I am an engineer. This is an excellent presentation. I found this video because I installed this same unit a few days ago. My installation is different in that my "outdoor" unit is installed underneath my van, where the spare tire usually is, and my "indoor" unit is fixed to the van frame inside - but roughly in the same place. I love how the poster figured out how to mount both on the frame of the driver's door. If you have experience and/or are comfortable with charging refrigerant, the tools you will need are a refrigerant manifold, a rotary vane vacuum pump, refrigerant canisters, a scale to weigh the canisters, and the adapters to connect each of these to the refrigerant manifold. But $100 to get it done is a smart choice. I paid more ($800) for the same thing because I was impatient. I'm really impressed with this person's creativity and ingenuity.
The unit in her video looks to be encased in plastic. Do you worr about rocks and damage to your undermounted unit? I definitely would prefer the unit mounted underneath for stealth.
@@sigurd2498I don’t see why not, as long as it’s completely insulated and sealed off so that no heat or exhaust from the ac gets back into your living space. That was my original plan before deciding to just mount it underneath the van.
A note to this brilliant lady, Kerry you would be wise to spray galvanized paint on the threshold of you van at the back to protect the rust from forming on it.
I am an Engineer and General Contractor, very familiar with the particulars of split units. This installation and video are brilliant, showing all mounting, routing and connection challenges. One thing not mentioned: This van has very little glazing, and I suspect it has the best insulation possible... this is the critical factor that makes AC work in a van... uninsulated window surfaces are heat transfer monsters. Regarding the windshield and driving area side windows, an insulated curtain behind the front seats would greatly reduce that heat gain issue. Great job on this!!!
Finally, a true 12 volt that seriously cools down the space in a van. The low profile style, versatile install, and appealing appearance is all bonus! Thanks for sharing this because I've been looking for a long time for this!
I had always imagined my future van life would include a nomadic cooling 12v air conditioner, but this thing looks more flexible(if not a fair bit more complicated to install) and, most importantly, less than 1/4 the price. Around $700-$800 for the mini split vs around $3500 for the nomadic cooling one Sure, it's a little less efficient than a nomadic cooling AC, but you can use those savings to just get a bigger battery bank to power your whole rig AND air conditioner This really is a major step in technology for van lifers. Give it a few more years and even people on tight budgets will be able to camp in the hot humid summers of the south without having to shower every 4 hours! Edit: this is almost a direct parallel to 12v fridges. 5-6 years ago, you couldn't find a decent 12v fridge for any less than $700 bucks, but now you can get all sizes of fairly reliable Chinese models for $200 bucks or less
I’m impressed with the mini split solution - but honestly I’m more impressed with Carrie - her ability to articulate and share her knowledge of the unit in this interview - how it functions inside her van for optimum comfort - and the thought that went into the install process was outstanding. She is definitely both pretty, and an intelligent woman. Thank you for sharing.
I installed one of those units in my PROMASTER to keep the rear of the van cool, it works pretty good. It was a little bit of the challenge to add Freon r-134 and run the cables to supply the power to the a/c unit. I spend around 800 dollars I am happy with the end result
For me to be on the road, I must have a reliably temperature controlled cabin. This looks like the most viable solution. I have 2 cats that may be with me, and I have health conditions that require temp regulation. Thank you Keri, for being so generous with your time. Your explanation of your system, the cost, how you use it, the tests you're doing on it, is wonderful. It was also valuable information you shared about the previous iterations of a/c that you tried. Thanks Brian, for the interview and the video. Have a great weekend!
If you want reliable and the most efficient then get the 220 volt inovair 9000 btu minisplit. It uses 600 watts to start and run 10 or 12 min then drops to 200 watts the rest the time. You do have to buy a 220 split phase inverter but it's a minisplit that will easily keep you at 68 degrees in 100 degree weather and do it on solar. I studied this for months before I made the investment and it was the best modification I've done to my 30 foot holiday rambler. If you have a van you could get the 6000 btu and be fine but with my camper being 30 feet I thought the 9000 would be perfect. The other good thing is they are silent. No noise at all. If I put it on turbo high cool you can barely hear it but in normal operation it is completely silent. Good luck on your journey and God bless
Keep the compressor unit out of the sun this will help efficiency as well. Insulate the refrigerant lines if you I am sure they get quite hot when the van has been left idle in the sun for a period of time.
This AC project was, obviously, well planned and installed, giving the owner both an esthetically pleasing (not bulky as with window units) appearance and an efficient air conditioner. One thing I noticed on the install is that only two bolts are used to hang the compressor to the swing-out door. That door is made from rather thin sheet metal and is being asked to bear the weight of the unit and other stresses (as when the draft of the van buffets the unit as you travel down the road). Consider adding a bracket to the back side of the door to distribute those stresses and weight on other structural components of the door. In addition, the extra strength would mitigate any attempt by someone to tamper with or remove the compressor.
There are five bolts, both on top and the bottom.. it also has backing on a piece of plywood. After six months, I checked the tightness on the bolts and they haven't moved. What's not mentioned in the video, there are also rubber pieces between the plywood and the sheet-metal to ease some of the vibrations.
Automotive engineering isn't about ultimate strength it's about cyclical load life expectancy. The elastic deflection is a bonus and she sees plastic deflection she can make repairs, also it's saving the compressor from an earlier demise. One of the reasons brake lines aren't copper any more is the work hardening from millions of cycles of deflection and the copper then cracking. Van life for 6 years, great opportunity to field test all sorts of product longevity. Really that units a thermodynamic playground. Some critical examination would doubtlessly uncover efficiency gains.
One thing most folks do not realize is that removing the moisture from the air is the majority of comfort. The ten degree drop is not really needed if you drop the humidity by a lot. Seventy six degrees and dry is really all most folks need to be comfortable. Also Carrie should look into a remote thermostat kit for that unit. Most have the ability to wire in a thermostat anywhere you want it to bypass the one built into the head unit. That would solve her "short cycling" problem.
We must keep in mind, some animals don't sweat, therefore air temperature is key. Whether it's humid or dry air is less important for them. I like to have pocket pets, and I nearly lost a couple due to excessive heat. I had to keep metal containers full of ice in their cage when it got too hot.
Cracking a window and moving that thermostat would also sort the short cycling. Cooling small areas can be tough but I find cracking a window or vent is about all that's needed
I love this statement - “I like to measure once and try it three times and it usually works on the fourth. Yep. We have the same ideas! But what a great solution to a problem we all share. Thanks for this!
She is a genius, but I think she probably installed this before the modern portable ACs came out that require a third of the power of this massive power hog. There is no way you can run this thing with solar you would need over 1200-1500W of solar to run this thing 24 hours a day. The portable ACs that weight only 20 pounds and are as heavy as a suitcase only require 200 W instead of the 700 W set up she has. 2300-2900 Btu is all you need. If you can’t run something off of solar, you probably shouldn’t be running it. I would hate to have to use a stinky/expensive generator for every little thing that I have instead of running everything purely off of solar, which I have done for years.
I love the creativity you’re finding - I’d have never imagined a mini split for a van. Looks great for her purposes-the dog care and work life. Won’t work for me in my current vehicle (minivan). But def gets me thinking outside the box! Thanks!
Minivans don't have room for a huge battery bank, I think power consumption is the main problem. My commute is horrendous so I live in a minivan during the workweek and come back to my house on the weekend. Stealth is very important when you are parking in the city and a big solar pannel on the roof would give me away. Even with a big solar pannel/DC to DC charger I doubt I could generate enough power to run it the 4 to 6 hours a day I'd need in the summer.
@@Weathernerd27is it a Grand Caravan or Pacifica? They have a plug-in hybrid version that replaces the Stow 'n Go 2nd row seats with conventional seats so the storage well can be filled with batteries. Also, minivans are smaller so it won't use at much power to maintain the same temperature.
