mini split air conditioners

[Phuriousgeorge]

Yeah, I've got both 12k units installed, but only 1 running due to distance (running on an extension cord).  12k doesn't do much in 100 degree heat with full windows.  Granted, I've yet to complete ripping out and re-insulating, but I'm glad I went with two.

[eagle19952]

These AC topics get sorta of funny, I was reading on F/B this guy had a spray foam bus with a 12,000 btu mini,he showed the charts of the outside temp being 87 degrees and how great his split was working it was a cool 77 degrees inside the bus.
I live in AZ yesterday it was 112 he would look like rare prime rib here in a couple of hours with a 12,000 btu unit split or non split

if you're not getting at least 22 degrees diff, your AC is under sized or you wasted your insulation funds or both

[Lee Bradley]

      I have a 10K diesel Onan but I wouldn't think of trying to run it almost full time at 96% of its rated capacity and expect it to perform well and last.  I put that example up to show what the first little bit of my research pulled up.  I (think I) remember Clifford saying that a coach needs to have about 48K BTU (or 4 12K BTU rooftops) to assure reasonable pull down and reliable comfort in his Arizona climate and I think that I should be sure that I have cooling at about that level.   Still, my goal is to find a system that's much more in the range of Larry's current draw but still meets my needs (don't forget, I have two levels - upstairs and downstairs - to deal with).  But Daikin's tech data was very vague about the real-life total draw of the 48K "outside" unit and also two or three inside units so I'm not sure exactly what would be required in real life. 

      On a completely different tack, Mr. Welch at Welch A/C in Georgia suggested a big "dash" A/C unit driven off an engine driven compressor for traveling and driver/copilot comfort and a moderately big mini-split upstairs for cooling when parked (bedroom, living room, toilet/bath are all upstairs).   One issue is bedroom is in the rear and it might be necessary to have a separate inside unit for good cooling, resulting in two units upstairs driven by a single compressor mini-split unit and that would almost certainly put me in the 240V system category.

     Thanks for info, Lee.  I'm going to keep looking and considering what would work best for me. 

Bruce,
Do have any photos of your bus you can post? I'm curious how our total glass compares. Its hard to tell from your header photo.

[Aviator]

Hi all 

I've been around here for years  I just dont post unless I have something to contribute

I'm using a Fujitsu system.

An outdoor unit that can drive 3 indoor units   http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/us/products/multi/2-3-4rooms/aou24rlxfz.html
And the slim duct units for the indoor side  http://www.fujitsugeneral.com/us/products/multi/indoor.html Scroll down

As far a the transformer goes  its an off the shelf unit 5 KVA  110V / 220V/ https://www.amazon.com/Acme-Electric-Distribution-Transformer-Secondary/dp/B00JV3GM6I
I got it for about half that just scouring Ebay  It is really heavy, almost 70 lbs,  I can power it from the Magnum inverter going down the road.  I just tie the bus 24 to the house 24 and the Alternator has plenty of juice to move this along.  I think im drawing less than 20A at 110 with the AC going full tilt.

Larry

    Hi, Larry.  Welcome to the Forum - you'll find a wealth of information and all the opinions you could ever use.  There is tremendous experience and background among the members here.  I could never have navigated this bus ownership mess without the help here.

   What's the make and model of the unit you're using, also, what transformer?  I need at least two inside (evap) units.  I sat down last night and spec'd a Daikin system with a 48K BTU central unit, two horizontal inside evap units, and a 2'-square ceiling mount unit.  It looks good but Daikin calls for a power draw of 40A @ 240V (about 9600 watts); the 36K BTU unit is only about 15% less amperage draw and, considering my unusual needs, I'm worried that that won't be enough. 

[Aviator]

Larry what L10 are you running? Electronic? Thanks Tom

Hi Tom

Nope its a straight mechanical L10 with a allison 740 transmission

IT works well but I'm still sorting out transmission oddities

Larry

[robertglines1]

Clifford: have a friend that is a hvac guy. He put a box fan on his outside unit to help this problem.. He was on road and went to walmart and purchased a cheap box fan to move more air.

