Anybody run a 12V a/c system for overnight cooling?

[allan5oh]

Such as bergstrom nite, etc..?

[Doghouse]

I can tell you this,...when the Webasto blue cool people came to tampa and did a demo, I went, and the unit seemed to work ok. It put out cool air, and as long as the curtain was closed, and the unit was mounted on the back wall (blowing almost directly on you), it would keep you cool,.......however, the fan unit was way too loud for my taste.

I called the Bergstrom nite system people, and they told me that it would not work for me because my sleeper is too big. They said it "would" work it I put a small tent over my bunk, and ducted the air into the tent.

[allan5oh]

That's odd, I used to run an apartment AC unit. 5000 btu's, I'd put it in the window and had access to shore power. This was during the day. I never had that thing full blast, even when it was sunny and 90 degrees out.

Then again, my truck is white, and very well insulated. I think that makes a huge difference.

Did you ask how much the bergstrom system cost? I see the DC airco system costs around $3000 US. Quite pricey, but it has more btus(up around 9000). Apparently it's more efficent too, draws 300 watts.

[Doghouse]

Yeah, I don't quite understand why a vehicle needs 13,000 btu's, and a small apartment only needs 5,000btu's.

I spoke with the DC airco rep on the phone the other day, and he quoted me over $4,000 without the batteries.
Thats a bit much for me, I want a unit that will be there when I need it.
I also talked to the fridgette guy, and as soon as he told me to aim the ducts at my bed,.....I knew that it would not be powerful enough.
I like the price of the rigmaster$7,500 installed better than the blackrock $9,500 installed.
The thing that gets me is that I could have used an RV diesel genny ($5,500), and then an RV A/C unit, and the price came out the same as the rigmaster.
The rigmaster won due to ease of servicing as compared to an Onan diesel.

[PackRatTDI]

Yeah, I don't quite understand why a vehicle needs 13,000 btu's, and a small apartment only needs 5,000btu's.

You're having to make up for the fact that you're trying to cool an area with abysmal insulation. Therefore it requires more BTU's to maintain temperature. An apartment is insulated far better and doesn't lose as much through the walls, windows.

[allan5oh]

You know what, my dad permanently has an apartment a/c on his truck. He cut a hole and mounted it out back. He runs it off the inverter, even while he's driving.

He has to be careful though, it really drains batteries. Hard on the alternator too.

[Colin]

I was parked at the McDonalds/truck stop area where MO meets IA meets NE on I-29 and this dry van backs in next to us. Driver gets out and pulls a small Honda generator from a frame mounted toolbox and lays it on the rear deck. He then grabs a fuel can and dumps fuel into it and pulls the rip cord to start it. He then plugged a wall mounted A/C unit that was permanently mounted into the rear wall of the sleeper into the generator.

More work than bumping the idle up on my Volvo, but his was a wee bit quieter and also had a thermostat most likely. Something sorely missing on my sweet Volvo.

[Lewis friend]

Exactly.

I think the only practical way to stay cool at least for now, is to try the generator and electric A/C unit. There are stand-alone A/C units that i've seen at home depot, so there's no need to do a wall mount.

I think the above system could be "built" for under $1,300. The honda generators, while pricey, are very quiet.

But what i've personally found is that if you drive during the day and sleep at night, in the summer and surrounding months, you don't need to idle.

[PackRatTDI]

Exactly.

I think the only practical way to stay cool at least for now, is to try the generator and electric A/C unit. There are stand-alone A/C units that i've seen at home depot, so there's no need to do a wall mount.

I think the above system could be "built" for under $1,300. The honda generators, while pricey, are very quiet.

But what i've personally found is that if you drive during the day and sleep at night, in the summer and surrounding months, you don't need to idle.

I have one of those stand alone units. Made by Sharp and sold through Lowes. A very nice unit.

The problem with the stand alone units is that you have to vent the discharge condensor air to the outside. The air used to cool the condensor is drawn from inside the room and the drawback to that is that air from outside the room (or truck as the case may be) is sucked in to replace the air that is discharged out and that air is usually hot/humid/etc. Though one could say a benefit to that is that you have a constant supply of fresh air.

There is a model that I've seen that draws the condensor supply air from the outside.

My Sharp has an added exhaust feature that runs the condensor fan only and ventilates the room.

[PackRatTDI]

Driver gets out and pulls a small Honda generator from a frame mounted toolbox and lays it on the rear deck. He then grabs a fuel can and dumps fuel into it and pulls the rip cord to start it. He then plugged a wall mounted A/C unit that was permanently mounted into the rear wall of the sleeper into the generator.

A little "bus" anecdote that's similar to that. When GMC first started installing air conditioning units in their buses, they didn't feel the old 238 "screamin' Jimmy" (6-71NA) could handle both the heavy compressor AND drive the bus, so they installed the air conditioner compressor up near the front steer axle (where the condensor screen is located) with it's own small engine to power it. Though instead of using a small diesel engine to do the work, they used a small gasoline engine. So the bus required TWO fuel tanks.

Theoretically the AC system could be run while the bus was parked but I don't think the system actually worked that way.

GMC abandoned this system in the 1960's when the more powerful 318 Detroits (8V71NA) came out.

[allan5oh]

But what i've personally found is that if you drive during the day and sleep at night, in the summer and surrounding months, you don't need to idle.

I'm from Canada eh, anything over 75 degrees I need AC.

[Colin]

Exactly.

I think the only practical way to stay cool at least for now, is to try the generator and electric A/C unit. There are stand-alone A/C units that i've seen at home depot, so there's no need to do a wall mount.

I think the above system could be "built" for under $1,300. The honda generators, while pricey, are very quiet.

But what i've personally found is that if you drive during the day and sleep at night, in the summer and surrounding months, you don't need to idle.

Come down to Buttonwillow, CA in August and try that. Right about 4:30 am it finally gets down to 70 outside. Bad times.

[person]

I have one of those stand alone units. Made by Sharp and sold through Lowes. A very nice unit.

The problem with the stand alone units is that you have to vent the discharge condensor air to the outside. The air used to cool the condensor is drawn from inside the room and the drawback to that is that air from outside the room (or truck as the case may be) is sucked in to replace the air that is discharged out and that air is usually hot/humid/etc. Though one could say a benefit to that is that you have a constant supply of fresh air.

There is a model that I've seen that draws the condensor supply air from the outside.

My Sharp has an added exhaust feature that runs the condensor fan only and ventilates the room.

You use one of these in your truck? What generator/power do you use?

[PackRatTDI]

I have one of those stand alone units. Made by Sharp and sold through Lowes. A very nice unit.

The problem with the stand alone units is that you have to vent the discharge condensor air to the outside. The air used to cool the condensor is drawn from inside the room and the drawback to that is that air from outside the room (or truck as the case may be) is sucked in to replace the air that is discharged out and that air is usually hot/humid/etc. Though one could say a benefit to that is that you have a constant supply of fresh air.

There is a model that I've seen that draws the condensor supply air from the outside.

My Sharp has an added exhaust feature that runs the condensor fan only and ventilates the room.

You use one of these in your truck? What generator/power do you use?

No, I have one in my house.