MAGE
New Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2021
- Messages
- 73
Edit to OP:
Mini split systems are the future. Carrier has 42 SEER mini splits but they are 220v at 60 hertz. Everyone should consider building 120V/220V to run mini splits with the highest SEER rating. Blueridge also has some for $1500 you can buy straight from them. You’ll need an HVAC certified person to install the system. The higher the SEER the less power you’ll need to keep the space cool. This video shows a 115V mini split but is nice to see the math. Thanks to the YouTuber!
I've been diving deep into solving the temp control environment for vanlife. The biggest gripe of van and small space dwellers who want to live off grid is the struggle to keep their space a constant 70 degree temperature in their van or small space.
May this be a thread to help solve this problem.
Solar is the most obvious energy option for off grid power. I've seen countless videos on people attempting to cool their small space (van) with different solutions.
Swamp Coolers, Top end A/C units on the top of their van, and Franken Coolers
I became so inundated with solving this problem that I bought a Prius, which has climate control built in. I will someday buy a new Hybrid RAV4 which also has the Toyota climate control mechanism.
The two top solutions that I have found are the following:
The
For a regular van like and Odyssey, I have found something called a Frankencooler google it and they have a website, guy makes these out of his garage. I would imagine it would just need enough solar or battery capacity to run the fans, and it also needs ice to run the cooler. For the ice solution I would imagine the expensive Dometic fridges capable of making ice could be a solution. I don't know how much solar power and battery capacity that would be needed to run a Frankencooler all night and day, or how much of a pain it would be to replace the ice.
I also found a youtube channel called Cold School who uses a different build for his Ice chest cooler but his ice only lasts about a couple hours.
Both of these ice chest processes use a radiator. The Frankencooler runs the hot air through the radiator first, blows air through the ice after already being cooled.
I have also found another youtube video where people run an aluminum pipe through the bottom of their cooler so it doesn't use an evaporative process. I will try to find these youtube videos later.
Together lets attempt to solve portable solar/ac crisis as much of the world goes without A/C. If we can find a simple portable solution we can solve the world's A/C crisis and solar van build people can actually live in a comfortable temperature controlled environment equipped with a thermostat to control both the heating and air conditioning problems with their van build.
As far as heating I have found a COZY brand panel heater which is safe to use inside a van as it doesn't reach combustible temperatures. A chicken coop heater on low from COZY only runs about 70 watts and would likely be enough to heat up a van to a suitable temp given enough battery life and solar power.
Hooking a Frankencooler and this 70 watt (on low) heating panel to a thermostat could potentially solve the climate control problem in a van. If someone made a youtube series about how to climate control a van I bet it would get millions of views, as millions of people around the world want to solve the A/C energy crises and live a comfortable temp controlled life.
Thanks for all of your help. I will be posting the youtube videos in my next post.
Mini split systems are the future. Carrier has 42 SEER mini splits but they are 220v at 60 hertz. Everyone should consider building 120V/220V to run mini splits with the highest SEER rating. Blueridge also has some for $1500 you can buy straight from them. You’ll need an HVAC certified person to install the system. The higher the SEER the less power you’ll need to keep the space cool. This video shows a 115V mini split but is nice to see the math. Thanks to the YouTuber!
I've been diving deep into solving the temp control environment for vanlife. The biggest gripe of van and small space dwellers who want to live off grid is the struggle to keep their space a constant 70 degree temperature in their van or small space.
May this be a thread to help solve this problem.
Solar is the most obvious energy option for off grid power. I've seen countless videos on people attempting to cool their small space (van) with different solutions.
Swamp Coolers, Top end A/C units on the top of their van, and Franken Coolers
I became so inundated with solving this problem that I bought a Prius, which has climate control built in. I will someday buy a new Hybrid RAV4 which also has the Toyota climate control mechanism.
The two top solutions that I have found are the following:
The
9,000 BTU (0.75 Ton) 38 SEER ENERGY STAR Single Zone Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pump System attached to the back of a van or camper. Apologise for the boldness of this, I wanted to copy and paste the unit.
That unit has 38 SEER and I believe it would be the most effective solution for solving this crises. I would think it would need at least 800-1000 watts of solar on the top of the van. Here is a video demonstrating this Mini-split solution.For a regular van like and Odyssey, I have found something called a Frankencooler google it and they have a website, guy makes these out of his garage. I would imagine it would just need enough solar or battery capacity to run the fans, and it also needs ice to run the cooler. For the ice solution I would imagine the expensive Dometic fridges capable of making ice could be a solution. I don't know how much solar power and battery capacity that would be needed to run a Frankencooler all night and day, or how much of a pain it would be to replace the ice.
I also found a youtube channel called Cold School who uses a different build for his Ice chest cooler but his ice only lasts about a couple hours.
Both of these ice chest processes use a radiator. The Frankencooler runs the hot air through the radiator first, blows air through the ice after already being cooled.
I have also found another youtube video where people run an aluminum pipe through the bottom of their cooler so it doesn't use an evaporative process. I will try to find these youtube videos later.
Together lets attempt to solve portable solar/ac crisis as much of the world goes without A/C. If we can find a simple portable solution we can solve the world's A/C crisis and solar van build people can actually live in a comfortable temperature controlled environment equipped with a thermostat to control both the heating and air conditioning problems with their van build.
As far as heating I have found a COZY brand panel heater which is safe to use inside a van as it doesn't reach combustible temperatures. A chicken coop heater on low from COZY only runs about 70 watts and would likely be enough to heat up a van to a suitable temp given enough battery life and solar power.
Hooking a Frankencooler and this 70 watt (on low) heating panel to a thermostat could potentially solve the climate control problem in a van. If someone made a youtube series about how to climate control a van I bet it would get millions of views, as millions of people around the world want to solve the A/C energy crises and live a comfortable temp controlled life.
Thanks for all of your help. I will be posting the youtube videos in my next post.
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