Adding (back)air conditioner

deleted!

Replacement lid from Fan-Tastic Vent showed up.

They also sent a new lift arm assembly, not sure why but I went ahead and swapped it out.

New lid is smoke, wasn't sure what color I was getting. Its nice, can see thru it, and lets light thru, camera doesn't like it.


Ended up with 12" between the 2 14" holes. Forgot how much fun the Dicor self leveling caulk is. While I had the 2 holes open I should have prerun wire across the roof for when/if planned solar panel addition happens, hindsight.


More than likely I'm pulling off the shroud today, painting the AC base white and some of the metal bits exposed behind grill -it really stands out. Maybe it wont look as tall as it is but the black bugs me. Replace the shroud screws with stainless, slow the rust down a bit. Piddly stuff.


Edit:

New vent lid. Removed the shroud and paint most of the sheet metal bits and screws with zinc, painted what showed thru grill black (not condenser). Painted the base white.

I also sealed the hole that leads inside where wires pass. The hole is in one top of the plastic fan housing, looks like half a tube of sealant was squirted in but still didn't seal top of hole. From inside (with shroud off) I could see light. ? Where its at probably only would have leaked while driving in hard rain.


White base just looks better to me, less visible to my eye anyway. Now were done.

Nice neat work! Good job. You will enjoy the AC especially if you ever venture down to our neck of the woods.

Yay!!! Congratulations on a job well done! Functional and good looking too! I love it when a project is completed and working. Nothing like looking back and thinking.. "That's what I wanted to do.... and I DID it!" :)

Cheers!

Dak

Just concluding this. Campers buttoned up. Nice to do a project cause I want to.

Got the vent rewired. Cut interior sleeve to fit, bit tight as it slips between the fan control plate and exterior sleeve that drops down. Theres only about a 1/16+ gap sleeve slides between. With the vent at an angle in relation to interior ceiling takes abit to get started but otherwise slipped right in.

Slides not completely out, but a bit awkward for me to reach the knob because of slide floor in front of the refer.


Trimmed the ceiling panel trim. Started picking up the camper. Pretty happy, got AC back and keep our vent...


Margaret came out, shes is really happy with the new AC as the heat really bothers her. She was impressed with the vent over the fridge, "This will be nice, its better over to the side as its always dark on this side", then steps up on the slide floor in front of the fridge like shes been doing it forever, opens the vent. "Perfect" She says and closes the vent. "Do you need any help putting your tools away?" Uhh, no I got it, thanks. And she goes back to the house.

Standing there for a minute, I step up on the slide floor and reach for the vent...huh.

2 days later, Record heat, been a bit slow to button up, hit 104° here on the central coast other day.



Yesterday hi 80s. Moved the slide out. Vent is going between AC and fridge. Wish the camper was a clean as looks in pic-its a disaster.

Originally I was going to place as close as possible to AC, decided to leave as much material as practical between and still have vent fully exposed in front of refer when slide out.



It literally took me 3 hours to get to this point. Working blind from roof getting the 14" hole centered between the rafters. Framing the hole with 1x s, placement pretty critical as the space between rafter is ~15 1/2". Drilling exploratory holes, locate rafters, drill a bit more, cut holes larger, etc till have square hole centered.

As the inside ceiling is flat and roof slopes to outside wall, cut the front and back to match spacing/angle between. Worked to my advantage as I could slide pieces into the larger side, then slide back centering. Cut a little over 20" long, diagonal of hole. Glue and stapled blocks on end to have attachment place for side pieces.

Liberally applied glue to all surface thats touched something, add some more glue and stapled to rafters. Ill staple roof to box once sides on.



Sides cut and stapled to front and back with even more glue. I almost stapled the side piece on forgetting to pull the 12v feed wire. Removed, drill a hole, retrieved the wires and then stapled. Good grief. Then stapled perimeter of roof to box. Drill holes thru ceiling panel in corners to get placement.




Removed the support I had forcing the ceiling panels against the rafters. Scribed the hole.



Whoo whoo we got light. I hadn't realized when planning this the angled space between the roof and ceiling. Hopefully not an issue with fitting the inside trim sleeve. I will need to cut a bit both in height and angle.


Surprisingly its square to the ceiling panel trim it will butt against-Didn't have any control over that as rafters placed.
Squirted some more glue between ceiling panel and rafter, staple ceiling to box with 1/2" crown stapler.

Was getting late but decided to set the vent in hole. Good thing seriously wet fog last night. Im waiting for it to burn off before I get back on the roof this morning. Removing the lid I had pre-drill all the holes, laid butyl tape on the flange and screwed it down. As it got late I didn't trim the butyl, first this I want to do. Hoping its not problem trimming after setting over night.



Almost done, few details, installing the fan control & wire, trimming the interior sleeve/garnish. Get the butyl trimmed, Ill Dicor flange & screws when it looks like done oozing. Trim the ceiling panel trim to fit. Probably add some finished pics...just waiting for the roof to dry. Typical 65° high fog coastal day.