@@Weathernerd27 one of our dispatchers lives in his toyota sienna hybrid awd van. Since our parking is secured, and monitored, hes in his van sleeping in employee parking a few hours before his shift. They have a nice new house but its about 2h one way distance, so he just lives in his van. He used to have a huge F350, but doesnt tow a boat anymore, doesnt go off roading haul toys anymore. He has a 4x4 Tacoma he can go off roading and camping in. But his van? All creature comforts. Hes running errands, doing laundry, etc, then a few hours before his shift he parks and sleeps in his van. interior has a bed, a dometic fridgeezer, and he mostly uses kitchen area in our dpt to prep stuff like everyone else. Some of our younger dispatchers and officers who had apartments got vans, and live in them full time now. As they were rarely home because of work they had, being away 16+ hours, when off they run errands, gym, eat, then sleep before shift, so theres sprinter vans, transit vans, all built for active camping and cycling, and since they dont pay 2000-3500 for apartments anymore, they save more money hahaha. Our department last Dec, installed hookups in designated parking spaces for vans and trucks with campers. With the plug many folks can now use their AC units!
I'm not an HV AC tech but I installed a whole series of these in a recording studio that I built four or five years ago. The studio wanted them because they were so quiet they could put them in the vocal booths and not have noise bleed onto the microphone
Mini-splits can also do heating. Have you had a chance to consider/test heating? You might also consider a large diameter vacuum hose as a duct leading toward the front of the van. Match dia to one of the exhaust vents, and you may consider a boost fan if flow isn't what you were hoping for.
Great topic and excellent interview. Your guest (Carrie?) is very knowledgeable and covered so many aspects of the install and operation of the mini split. These units would be a great idea to replace conventional roof top (useless, extremely inefficient) units that RVs come with. My rooftop unit (15,000 btu) is barely capable of achieving a 10 degree temperature differential. Thanks for this video!
Very impressed with the owner’s ability to explain the benefits of the mini-split and the issues relating to the installation. Thank you for helping me consider this option!
I have a mini-split, but I recommend considering noise wherever you mount your compressor. I put it on the roof in front, since my bed is in the back. The output unit is in my bedroom
Don't mount directly to surface of door. Use Unistrut or similar for a bracket attached to door through insulating bushings. Attach a Starboard sheet. Bolt on condenser unit.
Some mini-splits come with a remote control with a feature called "Follow Me" that turns the remote control into a portable thermostat. So if you wanted the temperature to be gauged off the front of the rig, you simply put your remote control in that area. I wonder if you can add that feature or if there are smaller units like this that have that feature. My understanding is that these compressors should not be mounted greater than "x" inches above the actual blower head. So, in regards to the questions in the comments about whether they could be mounted horizontally on the roof (I can't speak to the horizontal orientation), one would have to know what the detrimental distance is for the compressor to be mounted above the blower head and be sure that is taken into account. Hopefully someone with some mini-split HVAC expertise can chime in on this. Thanks for sharing the details on this set-up!
Excellent use of a minisplit! Couple suggestions: - insulate refrigerant lines to avoid freezing in variable temperature situations. As well, this would help the refrigerant to remain relatively cool in hot climates or direct sun. - There is a tube used by some vandwellers that stretches from point of origin (heating or cooling) to the other section of the fan. Looks like there are several distribution ports for cool air -maybe one or two tubes could be used to have air pushed through the front of the van, vs having a fan blow the ambient air to bring cooling from the back. The tubes are accordian type, about 4" diameter, and can be covered by an insulating fabric. Might sound a bit cumbersome, but could e a pretty answer to moving air from the unit to beyond your sleeping space. Congrats on a workable solution, and thank you for sharing!
@@LibertyOrD___h I was wondering what refrigerant it used.. As you can walk in any Auto store and buy 134a...Slap a set of gauges on it. You can charge them yourself. If they ever need service...
Very good idea! Compact insulated air ducts. Thank you. I've seen some vandwellers use a magnetic curtain to section off just the bed part so they can cool off just the living room to be more efficient.
Awesome setup. The only two things I would change is. 1) I would run the drain through the door using a marine tank vent. 2) Shorten both the high and low pressure lines, any automotive A/C shop can do that for you.
If she didn't explain it like that simple but VERY understanding way, i wouldn't even look at these units as possible for me (I'm afraid of electricity since it did me twice). Best solution EVER I would say. Thank you very much for sharing this video and her sharing us this valuable knowledge for us folks. Really really really appreciated & bless you all. ❤
Amazing design! It covers all of what my bases would be, the sticky-outy bits are all sticking into unused space, the unit is not on the roof adding height to an already tall vehicle, It is 12 V, and it seems to work! You should be very pleased with your results.
I never knew you can install the unit vertically. Amazing, thank you. I used an Ecoflow portable AC, it sits by the sliding door, the exhaust tube to the passenger window connected to ETSY screened tube adapter. What I found out is, it is more efficient at night when I placed a curtain at the end of the bed and stick the outlet tube on the side. The curtain will act as a thermal barrier.
I've been thinking that the electronic portion of my build might have to be last, because I need to step into something usable right away. So AC seemed like something I was going to have to do without, when I know I can’t. I'm very grateful to know there may be a solution that saps less power. Thanks so much for sharing!
Great idea for AC in a van. Everything she has done makes perfect sense. If she decides to clean up the tubing on the inside of the door she might consider a plastic bathroom panel 4' x 8' which can be trimmed to size, available in Home Depot, and hide the tubing and cables behind it. No big deal.
I’ve owned a lot of boats ,and have tried all those options Keri tried they never work efficiently the Mini Splits are the way to go most especially if you plan on running them on battery and Solar charging systems in the recent years the mini splits have really come a long way on price reduction accessibility ,and energy efficeint !BTW Kerri i have the same weather station ! Boats and RV / Van Living are very similiar both off grid with inefficient insulation (compared to a permanent structure ) like a house . FYI for marine applications they do have a heat exchanger option that utilizes the body of water the vessel is in ,those work great on 110 Voltage either Dock Power or a Marine Generator the drawback to that operation is the cost of the componenents are expensive like 10 grand or better ! and repairs and parts may not be able everywhere ! Marine Airconditioners do tend to use standard parts and Certified Repairmen in most Ports can figure out solutions ! Another note is on the water Shade may not be as easy as land to find
I have four dogs with me and it has been very difficult. Nothing has worked thus far so I'm very thankful have found this. I have a 98 Ford E350 Club Wagon.
The brand I got is AC/DC, their based in Tucson and their service was wonderful when I had issues. About $1300 to buy, and $400 to install. One can DIY install them and they come precharged. I'm happy with the quietness, and use about 200amp-hrs to run it all night
It is only DIY if you know how to cut and flare the copper and have a vacuum pump… The lines should never be coiled vertically, or really at all (but horizontally above the condenser could work if done right.. Long story short, the way done in this video creates a trap, preventing oil returning to the compressor, and the compressor will seize up at some point in the future…
@@biketothetop yes I don’t understand how people think that running a 750 W air conditioner is efficient. They make modern portable ACs that only require 250 W she would effectively need 1200 W or more of solar to run this without having to run a stinky/costly generator. In theory she could maybe run this with solar if she covered the entire roof and then laid out like another 600 W on the side of her van, but she would be much better with a smaller much more efficient AC. This is a massive power hog. This is why I don’t like these big sprinter vans. They are a pain in the butt to maintain. They have too much inner space and require too much cooling. If you’re going to try to avoid bills and live an easier lifestyle why do a sprinter? Missing the whole point.
As far as aesthetics and my OCD, this drives me crazy! So I guess my question is can this be mounted on the roof horizontally? Super great explanation of the rationale as well as capability. Thank you!
