Eco Wave Flow 2 Portable A/C

[Grant_Waite]

I just bought one of the Ecowave 2, portable A/C since they are having a crazy sale at the moment. I’m yet to get the unit, but I’m just spitballing ideas and questions before it arrives. The unit has 2 tubes that I plan to route through my aft bulkhead, on my J. One is for the exhaust and one for an intake. I would have thought that intaking air from inside the plane would be better, but all I’d be doing is taking cool air, adding heat and shooting out the exhaust. People say that the Ecowaves cooling BTU’s get cut down when you intake cooler air from both front and back. I don’t understand it but maybe somebody else will. One side of the A/C is the cool side with a front intake, and the back is the warm side with a large rear intake and exhaust on top. Before I bought my plane I looked at a V35B that had a Plane A/C system, similar to the artic air real A/C. Unfortunately, Ray Ackley “the guy who invented Plane A/C” passed away when his baron crashed into a semi, leaving behind his family. The company was handed over before his passing but seems to have died with him. That leaves me to my own vices, trying to make some sort of removable A/C system. It doesn’t seem to me that any of these systems needed or had any STC since they were classified as removable. Is cutting 2 holes in my rear baggage bulkhead, considered a minor alteration? Do I need a 337 or anything to due such a thing? I took pictures and looked at my bulkhead today. It’s just thick enough to not collapse on itself. I was surprised how thin it actually was. Here’s pictures of the eco wave flow, the Vtail I looked at, the plane A/C installed in a bravo, and my bulkhead. 

[LANCECASPER]

Since you're in FL and I'm in TX i can sympathize with the need for A/C in the summer.

Your second to the last picture was my Bravo that I sold in 2021 where I had put a Plane A/C unit. Through the process I got to know Ray Ackley and was so sorry to hear of that tragedy. I wanted another Plane A/C unit for my Acclaim, and Adam Peck the new owner keeps promising to start up production but I don't think it will ever happen.

I can tell you one thing for sure - since you exhaust your hot air out the rear bulkhead you definitely don't want your intake there also. Let the unit take air from the cabin, which is what the Plane A/C does and the Arctic Air Real A/C does. It's more like putting your car A/C on recirculate. One thing that taking air from the cabin will do is make you aware of any cabin door leaks you may have. It will show up on your Carbon Monoxide detector since the unit will suck air and exhaust from a leaky door seal. this project caused me to also put in a new Bob Field Inflatable door seal on my Bravo and my problem was solved.

I bought additional rear side inspection plates (the panel shown in the third picture of N201FV) from Ebay and painted them and them put louvers in them for the exhaust. I kept the original inspection plates for winter when I wouldn't be using the portable A/C.

I have an Arctic Air Real A/C portable for my Acclaim. I am running the exhaust out the back of the hat rack to get the hot air further back since i don't want to blow it across my G1000 boxes in the back of the airplane. 

I don't think one EcoWave will be enough to cool down the cabin, but I hope I'm wrong. Let us know how it goes. 

[Grant_Waite]

15 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Since you're in FL and I'm in TX i can sympathize with the need for A/C in the summer.

Your second to the last picture was my Bravo that I sold in 2021 where I had put a Plane A/C unit. Through the process I got to know Ray Ackley and was so sorry to hear of that tragedy. I wanted another Plane A/C unit for my Acclaim, and Adam Peck the new owner keeps promising to start up production but I don't think it will ever happen.

I can tell you one thing for sure - since you exhaust your hot air out the rear bulkhead you definitely don't want your intake there also. Let the unit take air from the cabin, which is what the Plane A/C does and the Arctic Air Real A/C does. It's more like putting your car A/C on recirculate. One thing that taking air from the cabin will do is make you aware of any cabin door leaks you may have. It will show up on your Carbon Monoxide detector since the unit will suck air and exhaust from a leaky door seal. this project caused me to also put in a new Bob Field Inflatable door seal on my Bravo and my problem was solved.

