2nd A/C

Big Al and Donna · Jun 10, 2010

We have a 2009 Bighorn 3370 rl and want to put a 2nd air conditioner in the bedroom area. I need to know if it is prewired for a 2nd A/C. If you've done this approx how much should it cost me. I was talking to Camping World and they quoted me a price which included running all of the wiring. Thanks for the info.

Charlie Harris · Jun 10, 2010

Al, My Bigorn was prewired,,spent less than 1K for the new A/C,, with no heat strip,,a/c only.

jimtoo · Jun 10, 2010

Hi Al,
Most likely your unit is prewired for the 2nd A/C. But the only way to know for sure is get your VIN and call Heartland Service, or just drop the inside of the B/R vent down and look for the wiring.
Jim M

TXBobcat · Jun 10, 2010

I believe all of the Bighorns are prewired for a air conditioner in the bedroom.

If you have a vent in the bedroom, all you need to do is remove the vent and you can see if the wiring is there. If you go and get an air conditioner and have a couple of friends over for a few beers afterwards you can install the air conditioner by your self. The biggest problem is getting it on top of the roof. The opening is built to fit the A/C. Hook up the wiring, run a thermostat wire if there is one, if not and it is built in like ours is you just need to make sure it is securely mounted to keep all leaks from the interior. I don't think you even have to worry about any caulking. The gasket usually is enough to keep any water from entering the trailer.

I say this because a few years ago I installed an A/C in a Popup trailer and there would be no difference.

Your biggest problem is getting all the caulking off the vent when you try to remove it.

FWIW
BC

ncrebel8 · Jun 10, 2010

Look in the breaker box, If you have a breaker labeled for the bedroom A/C. Then its prewired.

StephenKatSea · Jun 10, 2010

Due to amperage restrictions (30 amp service at the site) we opted to buy the "top of the line" free standing a/c unit at HD to serve as our second a/c in the bedroom. Some research into this topic showed that the least efficient of all a/cs are the roof mounted units. The most efficient is the window unit. We did not desire to have a window unit hanging out the side of our very nice BH 3670. We placed the free standing unit inside the master closet, towards the DS, installed a factory vent on the DS bedroom slide for the exhaust, slide open the closet door and operate it as needed from our bed with a remote control. Works Great. 12/10 startup & service amps.

tnpjohnson · Jun 10, 2010

we have a 2009 3580
i put a 2nd ac in are bedroom your unit should be pre wired for 2nd ac if its a 50 amp trailer if not you will throw breakers "could be a fire hazard" if you want to be able to have the fan run all the time as the ac cuts on and off you will need a thermostat
if you take the light switch off the wall in the bedroom and feel around to the right or left you should be able to find the thermostat wires
the bummer is your 2nd ac will not be ducted like the main ac, im sure and can be custom ducted for $$$$$. you dont half to get the same make as the main unit in the living room. we love are 2nd ac now we sleep like babys. good luck
tom and peggy johnson

karykatz · Jun 11, 2010

All Bighorns are prewired and framed for a 2nd AC. A dealer shouldnt charge extra for wiring. Hope this helps.

newbie · Jun 11, 2010

StephenKatSea said:
Due to amperage restrictions (30 amp service at the site) we opted to buy the "top of the line" free standing a/c unit at HD to serve as our second a/c in the bedroom. Some research into this topic showed that the least efficient of all a/cs are the roof mounted units. The most efficient is the window unit. We did not desire to have a window unit hanging out the side of our very nice BH 3670. We placed the free standing unit inside the master closet, towards the DS, installed a factory vent on the DS bedroom slide for the exhaust, slide open the closet door and operate it as needed from our bed with a remote control. Works Great. 12/10 startup & service amps.

Why would a roof mounted a/c be any less efficient than a window shaker?

FWIW, my roof mounted Carrier AirV (13500 BTU's) draws 11 amps running.

Also, a free standing a/c that has to duct its hot exhaust air from the inside to the outside would be the least efficient. The make up air, whether you realize it or not, is coming from outside. That means for every CFM of cool inside air that the unit discharges outside is replaced by hot, humid outside air. If efficiency was was you sought, unfortunately you got the most inefficient type. Sure they are convenient and cheap but not efficient.

