Closet Vent for A/C got a facelift

[Bob H]

Following the photo tour of the A/C mod, I realized I should show what I was replacing, and how I installed a replacement vent cover. I've made a Photo Album showing this mod as well.

The Scamp had a very sick homebrewed A/C in the closet when I got it...it was my first major repair that was needed to make the trailer healthy again.

Once I cleaned out the old Junk, I bought a Fridge Vent Door from Scamp and modified it to work in a narrower hole, (It was the right height, just too wide).

By trimming off the Aluminum tab on the backside of the door rim on the left side and around the two radius corners, I could make the door fit inside the existing opening. The door's rim on that side had to be pressed flat as well. The Aluminum Door Rim was cut trim with a Dremel Tool with several highspeed abrasive cutting disks.

To get the opening ready to take a new door I first had to clean up the opening and build it up with fiberglass filler to assume a better shape. I sanded, shaped and painted my work to blend in the edges of the gaping hole in the side of the trailer.

Please enjoy the photos... I hope they serve as inspiration
Here's the Album:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ki4hee/album...hcd4mEBdqIR1sKE

[Ed Harris]

You are certainly right Bob,that was a gaping maw!

I like the Roto-Zip for cutting the fiberglass as it has more power than the Dremel and more power makes for better control.
It is the most messy tool on earth though to use.

I prefer a jigsaw with a fine tooth blade and a lot of patience. The cut is easier to control and the dust is minimal too.

I really like the new vent door,I may have to get one for mine when I switch my A.C. unit to inside the closet.
I installed it into the rear window last season and I am not satisfied with the way that went.

Keep the pics coming.

[Bob H]

You are certainly right Bob,that was a gaping maw!

I like the Roto-Zip for cutting the fiberglass as it has more power than the Dremel and more power makes for better control.
It is the most messy tool on earth though to use.

I prefer a jigsaw with a fine tooth blade and a lot of patience. The cut is easier to control and the dust is minimal too.

I really like the new vent door,I may have to get one for mine when I switch my A.C. unit to inside the closet.
I installed it into the rear window last season and I am not satisfied with the way that went.

Keep the pics coming.

I got the Dremel as a Christmas Gift one year, very handy. I like my jigsaw too but the Dremel is great for getting into close places.

If you put your A/C in the closet and it's wider than 12", get the intake air in from above from a separate opening. Modify the A/C cover to draw more air from above.

BTW, Thanks Ed for the kind words.

[Brian B-P]

The "hillbilly" A/C installation was about as bad as it gets, but I think Bob has more than compensated for it with a very nice job.

I admire the courage to take on anything that looks like that original setup - I think I would have declined to buy the trailer.

[Bob H]

The "hillbilly" A/C installation was about as bad as it gets, but I think Bob has more than compensated for it with a very nice job.

I admire the courage to take on anything that looks like that original setup - I think I would have declined to buy the trailer.

...not for the price I paid for it...I'm not going to be explicit, but let's just say that the guy I bought it from doesn't "do" the internet, never has been on Ebay, & didn't know what he had. It was literally a deal I couldn't pass up.

Thanks for the kudos'

[MyronL]

Sometimes you just got to make changes but whoever put that AC vent in musta been on his third bottle of Uncle Jack. Really fine work on the changes. That was some rude-looking vent, Bob.

I had two vents I wanted to replace, neither one near as bad as what you had to deal with. I finally gave up searching for replacement vents in the right size/right price. The two served a 3-way under-counter refrigerator I also jacked. One was a simple louvered vent I thought invited road wash and critters inside, and the other was above it, containing a now irelevant, but very heavy industrial strength fan. Decided to fill those holes with fiberglass.

[Bob H]

I had two vents I wanted to replace...

EEUUUUU! That was some set of vents! Great Job cleaning up the eyesore!