I bought additional rear side inspection plates (the panel shown in the third picture of N201FV) from Ebay and painted them and them put louvers in them for the exhaust. I kept the original inspection plates for winter when I wouldn't be using the portable A/C.

I am working on a Arctic Air Real A/C portable for my Acclaim. I will be running the exhaust out the back of the hat rack to get the hot air further back since i don't want to blow it across my G1000 boxes in the back of the airplane. 

I don't think one EcoWave will be enough to cool down the cabin, but I hope I'm wrong. Let us know how it goes. 

What a small world it is. Thanks, for the great insight. Crazy what one small screen shot can do. My goal isn’t entirely to cool the whole cabin, but rather have an unlimited source of coolish air to blow on me. I have built one of those ice chest A/C and it works great but it’s a pia to load up, take out and so on. Not to mention it’s not unlimited either. I’m hoping the Ecowave will do just that. Produce enough cool air to keep me cool and maybe cool the cabin a bit. I was also skeptical about intaking from the same place the exhaust was outputting, since all the other aircraft A/C didn’t do it. Was I correct in believing that the Plane A/C and Artic Air real A/C, didn’t have any sort of STC paperwork? Also cutting the hole and routing the exhaust is indeed a minor alteration or not so much? Did you route the exhaust hose all the way to the back inspection plate or did you just have it a foot into the empenage? 

[LANCECASPER]

The air just blew into the empennage. That was what the Plane AC manual said and Ray confirmed that.

These portable units aren't STC'd so no paperwork.  My IA cut the hole and put an entry in the logs that said, "Installed a 6" vent in the aft baggage compartment to exhaust air from a portable air conditioning unit which is not to be inferred as part of the aircraft equipment."

[Grant_Waite]

1 minute ago, LANCECASPER said:

The air just blew into the empennage. That was what the Plane AC manual said and Ray confirmed that.

These portable units aren't STC'd so no paperwork.  My IA cut the hole and put an entry in the logs that said, "Installed a 6" vent in the aft baggage compartment to exhaust air from a portable air conditioning unit which is not to be inferred as part of the aircraft equipment."

Did your Ia do the louvering on the rear inspection plate or did you have a machine shop do it. N201FV has a quite nice but very eloquent paint scheme that would make difficult to get a new panel and match it up correctly. All 4 colors run along the inspection plate. I’m thinking about just louvering the one that’s on there. Did you have it don’t to both inspection panels or just one side? The Eco flow says it has 5100btu of cooling and 6100 of heating. How any btu did the plane a/c have? I flew in a twin tecnam, for my multi that had a gen1 eco wave behind the pilot seat and it made the cockpit feel great if you had the tube of cold air blowing on you. Only issue was that the battery was shot and people didn’t always remember to charge it. 

[LANCECASPER]

14 minutes ago, Grant_Waite said:

Did your Ia do the louvering on the rear inspection plate or did you have a machine shop do it. N201FV has a quite nice but very eloquent paint scheme that would make difficult to get a new panel and match it up correctly. All 4 colors run along the inspection plate. I’m thinking about just louvering the one that’s on there. Did you have it don’t to both inspection panels or just one side? The Eco flow says it has 5100btu of cooling and 6100 of heating. How any btu did the plane a/c have? I flew in a twin tecnam, for my multi that had a gen1 eco wave behind the pilot seat and it made the cockpit feel great if you had the tube of cold air blowing on you. Only issue was that the battery was shot and people didn’t always remember to charge it. 

 

I vented it on both sides and I bought two inspection panels for a couple of reasons: 1) If and when I sell the airplane to get it back to spec and not have any questions on a prebuy 2) so I can put the original inspection panels back on during off season if I decide to, but mainly so that if I ever have to have an annual done at a new shop so I can put the original panels on and not run the risk of having my airplane held hostage because of the vents on my inspection panels. 

The used panels aren't expensive: https://www.ebay.com/itm/334830055868

I cut a 4.5" hole in them and used these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JL15V7T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

The PlaneAC was rated at 7500 BTU but moved 550 cubic feet of air per minute (275 exhaust and 275 cool air). The CFM made a huge difference. 

