Bob,

I have the Toyotomi 4000 BTU A/C.  We use it to cool a single room in
an, now, empty nest home in the Southern California Desert. Power rates
here are among the highest in the nation., and it is wasteful to cool a
complete house at night when only one room is in use.

I purchased the Toyotomi from Damark as a
"factory-damaged/rebuilt/scratched" item for about $600.  The "damage"
was a small, almost unnoticeable-except-to-the-trained-observer.
Retail, the price for the 4000 BTU model is somewhat higher, and there
is a 7200 BTU for about $1000.

How/where do you vent the A/C in the Westy?
How do you mount it/secure it, since it is on wheels?
Do you have any insights on use/moorings/location to share with us on
the List?

I've looked at a number of Park Service/Forest Service-approved
generators in the $400 to $800 range to give us absolute
self-sufficiency in the event we opt to use the Toyotomi in an isolated
camping situation. In the meantime, before I decide on a generator, I'd
either buy, beg or mooch power along the way.

Regards,

Tom Hanlon
Palm Springs, CA
84 Westfalia

Bob Bellanca wrote:

> Or...You could get a free standing, 4000btu, Toyotomi AC unit, Lots
> less
> hassel. Hardly takes up any room. Just a thought. Works for me...
> Bob Bellanca
>
> KENWILFY@AOL.COM wrote:
> >
> > 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