Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

i've cut the hole in the floor directly over the axle right beside the driverside wheel for my a/c venting, then i realized that roadspray would get up in it. anybody have experience with this? i'm thinking i may need to make a temporary cover that i can attach from below when towing in the rain, or a mudflap in front of the opening? ideas?

Some type of louvered grill with the louvers pointing backwards maybe? Serves twofold in keeping the critters out also.

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That's exactly why I cringe when people mention putting the electric hook up through the floor., the spare tire under the trailer, etc... I've seen the bottom of my rigs and I don't want anything under the trailer.

Your best solution to keep everything out would be to install a marine screw style or locking deck plate. Open it up when needed, close it when not needed.

I am personally very concerned with putting any hole, even a small one in my floor. As you already have done it I would suggest some type of hatch like a small cargo hatch that can open when you need it but sealed at all other times. I would also suggest a grid of sorts to keep critters out when it was open.

For my build I thought long and hard about AC and finally landed on an external unit and ports to simplify the build, make future upgrades a snap and prevent the potential issue with any hole. If I was building a larger camper that decision might change.

What are the dimensions of your opening and what kind of enclosure did you have in mind?

Edit: I went to your build page and now see the dimensions and the framing for the enclosure.

I am presuming you cut a square opening about 12" square or so.

I am now wondering if you could rig an access panel so you could install and uninstall a removable, water proof cover over the floor opening when you want to use the unit. I am thinking about a panel that would have a seal around it with window latch mechanisms to batten down the hatch snug against the floor. Just trying to brainstorm with you to generate ideas.

Depending on the amount of space behind the hole under the floor... could you make a laminated scoop out of rigid foam to route the exhaust down and to the rear? Is the make-up air going through the same area?

For example, if you have a 4" vent, cut a U-shape 4" wide out of 1" foam. Then laminate a solid 1" piece on top of that. PMF the heck out of the exterior surface and mount under the floor pointing backwards. Use your imagination to screen the opening with hardware cloth and maybe window screen.

Tim

don't know why a mud flap wouldn't work just fine.

thanks for the replies:)
the opening i cut in the floor is about 14"x16", i covered the opening from below with fibre glass bug screen. i've boxed in the hot exhaust discharge separate from the cold air intake to keep it operating as efficiently as possible. with the axle being directly below the floor cut-out, hingeing the piece i cut out as a trap door would interfere with the axle, i'm thinking i may need to make a 'slide gate' type cover from below, it doesn't have to be water proof, just enough to keep it from getting flooded out

I was thinking about something accessible from the interior to avoid the inconvenience of having to get under the trailer for access. I think your slider idea installed underneath the trailer would be the easiest to fabricate.
Keep us posted as I have thinking on and off about the same problem you are dealing with.

you can see the hot air discharge diverter and the homemade sardine can funnel for draining the water


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Unless you're going off-roading the underside of your trailer probably won't see that much dirt or mud. Just before I gave my teardrop to a friend, I did a lift on the suspension (spacers to the torsion axle bracket.) After almost ten years of use - none off-road - there was just a light dusting of dirt on the underside of the floor.

Several friends have vented their window a/c units successfully through the floor. Here's a link to how Mark constructed his floor-vented window unit on his Little Swiss Teardrop. Be sure to scroll down to see the pictures:

https://www.littleswissteardrop.com/air-1

Aggie,

That is a very helpful link.

I always appreciate your posts.

In the midwest where I live, in the wintertime, we get a large volume of terrible salt, nasty ice melting chemicals and some kind of black road grime that accumulates under our vehicles. It is always a problem for me when I migrate south to escape winter conditions here up north. That is why I am concerned about protecting the opening under my trailer. But, you have a great point if these conditions are not expected.

Maybe a board you can slide in from the topside to use during travel and then when parked slide it out and crank up the A.C..
Or have it hinged and can flip it up when needed.


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featherliteCT1 wrote:In the midwest where I live, in the wintertime, we get a large volume of terrible salt, nasty ice melting chemicals and some kind of black road grime that accumulates under our vehicles. It is always a problem for me when I migrate south to escape winter conditions here up north. That is why I am concerned about protecting the opening under my trailer. But, you have a great point if these conditions are not expected.

That's good reminder. I forget that people live in places where it rains and snows, and temperatures get below 40 degrees!

It looks like the window unit is mounted midship facing forward to the v-nose. I would consider building down from the floor and having a sliding panel or panels that fit into channels and that can be pulled open or pulled out from the side of the cargo trailer. With an external panel, you won't be dragging any road dirt or grime inside of the CT conversion.