That is not too bad of an idea but if it were I doing it, I would use one of the Split System units so the only connection between the 2 would be the refrigeration lines.

http://kingersons.com/mini-split-air...cductlessunits

An easier approach would be to design a system like a walk in cooler using a small DC compressor and condenser in a small unit in the bed of the truck and then use any of the commercially available cold ends to mount on the cab.

Or instead of using an evaporator inside your cab then think about installing Chill Plates under your floorboard and turning your cab into a cold box.

Insulating the cab would be a project in itself but not impossible.

All of this is possible using easily available commercial parts and a bit of ingenuity to put them together.

Chill Plates can be removed from old Refer Trailers for close to nothing; I have used them for killer transmission coolers under a car.

You could connect to Shore Power when you were at home or at work so the cab would be nice and cool when you got into it to go home.

The only safeguard you would need is to make sure your heater works so you can temper the air so you do not freeze to death.

I have demoed and thrown a lot of them away and their design is really simple.

I get dangerous when I am allowed to think.

Looks like probably an 8000 or maybe a 10,000 BTU unit, at around 12 amps, how big is that inverter, 3000 watts?

As far as enough power to run my ideas, my alternator could support the inverter once the engine is running.

Jim

 

Jim,

In my searching I am confident you have the most efficient and effective AC on the planet in a 1st gen, so if you decide to go this route I call 1st dibs on your current setup!!!!

Seriously, whats your motivation behind this? Just wanting to be able to pre-cool the cab without the engine running?

 

Ok, I have that info on the Prius` (or is that Pri-ii??) elec a/c comp. I had forgotten about this thread but I`m doin a pre-work test as I`m going to Hybrid training this week. 2nd gen Prius a/c comp runs on 201V a/c...yikes. It actually needs a special oil thats non-conductive (ND-11). So much for today`s tidbit of usefulless information

 

201 volts is sure an odd voltage, is it produced with an inverter off from the high voltage batteries? Also what is the frequency and phase they are using, 400 Hz like aircraft to keep the components lightweight or closer to the mains frequency?

By oil, are you saying the compressor motor is oil cooled or is it the refrigeration oil dielectric and used to cool the motor like in a hermetic compressor.
Is the compressor hermetically sealed or can it be serviced.

I guess it would be kind of hard to have a 3 prong plug on your compressor motor.

I hear that in accidents that the victims are loosing precious time that could saving their life instead they are trapped in their hybrid coffin as the First Responders have to peel back the car in layers to get through the high voltage/ current cables to avoid dangers of electrocution and burns.

http://www.nbc4.com/safeandsecure/5078972/detail.html

Jim

 

Voltage for the a/c comes from the inverter assy. On the prius the inverter assembly actually has several components to it, there is the dc/ac converter wich is used for MG2 (motor generator #2, drives the veh), a dc/dc converter wich drops the 580 or so dc volts down to 42 for the power steering, and the a/c inverter wich runs the comp. By oil I mean the refrigerant oil, due to the electric comp the oil has to be electrically insulated or it can short out the works. Same holds true for the ATF in the transaxle, must use Toyota" World Standard" atf as it too is non-conductive. Toyota is pretty big on accident recovery/safety, we had members of our local FD come down to the dealer to give them a walk around on the "dangerous" parts of the system.