13.5 to 15KBTU worth it?

[Sled208]

I've got a 2006 Cedar Creek Silverback 5ver with 2 slides and the Air Conditioning system just won't even come close to managing the heat & humidity of these hot summer days. It's unfortunately NOT wired for 50 Amp. We have it parked on a permanent spot in a campground here in NW Iowa that is completely open to the sunshine. We do use the camper to camp other places a few times a year so we can't do anything to make it non-mobile. I was considering Just adding a second low-profile AC unit to the front and doing some external (redneck) wiring to power it but that might create other issues with the power source at the box (who knows). All that is available at the power box is a 30amp and a 15 amp outlet. Not sure if a 15 amp outlet could handle the extra AC or not... ANYWAY, would just instead replacing the original factory AC unit with a 15kbtu Air Conditioner gain me enough to make it worth the cost and hassle? Thanks in advance

[CincyGus]

Some other tips to help:

Keep the blinds closed and consider putting reflective liners in the windows behind the blinds. Reflectix is one brand. Sun beating in the windows heats the blinds and does help raise the inside temps.

Run the AC all night and let it get ahead of the game from morning going forward. It's a lot easier to keep it cool than to get it cool once it gets hot.

Once it gets hot inside and your lost the keep it cool battle, don't be afraid to open ceiling vents and run the vent fans to remove the layer of hot air. Remember, Hot air rises. The cold air from your AC sinks. The hottest air in the camper will be in the ceiling and running the vents while the AC is running CAN help sometimes. It really depends where your AC vents too.

If you can curtain off an area to have the AC cooling a smaller area, it will be more effective on the hottest of hot days. Again, close bathroom doors and run the vent fan, Close off the bedroom and open a window and put a box fan in it pointing out to exhaust the uncooled air until nightfall.

Get in there and fight for a shady spot or 30Amp+ 20amp hookup as your AC will need the help.

When all else fails, a tub with some ice water to soak your bare feet in while in the lawn chair outside in the awnings shade will make you feel like you're in the AC. I learned this one day when it was 104 and we were camping for a race in a field without a genny. Saw a bunch of people with kids pools/tubs/ice coolers with their feet in them and asked and learned something. It works!

Good Luck and cooler days ahead! (No pun intended).

[Larryect]

Well, I took my CA trip in August. It was 109 in Vegas when we pulled in there. It was late afternoon and the trailer was very hot from being closed up and traveling. Fired both AC units up ASAP and got the inside temp down to 85 or so by bedtime. Used a portable fan to help circulate some cooler air into the bedroom.

According to my Progressive EMS I was pulling 32 - 35 amps. So, I ran a cord out the window for the 2nd AC and plugged into the 15 or 20 amp outlet on the pedestal. This was a 50 amp park, so no park power problems.

Went on to CA the next day. It was still hot, but maybe not as hot. I think I was getting erroneous readings on my outdoor thermometer, but I think it was generally around 100 degree days.

In CA, the 2 units were generally able to keep up, especially if no one was home. The day or two we were there I think we were able to keep the indoor temp to 78 or so, with it being noticeably warmer upstairs in the bedroom. This 78 actually seemed quite a bit more comfortable then what we experienced on our last CA trip. The CA park was a 30 amp only park, without any additional plugs on the pedestal. I know I was pushing the limits of the power source, but I never tripped a breaker. I do have an EMS that would have shut down if the voltage dropped too low.

Overall, I think having the portable in the back corner is an acceptable solution. Especially since I already had the unit. But, it is also much easier then trying to install another roof top unit on a trailer that is not wired for one.

[myredracer]

Sled208 wrote:
Thank you all for responding. I'm sorry if I'm not responding to each suggestion but I value everybody's input. Here's a big issue that I discovered this weekend. The electrical hookup at my spot only has a 30amp plug. Nothing else. I was sure there would be a separate 15 amp outlet but there is not. I think that limits me specifically to replacing the existing unit only?? I don't know if I can run one of those portable units even?

