rchase Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 I just bought my first enclosed trailer last year and had been doing the hotel thing until the last track day of last season. I had signed up and all the hotels were booked so I prepared for a bit of camping in the back of my trailer. The weather was cool so it was not too bad. I realized however how much easier it is to wake up at the track rather than to deal with driving, setting up and tech inspection all in the mornings. I'm not a morning person. I'm planning on doing a lot more camping in the trailer but I am in need of some advice on A/C units. I see a lot of trailers with roof top A/C units and considered going that route myself and then I thought a bit about using a spot cooler outside the trailer with a tube going to a floor vent. I'm still a bit on the fence on the best way to go. With the spot cooler outside the trailer noise will probably be a lot less and if I decide I don't need A/C that's a lot less weight to haul around. Has anybody done this? I have a Yamaha 2200 watt generator that I will be using to power the A/C system and paddock noise is a concern as well. I don't want to be the noisy neighbor with a loud A/C unit and a quiet generator. I would rather not "have" to depend on track side power if I don't have to. If you have a roof top unit what unit did you go with and how did you handle the wiring situation getting power up there? If I could find a light weight roof model I might consider that as well and figure out the wiring just for the ease of plugging it in and going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 25, 2014 Report Share Posted March 25, 2014 Food for thought - if you are going to do this very often, pretty soon you will also want a small refrigerator, and a microwave, and a more comfortable sleeping arrangement, etc. etc. - so before you put too much effort into trying to add A/C to your enclosed trailer, take a quick look around at toy haulers. Since the "economic downturn" you can sometimes find GREAT deals on used ones, and a toyhauler would have all the conveniences, including a bathroom and shower. We went through the whole progression of hitch-rack hauler to enclosed trailer, to adding a lot of things to the enclosed trailer, and eventually got a 23 foot toy hauler and I gotta tell ya, it is TOTALLY GREAT, immensely better than the enclosed trailer; it has heat, A/C, inside and outside lights, generator, built-in fuel and water tanks, etc. and I know I would have ultimately spent more trying to fix up that enclosed trailer than I spent buying the hauler. Just something to consider. Oh, and here is a tip from the RV service guy - if you buy a toyhauler or RV, get one made before 2008, apparently the ones after that were built more cheaply and the quality is not as good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 That is something to think about. When I decided on the Enclosed trailer I considered a Toy Hauler but was having trouble finding one I liked. Used of course makes it easy to put up with a weird configuration with a substantial cost savings. Might be worth a look as I only looked at new ones. I have seen what you are talking about with the post 2008 model RV's. They just don't seem well put together. I figured that was just consumer grade RV's in general and stopped looking at them. I looked at diesel powered tour buses for a while but have not had much luck finding one configured decently. They seem to run the gamut of being either decked out in marble and gold chandler's or being empty inside or being a homage to the 1970's. I have seen a lot of them with side mounted cargo doors and lift ramps that would be perfect for loading bikes into. Perhaps one day. I already have the Enclosed trailer configured to make it a decent spartan night's sleep. I painted the walls and floors and installed LED lighting inside. It's not that bad with an air mattress for a good nights sleep if it's not too hot out. I'm also planning on putting an RV chemical toilet in to make it a bit more "luxurious". While a toilet does not sound like luxury to most drinking too many energy drinks and then hearing second call for your group called on the loudspeaker for the first time and being parked far away from the restrooms always seems to happen to me. A/C would make it work for a while but you are quite right. Eventually I'll probably want to upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 BTW. Do they have any "light weight" toy haulers? My tow vehicle is an elderly Range Rover with a 4.6L V8 that I unfortunately have become quite attached to. It absolutely amazes me how much premium full the Rangie will gulp down while towing. While the cost is not an issue I hate having to stop for fuel so frequently. With no trailer I can make it to Barber and back on a single tank but with the trailer I'm running on empty when I arrive. A photo of my Range Rover and trailer in their natural habitat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 You might