Using a window unit AC for cheaper option than vintage air?

[jakerc02]

With the threat of Texas heat approaching in the next few months I've been starting to think about air conditioning in my J10. I looked around on some forums and seen that people are mainly using the vintage air gen iv. The full kit seems to be around $1300 with still lots of work to install. Even just the plain HVAC unit is about 650 without the compressor and all other things you would need. Now I don't know very much at all about AC systems, but what if you could take a wall unit system and take it apart to use its parts as a much more cost effective option? I already have a factory heater that works great so I don't need a full system just the AC part. I'm sure this would be very challenging and maybe just not possible but is there a way it could be done? One big problem I've thought of in this plan is how much power the system would need. I'm thinking if you could mount all the "hot/outside" components of the unit like the condenser and compressor in the engine bay then maybe you could fit the cool side components inside. This may all be completely wrong, but it's worth a shot asking.

[Hspencer]

This might work, needs 24v but it looks like a stand alone system with no external compressor.

https://pitstopauto.com/Catalog/FeedPar ... gJjLfD_BwE


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[will e]

It's an interesting idea but I don't think it is practical. Car AC's are designed for cars, window AC's are designed for windows. How would you power the compressor? It would take a pretty high powered inverter, which is expensive.

The way AC's work the 'freon' that is passed through the condenser is compressed so that it's temperature is greater than the outdoor temps. As the air flows across it the heat is removed. You would still need a condenser in the front of the truck to get good air flow to remove the heat.

I guess it might be possible to mount the window AC in the bed of the truck and have it blow through the back window. This would probably work if you could get a large enough power inverter.

I like that you are thinking out of the box and I don't mean to discourage you.

[PossumJr]

I guess it might be possible to mount the window AC in the bed of the truck and have it blow through the back window. This would probably work if you could get a large enough power inverter.

Hmm. Maybe mount the window unit in the bed, with a small Honda generator, then pipe the cold air into the cab through the rear window with some ducting. Problem solved.

[bigun]

I guess it might be possible to mount the window AC in the bed of the truck and have it blow through the back window. This would probably work if you could get a large enough power inverter.

Hmm. Maybe mount the window unit in the bed, with a small Honda generator, then pipe the cold air into the cab through the rear window with some ducting. Problem solved.

Years ago a guy wrote in RV magazine about mounting a window AC on his tool box in his tow vehicle in through his rear slider widow.
This was brought about when they had been going through CO and he had to turn off the AC to keep from overheating. He thought I am already carrying a generator, why not use it. The neat thing is he was able to leave it on when the motor was shut off so when they came out from a restaurant the truck was always well chilled, and the generator used less gasoline than the truck engine did

[SJTD]

He seems to want to use the guts of a window AC in his truck. Not really practical. Small AC's are like refrigerators, the compressor/motor is a sealed unit containing the refrigerant. The connections are soldered.

If you did adapt the lines you'd still have to run an inverter for the power. No way to run off a belt.

[tgreese]

Aren't most wall units (and refrigerators) cap tube systems that depend on duty cycle and charge level for regulation? As SJTD mentioned, that would be difficult to impossible to split between the under-hood and cabin.

If you want to go cheap, I expect it would be vastly easier to look around for a Wagoneer in a junk yard (or a rust bucket somewhere) or being parted out and strip what you need. Or adapt something else from the automotive junkyard ...

[jakerc02]

I guess it might be possible to mount the window AC in the bed of the truck and have it blow through the back window. This would probably work if you could get a large enough power inverter.

Hmm. Maybe mount the window unit in the bed, with a small Honda generator, then pipe the cold air into the cab through the rear window with some ducting. Problem solved.

Years ago a guy wrote in RV magazine about mounting a window AC on his tool box in his tow vehicle in through his rear slider widow.
This was brought about when they had been going through CO and he had to turn off the AC to keep from overheating. He thought I am already carrying a generator, why not use it. The neat thing is he was able to leave it on when the motor was shut off so when they came out from a restaurant the truck was always well chilled, and the generator used less gasoline than the truck engine did

I this sounds much more simple and a good budget idea, but I really want to keep it a bit better looking than a giant box and generator in the bed haha.


