Campervan AC Ducting 

Thanks for checking it out Sarah. Regarding the AC, be sure to check out the video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-V0r2ijuKd-c.html Really shows the importance of insulation in the build. The foam boards are pretty affordable at

Thank you 🙏🙌

It's how he got me

Thanks for checking out the videos and thank you for the comment! Glad to see the videos helping inspire others

Thank you! Just saw the 300 mark was hit this morning. Hopefully helping those with the more realistic van builds... Not everyone has $70k for their vans!

3600 subs now. Good channels grow exponentially.

Thank you Michael, I have a time-lapse video planned for this summer showing the interior / exterior temperatures along with the battery voltages. Just waiting for it to warm up!

Thank you Rob. It's very much designed to survive 2-4 weeks off grid with 75 gallons of water and the ridiculous amounts of solar. The diesel heater has been a fantastic addition as well.

It worked okay, but I should have used a thinner bag. These thick reusable bags just aren't flexible enough to keep "on top" of the magnet if that makes sense. When you go to move the bag / magnet, the thick bag pulls away from the magnet and you nearly lose all the metal shavings! Always learning either by research or mistake lol

Haha Autocorrect. BTU / BUT 🤣

@@jupiteradventure5284 lol yeah sorry

Yeah really didn't know what I even wanted at first! (That and the initial build was crammed into just over 1 month) For sure could have saved some time with better planning. A well learned lesson haha

Thanks Jake!

Definitely in the plans this summer! Will probably bite the bullet and go with some nice ceramic tint in the future as well. Just hear it's wildly expensive! Cheers! -Tim

Thanks Justin. Seems to work great for our little van! Let me know if you have any questions or run into any issues with your install. -Tim

Thank you!

Hey alright! Thanks Troy!

Thanks for checking it out Jeff! Born and raised just outside of Flint myself! Went to college in Midland and worked about an hour away from you in Coleman. Moved to Southern California post-college but still enjoy a good Michigan summer! -Tim

@@VanwithTim Super cool Tim! I bought a quarter acre in the woods and am homesteading and building a little tiny home/camper compound and if your ever up in the area don't hesitate to email me at jvanmeekeren21@gmail.com. You are always welcome up to park and hookup. :)

@@onedadsbattle Much appreciated!!

Thanks for the sub! I would definitely recomment mounting as high as possible, but really didn't want to knock out any of the windows. "vanlifethings" has a cool setup in their van tour showing the window AC mounted high up but venting through the pop-out side window. Looks factory from the outside, then just pop open the window when you want to use the AC. He reports good results with it! -Tim

Still seems to be working great! Wouldn’t hurt to upgrade to insulated ducting of course 👍👍

Hoping for the best this summer! I'm sure the unit will give up the ghost eventually. (really not meant for bouncing all around off-road haha) Should make for a good video on unit replacement when the time comes. Until then, I'll keep "testing" it's limits and report back!

Yeah I have a feeling we'll be wrapping it with something in the future. So far our summers are mostly in the South West where humidity is nearly non-existent. Florida and Texas are just unbearable in the summertime with that humidity. Thanks for checking it out!!

Thank you 🙏

It doesn't really need to be insulated because it is within the conditioned space.

Thanks Doug! Luckily the compressor is still working well even with such a harsh environment. Seems to be a good, ongoing experiment on the longevity of these Chinese units! As for the fate of the hole saw, hopefully get a few more projects out of it haha (whole set was

Read about it in the forums 12 years ago and have used it ever since! Thanks for watching! -Tim

It is much quieter than the RV rooftop AC units!

Thanks Maureen, will have a test video this summer. Hopefully there isn't too much added restriction with the ducting! Will find out! Thanks for watching! -Tim

Yes, has the exhaut heat insulation worked well and are there any follow up videos of continous usage in summer heat?

@@marcushennings9513 Hoping to shoot a nice time-lapse video of it running this summer (with interior / exterior temps and battery voltages) The foam box around the condenser portion of the AC has been terrific!

The unit does have a cheap plastic mesh filter in front of the evaporator which does OK (but not great. Will still need periodic coil cleaning). Yeah the spray foam in the factory outlet vent was kind of silly. Was really all I had on hand at the time! Do you know if Flex Seal has much for insulating value? If we end up in a hot / humid spot, I know I'll have to do something for duct insulation. Just not sure what options I have for low-profile solutions. (I think you're right that the inside ducting should be okay since it's dry air) -Tim

Took 7 months to reach 200 subscribers, then 270 more popped up in the last 7 days..?! Glad people find the info useful! Thanks for watching Sven.

Oh that would be interesting! I guess my next move if the storage gets too tight to live with would be some small upper cabinets though. I do love seeing all the creative storage solutions out there!

