Chinook RV

chin_k wrote: May 27th, 2020, 2:21 pm I second Blue's comment about "oddball" project, although I won't call it like that since that is pretty much all I do

Ha, yep. And it's not like there aren't a million places to read about "normal" projects. Creative, thinking-outside-the-box mods are harder to come by. Underslung kayak, anyone? I jest, but for example your battery bank/inverter/AC in the generator box (coupled to ordinary small fridge) is brilliant.

Blue~Go wrote: May 27th, 2020, 7:23 pm Ha, yep. And it's not like there aren't a million places to read about "normal" projects. Creative, thinking-outside-the-box mods are harder to come by. Underslung kayak, anyone? I jest, but for example your battery bank/inverter/AC in the generator box (coupled to ordinary small fridge) is brilliant.

Thank you! Thank you very much.
It sure is a fun toy.

And as I've said, your skylight idea has worked out extremely well. Total privacy and tons of light whenever I want (or don't want).

Blue~Go wrote: May 27th, 2020, 10:58 am
Back to the AC.... So do/did you have more than 12" of vertical "face" to the generator box in the hallway? That's where I'm not quite visualizing how a 13.5" tall 6,000 btu unit fits there. (In other words, my sheet metal "box" extends both above and below the Chinook inside floor but the vertical part of the box that is exposed in the hallway is only 12.4" to the plywood base floor.

OK that's a potential issue. I measure 14 inches exactly, and my flooring is 1/2 inch thick. So to the plywood subflooring, I have two inches more than yours. Odd.

The air con is 12 inches. It's a close fit, but I wanted the biggest unit I could work with. That's without any front shroud.

I measured the cutout layout about 11 times before I even looked at a saw. The air con is very snug, and that's how it's supported in front. The construction of the generator box is almost identical to the main shell if that helps you visualize what I was dealing with.

For the tunnel idea, I would be afraid the cold side would slightly short circuit and reduce efficiency.

Well at least I'm not just too unimaginitive to figure out how to fit a 13.5" AC in a 12" hole!

Perhaps either your generator model was taller; or your compartment floor doesn't extend "down" as much? At any rate, you have 14" where we with the sheet metal boxes have 12" (or at least I do).

I went ahead and bought a 5,000 btu model that is 12" tall. It was $149, available, and I'm roasting - so I'm motivated. Maaaaybe I can make it work if the face part (that is inside the room) is a hair less than 12". I have not taken it out of the box yet because I don't yet know that I can get the generator out solo.

I do have another maybe 1" above the generator box in case that might be useful. I'm guessing (but will see) that the AC doesn't vent out the top (outside) because that would let rain in in a typical installation (because mine would be darned close to the metal box top).

I did find one LG 5,000 btu unit that is just over 11" tall so that's a fallback. It's less desirable because the cold air and controls are sort of upward-facing on the part of the unit that is in the room, and I have overhang there, but it does slope a little so that might work.

Or the bigger, remote-controlled 6,000 btu completely in the compartment with a tunnel. I suppose an advantage would be no need to "remove" AC to reclaim that hallway space. Just remove tunnel and cover hole.

Since the gen box is galvanized steel, it's not that scenic anyway, so I already have a cover on the inside. That could double as a hole cover if, say, thin ply. I do kinda like that inset space.

If you don't hear back I'm under an Onan, flailing helplessly

PS: I noticed in the Onan installation manual that the "rules" state the enclosure should somewhat "fireproof," such as galvanized steel. Fiberglass is anything but fireproof so maybe that's why they shifted to the metal box. Maybe at the same time they lowered the enclosure a bit more beneath the floor (all the better to fit in Ye Olde Mammoth-sized refrigerator!)

LMAO.... "If you don't hear back I'm under an Onan, flailing helplessly "

The beast is OUT. Yay!!

My visions of a green "Onan beetle" on the ground (with the arms and legs being mine coming out from under the green Onan body) did not come true, thankfully. But geesh, that was a task. Curse words were uttered -- and a board or two may have been thrown. The hardest part was getting it out, between the weight, nothing at all to grab, the fiberglass (body) lip at the bottom (which I did not want to damage), and the fact that with only about 3/4" extra vertical clearance you basically have to levitate 175# and "hover" it out while keeping it perfectly level. Sure, no problem

And if I'd just had another hand, it would have been so much easier. The dang fasteners on the oil change cover hole kept wanting to hang up on my ramp board! One little push up on the bottom toward the rear (through one of the holes in the floor) would have fixed that.

But... it's out! That compartment is HUGE.

Now to epoxy the inside cleats around the opening where the compartment door attaches (they basically fell off like all the other openings' cleats have once I unscrewed the hatch). But that'll be pretty easy since it's easy to clamp them with the door off. I'll also put in a new floor over the old one (which has many cutouts for the generator), and then re-bed the hatch. Then the RV can pay for itself cause I'll rent it out as a studio apartment

It was a lot easier having read about others doing it (Scott, Rokrover, deppstein, and one other.... who was that... ). Thanks to all of you.

BG

Maybe you can rent the space out as an extra bedroom.

I think it's big enough to be a studio. That way no-one will be coming in my place to use the kitchen at odd hours (I'll re-purpose the old refrigerator propane line for the mini-stove).

I will sign an one-year lease with you if you put in an outdoor shower.

Blue Go Inn mobile VRBO.