John

KENNY COCHRAN · Jun 12, 2010

If you do it yourself. Easy way to get the ac on the roof. Keep it in the box (keeps from ripping your roof) have 2 guys in a truck hand the unit up to one guy on the roof. Sounds harder than it is, but works out real easy. If you only have 2 guys they can easily put it on the roof, then climb on the rv and open it up. Drops right in. If your unit does not have a built in thermostat on it, you can use the wires run by heartland as they sounds like they are prewired already. K

Big Al and Donna · Jun 12, 2010

will the 13500 btu be ok or should I go with the larger unit. thanks for all that responded helped alot. Have the appointment now
need to get er done.

jmgratz · Jun 12, 2010

My 2nd AC is a 13500. Our daughter has one unit on their Trail Runner and it is a 15000. Your could go with either. Our 13500 does a good job. It us a Duo Therm low profile.

newbie · Jun 12, 2010

We have a 15k in the main cabin and a 13.5k in the bedroom. The 13.5 will keep the bedroom nice and cool. I think if you went any bigger in the bedroom (15,000 BTU), it would cycle on and off too much. I have been real happy with the Carrier Air V low profile 13,500 BTU in the bedroom of our Landmark. It kept the bedroom at 65 degrees at the beach, in August, midday, when the temps were in the 90's, with no shade. (We also had the 15k unit in the main cabin running)

John

KENNY COCHRAN · Jun 12, 2010

Go with the 13,500, it will freeze you out of the bedroom and be decent backup if the other unit goes out in the dead of summer. Get one with a thermostat of some kind. We had one that didn't and it ran all the time.

StephenKatSea · Jun 12, 2010

newbie said:
Why would a roof mounted a/c be any less efficient than a window shaker?

FWIW, my roof mounted Carrier AirV (13500 BTU's) draws 11 amps running.

Also, a free standing a/c that has to duct its hot exhaust air from the inside to the outside would be the least efficient. The make up air, whether you realize it or not, is coming from outside. That means for every CFM of cool inside air that the unit discharges outside is replaced by hot, humid outside air. If efficiency was was you sought, unfortunately you got the most inefficient type. Sure they are convenient and cheap but not efficient.

John

Poor ducting of the roof mounted units, is and has been a problem from the factory. Therefore, the added efficiency of the window units. We did not opt for the "window shaker". But, of course they would not be prone to the cool air ducting problems. Window and roof mounted units each exhaust hot air directly to the exterior.

Our unit is a "single hose" set up. I am not an HVAC tech, but I realize hot exhaust air, created by the compression/heating of the Freon, is vented to the exterior via a hose connected to an exhaust vent assembly. This is the air ducted to the exterior. It is exhaust air ONLY. This single hose does not exhale and then inhale. "Supply Air" ("make up" as you refer to it) is the inside ambient air of our RV. This supply air is blown over of the evaporator coils which becomes quite cold due to the drastic drop in temp as the Freon "boils", evaporates, when reaching atomspheric pressure, and this is what provides the cool air to our RV. There is NO outside/exterior "hot humid" air supplied to the unit nor any attempt to cool hot exterior air. If this is the basis of your "most inefficient type" statement concering our free standing a/c, your reasoning seems to be a bit flawed.

Believe you may be aware that the "Carrier AirV", for which you opted, recently had a Factory Recall due to a Major Defect and FIRE DANGER with the unit. I further believe that "Carrier" may no longer be in the RV a/c business. Perhaps "inefficiency" played a part in this unfortunate Carrier outcome.

If a second a/c is needed, I believe a good quality portable unit remains a prudent, lower amperage and efficient option. "Cheap" - not really.

newbie · Jun 12, 2010

StephenKatSea said:
Poor ducting of the roof mounted units, is and has been a problem from the factory. Therefore, the added efficiency of the window units. We did not opt for the "window shaker". But, of course they would not be prone to the cool air ducting problems. Window and roof mounted units each exhaust hot air directly to the exterior.

