air conditioning

olebusman · May 31, 2022, 12:16:11 PM

Has anybody used a ge rooftop ac unit? My 3 year old dometic gave up the ghost. Rear one sounds like a line is vibrating aginst something. The front one seems to have lost most of its freon. I'm done with dometic. on the road and trying to decide which brand to buy. Any recommends are help full. Headed for north east pa.
in fla now and its damn hot in here. olebusman

Bill Gerrie · May 31, 2022, 01:46:46 PM

John
I have two Dometic Penguin AC units that are over 30 year old and work perfectly. I had one repaired many years ago and what happened is the copper refrigerant line broke off the compressor. They welded it back recharged it and it works perfectly. I had to put springs from the line to the frame to dampen the vibration so the line didn't break again. I did the spring thing to the other unit and it has never broken down. Certainly a cheaper fix then to replace the whole AC unit.

windtrader · May 31, 2022, 03:08:09 PM

For those moving toward solar and lithium batteries, efficiency is a major factor and mini-split units are highly efficient and apparently very reliable. Mr Cool is a big name. there are others. The installation is very different than rooftops.

luvrbus · May 31, 2022, 04:29:55 PM

The Coleman is the better roof top out there now but they are limited in supply if you can 15000 btu units.I had good luck from the Dometic Penguin's of the past, the Penguin ll is junk and do not cool I replace my Penguin ll 2 times in 2 years so I replaced it with Coleman in 4 years it never missed a lick lol AZ sucks with no AC

robertglines1 · May 31, 2022, 08:27:44 PM

If you decide to go mini splits.. A few things to consider-- Inverter technology a must=no start up surge. I did 3 units. 9,000 btu @ 8amps each. the 3 pull less than 2 roof tops . Quiet= about 40 dp compared to 70 plus on most roof tops.. I have a 45ft coach and 2 will keep cool on 90plus % day. Learn about serr ratings=larger # is better. My first installed in 2012 still running. Have since added 35,000 to home (2 units) 2600 square ft. Just about 1/2 elect bill. took old heat pumps out. All I buy have heat and air.. real good down to 20F(heat) Fwiw Bob

Jim Blackwood · June 01, 2022, 05:45:24 AM

I see where Copeland has a new scroll compressor with a mechanical governor/soft start. No inverter required. I'll be looking into that but it appears to be a really good option.

Jim

dtcerrato · June 01, 2022, 05:50:43 AM

The new HVAC we had installed on our home uses a scroll compressor. The decrease in electric is impressive...

luvrbus · June 01, 2022, 06:25:59 AM

Quote from: dtcerrato on June 01, 2022, 05:50:43 AM
The new HVAC we had installed on our home uses a scroll compressor. The decrease in electric is impressive...

Scroll compressors have been around ,you probably have the new digital scroll compressor like I had installed on the house unit a few months ago they are supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread since they don't have any mass flow reductions or return oil .I love mine when it comes on 51 degrees cold air instantly the outside unit is so quite you cannot hear it running lol I called the AC guy out because I thought because the fan was turning so low he wired for 115v .Cut by bill by /2 to bad the roof tops don't have the digital compressor

Jim Blackwood · June 01, 2022, 07:36:30 AM

I think the digital ones are the inverter driven. The new Copeland apparently is purely mechanical but still has the same power reduction as the digital but doesn't need the power conditioned through the inverter. Theoretically that would make it even more efficient.

Jim

luvrbus · June 01, 2022, 11:39:20 AM

Quote from: Jim Blackwood on June 01, 2022, 07:36:30 AM
I think the digital ones are the inverter driven. The new Copeland apparently is purely mechanical but still has the same power reduction as the digital but doesn't need the power conditioned through the inverter. Theoretically that would make it even more efficient.

Jim

Digital are capacitor they both use a modulating system I was told but the Scroll Compressor was the best setup and he sold both

chessie4905 · June 01, 2022, 11:50:49 AM

Have always used Coleman's for over 30 years. If you buy one these days, get the heavy duty model. Better coils and components.

Glennman · June 01, 2022, 01:10:47 PM

I installed the Pioneer mini-split. 115v, 12g btu and (if I recall) 20 seer. I only have the one unit so far in my 45 foot bus. I have not used it hardly at all yet. A person weighed in on the YouTube video that I produced on the installation saying that they are junk (mini-splits in general) because they don't move much air, even on the high air output setting. He also said that if the duct next to the unit in the old AC bay isn't insulated, it will only pick up the heat being produced by the unit and radiate back into the bus eliminating any benefit.

That all being said, I have only heard good about them from actual users on this board. I was thinking about installing one rooftop unit in the middle of the bus and have it only for use when plugged into shore power. I do plan to install an additional mini split in the rear bedroom regardless. I understand them to work quite well.

peterbylt · June 02, 2022, 06:00:42 AM

We live in Florida.

We have both a Pioneer 12K Mini Split in the front and a Coleman 15K rooftop in the rear.

We love the Mini Split, it has been in there over three years works fantastic, very quiet sips electricity, we are able to run it off our newly installed Solar System for a lot of the day. Keeps the entire bus cool, using a box fan in the middle of the bus blowing into the back, the problem arises when it gets into the mid 90's then the mini split can't keep up.

That's why we bought the Coleman Mach 15 Roof top unit, this AC Kicks A$$, will cool the bus off in minutes, holds it's own into the upper 90's and beyond, But there is nothing efficient about this unit, it's loud and consumes lots of electricity, it will never run off the solar system, Generator or shore power only.

Between the two we are very happy with them, usually run them both to cool the bus off then shut down the Coleman and maintain with the Mini Split.

Peter

Dave5Cs · June 02, 2022, 06:43:11 AM

Have two Coleman s and love them. one 15K and the bedroom one is 12K. Solar will run one but not two with 1500Watt solar system. 7K genny will run both as will the shore power. Lightning hit one two years ago and just replaced the capacitors and it was off and running again. need new covers with the corner cracks after 15 years but probably just FG them because the replacements are in the 250.00 range.

Lee Bradley · June 02, 2022, 07:21:16 AM

Quote from: Glennman on June 01, 2022, 01:10:47 PM
I installed the Pioneer mini-split. 115v, 12g btu and (if I recall) 20 seer. I only have the one unit so far in my 45 foot bus. I have not used it hardly at all yet. A person weighed in on the YouTube video that I produced on the installation saying that they are junk (mini-splits in general) because they don't move much air, even on the high air output setting. He also said that if the duct next to the unit in the old AC bay isn't insulated, it will only pick up the heat being produced by the unit and radiate back into the bus eliminating any benefit.

That all being said, I have only heard good about them from actual users on this board. I was thinking about installing one rooftop unit in the middle of the bus and have it only for use when plugged into shore power. I do plan to install an additional mini split in the rear bedroom regardless. I understand them to work quite well.

Doesn't move air? I have not run into that, generally never run over low fan speed. High speed moves so much air they can be annoying. Sanyo units.