had one of these in my single cab 93 sonoma...in between topper and truck...full AC going..we went to Disney in Florida from Michigan in July.. 3 kids in bed of pickup on fullsize mattress and cooler..playing games ,sleeping , acting like window was a drive up...lol passing drinks and snacks thru... one of the best trips they remember..
The back half of the unit can be thought of as the outdoor portion of your home air conditioning system. The front half of the unit is like the indoor portion of your home hvac system. The front is removing the heat and humidity from the air inside your living space. The back of the unit is transferring that heat (through the refrigerant) to the outdoor air. The system is working between two totally separate environments, indoor and outdoor...
A window unit exhausts the heat transferring from your living space to the great and expansive outdoors. You are trapping all of that heat in your cab. The machine wants lower temp air in the intake tube.... but it’s not getting it. It’s getting super heated air that is trapped in your cab. The machine is going to be working ten times harder. You will have a bigger power drain and wear out the machine faster. Those two back tubes need to be outside..... not in your cab. You are correct, the front grill of the machine needs to be in your cooled environment. The air from the back tubes & the air from the front grills never mix. They remain totally independent. The machine draws in air from your camper through the lower front grill. It also draws in air from one back tube. The machine transfers the heat from your camper air into the air stream passing through the back. With that heat pulled out, it returns that camper air back into your camper. The heat is now in the exterior air stream being blown out if your exhaust tube. The way you have it set up.... you are asking the machine try to add that heat from your camper into air that is already super heated. The dual tube AC is the most efficient - and will be a benefit in smoky air if near a forest fire.
I remember the inspiration for this too, “window boots” from the 70s. Vinyl material, several colors available mounted on the camper, then pulled through the truck window & snapped into place. A kid/smaller person could crawl through if need be.
I tried bike tires but they continually went flat (probably went through 3), I ended up with the insulation tubing as well. Found one of these boot devices for cheap, it will be my backup to carry.
Sure glad you found The Window Donut!!! I used one for nearly 20 years.. Actually started my business working out of the back with Pass Thru opened to Allow Heat to pass thru….. 12 months of the year it works👍 B Deacon Manitoba Canada 🇨🇦 ( Mine was made of heavier Product)
When I was a kid, my dad had one of those camper window doughnuts. We used it on our family vacation to the Ozarks. Us kids rode in the camper and the pass through let the AC come right back to us. This was back in the 80's.
The reason you don't put the back end intake in the camper is for one of two reasons. 1 - if the camper is air tight, there will not be enough airflow through the heat exchanger to draw the heat out. Reason is, the camper is air tight so no air is available to be drawn in and exhausted (the second reason will help explain this). 2 - if the camper is not airtight, the negative pressure created by the rear intake will draw the hot humid air in through the cracks (between the bed and tailgate), effectively canceling out the cooling. Also, keep in mind most all air conditioners are designed for a 30 degree drop from ambient air temp. If it is 104 out, you are doing good to get 74 out of it... especially in a camper shell with minimal insulation. Side note, love the videos. I am thinking of something similar when the Dually comes in. I like your design ideas.
I did a complete cut out to access 8' pickup bed from cab, all finished like a pro, with no leeks. Very popular in Sothern Cali. Nice neat job with your setup.
They used to make a collar that fit through the window and was held in place by spring-loaded ‘hoops’ on each side of the opening. I had one back in the ‘70s. It meant that both windows were open all the time. But that wasn’t a huge deal. And I think if I were to ever add air to my topper I’d have to just bite the bullet and use a low-profile rooftop unit. I’ve seen that done before.
They made those baffles in the 70s -80s but they were made out of inner tube material and you aired them up with a bicycle pump. The baffle went around the entire window, so you couldn’t see it except from the outside. Worked pretty good, you could crank up the AC in the cab, and you could feel it in the camper.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors I wonder if you could get a few bike tubes, cut them an glue them all together with a rubber compound adhesive for a larger ring that took in the whole window?
Can’t wait for your next camping trip. Watching your videos makes me want to go camping but I can only camp with a tent and it’s way too hot. Gotta wait til like October for that. Enjoy!
I have a stand up portable one. I have to vent it outside and one on the back panel of the cooler inside pulls the cooler air, but the one venting outside blows hot air. It doesn't suck in air. I agree that using hot air to cool doesn't make sense. But it seems to work bringing the temp considerably cooler now. Happy camping 🏕
I once used a pool noodle, essentially the same thing as pipe insulation, as a window boot. It worked for a time. However, it began to wear away with the movement, and the top just began to crumble with UV degradation. That, and it simply began getting more & more loose due to it being compressed, and remaining so. Also any bugs or grit that settled on top, would eventually get stuck between and create a funky abrasive mess that scratched the glass and left a permanent, hazy line when the cap was removed, and rubbed the paint from the cap as well. I have been a long time searching for a portable AC that I can use in my van. I have already used one of those household types that you have to run a duct out of a window. 12,000 BTU and took a 3,500 watt generator to run. Then having to unhook it, roll it to the door and drain it every 15 minutes.. (It was humid AF!!) .. was making it pointless to try to cool the interior since I have to have the door open while draining it and letting all the cool air out. I eventually removed one of the table sockets in the floor and routed a bit of hose from the drain, and out through the bottom of the van via that removed socket. That setup worked amazingly well when parked. But when driving, it barely did anything at all. Note: the vans own AC died a week before my trip. A trip to Montana vs my planned trip to Texas (Because it should be cooler up north, right? RIGHT?) Yeah it was 105 in Montana.. 90's in the van when driving. 68 - 70 when parked. So. I need a better solution. (Fixing the van AC is probably off the table due to the inaccessibility of the pump without removing the engine)
I ended up using a bicycle inner tube that I inflate when I get to camp and works great. Let out just a little bit of air when your done and store it away. Works perfect for me now. 👍🏻
Greetings from Oregon! Not sure which part of the country you live in or how much cooling power you need, but an easier solution might be to install a Fantastic Fan in the roof of your truck canopy. They're very popular even in high end RV's, and because heat rises, can be very effective at cooling things down. Also alot smaller and take less power than AC.
