The price of a/c

[m-35tom]

Hi, The price of adding A/C may have just gotten way cheaper if you are a little crazy and also mechanical minded.
You can purchase the 33070 BTU A/C and heat unit for a MRAP, strip it for parts and fit it all very neatly in the LMTV heater box. I am almost finished and have all the functions of defrost, fresh air, recirculate, heat and A/C. The largest modification is removing the inner right hand panel from the LMTV heater box and making a baffle for the fresh air so it comes back across the bottom of the box to get to the coils in the rear. Very much like the factory A/C unit.
Tom

 

[Reworked LMTV]

Link ?

Hi, The price of adding A/C may have just gotten way cheaper if you are a little crazy and also mechanical minded.
You can purchase the 33070 BTU A/C and heat unit for a HMMWV, strip it for parts and fit it all very neatly in the LMTV heater box. I am almost finished and have all the functions of defrost, fresh air, recirculate, heat and A/C. The largest modification is removing the inner right hand panel from the LMTV heater box and making a baffle for the fresh air so it comes back across the bottom of the box to get to the coils. Very much like the factory A/C unit.
Tom

 

[m-35tom]

Link? No, this is just a commentary of what you can do and how to save. I used a R-9520-3-24 which you can find if you look. Apparently it is for a MRAP. I was offered a 2nd gen A/C unit for $3000. Crazy price. I have compressor brackets for the engine for $350 unpainted with no bolts.

 

[Ronmar]

Tom, Do you have any pics of your install/heater modifications?

 

[Third From Texas]

I've seen those Red Dots offered on the civilian market. They go for more than double what you paid (Global has been out of them for months). That is just the interior cab kit, if I recall.

Another option (what I'm looking to do on my new truck) is to keep the stock heater and add the AC to the back wall using a HMMWV unit. Massive evaporator (designed to cover more than double our cab space and accommodate a bunch of potential soft top flapping and leakage) and it will freeze you gnads off...

You can find those cab units on FleeBay for just over $100
You can get the required compressor for a couple hundred bucks
Condenser and fans add $150
Compressor brackets are another ripoff, IMO. But you can buy a very similar one for about $80 and cut/weld (or have a fab shop do it) and end up with a bracket for around $150
Have the lines made up a grab a dryer will set you back about $300
Some wiring to do, but nothing fancy and a $2 toggle switch

Total AC system for around ~$900

 

[Third From Texas]

Someone needs to post the bracket design in CAD format. Any fab shop could make one up. If I get a chance before my other truck sells, I'll pull the bracket and do just that.

I'll also document the simple process of modding a generic Red Dot bracket found from any parts source.

I'm sorry, but people charging $300-$500 for an $80 bracket is simply a scam, IMO.

Everything else to AC the truck can be found online for cheap...

 

[Third From Texas]

If you really wanted to get fancy you could build the sheet metal cabinet for a Gen3 and slap the existing heater in there as well as the guts from tn HMMWV blower/evap unit. A few plastic vents off FleeBay and BAM !

A DIY Gen3 for around $1000 total for entire system.

Hmmmm

 

[jkcondrey]

I have been researching options for this as well. I have no emotional attachment to the center console I have and thought about using a universal kit to fit the ac. The bracket of course is the main item of concern. I was planning on making a carbboard template of a bracket setup for both side of the engine if possible and having a shop fab it up. A decent complete ac kit with all items except the bracket and Freon is under $500 online.

 

[m-35tom]

I just don't see know that will ever be possible. Remember that cab needs 33000 BTU or more. That eliminates most of the available 'universal' kits. the 4 major components of the A/C are easily over $1000.

 

[jkcondrey]

With the right insulation put in it would work fine. Reflective for the roof and floors, then some good lizard skin or heavy butyl. But for me, I am not looking for arctic temps, but if its 90 outside and 70 inside the cab, it would be much more comfortable. I know some folks have gone the reddot route and had good results, but ill use an ice cooler ac unit and get all the laughs versus spending 3-4k on ac. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Third From Texas]

With the right insulation put in it would work fine. Reflective for the roof and floors, then some good lizard skin or heavy butyl. But for me, I am not looking for arctic temps, but if its 90 outside and 70 inside the cab, it would be much more comfortable. I know some folks have gone the reddot route and had good results, but ill use an ice cooler ac unit and get all the laughs versus spending 3-4k on ac. Just my 2 cents.

And window tint helps quite a bit...

 

[Third From Texas]

I just don't see know that will ever be possible. Remember that cab needs 33000 BTU or more. That eliminates most of the available 'universal' kits. the 4 major components of the A/C are easily over $1000.

