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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2017 5:41:31 GMT 10
Damn guys, making me super jealous! Retired John - that is one smart friend you got  I just a lonely 9x6 (I think) double garage separate from the house. Concrete floor is good but no height. Also, the design of the property and location against the fence means I couldnt get a caravan to the garage due to the roof eave being in the way! So its got the Rangie and tools/stuff in it, so all my maintenance work (cars/vans) are done out in the elements. We are pretty lucky even though we are in a over 50's home park it is far more spacious than many suburban blocks so we have a fairly normal 3 br house with decks north and east plus a enclosed carport 17m long and 4m wide on the sth side and a semi enclosed 10mx4mx4m high motor home shed on the other , we also have friends who travel a lot in their motor home so have the use of their carport as well for storage |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 2, 2017 9:27:09 GMT 10
Well I managed to wire and plumb up the A/C last night. I gave it 1/2hour on the 'vac pump as all the damn wiring was all about 50cm to short, so I had to extend it all (grrrr).
It's nowhere near as noisy as I expected. You can hear the condenser unit running for sure. But it's certainly no louder than a rooftop rattler, but it actually works, and blows quantities of warm/cold air as required.
Next hot day over 30degrees I'll stick the caravan out in the sun closed up ... and see if the A/C is capable of pulling the temp down mid afternoon when it's full of heat soak (I imagine it'll do it easily).
Installing the A/C actually took quite a lot of time, but is very simple and straight forward if you follow the instructions. Oh, and for no reason I can think of (other than to be bastards), they fitted a 15amp plug to the unit. No doubt this is a pathetic attempt to force poeple to have it installed. Why a 15amp plug when the running current is 4amps... and from memory the locked rotor current draw was less than 10amps!
So there you go ... A full A/C install in a caravan that actually works for $399.00 (I already had the exact amount of copper required leftover from a split system I installed in the past). Amazing really. $399.00 doesn't even buy a uselessly pathetic portable A/C system that will not work!
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2017 10:33:10 GMT 10
Glad you got it working Shane but I have to burst your bubble re the portables  we bought one as mentioned in another thread from Kogan $375 delivered for the office and the vv it is 14,000btu unit nearly as quiet as a box fan and cools as well or better than our bitsamishi inverter split systems , I am really impressed  The split system is of course the best choice IF you have the room which in the old Viscount we do not sadly , today I had some have to do stuff that needed me working in our 4x4m garden shed at 40 deg so wheeled the lil sucker out and parked it in the doorway ,within 10 mins the bloody shed was too cold at 24deg setting on high so ran it at 25 on low loving the baby portable A/C |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 2, 2017 10:40:24 GMT 10
Glad you got it working Shane but I have to burst your bubble re the portables we bought one as mentioned in another thread from Kogan $375 delivered for the office and the vv it is 14,000btu unit nearly as quiet as a box fan and cools as well or better than our bitsamishi inverter split systems , I am really impressed The split system is of course the best choice IF you have the room which in the old Viscount we do not sadly , today I had some have to do stuff that needed me working in our 4x4m garden shed at 40 deg so wheeled the lil sucker out and parked it in the doorway ,within 10 mins the bloody shed was too cold at 24deg setting on high so ran it at 25 on low loving the baby portable A/C Excellent. I have little faith in the portables as we took one away with us last time. It did blow cold air, but seemed to generate an equal amount of heat into the area to be cooled as it generated in cooling. It also generated a staggering amount of water. If your going to use one in your caravan, I strongly suggest drilling a drain hole through the floor so it can drain to the ground outside. My brother tried a big one last year in his Bailey caravan ( which are sandwich foam panel ... like coolrooms). He setup the thing in the shower/ensuite blowing out into the caravan (so it drained into the shower). he thought it was fine. His wife strongly disagrees and thought it was hopeless. My brother works for a company that rents out portable A/C's. They generate so much water, his suggestion is to set them up up on a coffee table (or similar) so they can drain into a full sized bucket rather than the tiny drip tray in them. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2017 11:03:59 GMT 10
