What are AC options for old combine?

tomstractorsandtoys · Jun 22, 2018

I have a 1969 Deere 105 diesel combine that we cut rye with. Each year the heat and dust bother me more. Are there any reasonable priced add on air conditioners to be had. What are my options? My engine block is made so a compressor could be mounted on(same engine as the late 4020's used) I know where a 105 is setting with factory AC but am sure everything is rusted up or junk. Any truck units that would work and not be a total butcher job? Thanks. Tom

tomstractorsandtoys · Jun 22, 2018

I should also add please no "Get a power inverter and throw in a window unit replies"

I do like to keep things nice. I would spent $1000 if that would do it. Thanks Tom

craigco · Jun 22, 2018

Depending on your humidity level, there's a lot of swamp cooler units on tractors around here. Not sure on what all is on it but if it's like a house a pump and a fan with a tray of water.

Case Nutty 1660 · Jun 22, 2018

there are several mfgs who still sell complete a/c systems you can install on your machine red dot is one of them the link should take you to a home page at the bottom is a contact # hope that helps
cnt
red dot a/c link

Traditional Farmer · Jun 22, 2018

How about a RV air conditioner on top of the cab?

Steve@Advance · Jun 22, 2018

This is not something you want to try to substitute automotive parts.

Best would be to buy a new kit, if available. Second would be to find a system on a donor tractor, preferably still charged, at least still closed and intact.

Cab air is built way heavier than automotive/truck air to deal with the dust and slow speed. No natural heat transfer like a car/truck moving at highway speed.

Bruce from Can. · Jun 22, 2018

Seems I remember a picture of a 5 gal pail filled with ice, with a hole in the lid to fit a small battery powered fan, and hunk of ABS pipe stuck into another hole in the lid, with the cool air coming out the ABS pipe, directed towards the driver. Some duct tape may be required.

SVcummins · Jun 22, 2018

Have an evaporative cooler on mine they don?t work to bad but we have low humidity

JD Seller · Jun 22, 2018

Tom look at the picture I am posting on the auger side of the grain bin is a totally electric condenser unit on this F2 combine. The interior part is a complete unit too. All you have to do is get a local shop to make new AC lines. I have installed some of these on none air combines and 4wd tractors. worked pretty good. You can find them at just about any Combine salvage yard that has many Allis Chalmers units.

4play · Jun 22, 2018

If you are shopping for units, I would probably look for something around 20k BTU, or around 1.5 tons of capacity. There are companies that sell equipment/tractor and truck units if you wanted to search the interwebs.

I would be curious to know if someone who put a small window unit 5-8k BTU in a tractor or auto would actually have enough capacity to stay cool or get cooled down rapidly with temps around 100* or more

tomturkey · Jun 22, 2018

The ac compressor pulley on our car was disintegrating and throwing hot rubber onto the inner fender near it. Cost nearly a 1000$ to get a new compressor and have it installed. Maybe I got taken to the cleaners but I cannot deal with ac problems and at the mercy of a shop. With that as a gauge, hard to imagine that you could get a complete unit for 1000. I do wish you well. My pick-up needs to go get ac fixed, pretty sure the compressor is toast on it also. ugh gobble

coshoo · Jun 23, 2018

Vintage Air makes kits for old cars- no reason it wouldn't work on a combine.

JD Seller · Jun 23, 2018

Years ago my younger brother went on a trip down south in the middle of the summer in a pickup without AC. He put a window ac unit it the sliding back window of the pickup. He then ran generator in the bed for power. He said it would freeze you out in the cab.

SVcummins · Jun 23, 2018

The little unit in my apartment would freeze you to death in a
100 degree heat was a fair size apartment can?t see why it
wouldn?t work in a car or truck . Cute ? Yes but it might be
better than roasting

MarkB_MI · Jun 23, 2018

> How about a RV air conditioner on top of the cab?

RV air conditioners are 120 volt AC. And draw a lot of current.

MarkB_MI · Jun 23, 2018

Evaporative coolers were popular back in the seventies. But on a combine you had to flush them out every day or two, as they quickly would start to stink.

Here's an evaporative unit made today; I don't know anything about it.
TurboKool

M-MAN · Jun 23, 2018

Jeep Wranglers had a dash mount bolt on unit that would work well. Mine is a 95. It is similar to the old York units Ford used in the mid sixties. Works well enough to keep a ragtop Jeep nice and cool. That's a feat in it's self with all the air leaks they have.

Case Nutty 1660 · Jun 23, 2018

The Case combine design crew was in rice country, hot and wet it was either 67 or 68,, they bought a window a/c unit for their hotel room as it had no a/c, they were also testing a alt unit that put out a/c current,, they decided to see if the alt/a/c unit would run the window mount,, they had to jump start something as it did not quite have the amps to start it but it ran it fine after that, so during the day they had a/c in the test combine and at night it cooled the room lol I have a pic of it some where
cnt

tomNE · Jun 23, 2018

Call speedway motors tech line. looks to me like the complete kit is well under $1000. google up speedway motors. they are in lincoln ne, so shipping will be quick.

RJKeith · Jun 23, 2018

Careful with that unit, it says "Swamp Cooler". If you are someplace dry, like the desert, it will work well to cool you off. But part of comfort with an A/C unit is reducing humidity, so if you live in a humid area this unit might not work that well for you.

The Famous Grouse · Jun 23, 2018

It's an interesting problem. Adding an automotive retrofit kit would look like the first possibility...except...I know the #1 issue is do you have the space in/around the engine to make this solution fit AND can everything be extended to get from the engine to the cab of a combine? Keep in mind, a car's engine is a LOT closer to the cab than is a combine's.

An electric roof top RV unit and a 3000 watt AC power inverter would seem to be a possible solution, but there are a lot of issues with this direction too. Alternator capacity has to be there, you'd almost certainly have to add at least 1 more battery, and then the unit has to protected from dust and chaff or everything will clog up. Lots of potential issues to overcome here.

Looking at the options, would upgrading the combine to a later model with factory air con be actually more viable? Sale price of old unit + money that would have been spent adding air con = ???

Grouse

flying belgian · Jun 23, 2018

Unless you really have some sentimental attachment to that 105 I agree with grouse. Update to newer combine with factory air. Yes, it will cost you more but you end up with newer combine to boot.

used red MN · Jun 23, 2018

It?s a ...flea bay.. unit. Likely overseas sourced. Looks like everything you need and amazingly cheap. But what I see is a complete system. May need to buy extra hose to get it to reach the cab. All I can say is buyer beware and I have no personal experience with these units.
eBay under dash A/C

shinnery · Jun 23, 2018

Wonder why the same people have another kit nearly a hundred dollars cheaper? LOL

What are AC options for old combine?

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