Can you put a window A/C unit in a pick up truck? Will it work?

My husband has a 96 dodge dakota pick up. The air conditioning unit went out and it will cost us $3000 to get a brand new one. My husbands idea is to buy a window A/C unit from walmart and hook it up in the back window of the truck to a converter to the cigerette lighter converts 12 volt to 110. Will this work? Just like that Larry the Cable guy movie health inspeactor. I think it wont work. PS: if you think it wont work please put reasons why or why not. I am going to show him the responses.Can you put a window A/C unit in a pick up truck? Will it work?
there are not enough amps coming out of that cigarette lighter to run an air conditioner, the smallest you can get is like what 4 or 5 thousand . ? if he installed a second BIG DEEP CYCLE BATTERY, THEN PUT AN heavy duty converter BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE LOAD, ABOUT A 200 AMP ALTERNATOR TO KEEP THE TRUCK RUNNING (At least you can keep the ac on low LOL) then there should be no problem. As a rough guess, 600 to a grand worth of stuff, maybe, best of luck I think you should put it in a side window though, that way people can see it !!
Not enough amperage to run a window air conditioner.



Apparently you need a complete system, compressor, condenser, dryer, etc., compressors alone are roughly $150-$300 depending on model of vehicle. And that figure does not include installation.



$3000 is everything including installation which includes tearing out the dash if need be.



I believe I'd check with another shop.Can you put a window A/C unit in a pick up truck? Will it work?
I'm not sure if it will work or not, but if your going for style, I wouldn't do it. Plus how will you keep it in the window? Going to glue it?? or screw it in?? Might ruin another part of your truck that way. Also, are you sure the whole thing needs replaced? I was looking on http://market.autopartsfair.com and it's seems you may be able to save yourself some money if you find out exactly what is causing the trouble. --Sorry best I could do, I have very little knowledge regarding anything mechanical or about converters.Can you put a window A/C unit in a pick up truck? Will it work?
Yes you can make it work but keep this in mind. You will need to make sure the unit does not move when you it bumps etc. It is going to block your view. The thing will leave a nice sized hole if someone decides they want to take it.
No . The electrical amp draw will be to much for the trucks electrical system . Try checking out junk yards for used A/C compressors
sorry to say no
If he's so good mechanically that he could make all that work... why doesn't he just fix the AC on the truck? $3000 baloney. The most expensive thing on there is the compressor head, and that probably costs $300 tops for a refurb.



The problem with your window A/c, aside from gettign enough power to run it... You know, watts are watts. Find out how many watts the A/C unit will take then go price an inverter with that many watts. You're going to find like "1500 watts". The inverter should be at least twice that, so 3000 watts, and then you'll need 3000 extra watts of alternator, which you don't have now. So you'll need one of those giant alternators like the guys with the big stereos go for.



And then the thing will be too wimpy, not strong enough to keep the car cool. Car A/C is seriously powerful because it has to fight all the sun pouring in the windows and roof. You can test that, park the car in the hot sun, roll down a side window, stick the A/C unit in the side window, some cardboard to fill the gaps, then run an extension cord to your house. See which wins, the A/C unit or the sun. I'll bet on the sun.



Also it's not made for the vibrations of driving, it won't hold up.
Can't say whether or not it will work for sure. (prob not) It can't hurt to try though the cig lighter will be hooked through a fuse if the fuse blows than all you have to do is replace the fuse. ($5) What part of the A/C is broken? The blower i'm guessing? Just make sure he grounds everything properly! :)



Note: My A/C "Blend Door" went out causing the A/C to only blow hot. I fixed it with a nail (the part of the motor that turned and grabbed the door had broken off the nail pushed through the post on the motor and grabs the door (works perfect) only ghetto fix i ever really did everything else has been top quality. Point being though sometimes it can be really cheap to do your own work and some parts are cheap and just bolt in. go down to a local "pick a part" (auto junk lot) and they usually have parts for cheap nothing wrong with most of them sure they're used but if they work they work. They wanted $800 for the AC and I fixed it for around 10 cents (cost of the nail)