[Grant_Waite]

4 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

 

I vented it on both sides and I bought two inspection panels for a couple of reasons: 1) If and when I sell the airplane to get it back to spec and not have any questions on a prebuy 2) so I can put the original inspection panels back on during off season if I decide to, but mainly so that if I ever have to have an annual done at a new shop so I can put the original panels on and not run the risk of having my airplane held hostage because of the vents on my inspection panels. 

The used panels aren't expensive: https://www.ebay.com/itm/334830055868

I cut a 4.5" hole in them and used these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09JL15V7T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

I think I’ll do the same, buy 2 used plates and cute a hole for the FAA approved louvers on my original ones. Luckily the guy who will do my first annual has done it for the previous owner for the last 16 years. He’s a good guy and charges $75 an hour. Not to mention he knows the plane well. I’m assuming a hole saw is what your IA used to cut the hole for the exhaust duct. 

[LANCECASPER]

Just now, Grant_Waite said:

I think I’ll do the same, buy 2 used plates and cute a hole for the FAA approved louvers on my original ones. Luckily the guy who will do my first annual has done it for the previous owner for the last 16 years. He’s a good guy and charges $75 an hour. Not to mention he knows the plane well. I’m assuming a hole saw is what your IA used to cut the hole for the exhaust duct. 

Yes

[philiplane]

It says it develops 5100 BTU at 540 watts, which is about 38 amps of current draw. Do you have that much power available? My Arctic Air R134 unit puts out 7200 BTU's while using 30 amps at 14 volts. 

The specs page doesn't make a lot of sense either. Part of the 32 pound weight is the battery. Non-battery 7000 btu units weigh 42-45 pounds. I have doubts that a unit weighing less than 32 pounds can put out 5100 BTU. 

7000 to 11000 BTU is what is needed to cool an airplane cabin.

[Grant_Waite]

20 minutes ago, philiplane said:

It says it develops 5100 BTU at 540 watts, which is about 38 amps of current draw. Do you have that much power available? My Arctic Air R134 unit puts out 7200 BTU's while using 30 amps at 14 volts. 

The specs page doesn't make a lot of sense either. Part of the 32 pound weight is the battery. Non-battery 7000 btu units weigh 42-45 pounds. I have doubts that a unit weighing less than 32 pounds can put out 5100 BTU. 

7000 to 11000 BTU is what is needed to cool an airplane cabin.

The unit I bought, comes with the self contained battery. I’m not going to hardwire the unit into the ship. I believe it draws something like 300watts on the battery and more like 400 plus plugged into an A/C outlet. The battery can run the unit for 2hrs about at max setting or up to 8 on eco but I doubt that ladder number. Once again the goal isn’t the cool the cabin like we do in our cars but to cool me directly. People get highly disappointed when these portable units can’t cool a room or van. But that’s not the intent. Even if that’s how they advertise them and get people to buy them.  It can cool down a tent and that’s about it. And the Mooney cabin isn’t a whole lot bigger than most tents. The one experience I had when I was doing my multi, was quite pleasant. The tecnam is like a solar panel, with its front sloped window and no sun visors. Not to mention the prop wash being out of the way of the side vent in the cabin door. Whenever you had the large 6in hose pointed at you, it felt amazing. It couldn’t cool the whole cabin down though, which isn’t my concern. That was with the first gen unit which isn’t as powerful as the second gen… or so they say. The ice units don’t cool the cabin either but rather just what’s in front of them. And mine did and does great at it just at a limited time and pain of dealing with ice. 