I've seen them for the whole window where you can eliminate both... And you can cut the back of the cab out, and the back of the bed, and make it a walkthrough.... Leave 6 to 8 in on each side and cover the entire area and rubber from a large inner tube...
Hey man I’ve got almost the same set up truck wise as you and bought a mark 2 a few days ago, and have been racking my brain on how to solve this exact issue, and just randomly stumbled across your vid. Can’t thank you enough for solving one of my bigger brain scratches. Great vid.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors man you rock. Found the exact ones. Might not be much but you got yourself a new subscriber. Great vids man, look forward to more.
Good Idea with that pipe insulation as you pass through gasket. I am using a bigger portable AC unit in similar setup in my truck and you have it setup about that same. I found that it works way better that way. The unit itself puts out heat so having it split up works best for me too. If its super hot I hang a blanket up to insulate it a little better. Most times though just having the cold air blowing gets me to sleep easy.
I picked up a small window AC unit on CL for $50. I put it on the tailgate (down) with a piece of plywood to close the rest of the tailgate opening, then close the back glass. Works really well when needed - central Kansas in July and August. No ducting or other mods needed.
Ya if I had a truck I'd just permanently mount a window ac in one of the side windows, but I've been trying to gather videos on what to do with my minivan, still deciding thanks for the ideas!
Instead of buying something thats probably over priced cause its so specific, the best thing that ive always used is a bicycle tire tube. Cheap and super easy to instal. Perfect window gasket found everywhere. Thats products to specific. Probably like 100 bucks. I can just have 10 tube backups. One last a whole year lol
You can also use a mountain bike tube on a smaller window like that. Easy to slip in there and easy to inflate plus it doesn't squeak because it's rubber.
It's supposed to go around the whole perimiter of the window like the original boot that seals the shell to the cab. Not just the slide for the window, I have the same problem with separation and need to loosen my shell and slide it closer to the cab closer. That's a good product, but thought it was funny when you pulled the whole window towards you. I wanted a window that slid down automatically but without the window you have access to the cab and a seal if you go around the whole hole 🕳 👍
The intake on the back of the unit should intake outdoor air. This is so the unit does not take inside cooled air and push it outside. This would cause negative pressure in the cooled area which would cause hot outside air to leak in anywhere it can. The front intake and outlet will cycle the cooled air multiple times to cool it even further.
back in the 70's i seen someone with the back window completely removed and the bottom portion of the truck cut away with the same cut away in the topper and between the trck back and the topper was what can best be described as an inflatable bladder that was the shape of the cutout and it was covered in some kind of rubber or ripstop material, and you could actually pass thru the cab to the camper.....next... take the donut to a canvass shop and have it covered in some kind of material ? pool noodles will be bigger and probably better to squeeze in there and might stay put while driving
@@BrianWatersOutdoors Can you hear the tire tube squeek from the inside of the cab while driving? I've been looking for options for a passthrough window but haven't found weatherstripping that's thick enough. Looking up reviews for thr truk boot brought me to your video and it would bother me if it was squeeking like you said.
Besides using foam or that clear plastic boot I seen people use Bike Cycle inner tubing to seal between the cab of the truck and the camper Might want to try that on the next setup.
You're going to hate me for telling you this, but EcoFlow is selling refurbished Waves for $799. I ordered mine a few days ago and just got it today. Waaaaaaaaay more power than the ZeroBreeze II, but it's louder too. You'll have to decide if you want to upgrade, but it's cheaper than a new ZeroBreeze II. Also, you should try some reflectix on all the glass, trust me, it'll help TONS. If you haven't insulated your floor, that's something you should consider too.
Ugh. But, I did put reflectix up now instead of the curtains and it does make a difference. I’m about to trade in this truck for something bigger and have plans to install a 5000 btu a/c in that setup. Should be interesting.
It has a hot and cold side. Each needs its own intake and exhaust. The cold side is in where you are. sucks hot air through a radiator with refrigerant and that cools the air where you are down on the hot side on the back. The hot refrigerant goes through a second AC after being compressed and heated up and gets cooled down by the outside air. others can explain it better than that. But essentially you want the hot side outside. and the refrigerant goes through dramatic temperature changes between the hot and cold side which is how it works.
You MUST intake exterior air for the hot side of the AC unit. If you don't you'll be pulling interior air in, then blowing it outside. You need to make that lost air up somehow and the result is you suck in hot hold outdoor air constantly. This is why single hose "portable" ac units are terrible. No exterior air intake results in constant outside air pulling in. How you have this set up is pretty much ideal.
