Rooftop AC

We can't see a thing, nothing to look at.

 

I don't drive anymore but this is what I had for about 9 years. 15,000 btu running off a Rigmaster.

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DVW6BG0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JZQUSAC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use these 2 together and did the installation with a friend on a Volvo 780. The condenser is mounted on the catwalk, the inside unit is mounted on plywood to the sleeper's passenger side window frame, and the generator sits in a toolbox. The AC keeps the sleeper cold, it runs for probably 10 hours on 2 gallons of gas, and also has heat. The generator is fairly quiet, and if you can manage to keep it from overheating inside a toolbox, you can barely hear it even standing next to it. There is still excess power to run some other stuff, as we like to plug the fridge in to save on the truck's batteries. It's a pure sine wave generator, so people who run CPACs, induction cooktops, or other sensitive electronics will have no problem. Both the generator and AC unit have remote controls.

We're in the process of building cabinets to go where the top bunk and OEM cabinets used to be. If I were to do it again, I would place it mounted on the wall up high. While the workstation is set up, you will freeze if you sit on the close side, although it is almost perfect when the bed is set up. We have a 1/2 hole for the condensation drain going down, and maybe a 2-1/2" hole for the copper lines and electric.

 

I am running a mounted 3000w gen with a 1350btu Dometic.
Silent generator. Comfortable rooftop cold air. I can park and in less than it takes me to complete my message to despatch on my Eta I will need a blanket. LOL.

 

Not a DIY . Had a body shop do my job. No reason to worry about leaking and appearance. Total 1500 in April

 

Great topic, thinking of putting one on my flat top w9. Don't do much on the road I've seen some old Mack superliners here in NJ with some on top of the truck. They were Day cabs. Seems like a smoother operation

 

What truck do you have? I'm getting ready to buy a Dometic (commercial) 13500BTU and a used Honda 3000iu generator. How many BTU's and what size/brand generator are you using?

 

PETE, Dometic penguin II, aerodynamics 13500BTU, painted it to match truck

 

Bought the Dometic Commercial unit. Decided to go with the Predator 3500 "ultra quiet" generator from Harbor Freight. It seems to be highly rated (the genny), 30 pounds lighter than the Honda, quieter, and about $1K cheaper . Once I found out Honda was suing Harbor Freight over it I figured it must be a pretty good unit. I will post install pics. So far my investment consists of $1K for the a/c, control panel and heater strip. and $650 for the generator. I'm not brave enough to cut the hole so I will have a bill for the install and wiring but i don't think that should be to bad.

 

The job is bigger then you think. The roof of your truck is not strong enough to support the AC. That's why RV's and trailers all have 1x1 steel framing to support them that also runs from side to side. If you don't put in support the roof will bounce up and down and the seal will fail pretty quick. Good luck with that!