Forum Discussion

Mark_Spears's avatar
Mark_Spears
Explorer
Jul 17, 2014

Has anyone ever tried a portable A/C in their class C???

I have a 1993 Dutchman 30' Class C that has the old style roof A/C that isn't ducted. The unit does a pretty good job keeping the front room cool during the heat of the day, (90+ here in South Texas), but the back room gets pretty hot. I am considering one of those stand alone portable units for the backroom, but I have some questions.

1. Will the Onan 4000 be able to power both units simultaneously?

2. Has anyone ever tried one before?

3. How loud are they?

Any advice would be appreciated!

20 Replies

  • Also, since the AC is also a dehumidifier of sorts, you'll have to empty the water reservoir a couple of times per 24 hours or so depending on local temp and humidity.
  • I know that these can be cheap if its a wally world window unit, but check craigs list for ac's and just add a roof one for the rear. Ive seen roof units for a couple of hundred advertised. Just would need someone to run a circuit to it and you see these being shown in the rv magazines a lot.

    Just a thought.

    Just took a look at CL here locally: $500 about what a 9000 room (like the above picture)air costs and all its associated hassles.

    http://phoenix.craigslist.org/evl/rvs/4537668062.html

    http://tucson.craigslist.org/rvd/4539036179.html
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    If you got the room next to an outside window I think this would be a great idea...

    Being around 8000BTU you can run this off a 2KW Generator as well...



    We sometimes carry a window 5K BTU unit and sit it in our unused POPUP tent bed area and have it sticking outside all taped up to the window flap fabric with duct tape. Works good on some of the extended stays we sometimes do. The main idea is we can run this with our 2KW generator where the roof unit is too big to do this with...

    Back in our tent camping days we use to see alot of tents with a window unit sticking out of the door sitting on some boards all taped in hehe...

    5K BTU units work very well from a 2KW Generator...

    Roy Ken
  • the one I saw at sam's club had a maximum height of the exhaust of 3 ft.
    bumpy
  • I have a couple of portable A/C units at my work. I guess the more expensive ones are quiet, while the cheap one is kinda noisy.

    Make sure that is has two hoses, so it will take in outside air to cool the compressor. The single hose units take air that is cool and de-humidified from your room and blow it outside, sometimes so quickly that is it hardly worth running it, because so much unfiltered and humid air will be coming in anyplace it can to make up for the 100 CFM exhausted air out the window!

    9,000 Btu is about the largest that the generator can support in addition to the rooftop unit you already have. Most of the window adapters are set up for square end windows. The plastic is probably easy to cut with heavy duty scissors or perhaps some sheet metal sheers.

    You might also try taking in air from the window, and blow out the hot air through the roof vent in the bedroom. But you can not take in air and blow out from the same roof top vent, they are to close together.

    Good luck!

    Fred.
  • I have one for hurricane back-up here in FL. It cools well but is probably too loud to sleep with it running if right next to me.

    When my RV bedroom gets too hot, I put a fan on the floor right under the AC unit and it blows the cool air to the bedroom. It works well for us.
  • I have no experience with adding a portable A/C to a C, but I was wondering if you have tried using a fan, to circulate air to the back of the motor home ?
  • Is your roof top AC 1500 BTUs? If not, consider changing that first. Might make the difference.
  • I can't comment in the C, but we use one at home. They're pretty big, so you'd need to make sure you have a good space for it, and it needs to be open a bit on the front and back for air intake. And then you'll need to figure out a way to rig the hot air exhaust out the window. The little shield thing is made for double hung windows, but I'm sure something could be figured out to go out a sliding RV window.

    But I think your biggest concern is going to be the noise. You're right, they're loud. Loud. Everything is there in the room with you, and in an RV it would even be a smaller space than at home. Not something for light sleepers, but if you like a "white noise" that will drown out anything it might not be too bad, or if you're turning it on during the day or to chill it down for the evening but not sleeping with it, that would work.

    I've never looked at the draw on ours so I can't comment on the genny, but I would think it wouldn't have a problem with it.