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Old 01-18-2017, 10:47 AM   #1
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Question ISO HVAC Options

Hey guys! I'm trying to figure out the best HVAC options for my schoolie. It won't need to be very mobile, it will stay on my property and be powered like all the other buildings. It's a 35' bus with about 10 people staying in it when its said and done, no appliances/kitchen/bathroom anything like that, just sleep space. What are my best HVAC options? I'm thinking a combo window unit- any particular brands/models yall like? Or if there are other ways to do it that worked well I'd love those suggestions too. Thanks!

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Old 01-18-2017, 11:34 AM   #2
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Welcome,

Details regarding climate and insulation would be very helpful.

If you are going to be using it in Yakima in August you probably won't be too concerned about your heater........


To properly size HVAC you need:

External temp
Target interior temp
Area of exterior surfaces (walls, floor, roof & glazing)
U or R value of exterior surfaces.
Parasitic loads (heat generated by 10 bodies)

From that you can estimate the Btu's required to meet your need.
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Old 01-18-2017, 01:55 PM   #3
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and how drafty it is.
But with so many windows, you can just keep adding 5 or 8k window units until you like it.
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Old 01-19-2017, 09:47 AM   #4
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***EDIT***

Hey- OG poster here- This is for a schoolie in central Va, so its usually around 30s-40s, minimum, in winter and 80s-90s max in summer (F)
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Old 01-19-2017, 01:16 PM   #5
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Go for a mini split system.
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Old 01-20-2017, 11:50 AM   #6
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Look!.
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Old 04-20-2017, 06:44 PM   #7
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mini split air conditioner

Has anyone done a mini split air conditioner on a bus? and if so how did it work out and if not what are the reasons for not doing it? I know how loud the roof top units can be and the mini split just seems like a cool alternative plus they are heat pumps so you also have your heating system too.
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Old 04-20-2017, 06:49 PM   #8
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I did mini splits, work great.
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Old 04-21-2017, 12:14 PM   #9
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When you say "mini splits" does that mean you have more than one in your bus?
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Old 04-21-2017, 01:02 PM   #10
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A mini-split sytem is a small heat pump that can easily fit inside your bus. It can provide AC as well as heat when needed. Obviously you'd need a considerable bank of house batteries or a generator to run that if you're not connected to the grid.
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Old 04-21-2017, 02:21 PM   #11
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I wasn't going for the off grid ac thing, it would be shore power or gen. I guess my biggest question is why don't more people go with the mini split as opposed to the standard rv roof mount ac, what are the negatives and positives of both?
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Old 04-21-2017, 02:48 PM   #12
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Well, the mini-split system is reportedly very energy efficient. You can send the chilled air to several zones rather than just one. This also functions as a heater until the outside temperatures fall near freezing.

The ceiling air conditioner is loud and not necessarily efficient. I think they're overpriced just because they are made for RVs.

I'm sure I haven't thought of everything. Here in Oregon we only need air conditioning for about two weeks out of a year, so most of us just go without AC. We whine for a couple weeks in the summer and then it's over.
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Old 04-21-2017, 04:19 PM   #13
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Thank you for your comments, to me the mini split just seems like the way to go and kill two birds with one stone ( cool and heat ). If I'm missing or overlooking something please feel free to correct me I know there's a vast wealth of knowledge on this site and I'm here to learn.
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Old 04-21-2017, 04:24 PM   #14
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heres some good reading on the efficiency of ductless minisplits...

Ductless Minisplits May Not Be As Efficient As We Thought | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
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Old 04-21-2017, 06:42 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slaughridge85 View Post
heres some good reading on the efficiency of ductless minisplits...

Ductless Minisplits May Not Be As Efficient As We Thought | GreenBuildingAdvisor.com
Cant read that without being a member.
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Old 04-21-2017, 07:52 PM   #16
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Click image for larger version

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For some reason the condenser pic is upside down
Click image for larger version

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Old 04-21-2017, 07:56 PM   #17
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This is a 1 ton, 17 seer heat pump. At full blast it only runs 4.5 amps at 110v is 495 watts.
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Old 04-21-2017, 10:19 PM   #18
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Could the condenser be mounted horizontally?
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Old 04-22-2017, 08:04 AM   #19
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jcrum,

Nice installation, just looking at your condenser it looks really close to the frame on the outlet side. Have you run it for extend time in high temps? Did you modify evaperater unit so that it would drain from both ends of the drip tray? Just curious.
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Old 04-22-2017, 09:09 AM   #20
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The condenser unit is horizontal that pic is upside down.
I have ran it a good bit sometimes 8hrs or so. I cut out the side panel of the bus. Most mini split air handlers have drains on each side of the evap coil. I used both drain just to make sure the water drain because the bus might not always be level. I have the system in working order but I have not finish running the drain lines the way I want them.
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