1958 Air Conditioning?

[prairieschooner]

OK guys & gals,
We have a 1958 18' Traveler. Just got back from the Vintage Trailer in Hemet today at Golden Village Palms RV. Damn it was HOT! there!! It has changed my mind on A/C for our Traveler.
Question is has anyone else from this vintage and size added A/C? and if so can you give good advice from experience?
PS prior to this I was performing a correct restoration but ........I now understand why!

[55AS]

I added A/C to a 55 Flying Cloud. Sits in a closet and vents through fridge chminey. 8000 BTU is marginal for this size trailer but might work for you.

[halftimer]

Where can you buy that type ac

[55AS]

Portable type. Bought mine on Amazon.
Amazon.com - Honeywell MF08CESWW 8, 000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner with Remote Control - White -
Big box stores, Best Buy, etc also carry them

[Melody Ranch]

If you will be in hot areas and want to be comfortable you will need an AC. I see MANY folks who avoid an AC for what they consider aesthetics. Let 'em suffer.
My experience has been I'd like to avoid the "bump" on the roof. However, at present there are no satisfactory alternatives (for me.) Split AC units are nice inside but leave you with a mess outside. Portables are not efficient and are a pain to manage. Window units are not acceptable(to me.) ...They are great coolers, however. Wind units mounted thru the side require cutting and an outside venting system. I nice slide out there, with a nice traveling door cover is good. I have seen and experienced the California unit under the cabinet set up...not satisfactory cooling and noisy. Other window units mounted inside with vents cut (I hate that) into the sidewall.....mostly bad workmanship. Truck units..I can go on. The best AC I have found , and use. is the roof mount. I have used, currently own, Penguin, Mach 8 and Carrier cooled Vintage....all low profile to try maintain as clean a profile as possible. The Carrier is the best overall...Its no longer available unless your lucky enough to find a NOS unit somewhere. The Mach 8 is good...all I can say. The Penguin is a pseudo low profile and their drain cups are worthless warts. It cools OK. For an economical and functional AC go with the roof unit. Don't forget the drain line from the unit and install it to drain on the streetside bottom belly...you don't want a puddle by the door or patio.

[prairieschooner]

Originally Posted by BambiTex

I added A/C to a 55 Flying Cloud. Sits in a closet and vents through fridge chminey. 8000 BTU is marginal for this size trailer but might work for you.

Thanks! this may be an option but not sure that I will have enough room since my refer is on the curb side and I don't want to add anymore vents. Your install looks very interesting and may be an option.
I am considering increasing the refer cabinet just an inch or two just to allow for something in the future and since our refer is the Krefft and sticks out about 6+ inches it may work.

[prairieschooner]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

If you will be in hot areas and want to be comfortable you will need an AC. I see MANY folks who avoid an AC for what they consider aesthetics. Let 'em suffer.
My experience has been I'd like to avoid the "bump" on the roof. However, at present there are no satisfactory alternatives (for me.) Split AC units are nice inside but leave you with a mess outside. Portables are not efficient and are a pain to manage. Window units are not acceptable(to me.) ...They are great coolers, however. Wind units mounted thru the side require cutting and an outside venting system. I nice slide out there, with a nice traveling door cover is good. I have seen and experienced the California unit under the cabinet set up...not satisfactory cooling and noisy. Other window units mounted inside with vents cut (I hate that) into the sidewall.....mostly bad workmanship. Truck units..I can go on. The best AC I have found , and use. is the roof mount. I have used, currently own, Penguin, Mach 8 and Carrier cooled Vintage....all low profile to try maintain as clean a profile as possible. The Carrier is the best overall...Its no longer available unless your lucky enough to find a NOS unit somewhere. The Mach 8 is good...all I can say. The Penguin is a pseudo low profile and their drain cups are worthless warts. It cools OK. For an economical and functional AC go with the roof unit. Don't forget the drain line from the unit and install it to drain on the streetside bottom belly...you don't want a puddle by the door or patio.