Great video Brian! How large of a solar generator are you using to power the ZB2 all night, and how are you "recharging" the solar generator throughout the day? Solar, AC, 12 volt cigarette lighter or AC inverter inside of your truck? If I purchase one I would need to recharge it during the day time on camping trips etc. FYI: I purchased the donut and you are correct, the squeak is terrible driving down the road!!
I use a 2000w battery power station. It runs the unit about 6 hours, plus the battery that came with the Zero Breeze that gets me maybe 2-3 hours (running on MAX) cold setting. It is hard to recharge these 2000 watt battery power stations with solar, but you could if you had a very large solar panel, or multiple panels tied together. You can also use a car cigarette dc charging cord, but those only typically give you around 100-150 watts of juice. So to get all 2000 watts back would take quite a long time, and you’d need to leave your truck running so it wouldn’t drain the battery. Best bet is to use shore power to recharge if you can.
I had one of those donuts on my camper too u right they do squeak and another problem if u leave in all the time it will rub the paint off the back of your cab it happened to me. Also u really have to blow it up very hard cause as u saw it will loose air.
75 is manageable and well with in safe sleeping. I bet if you ran it all night and checked it in the AM when you woke up it would cool even more. On a side note maybe put the thermometer where you could read it from the outside so you don’t have to climb in to see it, and let it run all night and see what happens. I would be curious!
Don't know why it's so complicated. It works like a window unit in your home. You need to separate front half from the back half. Meaning, front half with intake and cold air exhaust needs to be sealed off from the outside or backside. The reason for the exhaust tube is to get hot air out of truck cab. Your condenser coils are cooled with the outside air while the interior of camper shell is recirculated through the cooling coils on front side. Sealing off around cooling unit will ensure none of the cool air escapes to the outside.
From South Africa bloody hell, you guys are so darn lucky, with all the equipment available to you.. here, all we have is cheap Chinese rubbish... I'm green with envy..
I came here to see that Boot, and watched your video. I used to work in HVAC, but have not seen that Zero Breeze. More than likely, that 4" duct is actually the exhaust for the condensing unit? HVAC systems remove heat from a location its not wanted, and transfers the heat to an area it doesn't matter. The heat transfers when the hot interior air blows across the cold coil and the refrigerant grabs that heat, then its pumped out to the condensing coil where the blown air grabs the heat.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors just wrap it with that same carpet put a few weatherized bolts and washers and bammm we do that a lot to our cars and trucks for SPL REASONS
The reason for the one rear intake hose is to bring in fresh air from outside, soooo... technically you could route the rear intake to inside the camper and have both air inputs coming from the cool zone of your camper. This might create a negative air zone in your camper though, depending on how sealed it is. The other hose is the exhaust hose as describe in another comment.
Concerning the hot air intake…… the way AC units work is by taking heat out of the air thus making the air cold. Is does not work by cooling the air. You can’t extract much heat out of air that is already cold. So yeah I see where that makes since what the manufacturer recommends.
I like how you can open the window to the bed of the truck. Where can you buy this? I would really like to exchange my window so that I can crawl through the truck bed window easier.
Yessir Jay. I believe that is the case the more I research this unit and read all of the other comments from folks who are much smarter than I am on this thing👍🏻
Two of those 9'' opolar brand usb fans will work wonders circulating the air I only have one I'm my minivan and I can't believe how much air it moves for 12 volts.
Be careful with the donut and your truck glass. I used one once during a hunting trip that had us put quite a bit of miles down some dirt roads and to this day you can see where that donut was on my truck glass. I assume it was the dirt that etched the glass. I specifically cleaned both the truck glass and camper glass before putting it in. It’s not the end of the world as long as the camper shell is on, but it is definitely noticeable when it comes off.
You'll find out if it works really good when you go camping and are using it in the most extreme heat of the day. Either way it's a good way to cool off when camping on hot summer days
Also, tire inner tube if you haven’t already made the switch.. the rubber will make a better seal for your window pass through. Plus only about 4-6$ for one.
Thanks. It’s just a “spot” cooler, and not meant to really air condition an entire space. But, for how I’m using it, it makes it bearable in 100 degree temps.
It most likely condenses the hot air. Which in turn helps the efficiency for cooling. If you try to take cool air to condense it causes the ac to work more. At least from my rudimentary understanding of ac.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors no problem, I just seen about a 100 different people had a similar take. Haha. Just found your channel the other day. I’ve enjoyed seeing your truck upgrades. I actually bought one of the bed tents from rei on sale a couple days ago. Going to see how me and my son like that. I currently do not have a topper. Otherwise I’d go with something similar to your setup. Thanks for the inspiration.
The fresher the outside air, the better. The more sealed off it is, the better. Think of it as a window AC unit. The inside air recirculates, and the outside gets cooled by the fan that’s blowing the coils that do the “AC magic” that cools the other side. Essentially an AC is a refrigerator. The hotter your inside is, the warmer the air will be. If you give it plenty of time to cool off the things and surfaces, it may get even colder.
they must recommend outside air for the intake because of carbon dioxide would build up after a while.. but idk .. the one design flaw i see is the out and the in pipes are right beside eachother out the window probably sucking some of the hot exhaust in with the fresh... maybe if it went out the other window on the other side...nice setup tho
I was wondering.. if you were to route the intake to the cabin that you’re also cooling down wouldn’t it be more efficient or at least have a quicker cool down if it were pulling air in from the cool cabin its creating? As well as you might get a dryer cabin if its circulating that inside air as its cooling it vs pulling in that outside Texas humidity and heat.. just my .02 and curiosity running amok! Haha really enjoying the videos my friend!