Glad you got it working Shane but I have to burst your bubble re the portables we bought one as mentioned in another thread from Kogan $375 delivered for the office and the vv it is 14,000btu unit nearly as quiet as a box fan and cools as well or better than our bitsamishi inverter split systems , I am really impressed The split system is of course the best choice IF you have the room which in the old Viscount we do not sadly , today I had some have to do stuff that needed me working in our 4x4m garden shed at 40 deg so wheeled the lil sucker out and parked it in the doorway ,within 10 mins the bloody shed was too cold at 24deg setting on high so ran it at 25 on low loving the baby portable A/C Excellent. I have little faith in the portables as we took one away with us last time. It did blow cold air, but seemed to generate an equal amount of heat into the area to be cooled as it generated in cooling. It also generated a staggering amount of water. If your going to use one in your caravan, I strongly suggest drilling a drain hole through the floor so it can drain to the ground outside. My brother tried a big one last year in his Bailey caravan ( which are sandwich foam panel ... like coolrooms). He setup the thing in the shower/ensuite blowing out into the caravan (so it drained into the shower). he thought it was fine. His wife strongly disagrees and thought it was hopeless. My brother works for a company that rents out portable A/C's. They generate so much water, his suggestion is to set them up up on a coffee table (or similar) so they can drain into a full sized bucket rather than the tiny drip tray in them. seeya, Shane L. This one uses the water to cool the condenser making it more efficient it has a tank which when full registers on the face and requires emptying however there is the option of a hose on the outlet in 8 hrs use yesterday in 38 deg heat and high humidity it generated less than 300ml of water in the ice cream bowl we placed under the hose , it also has a 6" convoluted hose from the A/C to a window vent so no hot air inside it all goes out side , my guess is the design has moved on somewhat since you have looked bit like cheap split systems compared to good quality inverter models when we upgraded from soft start to inverter models our power bill dropped considerable it pays to do your homework . The downside to the portable is it is a heavy power user at 4kw but since it's main use will be incaravan parks and emergency use at home this is a secondary consideration time will tell |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 2, 2017 14:19:37 GMT 10
With a caravan like yours, there is no way I'd want to change it's interior. I'd probably buy one of those expensive underbed A/C systems that are ducted. www.ebay.com.au/itm/Aircommand-Heron-2-2-Split-System-Caravan-Air-Conditioner-Silver-/152372930546?hash=item237a2267f2:g:TD0AAOSw2xRYY65YIf you can find somewhere to setup the portable, and it works for you ... Go For it! We found it took up nearly all the usable floor space in our 16' 'van... If you can find a corner to put it in, where you can feed the outside pipe ... well outside... and make sure you don't flood the caravan (ie: keep an eye on the water tank level .... don't ask ... sigh)... And can put up with the noise. it might work for you. Another point I'd make is take a spare Doona to put over the exhaust pipe. They radiate enormous amounts of heat back into the area being cooled from the pipe! I really did find it not much better than a decent fan  seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 4, 2017 23:28:52 GMT 10
  The new crossbar to hold the A/C and gas bottle.   The pipes and wiring run across the front wall, down the bed cupboard, through the storage box beneath and trhough the floor  Who jinxed me by saying there would be wiring there again ? ... grrr... 12 and 240volt! Note: the double upright. the do this where the interior ply pieces overlap  After framing the openings, I just stuck the doors in using Selleys Flexiseal (very cheap if you buy it by the sausage at bunnings)  After framing the openings, I just stuck the doors in using Selleys Flexiseal (very cheap if you buy it by the sausage at bunnings)  Given I didn't end up fitting A/C down here, and now have internal and external access to that storage area.   This should be a lot easier than pulling the couch to bits.  The biggest problem is the way I've hidden the pipes looks shithouse. I thought it would be ok... but now it's in ... It looks liek someone has just smashed the curtain pelmet ..... groan .... It doesnt' actually have pelmets! I'll have to have a think about how to make this look better. The A/C is VERY effective though. Today it was 36 degrees outside ... easily 45 degrees inside that shed (so 45 in the caravan). The A/C pulled that down to 22degree in about 10minutes. The caravan is hopelessly poor and keeping out heat or cold. It's about as good as a tin garden shed as there is no insulation in it at all (they didn't do insulation in the 80's!).  SO I have access under this bunk now from outside.  Now I look at the other bunk .... I'm think rather than hacking holes anywhere... I might try to convert it to a lift up bed! There should be enough height and space.  This is how fiddly it is to get under the bunks. Those big full sized single matresses have to be bent in half and pried out through the openings, then the two covers lifted off. As always, lots of fun right ? seeya Shane L. |
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Post by Mustang on Feb 5, 2017 8:54:24 GMT 10
I know the feeling, I now wish I had your idea. Too late now but my cushions are not as difficult.