[luvrbus]

Clifford: have a friend that is a hvac guy. He put a box fan on his outside unit to help this problem.. He was on road and went to walmart and purchased a cheap box fan to move more air.

Thanks Bob will we try it,has to be some type air/heat problem they will work fine inside the shop no so on the  blacktop, some times they will start and run only for a few minutes in the 110F

[Oonrahnjay]

Bruce,
Do have any photos of your bus you can post? I'm curious how our total glass compares. Its hard to tell from your header photo. 

     https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ycY9wCz45d4HqykQiDNYfQyCa2A3BjtU

     Does this work?  Thx,  BH

[Lee Bradley]

I can see one small photo of the middle.

[Oonrahnjay]

I can see one small photo of the middle.

    "Google Photos" says I gave you "permission".  Did that help?

     (PS - I got lots of windows!)

[Lee Bradley]

Got a message 'View Album' clicked on that and could view one photo.

[Oonrahnjay]

Got a message 'View Album' clicked on that and could view one photo.

       I find the "Google Photo" thing unfathomable.  There should be one full-size photo in that "album".  I couldn't find a way to store a single photo by itself and make it public -- or at least viewable by another person -- without doing it that way.  
       If you can see the photo full size, you can see the overall geography and number of windows I'm dealing with.

       Edit!  I got a request from Floyd to see that photo so I got clicking around on the "Advanced" settings and I think I found a way to set it just "public".  It might take this URL:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ycY9wCz45d4HqykQiDNYfQyCa2A3BjtU?usp=sharing

        (When I click on that, it pops up as a match-box size photo but if I click on the small photo, it comes up full size.)

[brmax]

Are you saying this google storage is a new venture. Or its changed from past photo uploads you made to your ablums.



Good day

Floyd

Edit: with permision granted the photo looks fine on my phone and with a couple finger taps the photo zooms in, so that works as I think it should. Im not real familar though, I think any photos have to have certain granted permissions the public sees. These storage sites are all something special and require being familar with. This is my initial try and so, just saying thanks for the permission.

[Oonrahnjay]

Are you saying this google storage is a new venture. Or its changed from past photo uploads you made to your ablums. 
Good day
Floyd

         Hi, Floyd.  I just don't remember.  I haven't used Google Drive much (I used to use PhotoBucket and it worked fine but then they wanted $299 a year plus the right to pull any photo off my storage and use it themselves, so that was the end of that.)  I was trying to remember how the Google thing had worked in the past and there just didn't seem to be anyway to do what i wanted to do.  Then I found some upload buttons and setting buttons that we sort of hidden.  It's all a PITA -- maybe the new forum software will solve all this.

Edit: with permision granted the photo looks fine on my phone and with a couple finger taps the photo zooms in, so that works as I think it should. Im not real familar though, I think any photos have to have certain granted permissions the public sees. These storage sites are all something special and require being familar with. This is my initial try and so, just saying thanks for the permission.

          Thanks for that feedback.  I never know if other people can see them.  Hope you and yours are good; best of luck with your bus tasks, and happy busin'!

[jraynor]

Not meaning to revive an older post but this does have a ton of information especially when determining what A/C to install in your bus. My question is, how are your units running 220 from a 110 transformer with no phase separation?

Originally I was just going to go with a single A/C split system mounted in the rear over the engine compartment and drop the ac lines right down to the outdoor unit sitting in the engine bay. Ill have to do some sheet metal work to create air flow but I'm hoping I wont be using my units for OTR. The OTR A/C did work when I bought the bus but I think my Freon has all leaked out. But by the replies in this post, I think one in the rear and one in the front will suit me well. I kept the old fiberglass shell that came out of the front with intentions of reinstalling it. I may mount the indoor unit over the driver seat where the storage racks used to be. Time will tell though