Really interesting and innovative setup. Definitely could be used in built out cargo box vans/trucks as well. Thank you again for always having helpful, usable and varying costs👍🏻
Something else comes to mind. The AC is a dehumidifier, it takes humidity out of the air. A Swamp Cooler puts moisture into the air. If you are in a humid environment, like the South West you want the AC running. If you are in a dry climate like Arizona, you want the Swamp Cooler. They both have their place.
I have the unit mounted under the van with flatside up. The sale agent said it OK. I just finished all the hose connection and wiring tonight. I have a vacuum pump and know how to charge Freon. Hopefully I can get the unit up and running this weekend. Your explanation is spot on. Thank you.
Works great. I have logged over 20 hrs already since. Max power draw is 70A (@12v), standby is 45-50A. Discharge air is 50-55F. At speed #1 or 2, it's very quiet, i can sleep in.
Hi AZ... It's great that you arrived at the same solution, with a variation on mounting. It would be very helpful if you would provide detail photos of the condenser and fancoil mounting solution, as well as routing details for the coolant linesets. What are you doing with condensate?
This unit has so many possibilities, Keri did an auto e job of explaining the inner works but also the capabilities. She is also an eloquent speaker. TY
We are in the process of developing a green system that uses a much different technology then standard AC systems. This system is totally powered on a single 100w panel which gives you AC as well as utilizes the hot side of the unit to heat your hot water and generate electric which goes into your batteries. Its basically a MUCH more efficient system then the junk they been selling us for to many years, the issue with other systems is they simply are not efficient with this system your highest draw is around 20W. The system captures the heat and instead of just pushing all that energy out the door it reuses all that thermal energy for useful things like making electric easily and heat your hot water. The system will come with connections to hold the hot water in your existing hot water tank or for van dwellers theres a hose attachment so they can hook it up to a portable outdoor shower. I dont have the exact metrics of efficiently but its somewhere around 85% Im an engineer and RV'er myself so I totally get the issues we face especially this time of the year in Quartzite when its 105 degrees already lol. I am cooling my entire work trailer for free, no hook ups it simply uses one panel for the electric thats lost during transfer throughout the system, the rest is generated from the heat you normally throw out the door. If you look at pretty much ANY technology of today they make them just good enough to work like solar panels being 22% efficient purposely otherwise everyone would be living with no energy or fuel bills which equal no money for the greedy politicians and chinese factories. All this greed is really what inspired me to engineer a much more efficient system, once released we will offer the plans and parts list for DIY folks who want to build their own ( easy to build) and for those who want to buy one, we should have them available this coming year in Quartzite. It will all be totally open source!!
Great video. I had a 35 foot houseboat and I didn’t need a 5500 btu unit to cool it off. So when she said a 13k was needed it made this setup even more appealing. If I have any problems with my dometic unit on my camper I will look into this. It’s cheaper than a repair.
She was talking about a portable a/c with the plastic exhaust hose. The BTU rating is not what you actually get for cooling output, Newer units have 2 ratings BTU and SACC(Seasonal Adjusted Cooling Capacity) is what you actually get.
That style a/c unit looks like the best choice for those who can afford it. I'll be running fans and following cooler temps as much as possible when I finally am able to get on the road. Thank you for the info.
Very nice! I would be concerned about dust clogging compressor on dry dirt roads. Maybe a canvas dust cover for while she is driving? This does look like a game changer! Thanks
This is great and looks like it could work for a more low key setup like ours. We’ve looked at AC options before, but they seem like they would all require like 1200 watts of solar and way more batteries than we have. It would be good to know her solar setup and if she runs stuff like Starlink with her AC going. Excellent video!!
I saw ypur post and thought you might like advice on a great minisplit. I have the 9000 btu 220 volt inovair on my holiday rambler 30 foot camper. It uses 600 watts the first 10 or 12 minutes then drops down to 200 watts the test of the time. It runs 24 7 and will cool the camper very easy. In turbo mode it ramps up to 13500 btu and it will pull 600 watts then also but I never do that really no need. It's variable speed and nearly always runs at 2000 btu 200 watts. I did have to buy a 220 volt inverter and it all runs easily off my solar. Infact everything in the camper runs off solar with ease. I have alot of battery and 1800 watts of solar but we never worry about or even think to try to conserve power. We just live normally with hair dryer and air fryer and all the normal house hold stuff. Even a large 120 volt fridge. I'd say if you had 4 or 600 watts of solar and a 560 Amp hour battery you could run non stop ac even thru 2 or 3 days of rain. It was kinda expensive for us to do all we did to be able to live off grid but it's so worth it.
My 2nd year with camper van in coastal NE Florida. I have 2 EcoFlow river pro 600 watt batteries, 5 USB fans from Walmart that use 5 watts on high and lots of ice in my Setpower freezer box (50 watt 12 volt). I considered buying a big expensive main battery and installing expensive AC unit, but summer is only 2 or 3 months so I decided to keep life simple and low budget 😊
Plus you can buy a 900W window AC for $100 and use batteries with an inverter or a 1800W compact generator that barely needs to run. I only spend .50 cents an hour in gas for AC and only use it for 5 hours in the afternoon.
Yah, mini splits are da bomb. I did a Mr Cool DIY in a studio I rent out. Paid 1600 dollars from Home Depot and couldn't be happier. thanks for sharing this great install. Very smart lady. Resourceful. I have a one ton dually flatbed that i will be building an enclosure for. I have been musing for months how to cool/heat it. Mini splits are actually a heat pump. Get some panels, some Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, some regulators, and an ac/dc converter...you are golden. We use alot of this stuff on boats too. Once again. my hats off to you two for an excellent review.
Cool system. I couldn't find a 12v mini split from a vendor I could trust. Ended up buying an EcoFlow Wave 2 with it's dedicated 1159wH battery at least double what she paid... System works great, though not thoroughly tested yet - it will be a bit wimpy in some cases, I'm sure. Can only recharge at ~200 watts, so won't drain my main system very quickly. I still get almost 12 hours of real-world run time per 24 hours with my 280aH battery bank and 400w solar (300w real world performance).
Just curious if you’ve added a dcdc charger to your van? We have one for our truck camper setup and it’s been awesome. It keeps our 520 aHr battery system charged while driving around and has been a great addition to the 200W solar system! (We recently doubled the solar to 400W, but didn’t realize that our SCC was only rated to 390w, which I’d have assumed would have been fine anyways since they were flat mounted, but something triggered the bms with an over voltage error logged, so I’m guessing that the solar might have hit max capacity, despite us having been using the fridge on 12v vs propane most of that day. Having limited space for solar panels, this was a great alternative charging solution for us. --Anyhow, that was a long winded way of just an fyi that if you haven’t added a dcdc charger, it might be something you can look into possibly adding if you need additional charging capacity.
Great explanation of her whole process of choosing the right system for her particular needs! Does anyone know if the outside unit of this system needs to be mounted vertically, or if it could be roof mounted?
As an rv technician and van converter, I looked into that very question. Unfortunately, I have not yet found a unit with a horizontal condenser. If you were to lay that down, you would have problems as the refrigerant changes from liquid to vapor, so it must be oriented properly or the system will not "flow". Secondly, the compressor requires oil to circulate internally, so parts of the compressor, which are designed to be bathed in oil won't get lubricated. It's probably even more complicated than that, but that's what I know. So the short answer is no.
This condenser unit can be mounted horizontally if desired, it is engineered for either type of install. Note that it uses a 12 or 24vdc scroll compressor. It's common to see them mounted vertical on back wall of a truck cab, however they WILL roof-mount no problem.
My *impression* (just based on comparing info that's easily available so far, so just impression now) is that the 12V roof units are not as efficient/more power used for the same amount of cooling) and $2200 - @3500 for ones with good output. They are single units (compressor/condenser/fans in one package) and air flow is good so they do have some good performance points but this unit is a power-sipper and the price is right!
