Gail Hammans Piper Cherokee 140
Member Gail Hammans sent in pictures of an affordable way to add some relief in the cockpit. “I bought an Arctic Air unit at a garage sale for $10, and I also had an 800-watt inverter laying in the garage, not used. I hooked up the inverter directly to the plane’s battery and plugged in the Arctic Air. Cool air in the cockpit!
“The inverter has a fuse and an on/off switch, so everything is protected.”
There are plenty of options available if you search the internet for “small portable air conditioner,” including some that boast very low power consumption. We found some Arctic Air versions on eBay for $20 to $30 (including shipping).
Regarding the electrical load, please consult your A&P/IA before you plug any unit into your plane.
