Roof AC: Ducted or Not

Converting Cargo Trailers into TTTs

Roof AC: Ducted or Not

Postby Rustic313 » Sat Mar 09, 2019 5:29 pm

I am stirring out of winter lethargy on my trailer conversion and wanted to ask the crowd here a quick question.

I have installed a Roof AC on a 24' trailer. The interior portion can either be ducted or non-ducted. I have not yet done the interior ceiling so I have options -- all I've done thus far is jam 1" of polyiso foam between the rafters. The layout will have a bedroom up front with interior walls separating it from the living space aft (where the AC unit will be).

If non-ducted, its pretty easy: put some furring strips into the ceiling rafters, stuff the empty space with insulation, and put in a non-ducted grille. The concern here is that the front bedroom area may get inadequete cooling from the AC unit. I could mitigate that with a fan or something, or perhaps a small bit of conduit with an in-line fan to bring air forward from the rear area to the bedroom behind a small soffit wall or trim for additional ventilation.

If I go ducted, then I can run ducts to the forward bedroom of the trailer as well as one to the rear bunkbed space, which should improve the camping experience in severe heat quite a bit. The best plan I've developed is a drop ceiling: 3.5" for the rectangular duct register, then 3.5" for 2x4 joists going across the trailer, then another 1" for strapping running fore-and-aft. That is ~8 vertical inches tied up with a drop ceiling. I can put some foam insulation in there but its a lot of space that could be used for cabinets and such up high. Installing the drop ceiling will be a bit of a PITA.

The overall trailer is 88" interior height, so I do have sufficient space for a comfortable living area even with the drop ceiling.

One final factor -- I have a smaller AC unit (powersaver model) that can be run on a 2K generator. So ducting may make the most of a limited AC source, and a few more inches of insulation in the ceiling is never bad.

Based on reading what people in "normal" camper trailers say, ducted is 100% the way to go with a trailer this size. Giving up 9" of interior vertical space that could be used for wall cabinets, shelves, bunk beds, etc seems like a lot though.

Thoughts?
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Re: Roof AC: Ducted or Not

Postby Iconfabul8 » Sun Mar 10, 2019 1:35 am

You might have to draw some pictures or something. I am confused as to why you have to drop the whole ceiling? Can't you run the duct and cover it with something and be done, leaving the sides of the trailer high for cabinets?
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Re: Roof AC: Ducted or Not

Postby Rustic313 » Sun Mar 10, 2019 11:27 am

Iconfabul8 wrote:You might have to draw some pictures or something. I am confused as to why you have to drop the whole ceiling? Can't you run the duct and cover it with something and be done, leaving the sides of the trailer high for cabinets?


True, that is an option. I think the fancy name for what you're describing is a "soffitt ceiling:"
http://www.ifinishedmybasement.com/fram ... -ductwork/

I guess I could do that. The downside is that instead of being able to put up a nice easy sheet of plywood as the ceiling material, now I need to cut a bunch of pieces of plywood to fit the awkward shape of the central soffit. It would buy back some of the vertical space on the sides of the trailer though. Hrm.
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Re: Roof AC: Ducted or Not

Postby flboy » Thu Mar 14, 2019 1:23 pm

Cover the entire ceiling in luan plywood or whatever you choose then lay in the ducting over it and then trim out the ducting however you choose, but based on what you are saying, ducting will give the best results.

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