Best portable air conditioner for the truck?

Here's mine in a '22 Mack Anthem. I made the bracket out of 304 stainless. It's sized so that before next winter, I'll make a removable cover out of 20 ga or so (thin) 304 to keep the salt out. Everything is rubber mounted, and hanging off the cab has the benefit of the cab air shocks to reduce stress. I'll be watching the mounts, and fabricate something to reinforce upon any signs of cracking. Interior is a piece of 1/4" plywood under the upholstery to adapt the mount bracket to the mount points to the solo cab bunk cabinets I didn't order. I removed the top bunk, but it could be reinstalled under the a/c unit. No more folding it up, of course. I know some use that for storage.

No generator. I'm running off batteries for now and plan to add some solar charging to offset the battery depletion. Just got it done 2 weeks ago, so no thorough testing yet. So far the batteries have held up fine for 4-6 hour stretches. Still cool enough to turn it off at night, I'm sure the consumption will go up with the temp, especially if day sleeping. I have a diesel bunk heater, so won't be using this for heat. What's really amazing is how quiet. Lying right under it, all I hear is the air coming out, and if I listen really hard for it, the slightest hum/vibration from the compressor outside.

Here's some tech details about the unit. This one is a 9k btu, 20.5 SEER. I ordered the 21.5 and they shipped me the wrong one. Long story short, I reviewed the specs and agreed to keep it and take a credit for the price difference. I did get the 21.5 on my other truck, mounted the same way.

So, the specs and the differences. The 20.5 and 21.5 both say the same: average 760W cooling, the 21.5 has a somewhat larger range of operating wattage. So what? In practice, turning the unit down to 62º to force full cooling mine and the 21.5 SEER in my other truck never went over 700W. The 21.5 pulls about 15% less on heat (which I'll never use) and has about 15% less airflow out of the evaporator. I'll second what @loudtom says, the 12k btu isn't necessary. Maybe if I was driving in Tucson in the summer that might be different. I'll never know LOL. It was mid 80's when I stopped for a long lunch to delay a delivery and the cab was cool and comfortable, parked facing the sun but with the windshield curtains pulled shut.

Anyway, what's important is that's the max I'm seeing. So far, it will run that hard for maybe 15-20 minutes. Once the temp stabilizes, the unit slows way down. I'm seeing around 300W when the compressor is running, and around 180-200W when it goes to cycle fan only. A 76º setting keeps the cab cool enough for me. If I'm sitting up using my pull out desk, it's blowing on my neck and still almost too cold. I can't overstate how efficient these things are.

 

I ordered mine with the minimum 10' install kit, then cut and flared the lines to fit. There has been no signs of diminished function with my obviously much shorter lines. Alternatively, you could buy the copper line and fittings at a suitable hardware store or HVAC supply and make them for less. The kit has a few extras, some evap drain hose, sealer for the flare fittings, and whatnot. So I just bought theirs to save some trips to Ace.

You need the port adapter if you have standard gauges. It adapts the 5/16" port on the unit to the standard 1/4" hose end. Vacuuming down the system is highly recommended and in the instructions, before you crack open the valves and release the refrigerant into the whole system. With the port adapter and gauges, that's kind of the point of using those. There is only a low side service port. I think they offer some kind of high side fixture, I did not order one.

I did not buy their line cover kit. I only wanted the elbow cover, and could not find one by itself. I ordered a different line cover kit (to fit over the 2.5" hole) for $49 off Amazon and just used that cover out of it.

I have no idea what all that flushing kit comes with. I don't remember seeing it, or maybe just decided it was unnecessary or redundant. I did not have any "oh crap I wished I ordered that" moments, so that's a good sign.

 

Just seen this and you may want to look into it if you have not got the one you had wanted. https://www.ecoflow.com/us/wave-por...2_sjbSIEPaAaPjnIyTGRFkVDZSr7UKt1D9O7LmPm55xG4

 

a few things I don't like about it...

#1 can't even get till at best July.
#2 At best 3 hr of run time on 1 battery... do you want to get up every 3hrs to change the battery (you'd need 3 for a 10hr break) would take 15hrs to recharge the 3 batteries...
#3 cost.... $2,300 PLUS the extra batteries... my generator and portable ac was $$1,100

I like the idea of it just not practical with runtime and cost in my opinion

 

Did not read a lot on it honestly just looked like a good idea.

 

Nice work that looks great. Also check out Rich Solar. No affiliation yet l am a fan of Hobotech from YouTube. He says their flexibile panels are the best on the market. I have two of the 160w for the Sleeper roof ordering another 160w for the cab roof (T660 Studio) and two 100w for the hood. With the fuel prices we have to take advantage of all the free energy beating down on us everyday. Plus solar components are eligible for a straight 26% tax credit in 2022.

"In December 2020, Congress passed an extension of the ITC, which provides a 26% tax credit for systems installed in 2020-2022, and 22% for systems installed in 2023. (Systems installed before December 31, 2019 were eligible for a 30% tax credit.) The tax credit expires starting in 2024 unless Congress renews it."

With fuel prices and an average 11 hour break being comfortable with no idling all this will pay for itself quickly.

 

The Wave was $1,400 now $1,100 on sale without the battery. You can still run it off a 12v inverter or an Ecoflow Delta Max or Dellta Pro for 6 or 12 hours of runtime.

 

that's good to know... and I would've considered it but I already have my 3,500 watt generator and 5,500. btu portable ac on the truck.... for the same price $1,150... could have been $400 less but I wanted a super quiet invertor generator..

 

Yeah sounds like you have a good setup there.

 

What watt inverter are you using to charge the Wave AC ?