be able to find something the RangeRover would tow. There are lots of options out there. I did a quick search and found these: http://www.livinlite.com/vrv-floorplans.php that page shows weights and floor plans. I don't know anything about that brand of haulers but they are definitely lightweight. Don't let me talk you out of tricking out your regular enclosed trailer, if you really like it. It is a fact that many toyhaulers are rather cheaply made, to keep cost and weight down, but I must say they fit a remarkable amount of conveniences in a small and relatively inexpensive package, we have been VERY happy with ours. I agree with you 100% about the convenience of staying at the track - it buys us at least one whole extra hour of sleep in the morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 You might be able to find something the RangeRover would tow. There are lots of options out there. I did a quick search and found these: http://www.livinlite.com/vrv-floorplans.php that page shows weights and floor plans. I don't know anything about that brand of haulers but they are definitely lightweight. Don't let me talk you out of tricking out your regular enclosed trailer, if you really like it. It is a fact that many toyhaulers are rather cheaply made, to keep cost and weight down, but I must say they fit a remarkable amount of conveniences in a small and relatively inexpensive package, we have been VERY happy with ours. I agree with you 100% about the convenience of staying at the track - it buys us at least one whole extra hour of sleep in the morning. I did some looking tonight and they actually have some pretty inexpensive used ones out there. Having a private shower in one would be super nice after a hot day of riding for sure especially in the sticky humid southern heat. Thanks for the link. Those floor plans are better than some I have seen. For the short term I think "pimp my trailer" is probably the best option at the moment. If I get bored with the southeastern tracks and start traveling long distances that would be the perfect excuse to buy a tour bus and rip out the interior. I hope that's a long way away. Is your rooftop unit relatively quiet? Do you run generators or do you get track power? I may pop into a local RV supply and see what the options are for roof top units. The more I think about it that might be the way to go. The extra 100lbs or so is pretty negligible with a vehicle that has a 7500 pound towing capacity. I think a lot of my fuel economy issues are due to the fact that I got the "tall" model so I could stand up inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepsi Drinker Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I have owned a few RV's with rooftop a/c and they were quiet outside the rv but the fan inside is quite noisy, but one can sleep through it easily and even carry on a conversation. I would be looking for the lowest profile unti you can get if you already have dropped fuel economy in half. I have seen, but unfortunately don't have any pictures of enclosed trailers that they pop a window unit into them. So no extra aero drag, plus the benefit of a window, but you do need to carry the unit around with you in the trailer, but your stand alone seems to be the same issue of having to haul a unit inside the trailer. Those small window units are far quieter too, and for that small of a space would be more than adequate with the doors closed even in the hottest of days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 Thanks for the info. I never even considered the extra wind drag from making my trailer even taller with a roof top unit. I was focused in on reducing weight until I realized my trailer weight is a drop in the bucket to the towing capacity I have available. Decisions decisions. I'll let you guys know what I end up choosing. I'm tempted to go with the external spot cooler using the vent through the floor just because nobody else seems to go that route. This is the type of spot cooler I'm thinking of. I have used these from time over the years to deal with overheating servers in big data centers. For their size they put out an amazing amount of ice cold air. The appeal of course is having the entire unit outside isolating me from noise and waste heat. It also takes up no space inside the trailer other than the vent. http://www.amazon.com/Tripp-Lite-SRCOOL12K-Portable-Conditioner/dp/B002XITVCK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395810694&sr=8-2&keywords=spot+cooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradvanhorn Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I bought my 7x16 trailer from a retiring racer. He had installed a 15k btu Coleman roof top A/C unit and I belatedly discovered that it's almost useless without 30 AMP power. In my limited experience, most of the accessible paddock power has been lower AMP, presumably 20 (or maybe 15), unless you pay extra for an RV spot with 30-50 AMP outlets. So, I can't consistently run the A/C on paddock power without