AC upgrade advise needed

[geneeich]

I'm considering upgrading the AC unit in my Rockwood 2906WS travel trailer from the Colman Mach 3 Plus to a Colman Mach 15 Plus. Has anyone done a similar upgrade from a 13,500 BTU unit to a 15,000 BTU and was it worth it? We are taking a 10 week cross country trip later this summer and will be in the south west late August and September. Concerned about cooling 29' trailer with 3 slides, approximately 300 Sq. Ft.

Any in put will be appreciated.

[SoundGuy]

geneeich wrote:
Any in put will be appreciated.

While upgrading to a 15K unit might result in the improvement DutchmenSport speaks of it'd be a real bummer to spend all those $$$ if your real issue isn't with the A/C unit itself but rather poor air distribution design within the trailer itself, a common malady with many trailers, in which case an additional 1500 BTUs is going to make little difference at all. I think I'd be inclined to have tech specializing in this take a look first to determine just which the best solution might be rather than seek out WAGs here on the forum.

[tvman44]

15,000 is approximately a 10% increase in capacity.

[marcsbigfoot20b]

If you do decide on using a portable, make sure you get a dual hose unit. If you use a single hose, you will just exhaust the hot air out and create a slight vacuum in the TT and outside air will seep in negating any cooling.

[geneeich]

I thought about the same thing even a portable unit with a duct hose outside, but my wife said no way. I'm going to check with Camping World today since the brochure has an additional 10% off coupon for 6/3-6/4 & 6/10-6/11. Only problem is they are 50+ miles away. I'm also going to ask my dealer for price.

[downtheroad]

Another thought is the get one of those portable, one room A/C units. You can power it with a separate extension cord directly to the pedestal.
It would work great to supplement the roof top unit for your 10 week trip then you can still use it as needed in your house.

Lowe's, Home Depot, Amazon, Walmart, etc.

[DutchmenSport]

FYI, my dealer would NOT install a second air conditioner, even though I offered to pay ANY price to have it done. If the trailer is not pre-wired and a 50 amp, adding a second air conditioner will require some creative work.

I even considered running a separate electric line to plug in with a standard 15-20 amp cord directly to the electric pedestal. My dealer said, "no". I suppose it was a liability "thing" for them and maybe the manufacturer's specs on the camper. So our option was the 15,000.

It sounds so simple, just add a second air-conditioner. But the reality is, its not simple at all, especially if your camper is 30 amp and not pre-wired for a second air conditioner.

[geneeich]

Unit is at dealer right now to check system. I hope they check these things and I'll be sure to ask.

Thanks, rjxj.

[geneeich]

Thanks DutchmenSport. Your advise was what I was looking for. Hopefully there others that have had the same experience. Camping World have Coleman Mach 15 Plus on sale w/$124 for install. Sounds reasonable to me.

[azrving]

Also check all your air outlets. Mine had old loose tape so air was being blown into the cavity and not out the vent grill. Also check the divider baffle between intake and cold side

[geneeich]

Trailer is 30amp. So 2nd AC unit probably not possible at reasonable cost.

[DutchmenSport]

Our Outback is 35 feet long and has 3 slides. The original 13,500 BTU (single) air conditioner that came factory installed just never quite cut-the-mustard. It never really cooled satisfactory, especially when outside temperatures started rising above 85 degrees and the sun was shining.

Last Summer we changed the 13,500 for a 15,000 BTU, and it was different as night and day. It cost a little for the new air conditioner and we had our dealer install it, so we had the labor fee also. But they have the tools and equipment for that kind of work and I don't, so it was money well spent.

Every since, our Outback has turned into an ice-box, even in 90 (plus) degree weather in direct sun all day. Yes, the difference was tremendous for our experience.

And yes, our Outback is 30 amp, and the heftier AC has made no noticeable impact on the over all 30 amp electric available for the camper. We do control and watch carefully what electric appliances are running at the same time. We've always done this.

Worth it? ABSOLUTELY!

I have a 13,500 AC sitting in my shed collecting rust and spider webs now. Not sure what I'll ever use it for now.

[DownTheAvenue]

The additional 1500 BTU's will have little impact on cooling your trailer. You would be much wiser investing that money on window coverings that reduce heat gain, adding additional insulation where possible, or even adding a second air conditioner to your trailer.

[93Cobra2771]

Is your TT 30a or 50a?