So, no not really. I can’t explain it as effectively as some other folks have in these comments, but that duct needs to pull in hot air from outside. 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Okay, yea I was curious as to whether it was an actual ac or a heat exchanger.. I figured the latter as they’ve become popular for window units etc. how is the dryness using it? Does the cabin feel humid still?
I have the exact same camper shell window. I considered the tube from HD like you got but was curious and concerned about rubbing. Any issues with paint rubbing with the tube? Trying to find a semi permanent solution so I can cool the back for dogs while driving.
had one of these in my single cab 93 sonoma...in between topper and truck...full AC going..we went to Disney in Florida from Michigan in July.. 3 kids in bed of pickup on fullsize mattress and cooler..playing games ,sleeping , acting like window was a drive up...lol passing drinks and snacks thru... one of the best trips they remember..
Awesome! Thanks Sharon👍🏻
Why does this sound like it happened in the 90s
The back half of the unit can be thought of as the outdoor portion of your home air conditioning system. The front half of the unit is like the indoor portion of your home hvac system. The front is removing the heat and humidity from the air inside your living space. The back of the unit is transferring that heat (through the refrigerant) to the outdoor air. The system is working between two totally separate environments, indoor and outdoor...
Makes absolute sense now. Thanks Kennis👍🏻
A window unit exhausts the heat transferring from your living space to the great and expansive outdoors. You are trapping all of that heat in your cab. The machine wants lower temp air in the intake tube.... but it’s not getting it. It’s getting super heated air that is trapped in your cab. The machine is going to be working ten times harder. You will have a bigger power drain and wear out the machine faster. Those two back tubes need to be outside..... not in your cab. You are correct, the front grill of the machine needs to be in your cooled environment. The air from the back tubes & the air from the front grills never mix. They remain totally independent.
The machine draws in air from your camper through the lower front grill. It also draws in air from one back tube. The machine transfers the heat from your camper air into the air stream passing through the back. With that heat pulled out, it returns that camper air back into your camper. The heat is now in the exterior air stream being blown out if your exhaust tube. The way you have it set up.... you are asking the machine try to add that heat from your camper into air that is already super heated. The dual tube AC is the most efficient - and will be a benefit in smoky air if near a forest fire.
Yes as a hvac tech there is to side to every ac system
I remember the inspiration for this too, “window boots” from the 70s. Vinyl material, several colors available mounted on the camper, then pulled through the truck window & snapped into place. A kid/smaller person could crawl through if need be.
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I had one of those for my 94" F150 about 17 yrs ago. it worked awesome. Thanks for the videos.
Thank you👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
You can sometimes use a bicycle tire tube to seal up the window. I think that is what Mav does.
Thanks👍🏻
I tried bike tires but they continually went flat (probably went through 3), I ended up with the insulation tubing as well. Found one of these boot devices for cheap, it will be my backup to carry.
That’s pretty cool! I’ve seen guys use bike tire tubes for this same thing!
I’ve heard that too. Might go down that path as well👍🏻
That's what my brother did back in 1978 with his red Datsun pickup.
Sure glad you found The Window Donut!!! I used one for nearly 20 years.. Actually started my business working out of the back with Pass Thru opened to Allow Heat to pass thru….. 12 months of the year it works👍 B Deacon Manitoba Canada 🇨🇦 ( Mine was made of heavier Product)
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I used one one my Truck back in the early 1980’s!! Worked fantastic back then and now 👍👍
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The plaid bed cover looks 👍
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When I was a kid, my dad had one of those camper window doughnuts. We used it on our family vacation to the Ozarks. Us kids rode in the camper and the pass through let the AC come right back to us.
This was back in the 80's.
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The reason you don't put the back end intake in the camper is for one of two reasons. 1 - if the camper is air tight, there will not be enough airflow through the heat exchanger to draw the heat out. Reason is, the camper is air tight so no air is available to be drawn in and exhausted (the second reason will help explain this). 2 - if the camper is not airtight, the negative pressure created by the rear intake will draw the hot humid air in through the cracks (between the bed and tailgate), effectively canceling out the cooling. Also, keep in mind most all air conditioners are designed for a 30 degree drop from ambient air temp. If it is 104 out, you are doing good to get 74 out of it... especially in a camper shell with minimal insulation. Side note, love the videos. I am thinking of something similar when the Dually comes in. I like your design ideas.
Now that actually makes sense to me now! Thank you👍🏻
It is not about pulling a negative. The are 2 systems in every ac unit that need to be separated always
Add a regular fan in the shell and you’ll be just fine. Cool video!
I wish. Not in 105 degree Texas heat. That’s the equivalent of a convection oven.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors Hahaa that’s absolutely true!
I did a complete cut out to access 8' pickup bed from cab, all finished like a pro, with no leeks. Very popular in Sothern Cali. Nice neat job with your setup.
