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Subject:A better Idea for A/C and camping, really. :)
Date:Fri, 19 Jun 1998 22:37:24 EDT

In a message dated 98-06-19 21:05:27 EDT, cstand@U.WASHINGTON.EDU writes:

<< How about taking the working parts of a fridge, rigging it to mount in on
 of the sliding windows(above the stove, close to the propane) so that the
 cold part is inside and the warm part is outside?  Rig a fan to blow over
 the cooling fins, and you've got a good AC unit that runs on propane and
 doesn't drain your battery (except for the blower, which could run off a
 solar panel).  I think this would work great.  Maybe I'll even start
 scouring the junkyards in search of an old fridge. >>

Better still, before settling into your campsite on summer evenings, you could
simply purchase a 4" thick, 4' x 8' block of ice and mount it on the
Westfalia's pop top. You could do this by bolting a dozen 3" long heavy-duty
metal spikes through the fiberglass, to give the ice traction. Then, by having
a small crane with grappling hooks fitted to the rear bumper, you and two or
three other people could lift the ice block into position. Further, you would
have to replace the simple top-raising mechanism with hydraulic stuts powered
by an auxilary pump (or if you have power steering, perhaps you could tap into
that pump's feed?) to lift the extra 300 lbs.

keepin' cool,

gmbulley
cary, nc