Our unit is a "single hose" set up. I am not an HVAC tech, but I realize hot exhaust air, created by the compression/heating of the Freon, is vented to the exterior via a hose connected to an exhaust vent assembly. This is the air ducted to the exterior. It is exhaust air ONLY. This single hose does not exhale and then inhale. "Supply Air" ("make up" as you refer to it) is the inside ambient air of our RV. This supply air is blown over of the evaporator coils which becomes quite cold due to the drastic drop in temp as the Freon "boils", evaporates, when reaching atomspheric pressure, and this is what provides the cool air to our RV. There is NO outside/exterior "hot humid" air supplied to the unit nor any attempt to cool hot exterior air. If this is the basis of your "most inefficient type" statement concering our free standing a/c, your reasoning seems to be a bit flawed.

Believe you may be aware that the "Carrier AirV", for which you opted, recently had a Factory Recall due to a Major Defect and FIRE DANGER with the unit. I further believe that "Carrier" may no longer be in the RV a/c business. Perhaps "inefficiency" played a part in this unfortunate Carrier outcome.

If a second a/c is needed, I believe a good quality portable unit remains a prudent, lower amperage and efficient option. "Cheap" - not really.

I think this is a good discussion. I hope you don't take my replies as argumentative, merely a discussion on the various options available to us.

Let me make a few counter points. I will start at the top of your reply.

The bedroom a/c units are non ducted, so no loss of efficiency there.
For most of us, a window unit is out of the question (you would have to install and uninstall every time you hit the road and they are quite heavy and awkward.)

As for the portable units exhausting hot air to the outside, you seem to go way too deep into the mechanics of air conditioning and miss the first point. The portables have both the evaporative coil and condenser inside the camper (as opposed to the roof unit having the condenser outside on the roof. The condenser is the hot side of an air conditioner unit. Since the portable has the hot condenser inside, an exhaust fan in used to cool the condenser coil and dumps the hot air via an exhaust hose to the outside. That is the cool air from inside your rig (as opposed to outside air on the roof of your camper) being pumped outside.

Since you are removing air from the camper, make up air has to replace the air that is pumped outside. That make up air is sucked in via vacuum from all the small cracks in the camper. So for every CFM the portable exhaust through the hose to the outside, the same number of cubic feet are sucked from the outside (hot, humid make up air)

FWIW, Willis Carrier was the inventor of air conditioning. I think they know a thing or two about it.
I was actually the first to post the Carrier AirV recall,( //heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/13009-Carrier-Air-V-heater-strip-Recall) which was made into a sticky. I should note that it was for the optional heat strip, not the a/c.
I am pretty sure most people would agree that the portables are less expensive than the roof top units.

John

jmgratz · Jun 12, 2010

Here is my 2 cents worth. Why would you want a inside portable which takes up valuable floor space when you can have the roof air. Personally, I would always opt for the roof air versus the portable air. Now if I was tent camping that might be a different story. But on the other hand I do know the portable air units do a good job but the only time I would have one is if I was running my house on a generator after a hurricane and needed an air conditioner I could easily move from room to room. Besides a roof AC will increase the resale value of the RV. MHO

newbie · Jun 12, 2010

I picked up a second hand portable last year that my teenage daughter and her girlfriend used in their tent at the beach last summer. It worked really good (read: they stopped complaining and moaning and groaning about how hot it was

)

John

StephenKatSea · Jun 13, 2010

newbie said:
I picked up a second hand portable last year that my teenage daughter and her girlfriend used in their tent at the beach last summer. It" worked really good (read: they stopped complaining and moaning and groaning about how hot it was)

John

Keep in mind, above and beyond ALL previously, and originally stated - Our's is a 30 amp limitation site. Our 3670 RV stays cool with this a/c arrangement (includes bubble foil placed in the windows). This is Lake Havasu/Colorado River in the summer - 110 to 120F.
At these local summer temps, better be able to "walk the walk" when it comes to a/c. If YOUR knowledge provides a BETTER solution at this 30amp site and very high temp situation, PLEASE advise. So, good to hear about your daughter's a/c fortune. Hope her a/c came at a fair price to you, and those beach temps weren't too excessive.

For us, best to spend the "heat of the day on the water in a comfortable cove" and back at camp barbeque/grill dinner outside after sunset. Very nice way to spend a summer day in a GREAT RV.

newbie · Jun 13, 2010

You've got unbelievable temps out there, holy cow! Our beach temperatures were in the low 90's on a hot day.

2nd A/C

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