Replacing Dometic Air Conditioner

There is a long model number on your Dometic unit. Get that number and contact PPL Motors (parts). They will tell you what's compatible with your old unit.

Call Dometic! When mine died I replaced it with their high efficiency model which works well with my Honda 2000.

While I know you've posted before about heat problems, what's wrong now and why does a unit need replacing?
Sounds like you have a older 5 button Tstat. I would PM Dougrainer (if he does not chime in) and I would call the guy in this Ebay conversion kit. New DouTherm Brisk Air 15K are in the $600 delivered range and Heat pumps for $800+.

IF you have lo profile Penguin models and IF they are Heat Pumps, you have to replace BOTH roof top units and the wall tstat. IF they are COOL only, you can replace just the roof top unit. IF they are Penguin COOL only, you will have to purchase a 12 button to 5 button control board kit for the new Penguin. IF they are standard Brisk AIR cool only, then the control package is separate from the AC unit and you just have to replace the upper unit only. IF the Brisk Air is Heat Pump, then you have to replace BOTH upper control modules and the wall Tstat. Replacing BOTH while expensive, is not too bad since the units are 11 years old already and probably at the end of their life cycle. Doug

I would check with these guys, I am sure that they will be able to help you...DyersRV

Does anyone know about installing a second unit?

burgess001 wrote:
Looks like my rear air conditioner is toast. The shop said new AC units were not compatible with my old 2004 Dutch Star system and they would have to replace everything, both AC units, control boards, thermostat, and whatever. Quoted over $4,000. I may have fallen off a turnip truck, but not yesterday. Somebody tell me this is not insane???

You probably have the old Penguin low-profile ACs.

If so, the current replacement are the Penguin IIs (the ones with all the holes in the sides), and these units require a digital thermostat.

However, I believe you can buy a different controller board so that the Penguin II runs off your existing thermostat. Call Dometic.

I've found that the Penguin IIs are better than the older Penguins.

Thanks for the comments. It will help me talk a little more intelligently when I call around. As for the problem... It's been longstanding, at least in some form or other.

About 5 years ago, the furnace became erratic. It would not work below about 40 degrees. I had it worked on several times, by different shops and never did get it fixed until (MAYBE) this winter. Now, this spring, when out for the first time, the AC's... (BOTH of them) would not blow cold air on AC setting. In fact, the compressor would kick on, but it would blow hot (heat pump) air instead of cold. Took it to the shop and they said they got the front one working, but the back one worked for a few minutes and died. So, they want an obscene amount of money to get the back one going. I think they just don't want to work on it any more and shot me a price I would never agree to??? We shall see. I'm picking it up this afternoon.

Thanks again for the help. I'm not on here much anymore, but I know where to go when I'm in trouble. Kind of like your kids (grin)

I'm working on a older Duo Therm heat pump on a Airstream my kids use that has worked well until last week when after 30 minutes everything shut off. Bypassed the phone cord type control wires by putting Tstat at the unit and got it to work, BUT like you... heat instead of cool. Figured out that it takes 110V to the reversing solenoid valve to switch to cooling so jumpered 110V to it. The control board still has a mind of it's own as it will work for awhile and then go on strike.:M

Called William today (303-809-6006) from my Ebay link above and he rebuilds older control boards which I could not find any to buy anywhere. He's sending me a good board with an envelope and mailer to send the board and $125 back. Thought about spending $725 on another non-ducted unit but someone has put a freon fill port on this one so I should be able to make it work for a long time.

OP, my point is your problems sound like control board issue not compressor motor or fan motor problems. I would call William and see if he can help you figure this out without replacing the units... probably just the control boards which need to be programmed (dip switches set properly) for your situation.

burgess001 wrote:
Thanks for the comments. It will help me talk a little more intelligently when I call around. As for the problem... It's been longstanding, at least in some form or other.

About 5 years ago, the furnace became erratic. It would not work below about 40 degrees. I had it worked on several times, by different shops and never did get it fixed until (MAYBE) this winter. Now, this spring, when out for the first time, the AC's... (BOTH of them) would not blow cold air on AC setting. In fact, the compressor would kick on, but it would blow hot (heat pump) air instead of cold. Took it to the shop and they said they got the front one working, but the back one worked for a few minutes and died. So, they want an obscene amount of money to get the back one going. I think they just don't want to work on it any more and shot me a price I would never agree to??? We shall see. I'm picking it up this afternoon.

Thanks again for the help. I'm not on here much anymore, but I know where to go when I'm in trouble. Kind of like your kids (grin)

IF you have the older Dometic HP and it blows HOT when calling for cool, you either have a bad reversing valve electric switch or the reversing valve is BAD. The switch can be replaced. The VALVE cannot and the unit is trash. YOUR model HP, IF the reversing valve circuit fails, the unit blows HOT when calling for cool. The NEW Dometic HP's, because of that default, now blow COLD if the reversing valve system fails. Because of this change in design, the NEW Penguin HP's will NOT work with the older 5 button wall tstat. The new Penguins come with the 12 button tstat control board already mounted on the unit. So, you MUST buy and install the 12 button to 5 button change out kit and install it on the NEW Penguin HP units. This lets the unit operate with your 5 button wall tstat. As I mentioned, IF both units are 11/12 years old, it would be best to replace BOTH roof top Penguin HP's and then just purchase the 12 button wall tstat. Because the New Penguin HP's already have the 12 button control board installed as part of the price. It is all plug and play, no wires to run. The new 12 button has programming capabilities for times on and off like Home type tstats. Doug