Stinger381
Well-known member
Ok so I found a 13.5k Dometic Brisk Air II unit on Craig's list that was being removed from a fairly new SOB travel trailer that had been involved in a wreck. The unit was reasonably priced ($150) so I bought it to add to my Sundance 3300rlb. I figured it would work out nice for the summers here in Alabama. I ordered the inside duct unit online and went to place the Brisk Air II on the 5vr yesterday. I took out the old vent which I saved because it was nearly new. I cleaned off all of the old caulking. I hauled the AC to the roof with the help of my son and two extension ladders. We tied some rope around the AC to act as handles and we just walked it up the ladders to the roof top. We set it down on some cardboard and move ourselves on to the roof. We then placed it over the old vent hole. Once we got it centered with the gasket evenly centered over the hole, we went inside to attached the duct unit and wiring.
I turned the second AC breaker off in the fuse box (1st mistake) I felt around in the roof insulation for the Romex wiring that I knew was there some where. I found a thermostat wire. Interestin, as I was not expecting to find that up there. If I had ordered the inside duct unit withe the external thermostat controls could I have used it with my Main Carrier Unit in the living room and shared the thermostat? I don't know might should have checked more before I ordered the ductless inside unit.
I found the Romex 110 wire attached to a strange looking box that resembled an outlet with no plugs in the insulation. The wire was a little short and was going to be a tight fit to reach the controls. I went to cut the box off the wire with my electricians pliers and sparks flew. The wire was still hot. How can that be? I didn't get shocked or anything but I burned a nice notch in my pliers. I now got my meter and had my son trip individual breakers until the power was gone. I found that Heartland misidentified the 2nd AC breaker with the Microwave breaker. Nice job Heartland but I am the real idiot for trusting someone else's work and not double checking to see if the wire was hot.
I got the unit connected and went to secure the AC to the roof with the long bolts only to find the bolts were about a 1/4 inch too short. They are 7 inches long with metric threads. I absolutely knew there was no way to find longer bolts here in Alabama so i used a couple of smaller diameter threaded rods on opposite corners and drew the unit down enough to place the original bolts into the unit. I then removed the threaded rods and placed the original bolts in those holes and the unit was secured. I added the plastic covering and installed the knobs and turned the unit on. Nice cold air is now blowing in the bedroom.
Morale of the story... Don't trust anyone's electrical wiring. Not even your own. Always check the wires with a meter first and make sure the power is off before attempting any electrical work.
My my roof was 5 1/2 inches thick and if it had been any thicker I would not have been able to attach it with the supplied bolts from Dometic.
All in all, it is a job you can do yourself if you have simple wiring skills and the muscle to get the AC on the roof.
I turned the second AC breaker off in the fuse box (1st mistake) I felt around in the roof insulation for the Romex wiring that I knew was there some where. I found a thermostat wire. Interestin, as I was not expecting to find that up there. If I had ordered the inside duct unit withe the external thermostat controls could I have used it with my Main Carrier Unit in the living room and shared the thermostat? I don't know might should have checked more before I ordered the ductless inside unit.
I found the Romex 110 wire attached to a strange looking box that resembled an outlet with no plugs in the insulation. The wire was a little short and was going to be a tight fit to reach the controls. I went to cut the box off the wire with my electricians pliers and sparks flew. The wire was still hot. How can that be? I didn't get shocked or anything but I burned a nice notch in my pliers. I now got my meter and had my son trip individual breakers until the power was gone. I found that Heartland misidentified the 2nd AC breaker with the Microwave breaker. Nice job Heartland but I am the real idiot for trusting someone else's work and not double checking to see if the wire was hot.
I got the unit connected and went to secure the AC to the roof with the long bolts only to find the bolts were about a 1/4 inch too short. They are 7 inches long with metric threads. I absolutely knew there was no way to find longer bolts here in Alabama so i used a couple of smaller diameter threaded rods on opposite corners and drew the unit down enough to place the original bolts into the unit. I then removed the threaded rods and placed the original bolts in those holes and the unit was secured. I added the plastic covering and installed the knobs and turned the unit on. Nice cold air is now blowing in the bedroom.
Morale of the story... Don't trust anyone's electrical wiring. Not even your own. Always check the wires with a meter first and make sure the power is off before attempting any electrical work.
My my roof was 5 1/2 inches thick and if it had been any thicker I would not have been able to attach it with the supplied bolts from Dometic.
All in all, it is a job you can do yourself if you have simple wiring skills and the muscle to get the AC on the roof.
