Heating / Cooling Need an A/C
- Thread starter vanspek
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1. Buy a generator
2. Make sure it's a Honda EU2000
3. Plug in and enjoy
(If you're in to spending, many rooftop items to choose from...my solution was a 5000 BTU walmart AC in a passenger window frame)
2. Make sure it's a Honda EU2000
3. Plug in and enjoy
(If you're in to spending, many rooftop items to choose from...my solution was a 5000 BTU walmart AC in a passenger window frame)
If you don't have an A/C, and even if you do, you'll want a roof vent fan. Crank that up and crack a window 6 or 8 inches and you can get a good breeze in there, which can really help on hotter days. But if you want A/C, you're really gonna need a generator. You can go with a 12-volt rooftop air conditioner, but they are hella expensive and you need a considerable battery bank to power it.
I've tested Turtle's solution summers over pavement in Ohio, and think it's better...quieter, cheap, and no fumes.
Side mounted fan blowing across my body paired with 2 walmart deep cycles, charged with a simple red key cutoff switch to the front battery.
Never drained the batteries, lasted at least 18 hours and I'd be moving again.
Bonus: 3 batteries make winter starts easy
Side mounted fan blowing across my body paired with 2 walmart deep cycles, charged with a simple red key cutoff switch to the front battery.
Never drained the batteries, lasted at least 18 hours and I'd be moving again.
Bonus: 3 batteries make winter starts easy
It's kind of a crappy solution for New Orleans, Houston, places where it's upper 90s or more and 95% humidity when there's no clouds in the sky.
And in places like Laredo when it's 100+ F° (38+ C°), when you get the fans going and a good breeze, you're sitting there in an iron box on black asphalt. Sooo, it's like a convection oven.
But, hey, at least you get to experience a little of Papillon at Devil's Island in French Guiana.
after reading on sprinter forum i see that for heat in winter you have to go with espar heater but i really can not figure out about air conditioner. as it requires power to run. was thinking MB factory rooftop AC but seems that it runs only while engine is on. i like the solar power idea than running the generator and AC same time because of noise issues but seams not that easy project to set it up and figure out how much power do you really need to run an AC and fridge. what is the best Aftermarket rooftop AC anyway?, all these information are scattered here and there and take quite time to figure out which way to go
tknight
Veteran Expediter
You will never run an ac off solar ! If your not going to fl tx az or really hot and humid Id go with fantastic fan roof vents and get screens for windows flow through ventilation is free and quiet or Honda generator quiet. Type with a small roof top rev style a/c and lots of good insulation , not as cheap as free
When it comes to air conditioning and generators out here, you need to think like an RVer boondocker (not parked next to a power source), because it's the same thing. The higher wattage but cheaper generators (3000 Watts, $350) are going to be the decibel level of your average lawn mower at about 90 decibels or more, and will get you kicked out of truck stops everywhere. Normal conversation is about 60 decibels. Most RV parks, urban areas and neighborhoods will restrict you to about 75 decibels for long term noise. An inverter generator will cost 2-3 times that of a loud generator, but they are in the 60 decibel range or less. The 1600 Watt rated Honda i2000 is 59 at max load and the Yamaha EF2000iS is 57 db. So is the Wen 56200i. The Honda is by far the most popular out here because of reliability and ease of maintenance.
For rooftop air conditioners, go to a camping store like Camping World and see what they have. It's mostly Coleman and Dometic, but there are others. Do not think you can get a rooftop air conditioner with a heat strip and solve any heating issues. For heat you'll still want an Espar, or a propane heater (Espar is better).
There are plenty of people here who will answer your questions, let you know what will and will not work, what accessories you'll need, etc.. So before you go buy something, check in here.
For rooftop air conditioners, go to a camping store like Camping World and see what they have. It's mostly Coleman and Dometic, but there are others. Do not think you can get a rooftop air conditioner with a heat strip and solve any heating issues. For heat you'll still want an Espar, or a propane heater (Espar is better).
There are plenty of people here who will answer your questions, let you know what will and will not work, what accessories you'll need, etc.. So before you go buy something, check in here.
IMPORTANT: NOT USING AN INVERTER GENERATOR CAUSES NASTY NOISES FROM YOUR A/C AND MAY CAUSE DAMAGE. If off brand generators will be mentioned, this needs to be said. (Do we need to add put it outside the van while running? )
The WEN looks interesting at 459, wonder if it will last more than 3 hours like my All-Power did (bent a pushrod)?
One more thing: a household 5000 BTU window unit is at the ragged edge of what a 2000 watt generator can handle. Newer energy smart model required, hard start capacitor preferred...
)The WEN looks interesting at 459, wonder if it will last more than 3 hours like my All-Power did (bent a pushrod)?
One more thing: a household 5000 BTU window unit is at the ragged edge of what a 2000 watt generator can handle. Newer energy smart model required, hard start capacitor preferred...
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I don't believe Onan generators are inverter generators. And they power rooftop AC units on RV's without noises or failures.
Sorry. I'm talking about cargo vans parked out front. Noise isn't generally a problem around back, what with reefers running all night and stuff.
One time I was parked at a J and an old Cadillac pulled in next to me. !970, gold, flashy, pimp mobile. Had a 5KW generator hanging off the front bumper. He fired up the generator and it was like a riding lawnmower, which is what I thought it was until I looked out and saw it. I asked him if he'd turn it off or move over to the other end of the lot where no one was parked, and he told me to to go and make mad passionate love to myself, and got in his car and locked the doors.
I went in and asked the manager if there was anything that could be done, and he went outside to check out how bad it was. As soon as he stepped out he went, "Yeah, I'll call the police." And 15 minutes later the police scooted the guy out of the lot.
The Onan generators that they make for RVs (and trucks) are designed specifically to meet or exceed National Park noise regulations (the A-weighted sound pressure level at a distance of 50 feet may not exceed 60 dB). Onan Quiet Diesels measure 65–70 dB from 10 feet, which is well below the 60 dB level at 50 feet.
I don't know if they still make inverter generators or not. They used to, but I think they discontinued them. I think the smallest was about 3000W and was on 4 wheels. The Onan QDs are silenced by the enclosure, as well as some fancy muffler quieting tricks.
tknight
Veteran Expediter
Onan generators are real generators with a real price lets just say 3000 or so for gas and maybe 7500 for diesel, they aren't toys !
