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12V Van Mini Split Air Conditioner
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- Опубликовано: 22 апр 2023
- We installed a 12v air conditioner on the rear door of our DIY Ram Promaster camper van. It was much more affordable that the 12v rooftop versions on the market (although this could be installed in the roof). We didn’t want to reconfigure our rooftop solar panels and deck, therefore, this seemed the best option. It blows very cool and cycles between 50-800w. We don’t have a huge battery bank (400ah), but since it’s 12v we can run it all night.
Not a how-to video. I pieced together all the clips I took during our installation to share that it’s possible to have ac in a van for $700.
We purchased this unit off Amazon even with no reviews are are so glad we did:
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric...
www.amazon.com...
Absolutely the most practical unit yet! Thanks for the advice! Safe travels!✌️
I put a conventional mini split on my van, I wish I had of known about these.
With 1,200 watts of solar panels and 900 amp hours of lithium batteries i can run the ac on economy setting 24/7.
You have a brilliant setup.
👍
1200 solar plus 900 battery 😅 now that’s a sweet setup. Might be worth the swap in the future.
Just put a similar unit in my van except I did away with the exterior plastic housing and made some steel brackets to hold the compressor, controller, condenser, and fan between the diff and spare wheel. I’m very happy with it! Cool to see someone else do the same thing!
Very cool! I would have done the same, but I was concerned with it getting dirty and being more difficult to clean. But they are a worthy I investment, especially in this heat.
I'm on the fence in doing this for daughter's transit van. Tried all other AC options. Are you running strictly off solar and battery and if so, how much?
@@prepparig144 400 watts solar, dcdc, and 400ah lithium batteries.
@@prepparig144 I have 800 W Solar and like 500 usable Amp Hours. No DC-DC charging as I like the idea of only using solar. The AC takes 50-60Amps when the compressor kicks on and it has a duty cycle of 25-75% depending on solar loading and outside temperature. The indoor blower pulls ~5-10 amps depending on speed. During the peak of the day I get 40-50 amps from solar so if I am not in the office and am inside the van the AC is basically straight off solar at that point. I get nearly 4kWh of charge each day and am maybe losing 10-15% charge when the outside high is over 90F. So I can only do 4 or so days of consistent high temperatures before I start worrying about having enough battery for everything else. I am thinking about getting another 200 useable amp hours of battery capacity to increase this range. You do need to have a fan or other way to move the air around the van as with the way it stands the AC will mainly cool off the back half of the van - especially noticeable during the day.
@@adventureroadtrippersHow is it performing a year in? Would you say most times it runs around 100w? I have a BLUETTI power station and trying to determine how much I’ll need to expand if I just want to run at night for sleeping. Thanks great video.
Nicely done and much more efficient and quieter than a roof mount!
Thank you for the informative video. I'm planning to install one on the roof of my van.
Exciting. It’s working great for $800. Let me know if you have any questions 🙂
Well done! I'm not well-versed in using vacuum pumps/adding my own refrigerant and whatnot.. you made it look easy!
Great Video. Thanks for mentioning your solar and battery bank. Saw my question answered down below regarding running at night. This is game changer for the smaller van lifers.
Another van living YT'er used the same AC unit and said it's the best one yet!
It's great! Affordable, simple to install, cools efficiently, and can run off a small battery bank.
Thank you very much for sharing your experience doing this, helpful and inspirational to me, I'm sort of copying your guys's setup, only in a truck camper, here in North FL 👋 awesome videos, I love out west too
Glad to hear we can inspire someone from a simple video. It’s hot in Florida and this ac is game changing.
Cool! I want to do this on my f150 camper. Have you done it yet? If soo please share experience!
