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kerrlakeRoo's avatar
kerrlakeRoo
Explorer
Jul 04, 2018

Newer heat pumps and generator use

I have been looking into the specs of some of the Keystone 5th wheels lately and see that they are claiming 0n most Montana, Avalanche, and Alpine units to have a 16,500 btu heat pump for the primary units.
The brochures show a dometic thermostat and a picture of what appears to be a Penguin II roof unit.
But in looking through the Dometic site, they dont claim a 16,500 BTU unit. They show a couple of models in the Penguin II as being Hi cap, but dont list a specific output.
Electrical demands on 15K units generally appears to be between 12.3 and 12.8 running amps, and between 63 and 70 locked rotor amps. The Hi Cap units seem to have about an additional half amp for the running amps, but locked rotor amps are generally lower by 5 to 10 amps.
Would this keep the starting of the heat pump units a little easier for the newer units?
Is this something similar to the claimed improvement in efficiency on home units similar to the increased seer ratings on those units?
Has anyone used a generator in the 3100 to 3400 watt range with these larger 16,500 btu units?
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 06, 2018
    imgoin4it wrote:
    Had an Atwood acnd unit installed on our coach. It was quieter and moved more air than the penguin 2 it replaced, but the heat pump would not raise the heat at all. Numerous calls to Atwood (Dometic) indicated the unit was working exactly as it was supposed to. It just would not heat enough to heat anything. Finally took it off and replaced it with another penguin unit. If looking for a little heat stay away from them


    Dometic acknowledges that the Atwoods are quieter. But, I still would not have one. They will be an orphan brand in a few years. Doug
  • imgoin4it's avatar
    imgoin4it
    Explorer
    Jul 05, 2018
    Had an Atwood acnd unit installed on our coach. It was quieter and moved more air than the penguin 2 it replaced, but the heat pump would not raise the heat at all. Numerous calls to Atwood (Dometic) indicated the unit was working exactly as it was supposed to. It just would not heat enough to heat anything. Finally took it off and replaced it with another penguin unit. If looking for a little heat stay away from them
  • kerrlakeRoo's avatar
    kerrlakeRoo
    Explorer
    Jul 05, 2018
    Thx Doug, I'll have to stop by my dealer next run to Danville.
    The whisper the keystone brochure calls the unit isn't a name in either companies product lines.
    The Keystone owners manuals only list Dometic, Colman, and ASA as suppliers of the AC systems, but they may have missed adding the Atwood.
    The Atwood does claim "equivalence" not actual, on the BTU, I dont know if thats due to air flows or changes in technology in mechanical and control design. Also it claims the quietest system, similar to the Keystone advertising, so it may be OEM branding is all.
    Thanks for checking, that they are apparently taking a conventional 15K unit and making some type of changes to gain what they call 18K equivalence is intriguing.
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 05, 2018
    Atwood sells a 16k and an 18k. Here is what they state. Doug
    equivalent?
    Air Command is the QUIETEST, MOST EFFICIENT air conditioner in its class, offering 16K or 18K BTU equivalent performance... THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY using the LEAST AMOUNT OF ENERGY
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 04, 2018
    The Pics show 2 Dometic Penguin units. Doug

    PS, your running amps are for the compressor only. The average running amps of a Penguin HE (<15k) is about 15 to 16 amps hi fan/cool. Never worry about the locked rotor amps. You will need a minimum 5.5kw Genset to run that 5th wheel.
  • kerrlakeRoo's avatar
    kerrlakeRoo
    Explorer
    Jul 04, 2018
    I thought the 30K was a pair of 15's at first too. But the brochures claim a 16.5 heat pump and a 13,500 secondary. This is on page 5 of 12 in the Alpine Brochure. Similar claims are in the Avalanche and Montana brochures also.
    The Dometic owners manuals for the Penguin II heat pumps have those few "Hi Cap" units which do have slightly higher energy use when running as compared to the 15k models, so I had thought it possible.

    I know I wont be able to run both off a 3500 or so watt portable, but had been assuming I could run one, was curious whether or not the larger 16,500 size would be to much.
    Supposedly heat pumps now use, depending on SEER rating, anywhere from 30-50% less energy than a standard AC of similar capability, was hoping this was a sign of that tech finally trickleing over to these sized units.
  • dougrainer's avatar
    dougrainer
    Nomad
    Jul 04, 2018
    Some Dometic models when redesigned for the 410 coolant could NOT reach the 15k test. They were slightly less, not much. but enough Dometic would not advertise as 15k. So, the designated them HE. The only 16.5k I remember is a Advent or other maker that started a AC line and they had the 16.5k as a selling point Very few mainstream RV makers use this brand. MOST use Coleman(RVP) or Dometic. It is very possible the website that listed the 16.5k, they were one of the first to use them and the supplier failed to get them the units or went out of business and they had to go to Dometic. Doug

    PS, Keystones website states 30k AC (2 15k Dometics) and they state the main middle is a 16.5k(3 AC units) which does not show in the PICs. Maybe Dometic has a 16.5k as an OEM only. I will find out Thursday.

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