Air conditioner in bay

[jatnip]

Would there be any problem with putting a household window air conditioner in the bay of a bus and then ducting it up into the bus?  My bus has 3 roof tops and this would only be used on those really sunny days that the roof tops need a little help.  Thanks in advance Jim

[TomC]

I have a 40ft'r (transit) with lots of huge windows (78x28ea-six of them plus two smaller) and have 3 roof tops.  I know that even in the hottest situation, the three running can bring my heated bus down to a decent level in about 15 minutes.  I also have 2.25" sprayed foam.  If the three roof tops are not enough, would suggest instead to replace the three with 15,000btu (I assume you are running the 13,500btu?)  Then with the three replaced would give you 4500 more BTU.  Alot easier than to engineer in a window unit in the bay (very hard to do).  If you were to do anything, use a spit system that has been designed for mobile use.  Such as CruiseAir, Duotherm, Tundra.cc (web site).  Tundra makes both an all in one basement unit that you have to duct the air and also a spit system that just the condenser is outside with the evaporator/compressor inside.  Duotherm makes the basement ducted type.  CruiseAir is a spit system that uses a 14,000btu condensing/compressor unit in the baggage compartment then pipes the freon to a evaporator unit inside.  This is probably the most versatile since they make a few different evaporator units to suite your needs.  Whether it be a evaporator mounted on the floor with the air ducted up to a top delivery, or a direct blow evaporator, or even using two 7,000btu evaporators split-That I wanted to use on my bus for quiet night time A/C, but found out yesterday, just don't have the room underneath for it.  One of the things on using a transit. 
Personally, the easiest will be to replace your roof tops to bigger units.  Good Luck, TomC

[jatnip]

Tom
Generally speaking the three roof tops keep the bus OK, it is up front for the driver that gets on the warm side.  This happens when driving in the sun and all the glass up there.  Here in WY we have alot of bright sun shine days.  Maybe some kind of window treatment would help also.  I do have 13,000 roof tops.  Thanks Jim

[TomC]

Jim- what I have done-first the front A/C is mounted close to the front.  Then is aimed down at me, and have a dash mounted fan that blows on me.  Works well-we were just in Arizona/Utah/Nevada with some over 100 degree days, and was comfortable driving.  If you want a front A/C, there is a company that makes an electrically powered car A/C that uses 134A, so you could make a dash mounted electric A/C.  These units also have the ability to be run off a compressor belt driven off the engine, so you could have two power sources. Check them out- http://www.danhard.com/index.htm.  Good Luck, TomC

[brojcol]

Say jat:

I had a little portable air conditioner that I mounted right behind the driver's seat on my bus.  It worked great, but it did take up a little room.  Maybe you could find a place up front to put a portable air conditioner.  You could duct it through the floor.

Just a thought.

But, I've seen plenty of pictures of guys buses who used regular house units in the bays like you are thinking about doing.

Jimmy