OK spending a week in a westie in several different climates got me to
thinking about some practical climate control.  I know about the propex
heaters so I think that the heating problem is solved but what about the
cooling (we mostly camp out in summer anyways right?)  So here is my idea.
Use the van's exsisting A/C setup to cool the camper while it is sitting on
the campsite.  Here is how it would work, mount a 5 hp electric motor to the
left of the A/C compressor in the engine compartment and install a small drive
belt between the motor and the compressor using the other pulley that is
already there (you were wondering why it had two pulleys weren't you?)
Mount an easily adjustable idler pulley between the crank pulley and the A/C
unit and put a longer belt here.  Now when you stop for the night you could
just adjust the idler pulley down until the belt was slack enough to push out
of the way, then turn on the electric motor and the compressor would be
turning.  Now all you have to work out is a 110v to 12v convertor to run the
van's electrical system (so you can run the clutch on the compressor, the
condensor fan, the A/C blower motors, etc.) and you are done.  I know this
seems like a bit of trouble but it wouldn't be expensive and once you did it
you wouldn't have to fry in the summer at night or haul around a heavy window
A/C unit, installing it and taking it down every night.
This is just an idea.  Let me know what you folks think.
Ken Wilford
John 3:16