Agreed.

The size requirement of the evaporator (one reason the Gen1 AC units fell somewhat short of comfortable for many) is larger than a auto or pickup. But the LMTV requirements are not any larger than most highway semi trucks, so I use that as a basis. The HMMWV evap is big (huge) but it also take into account the four seats, soft flapping top, and leaks in every direction....

Someone put together a build list on this forum awhile back and it was ~$1000. A trip to the junk yard not only finds you vents, blower motor, etc.

I think it's viable to build. I may look into incorporating it all into a custom center console

 

[Third From Texas]

Just a few random grabs from FleeBay:

*just add compressor bracket and have a fab shop modify it

A/C KIT RD BackWall EVAPORATOR R-2400-0 25.000 BTU 12V
$836.00

A/C KIT UNIVERSAL REDDOT EVAPORATOR R-2400 25.000 BTU 24V HUMVEES NO COMPRESSOR
$899.78

A/C KIT UNIVERSAL UNDER DASH EVAPORATOR 226L 24.000 BTU H/C SPECIAL LONG HOSES
$704.00

*free shipping, too

 

[Third From Texas]

I guess that there is no way of telling what the BTU's were for the Gen1 and Gen2 kits.

I see a lot of people stating that 33000 btu are ideal for an LMTV, but what about a well insulated LMTV with tinted windows, etc. That number just seems excessive when the HMMWV ac units were developed to cover a 4-door vic with a rear compartment, flapping canvass, no insulation, and leaks everywhere (using 24000 btu).

Thoughts?

 

[coachgeo]

I guess that there is no way of telling what the BTU's were for the Gen1 and Gen2 kits.

I see a lot of people stating that 33000 btu are ideal for an LMTV, but what about a well insulated LMTV with tinted windows, etc. That number just seems excessive when the HMMWV ac units were developed to cover a 4-door vic with a rear compartment, flapping canvass, no insulation, and leaks everywhere (using 24000 btu).

Thoughts?

GLASS.... and moving air. Glass makes the FMTV cab act like a greenhouse.... and there is way less moving air for heat to flow out on the FMTV's. Heat flows out.. cool comes in when sitting, ifff there is place for air to exchange; thus in the Metal Glass Green House FMTV one needs bigger AC... especially when trip first starts and it is fighting the heat that was built up before trip starts.. Also with air moving ..... is helps move perspiration off of person better (evaporation increase) thus this helps cool occupants too.. reducing a bit of overal AC BTU's needed. Then there is the engine is closer to occupants in FMTV. Granted tranny next to folk in HMMWV produces heat.... but not as much as engine maybe.

Some HMMWV's ended up getting a chiller made by Med Eng that pumped cooling liquid thru a vest the HMMWV occupant wore.

 

[BLK Beast]

Try http://coldmasterinc.com/ Made is USA. Largo, Florida...Full kit for $575.00. Awesome unit...

 

[Third From Texas]

Try http://coldmasterinc.com/ Made is USA. Largo, Florida...Full kit for $575.00. Awesome unit...

Might be a tad small for the LMVT cab, but not sure. I'm thinking more along the lines of 33000 BTU cooling, but that number was tossed out by someone a couple years ago. I've no idea what the Red Dot Gen2 units produced for these cabs had in the way of BTUs (the Gen1's were somewhat under-performing for the task).

But yes, Coldmaster provides some nice solutions. Especially if you are willing to go with a back wall unit. Their "HMMWV" kit will chill the cab out great (I think that it's like 24000 BTU cooling).

 

[coachgeo]

Might be a tad small for the LMVT cab,....

agree but one could go about it smartly this would work good for cool air under a poncho. and drawing the hot our out from under poncho.... essentially instead of cooling whole cab.... your only cooling the air space around the driver. Would need larger to cool two poncho.. or better yet... two or three small ones.... that way you only turn on what you need (pilot AC, co-pilot AC, passenger AC) could save you gal of fuel per hundred miles maybe ... but also less wear on engine.

those ColdMaster prices are the best have seen. might have to completely redo my cooling plans...

 

[19Detail]

$3000 is insane. I know the Hoodliner I put on the hump made a huge difference. The hump went from warm to the touch to just as cool as any other part of the cab. That has to affect the 33,000 BTU number. Also, even if it only cools it to 80 when it is 110 out, that is a big difference. It is the difference between sweltering and just a little warm.

 

[m-35tom]

2nd gen unit is advertised as 33,100 BTU