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They used to make a collar that fit through the window and was held in place by spring-loaded ‘hoops’ on each side of the opening. I had one back in the ‘70s. It meant that both windows were open all the time. But that wasn’t a huge deal. And I think if I were to ever add air to my topper I’d have to just bite the bullet and use a low-profile rooftop unit. I’ve seen that done before.
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Still see them online, it’s a Accordion Boot
They made those baffles in the 70s -80s but they were made out of inner tube material and you aired them up with a bicycle pump. The baffle went around the entire window, so you couldn’t see it except from the outside. Worked pretty good, you could crank up the AC in the cab, and you could feel it in the camper.
Don’t make things like they used to. I ended up going with an 18” bike inner tube. So far that has worked out the best.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors I wonder if you could get a few bike tubes, cut them an glue them all together with a rubber compound adhesive for a larger ring that took in the whole window?
Can’t wait for your next camping trip. Watching your videos makes me want to go camping but I can only camp with a tent and it’s way too hot. Gotta wait til like October for that. Enjoy!
Thank you! And technically it’s almost getting too hot to do this truck camping now…..104 outside temp is pretty brutal.
You sir just brought truck camping to another level haha
Lol. Thanks👍🏻
Taking notes! Fantastic content. Thank you.
Thank you👍🏻
I have a stand up portable one. I have to vent it outside and one on the back panel of the cooler inside pulls the cooler air, but the one venting outside blows hot air. It doesn't suck in air. I agree that using hot air to cool doesn't make sense. But it seems to work bringing the temp considerably cooler now. Happy camping 🏕
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I once used a pool noodle, essentially the same thing as pipe insulation, as a window boot. It worked for a time. However, it began to wear away with the movement, and the top just began to crumble with UV degradation. That, and it simply began getting more & more loose due to it being compressed, and remaining so. Also any bugs or grit that settled on top, would eventually get stuck between and create a funky abrasive mess that scratched the glass and left a permanent, hazy line when the cap was removed, and rubbed the paint from the cap as well.
I have been a long time searching for a portable AC that I can use in my van. I have already used one of those household types that you have to run a duct out of a window. 12,000 BTU and took a 3,500 watt generator to run. Then having to unhook it, roll it to the door and drain it every 15 minutes.. (It was humid AF!!) .. was making it pointless to try to cool the interior since I have to have the door open while draining it and letting all the cool air out. I eventually removed one of the table sockets in the floor and routed a bit of hose from the drain, and out through the bottom of the van via that removed socket. That setup worked amazingly well when parked. But when driving, it barely did anything at all. Note: the vans own AC died a week before my trip. A trip to Montana vs my planned trip to Texas (Because it should be cooler up north, right? RIGHT?) Yeah it was 105 in Montana.. 90's in the van when driving. 68 - 70 when parked.
So. I need a better solution. (Fixing the van AC is probably off the table due to the inaccessibility of the pump without removing the engine)
I ended up using a bicycle inner tube that I inflate when I get to camp and works great. Let out just a little bit of air when your done and store it away. Works perfect for me now. 👍🏻
@@BrianWatersOutdoors Now there's a good idea!
Greetings from Oregon! Not sure which part of the country you live in or how much cooling power you need, but an easier solution might be to install a Fantastic Fan in the roof of your truck canopy. They're very popular even in high end RV's, and because heat rises, can be very effective at cooling things down. Also alot smaller and take less power than AC.
Thanks👍🏻
I've seen them for the whole window where you can eliminate both... And you can cut the back of the cab out, and the back of the bed, and make it a walkthrough.... Leave 6 to 8 in on each side and cover the entire area and rubber from a large inner tube...
Hey man I’ve got almost the same set up truck wise as you and bought a mark 2 a few days ago, and have been racking my brain on how to solve this exact issue, and just randomly stumbled across your vid. Can’t thank you enough for solving one of my bigger brain scratches. Great vid.
Awesome👍🏻 glad this helped you out!!
@@BrianWatersOutdoors Very much so! Hey question, where did you get those 4” vent adapters that are screwed to your board in your window?
Home Depot in the section they keep all their vent hoses on. I think it’s referred to as a “wall flange”.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors man you rock. Found the exact ones. Might not be much but you got yourself a new subscriber. Great vids man, look forward to more.
Lol. Cheers Todd👍🏻 I do appreciate that!
Brian, if the donut doesn’t work, I saw people using a bicycle inner tube. Best of luck
Yes, I’ve seen comments about that! Might have to give that a shot if this pipe insulation fails me. Thanknyou👍🏻
They do work. bought mine n 1984 works great.
Thanks👍🏻
Good Idea with that pipe insulation as you pass through gasket. I am using a bigger portable AC unit in similar setup in my truck and you have it setup about that same. I found that it works way better that way. The unit itself puts out heat so having it split up works best for me too. If its super hot I hang a blanket up to insulate it a little better. Most times though just having the cold air blowing gets me to sleep easy.
Thanks👍🏻
I picked up a small window AC unit on CL for $50. I put it on the tailgate (down) with a piece of plywood to close the rest of the tailgate opening, then close the back glass. Works really well when needed - central Kansas in July and August. No ducting or other mods needed.
I think I’m going to try that too. I have an extra 5000 BTU AC from my rv build.
