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Portable AC thoughts?


Jim Peace

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Hanging it out the window will be really interesting... :)

+1 For not having a J-bar between the seats...

+1 For having a co-pilot side window to accept the exhaust hose...

+1 Great for single person use... Not for cooling the entire cabin...

PP thoughts only, not an HVAC technician...

Best regards,

-a-

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I would think the only true air conditioner that is a portable that would really be up to the task of cooling an airplane cabin would be this thing at 4.5k

http://www.arcticaircooler.com/category-s/1477.htm

Notice it specifically calls out solutions for the condensation collection, and also exhaust venting.

after that the best true solution for after market is the Kelly stc.

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You know, I am in Georgia, and like most places in the south, it is hot in the summertime. Added to the fact, I am half dog. I need a breeze in my face, somehow, someway. I thought I need AC, but I installed one of those scoops on the storm vent and it is more than adequate to cool me until I am off the ground. I just don't see the need for the added weight of AC. Once I am through about 3 to 5 thousand, things cool off quickly and sufficiently.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I’m telling you - the ice filled boxes that blow heat exchanged air in the cabin to keep it cold are fantastic. I’m amazed I flew without one prior to winning one at a raffle a few years ago. Take it out when you don’t need it, fill it with ice when you do. Amazing way to be cool on the ground during startup, taxi, and waiting in line for takeoff. Then when you decend back to warm air, pop it back on for the taxi in. Costs about a tank of fuel.

 

-Seth

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6 minutes ago, Seth said:

I’m telling you - the ice filled boxes that blow heat exchanged air in the cabin to keep it cold are fantastic. I’m amazed I flew without one prior to winning one at a raffle a few years ago. Take it out when you don’t need it, fill it with ice when you do. Amazing way to be cool on the ground during startup, taxi, and waiting in line for takeoff. Then when you decend back to warm air, pop it back on for the taxi in. Costs about a tank of fuel.

 

-Seth

Just thinking logistics -

Where do you fill the ice from?  I know some FBOs have ice but some don't - do you stop at the 7-eleven and buy bags of ice?  Do you lift the box over the baggage door and leave it in the back?  Do you fill the ice in after you heft it over?  When you are done how do you get it out without spilling tons of water melt?

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5 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Just thinking logistics -

Where do you fill the ice from?  I know some FBOs have ice but some don't - do you stop at the 7-eleven and buy bags of ice?  Do you lift the box over the baggage door and leave it in the back?  Do you fill the ice in after you heft it over?  When you are done how do you get it out without spilling tons of water melt?

I have a B-Kool.   If I'm flying with it I fill it with a bunch of ice packs that I keep in my freezer, and then dump ice from the ice maker in my freezer around the packs, then dump a little bit of cold water in the bottom so the pump has something to start with.  Since it is essentially a cooler, it'll keep all of that cold and frozen during the trip to the airport until I get it in the airplane.   I strap mine into the back seat, already full, and it's not a big deal to drop it in there from the door.   When I'm done it's not hard to pick it up by the handle from the doorway, and take it out without spilling anything.   I think one time I wasn't paying attention and it spilled a little bit onto the floor in the back, but not even enough to cause a cleanup problem.

FWIW, the general wisdom is that the ice packs last longer but ice absorbs heat faster so it'll blow colder air.   I mix both and it seems to work wonderfully well, and I've yet to have it run out of cooling capability at the end of a flight.  

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I tried one a few years back, I let it run several hours while setting in my hangar and it wouldn't even drop the cabin temp 1° , it did blow cold air if you were within 10". I put it back in the box and told the guy selling it "No Thanks!". Ended up installng a "kool scoop" which works really well at diverting air into the cabin

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23 hours ago, aviatoreb said:

Just thinking logistics -

Where do you fill the ice from?  I know some FBOs have ice but some don't - do you stop at the 7-eleven and buy bags of ice?  Do you lift the box over the baggage door and leave it in the back?  Do you fill the ice in after you heft it over?  When you are done how do you get it out without spilling tons of water melt?

I have a refrigerator/freezer in my hangar. I stock up ice in there. I either make at home or pick it up on the way from a store. Most FBO's give it to you if you ask when you are out. It made my Commercial Checkride a delight on a summer July day. The DPE said it was really nice to not be sweating on the ramp prior to taxi/takeoff.

My home base FBO gave me free ice in 2018 but stopped doing that for 2019. Pissed me off.

-Seth

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On 9/22/2020 at 8:43 AM, aviatoreb said:

Just thinking logistics -

Where do you fill the ice from?  I know some FBOs have ice but some don't - do you stop at the 7-eleven and buy bags of ice?  Do you lift the box over the baggage door and leave it in the back?  Do you fill the ice in after you heft it over?  When you are done how do you get it out without spilling tons of water melt?

