Portable Air Conditioner

This was the model I bought that does fit through the hatch:

http://www.epinions.com/content_192550833796

On the West Coast of Florida where I am, there are times where there is no breeze at night and worse, it comes off the land (hot air) at night with high humidity.
 
Do you think it would run off a 700 watt inverter with 1000 watt surge capability? If so, how long would it run off a 700 amp hour deep cycle battery?
 
Bill3558-

5000 BTU's runs 1460 watts, end of possibility with that inverter.

Would take a 2000 watt inverter with a surge capacity of at least 2500-3000 watts to get by.

1460 watts / 120 volts = 12 amps at 120 volts = 120 amps at 12 volts

700 amp/hr battery x 50% (usable portion) = 350 amp/hrs

350 available amp/hrs divided by 120 amps/ hr = 3 hrs. running time.

700 amp/hrs divided by 105 amp/hrs per group 27 battery = 6.7 group 27 batteries!

Joe.
 
I have run a 7000 BTU marine air conditioner off a 2500 watt inverter. I agree that the 700 watt inverter would not run an air conditioner that I am aware of. -many refigerators will not run on a 700 watt inverter (start up load). (There are some 3600 BTU air conditioner units--but this is minimal cooling for a cuddy cabin)

A single 700 amp hour battery would be very large. (be sure to not confuse cranking amps with the ususal reserve amp hours.) When I ran the above AC unit I had 4 225 amp hour 6 volt golf carts (550 amp hours capacity and weight of about 300 lbs for the 4 batteries)---and it would run the AC about 4 hours--enough to cool the boat off and let us get to sleep before the low voltage circuit cut the power off. (Had adjustiable low voltage cut off).

The faster you pull power off a battery, the lower the capacity--ie if you are pulling off 5 amps an hour, the battery's capacity will be considerably larger than if you are taking 25 amps an hour--and even lower capacity if you are taking 100 amps an hour.

The usual rating capacity is given by measuring the load over 20 hours which takes the battery down to 10.5 amps. For example a 200 amp hour battery will sustain a 10 amp hour draw for 20 hours and be at 10.5 volts at the end of the 20 hours. In reality, there is less usable power in a battery than the amp hours sugggest--since a lead acid battery is 50% discharged at 12.2 volts (12.3 volts for an AGM battery).
I try and never discharge my batteries below 12.2 volts. Deep cycle and AGM batteries tolerate deep discharge better than lead acid batteries.
 
Geez, this discussion is so foreign to us Upper Left Coasters! AC? We have to run the heater at night right up to about July 27, and then start it up again about August 3rd! Calculating amp hours for AC is not likely something I am ever going to have to do!
 
Pat Anderson":1xv63r7p said:
Geez, this discussion is so foreign to us Upper Left Coasters! AC? We have to run the heater at night right up to about July 27, and then start it up again about August 3rd! Calculating amp hours for AC is not likely something I am ever going to have to do!
Click to expand...

I much prefer your problem to ours (I'm out west frequently). Sleeping in sweat is not pleasant.
 
I've put A/C in my larger boats just to have some "white noise" to block out all the noise in some of the marinas! Lots of late partying going on around here...

Haven't yet decided what to do permanently on the TomCat, though.

John
 
I like the idea of using a small window style unit. Generally, we would not need
or want AC when anchored out, but when in a marina, you can be blocked in
and receive little to no airflow. We would probably store it in the V for travel,
and put it in the center hatch at night. Probably not carry it when anchoring out,
or perhaps store in front of the helm seat when anchored. Anyhow, at
$150+, it is worth trying. Particularly with a non-hightop CD-22 where
I'm not sure I want to lose the headroom from an RV AC installation.

I wouldn't expect that 5000 BTU would cool well during the day - looking
mostly for after sundown cooling.

Mike
 
Dear Mike:

I think 5000 BTU should keep your cabin quite cool, even on a hot day parked dockside! We have accumlated considerable experience using a small AC unit with our 13' SCAMP trailer, which has (slightly) more interior volume than the CD-22. The AC unit has always (no matter how hot and/or humid) had more cooling capacity than needed.

The amount of cubic feet in the CD-22 cabin is quite small. If you zipped up and closed off the V-berth, it could be decreased even more (quite considerably). The next thing that could help would be to block out (some of the) direct sunlight through the windows (with shaded window film, or curtains).