frequently blowing fuses. I can run the A/C with my (very noisy) 5kw generator but actually not much else. So, while the A/C is theoretically nice to have, I can't really use it as much as I'd like, and honestly 15k btu is massive overkill for a 7x16. With the A/C on low setting I had to sleep in a heavy sleeping bag even in the middle of the summer heat. If I ever get the motivation then I'll probably replace the larger A/C with a smaller unit. Depending on brand, actual ratings, etc., it generally appears 13.5k units hover around 15 AMP and 9k-12k units are around 10 AMP. Since something like a quiet Honda 2k generator is supposed to run at ~13 AMP (~16 AMP max), the smaller 9k-12k btu A/C is probably the more prudent option. I've heard of people using the external A/C unit you're talking about but never actually witnessed it. I've used them in offices when we've had HVAC failures and needed A/C for computers/servers. I suspect it'd work fine for the cooling aspect. Haven't looked at how much power they require and no idea how they work when the elements become hostile and whether you've have to shelter it from rain, etc. Regarding fuel economy and towing, most any vehicle will get crushed when pulling an enclosed trailer. The wind resistance from an enclosed trailer, even with a v-nose, is a killer. My Tundra gets ~20mpg highway without the trailer; with the 7x16 in tow (and almost regardless the weight) I get 9-10mpg. From what I've heard, only a few vehicles (more notably some early to mid 2000's diesels) can defy this loss in fuel economy. Just my amateur opinions... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 We have one of those portable A/C units; it works but it is more of a spot cooler - if you stand in front of it, it feels good but it really doesn't cool off our garage and I don't know that it could adequately cool a trailer. It is a 9,000 BTU, I think. It is very quiet. Having to run the vent hose is a bit of a hassle, and we only tried taking it to the track once - it turned out to be too hard to transport, it is heavy and hard to tie down for hauling. Also with some models there is condensate water to deal with - ours evaporates it without having to empty the pan, but we are in a very dry climate. Keep in mind, to get it to cool the trailer you'd have it keep the trailer totally closed up and any windows shaded - which can certainly mess up the social aspect of a trackday. We gave up on the portable and ended up just carrying a good portable fan for use outside the trailer. Our toyhauler has a roof mounted A/C unit, it works well and is not loud from the outside, although is rather noisy inside. On a hot day (100+ degrees) if we start it early, keep the trailer closed and run it all day, it keeps it below 80 inside. But Brad makes a REALLY good point, which is that it draws a ton of power. A portable 2kw generator is not enough to run it, we have to use the toyhauler's built in generator, and if we try to use the A/C plus two sets of tire warmers it overloads even the toyhauler generator, which is at least a 4kw. From the outside, the generator is louder than the A/C unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 I bought my 7x16 trailer from a retiring racer. He had installed a 15k btu Coleman roof top A/C unit and I belatedly discovered that it's almost useless without 30 AMP power. In my limited experience, most of the accessible paddock power has been lower AMP, presumably 20 (or maybe 15), unless you pay extra for an RV spot with 30-50 AMP outlets. So, I can't consistently run the A/C on paddock power without frequently blowing fuses. I can run the A/C with my (very noisy) 5kw generator but actually not much else. So, while the A/C is theoretically nice to have, I can't really use it as much as I'd like, and honestly 15k btu is massive overkill for a 7x16. With the A/C on low setting I had to sleep in a heavy sleeping bag even in the middle of the summer heat. If I ever get the motivation then I'll probably replace the larger A/C with a smaller unit. Depending on brand, actual ratings, etc., it generally appears 13.5k units hover around 15 AMP and 9k-12k units are around 10 AMP. Since something like a quiet Honda 2k generator is supposed to run at ~13 AMP (~16 AMP max), the smaller 9k-12k btu A/C is probably the more prudent option. I've heard of people using the external A/C unit you're talking about but never actually witnessed it. I've used them in offices when we've had HVAC failures and needed A/C for computers/servers. I suspect it'd work fine for the cooling aspect. Haven't looked at how much power they require and no idea how they work when the elements become hostile and whether you've have to shelter it from rain, etc. Regarding fuel economy and towing, most any vehicle will get crushed when pulling an enclosed trailer. The wind resistance from an enclosed trailer, even with a v-nose, is a killer. My Tundra gets ~20mpg highway without the trailer; with the 7x16 in tow (and almost regardless the weight) I get 