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Topic: Installed Mini Splits in the coach (Read 403 times) previous topic - next topic

Installed Mini Splits in the coach


Installed the outside unit where the muffler was, I forgot to take a picture of the inside unit, but it's directly above it where the cabinet would have been in the bed room. I have a Side Isle layout and we kept walking into the cabinet, so we took it out.

Second inside unit is on the wall opposite the kitchen

Outside unit is in the bay, it's exhausting through the bay wall and I'll add some duct work similar to how the generator radiator exhaust is.

This is the power comparison between the original Coleman unit on Line 1 and the rear mini split on Line 2. Both were running on high.

I attached them to 2 pieces of 3/4" plywood that was glued together to get them 1.5" off the wall so the shades will fit behind. The wood is attached to the aluminium top rail with 1/4"x 20 Rivnuts. It's pretty solid. These are 9000 btu units and cool amazingly well. I had just the rear one in at first and put a fan blowing down the hall and the one 9000 btu unit was keeping the whole coach cool even in 95°F heat and full sun.
1991 U300 Side Aisle 6V92 Silver #3897
2004 U320 40' #6246

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #1 –
What were your original units  15k btu?
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #2 –
Wow! Less than 1/2 the power draw. For those of us that have or plan to run AC using the alternator/inverter going down the road, this would help a lot.
Peter and Tammy Fleming
1991 U300 GV 40 - Sold, owned for 4 years
Downsized to Roadtrek Popular 210 class B

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #3 –
What is the brand and model number on that unit?

I'm STILL on the hunt for one and trying to figure out where to put it. They're all too tall to put into a cabinet, and I'd rather not cut into a cabinet to put on in if possible.

It seems GVs are easier to put one in than the unicoaches..
1999 U320 WTFE #5586
2014 Subaru Forester 6sp
4000 watts of solar
650 aH @ 24v

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #4 –
Quote from: prfleming –
Wow! Less than 1/2 the power draw. For those of us that have or plan to run AC using the alternator/inverter going down the road, this would help a lot.
Yes. with an extra alternator or a lot of solar  it works well .  During the day  .  Add huge battery pack and easy  .

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #5 –
Zokop 19 Seer 9000 -18000 BTU Mini Split Air Conditioner Heat Pump Remote...

These are the units I installed. One in the kitchen and one in the bedroom. These are defiantly in the range of an alternator and inverter to run while driving. Solar would also be an option I think. I need to run a test and see how much power they pull over night. It should drop quite a bit once the temperature is stable and the units ramp down. I believe it's something that you could put enough battery capacity in to run overnight, but I need to get some numbers on it.

I went with the cheapest ones I could find incase it didn't work right or they failed, I didn't ruin a really nice one.
1991 U300 Side Aisle 6V92 Silver #3897
2004 U320 40' #6246

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #6 –
Quote from: turbojack –
What were your original units  15k btu?

I think. I couldn't find any labels on them, but they are the original Coleman units I believe. Only one was functional, the other one has a bad blower motor.
1991 U300 Side Aisle 6V92 Silver #3897
2004 U320 40' #6246

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #7 –
My Pioneer 12k uses about 500 watts on cruise. Shady day /under 85 / etc/.  Over 94 and sunny , it requires around 1100 watts.
  Quick math  is about100- 12 volt amps .  Turns into around 9- 120 volt amps  with the conversion loss.
  The solar  needs to be around twice what you draw on the AC.  So 2000 ish solar  watts turns into 1000 watts of 120 volt .  MOL.   
 These are my actual observations  over the last 2 yrs.
  I have issues that my electric engine fans are also solar driven , from the same batts.  They can draw 80-90 amps on full cool .

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #8 –
After our DIY installation of a 12K, 22 seer Della at home at the start of the summer, I can say that there is a big difference in savings compared to our window unit. The noise level is very low and with the fan on low, you can't hear it plus the compressor on the outside unit does not even run until the house temp is up to the thermostat setting. We have a high living room/kitchen ceiling and the Mini-Split cools it well in 100+ and down the hall to the other rooms. The biggest difference is that I have to look up at it to see the LED to if it's running or not. With the old unit, we had to turn up the TV volume to hear.

The power draw changes depending on both the temperature and what the fan setting is. If the fan is on low, it runs all the time and the compressor may or may not run, depending on the house temp. Yes, the remote has an "off" position where everything is shut down.

The DIY installation was easy but I did send off for the sealer for the connections and I monitored the vacuum for 24 hours before letting the refrigerant into the system. I purchased an old vacuum pump and gauges off FB Marketplace for $40. It's exactly like the one sold at HF and seen on YouTube. It pinned the gauge in a few seconds and even better than the reviews.

A GV has a lot of room up front for the compressor unit and with the installation of a resonator, the unit could also be installed back where the old muffler was. While it would be nice to install up high in the coach, the evaporator could be installed on the wall behind the passenger's seat after making a walnut/oak area to hide the drain and refrigerant tubing.

With the two roof AC unit's removed, I could add more panels and easily go over 2000 watts. Since the sun is the highest in the sky in summer, that works out well for solar panels for the Mini-Split.

I did see a Sprinter with the compressor unit installed outside on the left rear door. It actually looked pretty good.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)
 

Re: Installed Mini Splits in the coach

Reply #9 –
Zack with all your Solar the Signature Solar split that's power by Solar panels would work
1999 36 ft U270
Build 5465