I assume you are talking about putting the AC unit into the middle windshield "hole," not the V-berth hatch. As someone noted earlier in this disussion, pointing it downward into the hatch would provide not only cool air but also a shower in your V-berth!

For what it's worth, Wayne
 
i have been contemplating the installation of an rv roof mounted air conditioning system for some time now. i have spoke with "thataway" regarding this matter, and he has given great advice concerning same, however, i have been concerned about what happens when there are product improvements of one sort or anther, and a refit is required, but just doesn't fit the big 14" x 14" hole in the roof.
so, big surprise to me that this 5000 btu frigidaire could save the day, my cd roof and my wallet.
checked with local best buy, apparently this item can only be ordered on line, so, i did so, will be delivered next week. cost 129 plus 24 ship and handling plus another 10 tax, total out the door 164. can't beat that!
question, what about the ss bracket mounted to the window and frame, does that need to be removed so that the unit fits in the opening?
my boat, unfortunately is 170 miles from my location.
for my nashville cd friends, i'm now interviewing applicants for open position caused by one of our trusted employees who has left our company in favor of becoming a hooters waitress. go figure!
hope your nashville cruise experiences smooth sailing, wish i could join ya.
best regards
pat
 
$119.99 off the shelf at my Best Buy in New Port Richey, store #885, Item# FAX054P7A, Frigidare 5000 BTU unit.

Just to alert others, these are in the bigger stores on the shelves.
 
The 14 x 14" hole is a very standard dimension for all RV's--been that way for over 30 years and I suspect it will be that way for a number more. There are also vents and fans which fit these dimensions.

I was talking with the Rosborough 246 rep at the Pensacola boat show--and he tells me that the Coleman Mach 13,500 will run off the Honda EU 2000i generator--and that is what they are fitting their boats with.

I have talked with others who find that 7000 BTU is not enough for a C D 25--So give some thought to what your requirements are for airconditioning.
 
capt. patrick campbell and others-

Actually, the 14" x 14" RV opening is standard and has been for years, and any new units would fit right on top of it.

What I sense here is a golden opportunity for someone to develop a piece of hardware that can convert a portable air conditioner (not aa window unit) over so that it can be mounted inside a cabin with an external duct for the heat exhaust, then removed from it's mounts in the off-season, etc.

Biggest problem is the available mounting surfaces and spaces are so varried to make the design work very difficult for a universal kit. But you could design your own fairly easily.

If, on the other had, you're willing to take the big step of putting a big square hole in the roof for an RV style unit, the rest of the outfitting is fairly easy.

I personally believe the RV unit is the KISS Solution right under our noses. I can almost smell the cold, clean air now. :rose

Joe.
 
LOWES here in Savannah has the same Frigidaire unit with analog controls and no remote control for $99

And I am fixing to buy one!
 
i agree with sea wolf and thataway regarding the 14" x 14" current standards. however technology is advancing rapidly and who is to say that six months from now the market for roof mounted units has produced a 6 fold energy efficient and only requires a 6" openings, or better yet a portable unit that requires little or no external exhaust. once the cut is made, it's live with it or patch it, regardless, the patch would never be totally seamless.
i'm going to try this portable thing and see how that works, if the little mrs. is happy, then life's good, if not, i can then make the cut.
you guys have a terrific weekend.
best regards
pat
 
So i'm getting excited about having a A/C that will fit in the front window could one of you guys post some picture s of this . Im away from the Duck at this time what is the dimensions of our front window . and also has anyone gotten an extra strut for the window the 2006 one with the plastic knob??thanks jim
 
We bought the $99 Frigidaire model at Lowes today. It just barely fits through the window, but it does work. For right now we just used rolled up rags to fill the gaps. It certainly did cool the cabin down quick. We also bought one the 02 Cool fans at Walmart. We hung the fan in the entrance to the v-berth so that it was blowing from the cabin into the v-berth. We will see how these things work this summer.

Rob & Karen
 
$99! At the rate the price is dropping, they'll be paying us to take them before long!
 
Today, Value City Annapolis MD $89.99
November 06, Sam's Club Annapolis, MD $94.00
(Thats where & when I got mine)
Bill
Edgewater, MD
 
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