Air Conditioner?

[Jack]

It certainly seems feasible -in fact, I think some folks have done it - to mount a room air conditioner in the side window, removing it during travel.

But it's still 110V and the most of the places where 110V is available are not places we particularly want to be. We are eventually planing to move north, which will generally solve the problem (until global warming catches up with us?), but right now we are in SoCal, and the the various deserts are absolutely fascinating - for the 6 mos of the year when AC is not so important.

Has anyone come across small propane or gasoline powered air conditioners?

I could imagine that if one could even find a small propane or gasoline engine that had an auto-start capability, one could even adapt an automobile air conditioner for the task.

 

[winter200]

My plan is, when I get around to it, is to install a roofmount heat pump and use a generator. In my fifth I use a Honda EU 3000I which works great for the ac but it is a pain to try to carry around. I am actually in the process of getting rid of it and getting a Yamaha 2400I. They have the ecothrottle and idle up and down based on load. A buddy on mine had a Honda 2000I and it wouldn't even think about starting my ac but my 3000 doesn't even hardly change idle when it picks it up. Moving north doesn't help much because the bugs are so bad when trying to camp.

 

[davinski]

Interesting idea on Cooling.

In the West, often the dry climes are lacking in trees and such. Awnings help, but only so much. Fantastic fans are fantastic, but warm is warm.

I, like many, don't want to run too much power and try not to carry a generator, but hot is still hot. How about a swamp cooler? Way I figure it, during the day, usually moving or busy. It is when camped and resting that this is key.

Swamp coolers seem cheap to build, easy to run, and easy on the batteries. If there were a way to add one to a fantastic fan, now that would be cool.......the cogs are a turning.....

dave

 

[simimike]

Check out http://turbokool.com. I've been thinking about installing one of these. 12V and low draw on the battery. Should work ok in the dryer south west.

Cheers,

Mike

 

[Brian]

Has anyone tried the O2 Cool personal box air conditioner for a cheap alternative? I am getting one for when I am camping in my little Subaru.
I'll give a report. They work off four different power options, use ice as a coolant or misting. Sounds kind of interesting...
Brian in NM

 

[b team]

That turbo cool thing looks cool.

 

[dsrtrat]

Swamp Cooler

I don't have any personal experience with these coolers, but the website has good information. Low current drain. Pretty pricy.
http://www.swampy.net

 

[Jack]

Evaporative coolers

I did look at evaporative coolers.

Evaporative coolers achieve their effect by adding moisture to the air, which extracts heat in the process. However, it is counter productive to recirculate that air (because the moisture has already been added), so evaporative coolers rely on a flow of air through the camper - dry hot air in, colder moist air going out. Ideally, one would mount an evaporative cooler over the FWC sleeping area and arrange for the air to exhaust at the bottom of the door.

http://www.swampy.net suggests a 15 to 25 degree drop in temperature can be expected. This seems optimistic but in the SW deserts, this could work. I eagerly await Brian's report on his O2 Cool. NM is a good place to test it, and if it works to some degree , the more sophisticated (also, more expensive) coolers are likely to do better.

 

[EdoHart]

Wet towels = low tech swamp cooler.

I've had success placing wet towels over my coolers and placing a 2 litter soda bottle full of water with a small (nail size) hole punched out of the bottom then cracking the bottle top a tad to meter the flow of water onto the towel. I never measured the temperature differential, but ice lasted noticably longer in the coolers. I have also hung wet towels over the doors and windows of other campers and found it was cooler inside the camper than outside.

This was during low humidity camping with a mild breeze where the evaporative cooling effect will have it's greatest advantage. Also, all it needed was a water source. An electric fan would have made it more efficient, but a slight breeze was good enough for me.

 

[davinski]

I like these ideas.....will keep thinking for this summer.

Other things to do to help out the swamp coolers...

use an awning and keep the sun off the camper.
sun shield for the top.....I use a white sheet tied off to the yakima racks up top. Keep this wet with a mister and it keeps the sun off the top of the camper. Really does keep it cooler.
Shower often!

I gotta admit, sometimes 100 degrees feels good if it is dry. Cold north climes are just sometimes too much for me. Gimme the heat!

Dave

 

[Brian]

I know how to ride motorcycles in the cold and rain but I had to learn to ride them here in the desert and yet still wear all the protection. I find if at every gas stop I pour a bottle of water over my mesh jacket and upper body, it helps a lot. On a trip to Arkansas in the summer on bikes a year ago I got to the middle of Texas somewhere, there was a huge change in humidity and pouring the water on just made me hot and wet.
Swamp coolers are used here most of the summer. I think the O2 cooler will work for my needs but it will be a while before I can report.
Stay warm,
Brian in NM

 

[chnlisle]

Brain Man,
I'm interested to see how your test turns out. This thing looks too good to be true.

 

[chnlisle]

I emailed the Swampy folks yesterday to see if I could get up to Mesa and see the units in action. The owner said they have no showroom but would be at the AZ boat & RV shows next month. I'm going to drive up to Phoenix and see how well they work.

They have a $50 off show special. If they work an under $300 unit seems cheap enough for summer Southwest camping.

This is the model he suggested in his email. http://www.swampy.net/wb.html
The thing is very compact and has a tiny amp draw. Of course we still have to see what Brain/Brian has to report on the o2.

 

[chnlisle]

I drove up to the RV show in Phoenix yesterday. Holy Moly the money people pay for the ability to sit in a large parking lot or next to the highway in a vehicle that basically can only go my where wifes Scion can go (and not even). I guess to each his own.

I went up there specifically to see the Swampy Cooler. I was very impressed with it and bought one at the Show Price of $275. This thing is no bigger than a small boom box. Its very powerful. I'll be testing it soon.

 

[craig333]

Very curious to see how that works out.

 

[lqhikers]

nice swamp cooler!

Jay,i bet your dogs are going to love you!I think you should of bought 2,one for you and Pam and one for the dogs.when are you going to build a trailer to haul everything?(also nice awning!)
Drive slow and enjoy "its the journey"

Les lqhikers

 

[CJ8Rockcrawler]

It looks like they are going to be at the Phx Sportsman's Show as well... I'll have to check them out after I'm done at the FWC display.

 

[chnlisle]

Les, No trailer needed we still travel very light and unlike the Taco the Ram still has tons of room. I'm hoping we can hook up
on the trail soon.

 

[PicachoKid]

I have used the Swampy MightyKool Model MW1 at Big Bear, CA in late May as will as Death Valley in April and May when the temps were between 90 and 100. The little cooler made it very comfortable in the FWC. I would recommend the accessory water container if you wish to run the cooler all night.

 

[chnlisle]

Thank Kid, I'm looking forward to cooler nights.