installing air conditioning in pop up camper

[thumpersfriend]

Hi, looking at pop up campers on ebay right now. Some come with air and some not. Is it expensive to install air in one? Or is it best to buy with air already installed? Also what would the cost usually be to have it installed? Thanks

 

[Shan-man]

The trick would be running the electrical. RV ACs are designed to work through a standard skylight opening, so if you have a centrally located skylight then you wouldn't have to cut any holes. The question is whether the skylight has AC electrical pre-wired. If not, I don't know how you might neatly install it. I have seen folks run new electrical outside, but that is just too "Cousin Eddie" for me!

 

[5Days]

Installing an a/c will depend on the year of the pup. We have a 95 Jayco eagle we bought in Alaska. Needless to say it did not have a/c, but since we were moving to Florida we needed a/c!! A big factor is whether the roof has enough support for the a/c. The manufacturer can tell you if the roof has supports for a/c. you can also put supports on it yourself. Running electric is no big deal really as long as there is an outlet nearby. We decided to save money and installed it ourselves. Since you are looking at a pup, might I suggest you check out a great website called PopUpPortal.com. You will find so much info about everything here!! Including what to look for in a pup, how to do repairs yourself, campground info, etc. It is wonderful with lots of knowledgeable people...kinda like this message board!!!

Hope you find the pup for you and enjoy it!

Donna

 

[tim5055]

The trick would be running the electrical. RV ACs are designed to work through a standard skylight opening, so if you have a centrally located skylight then you wouldn't have to cut any holes. The question is whether the skylight has AC electrical pre-wired. If not, I don't know how you might neatly install it. I have seen folks run new electrical outside, but that is just too "Cousin Eddie" for me!

Actually, most pop ups have the electric surface mounted across the ceiling.

Pop ups usually do not have a "hard wired" A/C, rather the cord has a 20a plug on the end of it. Normally it is coiled up near the ceiling and only uncoiled and plugged in when the A/C will be used.


Look around the pop up and see if one of the 110v AC receptacles is a 20a receptacle. It will be slightly different in that there will be a side leg on one side, like this:

.

After you pop up, you uncoil the cord and plug in the A/C. Before you lower the roof, you unplug the A/C and coil the cord so it stays out of the way when you lower the roof.

A/C units for pop ups go for around $500 - $700 plus installation.

While you may not have a vent, if you look closely at the roof you may see 4 indentations that mark the corners of where you would cut for the A/C.

 

[PrincessNED]

While you are on ebay check out this a/c unit on there ( Item number: 380068885684 ) - supposedly it is one of the best to put in yourself according to a few posts in popup portal and/or popup explorer sites. I read both and they have a wealth or knowledgalbe folk on there happy to help.

I myself and contemplating picking up an a/c unit and installing in our fleetwood cobalt - DW says its a minimum requirement before we go to the fort. Course so is a new tow vehicle before the 7000 km round trip.

 

[rbork]

AC for the pup was the single best option we took when we purchased our pup. I think it was something like 700 extra. It was the BEST 700 we EVER SPENT!
I would think that installing an AC on your own might affect the warrenty regarding the roof. Our coleman roof has either a 10 year or lifetime guarentee on the abs roof.

 

[tim5055]

I would think that installing an AC on your own might affect the warrenty regarding the roof. Our coleman roof has either a 10 year or lifetime guarentee on the abs roof.

Should not be a warranty issue.

What year Coleman do you have, and are you the original owner?

 

[PrincessNana]

Our 1984 Coleman Popup (which we bought used) did not have AC. Back in 1988 it cost us almost 700.00 to have it installed. It was the best money we ever spent. When we sold it in 1990 it still worked great and we didn't lose a dime.