Katdaddy
Petal, MS USA
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Joined: 08/25/2003
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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?
Little by little, one travels far - J.R.R. Tolkien
There ain't no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate them than to travel with them. - Mark Twain
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prichardson
Lafayette, La
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Joined: 10/31/2006
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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.
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Lantley
Ellicott City, Maryland
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Joined: 08/23/2005
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How long is your RV? Is there a roof vent that could be replaced with a 2nd rooftop A/C
19'Duramax w/hips,12'Open Range,Titan Disc Brake
BD3,RV safepower,22" Blackstone
Ox Bedsaver,RV760 w/BC20,Glow Steps, Enduraplas25,Pedego
BakFlip,RVLock,5500 Onan LP,Prog.50A surge,Hughes autoformer
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Correct Trax,Splendide
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Skibane
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 11/09/2005
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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.
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wanderingaimlessly
Garrison , Mt
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Joined: 08/23/2017
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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.
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bgum
South Louisiana
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Joined: 02/22/2006
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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.
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C Schomer
Pueblo West, Co.
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Joined: 12/26/2000
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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
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jdc1
Rescue, Ca
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Joined: 05/30/2011
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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.
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Skibane
San Antonio, TX
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Joined: 11/09/2005
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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.
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Gulfcoast
On the road
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Joined: 07/17/2005
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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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