• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Beating price of AC upgrade with Personal AC/heating system

coachgeo

Well-known member
5,150
3,466
113
Location
North of Cincy OH
Beating price of AC upgrade with Personal AC system/Heater

Spent last two days doing searches about personal cooling setups and took the plunge (in ice water so to speak). As ya'll know the cost to purchase and install NOS AC systems in an FMTV is in the thousands...... and it just also does not make a ton of sense to AC a whole big space..... instead of just..... the person IMHO.

Well today ran across some sweet finds and took the polar plunge. Purchased 2 liquid cooled/heated military vest for around 70 bucks total.CrewSurv-MCS-LCG.png These will be for inside the Ambo Box or running around outside at Burning Woman orr?? Not sure how to use inside Ambo Box since they will have to be tethered to the chiller; or if I will use them at all. Maybe both them and normal AC.. use vest for low electric draw and normal AC when on shore power??
Also Purchased a full body liquid cooling/heating suit.PPE-EOD-BCS4.png Struck deal with seller and get a second one for the future Blond Gorgeous Singing Actress/Acrobat Co-Pilot that will go on adventures with me. (yeah yeah. wishful thinking) Normal price of the suit is in the thousands as part of a Bomb Disposal suit. PPE-EOD-EOD9.pngFor me though... putting over it a cheap mechanics jump suit will be fine. Guess I'd look like a Military Pilot or an escaped Con .... oh well. Stole it for little over hundred$$. Chiller not included but their's was was just a bottle of ice water and a pump with a leg bag. Short duration intentions though military units that plug to trucks AC system is available for thousands. For chilling the water...... Looking at Peltier/Thermoelectric chillers or a used Freon/Compressor type chillers for aquariums as the chill unit. Price range... 60 to 1,000 bucks. Overall power consumption for each one could be as low an incandescent light bulb. Matters how I do the chillers. Either way though this setup will have WAYYY less power draw, way less engine drag when driving (saves fuel$$$) and way less battery draw when camping ...... Yea Ha... full solar powered AC...... sweeet. Ok a bit odd looking but SWEET. Overall cost... shooting for say $400 oh... would think can use them for heat with an inline 12v heater though just plumbing it into engine heat would be more logical for in cab. Oh and for AC can use on my Motorcycle, and/or in my car (that has no AC).
 
Last edited:

coachgeo

Well-known member
5,150
3,466
113
Location
North of Cincy OH
have since gotten a coolant heater as well as a coolant chiller... upgraded plumbing fittings to attach them
got adapters to convert from 110 v to the chiller or heater.
Also got heated gloves and socks, and adapters from 12v to the 7.3??

Looks like will by trying out the heated version soon. Suppose to snow next week

PS- Stupid Health issue. ... this suit is not just for comfort- below 50f parts of my body stop functioning..
 

coachgeo

Well-known member
5,150
3,466
113
Location
North of Cincy OH
Medic! Someone get this fella a Tylenol. He's having a fever dream over here! 👀
Fever Dream of blond Acrobat.; tylenol no help.... unfortunately no help for Raynaud's syndrome either.. completely loose use of my hands then feet etc.. That is Main reason for suit.. Cost savings for "Direct Personal" temperature control over " surrounding space" temperature control.. is just a side benefit
 
Last edited:

GeneralDisorder

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,076
5,305
113
Location
Portland, OR
I'm planning on working with a fellow enthusiast on an AC retro-fit for the stock heater box that will be much more economical than the (currently unobtainable) "gen 2" Red Dot units...... Basically we just need to build an extension box that fits over the recirc intake and contains an evaporator core, and expansion valve...... the rest of the AC system isn't that difficult really.

If you're main concern is the A0 heater you should do the coolant re-route so it doesn't send all the coolant through the transmission before heating the cab. The A1+ trucks heat up fast and have REALLY powerful heat. The exhaust brake switch for "warmup" mode also helps a LOT. Install a remote start 🤷‍♂️

I'm sure that MOPP gear is SUPER cheap in the surplus channels if you are looking for a personal sweat lodge :LOL:
 

Ronmar

Well-known member
3,881
7,547
113
Location
Port angeles wa
Yea I was going to build a center console that incorporated the A/C evap over that recirc port.

The engine warms up nicely with that coolant recirc removed and the pump returned to its original back to block recirc configuration. This pretty-much requires a water pump replacement though as they cut off the hose nipple on the water pump too short to clamp a hose to…
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks