Window A/C unit for pop up

[fish2005master]

I have an older popup without an A/C and I am looking to install a window unit because the Texas heat is unbearable.  I do not want to go thru the expense or trouble of messing with a roof unit.  I plan to install the window unit in the rear of the pop up and run the window unit off my Honda 2000 generator.  My question is what size BTU window unit will cool the popup?  I need to find a unit that my generator will run also.  Anyone out there living around the hot Texas climate have any suggestions?

[wavery]

I have an older popup without an A/C and I am looking to install a window unit because the Texas heat is unbearable.  I do not want to go thru the expense or trouble of messing with a roof unit.  I plan to install the window unit in the rear of the pop up and run the window unit off my Honda 2000 generator.  My question is what size BTU window unit will cool the popup?  I need to find a unit that my generator will run also.  Anyone out there living around the hot Texas climate have any suggestions?

You have a few things to consider.

1. I have a 13,500BTU Carrier (Heat pump) A/C unit. It is mounted on the roof. It just barely runs off of my Honda EU2000I generator. The A/C works quite well but you are basically cooled by the air that is blowing (down) directly on you. PUs are not air tight. Therefore, they do not hold in the cool air and circulate it properly, the way that A/Cs are designed to operate. Air conditioners are designed so that the cooled air continuously circulates back through the cooling system and gets cooler on each pass. It looses a lot of efficiency in a PU because some of the cool air leaves the PU and new warm air is continually entering. That's quite a challenge to overcome. Mounting the A/C near the floor just adds to that challenge.

2. Cold air falls fairly rapidly. Installing the A/C near the floor may only do a good job at keeping your feet cool unless you get a very large unit or lay on the floor to keep cool :p . The other alternative would to be to figure out a method of ducting the cold air up to the ceiling. That might even work quite well because the cold air would fall to the floor then be picked up by the A/C then returned to the ceiling, thereby increasing it's chance of circulating. HMMMMM, could work.

3. When considering your new A/C take into consideration the wattage listed on the item. Remember that your 2000w generator will only put out 2000w for a short period of time (maybe 3 minutes) before overloading your generator. That generator is only designed to handle a 1500w load on a continuous basis. That's about enough to run a small electric space heater. It takes a lot of power to run an A/C compressor.

4. Also consider that it takes nearly double the wattage to start the A/C compressor. This doesn't tend to be a big problem on initial start up. However, when the compressor cycles (shuts down for a period of time then restarts automatically) it has already built up a lot of internal pressure and it is even harder to re-start the compressor and may overload your generator.

I know on mine, it can be running just fine for a couple of hours then it will blow the overload circuit on the generator when it cycles. I have to let it set for a while (for the pressure to bleed off) then restart it. At any rate, chances are, you will need to plug the A/C unit directly into the generator (not through the campers electrical system) and nothing else while the A/C is running (unless you can find a window A/C that will run on less than 1500w, which I doubt).

5. Your selection of generators was excellent. You can add another Honda 2000w (that is if it is a EU2000I, not sure about others) in-line with your existing generator and have 4000w of power when you need it. That should handle just about any A/C that you want to install. Then when it's not hot out, you need only run the single unit.

6. The Carrier AirV Heat Pump can be purchased for around $600:
http://www.airv.carrier.com/details/0,2806,CLI1_DIV46_ETI9772,00.html
That's a lot cheaper than opting for the additional generator. They are not hard to install but must be well sealed (they come with a seal). It draws 1500w and does run on a single 2000w generator (although just). The draw back is that it is a lot harder to crank up the top with that thing on there (Weight is 88#).

There is also this one:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=17965&tab=spec
They claim that it runs on 1100w and produces 13,500BTU also. It too is less than $600. Check out that installation fee ($85). I'd take them up on it . I'll bet that doesn't include cutting a hole in the top. That's probably for installing the A/C on an RV with an existing vent opening in the roof, of the proper size.

Remember, if they don't specify the wattage, they usually specify the amperage. The rule is volts x amps = Watts.

[mbopp]

From what I've gathered from different forums it's hit or miss if a Honda 2000 will run a 13.5K BTU A/C. I've been looking since I'm toying with adding a roof A/C to our PU. The Coleman 13.5K Mach 3 PS (power saver) & Polar Cub should run off my Honda 2000.

Somebody on another forum added room A/C by building a shelf outside his PU and IIRR he also added a zippered flap to his canvas for the A/C to blow through. A 5000 or 10000 BTU room A/C runs on a 15 amp circuit so they should run off a Honda 2000. The question is wether the generator has enough capacity to supply the boost of current needed on startup.

I've also seen pics where somebody added a room A/C by cutting the back out of his PU & mounting it over the back bumper. I'd hate to do that to a newer PU though.

[wavery]

From what I've gathered from different forums it's hit or miss if a Honda 2000 will run a 13.5K BTU A/C. I've been looking since I'm toying with adding a roof A/C to our PU. The Coleman 13.5K Mach 3 PS (power saver) & Polar Cub should run off my Honda 2000.

I think the difference is if you run it through the campers wiring. Mine has a very hard time and will shut down when it cycles, if I run it through the camper. If I plug the A/C directly into the Honda EU2000I generator (which cuts the resistance from all of the wiring and the converter), it runs just fine. It seems that the A/C absolutely maxes that gen out.

I had 2 of the EU2000Is and both of them did exactly the same thing. I sold one of them to my brother because I just didn't need it.

[hoppy]

If your older PU's roof can't support the weight of a 100 lb. ceiling AC, it's a moot point and the only option you have is a through the back wall mounted window model.

 My 1978 Palomino had this style AC, and although not as efficient as the ceiling mounted 15 K unit in my Mesa, it sure made night time sleeping and the humidity during the day much more comfortable than without it.

  To circulate the cooler air through out the PU, a simple occilating fan worked quite well for us.

   The AC was a 1982 Hunter 5 K unit that worked well during our very hot and humid summers here in Georgia. But with the more efficient units made today, I would recommend a bigger 8 K model. I always camped at sites with electrical, so I can't offer any advise in regards to units that will run off of generators.  

   I gave this PU to my DD and SIL three years ago when I got the Mesa, and they camp with us quite often during the summer months and the AC unit still makes the inside of the PU much more comfortable than without it.

   Hope this helps.