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Katdaddy

Petal, MS USA

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Posted: 06/12/22 12:01pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

We are considering buying a portable ac unit for our camper to assist the rooftop ac. We have a 13,500 BTU unit that came with the camper. It has always struggled in the south Mississippi heat. Has anyone else tried this and what were your results?


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prichardson

Lafayette, La

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Posted: 06/12/22 02:14pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

The ones with two hoses (air in and out) on the condenser side are the only ones that are any good. Adding A/C capacity will help; but don't overdo it as you need run time to keep the humidity in check.

Lantley

Ellicott City, Maryland

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Posted: 06/12/22 03:18pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

How long is your RV? Is there a roof vent that could be replaced with a 2nd rooftop A/C


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Skibane

San Antonio, TX

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Posted: 06/12/22 03:19pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

The fact that the entire unit is in the same room with you makes them noisy and bulky.

The need to run hoses to the outdoors makes them inefficient, due to heat losses through the hose.

Typically, a window unit will do a better job of cooling, even if it has a lower BTU output rating. It'll also cost less.

wanderingaimlessly

Garrison , Mt

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Posted: 06/12/22 04:47pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

The other option is a small mini split heat pump. But with a fifth wheel, I imagine your current unit is in the living area, and the best place to mount a mini split comp unit is on the rear.
mini splits
The only one I know of under 9000 btu is a Mitsubishi 6000, Mitsu
But its pricey.

bgum

South Louisiana

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Posted: 06/12/22 05:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

You can buy a portable AC for $270 with 9000 btu performance and it has a dehumidifier. We have a portable AC with the single exhaust and it works fine. Not saying the one with dual exhaust doesn't work better. We use it when city power is out due to storms. Our generator is not big enough to run the 5 ton house AC. We are in south Louisiana so we understand your needs. Go for it.

C Schomer

Pueblo West, Co.

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Posted: 06/12/22 06:25pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I’ve worked places that used a lot of portables and I’d rather use a window banger than a portable bcuz of the loss of floor space, the hose issues and the drain pan vigil. I’d much rather rig a window and have a removable window unit than for those flex hoses. Storage and setup would also be better. I’ve done enough AC service in the south to know how brutal the latent load is… just getting the wet bulb down is heavenly.
They’re a thing of the past but I put in Cold Wave water cooled refrigerated spot coolers in the 70s. They cooled GREAT bcuz they used one-pass water, super net output, but wasting water like that would get you in trouble, now. Craig

jdc1

Rescue, Ca

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Posted: 06/12/22 09:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

Skibane wrote:

The fact that the entire unit is in the same room with you makes them noisy and bulky.

The need to run hoses to the outdoors makes them inefficient, due to heat losses through the hose.

Typically, a window unit will do a better job of cooling, even if it has a lower BTU output rating. It'll also cost less.


The portables that sit in the same room as you create as much heat as they cool. Get a widow unit like Skibane says.

Skibane

San Antonio, TX

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Posted: 06/12/22 11:11pm Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

What the world needs is an easy-to-install-and-remove RV window mounting kit for the typical 5000 BTU window air conditioner.

Most 5000 BTU window units are sufficiently compact and lightweight to install or remove at a moment's notice. However, there isn't any way of holding them securely in RV windows.

Gulfcoast

On the road

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Posted: 06/13/22 03:39am Link  |  Quote  |  Print  |  Notify Moderator

I use a 5000 btu window unit with an rv compartment door mounted down low near the floor on my cargo trailer, and it works perfect for me. Looks like the prices have gone sky high lately but here's an example of the door I used:

Door

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