The NEC has required a 15 amp receptacle at EVERY pedestal (30 & 50) for a long time. If there isn't one, a permit wasn't taken out originally or they've been removed. We were at a CG with 300+ sites that had removed every single 15 amp recept in their pedestals to prevent people from drawing more current and worsening the already bad voltage.

Refer to the manufacturer's AC unit manual for min. wire size and breaker size. Pay close attention to min. wire size vs. length and don't use a 15 amp ext. cord to the pedestal. Trying to run two AC units on 30 amps is not a good idea. Converting your camper to 50 amps would be a solution but the NEC only requires 20% of CGs to have 50 amp pedestal (increased to 40% in 2017 edition) and finding 50 amps in a CG can be very difficult unless you look for CGs/RV parks that built above min. code.

Be wary of using the 15 amp recept in a pedestal in older CGs to get more power than you can get from just 30 amps. Because of the way older CGs were wired, the increased current can significantly drag the voltage down. Low voltage will damage AC units. Installing a permanent LED voltmeter inside is always a good idea to monitor the voltage. When it gets down to 105 and below you need to turn AC units off, or if you have an EMS it will do it for you. An autoformer can be used to boost voltage.

I'd opt for a 15K unit and live with the minimal improvement.

[Larryect]

Sled208 wrote:

Larryect wrote:
Mine is a 15k in a 32 ft with wheel. It is just not enough on really hot days. Need to figure out a way to add additional cooling. I set a portable in the back corner. I think it pulls 8 amps. I should be able to run both units on 30 amps service as long as I don't run the water heater on electric

Mine is 29' and I'm parked in the open with no shade whatsoever and it wont hack it. Let me know if that portable air unit works for you.

I will find out in August.

[Sled208]

Larryect wrote:
Mine is a 15k in a 32 ft with wheel. It is just not enough on really hot days. Need to figure out a way to add additional cooling. I set a portable in the back corner. I think it pulls 8 amps. I should be able to run both units on 30 amps service as long as I don't run the water heater on electric

Mine is 29' and I'm parked in the open with no shade whatsoever and it wont hack it. Let me know if that portable air unit works for you.

[Larryect]

Mine is a 15k in a 32 ft with wheel. It is just not enough on really hot days. Need to figure out a way to add additional cooling. I set a portable in the back corner. I think it pulls 8 amps. I should be able to run both units on 30 amps service as long as I don't run the water heater on electric

[Sled208]

Here's an update and a new wrinkle in the story. I climbed up on the roof with all my tools and gunk cleaning spray. Popped the lid off and everything looked pretty good. There was a few dirty areas in the front (cold side). I cleaned them out the best I could. Everything in there was sealed and actually insulated pretty well. I figured I would be able to spot some efficiencies to be gained but not really without a ton of work. The scroll cage fan could use some cleaning but I wasn't sure how to do that without blowing all the **** into the ducts. Here's the wrinkle. I thought I had a 13.5btu but it appears to actually be a 15btu. The label says Duo-Therm Model 59516.531 Nom BTU: 15,000. I googled it and it does say that the model 59516 is the Brisk II 15,000 BTU A/C. Well... I think I'm just going to have to suffer this year and hopefully get a better spot in the Resort next year. Maybe with 50 amp power, or shade or sewer hooks or hopefully all 3!!
The A/C unit produces nice cold air, I know that not a quantitative statement but you put your hand up to the vents in the ceiling and it's blowing cold air. There just simply isn't enough to keep the camper cool. There really isn't much I can do with what I have to work with.

[jjrbus]

I have seen a perfectly good roof air replaced because the evaporator was plugged with gunk. Could not get enough air through it.

The evaporator is the coil you see when you look up into the AC from inside.

