Just added air conditioning to my Scamp

[mcbrew]

After careful measurements, I purchased a Frigidaire 5,000 BTU window a/c for my '84 Scamp 13. My plan was to install it in the back window when needed (not to travel with it in place). The model is Frigidaire FRA052XT7. I got it at Sears for $99.

I built a frame out of oak and sprayed three coats of poly on it. The frame goes against the outside of the window and rests on the sill. I made three clips to hold the frame to the window. The clips were made from metal strapping that I bent (to give more strength) and coated with tool dip to avoid scratching the window frame. The a/c unit slips in and it ready to go!

It works great so far. The unit is quieter than I expected, both inside and out. This should take the edge off the 95+ degree weather and high humidity we've been having recently!

Sorry for the poor quality pictures... it was dark and I was using my cell phone.







I have to wait until we get some rain to see if my weatherproofing is going to be sufficient.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Nicely done!

[Ed Harris]

Looks good!

When I did this in a Trillium I found out the "Hard Way" that I needed to angle the unit down in the back no matter what.

It was a soggy realization to say the least.
Something to keep in mind,trust me.

Ed

[mcbrew]

Originally Posted by Ed Harris

Looks good!

When I did this in a Trillium I found out the "Hard Way" that I needed to angle the unit down in the back no matter what.

It was a soggy realization to say the least.
Something to keep in mind,trust me.

Ed

Ed, it's hard to tell in the picture, but it is angles down. I don't want a surprise night bath, either!

[mcbrew]

Just tried out a little experiment. I have one of those 800/900 watt 2-stroke generators from Harbor Freight. I bought it on sale for $79 about a year or two ago. I use it only occasionally at work. Anyway, I was wondering if it would run my 5,000 BTU air conditioner in the Scamp, and it turns out it will!

For the record, it will not run a 6,000 BTU window unit that I also have on hand. Of course, the real issue is the starting load. The 5,000 BTU unit draws about 450 watts while it is running, but the starting load must be really close to the 9,000 watt surge rating.

This generator is not quiet... It ain't no Honda! It is 2-stroke, and requires mix oil. It also runs better on premium gas than 87 octane. It smokes a little on startup and under a heavy load. After running a heavy load for a while, it idles unevenly. Choking it for a few seconds brings it back under control. According to reviewers, they seem to run for a long time. In case anyone is interested.

They don't seem to go on sale for much less than $99 any more. When I got it, they allowed combining coupons with sale prices, but they don't any more.

[Panoz77]

Your install looks a lot like my window install, nice job. Mine has held water tight in some VERY heavy rains. I have modified mine to further seal and weatherproof it a little better even though we didn't get any water leaks. I had foam at the bottom, the foam did not leak but would get wet, so I instead bought 3/4 strofoam pipe insulation (considered a pool noodle but didn't like the bright colors, I wanted black) and put that between the sill and the window bracket that I am using, the styrofoam will not absorb or hold water like the other foam tended to. By the way, I left mine in on my last trip and it didn't budge a bit and the distribution of the weight is very good with the added window bracket to take some of the stress off of the window opening.