9-10mpg. From what I've heard, only a few vehicles (more notably some early to mid 2000's diesels) can defy this loss in fuel economy. Just my amateur opinions... Hey. Thanks for the info. This is exactly what I am looking for. I'm looking at smaller units and will likely only use it at night just so I can get a good night's sleep. My plan was to keep the generator and the A/C unit under my canopy in the event I got a rain shower at night. The units I am looking at will run fine on my Yamaha 2400 watt generator. I was planning on doing the 1000 watt model because it was more portable but ended up buying the bigger model last minute to prepare for an ice storm where we lost all our power. It ran my fridge and a space heater without any problems at all. Thanks as well for the info on the fuel economy. Seeing the numbers I do on the dash indicator and feeling the "resistance" I get at highway speeds I thought it was a weight thing at first. The Rover V8's are quite powerful and have tons of torque but it's a finicky engine as you can tell by my extra coolant bottles and oil in the photo. Mine does not leak or consume oil but it's simply not a great idea to go anywhere without being prepared. I went with as "light as possible" of a trailer to just reduce the strain on the engine. I don't feel so bad now knowing the Tundra's suffer the same problem with the wind resistance. If anybody is looking for a generator I can't say enough good things about the Yamaha EF2400iS Inverter. It's a bit on the heavy side but manageable by one person. The lady that sold it to me was quite small and had no problems lifting it off the shelf by herself to get the serial number. The 2400 is actually slightly quieter than the 1000 watt version and it also has the smart throttle to save on fuel and throttle down to reduce noise when you are not putting it under heavy loads. It ran all night on a single tank of fuel and we could barely hear it running just outside our door. It always starts on one single pull and so far you can turn the choke off right away after getting it started. It even has a fuel gauge which works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 We have one of those portable A/C units; it works but it is more of a spot cooler - if you stand in front of it, it feels good but it really doesn't cool off our garage and I don't know that it could adequately cool a trailer. It is a 9,000 BTU, I think. It is very quiet. Having to run the vent hose is a bit of a hassle, and we only tried taking it to the track once - it turned out to be too hard to transport, it is heavy and hard to tie down for hauling. Also with some models there is condensate water to deal with - ours evaporates it without having to empty the pan, but we are in a very dry climate. Keep in mind, to get it to cool the trailer you'd have it keep the trailer totally closed up and any windows shaded - which can certainly mess up the social aspect of a trackday. We gave up on the portable and ended up just carrying a good portable fan for use outside the trailer. Our toyhauler has a roof mounted A/C unit, it works well and is not loud from the outside, although is rather noisy inside. On a hot day (100+ degrees) if we start it early, keep the trailer closed and run it all day, it keeps it below 80 inside. But Brad makes a REALLY good point, which is that it draws a ton of power. A portable 2kw generator is not enough to run it, we have to use the toyhauler's built in generator, and if we try to use the A/C plus two sets of tire warmers it overloads even the toyhauler generator, which is at least a 4kw. From the outside, the generator is louder than the A/C unit. Also great information. I did not really consider transport at all. At the moment I have plenty of room inside the trailer but considering most of these are on casters that's a thought as well. An A/C unit rolling around is not optimal. I only plan on running the A/C at night really for sleeping. It sounds like I really need to just buy one of the spot coolers and do some testing before I head out to the track. Make sure it can actually cool the space in a reasonable time frame. The last thing I would want is a last minute surprise of a hot humid trailer to sleep in. If I go looking at roof top units I might haul the generator with me to see if they will let me try running one with my generator. A big RV supply house probably has a toyhauler or RV with one of those units on it and it might be a good test to do before I invest a huge amount of time into getting one installed and then discovering I don't have enough power to run it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 26, 2014 Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 We have one of those portable A/C units; it works but it is more of a spot cooler - if you stand in front of it, it feels good but it really doesn't cool off our garage and I don't know that it could adequately cool a trailer. It is a 9,000 BTU, I think. It is very quiet. Having to run the vent hose is a bit of