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Old 01-26-2023, 07:33 AM   #1
whitetrashcobra
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WINDOW AC unit

Hello
Wondering if there is a specific window AC unit that most people use for campers..or has anyone done a mini split?.My electric bill is ridiculous during the summer. Also im using propane for heat but the roof unit still run with the furnace to circulate air sonits like running the AC all year. Any suggestions?
 
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Old 01-26-2023, 08:48 AM   #2
Foldbak
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A friend uses this and says it works great. Someone here has cone a mini split.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Whynter-...=aw.ds#overlay


https://www.montanaowners.com/forums...ad.php?t=85276
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Old 01-26-2023, 10:04 AM   #3
Carl n Susan
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I bought one of those portable ACs, like what Foldback linked to, before my trip to heat and humidity last summer. I only have 1 AC which is inadequate in high temp areas (which I usually try to avoid). The portable was significantly cheaper than adding a rooftop unit. It also works REALLY well! We maintained 70 degrees inside in 95/95 weather. Plus it runs off my Honda 2000i when boondocking.

Sunshine1 (Tom) is one of the members who installed a mini-split in his Montana. Foldbak provided a link to a thread about it. He is parked here in Quartzsite so I had a chance to look at his installation. Definitely an improvement over the roof top units.

As for the rooftop units running when heating, is it the Heat Pump actually running to produce heat or is it just the fan running while the furnace is on? There is a setting that stops the fan from running with the furnace. I don't have one of these so I don't remember the exact setting but someone will.
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Old 01-26-2023, 10:14 AM   #4
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These portables will use almost as much money as a roof top unit. So if concerned about money, it won't save much by running it instead of roof top unit.
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Old 01-26-2023, 11:07 AM   #5
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To keep the A/C fan from running while using the furnace, set your fan control setting to AUTO instead of one of the other fan speed settings.
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Old 01-26-2023, 02:29 PM   #6
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rohromann is correct unless you have the In-Command system.
For it, the Fan setting is 'Off'.
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Old 01-26-2023, 03:58 PM   #7
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If you can do the work yourself a mini split is far superior to a RV unit. The RV unit will heat down to about 35 degrees and is very inefficient even then. Much heat and cooling is lost through the ducts. A mini split will heat down to below zero with some going to -15 and is at least twice as efficient. You will need to find a unit that runs on 120 volts. 12000 BTUs and then someone who knows how to install the line set properly. Properly is the key word.
We have a mini split in our home 19000 BTUs. It kept our the 700 SF of our home down stairs warm at 2 degrees, no problem. When it was 2 degrees the mini split had 130 degree air coming out of it. When it’s warmer the air might be 80 or 90 degrees. They just put out enough to keep your home the set temperature.
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Old 02-01-2023, 03:15 PM   #8
GreG L.
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Mini Splits are far more efficient that what's on the roof but they are still just heat pumps.
The best ones ($$$) will heat down close to 20 deg outside temp, below that they need an electric heater in them to produce heat, not very cost effective. There is a tone of information online on how they work and their limitations.
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Old 02-01-2023, 03:55 PM   #9
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The best mini splits will heat down to -15 or below without any back up heat. Mine was heating at 2 degrees and putting out 130 degree air. They will go will beyond 20 degrees.
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Old 02-01-2023, 04:12 PM   #10
GreG L.
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Not according to ever article and every manufacture with data on the internet.
The optimal temperature range is for conventional mini split heat pump operation is over 25-30 degrees Fahrenheit. As the temperature goes down to 40 degrees, the heat pump starts to lose efficiency and is no longer the most efficient heating method once the temperatures go down to 25 to 30 degrees. Oct 21, 2022

Mid-level mini splits run at 100 percent efficiency down to 20°F and typically require a base pan heater. These work well for heating moderate to cold climates. Economy-level mini splits run at 100 percent efficiency down to 30°F and may shut off at temperatures below 20°F. These are best for moderate to warm climates.

A typical high end ($$$) Low Ambient Temp Mini Split.
These Pioneer mini split heat pumps are built to withstand even the most freezing temperatures, all the way down to -13°F outside. Their auxiliary crankcase drain pan heater in the outdoor condenser unit allows for reliable heating in frigid outdoor conditions.
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Old 02-01-2023, 04:35 PM   #11
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This was taken off of the Fujitsu web site. My mini split has no backup heat. It does have a small heater on the bottom pan to prevent ice buildup in extreme cold weather. It did keep my home warm in 2 degree weather.

“The Extra Low Temperature Heating (XLTH) Series features outdoor condensing units engineered to operate in temperatures down to -15°F.”