I've remember thinking about that early in the build! It looked like I could use an electric condenser fan assembly from a Silverado and ditch my clutch fan, and the compressor is actually on it's own dedicated four-rib belt / tensioner assembly. Unfortunately I lack the tools for bracket fabrication (that and the whole initial build (including AC) was rushed into a 1 month period) That would make a pretty cool video though. I wonder how much torque / RPM the automotive compressors would need... Would love to see someone tackle this, and hopefully your comment is enough to get people thinking outside the box! Cheers! -Tim

@@VanwithTim Older model belt driven AC compressors used more than one and up to five horsepower so I imagine that powering these traditional compressors with a 12V motor would not be practical. AFAIK TESLA is now using an all electric combination AC and heat pump unit, should be interesting to see if those could be adapted to run off solar.

@@carld3184 This is exactly the info needed. I've wondered how Tesla was doing it all. makes sense to reverse the compressor into a heat pump. Can't get much more efficient for electric heat if that's the only option. Wonder if they pull heat from the battery packs for cabin heating as well..? Would love to get my hands on one just to satisfy my curiosities on their innovative systems.

@@VanwithTim I don't know what Tesla does but the Nissan Leaf uses an electric compressor. It runs off the 350 volt battery.

Great question! Been working on a ton of videos but unfortunately AC season has passed. The data I've gathered so far shows about a 10F-15F drop in interior temp over exterior temp. 90F exterior had me around 78F interior. For reference, 90F exterior without any AC or window covers brought the interior temp up to 120F. Insulation makes all the difference though! I keep hearing the IR blocking ceramic window tint makes a huge difference. Here's a comparison of a 6k BTU AC unit in a fully insulated box vs the 6k BTU unit in the van running side by side. The power draw difference is staggering! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-V0r2ijuKd-c.html

That seems like it will probably be my solution. Really needs to be super flexible and low-profile and this might be it! Not sure if I'll be traveling to anywhere too humid this summer, but if I do, this will be a necessity. Thanks Sam!

Keeping my eyes peeled for some nice low-profile flexible insulation! Definitely a waste to cool the cupboards and cabinet with the cold ducting.

@@VanwithTim Just make sure it's mold resistant insulation. Remember; the A/C can create condensation.

I did think about that briefly, but my cabinet fitment is pretty awful. I don't think they would "seal" well enough to create enough positive pressure in the ducts. Also the evaporator coil outputs air around 25F (Enough to freeze my pipes and anything inside the cabinet lol) It could work well in your situation though!

@@VanwithTim Never thought about the potential for freezing the pipes under the kitchen counter, I will keep that in mind.

I haven't had the pleasure of living with a roof fan, but I hear great things even about their recirculation abilities with the vent closed. I bet it would do the trick!

Hey Steve, hoping to REALLY test it out this summer. Will report back if the evaporator coil gets too cold from lack of airflow. Seems to work alright now, but again it's only 65F outside with limited humidity. (If an issue does arise the expanding foam in the factory grill should be simple to remove.) Thanks for checking it out; will keep you posted! -Tim

For reference only. On Amazon, check out Accord APBBDF Adjustable magnetic air deflector. There are others. My best and enjoy your time in the outdoors

@@stevebigpine1590 Do you mean put the deflector where the a.c. grill is, instead of running the duct work?

@@msarmir yes

Hey Jake, I think this is what you were referring to. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QK_zLDNW3X8.html Outside (condenser side) has dedicated outside intake and outside exhaust. (Sealed from the inside) Think I may go with a ceramic tint to give the AC a little break. Too bad it's so pricey! Cheers! -Tim

Good question as it's not fully shown in this video. The system is split into two sections: The condenser side (which blows out the hot air) and The evaporator side (which cools the interior air in the van) Inside the van, the air is sucked in through the front of the AC unit, pulled through the ice cold evaporator, then out through the ducts shown in this video. The hot condenser side draws fresh air from it's own external intake (underneath the van), then pushes this fresh air through the hot condenser and out through the side of the van (not clearly shown in this video). Check out this video for a little more detail of the system: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cxpxg82UV3g.html Or for the original installation, check out this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QK_zLDNW3X8.html -Tim

Thank you! Honestly I've just been picking up whichever foam is cheapest at the big box retailers. I'm sure there's benefits with the more expensive cans, but this is a (somewhat) budget build haha -Tim

I noticed the same lack of info. Tons of Sprinters / Transits / Promasters, but almost nothing on the GM platform. Thanks for subscribing Kelly! 🙏

Ahh I knew I forgot to at least label it in the video. That's actually the air outlet for the diesel heater! Check out my AC install video for the condenser intake / exhaust setup. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-QK_zLDNW3X8.html Good catch though and you're spot on with the issues that would present. I've seen a few installs where they end up sucking their cooled interior air through the condenser and blowing it outside! -Tim

After 12 hours on a sunny 87F (31C) day, the AC in the van used 388AH. However, the same size AC in the same size airspace could use as little as 171AH if properly insulated! Check out the experiment here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-V0r2ijuKd-c.html

Thank you Matt. I bought mine from AliExpress but chose the US shipping. 75mm Warm Heater Parking Heater Air Vent Car Heater Air Outlet Directional Rotatable for Webasto Truck Auto Parts a.aliexpress.com/_mLoyGE7

@@VanwithTim Thank you, I will have a look..