a hassle, and we only tried taking it to the track once - it turned out to be too hard to transport, it is heavy and hard to tie down for hauling. Also with some models there is condensate water to deal with - ours evaporates it without having to empty the pan, but we are in a very dry climate. Keep in mind, to get it to cool the trailer you'd have it keep the trailer totally closed up and any windows shaded - which can certainly mess up the social aspect of a trackday. We gave up on the portable and ended up just carrying a good portable fan for use outside the trailer. Our toyhauler has a roof mounted A/C unit, it works well and is not loud from the outside, although is rather noisy inside. On a hot day (100+ degrees) if we start it early, keep the trailer closed and run it all day, it keeps it below 80 inside. But Brad makes a REALLY good point, which is that it draws a ton of power. A portable 2kw generator is not enough to run it, we have to use the toyhauler's built in generator, and if we try to use the A/C plus two sets of tire warmers it overloads even the toyhauler generator, which is at least a 4kw. From the outside, the generator is louder than the A/C unit. Also great information. I did not really consider transport at all. At the moment I have plenty of room inside the trailer but considering most of these are on casters that's a thought as well. An A/C unit rolling around is not optimal. I only plan on running the A/C at night really for sleeping. It sounds like I really need to just buy one of the spot coolers and do some testing before I head out to the track. Make sure it can actually cool the space in a reasonable time frame. The last thing I would want is a last minute surprise of a hot humid trailer to sleep in. If I go looking at roof top units I might haul the generator with me to see if they will let me try running one with my generator. A big RV supply house probably has a toyhauler or RV with one of those units on it and it might be a good test to do before I invest a huge amount of time into getting one installed and then discovering I don't have enough power to run it. You should be able to compare the max power draw on the A/C to the max for the generator - that is a common question and any RV supply house should be able to answer it easily for any A/C units they are selling. It's the initial startup of the compressor that is the max load. Come to think of it, if you google the quesiton of what is the max size A/C unit your specific model of generator can run, you might find the answer online since that is a popular model of generator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2014 You should be able to compare the max power draw on the A/C to the max for the generator - that is a common question and any RV supply house should be able to answer it easily for any A/C units they are selling. It's the initial startup of the compressor that is the max load. Come to think of it, if you google the quesiton of what is the max size A/C unit your specific model of generator can run, you might find the answer online since that is a popular model of generator. Good idea on the Google it suggestion. Found a guy that was able to run a 13,500 BTU A/C unit off of it. I don't need anything near that many BTU's for my teeny trailer. http://www.2manytoyz.com/yamaha2400.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tmckeen Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have looked into something similar for the roof of my van, Google "Coleman Polar Cub", its a 9200 BTU low profile roof AC that will run on the smaller 2000 series of Inverter's, so yours should be able to easily handle that and a coffee maker etc. You can also get a heating element as a added accessory for the internal vent. The cost is comparable to the spot cooler you linked, but wont take up floor space in the trailer or need setting up and ductwork to operate every weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthem Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 13500 can be run off of lower amps. the 15k btu ones are a bit of a stretch and require more power.. . I think the 13500 is rated to be run off of the 3k genny's., the 2400 you have might be a stretch with the lock rotor starting. . my piece of advice - get a roof top unit and be done with it. they aren't that expensive and the last thing I want to do when I get somewhere is to get more stuff ready (like pull an AC unit out, figure out where I want to put the generator (exhaust CO safely) etc etc. . . and if you have it plumbed for 30amp service (or even 15/20amp service), if you have power, you can run it without the generator - just arrive, plug in, turn the ac unit and figure out how you want to sleep. . don't know about you, but if you arrive late, you don't want to be trying to unload, configure and run just to get comfortable. . . in terms of weight - they all weigh about 75-80 lbs now, so weight is a non factor. . lower profile is certainly better for fuel mileage, though I honestly