mini split air conditioners

[happycamperbrat]

I am considering getting one, but I was reading http://www.harborpointac.com/ebay/ads/download/example_guide.pdf which is installation instructions for one of them and the clearances it advises cannot be obtained in a bus. To those people who use these type of air conditioners, what brand do you use? how do you have them set up in your bus? did you do it yourself or hire someone to do it? what btus are you getting? do you have the heat pump too? how quiet are they? how well do they work? Thanks!

[robertglines1]

two issues  level coach if it is not will spill over to inside...enough air to outside condenser....solution catch pan in cabinet installation..and use old bus air conditioner condenser compartment with outside forced air induction...Hope Nick will chime in here he has done it and these problems he pointed out to me...

[Jerry32]

I installed mine myself ( 1 ton ) and has condensate drain to outside under the bus I could put louvers on doors of the cargo compartment but havn't as I just open the doors. It is a Heat pump and works very well both ways. Uses 410 gas and is very efficient. I have had it for three years now and still working well. Jerry

[JohnEd]

The clear spec does not consider forced air circulation.  I thought a "square" condenser/compressor would work without a fan if I could exhaust the thing outside and let that internal fan circulate the air it needed.  And a round one would waste alot of bay space.  Trade offs......always trade offs.

John

[Melbo]

Jerry

Were the connections on that unit the flare type or were they brazed???

If they are the flare type have you had to add any charge to the system???

I have a unit I am going to install that is heat pump and cooler but I have been curious about the connections working loose from vibration.

Melbo

[robertglines1]

Jerry 1 ton on a 40 ft coach???does it hold temp to 72 in 90 plus weather??what about circulation inside...where did you locate evaporator??

[John Z]

What brands are you guys using? I would like to use mine for OTR, so opening the bay doors is not an option. Are the compartments your using vented on the floor as well as the door?

[robertglines1]

John the one I plan on using is open on sides louvered top to bottom 53 inches wide and has two 12 inch holes in floor where otr ac condenser is located now.(2 fans there now) draws air in door and Thur factory condenser out bottom...will probably reverse operation as split air comes with own fan...and remove 24 volt fans.and put mesh over opening in floor and leave for air inlet to mini split ac...that is what I did when I used two window units before..they presented return air and ducting problems..I solved those but looks with efficiency loss that way the mini split could be far the best with less BTU needed to heat and cool space...Bob

What brands are you guys using? I would like to use mine for OTR, so opening the bay doors is not an option. Are the compartments your using vented on the floor as well as the door?

[robertglines1]

Jerry 1 ton on a 40 ft coach???does it hold temp to 72 in 90 plus weather??what about circulation inside...where did you locate evaporator??

This scares me just 12000 btu need feed back here..I know their figures say it will be more than enough...would be a great surprise though...and a boost to our coach air cost...especially to cost in camp grounds where you have to pay electic extra..

[happycamperbrat]

Could the condensation be rerouted to a special tank just for the toilet (and of course the toilet would still get regular water as well)? What brands and btus are you people using that have them? Would one large unit or 2 smaller units be advised in a 40' bus? Can the fresh air come from underneath the bus (like a vented floor only)? Are they practical for both on the road as well as boondocking? How much battery and inverter would be required? Im thinking about going with 10 batteries and an inverter only instead of a generator...... would this work?

[pvcces]

A one ton unit is nearly equal to three portable electric heaters. If you buy the current high SEER versions, you should be able to power one up with little more than 3/4 KW. This size has been available as either 120 or 240 volt. Be sure to get the 120 volt model to keep your installed cost down.

The indoor unit would work pretty well if it was placed just behind the destination sign pointed aft. I think that the specs call for a minimum of 12 feet for unobstructed air flow. These move something like 300 CFM, so you'll feel the air moving and hear it. You will hear the compressor some when it is running, as well.

We are using Harbor Point units and have had no trouble with the business, except that they are often very busy. They tell me that there will be no more of the 13 SEER units when they restock in May. We have been buying them to use in apartments and they have been meeting and exceeding spec.

They are, by far, the least expensive way to heat your coach, even if you are plugged into shore power all the time. And the high SEER units available now say they will operate down to -4F and have 2/3 of full output at 17F. They even tolerate input voltage swings from around 200 to 250 volts.

I haven't tried ours out on modified sign wave power yet. Maybe someone else has.

For what it's worth.

Tom Caffrey

[JohnEd]

Robery.

Scares me too.  They spec the 12,000 for a max 500 sq foot home.  8X40 is 320 and that is a lot of glass and metal you don't find in a ome.  They spec the size to be able to maintain that 72 in a 90 degree ambient or whatever they use for numbers.  They don't discuss how long it will take to get the bus down to 75 if it is sitting at a 140 degree heat soak at start up nor can they discuss the air leaks of a bus at 60 mph.   I don't think the mins will get it.

I truly am in favor of redundancy and hot spares.... when I can afford it.  The systems I saw that I realy admired were the splits with two 1 ton units.   One for the rear and one for the front zone.  If one failed you could "limp" along on the remaining unit.  If they both crashed you could stay alive using the engine powered OTR system while parked and while OTR.

I will always have propane furnaces for dry camping and short in transit stops for rest and meals.  Cheapest heat in town.

HTH

John

[robertglines1]

I'm definitely a do it your self-er...haven't the money to do it any other way...have been using window air conditioners in a home built box placed in a bay with lovered doors. ducting has been a problem..but can be accomplished...the cost is close to the same with almost none of the problems of ducting..my present home built basement air is dollar effective for operation..I use 37000 BTU to keep a 40 ft coach and two front bays cooled: the bays are cooled because I used them for cold air return...eliminating the bays I could get away with a lot less BTU...doing a 45 ft salvage shell now is a 98 prevost paid 1200.dollars for:no engine or trans..plan on whole project for under 30 grand..the mini split would give more design ease and a lot less work for heating and air....I can see where this is far more ease of installation...more cost efficient in initial cost....free up bay space that would have been used for home built basement air...thanks to all considering trying two separate units a 1 ton for front and a 3/4 for rear.according to what I have gleaned here and at their site this should be over killed....Any more thoughts????size??   Bob

[luvrbus]

Guys there are plenty of marine AC's out there in split or self contained units while I admire you guys trying to figure these out I took the easy way and bought the Crusiair 2 mounted in the spare tire compartment 1 at the rear no holes in the side of my bus no duct work.
Ocean Breeze and Aqua Air have some nice self contained units or split units also

good luck

[happycamperbrat]

does anyone have any photos to share of their system/installation?