AC air flow problem SOLVED

[shaneandtammymoore]

2nd a/c

Let me tag along again on this forum again. I have done all the mods and have alot better airflow now. I am still not convinced that it will cure all my problems in 90+ degree weather with high humidity. Have not made it there yet. My question is have any of you installed the second a/c and did it make a difference. If so, how. I am concerned that the factory unit being center mounted, adding a bedroom unit is just going to freeze me out of the bedroom and not help the rest of the trailer. My bedroom stays the coolest already. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[retiredalaskan]

second a/c

I have an 07 bighorn and had the same problem no cooling i did the difusser and it helped but not enough, so i added a second a/c in the bedroom problem solved,between the two of them they can drive you out i also added a heat strip on the bed room a/c which is nice on chilly mornings, by the way there is a thermostat wire in the roof for a second a/c that terminates at the wall switch by the bathroom.

 

[shaneandtammymoore]

2nd a/c

so what you are telling me is that the thermostat is able to control both units???

 

[meanderingman]

meanderingman

2006 Bighorn had major air conditioner problems. There are 7 vents, hardly any air from any except the bathroom which really doesn't need cooling. In addition, it froze up after 3 hours--no air from any duct and no condensate formation.
Expert technician found the problem in about 5 minutes. The installation was sloppy so cold air was going directly into the warm air return side. The warm air side and the cold air side were separated with some shiny metallic duct tape--no more freeze ups and substantial increase of air flow. I later tired of freezing in the bathroom, plugged the bathrooom vent, got another significant increase in air flow to the other six vents.
I can maintain 72 degrees with outside temperature of 100 degrees.

 

[trdeal]

Added 2nd ac with heatpump to our Landmark and love it. AC cools well and heat pump will heat entire coach till it drops out about 35 degrees.

 

[shaneandtammymoore]

2nd a/c

Yep, I made the decision today to go ahead an put the 2nd unit on. I dont need it except at the beach, but I am convinced it is the only true fix. These trailers are big with lots of windows. Just too much heat to cool with one air when its hot and humid. I am a 68 degree kind of person and with 90's and high humidity, one unit just cant keep up.

Happy Camping
Shane

 

[trdeal]

Yep, I made the decision today to go ahead an put the 2nd unit on. I dont need it except at the beach, but I am convinced it is the only true fix. These trailers are big with lots of windows. Just too much heat to cool with one air when its hot and humid. I am a 68 degree kind of person and with 90's and high humidity, one unit just cant keep up.

Happy Camping
Shane

We made it 2 years at the beach with one ac. Kept all blinds pulled down and ac set as low as it would go. We made it pretty good,but decided last fall to add the second ac. Used both ac's last week after unit was closed up all day in the sun and no air running. Cooled the Landmark off in a hurry and no problems with the power. We think we made a wise decision.

 

[jwb187]

My advice to anyone that feels that they have Air conditioner air flow problems is to take off the inside grill and cover and have a look. I looked at mine today and no wonder I could barely feel any air coming out of the registers......what a cluster ..... I spent about an hour taping over rough edges with foil tape and then attempted the tent repair talked about in the first posts of this thread. I couldn't find any sheet metal so I used cardboard reinforced with foil HVAC tape that the professionals use. I made my diverter and also a directional ramp to force the air into the door side vent. I left an air space where I can still use the slide grate and get great air flow out of it. I can actually sit on my couch in the living room now and feel cool air hitting me in the face!!!!! Before I could barely tell any air was blowing out standing on a step ladder with my hand two inches away. This may be just a temporary fix as I will have to see how long the cardboard will hold up, but anyway it's a great improvement over the way the unit came to me.

 

[ChopperBill]

Another member of the TimK fan club!

 

[madigand]

I checked all my vents. I retaped the foil so none was sticking up blocking the air flow in the ductwork and sealed so no air was going between ductwork and ceiling. It made a huge difference. I feel I do not need the tent modification now. I actually feel cold air blowing in the kitchen and at the chairs in the rear. It improved the air flow in the bedroom also. I agree that these are big units and in a high humidity area need the 2nd AC. I have one with the heat pump and wow what a difference it makes. Love the Heat Pump, saves on propane on chilly mornings.

 

[JJAK17]

To those that did the mod "tent in the vent" did you completely cover the outermost portion of the vent (the area near the ajustable grate) with sheet metal and tape or did you leave some of it open?

Have you hade any problems with the unit freezing up after the mod?

Thanks
Jason

 

[ChopperBill]

JJ, I just went half way over the grill and I can still open it and get a lot of air directly down. Smoothing out the rough edges it sure is a lot quieter, eliminating a whistling noise I had.

 

[jbeletti]

Jason,

My tent went from one side of the discharge area to the other and the full width of the opening (in the other direction). So I'd say I left none of it open. My diverter pushes air into both sides of the ductwork. I get little now out of the chill grate when it is opened.

I have not had a chance to use the AC much since I added the diverter last fall. If I find that I want my chill grate capability back, I'll remove the diverter and narrow it by 1/3.

See my before pics in post 5 of this thread and after pics in post 44 of this thread.

Good luck,

Jim

 

[jpmorgan37]

Jason;

I have about 1/3 of my dump vent open with the tent installed and keep the grill closed about 80%. This gives me balanced cooling (and heating with the heat pump) through out the coach. I get good flow from both the rear of the coach and the bed room vents.

John

 

[timk]

Jason,
Just take a piece of metal and hold it up there and noodle with it till you get the sound and flow you want. Then tape the lil sucker in there. I left a little bit open cause on our rig there is no vent in the kitchen area. Its a bit of a balancing act, to get the air where you want it in your rig.

I have had no problems with freezing up. I don't see how better flow could cause that problem.
TimK

 

[navyAZ1]

I did the deflector thing for our unit and WOW what a difference I can now lay in bed and the a/c actually moves my hair by the air coming out of the vent when before you couldn't hardly feel any air at all. WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO ran the A/C all weekend in south GA with 92 temps all worked well.

 

[ChopperBill]

And yours is an "08"! Wouldn't you think that SOMEONE, the factory or the a/c people would pick up on this by now?

 

[jwb187]

Update on AC diverter...

Hi all,

Just returned from a two week trip to the Gulf Coast where it was very hot and humid.....Before I left I had done a modified TIMK upgrade and I am happy to say that the AC worked outstanding. I did bite the bullet and installed a 2nd unit duo-therm 13.5 in the bedroom just in case the mod on the factory installed one didn't pan out. We camped for a week at Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores and since Katrina there are very few trees to provide any shade and block the afternoon sun. On a couple of occasions I thought it might be starting to warm a little in the coach and kicked the bedroom unit on......didn't take long to cool down, so I would then turn it off and rely on the ducted unit. I like for the coach to be extremely cool and the furnished unit will do that provided you do the upgrade. The second unit is just for insurance in case of a failure of the first, and it also helps with rapid cool down after a day of traveling in 100 degree temps. jwb

 

[gawelsh]

A man after my own heart.....it can never be too cool in hot weather! We're having the 2nd heat pump/ AC installed in early JULY, because Lindsey CAN"T STAND the heat and humidity

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

In an earlier post someone said the thermostat wires for the bedroom air were near a switch by the bathroom. Does anyone know which switch? We have the pre-wired and braced option as well as the rain sensor fan in the bedroom. Could the thermostat wires be the same ones used for the rain sensor fan thermostat???