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[jakerc02]

He seems to want to use the guts of a window AC in his truck. Not really practical. Small AC's are like refrigerators, the compressor/motor is a sealed unit containing the refrigerant. The connections are soldered.

If you did adapt the lines you'd still have to run an inverter for the power. No way to run off a belt.

I was wondering if you could get a normal car compressor and remove the electric compressor from the system. With the connections being as solid as you said this sounds like it wouldn’t work though. Let’s say it did; would using a normal compressor mostly eliminate the high power draws a wall system?


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[will e]

I don't think using the car compressor would work. It probably works at different pressures than a window unit. It also probably uses different types of refrigerant. You also still need to get a condenser to the front of the engine as well.

[tgreese]

The window unit will need power for the compressor, the fan and the controls. In theory the compressor could be driven from the accessory belts, but then you'd need to also power the fan and the controls. No problem finding 12V work-alikes for this stuff, but IMO you are really climbing a steep hill trying to make it work. It would be vastly easier and more practical to adapt automotive parts from another Jeep or even any other car than to try and make a window unit work from the engine power, electrically or mechanically coupled.

Hermetically sealed compressor unit, typical of refrigerators and window units:

The compressor motor is inside a sealed can, with a vertical axis (in this design) and not available for mechanical coupling to an automobile engine.

[deckroid]

This might work, needs 24v but it looks like a stand alone system with no external compressor.

https://pitstopauto.com/Catalog/FeedPar ... gJjLfD_BwE


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Same unit at Amazon is $17.99. 24 volts is bit much... unless you are putting in 2 deep draw RV batteries like some "Overland" people do. (Overlanding is what we used to call Car Camping... why complicate an already complicated world?)

[jakerc02]

The window unit will need power for the compressor, the fan and the controls. In theory the compressor could be driven from the accessory belts, but then you'd need to also power the fan and the controls. No problem finding 12V work-alikes for this stuff, but IMO you are really climbing a steep hill trying to make it work. It would be vastly easier and more practical to adapt automotive parts from another Jeep or even any other car than to try and make a window unit work from the engine power, electrically or mechanically coupled.

Hermetically sealed compressor unit, typical of refrigerators and window units:

The compressor motor is inside a sealed can, with a vertical axis (in this design) and not available for mechanical coupling to an automobile engine.

So it seems like this would really just be more work that it’s worth. Thanks for the input anyways.


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[jakerc02]

This might work, needs 24v but it looks like a stand alone system with no external compressor.

https://pitstopauto.com/Catalog/FeedPar ... gJjLfD_BwE


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Same unit at Amazon is $17.99. 24 volts is bit much... unless you are putting in 2 deep draw RV batteries like some "Overland" people do. (Overlanding is what we used to call Car Camping... why complicate an already complicated world?)

So is this just an underdash unit that still needs a compressor, condenser, etc?


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[Hspencer]

That’s correct. They do make 12v electric compressors for electric vehicles, still need condenser though.


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[SJTD]

If one were to try to run an electric AC system in a vehicle it would use more power than a belt driven system of the same capacity. You would have the loss in the alternator making the juice then the loss in the motor running the pump. Better to use a belt drive pump.

[Hspencer]

The obvious best solution would be just that, use a factory style setup. Since we’re all theorizing on options better than re-engineering a residential window unit I was just throwing that out there. The ones I’ve seen draw around 26amps. They make kits for hot rods.


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[Mustang Shooter]

Where are you in Texas? Maybe someone local is parting a system.

Dan

[jakerc02]

I'm in the Cypress/Houston area. Anyone know of somewhere around here where I could find something?

[cpfeifffer]

I have a 99% complete system I just took out of my 78 Cherokee. I’m in SE Houston. PM me if you are interested.


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