I am looking for a portable 12 volt air conditioning system for my Champion Escort Sidecar. We have a 3yr old who rides in the side car and the weather here in South Texas can get rather warm. I have seen a few designed for golf carts but the sizes are not a good fit. I also bought a unit from Kooleraire, but that requires a rather large cooler; again a fit problem. Any suggestions would be greatly welcome. Thanks very much.
I think Champion sells an ice and blower system for the escort. I have the escort, living in South Florida, so I understand heat. But I don't ride in it. Hannigan also has an ice unit I think.
Jim,
Thanks for the reply...I have, in the past, looked at Champion web site and the only items under accessories pertained to the apprearance of your
side car....I did not see anything regarding air conditioning unless I was looking in the wrong spot..but will check again and will also look at Hannigan.
Haystack....
Don't forget that this is a chilled air system utilizing a block or bag of ice with a small fan blowing over it with a small hose bringing the chilled air into the chair. If you are old enough, it is the same thing you had in your kitchen when you were a kid; an Ice Box!
I have the same problem in Houston, TExas. Did you ever find anything?
Michael
I ended up building one fashioned after one listed on www.instructables.com. It is an ice chest with 2 computer fans installed on the top of the lid and a heater core in the underside of the lid. A 500gph bilge pump (Wal Mart) in the bottom with a hose to the inlet of the heater core. The outlet drains back into the ice chest and circulates again. The only problem is that the water from the outlet tends to melt the ice rather quickly. I've thought about adding salt to lower the freezing temperature so that the ice might remain frozen longer, but not yet. Also, I want to use frozen cold packs and see if that will last longer. Open to suggestions. Initially (just finished putting it together) the Ice (10 lbs, could put in another 10lbs) only lasted about 30 min. It did cool down about 7 degrees. We have family in Houston and get up there quite often. Send me your e-mail and I will let you know when we are headed that way.
Glenn
gschuck@suddenlink.net
Deleted the dumb suggestion. I know about the CD.. sorry for the crappy advice.
we use an ice water system in our sidecars,it works well.the unit mounts under the dash,with hoses running back to the trunk cooler and pump to circulate through the coils.mounting would be a little different in the Escort because of the way the hatch opens,but the brackets with the unit could be made to work.call the shop(Hannigans) at (270) 753-4256 for price and information
DO NOT USE DRY ICE! I have a Carbon Dioxide Company in Houston, Texas. Carbon Dioxide displaces (Sucks out) oxygen. What you would be doing is pumping CO2 into the side car and the rider could pass out or even die. I know from first hand experience. We had a vessel (tank) leak at our company 10 years ago and it killed my mother in the office from the fumes or lack of oxygen. She came in one morning at 6:00 am and was overwhelmed by the fumes and never regained consciousness.
Some people do you a tiny bit of dry ice under the regular wet ice to keep it frozen, but again you are pumping the o2/co2 into the side car, be careful.
I agree in this instance, Dry Ice is not an option. We are coming to Houstopn on the 4th, this Friday. Let me know how I can get in touch with you.
Glenn
Do they make anything like this for small airplane cockpits?
I have considered using a small 12v marine refrigerator unit that's been laying around my shop for years. It came out of an old cruiser that I updated years ago, but takes old fashioned freon
Maybe check Marine sites for replacement fridge units.
