:55 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

I have a window unit and it is ghetto but works great when I am at the beach along the Chesapeake in July at a friends house.... 95f and 80% humidity.... YMMV.
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
I have a window unit and it is ghetto but works great when I am at the beach along the Chesapeake in July at a friends house.... 95f and 80% humidity.... YMMV.

Dave share a picture

Yeah the humidity can get pretty bad
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:27 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

dobryan wrote:
I have a window unit and it is ghetto but works great...

x2

5000btu window unit, 2 tarps, July, South Dakota, same weather (90+ degrees/90% humidity)+full sun:

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Kept us & the interior in the low 70degrees for 2 days... Cool

Keep cool!

- Dave
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WestfaliaMike
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 6:30 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:
dobryan wrote:
I have a window unit and it is ghetto but works great...

x2

5000btu window unit, 2 tarps, July, South Dakota, same weather+full sun:

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Kept us & the interior in the low 70degrees for 2 days... Cool

Keep cool!

- Dave

Rain fly... side fly... all around fly.. you have it going on..
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 20, 2018 8:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

So, I have one of those units in my house. I don't use it. Period. The last last last reason I don't is because it condensates inside a bucket like thing at the bottom. True, it does have a garden hose outlet, but I could never figure out where in the house to put it to have it be useful. At least it does turn itself off when the bucket is full. Window air units fit my needs, at least for my house. The van idea is still bumping around in my head too tho Smile

Next on the list is that you got the right idea on the one pipe out the passenger wing, but the other hose ring actually is for the other hose you seem to have missed.. That kind of unit grabs outside air, pumps it through the inside unit, and exhausts it out the other hose. It IS an interesting idea. You gotta have another hose go from the other ring on the AC unit out the driver wing.

Good luck Smile

-bobby
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:06 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

As long as we are posting pictures of our ghetto AC setups. Here is ours.


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Got a little carried away with the skirt. It is 2 layers of sunbrella and reflectix insulation. Attaches to the AC with Velcro and the window frame with magnets.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:17 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

MarkWard wrote:
As long as we are posting pictures of our ghetto AC setups. Here is ours.


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Got a little carried away with the skirt. It is 2 layers of sunbrella and reflectix insulation. Attaches to the AC with Velcro and the window frame with magnets.


Mine is the same except I just cut a piece of reflectix as the shroud and use magnets packing taped to the shroud to attach it to the body.

Got no pics.

Get a unit that has a remote so you can make temp and fan adjustments from the bed without getting up.... Cool

The whole thing fits in a plastic bin for travel.
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MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

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https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
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bokonon42
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 10:20 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

I drove across the country last summer with one of those. It worked decently for the most part, but in-and-about Atlanta it was useless. It was 110 + humidity and it did absolutely nothing to cool to the van. We were just taking too much heat through the roof to cool it down. I would just suggest not relying on it if you are going to super hot locations, but to take the edge off a little warmer place it did definitely help with that.

btw, I have that steel corvette "poster" as well in my garage Smile. I used to have a '77 Corvette.
-terry

edit: btw, to seal the wing window I stuffed towels around the hose.
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:00 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

Ol' TK sells (sold?) a kit, including a 5000 BTU window a/c unit, for $469!

Scroll down a ways:
http://vanagonwestfaliaaccessories.com/
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:11 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

I know its not a/c but...

I saw a youtube video of a guy installing computer fans into the vents (door vents?) hooking them to the aux bat

they offer a small amount of air flow and are very very quiet compared to a a/c unit.

i'm going to try this and install maybe a set timer so they click off and don't run all night.

ill try and make a thread about installing them but currently I have other projects I need to take care of first. one day I swear!

I think its a great idea anyways.

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PostPosted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:23 am    Post subject: Re: Don’t laugh 120 volt a/c in a Westy Reply with quote

In the summer here that would not even make a dent in the heat/humidity inside the bus. For me pulling in hot humid air does not make it more comfortable like A/C does.

(My jalousie windows give way more airflow than any set of computer fans... YMMV.)
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"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson

MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646

Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371

The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794
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