[Ragsf15e]

Maybe be careful where the water goes if there’s some type of collection pan. You don’t want to drench what’s under your back seat…

[Grant_Waite]

4 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Maybe be careful where the water goes if there’s some type of collection pan. You don’t want to drench what’s under your back seat…

It does have a condensation hose, the unit has the option to run it drain free or with the drain hose attached. In drain free mode, the water collects in a pan and will either evaporate from the internal heat of the coils or build up and the unit will shut off. Surprisingly these units don’t make much condensation like a household ac or car ac does. Probably from the less btu and cooling output. Even when I had my ice air conditioner. It didn’t make much condensation to worry about. 

[Ragsf15e]

10 hours ago, Grant_Waite said:

It does have a condensation hose, the unit has the option to run it drain free or with the drain hose attached. In drain free mode, the water collects in a pan and will either evaporate from the internal heat of the coils or build up and the unit will shut off. Surprisingly these units don’t make much condensation like a household ac or car ac does. Probably from the less btu and cooling output. Even when I had my ice air conditioner. It didn’t make much condensation to worry about. 

On my ice unit, the condensation drips back into the ice chest which was pretty secure.  I just wouldn’t want your condensation in a pan made to be stable, sloshing all over the place as you’re flying.  In Florida humidity, you’re going to make water and put it somewhere.

[LANCECASPER]

On 5/5/2024 at 11:00 PM, Grant_Waite said:

It does have a condensation hose, the unit has the option to run it drain free or with the drain hose attached. In drain free mode, the water collects in a pan and will either evaporate from the internal heat of the coils or build up and the unit will shut off. Surprisingly these units don’t make much condensation like a household ac or car ac does. Probably from the less btu and cooling output. Even when I had my ice air conditioner. It didn’t make much condensation to worry about. 

On the Plane AC I ran the drain through a small hole with a grommet to the empennage and down to the belly. There was already a hole there in my Bravo for a battery vent which I no longer needed. I put a zip tie on the hose outside and inside of the hole to keep it exactly where I wanted it.

On the Arctic Air Real A/C I did the same thing and on the Acclaim the hole on the belly even has a small fairing around it. 

You do not want your carpet soaked in the back and then moisture seeping down through that area on to your spar or any other area where corrosion could start. Those areas are not very easy to inspect annually and many times don't get done. Several Mooneys lately have been totaled due to spar cap corrosion.

[Ragsf15e]

1 hour ago, LANCECASPER said:

On the Plane AC I ran the drain through a small hole with a grommet to the empennage and down to the belly. There was already a hole there in my Bravo for a battery vent which I no longer needed. I put a zip tie on the hose outside and inside of the hole to keep it exactly where I wanted it.

On the Arctic Air Real A/C I'll do the same thing and on the Acclaim the hole on the belly even has a small fairing around it. 

You do not want your carpet soaked in the back and then moisture seeping down through that area on to your spar or any other area where corrosion could start. Those areas are not very easy to inspect annually and many times don't get done. Several Mooneys lately have been totaled due to spar cap corrosion.

Exactly.  Just be very careful about the water…

[Grant_Waite]

6 hours ago, LANCECASPER said:

On the Plane AC I ran the drain through a small hole with a grommet to the empennage and down to the belly. There was already a hole there in my Bravo for a battery vent which I no longer needed. I put a zip tie on the hose outside and inside of the hole to keep it exactly where I wanted it.

On the Arctic Air Real A/C I'll do the same thing and on the Acclaim the hole on the belly even has a small fairing around it. 

You do not want your carpet soaked in the back and then moisture seeping down through that area on to your spar or any other area where corrosion could start. Those areas are not very easy to inspect annually and many times don't get done. Several Mooneys lately have been totaled due to spar cap corrosion.

The plane does have a sealed Concorde battery so it no longer needs the one tube for the battery. I could run the hose all the back there and where that tube is now. I built a Frankencooler blowbox, which was detached from the cooler. I just set it on the back seat, on a towel and have my cooler with ice in the baggage compartment. Unfortunately the plane still has all the old rat nesting, looking insulation. I did feel under the carpet of the baggage area and it felt humid or like it had been holding moisture in the insulation. There wasn’t any water or anything visible on my hand. I know early 210’s had issue with the factory insulation holding moisture, causing corrosion of the main wing spar. At least some 210’s can be repaired and still worth it to do so. Albeit a 60k wing spar and labor if you can get one. For the older Mooney fleet, they just aren’t worth much to begin with, so replacing both wings for the spar doesn’t make much sense. Not to mention the disastrous state of parts for the older planes. I love the Mooney but Mooney themselves are letting all owners down. I’d like to replace it all but that’s not something I have the funds or down time for. 

