Did they change refridgerant type in newer A/C's ?

Bob Landry wrote:

mark1228 wrote:
I also understand that the new AC units are a little louder because of the Freon change. Don't know if it's true, just something I have heard

There is no difference in the noise level. The hardware is the same. The only difference is the refrigerant and the type of compressor oil used.

Dometic had a problem with Noise levels on the first Low Profile Penguin units(R410a) due to the type compressor they were using. After they identified the problem, they changed the design/maker of the compressor. The original compressors had a louder hum/rumble. This problem went away over 2 years ago. Doug

mark1228 wrote:
I also understand that the new AC units are a little louder because of the Freon change. Don't know if it's true, just something I have heard

There is no difference in the noise level. The hardware is the same. The only difference is the refrigerant and the type of compressor oil used.

I work on mostly centrifugal chillers and large RTUs at work but I've installed about a dozen 410a units, package, split and mini splits and I've had good luck. I charge everything by subcooling and superheat and the basics still apply to them just like any older units. 410a has such a narrow glide,
I haven't had any problems with the saturation temps. I took out a 2001 3.5T 12seer and put in a 2013 2.5T 15.5 seer on my own house and it's great. BTUs are BTUs and the later designs are SOOO much more efficient in the coils and motors. Craig

I also understand that the new AC units are a little louder because of the Freon change. Don't know if it's true, just something I have heard

I have seen NO problems with the newer units and MOST have had the R410a for over 3 years. The problem is simple. A lot of newer RV's have multiple slides and THAT increases the square footage of the area to be cooled, plus with the inherent slight leakage of slide seals(slides allow a lot more air to escape). The OP needs to clarify his post. He implies with the way he wrote it that DOMETIC is claiming to be aware of cooling problems with the R410a. Which is NOT true. I am a simple person. 15k or 13.5k of cooling BTU's is THAT. Regardless of what they use to operate the system. Yes, as a dealer, we recommend that a trailer as big as 39 feet have at least 3 AC units. Depending on the floorplan (that number of slides again) having 3 instead of 2 can make the difference in 90 plus heat. Doug

I can hang meat in our 40' fiver with both the 15000 and 13500 BTU A/C's running in the Alabama sun in August. Usually only run the 15000 during the day and at night turn on the bedroom A/C on low.

I was on another forum a couple of weeks ago and a similar subject came up. A couple were looking at a pre 2012 (not sure of the exact year) fifth wheel and on the same lot with a "new" fifth wheel. It was hot out and they noticed the used trailer was freezing inside, the 2014 unit wasn't quite keeping up with the heat. The sales person explained that "the newer air conditioning units don't do as good of a job as the older units".

Made me wonder, we only have one air conditioner and here in Wi for the most part it does OK but what about down south? Hmmmm

Maybe somebody with real life experience can enlighten us.

Dan

I think the campers just keep getting bigger We got our 08 new and the salesman said the 15,000 btu AC would be enough to keep it cool. Well it works 90% of the time but that 10% you need the extra cooling you REALLY NEED IT! I wish we would have put the 13,000BTU one in the bedroom:{ live and learn or add one or suffer through the heat. The saving grace is we are at the lake in the water on those hot days instead of sitting in the camper.

The newer units are using R410a, which has been out for several years. I believe Dometic started using it in their marine units around 2007 or so. There were grumblings about it not cooling as well as R22, but the main difference is in the amount of gas used in the charges, usually in oz. The average use is not going to know the difference. Charging with it is a lot harder than with R-22 because of the extremely high pressures it runs at and it has to be charged either by weight or by super heat because ambient temperature really affects the high side pressures and a few degrees change can send the high side pressures all over the map.I've heard that a replacement is coming for it, but I don't have any specifics, so it looks like we will be living with this one for a while. You can't just charge it and get it close with gauges like you could R-22.
It's like when R-134a replaced R-12 in refrigeration. Nobody really noticed a big difference. I haven't noticed a difference in discharge air temps between the two. If you replace the AC in a stick & brick you are going to get a unit charged with R410a, trade name, Puron.

We have a Flagstaff Classic model number 831 about 34 feet and our 15000 BTU in Billings, Mt last summer couldn't keep up and I doubt anything could have. JMHO