Different concept Scamp 13 closet AC Install?

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by Keaner

Danby DPA110DHA1CP

..if I could do it different I would make the filter on the back of the unit more accessible. I can get to it but it's a pain.

Thanks Joe, I'll check it out!

Bill

[RogerDat]

It looks like that Danby will adapt well to small FG RV install but does come a little dear for price. Cost is better than $400. Some parts of the country AC is pretty much mandatory. Other places AC is nice but not required. I guess which place you camp or reside in helps determine the amount of use you will get from the purchase of AC.


It does seem high but if you think about it a fantastic fan or maxx air powered roof vent runs around $150 on up to over $300. That sort of puts the AC cost of the Danby into a different perspective.

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

It looks like that Danby will adapt well to small FG RV install but does come a little dear for price. Cost is better than $400. Some parts of the country AC is pretty much mandatory. Other places AC is nice but not required. I guess which place you camp or reside in helps determine the amount of use you will get from the purchase of AC.


It does seem high but if you think about it a fantastic fan or maxx air powered roof vent runs around $150 on up to over $300. That sort of puts the AC cost of the Danby into a different perspective.

RogerDat, you are right. Paying the full retail price would be far out of my present budget for my 13' Scamp!!

However, not so many years ago I paid almost that much to replace the auto electrical steps for my motor home! Different times...different budgets....different RV's!

Yet, a few years ago, a person could buy a fan kit that would attach to any 14" top vent for very little money. You didn't have to spend a ton of money to have a fan to exhaust hot air.

Maybe those fan kits are still available?

Bill

[RogerDat]

I have seen inexpensive fans on amazon, cost less than $50 the two issues often mentioned are noise and power draw. I think a fantastic fan on high draws about 3 amp. So running it even on high for 8 hours of sleeping is only 24 amp hours. Well within the capacity of a 100 watt solar panel On low even less amp draw for the 8 hours.

In a small FGRV that vent fan is never going to be far from the bed or active living space so noise is a consideration, especially if one wanted to use it when sleeping. I think some of the cheaper models are essentially bathroom vent fans in larger RV's

The higher priced ones have one other huge advantage for our FG shells, you can call the manufacturer and they will send you an adapter that works with our roof.

The default kit may only include the installation hardware for a stick built roof that has thickness of framing. We want a "ring" that accommodates the 1/4 inch thick roof of our eggs.

With our older scamps our roof opening is smaller than the "modern" opening that vents a vent fans are designed for. I have heard of folks running a line to the 12 volt feeding the end of overhead cabinet light. Putting the on/off switch there at the cabinet. Then just setting a larger computer 12 volt fan on or in the existing vent.

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by RogerDat

I have seen inexpensive fans on amazon, cost less than $50 the two issues often mentioned are noise and power draw. I think a fantastic fan on high draws about 3 amp. So running it even on high for 8 hours of sleeping is only 24 amp hours. Well within the capacity of a 100 watt solar panel On low even less amp draw for the 8 hours.

In a small FGRV that vent fan is never going to be far from the bed or active living space so noise is a consideration, especially if one wanted to use it when sleeping. I think some of the cheaper models are essentially bathroom vent fans in larger RV's

The higher priced ones have one other huge advantage for our FG shells, you can call the manufacturer and they will send you an adapter that works with our roof.

The default kit may only include the installation hardware for a stick built roof that has thickness of framing. We want a "ring" that accommodates the 1/4 inch thick roof of our eggs.

With our older scamps our roof opening is smaller than the "modern" opening that vents a vent fans are designed for. I have heard of folks running a line to the 12 volt feeding the end of overhead cabinet light. Putting the on/off switch there at the cabinet. Then just setting a larger computer 12 volt fan on or in the existing vent.

Thanks Roger for the information. I didn't know that there was a "ring" available for our thin roofs. That would make installation so much neater, and faster. I have had to build a 2 x 2 inch ring around a 14-inch square in a sailboat cabin roof, and I was not happy with the end results.

Your message reminded me that I have several new 14-inch RV vents left from the dozen or so that I bought several years ago at a RV Store sell-out. One of them is a new 12-volt powered Surflo Model 275-G1004 or something like that. I'll have to check and see if the fan motor works!

Problem is that unit weighs 12 pounds as compared to a non-power vent weigh of only 3 pounds. I'd guess that the small metal vent on my 1978
Scamp weighs less than 2 pounds.

I'm not sure adding 10 more pounds to the roof of my Scamp would be wise. What do you think?

Bill

[Bill Nolen]

The SHURflo fan seems to work just fine. It has a variable speed motor control, and a reversible air flow control.

It's still on sale at Amazon for $140, but the few owner reviews were TERRIBLE!

I have asked for owner information on a new thread.

Bill

[artrageous]

Just found this thread. We're getting ready for attempt #2 at re-installing an A/C in the closet of a 16 ft. Scamp (long story). We bought sheet metal to try to fabricate a box for the back of the A/C heat exhaust, but it's not easy to work with. Is there some sort of flexible, lightweight material that would work better than a rigid piece of sheet metal? If we have to use the rigid sheet metal, maybe it would be easier to have 4 pieces cut out and use metal tape to form them into a box? Trying to precisely bend the sheet metal isn't going well.

Also, interesting point about the heat exhaust vent being directly below the cool air intake... Would it make sense to cut a hole through the floor and install a rear-facing screened vent to allow for another fresh air entry? Just having a small space on each side of the A/C unit and the small vent above the heat exhaust vent just doesn't seem that it would allow enough cool air to come in....