Wondering that myself lol. Haven't had access to any of my tools for the past 1.5 years. Finally renting a place to get my tools out of storage and really knock out some projects on the van! Thanks for watching Peter

Haha thanks for the comment Rick! I only have a thin sheet between the driver's section and the living area, but you're right on with needing something heavier for insulation. The AC unit itself with compressor running, fan on high, and inverter inefficiency included is only 510 watts! Actually runs off the battery bank and solar nicely during the day. -Tim

@@VanwithTim I am really impressed that the AC takes so little. I am removing the old roof AC on the camper and sealing the hole, then I have the large roof available for solar panels too.

@@carld3184 Very nice! The 6k BTU unit states 5 amps at 115 volts (So 575 watts) But online it lists 536 watt rated input. With my inverter inefficiency I expected it to total closer to 590w. Was a very pleasant surprise to see that 510w power draw. (verified with two different digital amp meters.)

Not much hotter than mid-90’s. I think 6,000btu is as small as I would go. If you don’t have windows it would do okay, but with all our windows it struggles to bring the temperature down. We would take the major heat out with the OEM AC then the window unit can maintain it. Will definitely be getting ceramic tint in the future to help out! I would say, if you have a generator you plan to use for power I would go bigger (10k+ btu) but if you’re running solely off of solar / battery, 6k - 8k btu might be the limit.

Hey Jake, It has a dedicated intake vent and exhaust vent. Here's the install video! -Tim

Still working great, haven’t noticed any issues so far! Wish I would have insulated a bit better or had a van with fewer windows. The 6k BTU helps but struggles to keep up. I have a video coming soon where I built a 3/4” foam board box with a 6k BTU AC and measured the power draw from it vs the van. AC had no issue keeping up in the insulated box (nearly the same internal volume of air). As for the ducting- it’s been a huge improvement. Some condensation outside of the ducts but never enough to drip down / soak anything.

Update for the AC power usage / efficiency video: amzn.to/3BuJpel Insulation makes a HUGE difference!

I did drill a few 1/8" holes in the lowest point of the AC unit (they drain out down through the under-floor air intake) !!!HOWEVER!!! I've since learned that modern units are designed for the water to pool in the bottom and the fan actually has small "water slingers" around the perimeter. The ice-cold water is used to help cool the condenser coil and makes the unit more efficient. Ultimately, your choice though! Not sure how much efficiency is lost by draining the cool water instead of having it slung onto the hot condenser coil.

Just made a quick video for you on the subject. Hope it helps explain! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--5UKG6tHYag.html

Not yet. I know for sure there’s going to be condensation problems in the humid areas. We mostly hang around the deserts / dry heat (but eventually will need to insulate the ducts) Excited to try it out this summer!

@@VanwithTim keep updating on it.. I am working on installing my Midea U 8000BTU AC in my box truck. I live in the south so it gets hot and humid.. Really going to put it to the test in these conditions.

@@mattolsson8816 I think 8k BTU would be plenty if it’s well insulated. The box trucks are a total score as they’re so easy to insulate with thick rigid foam. The square walls are such a bonus. Lack of large windows will end up being your best friend! Will have some updates this summer!

@@VanwithTim yeah, I am working on the install of the window AC right now.. It's going to take up a lot more room than what I had hoped for.. Oh well.. As long as it keeps the truck cool I am happy :)

That's a good question Carlo. I drilled additional drain holes all around the bottom of the unit to combat any issues with this. (Made sure to paint them afterwards to avoid rust issues) But if the van is tilted really far, I suspect the water would begin to pool in the bottom of the unit. But I usually only run it while camping, and I try to always camp in the flattest area possible. Hope that helps! -Tim

@@VanwithTim Thank you for the quick reply. It would be nice to see how efficient the AC is working. For example, hot summerday, you're staying in the van, measuring temperature inside the van, turning the AC on, measuring time and temperature to see how fast and how much the temperature will drop. also if to see if the 5000 btu is enough for the size of your van, was it a good decision, or would be a bigger unit recommended?, cause the other problem is also the powerconsumption, while offgrid i am running my AC fully out of my batterybank 200ah 48V LifePO4, 1000w 48V solar on the roof.

@@Carlohuber That’s a nicely sized battery bank! One thing I’ve just noticed is the power draw increase depending on temperature. At 70F ambient it only draws around 510w, but increases to around 600w on a 100F day. (6k BTU unit) I wish I would have insulated with foam board instead of fiberglass for the higher R value. I can feel the heat penetrating fairly quickly. It also makes an unbelievable difference with my thin little home made window covers. I do need to do a few time lapse videos of AC cooling with and without the window covers. Also really need to bite the $700 bullet and install IR Ceramic tint. So tough to say with the cooling. If I start the AC first thing in the AM it does well, but trying to run it after everything is heat soaked is an uphill battle. I would go up to an 8k BTU unit if I were to do it again. Also adding a tilting mechanism to the solar panels would have been a giant upgrade. Once the sun moves past high noon I start seeing it eat at my battery bank.

From center of the front wheel to center of the back wheel it’s exactly: 155.2 inches (12 feet 11.2 inches) 3.942 meters

Many thanks that was helpful