portable AC units in a 13 footer

[lloyd cicetti]

My wife and I decided to forego having a 14" high AC unit on top of our soon to be purchased 13 foot Trillium to allow us to keep our egg at home in it's proper nest since we have figured out how to get it's 7'4" frame under our 6'11" garage.

An AC unit would prevent that from happening. We would occasionally need AC for the times during the summer, especially on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I searched all of the past chatter about portable AC units in small RVs. I don't think there is concensus about using one and having it work beautifully. Sounds like they have a tendency to suck hot air in through window and door seams if not properly vented.

We don't mind it being on the floor and in the way. It would only be an incovenience at night when we went to bed.

Any new opinions out there about portable AC units and their affectiveness. Recommendations on models. Price is not a factor...it would cost at least $900 to have it put on the roof which we do not want.

Thanks, Lloyd

[Kevin K]

Could try this http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/petcool.html

[lloyd cicetti]

[quote]Could try this http://www.cedarwoodfurniture.com/petcool.html
Attachment 15956

Kevin, do you use it on your Scamp? On other threads they claim 2,500 BTUs is not enough to cool a 13 footer in the sun without insulation when the temp is 90 plus. I think I read that 8,000 would do it. I just need to know about a portable product that can simply roll on the floor for the evening and vented out through a window without cutting a hole in the side of the rv. Are there considerations that I need to think about before buying a portable ac.

Thanks, Lloyd

[Bobbie Mayer]

I posted awhile ago about a 9000 btu unit, Amcor or something like that, that sits on the floor in less than square foot of space and vents out the window as a mist. I haven't tried it, I just saw it.

http://www.amazon.com/Amcor-AF9000E-Portab...8530&sr=8-2

If you try it let me know!

Bobbie

[lloyd cicetti]

I posted awhile ago about a 9000 btu unit, Amcor or something like that, that sits on the floor in less than square foot of space and vents out the window as a mist. I haven't tried it, I just saw it.

http://www.amazon.com/Amcor-AF9000E-Portab...8530&sr=8-2

If you try it let me know!

Bobbie

Bobbie, I did see your posting of this unit before when I "searched" portable AC. What I need is someone who actually owns one and reccomends it. They look like an easy solution for having AC without the drag on the top or blocking our view out a window.

Thanks for your input...Lloyd

[Rick kl]

I have a portable ac unit made by GE it puts out 8000 BTUs it is about 16" X 16" and 30 " tall the tricky part with a portable is that hot air comes out the back in a 5" duct and must be vented through and open window, if the seal on the window is not perfect the hot air comes back in, I have never tried this in my trailer (it would take way too much space) but it does cool one room in my house. One other thing is to remember to open the window I turned on the unit and then went to garage to wait for it to cool down, when I returned the temperture in the room was at least 90!

[Bobbie Mayer]

Bobbie, I did see your posting of this unit before when I "searched" portable AC. What I need is someone who actually owns one and reccomends it. They look like an easy solution for having AC without the drag on the top or blocking our view out a window.

Thanks for your input...Lloyd

That's what I want, too, Lloyd.. come on, one of us has to go first!!

Bobbie

[lloyd cicetti]

That's what I want, too, Lloyd.. come on, one of us has to go first!!

Bobbie

Bobbi,
So far no one has posted information about a portable AC that they have used succesfully. I am sure there is someone out there with a success story. Maybe I should try General Chat.
Lloyd

[Donna D.]

Bobbi,
So far no one has posted information about a portable AC that they have used succesfully. I am sure there is someone out there with a success story. Maybe I should try General Chat.
Lloyd

I think most people would prefer to poke an A/C through the window, rather than having one sitting in the middle of the floor. These trailers are small enough as it is, without having some sort of box taking up floor space. There is a number of posts, where people use window units. What do you think?

[lloyd cicetti]

I think most people would prefer to poke an A/C through the window, rather than having one sitting in the middle of the floor. These trailers are small enough as it is, without having some sort of box taking up floor space. There is a number of posts, where people use window units. What do you think?

Donna, what if it sat inside the main closet during the summer months without the door on it and vented it out somehow. Since we have never owned an egg it is hard to imagine blocking off a window and looking at an AC. Somehow I imagine it looking like a cheap motel. The alternative is to have it installed on the roof but that means we store it on a lot for $500 a year. Maybe were being too fussy here and will need to compromise and put it in the window for the time we are at the beach. That may be the solution unless someone has a brilliant solution.

I don't know why I am worrying about this really. We won't own it until January and it will be so cold then it won't be a problem until summer. I guess we are just excited over the prospect of owning one.

Thank you Donna...everyone is helpful...Lloyd

[Tom Trostel]

There is also the method of placing a window unit outside the trailer and ducting the cold air in. I saw this 13' Scamp two years ago at Bluebonnet. The cold air entered through a hole in the floor under the starboard bench. Of course, there is a lot of effort to set-up and take-down.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/28651...054322218bGTZur

[Parker Buckley]

There is also the method of placing a window unit outside the trailer and ducting the cold air in. I saw this 13' Scamp two years ago at Bluebonnet. The cold air entered through a hole in the floor under the starboard bench. Of course, there is a lot of effort to set-up and take-down.

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/28651...054322218bGTZur

I did something similar, making the cold air connection through the rear window and the hot air return through the roof vent. Find details by clicking here: External Air Conditioner Project Set up and teardown is easy, but it took a bit of construction to make it so. Good winter project.

Parker

[Roger C H]

I just had an "out of the box" idea.

Get a portable a/c with heat. They come with the flexible duct connection out the back. Place the unit outside and run the flex duct into your trailer.

Now when you want a/c, run the unit on 'heat' and when you want heat, run the unit on 'cool'.

How is that for a simple solution?

[Scott S.]

I'm wondering if the thermostat on these outdoor units is measuring the air temp at the point it enters the unit ... or does it measure the ambient air around the unit? this would certainly effect the comfort level inside the trailer.

with only about 2 days a summer when we would need air conditioning here in Manitoba... I don't know why I'm even considering one of these ideas.

[Parker Buckley]

I'm wondering if the thermostat on these outdoor units is measuring the air temp at the point it enters the unit ... or does it measure the ambient air around the unit? this would certainly effect the comfort level inside the trailer.

The GE unit that I converted to sit outside with hoses ducting the air in and out of the Scamp measures the temperature at the point of return into the air conditioner. Mine uses a temperature probe that I believe mechanically actuates the compressor switch. I've thought about running an actual electrical thermostat line to the trailer for a conventional setup to do the same thing, but elected to install a simple on/off switch inside the trailer that controls the AC unit outside.

Parker