I use rectangular tupperware to make ice blocks at home, they last longer than cubes. If I am not coming from home I just pick up a bag of ice on the way to the airport. I put the empty cooler in the baggage area and then add the ice and usually about 2 liters of water, enough to make sure the pump is going to have suction. It's easy to have an empty 2 liter bottle in the hat rack to refill when away from home. The first couple times I lifted  it back out with everything in it, but that took one person inside and one outside. After that I added a longer piece of hose to the outlet and it stays coiled in the bottom of the cooler when in use. After landing I just run that out the baggage door, turn on the pump, and pump all the water out on the ramp, it works well.

20170827_191640-e1504242365600-169x300.jpg?resize=169%2C300

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3 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I use rectangular tupperware to make ice blocks at home, they last longer than cubes. If I am not coming from home I just pick up a bag of ice on the way to the airport. I put the empty cooler in the baggage area and then add the ice and usually about 2 liters of water, enough to make sure the pump is going to have suction. It's easy to have an empty 2 liter bottle in the hat rack to refill when away from home. The first couple times I lifted  it back out with everything in it, but that took one person inside and one outside. After that I added a longer piece of hose to the outlet and it stays coiled in the bottom of the cooler when in use. After landing I just run that out the baggage door, turn on the pump, and pump all the water out on the ramp, it works well.

20170827_191640-e1504242365600-169x300.jpg?resize=169%2C300

I do that too!

Also, if there is still ice in the cooler, if left alone, it will hold easily 24 hours. So on day trips or away trips, I just get a new bag of ice and top it off.

When you are looking to pump out the water, the aircraft power needs to be on (unless you have a separate power source/battery). I often turn off the master, open the side window, get out of the airplane, unload people/stuff/open hangar/whatever, and when it's time, pull out the tube, walk around to the other side, put my arm in the window, switch on the master, and use the remote control to start the cool air/pump again - it then pumps the water out. When done, I power the box down, then turn off the master, get the airplane in the hangar, and do all the other putting the airplane to bed activities at that point.

Take care,

-Seth

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24 minutes ago, Skates97 said:

I use rectangular tupperware to make ice blocks at home, they last longer than cubes. If I am not coming from home I just pick up a bag of ice on the way to the airport. I put the empty cooler in the baggage area and then add the ice and usually about 2 liters of water, enough to make sure the pump is going to have suction. It's easy to have an empty 2 liter bottle in the hat rack to refill when away from home. The first couple times I lifted  it back out with everything in it, but that took one person inside and one outside. After that I added a longer piece of hose to the outlet and it stays coiled in the bottom of the cooler when in use. After landing I just run that out the baggage door, turn on the pump, and pump all the water out on the ramp, it works well.

20170827_191640-e1504242365600-169x300.jpg?resize=169%2C300

That's a great idea with a hose like that.  Actually - now that you say this - I wonder if you even need a pump - if that hose is not too wide you could just suck it out by mouth and lead the hose to the ground and gravity will take care of the rest.  I wouldn't mind dumping a little water in the hangar flow if its not a full load of water.

So - maybe next summer I'll get me one of these things. (Winter is coming....who buys ac for the winter?) (and really its not too hot up here in the summer most of the time, but I do dread if when I travel south in the summer and there I am on the ramp waiting for a clearance and its 98-98.

Summary - ice in sealed containers (eg. tuperware or maybe even in water bottles which are frozen - easy to place in and remove individually separate from the cooler unit.  With some water to prime the system and that water can be leaked out by a hose.  Then empty container can be placed and removed easily individually by the baggage door.

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+1 for the B-Kool https://www.b-kool.net/

I get the ice from an ice machine at the airport that produces way too much ice already.  It's usually good for at least an hour.  We taxi with our door shut even on the hottest GA days. And it comes out for the months we don't need it or if we need the space.  I'd happily buy a 20 pound bag or make my own large cubes like Skates writes about to get the comfort provided.

I did get the remote control and I'm super happy.

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7 minutes ago, aviatoreb said:

That's a great idea with a hose like that.  Actually - now that you say this - I wonder if you even need a pump - if that hose is not too wide you could just suck it out by mouth and lead the hose to the ground and gravity will take care of the rest.  I wouldn't mind dumping a little water in the hangar flow if its not a full load of water.

So - maybe next summer I'll get me one of these things. (Winter is coming....who buys ac for the winter?) (and really its not too hot up here in the summer most of the time, but I do dread if when I travel south in the summer and there I am on the ramp waiting for a clearance and its 98-98.

Summary - ice in sealed containers (eg. tuperware or maybe even in water bottles which are frozen - easy to place in and remove individually separate from the cooler unit.  With some water to prime the system and that water can be leaked out by a hose.  Then empty container can be placed and removed easily individually by the baggage door.

The pump is part of the unit. It's the circulating pump. Instead of the cold water going from the heat exchange back into the ice to get cooled down again, it gets pumped overboard until there's no water left.

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