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dnix71:
I have a 20-year-old van with a broken a/c. I consider it not worth fixing because I may not have the vehicle much longer. So I bought an LG 5k BTU 120vac window unit and figured out how to run it from an inverter that sits on the front passenger seat. Next up is building a box so the unit will vent through the sliding window behind the driver. In my neighborhood if the a/c was mounted through the side of the van it would be vandalized. The hot air has to go somewhere, so I plan to rest the a/c on the bench seat behind the driver and make a box with a towel or sheet to force the hot air outside.

When the vehicle finally goes away, I should be able to salvage the a/c and inverter for reuse.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Aftermarket-car-ac-wiring/

kc7noa:
You didn't state that you had a problem ..... read that in the link ....

Id guess that the surge requirement of the AC is larger than what the inverter can provide .....

IF the inverters surge is acceptable then a voltage drop might be a problem .... a LARGE capacitor next to the inverter might help with the surge requirements .... but that's just more money ....

dnix71:
I installed the large cap next to the inverter first. That wasn't enough, but the only fault then was OOL, meaning the inverter stayed in overload too long. After installing the boost-start cap on the a/c, the inverter chirps twice for a total of about a second, but the compressor spins up immediately and everything stays up.

The van's alternator has a hard time at idle in gear, but that's not suprising.

kc7noa:
Cool deal ... i have a 1963 Wagoneer that could use some AC cooling ....

and this sounds like its cheaper than an aftermarket AC .... lol

so your working well enuff -- with in reason ....!!!!

Mary B:
Stick it on the roof inside a housing to direct cold air down.

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