Ya if I had a truck I'd just permanently mount a window ac in one of the side windows, but I've been trying to gather videos on what to do with my minivan, still deciding thanks for the ideas!
Instead of buying something thats probably over priced cause its so specific, the best thing that ive always used is a bicycle tire tube. Cheap and super easy to instal. Perfect window gasket found everywhere. Thats products to specific. Probably like 100 bucks. I can just have 10 tube backups. One last a whole year lol
I ended up doing that👍🏻👍🏻
Lmao I just said samething before I read your comment that's what I use and when gets low I use a football pump to fill it
I bought a Window Donut about the 40 years ago for my 10 foot pu camper. It worked very well
.Jake McClellan The Oregon Boy
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Bicycle inner tube might be a solution. Various sizes. Easy to find and replace, relatively cheap.
Yes! I ended up using an 18” bike tube that works out the best so far
Your place is so super neat
Thanks👍🏻
You can also use a mountain bike tube on a smaller window like that. Easy to slip in there and easy to inflate plus it doesn't squeak because it's rubber.
Yup. That’s what I’m using now👍🏻
It looks like the cold air intake is at the front of your unit so it would make sense that it would be colder because it's pulling colder air in.
Yes, that’s right. Works much better when the front intake is inside the camper.
It's supposed to go around the whole perimiter of the window like the original boot that seals the shell to the cab. Not just the slide for the window, I have the same problem with separation and need to loosen my shell and slide it closer to the cab closer. That's a good product, but thought it was funny when you pulled the whole window towards you. I wanted a window that slid down automatically but without the window you have access to the cab and a seal if you go around the whole hole 🕳 👍
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Second option, brilliant
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Thanks for the video I'm using your set up and works great !!
Awesome! Thanks👍🏻
You can use a Bicycle tire inner tube and it’s the same concept as the window donut but better because it’s rubber so won’t squeak
Yes! That’s next on my list to try👍🏻
The intake on the back of the unit should intake outdoor air. This is so the unit does not take inside cooled air and push it outside. This would cause negative pressure in the cooled area which would cause hot outside air to leak in anywhere it can. The front intake and outlet will cycle the cooled air multiple times to cool it even further.
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Looking forward to your Tuesday video !
Thanks!
Sorry the Truck Boot didn't work out for you. I like your idea with the pipe insulation as well.
Not your fault bud! I’m sure they don’t make ‘‘em like they used to.
back in the 70's i seen someone with the back window completely removed and the bottom portion of the truck cut away with the same cut away in the topper and between the trck back and the topper was what can best be described as an inflatable bladder that was the shape of the cutout and it was covered in some kind of rubber or ripstop material, and you could actually pass thru the cab to the camper.....next... take the donut to a canvass shop and have it covered in some kind of material ? pool noodles will be bigger and probably better to squeeze in there and might stay put while driving
I’ve now found that a bicycle inner tube works the best for my application.
Bicycle innertube works great, the mountain bike size tube
Yessir. That’s what I’m using now
Oh ok cool, nice channel and just subbed
Thanks Jerry👍🏻
Ive been using a tire inner tube in camper for years works like a charm
Yup. Using an inner tube now👍🏻
@@BrianWatersOutdoors Can you hear the tire tube squeek from the inside of the cab while driving? I've been looking for options for a passthrough window but haven't found weatherstripping that's thick enough. Looking up reviews for thr truk boot brought me to your video and it would bother me if it was squeeking like you said.
I don’t drive with the inner tube installed so I can’t confirm if it squeaks. I only install it once I park. Takes about 30 seconds.
Thanks 👍🏽
Use a bicycle tire tube for the seal around the window. Probably the 24" but the fat tire style
Yup! I am doing that now, and has been the best option so far.
Besides using foam or that clear plastic boot I seen people use Bike Cycle inner tubing to seal between the cab of the truck and the camper Might want to try that on the next setup.
Yes! That’s what I’m running now and it’s been the best option so far. 👍🏻
You're going to hate me for telling you this, but EcoFlow is selling refurbished Waves for $799. I ordered mine a few days ago and just got it today. Waaaaaaaaay more power than the ZeroBreeze II, but it's louder too. You'll have to decide if you want to upgrade, but it's cheaper than a new ZeroBreeze II.
Also, you should try some reflectix on all the glass, trust me, it'll help TONS. If you haven't insulated your floor, that's something you should consider too.
Ugh. But, I did put reflectix up now instead of the curtains and it does make a difference. I’m about to trade in this truck for something bigger and have plans to install a 5000 btu a/c in that setup. Should be interesting.
Also you can use a bicycle tube
It has a hot and cold side. Each needs its own intake and exhaust.
The cold side is in where you are. sucks hot air through a radiator with refrigerant and that cools the air where you are down
on the hot side on the back. The hot refrigerant goes through a second AC after being compressed and heated up and gets cooled down by the outside air.
others can explain it better than that. But essentially you want the hot side outside. and the refrigerant goes through dramatic temperature changes between the hot and cold side which is how it works.
Thank you for that. I think I have it setup now to hopefully make it more efficient. 👍🏻
You MUST intake exterior air for the hot side of the AC unit. If you don't you'll be pulling interior air in, then blowing it outside. You need to make that lost air up somehow and the result is you suck in hot hold outdoor air constantly.
