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werleyr20's avatar
werleyr20
Explorer
Jul 20, 2014

Newbies from Corpus Christi, TX

Hi everyone,

So glad we found this website! We just bought our first camper ever, a Jayco Baja 10y, and we are super stoked!!! We just bought the camper from Wisconsin and some family members of mine (I am originally from Wisco while he is a Texas native) will be driving it down for a vaca while on "delivery" We will get it on the 30th and I cant hardly wait I am so excited!!!

We are in our late 20s and early 30s, have no kids, live in Corpus Christi, TX, and love to explore. We do a lot of fishing down on the National Seashore and that is why we bought the baja version.

The man is a little bothered, ok very bothered, that it did not come with an A/C unit so I told him that I would buy one for him since he coordinated this whole camper thing. (I didnt want to lose the sale over it since I feel we got a pretty good deal at $5400 for a 2007 Baja 10y). Any suggestions you have for me on this A/C search and install would be amazing. Im hoping not to have to spend a million dollars for it. I would like to expand his camping adventures outside of Texas also so this I guess is a must have in order for me to do the convincing

He is also a modifications addict! He bought a 2014 Toyota Tacoma Baja and has put about 4k into mods between the roof and shark rack he is having built to lighting. I would say he is obsessed. I feel this adventure will be headed down the same trail. Since I know his obsession I have created a group for people to share their mods called "Modifications, Upgrades, & Advice" please join and share. I will post as he Modifies our camper as I am sure it will be nothing short of COMPLETELY different by the time he is done with it lol.

Our first mini trip will be to New Braunfels, TX for "Rock the River" music fest on Aug 9th so we are STOKED!! I also started a group called "Texas Camping" looking for any people with experience and advice who have camped Texas. Also interested is any camping areas in or near New Braunfels that you suggest for our first adventure.

Well, looking forward to learning from and sharing with all of you!! Let the exploration begin!!

Ryan & Terri
Folding Trailers
  • RimCountry's avatar
    RimCountry
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2014
    My experience with RV-type, roof-mount A/C units, although limited, has not been a good one, particularly in areas where there is considerable humidity. Our gently-used Viking came with an 11K BTU Dometic DuoTherm on it, and it was fine here in Arizona... fine, that is, until the temps topped 95°, and then it really struggled.

    We took a trip over to the coast, up around Big Sur, and although the temps stayed in the mid-80s, the humidity was surprisingly high for the week we were there, and again, while there was a cool stream of air directly beneath the unti, the DuoTherm was hard-pressed to keep the entire interior comfortable, especially in our bunk area at night.

    We did a little research and discovered that Dometic makes a heartier 15K model for about $900, but having just bought the PUP, we really didn't want to spend that much. Plus, the bigger model weighs more and takes up more space up there on the roof. We also discovered that a ±75 pound roof-mount unit, besides requiring a bit more elbow grease to crank-up the pop-up, interferes with the ability to use the center rear-view mirror, and extended side-views just seem to be a bit of over-kill for a pop-up.

    Anyway, we removed the roof-mount unit and filled the hole with an awesome, light-weight, low-profile, 2-way, 3-speed fan / skylight that runs on 12V, and bought a 5K BTU portable window A/C unit that's smaller and lighter than a mid-size microwave that we can mount on foldable sawhorses right outside the screened window in our bunk area - it's just us and a Chihuahua... no kids. It's quiet, cools us off when and where we need it, and it runs perfectly off our little 1KW generator. Bottom line... we're kinda lovin' it.

    I'll follow this thread with interest to see what you decide, and how "extreme" your husband gets with the solution... because I know one thing you'll have to deal with anywhere along that gorgeous Gulf Coast is humidity!
  • 5Mainecampers's avatar
    5Mainecampers
    Explorer
    Jul 20, 2014
    Air conditioner is very easy if the camper has A/C prep (it would be pre-wired); the A/C can often mount over a center roof vent---- A/C prep is mostly the wiring--- so it can it can still be modified--- I've heard different stories regarding weight and roof structure (A/C prep does not include a difference in roof structure)- there a couple models with the abs roof (I.e. Coleman) which do not recomend A/C's---- you will find very few pop-ups with A/C's in the northern states because there is so much ventilation and our evenings cool off more so than in the south

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