Then need to check Delta T. “Delta T” is the most common use of the word delta in the HVAC industry, meaning temperature difference. If the temperature before a cooling coil is 75F and the temperature after the cooling coil is 55F, subtract 55F from a 75F to find a delta t of 20F.

I would do a couple Googles on how to check efficiency of AC. No sense in adding a 2nd unit if that one is going bad or replacing a good unit.

[pianotuna]

Sled208

CW = camping world. Unfortunately they seem to not serve customers too well. Long waits and wrong headed repairs appear to be the norm. Or perhaps we just hear about their failings and not their successes.

[Sled208]

Bob Vaughn wrote:
The Atwood Air Command 15000 advertises that it is really 18000 BTU but the inside fan never shuts off even when on automatic. The compressor and outside fan cycle on and off but the interior fan runs continually and yes this is a ducted system......Atwood customer service is totally useless they are worse than CW if that is possible.....so in short do not buy one of their units the heat part of my heat pump does not work either....

There's gotta be something wrong with the wiring of the thermostat in your rig. You should be able to control the fan function. What is "CW"?

[Sled208]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi Sled208,

If there is only a 30 amp shore power supply, limit the total energy use to 80% (24 amps or about 2900 watts). It may be necessary to monitor the voltage. If it drops below 107, turn off some of the loads.

A kill-a-watt meter is a useful piece of kit to have.

My roof air, when it is HOT and has been running for hours goes up to 1900 watts. That leaves me with another 1000 watts to use for other items.

A possible third alternative, if you are in a dry area such as Arizona is to use a "stand alone" swamp cooler.

Sled208 wrote:
Thank you all for responding. I'm sorry if I'm not responding to each suggestion but I value everybody's input. Here's a big issue that I discovered this weekend. The electrical hookup at my spot only has a 30amp plug. Nothing else. I was sure there would be a separate 15 amp outlet but there is not. I think that limits me specifically to replacing the existing unit only?? I don't know if I can run one of those portable units even?

Definitely not a dry climate here in Iowa next to the lake. Something tripped the breaker one of the hotter days and I assume it was just the combination of the inverter and the Air Conditioner. Nothing else was turned on. Maybe I should just put a **** generator next to my camper and fire it up when the second air unit is needed. We're inline for moving to a new spot next year hopefully one with 50amp service and some shade.

[Bob_Vaughn]

The Atwood Air Command 15000 advertises that it is really 18000 BTU but the inside fan never shuts off even when on automatic. The compressor and outside fan cycle on and off but the interior fan runs continually and yes this is a ducted system......Atwood customer service is totally useless they are worse than CW if that is possible.....so in short do not buy one of their units the heat part of my heat pump does not work either....

[pianotuna]

Hi Sled208,

If there is only a 30 amp shore power supply, limit the total energy use to 80% (24 amps or about 2900 watts). It may be necessary to monitor the voltage. If it drops below 107, turn off some of the loads.

A kill-a-watt meter is a useful piece of kit to have.

My roof air, when it is HOT and has been running for hours goes up to 1900 watts. That leaves me with another 1000 watts to use for other items.

A possible third alternative, if you are in a dry area such as Arizona is to use a "stand alone" swamp cooler.

Sled208 wrote:
Thank you all for responding. I'm sorry if I'm not responding to each suggestion but I value everybody's input. Here's a big issue that I discovered this weekend. The electrical hookup at my spot only has a 30amp plug. Nothing else. I was sure there would be a separate 15 amp outlet but there is not. I think that limits me specifically to replacing the existing unit only?? I don't know if I can run one of those portable units even?

[Sled208]

Thank you all for responding. I'm sorry if I'm not responding to each suggestion but I value everybody's input. Here's a big issue that I discovered this weekend. The electrical hookup at my spot only has a 30amp plug. Nothing else. I was sure there would be a separate 15 amp outlet but there is not. I think that limits me specifically to replacing the existing unit only?? I don't know if I can run one of those portable units even?