Second AC Size

[SanMarMor]

I am looking at putting a second AC in our trailer. The main unit is a 15k ducted unit in the back. I already have a vent and wiring at the vent and 50 amp service, so I just have to add the unit. My question is, what size second AC have you all been adding, and do you wish it was more or less. I am thinking of going 13.5k, because I'd rather have too much than not enough. But I also know it has to "work" some to work right. I'm concerned about how loud it will be too, since it is in the bedroom. I figure, hopefully, I won't need the second AC at night, so it wouldn't be too loud.

Any suggestions or recommendations are greatly appreciated.
Mark

[SanMarMor]

I just ordered a Dometic Brisk Air 2, 13.5k unit, and arrange for the local RV shop to install it for $85. Hopefully those hot August trips won't cook us out of the trailer now.

Thanks for the input
Mark

[Water-Bug]

Bought our 5er in northern Michigan. Turns out delivery date was the hottest day of the summer and being in northern Michigan the dealer thought nothing of leaving it parked on the asphalt tarmac. When the single factory AC wouldn't drop the temp below 95, we refused delivery. (Parked in the shade or AC on in the AM, would have made it a non-issue.) We negotiated a 13.5K at dealer cost with no install fee. Had we taken delivery on a cool day or had the dealer had experience making deliveries on 95+ degree days, the second AC would have cost us nearly $500 more.

[phillyg]

To me they're all loud, ducted or not, but my cool is more important. Since you have a 15, a 13.5 should be enough.

[bad99ram]

I just added a second A/C to my unit. I got the Coleman low profile that is only 8" high 13.5K , non ducted. The reviews were good however, as it is snowing today I haven't had a chance to try it.

[Hvyhauler]

I added a second a/c in the bedroom years ago,Duo Therm Brisk Air 13,500 BTU non ducted hand knob controls.Our 5ver is 50 amp service and was pre-wired for a second a/c.

This unit quickly throws cold air out and has 3 speed settings also a fan setting,its a must have when camping in this Florida/South Georgia heat.The unit is loud in my opinion and I cannot sleep under it when running.Looking back I would have preferred a unit with a wall thermostst which would shut the complete unit down when it reaches preset temp/cycles instead of leaving the fan running.

We run the main ducted a/c only during the night and it keeps us cool.Dometic has some new units out that are quieter and more efficient,better foam insulation and more vibration dampening material.Dometic has an online video about the new quieter units which is impressive.

Take your time and do some research, I'm looking into replacing our main unit with one of the new 2015 year model units.Our main unit (15000 BTU) is starting to suffer from years of hard continuous use.

[Bumpyroad]

Dtank wrote:
No matter which one you choose.......

make sure it has an easy start capacitor.

My 2nd (13.5) optional gen does not.

Using only one with a gen, the 15K starts easily - the 13.5K has a tough time getting off the starter windings.

Get the lowest profile you can find.

.

get a duotherm dometic quick start kit part no. 3102903.006
bumpy

[rmalik1]

ford truck guy wrote:
Our second ducted AC is a 13.5 ... Not sure it would make that big of a difference between the 13.5 and the 15K..?? At least to me it wouldn't .. as long as you have one of them , I think your better..

Agree with NC . . we really use ours when the Humidity gets up there and the nights get muggy...

A lot of time , we just run the fan on the second one at night once the trailer is at temp..

Joe

X3

[Dtank]

No matter which one you choose.......

make sure it has an easy start capacitor.

My 2nd (13.5) optional gen does not.

Using only one with a gen, the 15K starts easily - the 13.5K has a tough time getting off the starter windings.

Get the lowest profile you can find.

.

[Bumpyroad]

I added a small one on my MH in the bedroom so I could run it when the power was not great and it would be relatively cheap to replace if needed. a lot depends on whether you will be camping in the desert or in more civilized locations.
bumpy

[BB_TX]

We added a 13.5K low profile to ours to go along with the 15K in the living room, and we do live and use it in TX. Typically after a long hot travel day we turn both on after getting set up. Then it takes a couple hours for the trailer to really cool down well. But by bed time it is cool enough to turn the bedroom unit off and only use the living room 15K unit. And the living room unit will generally keep the trailer cool even in the hot day time temps of 100+ once the trailer has cooled down thoroughly.

And yes, the bedroom unit is loud. Not ducted.

[ford_truck_guy]

Our second ducted AC is a 13.5 ... Not sure it would make that big of a difference between the 13.5 and the 15K..?? At least to me it wouldn't .. as long as you have one of them , I think your better..

Agree with NC . . we really use ours when the Humidity gets up there and the nights get muggy...

A lot of time , we just run the fan on the second one at night once the trailer is at temp..

Joe

[NC_Hauler]

..not only in TX, but here in the mountains of NC, and in WV, when the temps. get into the upper 80's and the low 90's. Humidity can run in the 70 and 80% range, making it EXTREMELY muggy..VERY GLAD our's came with the 2 15k AC's....they've done an excellent job of keeping us cool in our 5er and both are very quite, ducted Carrier AC's....:)

[padredw]

OK, here are some of my thoughts.

We went ahead and got 15K because the cost was very little more.

We have never used the second AC while sleeping. We do use it when we arrive at a campground on a Summer afternoon. It helps very much to cool the trailer down. If it is really hot we may leave it running right up to the time we got to bed. If guess if it were hot enough we could even sleep with it running, but we have never had that need.

On Summer days in very hot and humid conditions the second AC would surely help. We have never "camped" in such conditions for very long.

We are pleased with the capacity that we have.

We got one of the last Carrier low profile ACs available. They are no longer available. We were able to save a few inches in the overall height of our RV, but those few inches were necessary for our storage shed. It also helps as we approach low clearance. We are at 12' 9", so I avoid any overpass which is less than 13'.

Our second AC is NOT ducted, but that has not been a problem. Sometimes we run it in the evening. Makes a quiet living room for watching TV, etc.

Good luck. In Texas, in the Summer, you will appreciate having all the cooling you can get.

[NC_Hauler]

Some, depending on the pre-wired application will "normally" add a 13.5k AC....I have two 15k's, but it came with the two 15k's.