Wife says it is time to put in AC :(

Lin · March 16, 2017, 03:55:41 PM

We have two roof AC's for 35ft. They work fine. Actually it is rare that we need both. I find the bedroom unit loud for sleep, so we just leave the front unit on with the door open, which is then quiet and comfortable. There are certainly more premium ways t go, but this works well, is low maintenance, and easily replaceable should the need arise.As far as the appearance goes, it does not bother me. It's like when someone asks me how I can stand being so ugly. I reply that I don't have to see me--they do.

dtcerrato · March 16, 2017, 06:53:02 PM

We love our one & only roof top, we're on our 2nd one in over 38 years. They hold up fantastic and will drop inside temp at least 20 degrees lower than ambient. We're talkin' 13,500 btu on less than 11 amps HE not to mention the heat strip.

Nel · March 17, 2017, 05:32:52 AM

Hey Dan, As of now I removed the dead 30 year old roof ac that was mounted towards the front,I tried a portable unit as a temporary solution but that was a joke. I also have been playing with the idea of a basement unit because I want to keep the beautiful roof line of the 4104 . Now I see the low profile units out there and may just want to go roof top again, I think one unit would be fine, what kind worked for you and do you run the genny while on the road , I have a 4k onan right now, thanks

bevans6 · March 17, 2017, 06:05:26 AM

For just the bedroom, why not get a free-standing room AC unit, around 7.5 - 9 Kbtu? Put it in a closet, duct with a hose out a port in the side or roof (I was planning on ducting through the existing port for the refrigerator), drain hose through the floor, cheap, and can be pretty quiet. https://www.lowes.ca/air-conditioners/aeonair-rpac08ee-8000-btu-200-sq-ft-115-volt-portable-air-conditioner_g2461383.html

Oonrahnjay · March 17, 2017, 06:29:14 AM

Quote from: bevans6 on March 17, 2017, 06:05:26 AMFor just the bedroom, why not get a free-standing room AC unit, around 7.5 - 9 Kbtu? Put it in a closet, duct with a hose out a port in the side or roof (I was planning on ducting through the existing port for the refrigerator), drain hose through the floor, cheap, and can be pretty quiet. https://www.lowes.ca/air-conditioners/aeonair-rpac08ee-8000-btu-200-sq-ft-115-volt-portable-air-conditioner_g2461383.html

I have one of those. It's made to draw inside (already cooled) air out of the living space to cool the condenser, then the already cooled air and the heat from the condenser are exhausted. It blows it's cool output outside. I've looked at trying to find a way to duct it so that I double the ducts and draw outside air to cool the condensor - the way it's designed, that's difficult without changing the ducting and baffling inside the unit. It is almost worthless. I use it when my bus in is an covered work area for bedroom cooling at night and with all that and everything going for it, it's barely worth the effort. Plus, it's not quiet.

dtcerrato · March 17, 2017, 06:44:26 AM

Hi Nel
We replaced an old energy hog Fridgeiking many years ago with a Dometic Briskair HE 13500 btu. With the newer freon it takes longer for the unit to get cold but once it gets in its groove it is cooler output air than the older unit was. The amazing thing about the high efficiency unit is is takes 5 to 6 amps less to run than the older unit (same btu rating). The roofline never bothered me although if we ever need to replace what we have now we would probably go with a low profile unit. We have been running the roof air on the 6.5 Onan but will soon be able to run it on an inverter replenished by the new 200 amp alternator. Trying to get that set up prior to summer around the corner.

TomC · March 17, 2017, 06:55:43 AM

Bruce-you're solution is to get a portable A/C with two hoses-one pulls air from the outside, the second blows the hot air out. Then you're not constantly pulling in hot and possibly humid air into the bus. We have three Soleus heat pumps in our condo. Cools 1,000sq/ft well. Good Luck, TomC

luvrbus · March 17, 2017, 06:58:13 AM

I can tell you from experience the low profile Dometic Penquin ll is a joke ,it's nothing but a piece of plastic junk using 410 Freon they tell you it is 3 speed like the older Penquins

I have never found the low setting on the noise thing, only thing I can figure is they count the off position as a speed setting.They were supposed to replace mine (2nd one) with a Coleman but sent me another friggn Penguin ll

Oonrahnjay · March 17, 2017, 08:29:37 AM

Quote from: TomC on March 17, 2017, 06:55:43 AMBruce-you're solution is to get a portable A/C with two hoses-one pulls air from the outside, the second blows the hot air out. Then you're not constantly pulling in hot and possibly humid air into the bus. We have three Soleus heat pumps in our condo. Cools 1,000sq/ft well. Good Luck, TomC

Yes, Tom. I sorta knew that when I got to the point of buying the one I'm using but one wasn't immediately available and I only wanted to have a unit that was "good enough" to cool and dehumidify the bedroom at night while I was spending a few days at the time on conversion work. It is "good enough" most of the time, but it sure doesn't work well. I have to make a more permanent and well thought-out solution (integrated into a full-bus system) but I don't see how the "one hose" units would be much use to anyone.

sledhead · March 17, 2017, 01:29:59 PM

I have 3 roof top a/c units . 2 are the old style 3 speed and quiet ( 17 years old ) the bed room 1 is newish and only has 2 speeds and was loud up until I installed a fan dimmer switch on the fan unit . now I can slow down the power and noise of the fan and the a/c compressor works fine if I speed up the fan to about 85 % speed . I do miss the split unit I had on the mci . very quiet .

dave

Lin · March 17, 2017, 01:57:48 PM

Putting a speed control on the fan seems like an interesting idea. Since the mode selection and speed control on mine are part of the same switch, I am not sure how you do that.

sledhead · March 17, 2017, 04:17:44 PM

the first a/c I did it on was easy all from the inside shroud . find the wire that controls the low speed on the fan then cut the wire and add the length of wire you need to mount the fan speed control were you want it then back to the wire that was cut . I use heat shrink on all connections and they are inside the a/c unit . on the r/v I have now I had to remove the shroud on the roof to find the low speed wire , other then a little more wire it was the same thing . I mounted the speed control on the side of the a/c shroud (inside above bed ) on the first coach and inside the hinged intake vent cover on the r/v I have now

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lutron-Rotary-Fully-Variable-5-Amp-White-Indoor-Rotary-Fan-Control/3189379

dave

dtcerrato · March 17, 2017, 04:57:29 PM

The only problem I see with slowing fan speed down is the slower the speed the less dehumidifying the A/C will perform.

dtcerrato · March 17, 2017, 05:03:09 PM

The only problem I see with slowing fan speed down is the slower the speed the less dehumidifying the A/C will perform.

Melbo · March 17, 2017, 05:32:37 PM

and the sooner it will ice up