don't know what a 15" vs a 12" height difference will make in /actual/ fuel mileage. . . hotfoot is also spot on, if you start to get amenities, at some point you'll keep adding and adding and you'll exceed what it would have cost you to get something better. . . after the hvac, you'll then want a fridge, and then a microwave, and then a toilet and then a shower . . at that point you're at toy hauler area. . the livinlite units are this new breed called vrv's. . ATC also makes a version of them. ATC trailers are generally considered one of the top manufacturers of trailers out there (car haulers, cargo trailers, command centers, etfc). they are also expensive. . the livinlite's fill a very nice toy hauler niche, but they arne't cheap. . they are aluminum, and very very functional for track days, and are well made so nothing to complain about there. one other option you should consider - a lot of people make do with a ventilation fan cut into the roof (even with an AC unit). they can be run off a deep cell battery for 24+ hours. . . as long as its not really hot, a ventilation van works for many a night. . good luck, but if you're going down the creature comfort path - good luck, its a slippery slope with more to come. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 I have looked into something similar for the roof of my van, Google "Coleman Polar Cub", its a 9200 BTU low profile roof AC that will run on the smaller 2000 series of Inverter's, so yours should be able to easily handle that and a coffee maker etc. You can also get a heating element as a added accessory for the internal vent. The cost is comparable to the spot cooler you linked, but wont take up floor space in the trailer or need setting up and ductwork to operate every weekend. WOW! That thing is nearly perfect for my needs. Thank you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 27, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 13500 can be run off of lower amps. the 15k btu ones are a bit of a stretch and require more power.. . I think the 13500 is rated to be run off of the 3k genny's., the 2400 you have might be a stretch with the lock rotor starting. . my piece of advice - get a roof top unit and be done with it. they aren't that expensive and the last thing I want to do when I get somewhere is to get more stuff ready (like pull an AC unit out, figure out where I want to put the generator (exhaust CO safely) etc etc. . . and if you have it plumbed for 30amp service (or even 15/20amp service), if you have power, you can run it without the generator - just arrive, plug in, turn the ac unit and figure out how you want to sleep. . don't know about you, but if you arrive late, you don't want to be trying to unload, configure and run just to get comfortable. . . in terms of weight - they all weigh about 75-80 lbs now, so weight is a non factor. . lower profile is certainly better for fuel mileage, though I honestly don't know what a 15" vs a 12" height difference will make in /actual/ fuel mileage. . . hotfoot is also spot on, if you start to get amenities, at some point you'll keep adding and adding and you'll exceed what it would have cost you to get something better. . . after the hvac, you'll then want a fridge, and then a microwave, and then a toilet and then a shower . . at that point you're at toy hauler area. . the livinlite units are this new breed called vrv's. . ATC also makes a version of them. ATC trailers are generally considered one of the top manufacturers of trailers out there (car haulers, cargo trailers, command centers, etfc). they are also expensive. . the livinlite's fill a very nice toy hauler niche, but they arne't cheap. . they are aluminum, and very very functional for track days, and are well made so nothing to complain about there. one other option you should consider - a lot of people make do with a ventilation fan cut into the roof (even with an AC unit). they can be run off a deep cell battery for 24+ hours. . . as long as its not really hot, a ventilation van works for many a night. . good luck, but if you're going down the creature comfort path - good luck, its a slippery slope with more to come. . . Yeah I completely can see the slippery slope I am already sliding down. My logic of course is I have the trailer now. Adding A/C would massively improve my situation in the short term. I probably won't add amenities beyond that except for a small RV toilet because I ALWAYS seem to park far from the restrooms. As long as there's A/C on those HOT humid summer nights I'm good. I'm pretty anal and the unfinished plywood inside my trailer drove me crazy so I painted the inside. It's a bit bare in there but it's not "too" horrible. A queen sized air mattress fits back there pretty easily and it sleeps two rather comfortably. My typical track day is a Sunday Afternoon at Barber. Take my time driving there on Saturday morning, spend the afternoon at the Museum and head into the gate and get setup. I typically survive on a cooler filled with energy