[LANCECASPER]

21 minutes ago, Grant_Waite said:

The plane does have a sealed Concorde battery so it no longer needs the one tube for the battery. I could run the hose all the back there and where that tube is now. I built a Frankencooler blowbox, which was detached from the cooler. I just set it on the back seat, on a towel and have my cooler with ice in the baggage compartment. Unfortunately the plane still has all the old rat nesting, looking insulation. I did feel under the carpet of the baggage area and it felt humid or like it had been holding moisture in the insulation. There wasn’t any water or anything visible on my hand. I know early 210’s had issue with the factory insulation holding moisture, causing corrosion of the main wing spar. At least some 210’s can be repaired and still worth it to do so. Albeit a 60k wing spar and labor if you can get one. For the older Mooney fleet, they just aren’t worth much to begin with, so replacing both wings for the spar doesn’t make much sense. Not to mention the disastrous state of parts for the older planes. I love the Mooney but Mooney themselves are letting all owners down. I’d like to replace it all but that’s not something I have the funds or down time for. 

https://www.mooney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SBM20-208B.pdf

This should have been done back in 1989

[Grant_Waite]

4 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

https://www.mooney.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/SBM20-208B.pdf

This should have been done back in 1989

Mine is a 1977 J with S/N 24-0213. So if I’m understanding that correctly it just needed part B done. Mine still has the original insulation and it looks awful here’s a picture of it 

[LANCECASPER]

It may need some remediation on the steel cage. The airplane looks good though. The previous owner Mr. Meeks stopped in once on here after he did some avionics upgrades

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, Grant_Waite said:

Mine still has the original insulation and it looks awful here’s a picture of it 

On your first picture, is that the floor of your baggage compartment, with the carpet peeled back?

[Grant_Waite]

1 minute ago, Fly Boomer said:

On your first picture, is that the floor of your baggage compartment, with the carpet peeled back?

Yes it is 

[bcg]

I didn't read all the longer posts, here's the short answer. If you use cabin air for the intake, it creates negative pressure in the cabin which then pulls hot air in from outside. That'll never get cool.

The evaporator side circulates conditioned air. The condenser side is always more efficient if it uses outside air.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk

[Grant_Waite]

3 hours ago, bcg said:

I didn't read all the longer posts, here's the short answer. If you use cabin air for the intake, it creates negative pressure in the cabin which then pulls hot air in from outside. That'll never get cool.

The evaporator side circulates conditioned air. The condenser side is always more efficient if it uses outside air.

Sent from my Pixel 6a using Tapatalk
 

Even if the exhaust and intake are right next to one another. Here’s a picture of how it’s set up in a car, van, or house. 

[LANCECASPER]

9 hours ago, Grant_Waite said:

Even if the exhaust and intake are right next to one another. Here’s a picture of how it’s set up in a car, van, or house. 

Like I mentioned a few days ago since you're exhausting into the empennage you don't want to use that also for your air intake. If outside air is 95 degrees and empennage air is 140 degrees (after exhausting the hot air) I'd pick outside (cabin) air any day.

[Grant_Waite]

56 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Like I mentioned a few days ago since you're exhausting into the empennage you don't want to use that also for your air intake. If outside air is 95 degrees and empennage air is 140 degrees I'd pick outside (cabin) air any day.

Ideally I would like to get my hot air vent as close to this inspection plate as I could. I’m not sure if it would help all that much but who knows. I need to test the unit out in both configurations to see how well it works. I’m leaning towards a one hose setup. Any less holes in the bulkhead, the better