Window air conditioners? Car shelter storage size?

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:12 pm

OK, so, I just put the RV I bought in storage. I'm probably going to just re-sell it and either get something else or drive up in the Tahoe. While at the storage place, I met a guy who suggested a window A/C unit in case we do end-up camping in a tent or one of those car shelters mentioned in another thread. A/C is something I'd like to have because we're the kind of burners who sleep most of the day. I know we can get cheap window A/C units, but, is this doable? Would a generator like the Honda EU 2000 be able to power it?

Also, speaking of those car shelter constructs (the kinds with sides built-in that roll-up): how big are they when folded up? Could I transport one on top of my Tahoe?

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 1:39 pm

You may need a 3000, or even a pair of 2000's - those AC compressors take a lot of oomph to fire off and if there's not enough amperage you can burn the compressor out. (*Big* moop!!)

Tho I saw some AC units at Home Despot for under a hundred bucks (and got the same idea) - if you're already gonna get (or got) an eu-2000 you can pick one of these up cheap and see how well (or if) it works. Then if you need a second generator unit you can either get a second EU or forgo the $80 A/C (or put it in the garage at home!!)

Just remember, tho... if you're doing something like that you're also gonna want some way to insulate the top of (and maybe the sides of) your carport/tent. Otherwise the radiant heat from the hot canvas will overpower even a bigger unit.

Then again... swamp coolers work in the desert and only have a waterpump and big fan... not as total cold but surprisingly nice (compared to outside)... Of course it's extra water, but what doesn't evaporate doesn't get used.

What we *may* do is use our older Honda 5500 (not as quiet as an EU but with an insulated bafflebox setup it may be manageable) to run one of those cheapy puppies during the day (in case I end up up nights - not like that would happen, right??) and flourescent lights (and maybe a small fridge) for inside the tent and then run Lanterns and propane for lights and heat and whatnot (and ice for cooling) at night. If $$ were no object (ha ha ha) I'd do a pair of eu-3K's and not worry about it. Maybe some year...

phil · Post by **phil** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 2:21 pm

[quote="DallasPlaya"]>SNIP<
Also, speaking of those car shelter constructs (the kinds with sides built-in that roll-up): how big are they when folded up? Could I transport one on top of my Tahoe?[/quote]

Louise and I have one. Here's a not very good photo of it.
http://www.civex.com/carShelter.jpg
(156KB)

The transporation issue is there are three 10-foot poles and eight other poles which are shorter (four are 6.5 feet long or so, four are 5.5 feet or so). (The top and two side flaps fold into small enough pieces that they don't matter.) The poles are either the metal pipes that are used to hold up chainlink fences or the top rail, I've forgotten which (or even if there's a difference). So can your car top rack hold a 3 10-foot lengths of pipe off the roof of the car? They flex, and you don't want them beating the top of the Tahoe as you drive to the Burn, right?

Speaking of sleeping, napping in that shade is fine. If you can't sleep in the daylight, get a blindfold. The shade is way cooler than a tent. We keep one side oriented to the south (the flap that's still on the shade in the photo) and move the other flap from the east to the west as the sun crosses the sky. With two sides open, we get plenty of any breeze and no heat buildup. The top is opaque, and the two side flaps are not, as you can tell in the photo. No infrared through the roof keeps the heat to a tolerable level for naps and whatever else.

It's about 10-feet square. The 'eaves' are 6.5 feet high, but the peak of the roof is way higher than you can jump. You can get an idea from the commercial van parked along side. Get a 20-foot shade, put your tent in one end and live under the other. You'll have six 10-foot poles, and 16 shorter ones, plus a huge top and more sideflaps. Google for car shelter or whatever for sources. Get the fabric top and sides, the connectors to hold all the piping together, and the bungee cords delivered and go to your local fence store for the piping. (OSH, Home Depot, whatever -- don't pay to ship the pipes.)

Kinetic IV · Post by **Kinetic IV** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 4:54 pm

For the past two years I pulled a small homemade box trailer / camper to BM. It had a GE 6000 BTU window A/C installed in the back wall and I ran it off a Honda EU-2000i just fine. The Honda was set to use the eco-throttle and when the compressor kicked in the Honda just ramped up and kept it running without any trouble.

As for using the same setup with a tent I have no experience with that but it was something I considered. I ended up getting to build the box trailer instead and never tested the idea.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:00 pm

An EU2000 will run a small window AC, no problem. Most small cheap window units are only 5000 - 6000 BTU... the ones on the roofs of RVs are usually 9000 to 13000 BTU sets, those are the ones a single EU2000 has trouble with. Mine will run on a single EU2000 at home, but at the altitude of Black Rock the second EU is necessary. I have a small 5000 BTU window unit as backup, and one EU2000 will run it at BRC.
Those small window AC units aren't extremely powerful, but they'll work if you seal the space well enough. You'll have to work pretty hard to get a tent or portable garage airtight enough. Insulation helps, but you gotta hold that cold air in there. I tried to tell one of my campmates that last year... it was pretty warm in his place... mine was freezing.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 9:32 pm

Thanks for the advice.