I agree with this assessment but would rather not see the "bump" for obvious reasons. Not sure how hard mounting one would be but it does look like there was an option for A/C in 1958 for $371.25 just not sure about the existing bracing at this point.
Can you share any advice/photos on the install of the A/C on your trailers?

We have been thinking more of dry-camping than staying places with full hook-ups. Since we will be going to at least some rallies this makes me rethink somethings. So far this Traveler is all original with the exception of the electrical and the flooring, safety will always be paramount!

[prairieschooner]

I was able to borrow a portable A/C unit, I am not willing to give up the space it takes in our little 18' Traveler. I also don't want to give up any interior storage, we have so little as it is.
Looks like I am going to put one on the roof after all and could use advice/pictures on installing one in one of these older trailers.
thanks in advance

[Melody Ranch]

Your top vent is in the right place for the AC. Not way aft like on the Caravels. The 14 by 14 hole for the AC is "nearly" the same as the vent hole already there. You will have to trim the corners to square them up. Check the AC instructions as to where the electric input is....run your power to a close and aligned spot. Leave plenty of extra Romex to work with...Trim it later. You can run the wire to the side inside the skin until it comes to the main stringer. I have found that cutting a small flap of skin inside a cabinet will give you access to fish the wire out again in a hidden spot. Run that wire inside the cabinet structure to your supply tie in. If your lucky that will be somewhere by the cabinets. Put an appropriate circuit breaker in the power box where that circuit is supplied. Back up top, run a drain line just like the power wire. Except, this you run hidden in the cabinet structure down to the floor, out thru a hole to the out side. Seal that hole/drain line exit. Make sure the drain is away from places you want dry and not messy....like anywhere on the door side .... Check the interior clearances, the distribution unit and interior ceiling lights. If you don't have the right and safe way to get the unit up top....do all the prep work (labor time) and have your AC seller drop it in place and complete the install. Should be less than hour on their part. Be safe and enjoy the Traveller.

[Jim Holway]

Any recommendations, or even better illustrations to share, for installing bracing to add a new AC on top. I have a 69 Sovereign that had the old Armstrong AC which I am removing. However, that had just a few small holes for cables and coolant tubing so now I need to cut the new 14 inch square hole to mount the AC. I assume I will need to add bracing. Thanks (holway.jim@gmail.com)

[47WeeWind]

prairieschooner:

Is your front window one piece and top hinged? If so you can remove the interior screen, crank up (or disconnect if necessary) the front window and install a 8,000 btu home (120 volt AC) air conditioner there only when parked. Make temporary panels with gaskets to install that close off the space around the top and sides of the AC. I used clear lexan for the horizontal top panel and wood for the side panels. Press fit works fine when stationary. I tipped the ac unit to tilt slightly outwards so the condensation dripped outdoors onto the "A" frame. I supported the ac unit with bracing that rested on my front mounted spare tire (you might use your propane tank(s) if you don't have a front mounted spare tire). Once installed, I plugged the ac unit into a 120 volt outlet in the front of the trailer. It sent a beautiful arc of cool air down the center of my 1964 19' Globe Trotter and kept the trailer bearable in hot muggy weather. Remove and store away when on the road.

It's a temporary solution to an intermittent problem that arises only when I travel away from Colorado in the summer to camp in hot and humid locations. Unlike Melody Ranch, I live and often camp in an area that cools down at night so ac is rarely needed. See the Summer 2006 issue of Airstream Life magazine, pages 75-76, for details and photos. Have fun!

[KrisE MN]

reading around it looks like you want to box in your 14" square with additional bracing to rest of structure. Just like if you were to put a skylight between roof joists in conventional home. You might be able to create these braces on a bench to then attach. This would mean interior sheets taken off. My fixer had one not anymore so watching this thread for my eventual ac adventure. I did a google search and found some great discussion.

[prairieschooner]

Thanks Melody Ranch, those directions should help.
Hey Fred Coldwell, glad to hear from you again! since we live in So. Cal. and travel in & out of Arizona I am considering a more permanent solution, problem is since we also like to dry-camp so I want it all, the A/C cannot adversely effect the Traveler.