We’ve a great guest submission for all of you out there this summer who at times found the air conditioning in your own car just not powerful enough.
Our regular reader in Chicago writes: “Saw this van on the highway. The black box contained a generator to run the window unit [air conditioning]. The setup led to many questions, the first of which being: Why?”
As always, we welcome submission of your quirky observations and experiences.
I am curious if this was an A/C supplement or just cheaper than paying a car repair shop to fix the van’s A/C system! Maybe the owner had a space A/C window unit and generator and decided to finally put that tow-hitch to some use.
If the a/c in the van was not working, is it even possible that this would be cheaper than just getting the a/c fixed?
Also, should I make a citizen’s arrest for dangerous driving since this photo clearly was taken by someone who was driving on the highway and operating a camera at the same time?
This picture is awesome.
i bet that van gets awfully cool when that air conditioner is kicking!
@ mark
The back seat would be SO cold!!!
@ Maire
Let me echo your sentiments. We at CMD do not want to encourage any readers to put themselves or others in danger while capturing quirky pictures. I assume this pic was taken over the shoulder of the driver by someone riding safely in the back seat.
I’d love to see how the van owner rigged the remote control for the air conditioner, so that he could turn it on from the driver’s seat. That would make a photo!
Perhaps it has a fold down bed and is used for camping.
How come you never see set ups like that on Pimp My Ride?
Hahahaha… I think the 4 TVs installed in the trunk that nobody can watch is more what the producers of Pimp My Ride are looking for…
To Conall: I am sure this is the answer. I am a Florida girl without working AC who has several times joked about doing this because the cost of repair is astronomical. And it’s dang hot.
Frankly, I want to meet the owner and marry him. If only for his comfortable transport.
It’s a camper van. That ac bouncing around powered on likely would break quickly! I’m sure 120v window ac is for when engine is turned off, not used while driving. I also have a generator hidden when used burning 1/2 gallon of fuel over 8-10 hours vs engine idle burning 1/2 gallon over 1 hour making engine idling burn 8x more fuel, gets expensive. 🙂 Using tiny generator the van owner doesn’t waste fuel with vehicle engine idling. In 10 years people reading this will be like ohhh generator for when the driver can’t find EV charging station…. Smart! lol