Another thing I found that's interesting is an SUV tent. Basically, a tent that connects to the back of an SUV at one end:

What I'm thinking I'd do is have this setup for a cool place to sleep and have a 20x20 (or larger) shade structure with home-made side flaps or car shelter over at least the tent part with the excess being our public space. The SUV has front AND rear A/C and I know the truck is much quieter than a generator so that's where the cooling (might) come from. I could always test it in our current 100-degree heat (ugh).

Hmm...

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:34 pm

If you don't asphyxiate yourself from the exhaust... >>grins<<

Glad to know one of those cheapo specials will run on a 2KW unit... I am breathing a *lot* easier now, as I wasn;'t sure if there was enough "oomph" to push that compressor...

Tnx, Again...
BBS

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:39 pm

That sounds like it'd work! Auto shops have hoses they slip over tailpipes so they can route exhaust away from where the mechanics are working... that'd be great for your setup too, just be sure you get hose that won't melt... also, be sure to bring lots of gas, you'll use it. And it's worth it, in my opinion.

Lassen Forge · Post by **Lassen Forge** » Fri Jun 17, 2005 10:54 pm

Yay!!! Awesome Idea Cap'n!!

Either flex stainless exhaust line (Kragens/Checkers/NAPA/Whatever auto parts) , or even necked and sealed flexitube (like dryer ducting)... as long as you can get that CO from getting near your (or the neighbors) tent... I would *hate* to have someone in the camp next door wake up dead... *That* would *really* suck!

Get some of the *metal* duct tape (Home despotics usually has it) not the cloth stuff but the stuff for sealing heaters to it's ducting, and double wrap the connections, run it to the sreet... and you're prolly OK. Me. I'm Petra Paranoid, so I'd get a Carbon Monoxide monitor, but whatever works for you.

The ones in a shop (usually) have an exhaust fan to pull through the tube to some distant source, but it works without as long as it's sealed. I gotta see how well this works, DP... might be an idea worth pursuing!!

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 6:55 pm

OK, so, who thinks that the A/C units in the Tahoe would really be able to cool the tent, too? I'm thinking if i went with this setup, that I'd have shade over both the truck and the tent...

phil · Post by **phil** » Sat Jun 18, 2005 7:43 pm

[quote="DallasPlaya"]OK, so, who thinks that the A/C units in the Tahoe would really be able to cool the tent, too? I'm thinking if i went with this setup, that I'd have shade over both the truck and the tent...[/quote]

It depends on the weather. If you don't need the A/C, it'll do fine. If it's a hundred in the shade, I don't think it'll work.

On the other hand, I'll bet you have 17,000 well-meaning Burners stopping by every 30 seconds to warn you that you're going to die of CO poisoning.

sierrahiker68 · Post by **sierrahiker68** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 9:24 am

That sounds like a good way to overheat your car. Without airmoving acros the candenser and radiator it will over heat in no time.

Captain Goddammit · Post by **Captain Goddammit** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:10 pm

I didn't understand at first that you wanted to use the Tahoe's A/C to cool the tent too... I figured you meant to close up the rig and catch a nap in comfort...
Swamp coolers and misters are about the only practical ways to cool a tent, A/C pretty much requires a closed space like an RV, trailer, whatever. And THAT requires a generator, a quiet one you and everyone else can stand to listen to.
And in my opinion, it's totally worth it!

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 3:00 pm

Captain Goddammit wrote:I didn't understand at first that you wanted to use the Tahoe's A/C to cool the tent too... I figured you meant to close up the rig and catch a nap in comfort...
Swamp coolers and misters are about the only practical ways to cool a tent, A/C pretty much requires a closed space like an RV, trailer, whatever. And THAT requires a generator, a quiet one you and everyone else can stand to listen to.
And in my opinion, it's totally worth it!

I'm assuming you mean that a quiet generator is worth it. I couldn't agree more. Not sure what kind of generator I'll have out there (due to the RV I bought not being suitable for the task), but, I know it will be QUIET.

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:02 pm

For 2 years I slept in the back of a pickup with a cheap shell on the top. The second year I used the rack to build a makeshift shade on the top using a parachute and some 1/2" PVC, then covered the top and all windows of the truck with mylar emergency blankets and blue masking tape. It cost very little and the difference it made was HUGE! It blocked out light almost completely and it stayed cool for a couple of hours after the surrounding temp got hot in the morning. I imagine something like this would also make any A/C solution much more efficient.

You need the good 2-week removable masking tape. The adhesive is like that on a post-it note.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:33 pm

Dork wrote:mylar emergency blankets

Hm. I wonder how mylar would work as shade structure material...it sure would look cool. :D

Post by **AntiM** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 6:34 am

They shred in the wind and blind your neighbors in the sun.

HughMungus · Post by **HughMungus** » Sat Jul 09, 2005 11:44 am

AntiM wrote:They shred in the wind and blind your neighbors in the sun.

Cool. I'll keep it in mind for costumes then. :D

Window air conditioners? Car shelter storage size?

Window air conditioners? Car shelter storage size?

Re: Window air conditioners? Car shelter storage size?

Tahoe AC