@@DavidHernandez-ym6en yep! I did, it was not as bad as I thought it'd be, I say that bc before I did, I had a slight fear of electricity. I did a ton of research, every bit of free time I had at work I used to make sure I got all the details of the build right and made sure it'd be as safe as possible, I looked at how many other people made theirs. I went with x4 100watt hard panels on the roof of my truck camper, and it runs a 400 watt window AC very easily dare I say efficiently, at night when you put it on "night/sleep mode" it goes on for like 20 min out of one hour, so it used maybe 1/4 of my battery bank in a night. - Experience may vary greatly - I would recommend getting 600-800 watts of power, but, 400 is doable for a person who works during the day-sunlight hours. I used the same tape as professor hobo to stick them to the roof, they've held up over 4,000 miles of interstate driving in all weather conditions. Battery bank is x4 Li ion 100ah batteries. 2200 watt pure sine inverter. 150/60 solar charge controller.
@@DavidHernandez-ym6en I have to say it was a ton of fun setting it all up, it is indescribably fun running an AC unit on batteries & solar, like "where's the generator?!" Lol where's the noise?
Take your time, do it right, try your very best to walk yourself through the steps you plan to take before you actually take them, getting the wire lengths just right might take a little extra re-work, make sure you use a capacitor to hook up your inverter or else you'll get a violent spark.
Nice setup. Painting the outer housing black does reduce the cooling efficiency when in the sun which may not show itself unless in temps above 90-95 degrees.
Brilliant job. Such a neat installation. I never realised 12v a/c units were a thing!
Thank you 😊
They just became a thing because I've been researching for years, seems like Chinese were made aware of the popularity of van life and seized the opportunity as usual..
@@RealizniguhNit These have been around for a while, but their use is in semi-trucks. I just figured if it works to cool a truck cab it should cool a van.
@@adventureroadtrippers From what I've seen they've been a thing in Asia but not in the American market unless u were in business..
This will likely be my next upgrade. Saves room on the roof for more solar!
Exactly! 🙌🏼
if you have a long sprinter or transit you can mount the condensor under the van behind the differential, i have a 06 sprinter and it fit and work great and i have 600 watts of solar so on low with the sun out it still charge my battery while running the ac
I've been looking into mounting one of these under my sprinter. Did you remove the compressor from the casing to mount yours? I have a 170" Sprinter. Any chance you could send me a picture of your setup, I'd appreciate it!
We’ve got a 170 extended sprinter but elected to go with a 12 volt Dometic unit. Works fine and takes up no space to speak of. A tad more expensive, but a lot quieter than a mini. Run it all night on eco mode.
Thank you. Blessings to you.
Great work but please @1:29 add a rubber grommet that sheet metal looks really sharp and with the movement of the vehicle well.......
Really cool but I might consider adding an insect screen on the outside of the door fan so nothing gets in there and set's up shop.
Thx for the great video and kind responses with added info.
great video and appreciate more info on the install and the unit. There's not always a lot of useful info about these chinese products, even knowing that it draws between 50w and 800w is very helpful. It's impressive that you did the refrigerant yourselves.
Thank you. I couldn’t find much info when we decided to install this one which is why I shared the clips I had during install hoping it could help someone.
I will buy one to setup in my semi truck. Technically my semi is a rv work truck 😊😊😊
I have kw t 2000 is very good special for sleep and buy new batteries good luck
Yeah I was thinking to do that in my truck instead paying 15k for an apu that is going to break down anyway. These 12V dc mini split A/C units are running from 500 to 750 on eBay. I have Chinese bunk heater unit installed myself for 150 once my thousand bucks webasto broke down. Two years down the road that Chinese bunk heater is still running flawlessly
Make sure any Freon used does not contain a "Leak Sealer". Leak Sealers will ruin your mini split over time.
Thank you that’s good to know. We used Super Tech 134a refrigerant- no mention of sealer 👍
Looks very nice n clean. Might have to do that for my van conversion
Go for it!
thank you for posting this!
Great video! Thank you for sharing!
We have been thinking about an A/C unit. Glad I ran across your video. Are you still happy with it, since you've had it a few months? Thank you, Brian C.
I'm extremely happy with it. All the videos I saw people had battery banks of 540+ah to run 12v units. With only 400 I didn't think it was possible, but it definitely is. I can run it all night with only 20% and during the day solar and dc-dc help to charge back up. In South Florida we need to have it on almost 24/7 and it's very quiet. It cools VERY quickly and easily maintains a comfortable temperature. I remove the thermal curtain during the day (on with velcro) and it does cool the entire van; I have insulated window covers.Go for it!
