Portable 12k BTU Installed In Toy Hauler

[1L243]

I recently did the AC ducting Mod on my 13.5 Dometic AC. I posted earlier that I found that the ducts inside the AC compartment were barely open not allowing much cold air to travel though the duct system. Just repairing that alone made a big difference. I decided to go ahead with the Ducting mod and was very pleased with the air flow I now have.

I have a Honda 2000 watt Inverter generator. Not big enough to run the Dometic AC. This last weekend I installed the Easy Start Which reduces amps at start up allowing you to run smaller generators

I purchased the Easy Start from Hutchmountain.com. They make a great youtube installation video which was the same AC as mine.

I checked amp draw at the main panel before Easy start and it was around 32 amps After Easy Start it was 18.2 amps.

I can now start and run my roof AC on my 2000 watt generator.


Which brings me to my most recent Mod a Portable AC unit for the garage of my Toy Hauler

I purchased the 12k BTU Portable AC at a garage sale for $40! It did not come with the ducting kit. Luckily I found that the company still sold parts even though the AC unit has been discontinued. Parts about $89

I tested the unit before ordering the parts and it works fine. The filter was clean and did not show much use.

For the installation in my Toy Hauler the problem I had there is a happyjack bed in the ceiling of the Toy Hauler. When it is in the up position it covers the only AC vent in the garage.

My garage has two vents that vent inside air outside one high on the right side and one low on the left side of the trailer. This makes for a perfect spot to vent the AC.


on the inside of the trailer I used a plastic storage box aprrox 7x13x4 with locking lid. I bolted the lid around the vent frame on the inside after I cut a hole in the lid the same size as the vent opening.


I cut a round circle to fit the flange for the vent tubing in the box.




I snapped the box onto the lid using the latches. I then ran the AC ducting from the AC to the Vent Box.





To collect condensation a drain hose it attached to the AC and fed into a container or can exit the same way as the AC ducting tube though the vent.

It works great and probably about 1/4 the cost of a new Portable AC unit.




PS. I tested and it will run on my Honda Generator but only one AC at a time.



I have a 30 amp trailer so If I want to run both AC's at the same time I will need to plug into the pedestal separately.

[valhalla360]

Fulltimers wrote:
I tried one of those and ran into 2 problems. One was the condensation. It filled a bucket with water every day. If I forget to dump the bucket I had a flood inside the motorhome. The second was the air that gets discharged outside has to come from somewhere. It drew in so much hot outside air in through every vent and hole it pretty much defeated the purpose.

1) Had a unit where the condensate dripped onto the fan (by design). This would atomize it and send it out with the exhaust air.
2) I would recommend getting a dual hose unit. The single hose units pull air from the interior to cool the condensor and then blow it outside. The dual hose units pull outside air in and then exhaust it. The net result is it's much more effective.

OP: Great job, never thought to use those vents.

[LouLawrence]

I used a similar setup when one of my A/C's went out. It was 110 outside and with my one working A/C plus the portable A/C it was in the 70's inside the coach. There was no issue with too much hot air being drawn in and I was able to run the drain tube to an outside drain. It was a nightmare until we installed the portable and a pleasure once it was up and running. If you are uncomfortable and have somewhere to exhaust the air it an excellent option.

[1L243]

AppFire wrote:
This is a dog with fleas. Been there, done that. Will not work as you are hoping.

Chris

In my case it is working just fine. Especially for how much money I
have into it.

[1L243]

Fulltimers wrote:
I tried one of those and ran into 2 problems. One was the condensation. It filled a bucket with water every day. If I forget to dump the bucket I had a flood inside the motorhome. The second was the air that gets discharged outside has to come from somewhere. It drew in so much hot outside air in through every vent and hole it pretty much defeated the purpose.

I'm running a drain tube so no bucket. I imagine it depends on the humidity on how fast a bucket will fill up.

Not unlike the Roof AC air which also sucks in air from inside the cabin..

I close all vents and windows so what ever leaks in in not noticeable.

Keep in mind this is a 12k BTU AC in a small 8x10 garage.. I reached a comfortable temp in 90 degree whether in about 45 minutes.

[1L243]

bgum wrote:
Please describe what you are doing with the condensation. I have a portable but it is rarely used and have never hooked anything to the AC other than the large hose. It does have a small 1/2 inch fitting with a cap on the end.

I'm using clear tubing on the fitting with the cap on it. Remove the cap and mine also has a plug inside the tube and screw on the clear tubing. I am running about 5 feet of tubing out the same vent as the AC exhaust.

I'm using larger clear tubing to go over the 1/2 inch fitting. It's a tight fit it kind of screws on. I use smaller clear tubing that fits tightly inside that tubing so I don't have to use such large tubing to where it exits the trailer through the side vent.

[AppFire]

This is a dog with fleas. Been there, done that. Will not work as you are hoping.

Chris

[austinjenna]

Nice work

[Fulltimers]

I tried one of those and ran into 2 problems. One was the condensation. It filled a bucket with water every day. If I forget to dump the bucket I had a flood inside the motorhome. The second was the air that gets discharged outside has to come from somewhere. It drew in so much hot outside air in through every vent and hole it pretty much defeated the purpose.

[bgum]

Please describe what you are doing with the condensation. I have a portable but it is rarely used and have never hooked anything to the AC other than the large hose. It does have a small 1/2 inch fitting with a cap on the end.

[1L243]

LouLawrence wrote:
Those A/C units produce a high volume of air that needs to exit that vent. You might want to check the amount of back pressure of the exhaust air as that exit vent has lots of holes but it has much more solid space. I had a similar setup for an Cruisair unit and it could only be made to work properly once the vent was opened up. Changed it out to an expanded metal grid and everything was great.

Thanks for the input. The surface area of the vent is far greater than the diameter of the vent tube 5 inches. The actual vent opening on the back of the AC is even smaller than the vent tube.

I don't feel any escaping air from the airbox as you mightrhink if air was being restricted.

Other than that I don't have any way to measure back pressure.

I would not modify the air vent on the side of the trailer as I want it to remain stock. should I take the AC out.

I am confident the exhaust air has ample area to exit.

[LouLawrence]

Those A/C units produce a high volume of air that needs to exit that vent. You might want to check the amount of back pressure of the exhaust air as that exit vent has lots of holes but it has much more solid space. I had a similar setup for an Cruisair unit and it could only be made to work properly once the vent was opened up. Changed it out to an expanded metal grid and everything was great.

[garyemunson]

Good job!