Very impressive! You go girl! And thank you for reviewing this product because I have been looking at it for years and wondering if it will work in a van build and how much solar it needs.
I've been looking for a minisplit for my Ford Transit. Until I saw this video, the only vids I've seen show minisplits mounted on the back door with a space between the compressor and the back door so as to allow air into the back of the compressor- which meant the unit was sitting out there attached to either a spare tire kit or a minisplit bracket. It looks like your unit is drawing air in just on the sides. That's a game changer for me if I can just mount it flush to the door! Thanks for this great vid and happy travels!
Hi Brian, someone have to study this A/C and experts on unit and start installing for rescue vanlife people from heat! Ofcorse installer can making hensome money too its a win win solution !! Looking forward to installed for my Van 😂 Thank you for such a good info!
I like this gal.....🙂she reminds me of me. Some people would say to much information to fast.......my wife hates me because I explain things in to much detail but by trade I'm a mechanical draftsman years back. Thanks Cary you are on top if things taking care of yourself 👍a lot if gals today would have turned a close ear to her due to feeling some intimidation.
I get amazed at some of these van or camper builds soooo cool! I really like your set up, it looks comfy and roomy for what a tight small space it really is. Ohhhhh and that mini split A/C is fricken BADA$$!!!
Would be interesting to get a mini split that could function as a heat pump. Also would be nice to have a remote with thermostat that could be put in the front of the van far away from the rear blower to break the fast feedback loop.
a great setup although using plywood to mount the exterior unit kind of irks me due to moisture getting at the wood. I would suggest using a PVC board and a dense closed cell foam gasket to hopefully further reduce vibration from the compressor being transmitted through the doors sheet metal. Definitely a sweet install!
May cost more, but look into a Dometic 12 volt ac. This mini split is NOT designed as a mobile unit. I have the Dometic unit and can tell you it is a quality unit. She’s one of those many people who look at price first and quality is secondary. Not to mention it looks ugly. I’d like to see how this unit runs days or weeks from now. If it were that good of a system, why aren’t more people using them on their van! BTW, we have 4 mini splits in our home!
@@MichaelWilliams-ro9bm this unit is specifically manufactured to be installed as a mobile unit for semi trucks, RV's and the like. It is not intended as a fixed home install.
A few simple additions would make a tremendous difference in both efficiency and performance. Stuff anything in that open area of the rear door for insulation. Either add foil insulated windshield and window covers in cab or an insulated curtain to close off the cabin from the cab. Adding a soft-start to the unit would eliminate the huge draw on start up. It may cost 2 or 3 hundred dollars but it will be a huge advantage and pay for itself quickly. Then you might find it to your advantage to run it continually during times of high temps instead of just when parked. Best wishes with your travel and comfort for you and your dog. It's always a relief to not have to worry if your dog is really cool enough when you have to leave it for a while. I congratulate you on getting a mini split.
I have a Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan. With a hybrid, you can run the AC which runs off of the hybrid battery, not a belt while the engine is running. The engine starts about every fifteen minutes for a minute or so to recharge the hybrid battery. It burns about a gallon of gas to run the AC overnight.
Amazing install. How much condensation does the unit produce overnight? Would it be feasible to install a bottle to catch the condensation rather than having it drip out the door at the back of the van? A lot of people like to use the space at the back of the van to extend living quarters with an awning or tent structure and probably would not want a mucky mess in that area.
I haven’t seen any condensation to be honest. It’s so dry where I’m at that it might not be an issue… there’s a lot of dust on that door, so I’d certainly notice water there.
Several people have commented on the insulation of the refrigerant lines- a simple yet very cheap option is using a pool noodle- cut to side sliced lengthwise secured with zip ties works fabulously.
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I am an engineer. This is an excellent presentation. I found this video because I installed this same unit a few days ago. My installation is different in that my "outdoor" unit is installed underneath my van, where the spare tire usually is, and my "indoor" unit is fixed to the van frame inside - but roughly in the same place. I love how the poster figured out how to mount both on the frame of the driver's door. If you have experience and/or are comfortable with charging refrigerant, the tools you will need are a refrigerant manifold, a rotary vane vacuum pump, refrigerant canisters, a scale to weigh the canisters, and the adapters to connect each of these to the refrigerant manifold. But $100 to get it done is a smart choice. I paid more ($800) for the same thing because I was impatient. I'm really impressed with this person's creativity and ingenuity.
The unit in her video looks to be encased in plastic. Do you worr about rocks and damage to your undermounted unit? I definitely would prefer the unit mounted underneath for stealth.
where is your spare tire?
yeah i was thinking of mounting it under my van as well, just the fan, condenser, and compressor.
If o make a hole ik my van, can i then Mount the "outdoor piece", Inside my van as long as it has an opening to draw air from the outside?
@@sigurd2498I don’t see why not, as long as it’s completely insulated and sealed off so that no heat or exhaust from the ac gets back into your living space. That was my original plan before deciding to just mount it underneath the van.
A note to this brilliant lady, Kerry you would be wise to spray galvanized paint on the threshold of you van at the back to protect the rust from forming on it.
I am an Engineer and General Contractor, very familiar with the particulars of split units. This installation and video are brilliant, showing all mounting, routing and connection challenges. One thing not mentioned: This van has very little glazing, and I suspect it has the best insulation possible... this is the critical factor that makes AC work in a van... uninsulated window surfaces are heat transfer monsters. Regarding the windshield and driving area side windows, an insulated curtain behind the front seats would greatly reduce that heat gain issue. Great job on this!!!
Finally, a true 12 volt that seriously cools down the space in a van. The low profile style, versatile install, and appealing appearance is all bonus! Thanks for sharing this because I've been looking for a long time for this!
This is the best of RUclips -- a clear practical how-to demonstration by an actual person. Very impressive!
Wonderful professional install. She could make really good money installing for others... very impressed.
That girl did her homework. I'm impressed that she could name the parts and explain how that unit works. Kudos to Sis. 👍👍
I had always imagined my future van life would include a nomadic cooling 12v air conditioner, but this thing looks more flexible(if not a fair bit more complicated to install) and, most importantly, less than 1/4 the price. Around $700-$800 for the mini split vs around $3500 for the nomadic cooling one
Sure, it's a little less efficient than a nomadic cooling AC, but you can use those savings to just get a bigger battery bank to power your whole rig AND air conditioner
This really is a major step in technology for van lifers. Give it a few more years and even people on tight budgets will be able to camp in the hot humid summers of the south without having to shower every 4 hours!
Edit: this is almost a direct parallel to 12v fridges. 5-6 years ago, you couldn't find a decent 12v fridge for any less than $700 bucks, but now you can get all sizes of fairly reliable Chinese models for $200 bucks or less
So true
what are some of these cheap 12v fridges? I have not come across them
Mini split is more efficient than a roof top
@@euphioquestion420me either lol
@@euphioquestion420Home depot
I’m impressed with the mini split solution - but honestly I’m more impressed with Carrie - her ability to articulate and share her knowledge of the unit in this interview - how it functions inside her van for optimum comfort - and the thought that went into the install process was outstanding. She is definitely both pretty, and an intelligent woman. Thank you for sharing.
I installed one of those units in my PROMASTER to keep the rear of the van cool, it works pretty good. It was a little bit of the challenge to add Freon r-134 and run the cables to supply the power to the a/c unit. I spend around 800 dollars I am happy with the end result
This is the best AC solution for a van I've seen.
Keri seems like such a wonderful person. Thanks Keri, you're awesome! :)
For me to be on the road, I must have a reliably temperature controlled cabin. This looks like the most viable solution. I have 2 cats that may be with me, and I have health conditions that require temp regulation. Thank you Keri, for being so generous with your time. Your explanation of your system, the cost, how you use it, the tests you're doing on it, is wonderful. It was also valuable information you shared about the previous iterations of a/c that you tried. Thanks Brian, for the interview and the video. Have a great weekend!
