2nd AC installed - Penguin II - Cold enough?

[xanth]

We installed a 2nd AC in our 30ft Fifth Wheel a couple months ago. Decided to go with the Penguin II low Profile 13.5 BTU over the bedroom area.

Everything seems to work, it powers on and you can tell a difference when the compressor kicks on, but it just doesn't seem to get as cold in the bedroom area as I expected. Now I haven't had it on that much (we haven't taken any trips in it yet), but overall, i'm underwhelmed by its performance. I've only run it off the household current (20V).

We have a 15K BTU AC as the main AC unit, and I can leave it on all day and the trailer will get chilly inside, but the bedroom one just tends to get somewhat cooler.

I've done a bit of research, and some people say the 2nd AC makes the bedroom area an ice box when it is left on. Of course, others say it just cools it down.

What makes me really wonder, is I had left the 2nd AC on all night (on high) the other night (forgot it was on) and when I went into the trailer the next morning, it didn't seem cool at all. Figured it might have froze over the night, so I let it sit all day and turned it on the next day. Same results, I can tell the air is cooler (coming out of the AC unit), but it is not as cold as I was expecting.

Before I call Dometic to see what they say, or if they might warranty it, does anyone have any first hand experience?

Are my expectations too high? It cools the bedroom a few degrees, but doesn't make it cold.

Some of my research tells of a Dometic trouble shooting guide for the AC units, but my google-fu is failing me, and I can't find it.

Thanks for the help!

[GHop]

xanth wrote:
We installed a 2nd AC in our 30ft Fifth Wheel a couple months ago. Decided to go with the Penguin II low Profile 13.5 BTU over the bedroom area.

Everything seems to work, it powers on and you can tell a difference when the compressor kicks on, but it just doesn't seem to get as cold in the bedroom area as I expected. Now I haven't had it on that much (we haven't taken any trips in it yet), but overall, i'm underwhelmed by its performance. I've only run it off the household current (20V).

We have a 15K BTU AC as the main AC unit, and I can leave it on all day and the trailer will get chilly inside, but the bedroom one just tends to get somewhat cooler.

I've done a bit of research, and some people say the 2nd AC makes the bedroom area an ice box when it is left on. Of course, others say it just cools it down.

What makes me really wonder, is I had left the 2nd AC on all night (on high) the other night (forgot it was on) and when I went into the trailer the next morning, it didn't seem cool at all. Figured it might have froze over the night, so I let it sit all day and turned it on the next day. Same results, I can tell the air is cooler (coming out of the AC unit), but it is not as cold as I was expecting.

Before I call Dometic to see what they say, or if they might warranty it, does anyone have any first hand experience?

Are my expectations too high? It cools the bedroom a few degrees, but doesn't make it cold.

Some of my research tells of a Dometic trouble shooting guide for the AC units, but my google-fu is failing me, and I can't find it.

Thanks for the help!

They are correct, your AC should freeze you out. I would give Dometic a call after checking the setting.

[xanth]

Roger10378 wrote:
There are several videos on u-tube showing the sealing of the air passages to correct the problem. I would start there. If there is air leakage between the cold air and the return you will get those exact symptoms.

I gave my main 15 BTU AC a look over looking for air leakage, and found a few spots that needed to be sealed up. It was dumping cold air into the intake side. Again, thanks for the advice!

smlranger wrote:
A simple test to see if the unit is cooling properly is to use an infrared thermometer and read the temp of air on the input side and output side on high cool. If the output temp is at least 20 - 25 cooler than input temp, it is working as designed.

Good advice, I'm going to give that a go and see what happens.

jaycocamprs wrote:
Our Dometic 13.5 won't really do the "hang meat" thing either. It cools good but the builtin thermostat cuts the compressor out about 67 degrees. Cools it quick, but only just so cold. But it is enough that combined with main ducted 15K the trailer stays comfortable even on the hottest days.

This is about what mine does too. Gonna try to check the temps and see what kind output it is running.

[allen8106]

Something is wrong with the AC. It should freeze you out of that bedroom.

[smlranger]

A simple test to see if the unit is cooling properly is to use an infrared thermometer and read the temp of air on the input side and output side on high cool. If the output temp is at least 20 - 25 cooler than input temp, it is working as designed.

[rmoparman]

Make sure you have on correct setting. I have one and have a setting just for fan to run

[jaycocamprs]

Our Dometic 13.5 won't really do the "hang meat" thing either. It cools good but the builtin thermostat cuts the compressor out about 67 degrees. Cools it quick, but only just so cold. But it is enough that combined with main ducted 15K the trailer stays comfortable even on the hottest days.

[Super_Dave]

A 13.5 should be able to freeze you out of the bedroom if the bedroom door was shut. Personally, I find the bedroom unit to be too loud to sleep at night so leave the living space unit running and a fan in the bedroom to move air.

[xanth]

Roger10378 wrote:
There are several videos on u-tube showing the sealing of the air passages to correct the problem. I would start there. If there is air leakage between the cold air and the return you will get those exact symptoms.

Thanks. Good advice. Just went through you tube and took the interior panel off and took a look inside to make sure there were no big leaks from he release side to the input side. Looked pretty solid.

[Roger10378]

There are several videos on u-tube showing the sealing of the air passages to correct the problem. I would start there. If there is air leakage between the cold air and the return you will get those exact symptoms.