Portable AC in Trailer

[BillC6]

I am thinking of adding a portable AC unit to by trailer. I an thinking of drilling a hole in the floor for the intake, exhaust and drain. A few questions….
Has anyone done this?
I read about 2 tube units that do not exhaust the interior air in the exhaust tube, seems better but I have not found any. Any experience on this?
How about noise, any recommendations, good or bad?


Thanks
Bill

 

[pseudorealityx]

Any reason you can't use a 'normal' trailer/RV AC unit?

 

[BillC6]

yes, I store the trailer in my garage. Built the house with 8 foot tall doors and ordered the trailer with out a roof vent so it would fit. I have 1.5 inches to spare.

 

[Larosa]

no idea with this thing and i havent done this yet ever in my life. better to contact the moderator for this query.......

 

[koditten]

I bet it would work. I know from experience they don't work for **** for an 800sqft shop. Your trailer is much smaller.

Btw, you can have mine, just come and get it.

 

[fiveohpatrol]

I've seen quite a few guys at the racetrack try this, and not a single one I've asked has been even the least bit happy with it. I think you'd be better off going the redneck route and sticking a window unit thru the front wall.

Any route you go, insulation will be key. After all, you are trying to cool a big hollow tin can. I put a 13.5kbtu roof unit on mine (24ft enclosed) and even that didn't do much until I insulated the roof. Does pretty well now, but the walls could use some insulation too.

 

[BillC6]

Thanks for the responses. I insulated the roof and will do the sides based on the AC performance. I hate to cut the front. One person who did said he would not do it again because with rain and the air pressure of highway driving drives water to find a path around the edge seals.

I also thought of building a box like a generator box and housing a window unit in it, venting from the side to the bottom, but i concerned about the noise and exterior air / heat flow. Plus for saving $200 it is more work and may not work.

Please keep the ideas and experiences flowing.

 

[CNGsaves]

Let's see some pics of trailer.

What about beefing up one of the rear doors so it would hold a window unit A/C that could be installed just when you're onsite?? Then have a plug that would cover that hole in rear door while driving. This would enable the A/C unit to ride in the pickup bed where it would be kept safe.

Another idea . . . APU (auxilliary power unit) like the diesel trucks use for powering/cooling that could be held in pickup bed, and just pipe over the cool air to trailer??

 

[Kevin C]

Not all portable air units are total pigs... Check the efficacy rating on them. Some have an EER of about 9 (esp the older units). I picked up a 14,000 BTU with a rating of 11 ( single tube). Not quite as good as a window unit, but good enough.

The only down side is if the pump does not cycle you may have a big puddle (heat mode) and they are more expensive. For aesthetics I did not want a window unit.

I also have a really well insulated shop.

 

[bazzz]

I had one of those portable units in my 6 x 12 trailer. The trailer is not insulated and it did not cool the trailer, basically wasted effort installing the thing. A friend with a similar trailer installed one of the RV units on his and it worked MUCH better. I don't remember the BTU of either unit, so it may not be a fair comparison. I would guess if you put enough BTUs in there it should cool it though.

 

[MFolks]

Maybe something like this would work: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HG2HE2/?tag=atomicindus08-20 Amazon.com sells awide range of the coolers

 

[pseudorealityx]

Maybe something like this would work: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007HG2HE2/?tag=atomicindus08-20 Amazon.com sells awide range of the coolers

That will NOT work. It is a single pipe unit and relys on being able to pull conditioned air from somewhere else. BAD IDEA.

 

[Southernbuild]

Ive got a portable AC unit in my 16' trailer. I insulated the walls with 1" Styrofoam, it had insulation in the ceiling when I got the trailer. 4" vent in the sidewall, and a drain tube through they floor.