I'm blown away how efficient it is.
Brian....Most excellent....interview,Thnx
If you want reliable and the most efficient then get the 220 volt inovair 9000 btu minisplit. It uses 600 watts to start and run 10 or 12 min then drops to 200 watts the rest the time. You do have to buy a 220 split phase inverter but it's a minisplit that will easily keep you at 68 degrees in 100 degree weather and do it on solar. I studied this for months before I made the investment and it was the best modification I've done to my 30 foot holiday rambler. If you have a van you could get the 6000 btu and be fine but with my camper being 30 feet I thought the 9000 would be perfect. The other good thing is they are silent. No noise at all. If I put it on turbo high cool you can barely hear it but in normal operation it is completely silent. Good luck on your journey and God bless
Are you from the facebook vanlife group?
I MUST have it also. AC anyway. That, or constant fatigue from sleep deprivation.
Keep the compressor unit out of the sun this will help efficiency as well. Insulate the refrigerant lines if you I am sure they get quite hot when the van has been left idle in the sun for a period of time.
Not exactly stealth. Gr8!!!
@@valnpaulvanorden it everyone needs to be. I don’t remember anyone saying it is.
good points, thank you! (commenting for the algorithm lol)
I wonder if the compressor unit installed under the van carriage would be better? Seems like my dog love sitting under the van in the day time.
@@valnpaulvanordenStealth is waaaaay overrated. If you really want to be stealth, through a contractors rack on top with ladders attached to it.
Haven't seen this before. This is a very neat AC install. For 700 bucks, this could be a solution for me! Thanks Keri!!
Buy a 2900 btu ac, this one she has is a power hog, can’t run it off solar.
She got me when she said, I want my dog to be comfortable. That's says a whole lot about a person, male or female.
Insulating the exhaust tube for a portable unit will help. Keeping that vent as short as possible will also help.
I absolutely hate the heat, so this looks like a fantastic solution!! Very well explained, thank you very much 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
Very useful information, well covered, well recorded. Thanks to crvl team and guest. Happy trails and stay safe.
🙏🏼🐾🎶
This AC project was, obviously, well planned and installed, giving the owner both an esthetically pleasing (not bulky as with window units) appearance and an efficient air conditioner. One thing I noticed on the install is that only two bolts are used to hang the compressor to the swing-out door. That door is made from rather thin sheet metal and is being asked to bear the weight of the unit and other stresses (as when the draft of the van buffets the unit as you travel down the road). Consider adding a bracket to the back side of the door to distribute those stresses and weight on other structural components of the door. In addition, the extra strength would mitigate any attempt by someone to tamper with or remove the compressor.
There are five bolts, both on top and the bottom.. it also has backing on a piece of plywood. After six months, I checked the tightness on the bolts and they haven't moved. What's not mentioned in the video, there are also rubber pieces between the plywood and the sheet-metal to ease some of the vibrations.
In a well-planned system, condensate is used to absorb heat from the high pressure line.
Automotive engineering isn't about ultimate strength it's about cyclical load life expectancy. The elastic deflection is a bonus and she sees plastic deflection she can make repairs, also it's saving the compressor from an earlier demise. One of the reasons brake lines aren't copper any more is the work hardening from millions of cycles of deflection and the copper then cracking. Van life for 6 years, great opportunity to field test all sorts of product longevity. Really that units a thermodynamic playground. Some critical examination would doubtlessly uncover efficiency gains.
@@denverbraughler3948these likely don't have a high pressure line that's accessible. They generally have the expansion valve in the outdoor unit.
One thing most folks do not realize is that removing the moisture from the air is the majority of comfort. The ten degree drop is not really needed if you drop the humidity by a lot. Seventy six degrees and dry is really all most folks need to be comfortable. Also Carrie should look into a remote thermostat kit for that unit. Most have the ability to wire in a thermostat anywhere you want it to bypass the one built into the head unit. That would solve her "short cycling" problem.
We must keep in mind, some animals don't sweat, therefore air temperature is key. Whether it's humid or dry air is less important for them. I like to have pocket pets, and I nearly lost a couple due to excessive heat. I had to keep metal containers full of ice in their cage when it got too hot.
Unless you marry a polar bear, which I have done 🧊
That’s why Palm Springs is so comfortable … probably the driest area on the planet
@@freedomworks3976 Atacama Desert
Cracking a window and moving that thermostat would also sort the short cycling. Cooling small areas can be tough but I find cracking a window or vent is about all that's needed
I love this statement - “I like to measure once and try it three times and it usually works on the fourth.
Yep. We have the same ideas!
But what a great solution to a problem we all share. Thanks for this!
Yeah, I understood that on a visceral level.
Me too! That was funny. She really seems to know her stuff though.
That's usually how it goes for me. Although I measure twice I'm still wrong. lol
She is a genius, but I think she probably installed this before the modern portable ACs came out that require a third of the power of this massive power hog. There is no way you can run this thing with solar you would need over 1200-1500W of solar to run this thing 24 hours a day.
The portable ACs that weight only 20 pounds and are as heavy as a suitcase only require 200 W instead of the 700 W set up she has. 2300-2900 Btu is all you need. If you can’t run something off of solar, you probably shouldn’t be running it. I would hate to have to use a stinky/expensive generator for every little thing that I have instead of running everything purely off of solar, which I have done for years.
I think what I would do is put a curtain rod right at my bed and not cool the whole entire van down as long as it’s cool enough to where I’m sleeping
I love the creativity you’re finding - I’d have never imagined a mini split for a van. Looks great for her purposes-the dog care and work life. Won’t work for me in my current vehicle (minivan). But def gets me thinking outside the box! Thanks!
they also make them roof mount so it could be in a van easily...typically they are the same price you just tell them which you want
Why can't you do the same in your mini van?
Minivans don't have room for a huge battery bank, I think power consumption is the main problem. My commute is horrendous so I live in a minivan during the workweek and come back to my house on the weekend. Stealth is very important when you are parking in the city and a big solar pannel on the roof would give me away. Even with a big solar pannel/DC to DC charger I doubt I could generate enough power to run it the 4 to 6 hours a day I'd need in the summer.
@@Weathernerd27is it a Grand Caravan or Pacifica? They have a plug-in hybrid version that replaces the Stow 'n Go 2nd row seats with conventional seats so the storage well can be filled with batteries. Also, minivans are smaller so it won't use at much power to maintain the same temperature.
@@Weathernerd27 one of our dispatchers lives in his toyota sienna hybrid awd van. Since our parking is secured, and monitored, hes in his van sleeping in employee parking a few hours before his shift. They have a nice new house but its about 2h one way distance, so he just lives in his van. He used to have a huge F350, but doesnt tow a boat anymore, doesnt go off roading haul toys anymore. He has a 4x4 Tacoma he can go off roading and camping in. But his van? All creature comforts. Hes running errands, doing laundry, etc, then a few hours before his shift he parks and sleeps in his van. interior has a bed, a dometic fridgeezer, and he mostly uses kitchen area in our dpt to prep stuff like everyone else. Some of our younger dispatchers and officers who had apartments got vans, and live in them full time now. As they were rarely home because of work they had, being away 16+ hours, when off they run errands, gym, eat, then sleep before shift, so theres sprinter vans, transit vans, all built for active camping and cycling, and since they dont pay 2000-3500 for apartments anymore, they save more money hahaha. Our department last Dec, installed hookups in designated parking spaces for vans and trucks with campers. With the plug many folks can now use their AC units!
I'm not an HV AC tech but I installed a whole series of these in a recording studio that I built four or five years ago. The studio wanted them because they were so quiet they could put them in the vocal booths and not have noise bleed onto the microphone
She did a wonderful job explaining this to us, and I'd love to have this type of unit
Great info. The biggest struggles in a van, are heating, cooling and water. Good to see a good low power option for heating and cooling.
