Seeking Advice on Basement AC Units

[OneLapper]

I'm looking for some advice on basement AC units for my 4106.

I have a 8kw diesel generator that is set up for 115vac, 63 amps which will need to run the AC units.  I plan to get rid of my roof AC units and replace them with one large, or two small, basement units.  I know I'm pushing the limits, but all of my utilities are in the rear most bay.  The center bay is a bedroom and we find we really like using it that way.  The bus doesn't have OTR AC, nor do I plan on installing it.  It has the factory roof insulation and all the original windows so it's not very energy efficient.  I'm ok with this as a majority of the time we open the windows, or we're not in the bus, when we go camping or boondocking. At night, though, we want to be comfortable.  I need to run the AC while going down the road, fully understanding that nothing will perform as well as the factory OTR AC, but this setup has to be as good as it can get.  I have an older Coleman roof unit which is 9k btu and a new Dometic Penguin 13.5k btu unit.  Both work fine, but the Dometic is too loud to sleep near and it's located in between the bunks. Also, I hate the looks of roof AC, they ruin the lines of these classic coaches.

The largest 115vac units I can easily find are 16k btu units, a bit smaller than I think I would need, so I would probably use two.  Can you guys recommend brands and models that you have experience with?  I'm considering a pair of marine AC units but have mixed feelings on using a water to air heat exchanger.  The marine units assume that you'll never be using sea water that's more than 85 degrees so the efficiency drops off when above that.  Either way, a standard unit or a marine unit, I'm still stuck with cooling the unit if it's in the bay.  I really don't want to cut huge holes into the floor to cool a standard AC unit so the marine units might not be a bad option.  I considered mini-splits, but the jury is still out on those as far as longevity goes, and I don't have a place to hang two units.  The basement units seem to bullet proof tough and compact.

So new or used, RV or marine, brands, models, setups, powering, etc., I'm asking for your feedback!

Thanks

[Lee Bradley]

Mini split?  I have a similar power source; 60 amp 115 volt.  I have installed a 24,000 Btu compressor unit in the basement with 9,000 Btu unit in the bedroom, 12,000 Btu in the kitchen/living room and 18,000 Btu above the driver.  The system requires 230 volt ac so I have a 8,000 watt step up transformer to power the system. You are looking at running ducting or copper tubing depending on the system you choose; a lot of work either way on a finished bus.  I know some members have had bad experiences with the mini splits and some say they are the best thing since sliced bread.

You pays your money and takes you're choice.
Good luck either way.

[Seangie]

Mark - we had (2) 24k basement coleman airs when we bought our bus.  Each one took up an entire bay.  The other challenge was plumbing the air intakes.  I got rid of them because they took up way too much space.  Had I known then you were looking for AC I'd have given them to you.  They did wwork very well and were quiet but they just took up too much space.

-Sean

[Cary and Don]

We have Cruise Air splits.  There is a big unit in the bay and another unit almost as big in the coach.  Copper tubing run between. Wiring harness between the two. They take up a lot of room.  They are quiet and do both a/c and heat. I would think you would need two. A lot of work to install.

Don and Cary

[lvmci]

Hi All, just made this as an experiment for driver/passenger area, difficult part was the ducting over the spare tire and staircase, less than $100 for parts, had a small room airconditioner for emergencies,  was only $100 on sale, not enough capacity for the open room, if we had a curtain behind the seat would be ok, havent tried to run the generator, the new ac and the main ac at the same time yet to see if they use too much amps together, it sits under the driver, where there was a tool compartment, the duct work was just plastic gutters 2"X3", fits together basically like an erector set, wrapped in bubble foil for insulation.  110volts, condenser vents to wheel well, just fresh air in no recirculating yet, it does work, with higher capacity I think it will work better, thats the horns to the left, lvmci...

[georgemci102a2]

I like this thread and hope to hear more.(lvmci i like the driver ac that your working on,hope to hear more on the idea and how its working out)....George..

[TomC]

Get rid of the noisy Coleman roof top and buy another Penguin heat pump and keep it with the two units on the roof. Yes roof tops don't look very nice (I have three), but they cool the best, take up no storage space, and if they take a dump can switch them out in about 2 hours. Good Luck, TomC

[georgemci102a2]

My roof warts are loud. Had to to add 4 bose speakers to hear the tv. 

[OneLapper]

Tom, it's the 15 year old Coleman that's the quiet one!  The new Penguin, dare I say, is horrible.  It ices up then dumps water on me every time I shut it off.  I'm sure there's a fix for it but I haven't found one yet.  

I agree that roof air is the cheapest, easiest way to cool the bus.  They can be easily replaced.  But the noise and ugly factor are the motivation. Plus I keep hitting my head on them.  

Sean, thanks!  At the time I wasn't really considering basement air.  As far as size goes, the marine units are compact, less than 24" HxWxL.

[TomC]

On my truck conversion, the roof is too tall for A/C's. I took 2-15,000btu Penguin straight roof A/C's and converted them to basement units. I can tell you that the combination of undermounting them in the basement and with the ducting, they are just about silent inside running and almost silent when you're standing next to the truck. Most basement units, like from Dometic or Coleman are just roof top equipment mounted in a cabinet. I chose to save 50% by doing it myself. Good Luck, TomC

[OneLapper]

On my truck conversion, the roof is too tall for A/C's. I took 2-15,000btu Penguin straight roof A/C's and converted them to basement units. I can tell you that the combination of undermounting them in the basement and with the ducting, they are just about silent inside running and almost silent when you're standing next to the truck. Most basement units, like from Dometic or Coleman are just roof top equipment mounted in a cabinet. I chose to save 50% by doing it myself. Good Luck, TomC

Ah, I see where you're going with this!  I'll look into that

[gumpy]

If anyone is interested, I have available to sell, a brand new Coleman dual compressor basement A/C heat pump unit. A friend bought this for his bus
and never installed it. He's selling his bus and everything he has for it. It's currently in MN. Would be difficult to ship, but not impossible. 
I'll probably be taking the bus and all the stuff to Alabama later this summer, so if you're along the way, we can make accommodations.

$1000 will buy it, and be a good deal considering they are very expensive new.

I'm offering this for my friend. I make nothing on it other than the satisfaction of helping him, and some other busnut.

craig

[Boomer]

That's a good buy on Gumpy's Coleman 2 ton plus.  I would snap that up.  I have one in my Silverside and like it a lot.  Sitting in 95 deg. right now, nice and chilly inside the bus.  It's my understanding that RV Products isn't manufacturing the 2 ton plus anymore since most of them went into the Alpha See Ya S&S's.  A good unit, lots of BTU's in a fairly compact size, great air flow.  JMO

Mark

[OneLapper]

Craig,

I'll send you a PM tonight.  I'm interested. 

[Mex-Busnut]

Hello, most honorable OneLapper! Awesome-looking bus.

Check out my bus build thread (and also Robert Glines) for the installation of mini-splits in our buses, using the cargo bays for the "outside" units. Just another option for you.