OMG! That is awesome!!
Mind sharing what paint you used on van? It looks great
Did you check with the manufacturer before mounting it vertical, I like the idea just would be concerned about premature unit failure if it wasn't designed with vertical in mind.
It’s a backpack-style unit designed to be installed vertically on a semi-truck. However, it can also be mounted on the roof or underneath the van.
I love how they just throw the Can
Why?
I'm looking to see if I can retrofit my Class C with this kind of unit but maybe I need to get 2? I currently have a big roof unit that only runs on 110vAC and needs the generator or shore power. Would be nice to have this kind of set up with our soon-to-be LiFePo batteries/chassis alternator but wondering if I'd need another unit as this is only designed for big rig sleepers and we have roughly double the space to cool... We could do a zone setup perhaps...?
This specific unit is 9000 btu which is enough for a van but I don’t see it efficiently cooling anything larger. However, they have bigger units like 13,500 which seems to be the standard size for RV 110 units. I went with 9000 because my battery bank is only 400ah.
Looks good. Thank you for the video. How long will the unit last on batteries alone ?
I have 400ah lithium batteries and can run it all night at 70-72°F using 20-25% of the battery. During the day solar and dc-dc help as well.
@@adventureroadtrippers good deal. i have one other question. how many btu's is the ac. Thank You for the response.
9k btu this is the unit:
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
@@adventureroadtrippers thank you so much
Very cool
Thanks 😊
Can you make a follow up video on how it has been along with noise/power consumption?
12v Air Conditioner: watts at different temperatures
ruclips.net/video/B3Aouk6kFQU/видео.html
Its been about a year, is it still working good for you guys? Anything you now know of would have done different?
It’s still working amazing. The only thing different would be the cables to the battery. Instead of going out the side through the door mechanism slot we just went out the front panel to not put strain on it. Other than that no issues with the hinges (most people’s concern).
Nice work!
Thanks!
Se pude instalar todo dentro del vehiculo
Nice install.
Thank you! 😊
When installing on the compressor I found a black rubber piece that didn't came out. Should I force it out or it's part of the compressor, as a valve or so ? I cannot add a relevant photo/video to the comment
This is the way.
hey can you remeber how much oil you added? thanks!
So cool
Thank you! It's awesome 👍
@@adventureroadtrippers it really is, congrats!
Looks great
What Pakistani rupees ac paraise
Thank you for your great video. I am installing one on my van and wanted to ask what size fuse you are using? My kit came with no instructions and the seller has been unresponsive. Thank you!
10am inline came that way.
10amp inline fuse- came that way. Good luck.
Can I connect the unit straight to my ford transit van duel battery under seat with high output alternator. I will only run the unit while I am driving.
Sorry, I’m not an hvac expert. I would ask the sellers on Amazon. They have been helpful.
looks very nice! May I know how is the power consumption. Can you run is 12 to 16 hours a day? Is it fix or variable speed? variable speed will hugely reduce the power consumption.
Thanks! 12v Air Conditioner: watts at different temperatures
ruclips.net/video/B3Aouk6kFQU/видео.html My battery bank is small at 400ah lithium and can run all night (8 hrs) with 20-25%. I do run it during the day as well, but I have 400w solar and dc-dc helping.
What do you mean when you say you can "run all night with 20-25%?" Does that mean that it only uses 20-25% of your 400ah of battery to run all night or something else?
Also, what brand and BTUs is your unit?
How long have you been using your unit now and have you had any problems with it?
Can you open and close the door it is mounted on without any problem?
I would normally be attached to shore power or running a 120v ac generator. I guess I would need to use an inverter to convert ac to dc. Would this work ok?
@@adventureroadtrippers
@@victorhoye6116 I do NOT use an inverter and I have NEVER hooked up to shore power. This is purposefully a smaller ac at 9000 btus that can run on my 400ah battery bank while still being able to use a 4 gallon water heater, microwave, induction stove, keurig, air fryer, etc everyday. I can use the ac 8-10 at night only using about 25% of the battery bank. If I chose to run it longer or during the day I can as solar and dcdc charging help offset. If you need something bigger, there are bigger units (more btu) in the same style. I’ve been using it for 5 months now and would install the same one again.
