2013 Polamino Adding A/C
- Thread starter rob.mwpropane
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rob.mwpropane
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- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
A heat pump is an A/C with a reversing valve that instead of pulling heat out of the living space it pulls heat out of the outside air.
It only works down to about 40F, but one nice thing is it saves propane and doesn't create humidity in the camper the way the furnace does.
Thanks for the suggestions... I hope the heat pump works well enough to mot need a space heater most of the time.
Get the 20$ space heater and store it somewhere you dont usally access, and if you ever need it thank me later. Saved my butt a few times. Lol. And with the TT, heated the whole rig up in 28 degree weather. Not so much in the pup, but it puts out some heat.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
Any idea how many btu's that is? I don't see it anywhere.
It's interesting that both it and the heating element are 1500w. I know the heating element is ~5,400 btu's. The furnace I believe is 22,000 for reference.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
Revisiting this as I never did get around to installing the AC over the winter.
How do people have theirs wired up? Is it always to a plug that you plug / unplug inside the camper when setting up? Anybody have pictures where it meets the wall at the top. I found the chase on amazon, but I'm not sure if there's any type of reinforcement needed at the wall where the wire would hang?
How do people have theirs wired up? Is it always to a plug that you plug / unplug inside the camper when setting up? Anybody have pictures where it meets the wall at the top. I found the chase on amazon, but I'm not sure if there's any type of reinforcement needed at the wall where the wire would hang?
When I had the colman, there was a deticated 20 amp outlet under the dinette. Cord ran across the celling in a wire mold, then just hing down and plugged in. On the celling or top of the side of the top was a velcro strap to coil it up. That was all I remember.
tfischer
A bad day camping beats a good day at the office
My Palomino came "A/C ready" which meant a 20A breaker was in place and a wire running to a box under the kitchenette which had a blank plate on it with a sticker that said something like "A/C rough-in".
I'm not sure if the practice was to hardwire the A/C to that box, or install an outlet. If I had a choice I'd put in an outlet/plug if nothing else to use for diagnostics.
Since I have no plans on installing a roof A/C, I put a 20A outlet there and use it to plug in our portable A/C we sometimes bring along.
I'm not sure if the practice was to hardwire the A/C to that box, or install an outlet. If I had a choice I'd put in an outlet/plug if nothing else to use for diagnostics.
Since I have no plans on installing a roof A/C, I put a 20A outlet there and use it to plug in our portable A/C we sometimes bring along.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
I would install an outlet for sure. Above the furnace is the label something "AC ready", or something like that. There is a plug there but I'm not sure if that's for it or not. I have not seen a blank under the kitchenette.
I have to swap out the converter. I'm sure I'll have a better idea where the A/C breaker runs (or doesn't run) when I get in there. There is a 20amp breaker that's labeled A/C.
@SJM9where the wire meets the wall was there anything to support the pull from the hanging part? I have found 3M wire channel like in the picture I posted earlier in the thread, just unsure what to do at the wall. I would think that's a little bit of weight to be pulling down. I wish I could find pictures.
Not sure on your camper. Mine was diffrent. I am sure you can maybe expoxy up some industral velcro. No holes and should be more then strong enough to hold a cord. Especially since most of the weight will be held by the wire mold. Plus it will keep it tidy
That is exactly what my unit has. The cord is long enough to leave it plugged in when rear king bed is stowed.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
Well hopefully the converter will ship this Monday and I'll have it for next weekend. Knowing where those lines run will answer a few questions. I appreciate the responses!
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
Ok, so I'm making progress, albeit a LOT slower than I had hoped. (Seems like all my projects go that way)
I pulled out the old converter, there is a blank under the kitchenette that had "For the A/C" or something along those lines. A/C "ready" meant a 20amp breaker and about 1' of wire into the blank with wire nuts on the lines.... kinda funny. Wiring a plug in there would be such a pain in the butt. It's through the small hole up and in behind the converter.
I have all the materials I need to install the A/C, but I'm still coming up short where to either install the plug or run the wire. I can try to install the plug on the right side of the kitchenette right where the wire would drop down, but that would be a little tough to run the wires as the fridge is in the way. The only thing I'm worried about by doing that is if for whatever reason someone forgets to unplug it the chance is pretty good that the rear bunk would catch it.
The other idea that I had was adding the plug to the left side of the kitchenette and having a small extension cord to go across the back where the wire for the A/C where it would hang also have a plug right there. The extension would be an angled plug so it would be nice and flat.
Decisions decisions.
I pulled out the old converter, there is a blank under the kitchenette that had "For the A/C" or something along those lines. A/C "ready" meant a 20amp breaker and about 1' of wire into the blank with wire nuts on the lines.... kinda funny. Wiring a plug in there would be such a pain in the butt. It's through the small hole up and in behind the converter.
I have all the materials I need to install the A/C, but I'm still coming up short where to either install the plug or run the wire. I can try to install the plug on the right side of the kitchenette right where the wire would drop down, but that would be a little tough to run the wires as the fridge is in the way. The only thing I'm worried about by doing that is if for whatever reason someone forgets to unplug it the chance is pretty good that the rear bunk would catch it.
The other idea that I had was adding the plug to the left side of the kitchenette and having a small extension cord to go across the back where the wire for the A/C where it would hang also have a plug right there. The extension would be an angled plug so it would be nice and flat.
Decisions decisions.
Most just dropped down from the celling. Yea, you have to remember to remove the wires and tie them up. Where is the factory blank in relation to the ac? I would think that would be the spot its ment to be in? In my colman it was behind the dinnet. I asume that was on purpose so when you broke down the table you saw the wire. But thats only a guess.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
The blank is behind the converter in the hole, lol. It's buried in there. At least it came with the breaker... not sure but I'll probably just leave that blank and run a new wire to a different plug.
Makes sense about seeing it when you put the sink down.
tfischer
A bad day camping beats a good day at the office
Well to be fair they also added the bracing to the roof. More than Coleman did.
My "ready" box was at least maybe 4-5 feet, as the wire runs, from the converter. So I guess I got a bonus lol.
rob.mwpropane
Active Member
- Aug 11, 2021
- 290
I think the wiring is funny but I am 100% grateful the cross members are there. I did my homework before we bought... but I also thought that the wiring was done, so I'm happy at least something was pre done. It would have been better if they didn't include any wiring. Between the sticker above the furnace that led no where, and the very obscure placement of the blank receptacle, they really just caused more confusion than good.
I even reached out to Palomino last year before I ever went down this road, they told me there was absolutley wiring behind the furnace, that's where they said the blank was.
I'm actually pretty happy with my "plan", hope to finish it all up this weekend. Angled plug will go behind galley right below the fabric chase that the 12v wire goes up for the lighting. Just enough will stick out to remind people that it's plugged in so the bed doesn't catch. I bought some 12/3 from Amazon to hard wire the A/C and some chase to cover it from the unit to the wall.
It will be so nice to have A/C. It might just be a tent, but sleeping comfortably while camping is a dream come true. Idc about the sweat and cold during the say when we're doing stuff, but waking up in a tent when the humidity is so high you feel like you're swimming is not really something I ever want to experience again.