drinks, water and cold cuts. My cooler requires no power and can keep food cold for 48 hours I could do a whole weekend without having to have a fridge, coffee maker or a microwave. I think I'm starting to see the light on a Rooftop unit. It's one less thing to setup, one less thing to forget to pack, not "that" heavy and a low profile one won't make my aerodynamics much worse. That small one that T-McKeen suggested is just about perfect. Thanks to everyone for the input. VERY helpful. So much knowledge and experience on this forum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthem Posted March 27, 2014 Report Share Posted March 27, 2014 Don't forget that its not just putting an AC unit up top (outside of the cutting of the hole, etc) - but that you have to run power from there down to some outlet/receptacle via a breaker box. That way you can either plug your generator into that receptacle or shore power to power the unit. and while you're at it putting a breaker box in there, you might as well wire another outlet into the breaker that is attached on the outside of the trailer so you can run tire warmers when you're plugged into power (or running off genny). And then run another outlet on the inside of the trailer so that you can plug various things in like a vacuum inside, or to pump up your air bed, charge your cell phone, etc. . . and while you're on the breaker, you might as well put a deep cell battery in there and have a small charger/inverter from shore power. . run some 12v LED lights that can run off battery for 12+ hours List is endless. . . . that being said, if you're cutting a roof access for AC, if you have room, seriously look at a 12v vent. . they work wonders - even in hot weather. . just the ability to remove the heat from the trailer is HUGE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotfoot Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 +1 on adding a battery, ventilation fan and LED interior lights, so on nights when you don't need A/C you can still have lights and some cooling without having to run a generator, and so you can run your interior lights (or loading lights) without draining your truck battery. Plus add a 12V round outlet (cigarette lighter type) so you can plug your phone in to charge overnight using a car charger, and you can use it to run one of those small air compressors for tires, those are handy. Of course then you might want to add a solar panel to keep that battery charged... Should we keep coming up with more ideas on how to spend your money? 'Cause you know you need fuel can racks, and a shower (having a shower to cool off on a hot day is AWESOME) and a water heater and folding chairs and an easy fold up bed that latches against the wall and a canopy and heater and a microwave and a fridge and... ok I'll stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 +1 on adding a battery, ventilation fan and LED interior lights, so on nights when you don't need A/C you can still have lights and some cooling without having to run a generator, and so you can run your interior lights (or loading lights) without draining your truck battery. Plus add a 12V round outlet (cigarette lighter type) so you can plug your phone in to charge overnight using a car charger, and you can use it to run one of those small air compressors for tires, those are handy. Of course then you might want to add a solar panel to keep that battery charged... Should we keep coming up with more ideas on how to spend your money? 'Cause you know you need fuel can racks, and a shower (having a shower to cool off on a hot day is AWESOME) and a water heater and folding chairs and an easy fold up bed that latches against the wall and a canopy and heater and a microwave and a fridge and... ok I'll stop. AH HA! Hotfoot I'm completely onto what you are doing here. Just like you did with Level 1 and 2 when you coached me you are making me figure out my own problems and solve them. I did some thinking and realized that perhaps a small RV might be in my future rather than turning my trailer into a "ghetto camper". Even the small RV's have showers, toilets, microwave ovens and lots of other creature comforts. I may still do the A/C unit in the short term but ultimately a small RV would solve a lot of problems and not cost a lot of money in the process. A/C in the back of the trailer would allow me to be able to sleep additional guests if I wanted. Time to do some shopping. Thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthem Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 personally, I would stay away from RV's. . They are great, but very inconvenient for the track - like bordering on possibly a real bad option .. . Without elaborating too much - they are great if you plan on staying stationary. If you have to move - and since tracks are usually in the middle of nowhere - nothing worse than having to pack up/close up to go to dinner. and also have to worry about parking in a small lot or whatever. . Just to eat and get groceries and then