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Anybody Try a free standing Air Conditioner?


coachmac9

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Our front air went out and looking for options. We weren't real crazy about the Dometic unit that came with the RV and were wondering if anybody has tried these types of units. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

 

 

https://www.amazon.com/LG-Electronics-LP0814WNR-115-volt-Conditioner/dp/B00JIURCTA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1469134312&sr=8-1&keywords=free+standing+ac+unit




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The upside is that they can be good for spot cooling. The down side is unless the unit gets its input air from a separate hose outside of the space it is cooling, it will suck as much outside air into the room as it exhausts. Yes, cooler right in front of it but the whole space will not cool nearly as much and if it is quite humid outside, that infiltration air will be bringing more moisture inside.

 

I have one unit in my tow vehicle. I have a different model in my S&B garage. Both cool me right in front of it but it is like cooling oneself by sitting infront of a refrigerator with the door open and a fan blowing through it. No real improvement in the bigger space.

 

8000 btu is not much heat transfer and for a space the size of a real RV (other than maybe a popup) it will cool on warmish days but likely have no noticeable effect on hotter, muggier days. Some units are much quieter than others, too. Check the noise ratings, there is a lot of difference. The Panasonic I have has moving vents and even on high, is whisper quiet for a 9,000 btu unit. BTW, these guys are heavy, too. Mine is right at 100 lbs. so wheels, or not, it is like moving a bag of cement around.

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This unit is only 8000 BTUH, where a typical RV unit is 13,500 or 15,000 BTUH. So you would have a little over 1/2 of the cooling ability.

 

Next, you have to connect one or two large plastic hoses to vent the condenser air. You will also have to drain the condensed water from the unit.

 

In short, I would say, don't waste your money on on of the little portable units.

 

If you want to try something abit different, you might look at some of the mini-splits units like below:

http://www.heatandcool.com/12000-btu-klimaire-16-seer-ductless-mini-split-inverter-ac-heat-pump-system.html?ctm_campaign=roi+shopping&gclid=CjwKEAjw5cG8BRDQj_CNh9nwxTUSJAAHdX3fvvOns8JDrmMOql7EnlQvJ48Lyxaygw-AComElZr7CBoC5bfw_wcB

 

You would have to find a place to mount the condensing unit and run the refrigerant lines inside to the wall mounted fan unit. The one shown is also a heat pump.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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An entrance booth I worked in got one of those after we complained about it being 98 with just fans blowing. If we left the unit running all night long when it cooled into the 70's at night it would keep it at 95 during the day. We got a whole 3 degree of cooling. It was exhausted as instructed out a window - only felt any cool if you sat right in front of it. I would never buy one.

Pat DeJong

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Seen mini split units on TT's. Place condenser unit on tongue. Couple of Utube videos on them. They reported work great and quiet. Have been used in HDT's, I hear, and fail. They run these trucks steady though. We don't put put near the miles though.

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Look at the mini-split units. Place the condensing unit on the rear bumper or the front tongue area.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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We have a 10k btu portable, and I would say performance is marginal at best. Ours pulls air from inside the coach, and must be exhausted outside. When we bought it during a very hot summer in Texas, I created a panel to exhaust it out the driver side window. We used it that month, we later used it in the stick house, I have used it in my shop, and we recently used it in the MH when one compressor of our dual compressor basement ac unit was not working. It will help a little, but it definitely will not keep you "cool".

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I had one of the free standing units in my semi vented to outside, worked marginal. It would over heat and shut down in really hot weather. Like others have said, it was only cool right in front of it. I saw a few semi's with mini splits that hadn't had any problems. I have two mini splits in the bus, one front and rear, work great. You can't really hear them running, it's just cool inside. One of the condensers is directly below my bunk, sometimes I get a 'sense' that it's running, but I can't really hear it. :) Getting to be more and more converted buses running them. I have two of the newer inverter type 12,000 btu units. Start up current draw is about 2 amps slowly climbing to about 7. I can run both of them off of my 3000 watt pure sine wave inverter. In 98° sitting in the sun, combined current draw of was 15, kept the interior of a 40' bus as cool as I wanted it to be.

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The mini split units used on a semi do have some vibration issues. However, if you mount the exterior unit on the back of the cab - NOT on the deck - then they seem to perform much better. It is typically the hose connections that fail from movement. Mounted all on the same moving object minimizes this.

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one what, mini split or free standing?

Had to be a freestanding portable. The mini-splits work EXCEPTIONALLY well.

Jack & Danielle Mayer #60376 Lifetime Member
Living on the road since 2000

PLEASE no PM's. Email me. jackdanmayer AT gmail
2016 DRV Houston 44' 5er (we still have it)
2022 New Horizons 43' 5er
2016 Itasca 27N 28' motorhome 
2019 Volvo 860, D13 455/1850, 236" wb, I-Shift, battery-based APU
No truck at the moment - we use one of our demo units
2016 smart Passion, piggyback on the truck
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
See our website for info on New Horizons 5th wheels, HDTs as tow vehicles, communications on the road, and use of solar power
www.jackdanmayer.com
Principal in RVH Lifestyles. RVH-Lifestyles.com

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Guess I'm gonna be the anomaly.

 

45 foot fiver in three, garage-salon-MBR, sections. Roof units in MBR and salon. Garage got hot....very hot. Got an 8000BTU free standing unit. Cut a hole in the garage floor for the air/condensate dump (with a screw in deck plug for when not in use) closed the slider to the salon and now the garage is 74ºF..... all day long. LOVE IT.

 

Fyi, Garage is 12' deep, 8' wide and about 10' tall and not very well insulated.

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Oscar,

 

What is the make and model number of the A/C?

 

AL

 

45 foot fiver in three, garage-salon-MBR, sections. Roof units in MBR and salon. Garage got hot....very hot. Got an 8000BTU free standing unit. Cut a hole in the garage floor for the air/condensate dump (with a screw in deck plug for when not in use) closed the slider to the salon and now the garage is 74ºF..... all day long. LOVE IT.

 

Fyi, Garage is 12' deep, 8' wide and about 10' tall and not very well insulated.

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I would also lean towards a mini split....they are very quiet. They are also available in a heat pump configuration.

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Once again, thanks to all for the information...I have never heard of the mini split so I am going to have to educate myself on them...do any of you have videos of doing the installation or just more information on any of your personal web sites (or blogs) or do I just need to go browse YouTube? Thanks again for your assistance!!!




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No reason a mini-split should not work in a class A or a class C. The problem will be locating the condensing unit and getting the lines run to the evaporator/fan unit. As note, most come with lines and hoses for 16 feet.

 

Ken

Amateur radio operator, 2023 Cougar 22MLS, 2022 F150 Lariat 4x4 Off Road, Sport trim <br />Travel with 1 miniature schnauzer, 1 standard schnauzer and one African Gray parrot

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I plan on mounting the compressor/condensor unit on the rear bumper and mounting the evaporator on the back bedroom wall so it blows down the hall toward the front of the RV. I'm planning on a class A, but thos would work with any rear bedroom Class C or trailer. My reasoning that it is more important to keep the bedroom cool at night, especially when boondocking and limited air conditioning power is available. I also plan on using the heat pump feature to efficiently warm the bedroom in cool weather too, sparing propane use.

 

Chip

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Sushidog, we also have a Class A, guess I should have said that in the first post, and am interested in where and how to mount all the parts of the Mini Split...they seem to be about the only option to replace the ceiling units that come with the coach. Guess I will go search the Youtube site and see if there are any available there.




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