This is why single hose "portable" ac units are terrible. No exterior air intake results in constant outside air pulling in.
How you have this set up is pretty much ideal.
Thanks 👍🏻👍🏻
Great video Brian! How large of a solar generator are you using to power the ZB2 all night, and how are you "recharging" the solar generator throughout the day? Solar, AC, 12 volt cigarette lighter or AC inverter inside of your truck? If I purchase one I would need to recharge it during the day time on camping trips etc. FYI: I purchased the donut and you are correct, the squeak is terrible driving down the road!!
I use a 2000w battery power station. It runs the unit about 6 hours, plus the battery that came with the Zero Breeze that gets me maybe 2-3 hours (running on MAX) cold setting. It is hard to recharge these 2000 watt battery power stations with solar, but you could if you had a very large solar panel, or multiple panels tied together. You can also use a car cigarette dc charging cord, but those only typically give you around 100-150 watts of juice. So to get all 2000 watts back would take quite a long time, and you’d need to leave your truck running so it wouldn’t drain the battery. Best bet is to use shore power to recharge if you can.
I had one of those donuts on my camper too u right they do squeak and another problem if u leave in all the time it will rub the paint off the back of your cab it happened to me. Also u really have to blow it up very hard cause as u saw it will loose air.
Yup! Thanks👍🏻👍🏻
Love your honesty 😎
Thanks! I ended up scrapping both of these ideas and am now using a bike inner tube. Works the best!
bicycle inner tube works great
I just tried that out. It was the best option👍🏻
75 is manageable and well with in safe sleeping. I bet if you ran it all night and checked it in the AM when you woke up it would cool even more. On a side note maybe put the thermometer where you could read it from the outside so you don’t have to climb in to see it, and let it run all night and see what happens. I would be curious!
Thanks David. The thermometer I do have is Bluetooth so I can start to check it from the outside without having to climb in/out.
Don't know why it's so complicated. It works like a window unit in your home. You need to separate front half from the back half. Meaning, front half with intake and cold air exhaust needs to be sealed off from the outside or backside. The reason for the exhaust tube is to get hot air out of truck cab. Your condenser coils are cooled with the outside air while the interior of camper shell is recirculated through the cooling coils on front side. Sealing off around cooling unit will ensure none of the cool air escapes to the outside.
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That big duck is the exhaust pulling all the heat off of the coil
Thanks👍🏻
From South Africa bloody hell, you guys are so darn lucky, with all the equipment available to you.. here, all we have is cheap Chinese rubbish... I'm green with envy..
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Years ago we used to use bicycle innertubes
Yes. That is what I’m using now and it has worked out the best.
@@BrianWatersOutdoors take a little baby powder and rub it on the inner tube and it wont squeak on the window
try an appropriate size bicycle inter tube, put it in place and pump it up with a bike pump.
Yes! Just bought one and will be trying that out.
I came here to see that Boot, and watched your video. I used to work in HVAC, but have not seen that Zero Breeze. More than likely, that 4" duct is actually the exhaust for the condensing unit? HVAC systems remove heat from a location its not wanted, and transfers the heat to an area it doesn't matter. The heat transfers when the hot interior air blows across the cold coil and the refrigerant grabs that heat, then its pumped out to the condensing coil where the blown air grabs the heat.
Great explanation👍🏻
You need some sort of insulation on that roof of that camper maybe like a piece of mdf
That would help for sure!
@@BrianWatersOutdoors just wrap it with that same carpet put a few weatherized bolts and washers and bammm we do that a lot to our cars and trucks for SPL REASONS
Nice shirt brother!
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This unit work good for semi truck with sleepers.. if I had it to do over again I would go with eco wave!
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The reason for the one rear intake hose is to bring in fresh air from outside, soooo... technically you could route the rear intake to inside the camper and have both air inputs coming from the cool zone of your camper. This might create a negative air zone in your camper though, depending on how sealed it is. The other hose is the exhaust hose as describe in another comment.
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Concerning the hot air intake…… the way AC units work is by taking heat out of the air thus making the air cold. Is does not work by cooling the air. You can’t extract much heat out of air that is already cold. So yeah I see where that makes since what the manufacturer recommends.
Thanks👍🏻
In a pinch you could use a fat bicycle tube to put in between the camper window and the truck window
Thanks! I actually did that, and am using an 18” bike tube. So far it has worked the best
@@BrianWatersOutdoors your welcome
I like how you can open the window to the bed of the truck. Where can you buy this? I would really like to exchange my window so that I can crawl through the truck bed window easier.
This was an upgrade option when I bought my shell from Leer
Would be nice to have the zero breeze during the field but I now have an icy breeze that is nice but I’m not in anymore.
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I believe they want you to have fresh air circulating throughout your camper shell.
Yessir Jay. I believe that is the case the more I research this unit and read all of the other comments from folks who are much smarter than I am on this thing👍🏻
Two of those 9'' opolar brand usb fans will work wonders circulating the air I only have one I'm my minivan and I can't believe how much air it moves for 12 volts.
Be careful with the donut and your truck glass. I used one once during a hunting trip that had us put quite a bit of miles down some dirt roads and to this day you can see where that donut was on my truck glass. I assume it was the dirt that etched the glass. I specifically cleaned both the truck glass and camper glass before putting it in. It’s not the end of the world as long as the camper shell is on, but it is definitely noticeable when it comes off.
