96 Tioga house a/c unit

Now that I have the chassis A/C system completely redone, I'm ready to put in a new house unit. I see several choices. What brand would you all recommend? I think I'm going to upgrade the thermostat to a digital unit that can be set to auto like in my home. On those days where it get's about 80 during the day but 50 at night, it would be nice to have the system maintain a set temp. I guess I could leave the existing analog thermostat for the propane heat and use the new one for the heat pump. I really like the idea of having more options. We're still pretty new to the RV world but we really like it. I don't fly and it's nice to have a rolling toilet :p

Very basic explanation of a heat pump. A AC unit cools by removing the heat in the RV and dissipates that heat through the coils on the outside. A heat pump simply reverses the process by removing heat from the outside and dissipates it through the coils on the inside of the RV. As the temperature outside goes down there is less heat to extract. Below about 40 degrees heat pumps become inefficient. IMHO go with the heat pump it will work great till the temps get to low saving your propane for the colder times.

Thanks j-d !!
You posted Chris Bryant's A/C Tuneup link.

Our '94 Tioga's AC unit was dying a slow death. I tore into it and cleaned both coils. They didn't seem too bad but it now blows 51 degree air when its 84 inside. It's always nice when a plan comes together.

thanks again,
C-dad

Our 1984 24-ft Class C had a 13500 Coleman Mach. Sometime around 2006 or so I became convinced it was worn out and started looking for a replacement. Then I came across Chris Bryant's A/C Tuneup and did that cleaning. It went back to excellent cooling.
I'd like to have a ducted RV, mostly because it's quieter than the others, but I believe ducting reduces cooling effectiveness. That would really be true if your ducting or insulation was compromised.
The coach we have now has a 15000 (maybe it's 14800...) non-ducted Coleman Mach. It cools the 31-ft coach on the hottest days, but on cooler days the coach gets humid. That's because it cools the coach before it's run long enough to eliminate a lot of moisture. We don't pay for electricity on campsites, but the 15000 unit really taxes 30-amp power. If we're not tripping breakers, we're overheating plugs, sockets, and cords. I don't know what the size "break" would be, but I don't suggest putting a bigger A/C on your coach than it "needs."

@PapPappy,

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Thanks

Mich F wrote:

Why are you replacing the A/C ? I had an 11 or so year old unit that worked fine, but the outside shroud was trashed. Didn't want to spend the money for a replacement shroud. I bought a carrier unit which lasted slightly more than two years before it stopped putting out cool air.

The a/c isn't blowing cold enough. Being 17 years old I figure we'd benefit from upgrading to a newer, larger system.

You shouldn't have much trouble swapping out the units. The opening is the same for all the units....and since it's wired in, you just disconnect, and pull the old unit. (not exactly sure how the duct is tied on, but it should still be fairly easy to disconnect) Just be very aware of sealing the roof, so that you don't have water issues later on down the road.

Heat Pumps are usually pretty good, but it will depend on where you are using it, as to how effective it will be. Here in NC, at least near the coast, the winters are fairly mild, so it works better than it would up in the Northeast.
Depending on how often you use the RV during winter...and how often you are using the furnace, you may find that the extra money you spend for the HeatPump upgrade may not be worth the savings you expect to have in your LP bill.....depending on how long you expect to own the RV.

I agree, I'd get the larger unit for the replacement....you'll be glad that you did. it may not matter on certain days, but if you have a really HOT one, you'll be glad you did....and on those other days, the system won't have to run as hard or as long, to maintain the temperatures.

Good luck.

As far as the ratings, you probably have a 13,500 BTU A/C. I've heard that a lot of people, when it's necessary to replace units, are having to replace their 13,500 units with 15,000 BTU A/Cs. The new refrigerant is more environmentally friendly, but it doesn't cool worth a damn.

The roof units are all standard.

Don't know much about heat pump units.

Why are you replacing the A/C ? I had an 11 or so year old unit that worked fine, but the outside shroud was trashed. Didn't want to spend the money for a replacement shroud. I bought a carrier unit which lasted slightly more than two years before it stopped putting out cool air.