Date:         Wed, 19 Apr 2000 19:38:16 EDT
Reply-To:     Ssittservl@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         S Sittservl <Ssittservl@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: A/C compressor Power usage
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

I, too, keep thinking there must be some way to run the van's A/C
off 110V while parked.  I'm very sympathetic with those who have
pointed out that part of the joy of the camping experience is abandoning
technological intrusions such as air conditioners; but unfortunately,
I'm a big wuss temperature-wise.  There's been a night or two when
I've thought to myself "sweat-soaked with the sound of crickets, or
comfy with the whine of the compressor?", and, had I really had
the choice, the whine of the compressor would have won.  (I'd
compensate for the loss of rusticness by cooking breakfast over the
camp fire the next morning, though.)  So I think about A/C, but don't
really expect to do anything about it.

I have seen one commercial A/C option that's sort of similar to what
we're talking about: the "Starcool", by Danhard.  I don't fully understand
it (probably because I don't fully understand the pieces of an A/C system),
but apparently it ties the "car" A/C system in with a 110V system, in a fairly
small (1 cubic foot) package.  I think, though, the intent is kind of the
opposite of ours: to run the "cabin" 110V air conditioner from the engine
when traveling, rather than to run the "car" air conditioner from 110V
when parked.  I'm not 100% sure, though, and in any case maybe
they offer something similar that does what we're looking for.

Danhard has a web page at www.danhard.com.  I first found out about the
system because it's used in Sportsmobile's vans; they have a web
page at www.sportsmobile.com, with a brief Starcool description at
http://www.sportsmobile.com/options/options.htm.  Some of the pictures
of the various layouts at http://www.sportsmobile.com/stanplan/plans.htm
show a tiny bit of the system: the vent outlets are those black circles you
can see at the top of some of the cabinets, and the A/C equipment is
typically buried low in the cabinet base.

One other idea that I'll never actually follow up on:
Panasonic's CW-C150RU "ultra compact" window air conditioner
(http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/home_appliance/
ac_compact.htm) is only 9" deep.  I figure the rear hatch is probably
about 4" thick.  You could bury the A/C unit in the hatch (below the
window) and have it only stick out a couple of inches or so inside
and out.  It would blow cool air right across the bed, and it would be
easy to run power to it via the closet, so all you'd have to do is plug
in the van's standard power line.  Some ultra-heavy-duty hatch struts
so it doesn't bonk anybody on the head, and you're all set.

Third option: replace the skylight with a standard RV rooftop air conditioner.
Easy, but you lose the skylight, the van's no longer garageable, the pop top
becomes harder to lift, and I'm not sure the roof would take the weight.

But for the forseeable future, it's probably sweat and cricket chirps for me.

                                                      -Steven Sittser