@@adventureroadtrippers thanks for ur input. Do I need a 400 amp lithium battery or can I connect directly to my Duel Bank 720 cranking amp x2 battery’s under seat transit van.
Odd that the United States can't or won't make a 12 volt AC split system. Perhaps cost as a U S system would be astronomical.
We can't seem to make anything economically anymore... China is eating our lunch with innovation.
Cool .
How long have u ran it till the 400ah battery was at 50% & do the 400 watt solar panel keep the battery at 100% also while running a/c ?
I had it on 24/7 Fri-Sun. I run it at 23°C with fan level 2 and only have it cooling the bed area instead of the entire van. It did get down to 48% at one point. Solar helps but doesn’t offset. I did also have the refrigerator, lights, 4 gallon water heater, and used the microwave several times. I do drive a little each day and just 30-60 minutes will recharge the batteries back up.
Is it very loud being near the bed? Cycling on and off?
It’s not. It makes about as much noise as the maxxair fan on the roof. I’ve heard horror stories about people not being able to sleep with their roof mount ac, but I have no issues with this one and can use it anywhere since it doesn’t bother the neighbors. It’s also very quiet outside.
@@adventureroadtrippers thank you!
How's the door holding up? Is there any fear that the extra 50 lbs can damage the door?
I was concerned with the weight before installing, but then realized it’s not really that heavy. So far no issues. I’ve had weight on the doors for years before the ac without realizing it (water hose, filter, extension cords, electrical hook up adapters, surge protectors, shovel, etc) 😅 I just swapped that weight for the AC.
Thanks for making a video!!
There a a multitude of after-market equipment...spare tire racks, ladders, large equipment lockers/"gear boxes" that have been mounted on van doors for years. Even compared to a rack with a full size spare tire, this ac unit is nothing.
Where did you get unit from?
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks for the video. What's the model name?
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
brilliant video, so did you have to buy the referigerent and the pressure gauges in addition to the kit?
Thank you 🙂 I bought 2 bottle of refrigerant and the vacuum pump. I read auto part stores will rent the pump.
@@adventureroadtrippers thank you.
Can you take out the vents in the evaporator and use a hose to direct the flow of air?
It is one full “cover” piece. Only the circle vents are separate. I don’t see how you could attach a vent to those.
@@adventureroadtrippers I decided to get one, the circler vents can be popped out and a hose can go through, but you'll need some foam to help the hose stay in place, unless you somehow find a hose that's the exact size for it
Is it a true mini split? Meaning it also works as a heater? Tried it on any chilly nights yet?
I have not tried it. I know the temperature setting goes up really warm. Before deciding on an ac I had installed a Webasto gas heater, so I won’t be using this for heat. But it is nice to know there is a backup source. Also I’m in South Florida where it’s always over 90°F inside the van and very difficult to test that feature. I can always try it out in Winter where I’ll be in the mountains.
When you were installing it how did you know when it was fully evacuated with the vacuum to swotch to the coolant? Also how dod you know when it was fully charged? I am hoping to install mine soon!
On the gauge it will drop to 0 when empty. We did it twice to be sure. We did not know this then, but you can google a chart that tells you based on the temp how much you need to fill.
@adventureroadtrippers do you happen to know if the AC isn't icy if you can evacuate the system and start again to recharge it? We may have not reached the necessary psi for our temperature.
With your 400 watt solar & battery bank setup, how many hours are you able to run it (say at 21 deg cel) with a 12v refrigerator and ceiling fan running?
400w solar and 400ah lithium batteries. I can run it all night (8 hours at 18-21°F without issues). I can also run it during the day and while solar helps it doesn’t offset. I do have an induction cooktop, microwave, electric water heater, air fryer, 95dz Dometic fridge with freezer running, etc that draw a lot of power but I make sure to drive some each day since the dcdc is the best way to charge back up. By adding an insulated curtain I only need to cool 1/4th of the van which cools quickly and efficiently. This particular unit is 9,000 btu so with 400ah you can have air conditioning. I have insulated window covers for all windows and fans.
