DIY Camping Air Conditioner | Tear Drop Camper | Stay Cool while Camping

We show you how we converted a 5,000 btu window air conditioner into an A/C for camping in a Teardrop Camper or Tent.

[kbkennethbeck]

If you make the front of the box larger and bring the return in from the side so its not blowing in one spot on the coils it should solve your icing problem. Thank you soo much for this video. I've been beating myself up trying to solve how to add air to our teardrop. You are the first one I've seen that moved the controls inside. So easy but somehow it eluded me. Thanks again.

[emagowan]

Greets from down the road in Pensacola. Nothing to add, I'm watching a bunch of these to give me ideas for my rooftop tent.... though we'll probable go with a teardrop / squaredrop next year. It's just too miserable to camp without AC in summer here. Went to AC school at Locklin in Milton but ended up working in a different field. Icing is, as you noted, pretty much always related to airflow.

[TheLaLaFarm]

Cool build. Now in our 50's we have graduated over 30 years of camping with our children from tents. Tent camping in FL was not fun during the warm months. This would have been a really great solution. We have AC (thank goodness) in our 5th wheel!! - Rick

[jamessawyer]

AC Tech here. Nice job but, on your plenum box, the mold is caused by condensation. Wood isn’t a very good insulator and your box is very shallow. May want to consider adding insulation board inside the return air side. Your return air is still conditioned and wood just loves to absorb heat so when heat hits cold you get moisture.

[jimicrab]

This is so neat. Thanks for the video. I will be making one of these for my bunk room on my slide out.

[spehowic]

Thank you so much this has solved my camping problems with AC

[ryanjohnson]

Great video. Working on something similar to this. I love how you did the front of it and the connector for extending the wires. Mine will be built into the tongue box of the trailer.

[barrybarkman]

Had same problem with coil freezing. I put temperature probe back on evaporator. Fixed. I then salvaged a thermostat from an attic fan switch to switch compressor on and off.

[Weekendsoffoutdoors]

Great idea, did the moe go away?What was your solution?

[sillysillytom]

Brilliant! thank you for sharing this.

[rever]

Nice install. I just got through with the same upgrade. Ran into the same icing problem and tried a 4” in-line blower with 100scfm but it wasn’t enough. I ended up using the same one that you had. On my install I purchased a wireless remote control switch where the remote is the thermostat ( sensor and control). I removed the capillary thermostat and wired the switch where the capillary switch was. I just leave the fan on high and control the temperature with remote ( no wires). Hope to catch up with y’all soon!

[timamyett]

Moving the controller fixed the dilemma for me . I have school bus with plenty of room underneath for the a/c. I'll use you plenum idea as well. just with larger ducting . Thanks.

[docink]

very interesting set up.. Ive seen a good number of tent units that only duct the cold air and let the unit suck in the outside air, it probably effects the over all cooling but not a lot. You could keep your small return and just add more holes to allow the unit to breath which should alleviate the mildew and minimize the freezing or go with a 6" retuen.. you can buy insulted ac duct in tubes they look a lot like dryer vent wrapped in fiberglass and foil, I dont remember if the smallest is 3 or 4 inches... BTW thats GORGEOUS finish on your camper and hitch box!

[luckylindamexico]

Since the unit is outside, why use inside return air? Better to use the cooler air?

[luckylindamexico]

Thanks for the directions!
I'd like to know if you have any updated info on this build. 03/10/2024

[chrisv]

Just curious how long will that inline fan last do you think being wet like that? Great idea though

[sdutango]

I love the latch idea, easier to clean

[stephaniehaines]

Just curious but what did you use to put on the outside ply wood to make it water proof?

[johnryan]

Nice work! Pretty envious. Do you still have the amazon link?

[rustythomason]

curious on how you did the bottom of the box.