Something about your interior design, I love the way the bunks are made, (now you have access) & the general layout, modern vans have missed your style.
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 5, 2017 13:36:43 GMT 10
I feel really dumb for cutting holes in the side of the caravan now the idea of a lift up lower bed int the bunk has come to me Sure they will be really handy, but I'd prefer to avoid modifying this amazingly original, un-messed with caravan if at all possible.  I can just join these 3 panels together with a length of rhs underneath.... hinges at the back.... www.ebay.com.au/itm/PAIR-OF-GAS-STRUTS-50N-CAMPER-TRAILER-CARAVAN-CANOPY-TOOLBOX-/171797337740?hash=item27ffeb568c:g:G78AAOSwKtlWrtehGas struts are only $20 .... groan .... I shouldn't have done this the other side rather than chopping holes. it'll take 20minutes and cost next to nothing. Yeah, I really like the design of this caravan.   it's 4 full sized singles iwth built in reading lamps and power points.  It's much more robust than it looks. The bunk walls are very thick plywood (plywood is VERY strong if it never gets wet.  Now my brain is thinking gas struts. I could kick myself. This is the seating area.... Probably room for 10 adults LOL. It's brilliant 'cos the parents can lay down to read on the long couches and there is still enough seating for the kids to sit at the table (not that we'd lay down reading books with a beer in hand  ). Note: the 4 cushions of the lounge. Oh, the storage space under the couch around the table area isn't wasted. I don't mind pulling the seating to bits to get to that. The caravan has a lovely fully framed enourmous "as new" locally made annex. It has been moved from the front of the caravan back to here near the axles. The poles I will mount infront of the axle after I've made up pole carrier. So to keep weight distrubution as close to "right" as I can, with the additional 30kg on the drawbar, I've moved probably 100kg of annex poles and canvas back to the axles.  This cushion .... It'll lift up ... just like the bunk bed down the back....  2 lift out panels underneath ...... Gee's .... BRILLIANT ACCESS... 2 hinges, $20 of gas struts and this entire cushion can just lift up to give access..... Bloody ripper, what an idea!!  My parents turned up earlier today. My father took one look at the front wall and said "that looks bloody terrible" and lifted away the cover over the pipes. It actually look better with the pipes there.  His idea is make a new cover that runs straight across the wall, but make it a lot deep so it covers the pipes.... sort of like this (with longer deeper bit of plywood there. That should look a lot better, still not great, but at least it won't scream "shithouse" at you LOL. Oh, he was both amazed at how quiet that air conditioner is .... and how much better it is than the A/C fitted to the series of modern caravans he's owned over the last 20years. It MUCH quieter than a roof top rattler, and puts out way more cold air. He couldn't believe there only $399.00! seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by tasmillard on Feb 5, 2017 18:44:26 GMT 10
The biggest problem is the way I've hidden the pipes looks shithouse. I thought it would be ok... but now it's in ... It looks liek someone has just smashed the curtain pelmet ..... groan .... It doesnt' actually have pelmets! seeya Shane L. Shane, this has to be the funniest comment I have read in a long time, got me almost in tears laughing. The joys of custom work, I am kinda glad that im not alone in 'stuffing' things up. Glad you got it sorted, looking great. |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 12, 2017 21:11:34 GMT 10
well we went for spin down to the beach on the weekend... The outside access doors ... bloody brilliant. I found last thursday when I tried the A/C ... it seemed weak ... pathetic. So I chucked the gauges on it ... and it appears to be low on refrigerant.... You must be bloody kidding me .... ARRRRhhhhh... So I spent a bit of time checking all my flares and every connection I made, but could find no issues. However the high side tap cover was oily. If you install one of these things... You need to tighten the brass caps that cover the gas taps "stupid tight" ... as both taps leak ... a lot once opened. Anyway, I parked it outside in the direct sun thursday ... 