Mini-splits can also do heating. Have you had a chance to consider/test heating?
You might also consider a large diameter vacuum hose as a duct leading toward the front of the van. Match dia to one of the exhaust vents, and you may consider a boost fan if flow isn't what you were hoping for.
Great topic and excellent interview. Your guest (Carrie?) is very knowledgeable and covered so many aspects of the install and operation of the mini split. These units would be a great idea to replace conventional roof top (useless, extremely inefficient) units that RVs come with. My rooftop unit (15,000 btu) is barely capable of achieving a 10 degree temperature differential. Thanks for this video!
This lady has it going on. I can make good use of her knowledge.
Very impressed with the owner’s ability to explain the benefits of the mini-split and the issues relating to the installation. Thank you for helping me consider this option!
I have a mini-split, but I recommend considering noise wherever you mount your compressor. I put it on the roof in front, since my bed is in the back. The output unit is in my bedroom
How did you do that? Are you able to mount these units flat?
Don't mount directly to surface of door. Use Unistrut or similar for a bracket attached to door through insulating bushings.
Attach a Starboard sheet. Bolt on condenser unit.
Some mini-splits come with a remote control with a feature called "Follow Me" that turns the remote control into a portable thermostat. So if you wanted the temperature to be gauged off the front of the rig, you simply put your remote control in that area. I wonder if you can add that feature or if there are smaller units like this that have that feature.
My understanding is that these compressors should not be mounted greater than "x" inches above the actual blower head. So, in regards to the questions in the comments about whether they could be mounted horizontally on the roof (I can't speak to the horizontal orientation), one would have to know what the detrimental distance is for the compressor to be mounted above the blower head and be sure that is taken into account. Hopefully someone with some mini-split HVAC expertise can chime in on this.
Thanks for sharing the details on this set-up!
I recently purchased the same unit. The included literature states that condenser unit may be installed horizonal or vertical.
Not sure how much space on the roof she has if she need 650watts + of solar to power it.
Excellent use of a minisplit! Couple suggestions:
- insulate refrigerant lines to avoid freezing in variable temperature situations. As well, this would help the refrigerant to remain relatively cool in hot climates or direct sun.
- There is a tube used by some vandwellers that stretches from point of origin (heating or cooling) to the other section of the fan. Looks like there are several distribution ports for cool air -maybe one or two tubes could be used to have air pushed through the front of the van, vs having a fan blow the ambient air to bring cooling from the back. The tubes are accordian type, about 4" diameter, and can be covered by an insulating fabric. Might sound a bit cumbersome, but could e a pretty answer to moving air from the unit to beyond your sleeping space.
Congrats on a workable solution, and thank you for sharing!
This was the exact question I was going to ask
Super smart ideas.
Refrigerant (R-134a) has such properties that it freezes at -142°F….. other than that, it’s either a liquid or a gas inside the refrigerator system
@@LibertyOrD___h I was wondering what refrigerant it used.. As you can walk in any Auto store and buy 134a...Slap a set of gauges on it. You can charge them yourself. If they ever need service...
Very good idea! Compact insulated air ducts. Thank you. I've seen some vandwellers use a magnetic curtain to section off just the bed part so they can cool off just the living room to be more efficient.
Smart that both pieces of the mini split are on the back door. No chance of the tubing breaking from the stress of opening and closing the door.
These mini splits come in sizes to accommodate schoolies as well! I didn’t know they came in sizes for a van! Thank you both!
I'd bottle that water from the condensate line and use it for washing or filter and drink it. Hot climates could produce 1gal+ a day.
Ditto!
Great idea 💡
I'd be wary of drinking that.
@@addanametocontinueit's fine if you filter it and add electrolytes
yup me too i will add to my fresh tank
W0W, I never would of thought of a mini-split, and she seems like a natural explaining everything.
Others have done the same thing. But her install is well done. She can do one on mine.
Awesome setup. The only two things I would change is.
1) I would run the drain through the door using a marine tank vent. 2) Shorten both the high and low pressure lines, any automotive A/C shop can do that for you.
those loops in the lines are a good place for oil to set. i would like to keep oil moving.
Super informative!! Keri is a jewel! Thank you!
If she didn't explain it like that simple but VERY understanding way, i wouldn't even look at these units as possible for me (I'm afraid of electricity since it did me twice). Best solution EVER I would say. Thank you very much for sharing this video and her sharing us this valuable knowledge for us folks. Really really really appreciated & bless you all. ❤
She found great unit. Very cool it’s 12volt.
Amazing design! It covers all of what my bases would be, the sticky-outy bits are all sticking into unused space, the unit is not on the roof adding height to an already tall vehicle, It is 12 V, and it seems to work! You should be very pleased with your results.
Remember, set up an awning overhead to shade the ac when stationary to increase efficiency.😊
Nice work! Seems to be one of the best options to reduce losing solar space on the roof. Thanks for sharing and keep us posted on its longevity.
I never knew you can install the unit vertically. Amazing, thank you. I used an Ecoflow portable AC, it sits by the sliding door, the exhaust tube to the passenger window connected to ETSY screened tube adapter. What I found out is, it is more efficient at night when I placed a curtain at the end of the bed and stick the outlet tube on the side. The curtain will act as a thermal barrier.
I'm impressed with this wonderful lady. God bless you and your precious little ones. Happy trails!
I've been thinking that the electronic portion of my build might have to be last, because I need to step into something usable right away. So AC seemed like something I was going to have to do without, when I know I can’t. I'm very grateful to know there may be a solution that saps less power. Thanks so much for sharing!
Great idea for AC in a van. Everything she has done makes perfect sense. If she decides to clean up the tubing on the inside of the door she might consider a plastic bathroom panel 4' x 8' which can be trimmed to size, available in Home Depot, and hide the tubing and cables behind it. No big deal.
I have the same unit installed on the door and all the hoses are hidden inside. She can clean that up really easily.
@@adventureroadtrippers what did you do with the hole in the door where the tubes go through? Does it come with a flange and some sort of sealant?
I’ve owned a lot of boats ,and have tried all those options Keri tried they never work efficiently the Mini Splits are the way to go most especially if you plan on running them on battery and Solar charging systems in the recent years the mini splits have really come a long way on price reduction accessibility ,and energy efficeint !BTW Kerri i have the same weather station ! Boats and RV / Van Living are very similiar both off grid with inefficient insulation (compared to a permanent structure ) like a house . FYI for marine applications they do have a heat exchanger option that utilizes the body of water the vessel is in ,those work great on 110 Voltage either Dock Power or a Marine Generator the drawback to that operation is the cost of the componenents are expensive like 10 grand or better ! and repairs and parts may not be able everywhere ! Marine Airconditioners do tend to use standard parts and Certified Repairmen in most Ports can figure out solutions ! Another note is on the water Shade may not be as easy as land to find
I have four dogs with me and it has been very difficult. Nothing has worked thus far so I'm very thankful have found this. I have a 98 Ford E350 Club Wagon.
The brand I got is AC/DC, their based in Tucson and their service was wonderful when I had issues. About $1300 to buy, and $400 to install. One can DIY install them and they come precharged. I'm happy with the quietness, and use about 200amp-hrs to run it all night
Can you share the name of the place you purchased and installed ?
200 amp-hours at what battery voltage? (i usually measure energy use in watt-hours.)
@AJTarnas she said in video that her 300Ahr system is 12v. Her friend with 200Ahr is 24v.