Air temp has a heat pump that will heat without any backup heat down to -22 degrees and put out 89% of its rated capacity. You probably wouldn’t install a heat pump in your camper.
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Old 02-01-2023, 05:17 PM   #12
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Greg L. - Do you want your info from an article online or do you want info from owners with first hand experience?

mlh and I both own mini splits. This is our 4th winter with ours. I know exactly what it will and will not do. We frequently have temps in the teens at night. Our mini split reduces airflow output (its an inverter system) but blows a steady temp in the mid 90's. I've measured it blowing near 90 at temps in the single digits outside. Absolutely no heat strips or aux heaters of any type.

Mini Splits are a completely different animal than your old whole house heat pump of yester-year. So are the new Inverter style whole house heat pumps. Inverter technology has been a game changer in heat pumps. Our new 4 ton American Standard Inverter is nearly as amazing as our little mini split upstairs.
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Old 02-01-2023, 05:48 PM   #13
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I have a portable A/C unit for the house for hurricane use when the power is out (runs off the generator).
I figured out early the exhaust vent hose needs to be insulated. It gets HOT!!!
Then I made an intake cover for the heat exchanger (condenser) and put an intake hose to the same window as the exhaust vent.
When you pull inside (room) air through the heat exchanger and expel it outside, outside (warm humid) air must come in to replace it reducing the overall efficiency. By having a separate intake from the window directly to the heat exchanger and back out the exhaust vent, you eliminate drawing outside air into the room.
This guy explains it really well.

https://youtu.be/_-mBeYC2KGc

Here's a good write up of an install of a portable AC unit with separate air intake and exhaust ports.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sola...9689179848425/

Sorry Carl, please forgive the FB reference
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Old 02-01-2023, 06:13 PM   #14
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Creeker we have had a mini split on our sun room for 15+ years. We wash the filter a few times a year and change the battery in the remote and other than that we have done nothing to it. It’s rated to zero and it kept the sun room warm at 2 degrees. That room has 5 sliding glass doors and 3 sky lights, just about worse case.
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Old 02-01-2023, 08:29 PM   #15
GreG L.
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I always take my information from the manufacturer, no one rates their units to put out 130 degree air at 2 deg without electric backup.
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Old 02-02-2023, 03:44 AM   #16
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I installed a 12,000 btu mini-split on the back wall of our Montana and I'm getting ready to install a second one at the other end. Cut our power bill in half and very quiet. I did this in Sept, in Florida so it still got a pretty good test. Looking forward to the second one.
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Old 02-02-2023, 07:14 AM   #17
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no 3rd a/c heat pump

Quote:
Originally Posted by purpletractor View Post
I installed a 12,000 btu mini-split on the back wall of our Montana and I'm getting ready to install a second one at the other end. Cut our power bill in half and very quiet. I did this in Sept, in Florida so it still got a pretty good test. Looking forward to the second one.
Pictures of this would be helpful..
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Old 02-02-2023, 07:56 AM   #18
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These units operate a little different than your normal furnace or AC. The normal units cut on when the inside temperature falls to 2 or three degrees from set temperature. Then run until the desired temperature is reached.
These don’t work quite that way. The inside unit is always sampling the air temperature. When the inside air drops or rises the outside fan and compressor cut on but just enough that you could almost count the revolutions the fan is running. The inside air will be about 80 degrees as the outside temperature decreases the fan and compressor speeds up and the inside air temperature increases just enough to keep the house at the set temperature. This continues as the outside air gets colder until the inside air temperature is up to 120 or 130 degrees or maybe higher. That is as high as I have seen it and then only once. The advantage is it keeps your home at a more consistent temperature. Yes there is a disadvantage. The thermostat is in the inside unit so it’s keeping that unit at the set temperature. So you need to adjust the temperature up and down a couple degrees to stay comfortable. The other disadvantage is you need a unit in each room and that will get expensive if you have a lot of rooms. My home is ideal for a mini split one large room down stairs and two upstairs plus the sun room. The real advantage is you can heat and cool each room to a different temperature and they are much cheaper to run.
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Old 02-02-2023, 07:59 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GreG L. View Post
I always take my information from the manufacturer, no one rates their units to put out 130 degree air at 2 deg without electric backup.
Took me a long time to learn it but now I'll always take real life experience from trusted sources over manufactures statements. Often manufacturers statements are just a disguised sales tool.
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Old 02-02-2023, 08:13 AM   #20
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Go to the Fujitsu web site and check out the HLTH series. They don’t come with backup heat and it’s not an option in fact none of them do. The wire to the inside unit isn’t big enough to run electric heat.
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