Tryptovan has ROOF AIR!!!!!! - Page 2

rockbender · 06-11-2013, 10:50 AM

Awesome job! Heck, I'm still waiting to install cab AC in my van. I'll bet you guys are nice and cool in there!

How much weight are you supposed to be able to add to the top of the CCV top, and how much does the Cub weigh?

Does your vent automatically pop open over 70 MPH to act like a fairing for the AC unit?

86Scotty · 06-11-2013, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockbender

Awesome job! Heck, I'm still waiting to install cab AC in my van. I'll bet you guys are nice and cool in there!

How much weight are you supposed to be able to add to the top of the CCV top, and how much does the Cub weigh?

Does your vent automatically pop open over 70 MPH to act like a fairing for the AC unit?

Well, the unit weighs about 95, plus 25 or so more for my cheap rack (what's left of it) and Yakima bars. I have no idea what the roof will hold. The problem is actually what it will or won't lift since its on electric motors. The air conditioner slowed it down some but it still lifts fine. I wouldn't want to add much more, which is killing my solar ideas. Derek has added one of these to a van already so I knew it would work, but there is no actual weight limit on a CCV top. His response was "you'll be ok but I wouldn't add much more". I think this puts me squarely in his R&D department. I'll call him If I don't start receiving a paycheck soon.

The vent isn't automatic. It's voice activated, which is even better. "Hey honey, mind opening the roof vent for me?...........or you could drive?"
It opens right up every time!

KTMRIDER · 06-11-2013, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Derek has added one of these to a van already so I knew it would work, but there is no actual weight limit on a CCV top. His response was "you'll be ok but I wouldn't add much more". I think this puts me squarely in his R&D department. I'll call him If I don't start receiving a paycheck soon.

Do you really want you and your family to be the R&D Department? Although it sounds funny things can go wrong in a hurry when things are not engineered properly. Not saying that is case here but I really would hate to hear of anything happening to someone if something went wrong. I have been down that road and had a very close call, I will leave it there as not to sidetrack this great thread.

While I have heard nothing but good things about the CCV tops I would be asking Derek for some specs on the motors, at least for peace of mind. He most likely is using motors with plenty of reserve but please check to make sure!
Eric

86Scotty · 06-11-2013, 08:07 PM

Thanks Eric, my response was somewhat serious, but also somewhat tongue in cheek. I have a friend who has an engineering firm and builds machines for Denso and other well known names. He has looked over Derek's work and was pretty impressed. The motors Derek uses are very common in industrial machines and pretty robust. I can't remember the name of them right now but my friend was pretty impressed that he was using that particular motor.

I have read about your situation before and didn't take it for granted.
Thanks!

KTMRIDER · 06-11-2013, 09:55 PM

Very wise of you! I am glad to here your engineer friend approves, refreshing to hear. Maybe the proper engineering was done and tested by CCV, if so good job.

You have the best of both worlds with that style of hard top pop top with AC. I want to hear how well it works, believe member BILLWILSON has a similar AC unit. The model I have is 9200 BTU AC and goes under my bench/bed. It does an ok job of keeping the van around 15 to 20 degrees cooler and does run on a Honda 2000. It helps to cool the van down first with the van AC as well which you are all setup for. Let us know how well it works.
Eric

larrie · 06-11-2013, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnarvan

Errrrr.....Larrie.....that is a pop top.

Oops. Hard to keep track of all the great vans and how they are setup.

buckkiller · 06-12-2013, 12:02 AM

Nice Eric looks great

The Redneck Mexican
2002 E350 7.3 PSD 4x4 8inch lift pop top conversion....

Gnarvan · 06-12-2013, 06:26 AM

Eric

Nice clean job on the A/C. Kudo's for having the stones to cut holes in your new top. How did you seal the A/C to the top to keep it from leaking?

I hope your waterproofing job works better than the roof vents that were right over the drivers head in the first series of W700's FedEx got. The one I was driving at the time would leak cold water right down the back of my neck every time I braked hard.

86Scotty · 06-12-2013, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gnarvan

Eric

Nice clean job on the A/C. Kudo's for having the stones to cut holes in your new top. How did you seal the A/C to the top to keep it from leaking?

I hope your waterproofing job works better than the roof vents that were right over the drivers head in the first series of W700's FedEx got. The one I was driving at the time would leak cold water right down the back of my neck every time I braked hard.

Thanks everyone. It has a very wide and very thick crush gasket on it. It has markings on the inside and super long screws to cinch it down so you just crank it down until you hit the marks. It doesn't even call for any sealant on the outside. We'll see how that works! I have washed it and had it rained on a couple of times now, but the real test will be hard rain on the highway when it's trying to get through the front of that seal.

Ya, the Fedex trucks sure do suck at keeping out water. I remember that well! They are replacing all of ours with the new Isuzu ugly things and Sprinters though, so bye bye old Grummans!

86Scotty · 06-30-2013, 08:05 PM

Just got back from a 5000 mile trip and am pleased to say the roof air works great. I ran it in a few parking lots and used it a couple of evenings to cool the van off after we had been on the road all day. Not surprisingly, even insulated vans get pretty hot inside after you've driven them all day with the exhaust and engine radiating heat straight up throught the floor. The air cooled the van off 10 degrees within 30 minutes or less, but I didn't really pay much attention after that since we were in and out of it opening doors while setting up camp.
It wasn't hot enough anywhere on our trip to need to run it all night, but camping here near home it will be, so I will report back again on extended use. Just knowing it's there when I need it is very reassuring for summer camping. Also, we did some rough gravel and mile 4WD roads and it didn't rattle or seem bothered at all. I just have to remember how tall it is now!