Thanks for the tip! I have switched over to using a bike tube now
Okay if you want both ducts inside, put the unit in the back and stick both hoses in the window
I’ve tried that setup, but it’s just too much going on with all the hoses. Not that much space
@@BrianWatersOutdoors I feel that looks like octopus man from Spider-Man lol
We got a boot in May, and it doesn't squeak on our 4 by 4.
Maybe it was my brand? Not sure, but I ended up going with an 18” bike inner tube and that has been my best option so far.
You'll find out if it works really good when you go camping and are using it in the most extreme heat of the day. Either way it's a good way to cool off when camping on hot summer days
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I used a bicycle inter tube for this 20 years ago
That’s what I’m using now. Best option so far👍🏻
Motorcycle innertube should do the trick.
That’s what I ended up doing👍🏻
Also, tire inner tube if you haven’t already made the switch.. the rubber will make a better seal for your window pass through. Plus only about 4-6$ for one.
Yup! Using an 18” bike tube now and that’s worked out the best!
Thanks for the review of the Mark 2, but I find it on the weak side as 2300BTUs is really not that powerful.
Thanks. It’s just a “spot” cooler, and not meant to really air condition an entire space. But, for how I’m using it, it makes it bearable in 100 degree temps.
my dad used to use a small bike tire tube
That’s what I ended up using 👍🏻👍🏻
I’ve heard of people using bicycle inner tubes for that
Yup. Went that route and works much better👍🏻
3:00 WOW. I had the same thoughts.
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It most likely condenses the hot air. Which in turn helps the efficiency for cooling. If you try to take cool air to condense it causes the ac to work more. At least from my rudimentary understanding of ac.
Great explanation actually! Thanks👍🏻
@@BrianWatersOutdoors no problem, I just seen about a 100 different people had a similar take. Haha. Just found your channel the other day. I’ve enjoyed seeing your truck upgrades. I actually bought one of the bed tents from rei on sale a couple days ago. Going to see how me and my son like that. I currently do not have a topper. Otherwise I’d go with something similar to your setup. Thanks for the inspiration.
The fresher the outside air, the better. The more sealed off it is, the better. Think of it as a window AC unit. The inside air recirculates, and the outside gets cooled by the fan that’s blowing the coils that do the “AC magic” that cools the other side.
Essentially an AC is a refrigerator. The hotter your inside is, the warmer the air will be. If you give it plenty of time to cool off the things and surfaces, it may get even colder.
Thanks👍🏻
they must recommend outside air for the intake because of carbon dioxide would build up after a while.. but idk .. the one design flaw i see is the out and the in pipes are right beside eachother out the window probably sucking some of the hot exhaust in with the fresh... maybe if it went out the other window on the other side...nice setup tho
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I was wondering.. if you were to route the intake to the cabin that you’re also cooling down wouldn’t it be more efficient or at least have a quicker cool down if it were pulling air in from the cool cabin its creating? As well as you might get a dryer cabin if its circulating that inside air as its cooling it vs pulling in that outside Texas humidity and heat.. just my .02 and curiosity running amok! Haha really enjoying the videos my friend!
So, no not really. I can’t explain it as effectively as some other folks have in these comments, but that duct needs to pull in hot air from outside. 🤷🏻♂️🤷🏻♂️
Okay, yea I was curious as to whether it was an actual ac or a heat exchanger.. I figured the latter as they’ve become popular for window units etc. how is the dryness using it? Does the cabin feel humid still?
It does feel better after running it a while. I usually dump out about 2 cups of water in the morning from the drip line.
Comment for support in the algorithm
Lol. Thanks bud👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
You might of thought about it. But a bicycle inner tube.
Yup. Using an inner tube now👍🏻
A bike innertube can be used to do the same thing.
Yessir. That’s what I’m using now.
New sub! Liked 🙏😮😀😎
Thank you👍🏻👍🏻😀
If I remember right the rear intake is for the Compressor, so it has intake and exhaust. The front is the same for air-conditioning.
Thanks👍🏻
I love donuts can we get that window donut glazed?
Lol👍🏻👍🏻
I have the exact same camper shell window. I considered the tube from HD like you got but was curious and concerned about rubbing. Any issues with paint rubbing with the tube? Trying to find a semi permanent solution so I can cool the back for dogs while driving.
I did not notice any paint rub. I only had it on for about 4 months though.
I think the Mark 2 would have been better if you can charge it thru solar. You can use it for more than one day.
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My buddy sealed his off with a pool noodle
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Try a bike inner Tube 👍
Yup. Trying that out tonight👍🏻
MIKES are Good Guys!! 🤛
Use a boot they make boots for that for millions of yrs now lol hahaha
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I used a bicycle intertube to seal my camper to truck cab
Yup. That’s what I’m using now. Works the best
We used inner tubes in between the cab in the cap
I’ve switched over to that too. Much better option!
Back is condenser and front is the evaporator.
👍🏻👍🏻 thanks
I wonder if a bicycle inner tube would be cheaper and work better.
It does work better👍🏻 that’s what I’m using now
I've used an bicycle inner tube as a donut before.
Yessir. Been thinking about that too
I use mountain bike tube instead and it has been doing a good job
Yup. I got an 18” bike tube and it’s worked out the best