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Date:         Tue, 13 Nov 2001 22:56:36 -0600
Reply-To:     Marshall Ruskin <mjruskin@HOME.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Marshall Ruskin <mjruskin@HOME.COM>
Subject:      Re: Dual Air Conditioning in a Vanagon
Comments: To: Ed McLean <email99@bellsouth.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Thanks very much! This is very helpful to me - I am going to see if I can get something like this setup in my van too.

Imitation IS the greatest form of flattery - thanks again!

Marshall Ruskin, ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ed McLean" <email99@bellsouth.net> To: "Marshall Ruskin" <mjruskin@HOME.COM>; "Vanagon List" <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com> Sent: Tuesday, November 13, 2001 10:05 PM Subject: Dual Air Conditioning in a Vanagon

> Marshal Ruskin asked: > > Please tell me more about the second evaporator you installed, > > OK, here are the basics of the two air conditioning system for the > Vanagon. > > I used an evaporator from Cooler Air Products ((972)-771-3791, Rockwall, > Texas). This is essentially a Behr after market unit that mounts behind > the dash above the glove box. It uses the original fresh air vents on > the sides of the dash as well as two new vent coming out of the old ash > tray opening. The refrigerant lines were plumbed in parallel. I > modified the controls from what Cooler Air suggested. The thermostat > for the front unit controls the compressor magnetic clutch and the rear > unit thermostat controls a solenoid valve in the refrigerant line to the > rear (original) unit. There is an over pressure switch to protect the > system from excessive refrigerant heat/pressure. Both evaporators have > R134a expansion valves. The system was converted to R134a (~50 oz) and > the compressor is a Sanden SD709. I am using the original VW > condenser. The controls are mounted on the dash to the left of the > steering column and are essentially a double set of the standard VW > Westy AC thermostat/fan switch unit. To run the thing you simply turn > on the front air conditioning and set the fan speed and temperature. If > you want the rear unit on you turn on the rear fan switch and adjust the > rear thermostat for the temperature in the rear. There are two LED's > (green) to indicate when the thermostats are calling for cooling so I > can make small adjustments in the temperature when my family screams > "It's too cold back here!", and a third LED (red) to indicate when the > overpressure switch shuts off the compressor. Generally I run both fans > on low and cooling is adequate except when the outside temperature is > above 100 deg F or we are stopped in traffic. The system has been > reasonably problem free but I would like to have more condenser capacity > so the refrigerant pressures would be lower and cooling would be better > in while stopped and in slow city driving. When driving I usually get > temperatures of 40 degrees F and 48 degrees F with one and both > evaporators running, respectively. The 40 degrees is limited by the > thermostat and not the cooling capacity. When both systems have their > fans running on high there is a tremendous amount of air moving in the > bus. Temperatures are higher without a generous flow of air through the > condenser. I've been thinking of adding an additional, fan cooled > condenser under the floor or above the axles. This would be plumbed in > series with the original condenser. > > The system works well. The nicest thing about it is that it provides > great cooling in the front footwells. > > Any other questions? >


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