OFF-GRID Air Conditioning (12/24v) For LESS Than $500! Cheap Junk or Hidden Gem? (NOT SPONSORED) #26

We’re Savannah & Drew and we live in a 1987 Mercedes-Benz Unimog 1300L 4x4 Ex Military Ambulance we DIY converted into our full time truck camper home! We've been living nomadically since 2016 and love sharing our builds and travels. Thanks for following along on our adventure!

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Treeligo Air Conditioner:

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00:00 Intro
02:15 Power Install
04:43 Making A Bracket
07:20 Mounting External Unit
08:05 Cutting Access Doors
11:15 Installing Hoses
13:03 Making Doors
15:15 Vacuum And Refrigerant
16:09 Turning The Air Conditioner On
17:43 Getting A Replacement
20:49 Turning On Air Conditioner #2
22:29 Installing Sirocco Fan
24:37 How Does It Work?
28:36 Testing The Air Conditioner
29:30 Power Draw
30:28 Final Thoughts

[Beardinc]

One thing I love about your channel, is how indepth you guys go. No youtube influencer bullshit, totally honest about the good and the bad. Keep it up!

[andrefischer]

Tip for running cables. When you put cables in a hard to access space also put a braided fishing line in. You can use that later to pull through additional wires (with another bit of fishing line)

[resomaniac]

That girl is AWESOME and you guys rock. I am going to put one of these in my cargo trailer conversion.

[Orangie]

This video gives me hope! We survived the summer heat by going to the pool and the library, but next year we hope to be AC-equipped.

[theresamnsota]

Love your channel. The way you two approach your builds reminds me of my other fave van build channel, Jon and Jess over at True Blue Travelers. They’re currently driving their insulated grocery box truck turned tiny home across Canada and then up to Alaska. Last winter they took the same vehicle across the Nordic countries. Just prior to shipping their truck across the Atlantic, they mostly finished their build using a Pinzgauer fire truck. That fire truck build reminds me a lot of this build. If there’s ever a chance you would get to swap vehicles with them for a weekend, I would be first in line to watch that collab.

[susankustich]

The humidity this July was brutal in NY! It finally broke this weekend which has been a big relief! feels almost cold! lol! But I'm sure were not done with the humidity yet! so I'm happy for you that your ac is working good! I'm sure you'll need it! Does the humidity bother Mateo and Pablo at all? Gotta keep the pups comfy! They're the best and so adorable!!

[jamescarroll]

I have this unit and your video and breakdown is by far the best overall. Insulation is definitely key for this unit functioning properly.

[glennman]

Great video. I have a Pioneer mini split that cools our 45 foot bus to a certain point, but it uses a lot of power. Also, the rear bedroom is difficult to cool. This unit would be perfect for the bedroom, especially since the bus is 24 volt. I could cool the rear as we drive (the rear gets extra warm due to the engine) on the 24v alternator, then switch it to the house bank when parked, which is also 24v. Lots of possibilities. Again, thanks for the video!

[daydreamer]

Hey, 👋😃
I'm glad your video popped up on my home page. You guys have mad skill, very impressive. Thank you for sharing your projects and the steps involved. Awesome stuff. ✌️😁

[TheRougeChef]

Nice!! Thanks for sharing... I've been considering one of these units when I switch over to 24vlt.. Mad Respect!! ✌️

[tonyshelton]

You are absolutely right about your box. We tried the same AC in our rig and it was not sufficient to cool. We have 3 slideouts and nearly 200 square feet. That should be fine with 10k btu, but I think they are fibbing on the BTU. Looks like you guys have found the perfect match for your rig. BTW we have a couple of those same fans. They are the best and quietest fans made for rigs IMO.

[nwooley]

The only thing I could recommend is that anytime you penetrate the exterior wall of a structure, make sure you use a drip loop if the wire is coming from above the hole. No amount of sealant will stop the water from wicking along the lines.

[redefv]

I grew up in the extreme cold, served in the tropics, and live in the desert. On my build the AC and vents were installed day one....er day two, demo day one. In the fall I can use a down comforter, but in Arizona the AC is not optional in summer.

[marthaboal]

Love watching you guys figure it out. Thanks for continuing to share.

[tammycruz]

Love U Guys... Safe Travels Always ❤️ ❤🐶🐶

[BrizzNewton]

I was recently discovered these 12/24v mini splits and was curious of how they performed and if they hold up. I’m really happy that I stumbled upon this video. I would absolutely love to see a 6 month or 1 year review of it when that time comes.

[stephen_x]

I'm really loving your Unimog build series. Especially Mateo and Pablo are so cute. Your mini split AC build and testing was interesting and successful. I've been considering using a desiccant dehumidifier with AC if I ever have an ex-military unimog like you guys someday. Inverter AC blow humid air when they reach their target temperature and there is a risk of black mildew. So a desiccant dehumidifier without a compressor would be quiet, efficient and work well in extreme temperatures. If there is good airflow including furniture, it can help prevent mildew and moisture from overheating the batteries and electrical components, and condensation and thermal bridges on the subframe floor and panel frame. And in some areas of NA, UK and Northern Europe where turbulence is present, a humidifier would be necessary. If you can’t leave the cabin, an air purifier and sensor from IKEA would make van life more pleasant.

And while these may or may not be feasible ideas, I have also thought about pumping greywater to remove dust from the solar panels for better efficiency and cooling. While driving, I have also thought about air cooling with cheap china LED aluminum heat sink panels underneath the solar panels, or for more efficient and versatile cooling scenarios, installing temperature sensors, fans, coolant and pumps and radiators on top of the cab like the MO-RA3 water cooling system from PC and automating them with Aquacomputer's OCTO/QUADRO. If these ideas actually work, I would be honored if you could use your talents to make them happen. Thanks for sharing your awesome adventures!

[vonheise]

You guys are amazing, you do professional work, and create space where there isn't any for a bathroom, and for storage. I wouldn't wanna be you, but love watching you work!

[stevef.]

I bought a Rigid HVAC 24v mini split for my pinzgauer. Works well. I have it solar powered.

[jasonpotts]

Really excellent video, guys. I just ordered two of these treeligos (slightly different inside unit, but same outside unit I think) and about to install them both in my ambulance build. I appreciate the info and testing you provided. Subscribed! Wish me luck LOL.