It is only DIY if you know how to cut and flare the copper and have a vacuum pump… The lines should never be coiled vertically, or really at all (but horizontally above the condenser could work if done right.. Long story short, the way done in this video creates a trap, preventing oil returning to the compressor, and the compressor will seize up at some point in the future…
@@biketothetop yes I don’t understand how people think that running a 750 W air conditioner is efficient. They make modern portable ACs that only require 250 W she would effectively need 1200 W or more of solar to run this without having to run a stinky/costly generator. In theory she could maybe run this with solar if she covered the entire roof and then laid out like another 600 W on the side of her van, but she would be much better with a smaller much more efficient AC.
This is a massive power hog. This is why I don’t like these big sprinter vans. They are a pain in the butt to maintain. They have too much inner space and require too much cooling. If you’re going to try to avoid bills and live an easier lifestyle why do a sprinter? Missing the whole point.
As far as aesthetics and my OCD, this drives me crazy! So I guess my question is can this be mounted on the roof horizontally? Super great explanation of the rationale as well as capability. Thank you!
Might as well go with a roof ac at the point. And you will lose space for solar panels.
Really interesting and innovative setup. Definitely could be used in built out cargo box vans/trucks as well. Thank you again for always having helpful, usable and varying costs👍🏻
You go girl, well done. Love that you didn't give up until you found a great solution.
Something else comes to mind. The AC is a dehumidifier, it takes humidity out of the air. A Swamp Cooler puts moisture into the air. If you are in a humid environment, like the South West you want the AC running. If you are in a dry climate like Arizona, you want the Swamp Cooler. They both have their place.
SOUTH EAST is Humid! SOUTHWEST is Dry.
Yeah. This does a great job dehumidifying!
She was really good and simplistic about explaining her unit just listening to her was enjoyable
A AC efficient enough to run off a 12v battery. I never would thought this was possible untill I saw this video. Thanks.
I have the unit mounted under the van with flatside up. The sale agent said it OK. I just finished all the hose connection and wiring tonight. I have a vacuum pump and know how to charge Freon. Hopefully I can get the unit up and running this weekend. Your explanation is spot on. Thank you.
Please give an update if you have an opportunity.
Works great. I have logged over 20 hrs already since. Max power draw is 70A (@12v), standby is 45-50A. Discharge air is 50-55F. At speed #1 or 2, it's very quiet, i can sleep in.
Hi AZ... It's great that you arrived at the same solution, with a variation on mounting. It would be very helpful if you would provide detail photos of the condenser and fancoil mounting solution, as well as routing details for the coolant linesets. What are you doing with condensate?
This looks like the best option I’ve seen yet for a great way to cool a mobile space.
This unit has so many possibilities, Keri did an auto e job of explaining the inner works but also the capabilities. She is also an eloquent speaker. TY
❤ That dog is adorable! Keep her comfortable forever 🐶
Sorry to tell You , most dogs don’t live pass 15 years.
Good video on a much needed subject.
Keri did a great, comprehensive explanation of what's needed...smart Lady.
We are in the process of developing a green system that uses a much different technology then standard AC systems. This system is totally powered on a single 100w panel which gives you AC as well as utilizes the hot side of the unit to heat your hot water and generate electric which goes into your batteries. Its basically a MUCH more efficient system then the junk they been selling us for to many years, the issue with other systems is they simply are not efficient with this system your highest draw is around 20W. The system captures the heat and instead of just pushing all that energy out the door it reuses all that thermal energy for useful things like making electric easily and heat your hot water. The system will come with connections to hold the hot water in your existing hot water tank or for van dwellers theres a hose attachment so they can hook it up to a portable outdoor shower. I dont have the exact metrics of efficiently but its somewhere around 85% Im an engineer and RV'er myself so I totally get the issues we face especially this time of the year in Quartzite when its 105 degrees already lol. I am cooling my entire work trailer for free, no hook ups it simply uses one panel for the electric thats lost during transfer throughout the system, the rest is generated from the heat you normally throw out the door. If you look at pretty much ANY technology of today they make them just good enough to work like solar panels being 22% efficient purposely otherwise everyone would be living with no energy or fuel bills which equal no money for the greedy politicians and chinese factories. All this greed is really what inspired me to engineer a much more efficient system, once released we will offer the plans and parts list for DIY folks who want to build their own ( easy to build) and for those who want to buy one, we should have them available this coming year in Quartzite. It will all be totally open source!!
Great video. I had a 35 foot houseboat and I didn’t need a 5500 btu unit to cool it off. So when she said a 13k was needed it made this setup even more appealing. If I have any problems with my dometic unit on my camper I will look into this. It’s cheaper than a repair.
She was talking about a portable a/c with the plastic exhaust hose. The BTU rating is not what you actually get for cooling output, Newer units have 2 ratings BTU and SACC(Seasonal Adjusted Cooling Capacity) is what you actually get.
I replaced the Dometic rooftop unit on my grooming trailer every couple of years.
That style a/c unit looks like the best choice for those who can afford it. I'll be running fans and following cooler temps as much as possible when I finally am able to get on the road. Thank you for the info.
Very nice! I would be concerned about dust clogging compressor on dry dirt roads. Maybe a canvas dust cover for while she is driving? This does look like a game changer!
Thanks
At 13min, very clever indeed method to expel the condensation water. Wish I was there too! best wishes from Alan, in England.
This is great and looks like it could work for a more low key setup like ours. We’ve looked at AC options before, but they seem like they would all require like 1200 watts of solar and way more batteries than we have. It would be good to know her solar setup and if she runs stuff like Starlink with her AC going. Excellent video!!
I saw ypur post and thought you might like advice on a great minisplit. I have the 9000 btu 220 volt inovair on my holiday rambler 30 foot camper. It uses 600 watts the first 10 or 12 minutes then drops down to 200 watts the test of the time. It runs 24 7 and will cool the camper very easy. In turbo mode it ramps up to 13500 btu and it will pull 600 watts then also but I never do that really no need. It's variable speed and nearly always runs at 2000 btu 200 watts. I did have to buy a 220 volt inverter and it all runs easily off my solar. Infact everything in the camper runs off solar with ease. I have alot of battery and 1800 watts of solar but we never worry about or even think to try to conserve power. We just live normally with hair dryer and air fryer and all the normal house hold stuff. Even a large 120 volt fridge. I'd say if you had 4 or 600 watts of solar and a 560 Amp hour battery you could run non stop ac even thru 2 or 3 days of rain. It was kinda expensive for us to do all we did to be able to live off grid but it's so worth it.
@@matthewknight5641 Is the model number EIN10H2V32?
Wow, she was incredibly articulate & well versed on that set up! Great video!
This was a great interview and the unit is great as to setting it up on one door inside and out.
I'm blown away with its efficiency! I'm curious how it will do over time. I'm defiantly going to check this out. Thanks a bunch for this review!
My 2nd year with camper van in coastal NE Florida. I have 2 EcoFlow river pro 600 watt batteries, 5 USB fans from Walmart that use 5 watts on high and lots of ice in my Setpower freezer box (50 watt 12 volt). I considered buying a big expensive main battery and installing expensive AC unit, but summer is only 2 or 3 months so I decided to keep life simple and low budget 😊
Plus you can buy a 900W window AC for $100 and use batteries with an inverter or a 1800W compact generator that barely needs to run. I only spend .50 cents an hour in gas for AC and only use it for 5 hours in the afternoon.
Awesome. This has been MOST helpful in solving the puzzle of cooling an RV, camper or rig.......
Yah, mini splits are da bomb. I did a Mr Cool DIY in a studio I rent out. Paid 1600 dollars from Home Depot and couldn't be happier. thanks for sharing this great install. Very smart lady. Resourceful. I have a one ton dually flatbed that i will be building an enclosure for. I have been musing for months how to cool/heat it. Mini splits are actually a heat pump. Get some panels, some Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, some regulators, and an ac/dc converter...you are golden. We use alot of this stuff on boats too. Once again. my hats off to you two for an excellent review.