Unit arrived few days ago-tiny footprint but tall. Because it's so short looks even taller, I think our old one was about 10" this is 12 5/8", thats Tall. But it fits the available space we have, considerable less cost and at 72#, especially after turning it on yesterday pretty stoked. More stoked thats its done.

I didn't get a picture on the roof, it was too hot to uncover and get up there. Hid out in the shop all day. But reminds me the old air scoops they use to run on Vdubs, shark fin.

edit roof pics added at end



One of the 'pre install items.
Not sure it was needed, probably non issue but I just didn't like the 32 screw holes from vent that would end up 1/2" from perimeter of AC gasket. So I wrapped with some 4" eterna bond tape. Local RV sells by the foot. Split into 2" strips for end and sides, cut front to 3" center taper to 2" on ends. Overlapped from bottom up. Thinking slight edge might help divert nightly fog from running and setting against the AC gasket. Again probably unneeded.
After AC done Im cutting a new hole to reinstall the Fan-Tastic Vent beside AC.


Last 'pre was reconnecting stub wire from ceiling AC pre wire connection box. Drilled a new hole to route closer to box of AC.



'Accidentally' got it on the roof yesterday. I was in the middle of loading camper and the AC stuff to take to friends. But getting the AC box into the camper it became apparent that wasn't going to happen. I had dead lifted from ground and sat on the patio railing. If I can lift it and carry into the camper it would be easier to walk up a ladder..so I tried not knowing if I could. Lifted from the railing onto 6', got on the 8' drug it over, then tilted the box toward roof, one shove and it was up there. I was amazed-been setting on it for 3 days.


And installed.





Not overly impressed with the way the inside unit interfaces, just different, primarily that is uses the vent hole thru roof and the ceiling as part of the distribution box. It uses a foam block that divides the 14" hole. At least Im use to an interior metal box thats is fed by duct between the top & inside units. Works, part of the cost reduction I assume. I sealed & lined the 14" (wood) vent hole with aluminum tape. As this will only be used infrequently maybe a couple of times a year not really that concerned. Otherwise if used a lot easy enough to cut a piece of sheet, box and duct.


Pretty easy install once the unit on roof. Couple of snafus, mostly operator error. The whole time I was getting ready I had the orientation of inside shroud 180° off. With the divider and inside metal in place, umm Im scratching my head 'why is the 110V on the wrong side'-looking thru instructions no mention of how to get thru divider to 110v box to connect, hey that 'front' is... :S Dohh...

Took it apart, pulled and rerun my new prewire that I had rerouted to what I thought was closer back thru original hole in vent hole.

Second was my new clicker inch pound wrench. It doesn't audibly click, at least at lower settings lower than 50. Fortunately I started out at 20, I realized this seems awfully tight and not clicking and took to shop. Figured out its not audible, handle kind flops. Rechecked the ac and I was up to 35 before I noted the handle indication. Rerun to 45 inch pounds.

Other than that pretty quick. Bolted down, I connected the wiring. I had pulled the inside ceiling panel trim. Im cutting to fit so inside shroud sets flush against ceiling.

Install the shroud and turned on. Surprised, It is way quieter that our old coleman. Walked in the house to get a cup of coffee, back to the camper I open the door... wow.



Dropped from 82° to 67° in time it took to go get a cup. The 80° is inside refer. Pretty cool, literally, the air output on our old unit was never as cold. Though only 82° I hope this is indication of what we might expect. Margaret is excited.

Have 10" between the AC and solar panel so shouldn't see any shading, I can walk by. I don't think for most, due to its height the Brisk ll a good choice on a TC but its a nice unit and only viable option in our case.

Last detail was the knobs. The have a little bump that is indicator. Hard to tell which way its pointing once knob is turned.

Used a small ball end on Dremel, filled with paint-that'll work.
Other than getting AC up on the roof, only real work is cleaning old vent hole if replacing a vent.




Next reinstall the Vent beside the AC.

Well as you cant buy much for a dime nowadays if we tag up we'll splurge on some dounuts and a cup to dunk em in :)

Inside half of AC arrived..hope the 80# box survives the trip better.
Looked like it was drop kicked into the truck, hmm, appears fine though. Ill be inspecting top unit pretty good. Watched a video fella installed one, apparently pan was bent but didnt note until after installed-retailer wouldnt warranty. Thats gotta hurt..

AnEv942 wrote:
KUDOS to Fan-Tastic Vent!
Just got off the phone with Fan-Tastic Vent. As I didnt know about the lid and sunburning if covered but they are shipping me a new lid! Not even a hesitation. Just pay shipping, oh wait its under 4 years -we pick up the shipping. Hokey smoke.

What can you say when a company responds like that. Im just amazed.

Cool! That's been my experiences with them over the many years I've had their products. So. Do you owe me dimes or donuts? ;)

Dak

Oh, phew! I was concerned for a moment LOL!