Best Dometic A/C Unit

[TECMike]

Looking to replace our aging eight year old 13,500 Dometic AC with a new unit. Which model of 13,500 Dometic units have the best track record and are the most trouble free and quietest?

[jorge1958]

Ducted is the only way to go.

[Acdii]

I am considering replacing my 3 YO 13,500 in my Coleman for 2 reasons, not that it isn't working, but that it doesn't fully cool up front or in the bunks, so considering a 15,000, and the other reason is to gain some clearance for storing in my barn. I have to remove the cover off the existing unit and store without it, so looking for a shorter unit.

Following to see what the outcome is.

[Camper_G]

I bought and installed a new dometic brisk 2, 13,500 unit on my 89 Layton in late June or thereabouts. Works excellent.


As for noise. It's certinly no noisier than the coleman it replaced. It cools aell also. My bes is forward of the unit. My system is non ducted. All i do is close down the rear discharge some and i get plenty of air from the front. Got a great deal on it from an ebay seller. Very fast shipping and great price. I'm very happy with it so far

[TECMike]

Our trailer is ducted, so I do not see any problem with air distribution, unless there has been an internal change in Brisk Air II design.

Our eight year old 13,500 Dometic unit distributed the air fine. Hoping the new unit will be as good or better.

[SoundGuy]

LeoandLil wrote:
OK...so I can say, NOT the Dometic Brisk 2 Air unit (non-ducted). Although it has cold air outlets pointing in all directions, cold air only comes out toward the back and sides. If your bed is forward of the AC unit, you will sweat (a lot) as there is little-to-no airflow in that direction.

Not my experience with the Brisk II in our own 192RBS ... don't use it much but when we do it's capable of freezing us out. Never noticed any lack of airflow, seems to work just fine but it is quite noisy, far more than Dometic would have you believe in their advertising.

[LeoandLil]

OK...so I can say, NOT the Dometic Brisk 2 Air unit (non-ducted). Although it has cold air outlets pointing in all directions, cold air only comes out toward the back and sides. If your bed is forward of the AC unit, you will sweat (a lot) as there is little-to-no airflow in that direction. You must close off all the other outlets to get even just a little air moving toward the front. I took the cover down for inspection thinking maybe there was a blockage or perhaps an installation error, but nope, just bad airflow design.

[TECMike]

Replacing it because it has occasionally been making a metallic noise when it starts.

[CavemanCharlie]

YC 1 wrote:
You might just want to do some real clean up on that one. Cleaning the evaporators and refurbishing foam seals will help. Take the inside part down and clean up all the poorly installed duct tape. Make sure the intake and output air are not getting mixed at the inside roof cover system.

Ya, Why are you replacing it ?? Is it acting up ? If so I understand otherwise I say "If it ain't broke don't fix it".

My TT is 23 years old and the AC still works just fine. I sold a buddy my last TT. It came without a AC and I mounted a unit on the roof that I took off of a TT from the 70's. It still works just fine too.

[SoundGuy]

TECMike wrote:
Looking to replace our aging eight year old 13,500 Dometic AC with a new unit. Which model of 13,500 Dometic units have the best track record and are the most trouble free and quietest?

Depends - what model (specifically) do you have now and is it direct blow or ducted? Are you intending to invest in just a new top unit and hope to use the existing ceiling unit and if ducted the existing wall mount thermostat? Answer these questions and your choices will be narrowed considerably. If for example you have an older Brisk Air which has since been discontinued you'd probably want to replace it with a Brisk II but I'm guessing would have to also replace the ceiling unit and if ducted perhaps the thermostat as well. The Brisk II certainly isn't "quiet" though, regardless of what Dometic may claim - it screams just like any other roof mount A/C unit.

[TECMike]

Will stick with a 13,500 unit, as we use a Honda 3000
boondocking in remote areas.

[YC_1]

You might just want to do some real clean up on that one. Cleaning the evaporators and refurbishing foam seals will help. Take the inside part down and clean up all the poorly installed duct tape. Make sure the intake and output air are not getting mixed at the inside roof cover system.

[newman_fulltime]

upgrade to a 15k and get the brisk2