35 degrees temperature. That big long side wall in the sun. You know ... if I was doing this again, I'd fit a unit twice the size. This caravan is AN OVEN. The entire wall just radiates heat straight inside like a radiant heater. The door gets so hot you can't touch it ... the door handle burns you trying to get inside. The A/C would probably keep up if I put the annex up to protect the long wall from the direct sun. It keeps the caravan cool'ish. but certianly not a 22degree room if it's 35degrees outside in the direct sun. Down at the beach... the sun came up saturday and hit the wall of the caravan... and we had the A/C on and ticking over at 9:00am ... as it was instantly 5->10degrees warmer inside the 'van than out. Wow, people must have been tougher than us to go away in these in summer back in the 1980s. The damn thing would have been 50+degrees inside all day on a sunny hot day  You must have just opened them up each night to go inside to sleep, but stayed outside under a tree during the day. Oh after an, er "exciting" trip home (bloody strong gusterly winds had us doing 70km/h at times ... as they blasted us all over the road). I was amazed to see a B-double truck pass us going downhill back to Geelong do about 70km/h in a 100zone too he must have been being blown around too! Anyway, 40degrees here friday ... 12 outside at the moment. So i just went out and tried the A/C in heater mode. And it's very good. It's very, very quiet too. You shouldn't annoy neighbours running it at night (we ran it all night in fan made ... which leaves the outside unit off, but saves you carrying a fan with you). So there you go... bloody good unit, but in a caravan the size of this in the direct sun, you won't have a frozen refrigerated type room in extreme weather. It'll still be nice inside infront of the A/C ... but it won't be an icebox seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2017 6:41:24 GMT 10
well we went for spin down to the beach on the weekend... The outside access doors ... bloody brilliant. I found last thursday when I tried the A/C ... it seemed weak ... pathetic. So I chucked the gauges on it ... and it appears to be low on refrigerant.... You must be bloody kidding me .... ARRRRhhhhh... So I spent a bit of time checking all my flares and every connection I made, but could find no issues. However the high side tap cover was oily. If you install one of these things... You need to tighten the brass caps that cover the gas taps "stupid tight" ... as both taps leak ... a lot once opened. Anyway, I parked it outside in the direct sun thursday ... 35 degrees temperature. That big long side wall in the sun. You know ... if I was doing this again, I'd fit a unit twice the size. This caravan is AN OVEN. The entire wall just radiates heat straight inside like a radiant heater. The door gets so hot you can't touch it ... the door handle burns you trying to get inside. The A/C would probably keep up if I put the annex up to protect the long wall from the direct sun. It keeps the caravan cool'ish. but certianly not a 22degree room if it's 35degrees outside in the direct sun. Down at the beach... the sun came up saturday and hit the wall of the caravan... and we had the A/C on and ticking over at 9:00am ... as it was instantly 5->10degrees warmer inside the 'van than out. Wow, people must have been tougher than us to go away in these in summer back in the 1980s. The damn thing would have been 50+degrees inside all day on a sunny hot day You must have just opened them up each night to go inside to sleep, but stayed outside under a tree during the day. Oh after an, er "exciting" trip home (bloody strong gusterly winds had us doing 70km/h at times ... as they blasted us all over the road). I was amazed to see a B-double truck pass us going downhill back to Geelong do about 70km/h in a 100zone too he must have been being blown around too! Anyway, 40degrees here friday ... 12 outside at the moment. So i just went out and tried the A/C in heater mode. And it's very good. It's very, very quiet too. You shouldn't annoy neighbours running it at night (we ran it all night in fan made ... which leaves the outside unit off, but saves you carrying a fan with you). So there you go... bloody good unit, but in a caravan the size of this in the direct sun, you won't have a frozen refrigerated type room in extreme weather. It'll still be nice inside infront of the A/C ... but it won't be an icebox seeya, Shane L. How many KW is the unit Shane ? |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 13, 2017 7:57:39 GMT 10
I think they are 2.7KW from memory. Realistically it'll be fine if you don't wont a "fridge" in extreme temperatures. In a franklin/bailey/Jayco caravan it would be a massive overkill ( they are foam sandwich construction ... so built like coolrooms).