She’s brilliant. This sort of setup is exactly what I was looking for and she explained it clearly and concisely.
Cool system. I couldn't find a 12v mini split from a vendor I could trust. Ended up buying an EcoFlow Wave 2 with it's dedicated 1159wH battery at least double what she paid... System works great, though not thoroughly tested yet - it will be a bit wimpy in some cases, I'm sure. Can only recharge at ~200 watts, so won't drain my main system very quickly. I still get almost 12 hours of real-world run time per 24 hours with my 280aH battery bank and 400w solar (300w real world performance).
Just curious if you’ve added a dcdc charger to your van? We have one for our truck camper setup and it’s been awesome. It keeps our 520 aHr battery system charged while driving around and has been a great addition to the 200W solar system! (We recently doubled the solar to 400W, but didn’t realize that our SCC was only rated to 390w, which I’d have assumed would have been fine anyways since they were flat mounted, but something triggered the bms with an over voltage error logged, so I’m guessing that the solar might have hit max capacity, despite us having been using the fridge on 12v vs propane most of that day. Having limited space for solar panels, this was a great alternative charging solution for us. --Anyhow, that was a long winded way of just an fyi that if you haven’t added a dcdc charger, it might be something you can look into possibly adding if you need additional charging capacity.
Great explanation of her whole process of choosing the right system for her particular needs! Does anyone know if the outside unit of this system needs to be mounted vertically, or if it could be roof mounted?
That's what I was just wondering.
As an rv technician and van converter, I looked into that very question. Unfortunately, I have not yet found a unit with a horizontal condenser. If you were to lay that down, you would have problems as the refrigerant changes from liquid to vapor, so it must be oriented properly or the system will not "flow". Secondly, the compressor requires oil to circulate internally, so parts of the compressor, which are designed to be bathed in oil won't get lubricated. It's probably even more complicated than that, but that's what I know. So the short answer is no.
This particular unit can be mounted anywhere and any orientation. I’ve seen one mounted underneath the van.
Cruise N Comfort out of Phoenix has a horizontal, under mount unit. It’s $$$ though.
This condenser unit can be mounted horizontally if desired, it is engineered for either type of install. Note that it uses a 12 or 24vdc scroll compressor. It's common to see them mounted vertical on back wall of a truck cab, however they WILL roof-mount no problem.
Absolutely amazing! It would never work for my truck camper but what a smart lady and great set up!
I have been told that the 12V roof units are pretty good. But I can’t say I’ve tried it. I like the way this one is set up.
My *impression* (just based on comparing info that's easily available so far, so just impression now) is that the 12V roof units are not as efficient/more power used for the same amount of cooling) and $2200 - @3500 for ones with good output. They are single units (compressor/condenser/fans in one package) and air flow is good so they do have some good performance points but this unit is a power-sipper and the price is right!
Even HVAC mechanic won't able to explain like her!!! You have a good knowledge Lady!!!
Very impressive! You go girl! And thank you for reviewing this product because I have been looking at it for years and wondering if it will work in a van build and how much solar it needs.
I've been looking for a minisplit for my Ford Transit. Until I saw this video, the only vids I've seen show minisplits mounted on the back door with a space between the compressor and the back door so as to allow air into the back of the compressor- which meant the unit was sitting out there attached to either a spare tire kit or a minisplit bracket. It looks like your unit is drawing air in just on the sides. That's a game changer for me if I can just mount it flush to the door! Thanks for this great vid and happy travels!
The door mount is a bit of a hack and no 'properly' installed unit will do that.
This video was great, I have wanted to use a mini split, and really appreciate so much information.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!! BEEN LOOKING FOR A SOLUTION OF THIS EXCELLENCE!!
Hi Brian, someone have to study this A/C and experts on unit and start installing for rescue vanlife people from heat!
Ofcorse installer can making hensome money too its a win win solution !!
Looking forward to installed for my Van 😂
Thank you for such a good info!
This is one of the nicest, well thought out, AC installations I’ve seen yet in my search for stuff I can use on on pontoon houseboat build. Thank you!
Creative use of Mini-Split. Wonder if it could replace the rooftop AC unit and distribute the cold air through the AC air intake.
She's got a nice setup. That van looks comfortable and entertaining.
I love it. I might try it. I think I would get a cover for the unit while driving.
Something to cover the lines to keep vandalism to a minimum. 😊
"Measure once, attempt installation three or four times".
Classic! 😁 And closer to the truth than I like to admit.
I like this gal.....🙂she reminds me of me. Some people would say to much information to fast.......my wife hates me because I explain things in to much detail but by trade I'm a mechanical draftsman years back.
Thanks Cary you are on top if things taking care of yourself 👍a lot if gals today would have turned a close ear to her due to feeling some intimidation.
I get amazed at some of these van or camper builds soooo cool! I really like your set up, it looks comfy and roomy for what a tight small space it really is.
Ohhhhh and that mini split A/C is fricken BADA$$!!!
Would be interesting to get a mini split that could function as a heat pump. Also would be nice to have a remote with thermostat that could be put in the front of the van far away from the rear blower to break the fast feedback loop.
a great setup although using plywood to mount the exterior unit kind of irks me due to moisture getting at the wood. I would suggest using a PVC board and a dense closed cell foam gasket to hopefully further reduce vibration from the compressor being transmitted through the doors sheet metal. Definitely a sweet install!
Very helpful info, as I've been wondering what to do to cool my rig. Already have the battery and solar panels covered.
May cost more, but look into a Dometic 12 volt ac. This mini split is NOT designed as a mobile unit. I have the Dometic unit and can tell you it is a quality unit. She’s one of those many people who look at price first and quality is secondary. Not to mention it looks ugly. I’d like to see how this unit runs days or weeks from now. If it were that good of a system, why aren’t more people using them on their van! BTW, we have 4 mini splits in our home!
@@MichaelWilliams-ro9bm this unit is specifically manufactured to be installed as a mobile unit for semi trucks, RV's and the like. It is not intended as a fixed home install.
I really like that, instead of putting one on top. Thanks for sharing
A few simple additions would make a tremendous difference in both efficiency and performance. Stuff anything in that open area of the rear door for insulation. Either add foil insulated windshield and window covers in cab or an insulated curtain to close off the cabin from the cab. Adding a soft-start to the unit would eliminate the huge draw on start up. It may cost 2 or 3 hundred dollars but it will be a huge advantage and pay for itself quickly. Then you might find it to your advantage to run it continually during times of high temps instead of just when parked. Best wishes with your travel and comfort for you and your dog. It's always a relief to not have to worry if your dog is really cool enough when you have to leave it for a while. I congratulate you on getting a mini split.
It ramps up slowly. It doesn’t need a soft start. I talk more about that in my video on the Galavan channel.
Split systems don't have a high load start.
Oh sorry, the girl in the video already said it
The garage isn't conditioned and doesn't need to be
I have a Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan. With a hybrid, you can run the AC which runs off of the hybrid battery, not a belt while the engine is running. The engine starts about every fifteen minutes for a minute or so to recharge the hybrid battery. It burns about a gallon of gas to run the AC overnight.
Amazing install. How much condensation does the unit produce overnight? Would it be feasible to install a bottle to catch the condensation rather than having it drip out the door at the back of the van? A lot of people like to use the space at the back of the van to extend living quarters with an awning or tent structure and probably would not want a mucky mess in that area.
Just an idea but have the drain hose extend a few inches out the weep hole and attach a longer hose to place the drip away from living area.
I haven’t seen any condensation to be honest. It’s so dry where I’m at that it might not be an issue… there’s a lot of dust on that door, so I’d certainly notice water there.
Several people have commented on the insulation of the refrigerant lines- a simple yet very cheap option is using a pool noodle- cut to side sliced lengthwise secured with zip ties works fabulously.
Like these already available pre-slit standard foam insulation tubes used for solar heating systems?