A/C for small travel trailer?

[uncle sticky]

Looking for a solution to our camper a/c question. 16' travel trailer with no a/c, 2000 watt quiet gennie. We're looking for a more permanent solution than a figjam special, but I need to figure out who makes an a/c unit that won't require more than 2000 watts to start the compressor. Any roof top units out there, 5000 to 15000 btu, that can be turned on with our little generator?

[Captain Goddammit]

They make rooftop A/Cs that are about 9000 BTU that a single Honda EU2000 will run. You might get away with 11 to 13k BTU, that's what I run, but I use a pair of Hondas.
The trick is an "Easy Start Kit". It's basically a big capacitor. Install one of those.

The thing to be mindful of is that you don't have 2000 watts on the playa because of the elevation.
I've test-run A/Cs and other loads that were OK at sea level, but in BRC they wuzzn't happening.

[FIGJAM]

These are great units.

Quiet and dependable.

Mine is 7yrs. old with no issues.

Check the specs.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/LG-Electroni ... escription

[Martiansky]

^ +1
I have a 17" trailer and when I go camping or take it out of town to live in for work, I use a small household window a/c unit like Figjam has
in his link. My trailer (1976 model) has one window on it that instread of cranking out, the whole piece pushes out. Its just the right size for
a small ac to fit into. I took 2 shelf brackets and 2 pieces of thin wood and made a shelf for the ac to sit on. It attatches to the aluminum window
frame with 4 screws. Installs in less then 10 minutes. It cools the trailer like a little icebox. The a/c unit is removed and placed under the table when the trailer is being pulled.
I have seen (in older trailers) where people will install an a/c unit in a wall or remove a window and then leave it there all the time.
I prefer not to do this.
I dont know what the power draw is since I've always run it off campground electrical, but I know it cant be as much as the electric heater I have.
It gets its own extension cord and plugs into the seperate plug in (that Ive noticed a lot of campgrounds have) because it draws a lot of power.
Ive had the a/c running and then run the microwave and not blown a breaker and they are both running off he 30amp service.

(editted for bad punctuation ) Need more

[uncle sticky]

This unit claims "running watts" of about 1450. Does that mean the startup power that's required?

http://americanrvcompany.com/assets/ima ... 01.pdf[url][/url]

[ygmir]

both above^^
I use a 5K btu, and my EU2k runs it no problem.
The window units seem to draw much less power than RV roof units.....maybe due to lighter construction? But at 60 bucks or so, you can replace them every few years if necessary.

[Token]

EU2000i is rated 1600W continuous, 2000W peak (short bursts).

Derate 10 - 15 % for Playa elements and elevation.

Best to fire up the AC before it gets too hot since temperature reduces output on generators. (Mainly air density and pressure and all that crazy thermodynamics of ICE)

[Risque Rascal]

I hate it went I get advice on message boards that actually isn't within the scope of my question.
Nevertheless, I have to at least suggest because we love this thing so much.
A company called Turbokool makes a 12 volt Evaporative Cooler that (other than having to go up on the roof to clean the wet filter of playa dust) works awesome in the dry environment of Black Rock.
We run it off a couple of deep cycle batteries we keep charged off a solar panel, and while it doesn't turn our trailer into a ice box, it does provide a good 10 - 15 degrees difference from outside.
Does use a fair amount of water though.

[FIGJAM]

And only costs $700!!!

[Canoe]

(on the tangent)

...because we love this thing so much....

Why?
It uses 4.6 amps to provide excessive water use, inadequate water flow to keep the filter clean of playa dust (and possibly inadequate for full evaporative cooling), and a cheap filter that is inadequate for sufficient water to air surface area for efficient evaporative cooling: which goes to explaining why it only cools 10 - 15 degrees instead of the 25 - 30 degrees it should be under those conditions. And other reports online show it will only supply small spaces.
First thing is to get actual evaporative cooler filter material and see if you can make this thing working closer to properly. If there's adequate water sprayed onto the filter you should see better cooling, and probably better flushing of playa dust, but that old out-of-date fan is using very inefficient blades so how much you can improve it will be limited.