Air conditioner noise reduction

[Groover]

My wife recently informed my that she could not sleep with the noise of the roof air conditioners and that we would not be allowed to use them during the night anymore. Somehow I stumbled across the noise silencers from WackO products and decided to order some for my motorhome. Basically, you must have ducted air conditioning with the air intake exposed. You remove the factory air intake from the AC and replace it with one that has noise deadening and makes the incoming air snake around some. It also blocks off the rapid cooling vent in the factory grill. I don't have the instruments to verify the claimed dB reduction but there is no doubt in my mind that all but the lowest frequencies have been significantly attenuated and the noise is much more tolerable. It is much easier to have a conversation or listen to music now. And, my wife says that we can use the air conditioner at night now.

When you look at what they are the $200 price does seem to be high but when considering how much more enjoyable my RV will be now they are a bargain. To make up for the loss of the rapid cooling vent in the factory grill I bought and installed some extra vents in the ductwork that seem to do the job just fine without bringing back the noise. At this time there may only be kits for Dometic and Coleman airconditioners.

One place to purchase the WackO silencer

[Blacklane]

Leo2u1: Welcome to the forum.

If you look back on the posts in this thread, you will see that Groover (the OP) said: "It is much easier to have a conversation or listen to music now. And, my wife says that we can use the air conditioner at night now."

scbwr said: "$200 and the wife is happy.....well worth it."

Blacklane (me) said: "My air conditioner is much quieter, although I wouldn't call it "silent" as the name suggests."

Iventer said: "Installed a AC Silencer and all I can say is WOW!!!!! The fan set on high is quieter now than when the fan was set on low with the old cover. When fan is set on low with the silencer, it's almost silent."

So yes; several people have personal experience with this and have shared.

[Leo2u1]

If someone used, share your personal experience, please

[Leo2u1]

Are there any ways to reduce the noise?
And does it make sense to buy a portable air conditioner?
There are simply questions about where heat is removed, and what about condensate

[TurnThePage]

I also appreciate the background noise. Maybe less would be a good thing though.

[CFerguson]

Good thread.
Altho I always liked the AC background sound covering up the campground noise (when at crowded CGs). But that's also probably a result of my working and sleeping on oil rigs for so many years.

[jjrbus]

I have never heard a RV roof air that was acceptable sound wise. For ducted the solution is simple for the manufactures. Duct the warm air return instead of having the unit open to the RV below. My friends basement unit is more than acceptable.

I have a small old Toyota and took out the rear bathroom window and installed an 8k window unit. Ascetically looks horrible but at my age I would rather be cool and quiet than look cool.

[jyenter]

Installed a AC Silencer and all I can say is WOW!!!!! The fan set on high is quieter now than when the fan was set on low with the old cover. When fan is set on low with the silencer, it's almost silent.

The wife cannot believe the difference. It really is a $200 wife silencer.

[RedRocket204]

Hmmm, $200 for a wife silencer... I may need to look into this.

[Blacklane]

It's just a cut-to-fit filter from my local home store.

[wopachop]

What filter is that Blacklane on the design you created?

[1320Fastback]

We bought our Atwood AirCommand non ducted, non heat strip 13.5k in 2018, 4 years after they were bought by Dometic and ours still was made and assembled in Australia. It even came with the factory test papers showing it's electrical performance at various speeds and temperatures.

I was fully prepared to send it back if it said Dometic anywhere on it or Made in China anywhere. It does not.


edit: spelling

[Blacklane]

Thank you for posting this. I just bought and installed one of these and it does work pretty well. My air conditioner is much quieter, although I wouldn't call it "silent" as the name suggests.

In the past, I had installed Dynamat and acoustic foam to the inside of the cover, but there was still a straight acoustic path to the fan. This design creates an acoustic duct lined with absorber on the intake side, which is far more effective.

My design:


The WackO design:

[wopachop]

That looks like a great idea. Might get the filter for $30 and build my own box.

[BarneyS]

philh wrote:

If you consider 2014 recent 🙂

At my age, just about anything is recent! :E
Baney

[doxiemom11]

We never run the bedroom air but use the one up front at night. We have a ducted A/C and it pushed cool air out the bedroom vents too. Much quieter than running the one where we are at.