Roof air or mini split??

[luvrbus]

[.
Main argument for roof airs is easy replacement if they take a dump. Yes they are unsightly-but you'll notice even the Newells ($2 million) have 4 roof airs. Good Luck, TomC
[/quote]

So does the 2.4 million Marathon Prevost run 4 roof tops 60,000 worth of BTU for cooling plus the over the road AC while driving

[Geoff]

I painted my roof air covers to match the primary color of the coach and they just blend in.  Plus it makes the bus look like an RV so the highway patrol doesnt think you are a commercial bus to pick on.

[robertglines1]

I just don't like the noise of roof units when I'm suppose to be relaxing==and a lot of the Tractor shows we go to your lucky to get 30 amp @ 120 volt.  Roof top units are the way for new  converts=less time to just plug and play.   Big thing is do it your way!!!! No way is wrong in this hobby...

[richard5933]

I just did a quick online search to see what other non-traditional options are out there. Here's one that might be an option to replace an OTR unit, since it runs off of DC and draws less than my OTR condenser fan alone.

http://www.guchen.com/electrical-truck-air-conditioner/ep-02g.html

[HB of CJ]

Another consideration may be the extra top weight over time.  If you end up with three, (3) or even perhaps four, (4) roof top warts on your Bus Conversion the pounding over time and mileage may have detrimental affects on your roof structure.

The other considerations may be the additional roof height.  Low bridges.  Branches.  Gas station overheads.  Etc.  The additional highly mounted weight may or may not affect road handling.  Using escape hatches for roof A/C may not work either.

[Geoff]

WoW.  Roof airs are so noisy and you will tip over from the weight and they are for newbies.  And you will hit underpasses.

I don't think so.
LOL

Geoff

[luvrbus]

The only reason I used the Crusiair on my Eagle is I wanted a clean roof line

[neoneddy]

What turned me to the Roof Airs was when talking with Gumpy last spring, that along with  wanting keep a good bay or bay and a half free for storage and other stuff is nice.  Then add the easy replacement, etc it became  more palatable.   It might not be best or most efficient, but they do seem quite practical.

[DoubleEagle]

I just did a quick online search to see what other non-traditional options are out there. Here's one that might be an option to replace an OTR unit, since it runs off of DC and draws less than my OTR condenser fan alone.

http://www.guchen.com/electrical-truck-air-conditioner/ep-02g.html

Interesting, but they do not seem to have a distributor in the US. 

[chessie4905]

Wow??😮

[luvrbus]

I did a little test today on the roof top on the Trek a HVAC guy told me to do, you guys know a roof top will blow almost 15 degrees colder on low than it will on high that surprised me .

[richard5933]

Temps here in Wisconsin today are pushing 90. Actual temp is 87 with 74% humidity. When we woke up this morning the temp was 75 and humidity was about the same. Feels like walking through a sauna today.

Today is the day we're installing a new fridge in the bus, so I got up at 4:30 and turned on the a/c in the bus. It was off for the past few days. Both basement a/c units are running. Within about an hour the temp in the bus was 74 and the humidity down. With the sun beating on the bus all day the temp is still 74 and the humidity is still down. The units are cycling on & off pretty nicely, with more time off than on once the temp and humidity were stable.

The only modification we've done to help them work was to cover the inside of the windows with Reflectix so the sun doesn't bake the interior.

I know that this is not Arizona weather, but it is a pretty good example of two older basement units able to pull their own weight. At least for now.

[brmax]

Ya but Richard thats like Wet heat! Its so like todays post, I mean you got the Misters On.

I just couldnt help myself on that way down here in Missouri today, its a bit hot.
You should have some chilled cold ones nearby, while monitoring the new fridge 


Good day

Floyd

[Lin]

I did a little test today on the roof top on the Trek a HVAC guy told me to do, you guys know a roof top will blow almost 15 degrees colder on low than it will on high that surprised me .

That normal for all AC's.  Just consider it.  When the unit is on, it is extracting its capacity of BTU's .  If you push more air through the coils, you get more cold air but at a higher temperature.  Or slow down the air flow and get less CFM but at a cooler temp.  Either way, the heat transfer is roughly the same. It will also dehumidify more at lower speed.

I like mini splits. They are quiet and efficient.  However, our bus has roof tops.  They are huge ancient ones.  I can see how many feel that they are unsightly but one could argue that that is one of their charms.  It is sort of a rough beauty-- like a cactus.  My biggest complaint is that the high air flow makes them noisy.  At night, we generally just turn the front unit on and leave the bedroom door open.  It cools enough and is less sleep disturbing.

When air traveling this past year I bought some noise canceling headphones.  Maybe I'll try them on our next summer bus trip. The big advantages have been repeated here several times: easy, dependable, low maintenance, no loss of space, etc.

[sledhead]

last time out when I was using the roof top a/c I could smell outside air     
( diesel from the aqua hot ? ) coming in ? so when I got home I removed the top cover and unscrew the metal cover on the unit . I could see that the thick foam insulation ( 1/4 " ) crap . that it had been leaking in air from out side for a long time . so I used some tinfoil bubble insulation that I had to re insulate the cover from the under side and used a good quality tin foil tape to hold it on the edges . had to do that on the 2 front units . the rear was a newer unit and was still in good shape . it sure made a difference on the a/c and now no outside smells in side when the a/c ,s are on and they are pulling the return air from the inside of the coach and not from the hot outside air .

I like the split unit on the M C I better then the roof top noise makers on the featherlite . but after you get use to the noise they work good

the 2 front a/c units are 18 years old and have the heat strips and the rear unit is maybe 5 years old ? with a heat pump and for the heat part I like the old heat strips better then the heat pump  other then the burnt hair smell when you first turn them on

dave