yearly question: 12v a/c
 

I seek a 12volt air conditioner, parts seperated. So very simple. In fact, I am tepmted to hack my house a/c just to prove the point. The enrgy mneeded is not what is claimed. Anyhoo...I have seen custom setups and the net shoos it away like a 3 main bearing boxer elitist conversation (err the best IS the best).
Anybody make anyhting? A clear example of what I refer to: a 20000 watt roickford fosgate can illegally rattle entire neghborhoods with its stero equipment and multiple alternators...and NOONE has manufactured a 5000 btuh mini-a/c mintable in pieces... Believe It Or Not.

I kept a very small a/c for the longest time, (110 v it even had a "skinny" cord) just for this mission, and I ended up giving it away. It appeared to use next to nothing at runtime. I just need to find that stuff again..a real a/c component running at 12v. condensor cooled outside. so somplicated.
Anybody got ingenuity to share? I have found the dc breeze and the swamper and the dc4400. not good enough, and proprietary, and the cost of eight 1987 subarus. :confused:

I do also have an a/c pump etc, to hook up as oem. i do not want to. I am on a simple mission..like 1781cc boxers 22 years original 10 geared AWD and 3000 pounds..and it isn't even a fairy tale.

bgd73 -

I've been watching this for years, but I haven't seen any installations yet :

SolCool - Solar Air Conditioners
Technical Specs
It's DC based, so it's designed with solar panels in mind. It uses R410A refrigerant.

CarloSW2

Werd, until there's a price and a "add to cart" button on the website, it's vaporware. Might as well say it gives you super powers and dispenses free money as long as it's all fantasy anyway.

You have an OE compressor lying around. That's going to outperform a 12V system, plain and simple. Alternator at 50% efficiency * 12VDC A/C motor at 70% efficiency draws three times the power of the belt-driven arrangement.

But to address the problem you posed, I can think of two smartass solutions:

One, find a large enough 12V motor, and attach its shaft right to the shaft of your factory A/C compressor. Mount the assembly anywhere in the car, but preferably close to the alternator. Attach the factory A/C clutch switch to a solenoid that drives the 12V motor.

Two, find a home window A/C unit with relatively low amperage draw. Hack it apart and mount it anywhere in the car. Plug it in to a large inverter. Install a cooling fan on the inverter.

Either way, you'll need an alternator upgrade.

Danfoss makes an extremely efficient 12V compressor used in some RV fridges. They say it will run off an 80W solar panel. Great for the RV boondockers. But they're probably not cheap, and hard to say if one would cut it for car AC.

shovel -

Yup, it's been verrrrrrry frustrating, because it's the only A/C gizmo (that I've found) that claims to run off DC. My theory is that it's just a car (or Winnebago?!?!?) A/C unit, repackaged for home/off the grid use.

What few prices I've seen are also stupendous, in the $2500 *minimum* range.

CarloSW2