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2017 8:02:26 GMT 10
I think they are 2.7KW from memory. Realistically it'll be fine if you don't wont a "fridge" in extreme temperatures. In a franklin/bailey/Jayco caravan it would be a massive overkill ( they are foam sandwich construction ... so built like coolrooms). seeya, Shane L. Ok that explains it my portable is a 3.5kw and it dropped the 4x4m tin shed to 24deg in 5 mins on a 45deg day |
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 13, 2017 8:04:10 GMT 10
I think they are 2.7KW from memory. Realistically it'll be fine if you don't wont a "fridge" in extreme temperatures. In a franklin/bailey/Jayco caravan it would be a massive overkill ( they are foam sandwich construction ... so built like coolrooms). seeya, Shane L. Ok that explains it my portable is a 3.5kw and it dropped the 4x4m tin shed to 24deg in 5 mins on a 45deg day Yes ... but look at it.... That's a full sized 4wd in front of it It's not the temperature, it's the direct sun heating the side walls to ovens. In the shade, you'd be laughing.  Imagine that enormous wall with the direct sun against it for a few hours! I don't believe any of the ratings on portables. Yours however seems to be brilliant! ... Infact your the only person I've ever heard say anything positive about one! I'm surprised anything could cool a tin garden shed. Is it shaded ?? Our big 8+KW system in the house would probably struggle cooling a garden shed. Whatever wall has the sun on it would be putting out far more heat than any A/C would produce in "cool". So your portable is very good. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by tasmillard on Feb 14, 2017 14:58:19 GMT 10
Always loved that pic Shane Hopefully one day ill have a similar pic with my 2 Door Rangie towing the Viscount... |
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Post by bobt on Feb 27, 2017 22:01:40 GMT 10
Bought the house to accommodate the kids, kids grown up all moved out.. Now wife rings me on the mobile to find me (in the house)!!
Looking for acreage so I can have a shed and she can have a veggie garden...
my daughter would kill for your van shane.
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 28, 2017 8:33:50 GMT 10
Bought the house to accommodate the kids, kids grown up all moved out.. Now wife rings me on the mobile to find me (in the house)!! Looking for acreage so I can have a shed and she can have a veggie garden... my daughter would kill for your van shane. There is some absolutely lovely "lifestyle" places very close to the capital cities ... VERY CHEAP if your retired. You see there is no jobs in the regional towns, so the housing values are low. If you can, get a place with paddocks around it rather htan one big manicured yard. That way you just keep the "house paddock" with gardens etc... and put whatever you like out in the paddocks. We only have about 4 acres, but I was finding keeping ontop of the grass cutting very difficult (especially as the two small paddocks we have are rough). I was forever breaking the ride-on mower ... and struggling to find the time to cut the grass.... So if your going to get land with paddocks.... Get yourself an old tractor and big slasher or flail ... About 4 months ago I bought and ancient International 434 ( it turns out I suck I buying tractors too.... I broke all the compression rings in the motor with 2 months ... sigh ... But get this. An inframe rebuild kit is $430 ). So I put new pistons, liners, rings, rod bearings etc... through the thing and have a motor than runs like new now (you couldn't even fix a lawn mower engine for that ... and there not 2.5litre 4 cylinder industrial diesel!) Anyway, you'll never break a tractor ... or wear it out (unlike a ride on mower) and with a 5/6 foot slasher you'll run over your paddocks in a couple of hours. The biggest bonus I wasn't aware of is you sit up high ... at the front with the grass being expelled out the back. So your not sitting in the plume of dust/grass/pollen for hours at a time (great for someone like me that gets hayfever badly). Oh, and you can also chase up rotary hoes, tillers, ploughs etc.... for your wifes vegie garden and save the back You can buy 20x12 meter barns for