Pic of our outside vent and pic of the inside of the closet:

[Johnny M]

Originally Posted by artrageous

Just found this thread. We're getting ready for attempt #2 at re-installing an A/C in the closet of a 16 ft. Scamp (long story). We bought sheet metal to try to fabricate a box for the back of the A/C heat exhaust, but it's not easy to work with. Is there some sort of flexible, lightweight material that would work better than a rigid piece of sheet metal? If we have to use the rigid sheet metal, maybe it would be easier to have 4 pieces cut out and use metal tape to form them into a box? Trying to precisely bend the sheet metal isn't going well.

Also, interesting point about the heat exhaust vent being directly below the cool air intake... Would it make sense to cut a hole through the floor and install a rear-facing screened vent to allow for another fresh air entry? Just having a small space on each side of the A/C unit and the small vent above the heat exhaust vent just doesn't seem that it would allow enough cool air to come in....

Pic of our outside vent and pic of the inside of the closet:

Have you thought about some light gauge aluminum or tin? Easy to work with but not sure of the price...I built a wood frame enclosure using 1x2's and some 2x4's, thin luan plywood and 1/2" sheet styrofoam insulation. Inexpensive and worked great.

[artrageous]

Johnny, we STARTED with the 1/2" foil-covered sheet insulation (infinitely easier to work with) and someone on another site told us not to use it! (Fire risk?? Holding heat in??) That's why we scrapped those plans and went back to the sheet metal!

[Bill Nolen]

Sharon, here are one link that might help you.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-42413.html

Many closet A/C have been installed with the vents just like your's. While that might not be the best, it will work for most hot conditions!

Good luck,

Bill

[artrageous]

Originally Posted by Bill Nolen

Sharon, here are one link that might help you.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...amp-42413.html

Many closet A/C have been installed with the vents just like your's. While that might not be the best, it will work for most hot conditions!

Good luck,

Bill

That looks GREAT! Very helpful! Thanks, Bill!

[artrageous]

Yet another question--do you know how Reflectix is rated for heat? Would it be safe to use, taped to the hot end of an A/C?

I really like the idea of the floor vent, but there's already a hole and drain tube in the floor of the closet from a previous installation of an A/C. (Regular pink insulation was left on the closet side walls, which we ripped out.)

So almost back to square one, if we go with a pan underneath with a hole in it (for the drainage tube) for condensation and skip the floor vent(s) given that Scamp installed closet A/Cs without floor vents, could we safely use Reflectix to channel the heat exhaust?

[artrageous]

Answering my own question (and sorry to hijack this thread), I found this on the Lowes product page for Reflectix:
16-in x 25-ft Reflective Roll Insulation

An easy-to-install staple tab designed double reflective, double bubble insulation for 16-in on center framing
R-values range from R-3.0 to R-21 depending on the applications
Energy-saving residential applications include: cathedral ceiling, crawl space, radiant floor, wall, HVAC duct, water pipe, garage door, knee wall and water heater
A tape measure, staple gun, utility knife and safety glasses are all you need for installation (not included)
A fiber and itch free insulation product
Class A/Class 1 fire rating

In searching further, Class A/Class 1 is actually very good: "A Class “A” is the highest rating a product can score when tested under this testing method. There is nothing beyond or above a Class “A”. For example, if a product scored as a Class “A” was compared to a product that is a Class “C” the flame spread is over 4 times faster on the Class “C” product. This was calculated by taking the maximum amount of flame spread of a Class “A” product, 25 and dividing it into the Class “C” 200 flame spread rating. A Class “A” product out performs a Class “C” by over 4 times. This is the assurance we all should be looking for when our loved ones lives could be at risk."

[Johnny M]

I see no reason why you can't use it, the only purpose it serves is to separate the cool incoming air intake from the rear hot air discharge...however, I put the insulation on the outside of the luan plywood to insulated the walls around the a/c just like the outer shell of the camper, but I don't think that should matter. The danger of using the Styrofoam to my knowledge would be exposure to an open flame as the Styrofoam is flammable, but I don't believe there is anything with the a/c unit that could create any imminent danger.

[artrageous]

Thank you. :-)

[artrageous]

So in looking at some of these mods with the Reflectix sleeve, it appears to fully circle the back of the A/C unit. If that's the case, how does the condensation drain out?

[Bill Nolen]

Originally Posted by artrageous

So in looking at some of these mods with the Reflectix sleeve, it appears to fully circle the back of the A/C unit. If that's the case, how does the condensation drain out?

Sharon, I understand that some small A/C's have a drain hole in the bottom of the case so that condensation can drain. If the A/C is installed in a home's window it would just drain on the ground...I guess.

In our RV trailers, a drip pan, with a drain hose of some type, should be installed for the condensation....so I understand.

A interesting A/C installation on a Canned Ham Trailer is shown in several videos. In one video it shows a A/C with the cover off so the installer can drill a drain hole in a A/C that didn't have a drain hole.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAv9...se&spfreload=5

However, in the videos the installer failed to separate the hot discharge air from the needed cool air! But, still lots of interesting information about how a wood drain pan was made...but somewhat long!

Bill

[artrageous]

Thanks, I'll check it out.

[Acollot]

Bill, I'm curious how you ended up installing your AC? Do you have pictures to share?
Thanks!

[wbullivant]

Hi Acollot
Here is a link to a few pics that will help you understand the installation. Note that the area under the unit is sloped and sealed so that condensate will drain out the 4" plumbing elbow. I don't run the AC while driving because if the van tilts enough water may run into the aisle. I have found the installation to be very satisfactory but in a van with less insulation / greater heat gain results would differ. The AC draws a max of about 500 watts so on a sunny day my 650 watt solar panels will power it without draining the battery pack.
Bill

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...xGSEJJLVQ0ODNR