@@adventureroadtrippers good info you shared here. thanks
How’s the unit holding up
It’s going strong! I love this simple ac.
is it loud? would i be able to camp in a stealth mode with the fan running?
You can stealth came with the ac on! It’s not loud at all. The Maxxair fan is louder 😂 Obviously outside it’s makes more noise when the compressor turns on, but it’s not loud enough for the vehicle next to you to even know you’re running the ac.
Which direction does the air flow through the outside unit?
that's perfect!
Hi, thanks for the video.
Do you believe that if power is available, could this unit cool the whole van?
Thanks.
It could cool the entire van. I just have it cooling the bed area to conserve battery. If it was hooked up to shore power, I would remove the curtain- it’s on with Velcro.
@@adventureroadtrippers
Perfect.
Thank you.
I have a shuttle bus that's almost ready to travel with but I'm using it as my temporary office in town.
I got a 5k BTU portable ac unit to run on 120V from the grid but I don't think it will be enough when it gets really hot.
@@brazilianredneck How exciting! This unit is 8000 btu so slightly bigger than yours but it does come in other options upto 13500.
@@adventureroadtrippers
Thanks for letting me know.
When I was looking at it, the ad said 2600W of cooling power but I was wondering about the BTUs.
Is it noisy? I've heard that's a common problem with van A/Cs
It’s not loud. You can hear the compressor kick on, but it won’t wake us up or anything. I prefer this a million times over the Dometic Penguin II I have in the travel trailer- now that thing is loud.
@@adventureroadtrippers Thank you!
I’m looking into getting that done to my van happy I came across your video but I have a question! What’s the name of the color on your van!? it’s a nice green is that forest green!?? Thanks so much
Raptor Liner in Olive Green 😁
@@adventureroadtrippers thank you so much for responding 🫶🏾
Where did you get the gauges and vacuum pump?
Amazon.
I'm interested where you found the insulation curtain?
Roamfish Magnetic Screen Door Curtain Fits Door Sizes: 36×82 Inch, with Thermal Weatherproof Anti Energy Loss, Reduce Noise (Grey) a.co/d/aKG95Sx
Is it quiet during its operation?
Does solar keep up with this thing? Want one, but need to know if I'll need supplemental generator use to keep it full.
Solar helps, but does not offset. I have a dcdc charger.
What make is it and do you have a link for the A/c unit?
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric Air Conditioner, RV Truck Excavator Engineering Vehicle Agricultural Vehicle Bus Van 12V Parking Air Condition (12V voltage) www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_QFN5G3D27RW4WSCSP246
Nice ...how many hours can runs before battery dies or discharge?
I have 400ah of lithium batteries. Running the ac 6-8 hour at night at 22°C with fan on level 2 will consume 25% of the battery. During the day solar helps as does the dcdc charger.
Thanks 😊...mine is 120 volt a/c ..but i want 12 volt one l got only 2 solar 200 watts 100 watts battery not sure if works.
Do mini splits like this do both cooling and heating, like some home mini splits do?
On my specifically, the thermostat goes up to about 80°F, so it could kind of work if no other heater was available. But some do have a heat pump.
What's your indoor leaving air temp?
The entire van cools nicely. It just depends for how long you’re willing to run it on high (800w). To help it cool faster I cover the cab windows with insulated window covers. I cover both maxxair fans with covers. The middle windows have Velcro covers. If I’m not sitting in the cab I use a curtain to not cool that area. If I’m in the bed I use an insulation curtain to only cool the bed. The smaller the area it needs to cool the less battery it consumes. When it cycles off it’s running at about 50w. I find the temp to be comfortable at 70-72°F and it can get there very quickly (even when it’s 100°F outside).
How many amp hours does it draw?
ruclips.net/video/B3Aouk6kFQU/видео.htmlsi=4eh-9bz7NkxpsGaC
Cool video, this would work perfect on my van. I don't quite follow the drain installation though, the video shows it with excess below the door? Was that cut off later? It drips onto the sill, but out past the rubber seal on the van and door? Thank you, cheers.