about $18k for the kit  I keep showing this to my wife, but she's so far showing little interest The biggest issue would be the cost of the floor. It really hard for families. I've seen a few 1980's families 'vans sell over the last few months on the facebooks groups that have a bunk room like mine. Reasonable condition (but not as nice inside as the one I have). And they are selling for the $18,000 region It's sad, because what family with 3 or 4 kids can afford that sort of money for a caravan that'll be used a few weeks a year ( they won't be used more than that as going away is so expensive.... and it's hard work if you have 3+ kids). Gee's the kids love it though! seeya Shane L. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2017 9:05:11 GMT 10
Hi Shane,
I used to do that too with five acres,until I discovered dorpers ( sheep that shed their wool)
Now the sheep look after 4 acres and I look after the house and garden.
Cheers
hughdeani
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 28, 2017 9:17:16 GMT 10
Hi Shane, I used to do that too with five acres,until I discovered dorpers ( sheep that shed their wool) Now the sheep look after 4 acres and I look after the house and garden. Cheers hughdeani That sounds good. We have had horses in the paddock (they died), sheep in the paddock ( they died ... but were delicious ), goats (they died)... I decided they were the paddocks of death... Our fences aren't good enough for sheep. Foxes take goats ( well I reckon it must have been a pack of big domestic dogs... how do foxes take goats ?). Either way, it's so much easier just to mow the things and not worry about livestock! seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by bobt on Feb 28, 2017 16:40:24 GMT 10
We (daughter & her 'ubby with 'elp) are in the market for an affordable family van. Your spot on the good ones are usually gone before we get to them others are not worth the dollars people are asking.
Mates on a block 2 1/2 acres cuts his grass 3 - 4 times a year. Love his shed.. Live stock will not work for we are away too often.
Like the access doors, they make life easier..
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Post by doublechevron on Feb 28, 2017 22:06:11 GMT 10
We (daughter & her 'ubby with 'elp) are in the market for an affordable family van. Your spot on the good ones are usually gone before we get to them others are not worth the dollars people are asking. You end up paying a lot more than you intend and expect... Because you get so tired of wasting time looking at junk ( often expensive rotten rubbish ). The problem is everyone lies "Is there any water damage, it's a 6 hour round trip for me to come and look at it" .... "No mate, this one has never leaked". So you jump in your car and drive all the way there.... Open the door and don't even bother to get in it as the stink of mould just about knocks you off your feet..... So you voice your "extreme displeasure" ... and get back into your car and drive back home. |
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we bought one as mentioned in another thread from Kogan $375 delivered for the office and the vv it is 14,000btu unit nearly as quiet as a box fan and cools as well or better than our bitsamishi inverter split systems , I am really impressed 
The split system is of course the best choice IF you have the room which in the old Viscount we do not sadly , today I had some have to do stuff that needed me working in our 4x4m garden shed at 40 deg so wheeled the lil sucker out and parked it in the doorway ,within 10 mins the bloody shed was too cold at 24deg setting on high so ran it at 25 on low loving the baby portable A/C 
). Note: the 4 cushions of the lounge. Oh, the storage space under the couch around the table area isn't wasted. I don't mind pulling the seating to bits to get to that. The caravan has a lovely fully framed enourmous "as new" locally made annex. It has been moved from the front of the caravan back to here near the axles. The poles I will mount infront of the axle after I've made up pole carrier. So to keep weight distrubution as close to "right" as I can, with the additional 30kg on the drawbar, I've moved probably 100kg of annex poles and canvas back to the axles.
