A/C while driving

[Buster52]

I have never driven an RV in hot weather, my question is while driving is the dash A/C enough to cool my 30 foot class A cool? Will I have to have to use my roof A/C to keep cool. Do you get better gas mileage using the dash A/C or roof A/C? If you are driving 55 mph and figuring 7 mpg on your rig you will burn about 7.85 gallons,and burn another gallon per hour in the gen you are now burning 8.85 gallons for 55 miles making you mileage 6.2 mpg. Thanks Buster

[randallb]

The largest Sanden style compressor uses about 5.5 HP at full load. This works out to about .34 gallons/hour of gasoline. What is your gens fuel consumption/hour? We never used anything but the dash A/c while driving and never had an issue even crossing on I-40 in the middle of summer or across TX from Abilene down to Austin. When we stopped for lunch we would fire up the generator and kick on the front A/C to stay comfortable and have power to the microwave.

[jdevans22]

When real hot we run dash air,both roof air and sometimes a small fan blowing from the rear bedroom.

[doc_brown]

Roof AC's as needed, I rarely use my dash AC.

[willald]

Depends on several factors.

If its just two in the MH up front in the driver and passenger seat and your passenger doesn't typically go to the back often for anything...The dash air may well be enough. On most units, the dash air is enough to keep the very front (driver and passenger) cool, but thats about it.

If anyone else is riding back in the coach, you will want to run the genny and at least one air conditioner in hot weather (unless your passengers back there don't mind being a bit hot).

Any time you stop to rest for a bit, eat something, etc., you're going to want to fire up the genny and run at least one air conditioner.

You also may want to fire up the genny and air conditionr an hour or so before you get to your destination, so that by the time you get there, the coach is already cool and comfortable.

You will hardly notice the difference in fuel consumption when on the road with the genny running vs not running. When your drivetrain engine is powering you down the highway gulping down about 8 or 10 gallons an hour, the extra half gallon your generator uses per hour is not that significant.

Typically during the summer months, unless its unusually cool, we run the generator and at least one air conditioner when on the road. Have to 'round here in the South, otherwise it becomes unbearably hot back in the coach for the rest of the family (kids).

[Bugman114]

On my 85 Pace arrow 27/28 foot (haven't quite figured out which yet lol), I run the roof A/C on pretty much 100% of the time, weather I'm driving or not. The way I see it, if i was going after fuel efficiency, I'd drive one of those small 4 cylinder toyota/ Nissan RV's haha. Another 1 or 2 MPG in some thing that only gets 10MPG doesn't really make a difference to me anyhow.

[jsmart]

We have a 2002 Itasca Sunrise 32V with 2 roof units, we run either one or both on long hot drives with the grandkids and dogs. Gen uses approx. 1/2 gal/hr.

[J-Rooster]

I don't have roof air, basement heat pump! I turn on my genset to cool my 36' coach when I get into Barstow, CA. just too hot to continue to the S.W. without the A/C.

[camper19709]

sch911 wrote:
You will need to use the generator, the roof A/C, and the dash A/C. This is how we roll, and most others also...

Me too !

[AllegroD]

My dash AC is pretty good but if it gets warm, do not hesitate to fire the genny and turn on the roof AC.

[becker]

Buster.....

They really are not "shower curtains" per se and the fabric is not porous so air cannot bleed through it. My wife bought the fabric that we used from the department in the store that sold shower curtains and bathroom supplies. When you pull the two opposites together, they overlap so none of the cool air get past them.
Our coach is a "class A". It's a 2008 Monaco Dynasty 42 foot motorhome.
The whole operation is not that difficult and certainly worth the effort and it serves the purpose. You'll wonder why you have not done it before.

[BigBlockTank]

Much cheaper to run the genset and roof a/c, instead of dash a/c.

[Buster52]

Becker, good idea. But why shower curtains? Why not a cloth curtain. Is the show curtain clear plastic? I have a class A, is your's a Class C? It would be easier to do in a class c.

Buster

[becker]

Buster.....

Down here in Texas it gets pretty hot (above 100) and the humidity is pretty rough also.

My wife sewed two nice looking shower curtains (coach décor compatible) together (to make them floor height) and I put a nice looking wood rod across the width of the coach (just behind the driver's and passenger's chairs). The whole installation looks very nice. With the shower curtains pulled together (it closes off the front totally)the front dash air keeps everything very comfortable. The part of the coach behind the shower curtains get very warm so I turn on all three air conditioners for about 15 minutes before we stop for lunch to let the back cool down a bit.

Works for us.

[TX_AG]

Switchflicker wrote:
On the flip side, and this is a real problem each beginning of our journey south each year.

Has anyone run the furnace while driving down the road? My current Motor Home has the furnace intake and outlet at the back of the coach.

We have the heater for the coach from the engine, but for the first couple of hundred miles, there isn't enough heat to make the back close to habitable. I would like to just leave the furnace on all night too!!Even though we hotel it until we get to more moderate climates.

What do you think?

Sw

No problem to run the furnace while driving. Just as using the roof air conditioning, use what ever equipment you have available to maintain a comfortable temperature.