You can repurpose that water. As it's nothing but distilled water. They can make 5 gallons of water everyday. Use it to shower with. Cook, and Wash dishes..If you filter it. You can drink it..
The hose goes from the bottom of the ac unit into the door through the panel. It runs all the way to the bottom of the door and out a 1” hole where the weather stripping is. The water that drains exits the van as it sits lower and past where the van floor ends.
@@adventureroadtrippers Nice, must be a fitting or something to hold the hose in place at the bottom. I'll figure it out, thank you for the reply.
Would be a perfect souce of water for a pre-cool evap for the condenser coils.
@@johngalt97 Some AC units include a sling fan. It captures the condensation in a pan. Then tosses it over the coils...But I found they use all the water. You don't get to capture anything...
Do you think its possible to mount the compressor underneath the van?
Yes, you can install on the roof or under the van. I chose not to install under only because it would be inconvenient to clean (at least for me). There is another model (rectangle instead of backpack style) that is smaller and might be easier to install underneath.
@@adventureroadtrippers ah yeah, I know which model you’re taking about.
I really like how you guys put the unit on the door.
How flexible are the high pressure and low pressure lines? I’m wondering if they will be able to bend around the door conduit so that I can mount the compressor under the van, and the evaporator on the door.
They are pretty flexible. I was able to wrap them to install all 10 feet of both lines behind the evaporator, but it was just too thick to put the panel back on (that’s why I routed them through the door length instead).
Great video. How much was that unit. I need one for my Ovelander Camper.
$700
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share This is the one I installed, but shop around.
Thank you!! Looks like I will need to upgrade to more Amp Hours for COMFORT.....to stay cool!!!!
needed some rubber grommets those hoses probably will get shredded by the metal.
AC cooling is about 6000 btu, not enough cooling capacity
Unit is 9000 btu.
Where can I get this
This is the one I got, but there are similar ones on Amazon and even cheaper on Alibaba if you are willing to wait a month or so for shipping.
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks for sharing. There are variations of these AC units for sale. I see mostly 12k BTU units, you're using 9k unit for less power draw?
Correct. I wanted to run it off the 400ah batteries I have without worry of running too low and it works perfectly using only 20-25%.
Looks really good. How is the noise level?
It’s very quiet; unlike the rooftop Dometic Penguin II in my travel trailer.
The noise is also outside.
@@adventureroadtrippers Nice work, there are apps that will measure DB level, I think that will be very useful to post.
Thank you, I’ll look into that.
👍👍👍
How has it held up?
Had it for 6 months now and it’s still the best van upgrade.
(
I know why you're hot, take off your sweater😊 joke)
Super job ¡¡¡ thank for the idea👍🏻
How many BTU?
8000
@@adventureroadtrippers thanks 8000 is a decent size.
Can you link to the seller you bought from? Also do you have any idea if it will generate heat below freezing?
a.co/d/0nuLM1m. You could ask the seller about the heat. I know the temperate setting come up pretty high.
@@adventureroadtrippers Does this mini split produce heat at all? If so, what outdoors temperature range have you been able to get heat from the mini split inside your van?
Shorten the cables
Hi bro what brand I’m in Florida trucks driver
RV65F Universal 12V DC Electric... www.amazon.com/dp/B0B391ZXZ8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Too much work. A 12 v. Ready to instal roof unit would’ve been the best option in my opinion .
The entire roof should be solar panels
@@nordic5490 For keeping your whole vehicle in the hot sun all day! Not me I'll get a generator and rechargeables first because they work in the shade.
If your roof is covered with solar panels then even in full sun it is still technically in the shade. Do us a favor and put your generator exhaust right next to your window.
Terrible, Why was this filmed vertically?
It's was never meant to be a video. I recorded clips along our install and later pieced them together and realized they showed enough to tell a story of how we installed this unit. I shared it thinking part of it it could help someone.
The unit is intended to be mounted vertically isn't it?
@@adventureroadtrippers
@@victorhoye6116 yes, this one is a backpack style. There are similar one that are more rectangular which may be better for mounting underneath.