Texas Heat Sux!!

[mhamilton31]

Wow..this heat is killing me and I'm deciding to drop the Money for an Artic Airconditioner. Since size does matter, what size works best for our beloved Mooney? 38 qt or the 52qt? ( I have a 1975 M20F Model). Thx for any and all replies!

 

Mark

[carusoam]

Welcome aboard, Mark...

Want to do some reading..?

There are plenty of reviews of all the icebox coolers...

https://mooneyspace.com/search/?q=Icebox cooler&updated_after=any&sortby=relevancy&search_and_or=and

Best regards,

-a-

[Mcstealth]

7 hours ago, mhamilton31 said:

Wow..this heat is killing me and I'm deciding to drop the Money for an Artic Airconditioner. Since size does matter, what size works best for our beloved Mooney? 38 qt or the 52qt? ( I have a 1975 M20F Model). Thx for any and all replies!

 

Mark

Welcome to the forum

Go to the vendor section.  Sometimes there are posted specials on what you desire. 

[slowflyin]

I’ve owned various sizes and without hesitation get 52 with dual blowers.   I leave it in the AC all summer feed and water through the luggage door.   Used it my F model as well. 

[mhamilton31]

4 hours ago, slowflyin said:

I’ve owned various sizes and without hesitation get 52 with dual blowers.   I leave it in the AC all summer feed and water through the luggage door.   Used it my F model as well. 

With the dual blower, is the 10 amp draw a lil bit much for the  10 amp circuit breaker supplying the ignition/cig lighter?? (I realize it would need to be off while starting the engine...)

[carusoam]

MH,

Lets check the logic on this...

1) Maybe airplanes use different circuitry, and therefore, different rules apply to cars, boats and houses....

2) there are rules that can be used... add up all current being used on the circuit breaker...

3) Add on a percentage extra for start-up inrush current of electric motors....

4) expect old and worn CBs to have trouble allowing the full load over time... they may trip at 9A instead of 10...

5) are you sure the cigarette lighter for your plane is only 10A? Check the POH if unsure....

6) Adding a heavier wire and a proper CB may cost an hour of a mechanic’s time.... this could work well....

7) Swapping out a CB and not changing the wire would defeat the purpose of having an ice box... the eventual flames will probably melt the ice... 

8) Realize, that the ice gets used a lot until you climb to altitude...  the giant capacity and extra blower may not be the right answer for you... cabin size is the usual determinant of the icebox dimensions... How big IS your Mooney?

9) Consider a two step approach... start with the small one... if it runs out of capacity, you at least know you are on the right track before spending time and money altering the electrical system...

10) Stay cool.... you can always sell the smaller unused unit on MS...

PP logic only, not an AC technician...

Best regards,

-a-

[slowflyin]

1 hour ago, mhamilton31 said:

With the dual blower, is the 10 amp draw a lil bit much for the  10 amp circuit breaker supplying the ignition/cig lighter?? (I realize it would need to be off while starting the engine...)

In my 1970 F I had power in the luggage compartment.  My IA ran power directly to the battery with an in-line fuse and an Anderson connector.  I really liked the setup because I could run it while I was preflighting resulting in a nice cool entry.   A few minutes didn’t put a dent in the battery. Once in the hangar I would plug my trickle charger into the same connector..  

In the Bravo I run it off the cigarette lighter without any issues.  Apples to Oranges  as the Bravo is 28 Volt. Not sure the what size breaker but the amperage would be half.   At annual I’ll be installing the setup my F had.  

[81X]

I have a B Kool and really like it. It works well in S.C. for just about 2 hours, especially with some block ice, I freeze some in Tupperware.  Flying out of Sanford FL one day it was 98 and almost as humid, made it bearable after sitting on the ramp most of the day. 

Plus, the guy that makes them is a great guy. 

[carusoam]

Speaking of electrical questions and air conditioners...

Houman (an old MS friend) can’t be here to give his opinion, but he did leave us a reminder...

there might be some tidbits of info for a very similar question... asked about four years ago...

Best regards,

-a-

 

[slowflyin]

16 hours ago, 81X said:

I have a B Kool and really like it. It works well in S.C. for just about 2 hours, especially with some block ice, I freeze some in Tupperware.  Flying out of Sanford FL one day it was 98 and almost as humid, made it bearable after sitting on the ramp most of the day. 

Plus, the guy that makes them is a great guy. 

I use the B Kool as well.  Agree the B Kool folks are tops!

From my experience the B Kool is a great portable unit.  Easy to handle and transport.  I mainly use it in the back seat of our companies Skyhawk and it does a great job.  Take it out; fill it with ice; and put it back in.  Easy day!  The B Kool was my first unit and I used it a ton.  Works best from right behind the front seats.  

That being said, I prefer the AA 52 qt. in my Mooney.  I leave it in the baggage compartment and bring the Ice to it.  The lid opens wide making it easy to add ice.  It stays in all summer.  I purchased two duct extensions that reach to within about a foot of the front passengers head rest.  This setup works best for my situation.   It provides ease of use, more cooling time, and more cooling.  Also, I can still utilize the back seats.   Not so much in the Bravo   but many times with my F.   

[wcb]

I have a 76 F in Texas.  I just bought the B Kool.  It was delivered today but I will not get to use it for a few weeks.  My next flight is scheduled for Thrus and Friday but I will not have room to test it.

[EricJ]

B-Kool works well for me here in the Phoenix area in the summer.   I've not needed anything else and I've never run out of cooling from it.   It gets turned on after engine start on the ground and off climbing through about 4-5k ft or so, then back on coming down through 3500' or so.     Even when I was doing my instrument training and we were doing a LOT of climbs and approaches back down into the heat it held up no problem.

I stand up an arrangement of frozen cooler packs and then fill around them and the rest of the way up with ice.   All ice will be a little colder, all cooler packs will last longer, I split the difference.

 

[mhamilton31]

Thx for all the replies guys! I definitely have some more choices to look at. Just for every bodies info... I called ArticAir and they said their 12 volt dual fan unit draws 7.5 amps (not 10 amps). I imagine if one was to space out starting the dual fan from starting the water pump, a 10amp circuit breaker shouldn't trip on the starting current from the unit??

 

Mark

 

Mark

[irishpilot]

Wow..this heat is killing me and I'm deciding to drop the Money for an Artic Airconditioner. Since size does matter, what size works best for our beloved Mooney? 38 qt or the 52qt? ( I have a 1975 M20F Model). Thx for any and all replies!
 
Mark

Yep, it's gonna be 99 in San Antonio today. I basically sweat a quart before takeoff...

Fly Safe,
Safety Forum Mod