HELP! Kids are cooking - need better aircon

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by 5teve

on the tinting... our new defender is tinted... very very tinted... i think the previous owner was going for the pimp ride look...

i find although it does reduce heat a bit its that dark that it actually radiates due to the windows being black.. the other thing i struggle with is the internal reflections in it at night... its hard to see through and you get reflection coming over from the passenger side through the front window... im getting used to it.

sorry i cant offer any more help as its normally windows down for us!

Thanks

Steve

---

The impact on vision is what worried me about tinting.

On the other hand, I'm lead to believe you can get UV tinting that cuts out most of the harm from the sun - handy to stop the little ones getting burnt if I can then remove the window sox that flap around and annoy me.

Just called a tinting company and got quoted $395 for 99.9% UV tint with a heat reduction of 61% (obviously there rating system, not what the vehicle will cool down by).

For $495 I can get a heat reduction tint of 81%.

Both with a lifetime warranty.

Any idea if this is on the money?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by TwoUp

I have a roof mounted (Red Dot) that works well and cools much better than standard, even if the evaporator and fan are standard. It just keeps pumping out cold air and haven just carried an elderly gent to Cairns and back on the weekend can atest that the rear was cool, comfortable.

Secondly I have an ARB roof rack and bolted to it is construction ply (been there for about 5 years), this also helps to keep the car cool.

Finally I have 80% green shade cloth as curtains in the rear afixed by velcro dots. This adds to the cooling and is easy to clean, just take it out and hose then replace to dry. Easy.

Will post some pics.

Regards,
PeterW

---

How much for the unit and installation?

Its the infrared part of the light spectrum that causes the heat not he UV


Cheers

The red dot may not be for everyone but for me it is required as I am out of room up front of the motor.

The construction ply seems to have more glue in it than wood. It is durable and has been on the car from about 2004.

The shade cloth is and easy install and is easy to keep.

Hi TwoUp,
neat unit.
I'm curious as to how it is powered, does it draw all its power from 12V or is the compressor a belt drive from the vehicle motor?
cheers

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Ranga

Thanks Dave - but I can't quite visualise what you mean. Any chance of photos?

---

no, its been pulled out for sale....

to start with pull out the vent just to the left of the gearbox (assuming you have the standard underslung aircon unit)

this lets the cold air more or less flow straight up over the center cubby into the back more importantly it lets more air flow unimpeeded which helps prevent the evaporator from icing up.

To promote airflow through the vehicle I grabbed some 75mm diameter flexiduct like they used for venting stove top extractors and ran this from the passangers foot well up along the cubby under the back seat into the cargo area and fitted a 75mm computer fan to blow air into the duct into the foot well this helped draw the cold air backwards and pushed even more warm air into the evaporator.

I did do up a couple of posts on the setup I was messing with im not sure if they're still around.

EDIT

http://www.aulro.com/afvb/technical-...10-aircon.html

the thread that handles the prototype done with 25mm tubing and a 50mm fan.

the bigger version instead of running through the roof to return the cold air ran more or less along the left sponson in the rear, under the left side seat and then had the piping squished a bit to make it fit between the cubby and the seat, this section was later changed for some rectangular section downpipe.

austastar,
It is powered 12v you may not see the cable running up with the two alloy pipes. The job is not yet complete. There is a bit more jigging to be done, like lower the pipes to the roof and complete the run to the rear of the condenser. It works well, I find I am turning the aircon down as I drive.

Regards,
PeterW