have to come back and re-lay everything out again. . Like I said - bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted March 28, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 personally, I would stay away from RV's. . They are great, but very inconvenient for the track - like bordering on possibly a real bad option .. . Without elaborating too much - they are great if you plan on staying stationary. If you have to move - and since tracks are usually in the middle of nowhere - nothing worse than having to pack up/close up to go to dinner. and also have to worry about parking in a small lot or whatever. . Just to eat and get groceries and then have to come back and re-lay everything out again. . Like I said - bad idea. That's something I have thought about as well. Generally when I arrive at the track I don't leave. Even with my easy to drive SUV and small trailer it's a pain in the backside to drive with it attached. I bring enough food and supplies so I don't "have" to leave. I could unhook the trailer but that's also a big pain as well getting it hooked back up when it's time to leave. As for the RV itself. Ideally I would want something as small as possible for the ease of driving the behemoth. I have seen Van based RV's that are actually quite amazing for being so compact. The Mercedes Sprinter ones are cool too. Even some of the "big box" RV's come in a smaller model which would work as well. There's always a compromise in everything in life. In a perfect world I would show up to the track via helicopter and have a fully stocked Mega RV waiting for me. As well as a Semi filled with decked out track bikes and my own crew of mechanics. Oh yeah and some people with umbrellas! Heck with that kind of money I could build my own track and have it right outside of my door which would make every day a track day. The point here of course is since life is not perfect there are always compromises. You just have to pick the compromises that you are most willing to put up with. Every scenario short of of having your own track really is a compromise. In the short term at least I'm willing to put up with the compromise of "roughing it" in my teeny trailer as long as there is A/C. In the future the compromise of a small RV might suit my needs better and that makes a lot of sense to me especially if I end up spending a lot more of my weekends in a parking lot. I really appreciate all the replies because it's been a lot of fun chatting about this. I think it's quite amazing all of the crazy things we are willing to put up with to experience the magic that every one of us experience when we finally get out there on the track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthem Posted March 28, 2014 Report Share Posted March 28, 2014 yeah but I think what you are missing is the obvious choice. A toy hauler type of trailer. The point against an RV is that you aren't using it constantly and its a pain all in one unit. Well why pay for the engine part without actually using it. So go with a light toy hauler trailer. It will have decent amenities and no engine - thereby making it significantly cheaper. you can easily leave it unhitched at the track and take your tow vehicle wherever and just come back and everything is still setup. It is the obvious choice for track use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rchase Posted April 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2014 yeah but I think what you are missing is the obvious choice. A toy hauler type of trailer. The point against an RV is that you aren't using it constantly and its a pain all in one unit. Well why pay for the engine part without actually using it. So go with a light toy hauler trailer. It will have decent amenities and no engine - thereby making it significantly cheaper. you can easily leave it unhitched at the track and take your tow vehicle wherever and just come back and everything is still setup. It is the obvious choice for track use. That certainly makes sense. In the short term until I actually "need" a toyhauler I'm making my current situation with my trailer slightly better. When I start doing a lot more trackdays I'll probably be more serious about creature comforts. I actually kind of enjoy the "roughing it" experience at the moment. I'll keep the trailer though. It's useful even when it's not being used to haul. It's the perfect parking space for an extra bike or two and is a great place to stash tools and parts for quick access. I installed some aluminum shelves and a small workstation that folds out into a table. Picked them up from a company called Pitposse. Lots more usable space now. Now to get that Polar Cub ordered and installed on the roof. Thanks again for the advice on the roof top unit. The Polar cub is perfect for my current needs and a lot less hassle than hauling and setting up an external unit. Plug it in and start cooling or heating right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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