Basement heat/ac units

[chev49]

join busconversions.com. or the bno website, or the eagle , etc forums as they are discussed all the time on those sites.

[ol trunt]

I hunted around for basement units and they all seemed to need a lot of work to get them to work--as well as being quite costly. I'm going to try a free standing A/C heater combination--but then I have less than 1000 cubic feet of space to consider.

[bansil]

right now my plan is to screw around with a couple $50 window units I have, been talking with a good friend who does HVAC and I am planning on seperating the components and building a few little boxes and he will extend the metal tubes,vacumn and refill them...should work good.

He says a 5000BTU seperated like we are thinking will cool better than an all in one 10000BTU roof unit.

He says they are not very effecient since they are stuck out in the sun etc.

We'll see...it's cheaper than a mini split unit and will works the same

Ducting will be a challenge...but hell what isn't

[lornaschinske]

I have a PDF "Building a Split AC Unit Out of a Window-Style AC Unit" by Ed Roelle. I don't know where I got it from except it was from my time on the coach forums. I have it saved as a PDF file with no other info on a CD. You will need a PDF reader to view it. I looked on the internet trying to find it again but can't. I don't know if I cut & pasted from a BBS thread or got it off a personal website or what. I did check and Ed hasn't posted on Busnuts in years. So the place I originally got it may have been taken down.

[ol trunt]

Great article on splits! Once again I am impressed with the breadth of your info base--to say nothing of the time you put into sharing it. Thanks

[bus-bro]

If I was a rich man I would buy one or two quality mini-split heat pump units. They can make heat way down below forty degrees. Such is the state of my economy, I'll just take the window unit out of the house and stick in a bus window.

Kripes, it's summer now, and it's not even 60 degrees here.

[lornaschinske]

Originally Posted by bus-bro

Kripes, it's summer now, and it's not even 60 degrees here.

And there you go rubbing it in...
High of 103°F. At 10:13AM, it's 93°F. They tend to underestimate the highs.

I'll be glad when we move to Beaumont (?) TX in 2014. It'll be cooler and it RAINS there.

[bapos]

You guys really have me thinking.....

I am about half way through hvac school and I am really looking in to 115v ductless mini splits for the bus. I have connections to one of the major manufactors so I am hoping to get a good deal on one. I am just curious if anyone has attempted or plans to do one. My only concern is the bus bouncing around rolling down the road when driving and maybe the compressor not being level for oiling purposes? I know they are ment to be stationary but if anyone ( I suspect chevy49 to chime in) has insight please speak freely.

Im thinking a multi zone one compressor and indoor (2) 12k btu units. I have a fairly large bus (83 gmc ward 66 passenger) and hope to be sealed with spray foam. I would like to very cool in there. Heating is not a concern as the bus will probably be parked in the winter. For now the plan is to run a 7k onan generator.

Thanks

Bapos

[chev49]

yeah, im here
dont think compressor would be off level enough degrees to make a difference, unless you are rock climbing...

[bapos]

Good to know.

I have yet to install one so I am curious how well lit will work versus a standard RV conditioner or window unit. They seem to have more plus than minus from a benifit stand point. The seer value is very good but when running off a genny that wont really matter.

Bapos

[bus-bro]

I'd think the refrigerant tubing on a mini-split would be at the most risk in a bus install. The multi zone units are (petty much) all 240 Volts. The expesnsive ones, with Japanese names on 'em, are inverter power controlled. They take the line voltage and make variable DC voltage to run the compressor. The advantage to that for us is that the compressor starts on lower amps, so our 30 amp power supply, or wimpy generator can start them easier than regular air conditioners. The disadvantage is that with all the fancy electronics in them you're at risk of an expensive repair bill from voltage spikes, etc., so I've read.

[bapos]

Im not overly worried about the line set set. I think you can encase them in a line set cover simular to a rub rail on the outside to not really worry about them as the line set wont be very long. Seems odd for them to not have a 115v model but Im sure stranger things have happened. The one I am looking at are made by Goodman as I have a inside track with them.

I can see the dirty power being an issue and I would imagine those dont come cheap. With the reading you have done has anyone put them in a bus?

[bansil]

Yes sseveral folks on busnuts have installed mini splits on coaches

[bhays]

Is there that much of an advantage to separating the compressor and condensor vs just mounting the units underneath and ducting the output into the bus through the floor?

[bus-bro]

No duct work with the split units, easier to install.