AC under dinette bench?

[Bluetang99]

Does anyone have any photos or thread links that show air conditioning installs under the rear dinette bench?

I've been looking at various AC installs for the past few months and I've only ran across one thread were an AC was installed in this location.

Another option I was thinking of doing is putting it in the cubby hole under the bunk. I could cut out a hole in the floor under there and build a box over it that the AC backs into. This way any condensation could also drip out through the floor.

[Wayne Collins]

you don't say which Scamp you have.
But, we are getting a Parkliner, and they will put the A/C under the forward seat of the side dinette. Which is where the Scamp 16 ft w/ side dinette has the furnace.

[Bluetang99]

Originally Posted by Wayne Collins

you don't say which Scamp you have.
But, we are getting a Parkliner, and they will put the A/C under the forward seat of the side dinette. Which is where the Scamp 16 ft w/ side dinette has the furnace.

Scamp 13. I'm leaning towards putting the AC under the rear dinette because of better accessibility to the ac, it will be right beside my fuse panel and if I need to cut a vent for fresh air it will be on the back side of the camper. I just don't know how small of a square hole in the floor I can get away with for the plenum without losing too much efficiency.

Another way is just popping out a pane of glass from my kitchen jalousie window and running dryer vents through the window and leaving the ac outside on a stand. This way if we need ac we can just install it as needed since nights in Ohio tend to be in the 50s-60s and when it's 90+ during the day we're sitting outside or at the lake. But the past few times we also got shaded sites which make a huge difference.

[floyd]

Here is one which I did on a Scamp 13 front dinette conversion... note that the cutout was saved to be used as a stone guard to protect the condenser on the A/C. It MUST be removed in order to run the A/C to prevent overheating. it is a simple thing but necessary and not to be forgotten.

[floyd]

Here is an early factory application under the rear dinette which used a squirrel cage fan as a booster to cool the condenser...

[Bluetang99]

Originally Posted by floyd

Here is an early factory application under the rear dinette which used a squirrel cage fan as a booster to cool the condenser...

That's one I was looking at and wanted to replicate. Im just wondering if instead of the fan in that half box I can cut a slightly bigger vent hole with screen over it?

[floyd]

Take a look at the factory application of A/C on the smaller Casitas. They are right front "corner" and use a vinyl snap on stone guard.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bluetang99

That's one I was looking at and wanted to replicate. Im just wondering if instead of the fan in that half box I can cut a slightly bigger vent hole with screen over it?

You could use a standard vent, as long as you box the condenser outlet so that it is sealed to the vent and provide fresh air inlet vents on both sides to supply air to the condenser fan inlets.
Also a drain must be supplied through the floor (note black circle on the floor to the left in the photo) and the front of the unit must be sealed at the bench opening.
Note the last picture shows the outlet of the booster fan through the floor which eliminated the need for an outlet vent on the side of the trailer.

[Bluetang99]

Originally Posted by floyd

Take a look at the factory application of A/C on the smaller Casitas. They are right front "corner" and use a vinyl snap on stone guard.

Is there a drip pan made into there? Do they separate the exhaust air from the intake or is the back of the ac close enough to the vent that it doesn't need ducting?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bluetang99

Is there a drip pan made into there? Do they separate the exhaust air from the intake or is the back of the ac close enough to the vent that it doesn't need ducting?

I have never had the Casita apart, but I assume that they have a drain and that that vent on the side (see photo) is the inlet while the outlet is the part covered by the vinyl. Definitely must be isolated Inlet, outlet and cabin.

[Bluetang99]

Originally Posted by floyd

You could use a standard vent, as long as you box the condenser outlet so that it is sealed to the vent and provide fresh air inlet vents on both sides to supply air to the condenser fan inlets.
Also a drain must be supplied through the floor (note black circle on the floor to the left in the photo) and the front of the unit must be sealed at the bench opening.
Note the last picture shows the outlet of the booster fan through the floor which eliminated the need for an outlet vent on the side of the trailer.

That's exactly where I would also cut the exhaust vent except that I would enlarge it into more of a rectangle about as wide as the box over it would be.

Then I was thinking of backing up the AC enough into the box that it would also sit a few inches over the vent which would allow condensation to drip into it.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bluetang99

That's exactly where I would also cut the exhaust vent except that I would enlarge it into more of a rectangle about as wide as the box over it would be.

Then I was thinking of backing up the AC enough into the box that it would also sit a few inches over the vent which would allow condensation to drip into it.

Sounds like a plan but Better to move the floor opening inboard and frame it with aluminum or stainless angle for strength. Of course the trailer's frame rails must be considered and do you have a grey water tank? The smallest A/C I have seen is 16" wide so I would not want to cut that much too close along the outside wall. Also the Frigidaire is only 11 or 12" deep and tall.
Big box stores sell duct work of all types so it is good to explore their offerings and choose the A/C, then develop your plan.

[Bluetang99]

Originally Posted by floyd

Sounds like a plan but Better to move the floor opening inboard and frame it with aluminum or stainless angle for strength. The smallest A/C I have seen is 16" wide so I would not want to cut that much too close along the outside wall. Also the Frigidaire is only 11 or 12" deep and tall.
Big box stores sell duct work of all types so it is good to explore their offerings and choose the A/C, then develop your plan.

Now that I think about it I'm not sure if I can cut an opening that big close to the wall anyway, I believe a trailer frame beam runs somewhere under there. So I would have to see if the a unit 11 or 12" deep would allow me to cut the vent on the side of the trailer frame furthest from the wall.

Edit... I measured it and the vent has to be cut on the side closer to the wall. But I figured that if I cut the vent maybe 5" deep by however wide the AC is, the hole won't be too close to the wall, hopefully.

[Bluetang99]

I have just received a 6k air conditioner from someone and was wanting to try it out before permanently installing it.

Would the window frames of my jalousie windows take the weight of the AC on a wooden platform held on to the frame using L brackets, or do you think this would place too much stress on the rivets? If I were to guess the AC weighs around 40-50 lbs.

[Cheryl Collier]

How well does the cool air circulate throughout the camper when mounted this way?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Cheryl Collier

How well does the cool air circulate throughout the camper when mounted this way?

There is no question that A/C mounted at floor level is less efficient than a roof mount. (hot head cold feet). Opening a roof vent does help by pushing the warm air out through the roof and filling the camper with the colder air. The higher the A/C is mounted, the better it cools.
All that said... just about any location will cool a small fiberglass camper to comfort level.