RE: AC units and installation

[cruiserpop]

 
goint to look tomorrow at our first pu (WAHOO,  looked long and hard for one i can afford). Point is, my better half s stipulation is " toilet and ac" . A porta-potti is an easy and cheap fix, but the AC issue is different. We re really at the low end ($1,000 or less), so that cuts down on the available pool of trailers. The unit we re looking at, a late model jayco with 13  box, has no ac.
 
 a. What do I need as far as an AC unit is concerned? (how many btu s do i really need without blowing tha wallet and the power panel?
 
 b. what manufacturers are reliable-more bang for the buck?
 
 c. reality check, if i attempt to purchace a unit second hand (e.g. Ebay), are the generally robust enough that i can reasonably expect the thing to work out of the box?
 
 d. is there a nice primer on RV AC units anywhere on the web (costs, considerations, care and feeding)?
 
 Thanks,
 Cruiserpo

[Gone-Camping]

 cruiserpop
How old is the trailer? Will the roof support an A/C?
 
 The newer trailers are all pretty much designed to take the A/C, but a lot of the older units will not support the weight. So the age of the trailer may be a significant factor.
 
 Size of A/C can vary, but almost universally they use 13.5 BTU units. They fit inside any standard 14"  vent opening. If you have the older trailers with the 9"  vent, it s likely the roof won t support the unit. Some trailers (like Coleman) don t come equipped with roof vents, and require special cutting techniques and additional bracing.
 
 Before anyone can give a good answer here, you ll need to provide more specific info on the trailer in question.
 
 [link=http://www.rvcatalog.com/ac/index.asp]RV Add-on s[/link] is probably your best place to find a good price on a new A/C unit.
 
 Hope this helps in some way?!?!