How/when do you use your two A/C's?

[simsfmly]

First time with 2 AC's in our new BigHorn 3670. I'm curious from the veterans, how do you use your A/C units?
Do you run your bedroom unit as only as a 2nd option when the living room unit can't keep up?
Doesn't seem to me like the Bedroom unit pushes much air to the rest of the coach, and it's really loud. Can't think that you try to sleep in BR with that thing rumbling.
Interested to hear your thoughts before the real "cooling season" is upon us. Thanks in advance.

 

[cookie]

We use ours for a quicker cool down after traveling or very hot days.
Almost never at night when the sun goes down.
I can aim the air flow down the stairs to the main area. I close off one side and I think I am increasing the flow down the stairs.
You just gotta do what works best for you.

Peace
Dave

 

[scottyb]

When it's still mid 90's at 10 PM and barely gets below 90 by morning, we put up with the noise. Try setting the fan speed on low. They are much quieter on low.

 

[ihsolutions]

Shame, shame! The Dometic guys at the 2011 rally made me feel like a negligent parent for ever setting my A/C on low. They say, the low is not good for it, it can ice up and other problems. Yet they still provide a low setting...

 

[2psnapod2]

Kelly and I, mostly Kelly since the inside is pretty much her domain, pretty much if the AC is needed, use the bedroom unit on during the day (when we are in the LR area) and use the Living room unit during the night. But if we need both to keep it cool, then we use both. To noisy to use the one we are near.

 

[TXBobcat]

We normally use the AC in the living room to cool the trailer unless it is quite hot. However we will run the bedroom AC at night and set it where it doesn't get real cold but the noise acts as white noise to maks out the noises of the other campers during the night or early in the morning.

BC

 

[Gary521]

Run the bedroom AC during hot days and not at night. I have reworked the main AC plenum to fix any leaks and there were a lot of them. It now blows much better into the bedroom. This keeps it OK for sleeping.

 

[Westwind]

We do the same as Gary521, but usually the day temps have to be pushing 90.

 

[scottyb]

Shame, shame! The Dometic guys at the 2011 rally made me feel like a negligent parent for ever setting my A/C on low. They say, the low is not good for it, it can ice up and other problems. Yet they still provide a low setting...

You would think they might include that in their O&M Manual if it's that big of a violation, instead of directions on how to set it to LOW. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I used mine on low most of the summer.

 

[Phatkd]

Run the bedroom AC during hot days and not at night. I have reworked the main AC plenum to fix any leaks and there were a lot of them. It now blows much better into the bedroom. This keeps it OK for sleeping.

What did you have to do to get rid of the leaks?

 

[Gizzy]

Sometimes to keep the LR noise down (watch TV) we run the bedroom TV and set a fan at the top of the steps to blow the cool air into the LR. Works good for us unless it is way too hot. Usually run like that in the evenings. Then change over to the main A/C when we go to bed.

 

[jimtoo]

Air cond. have a temp sensor on the evaporator fins. This is supposed to turn off the compressor so the unit will not freeze up. If the unit freezes up on low fan.. something is wrong with the sensor. Either it is defective or it has become loose from it's mounting on the fins or you are not getting the air circulation needed due to restricted air intake.

 

[hoefler]

We have both on all the time. We run both on High until the thermostat is satisfied and the units start cycling after setup. The bedroom A/C is set approximately 3*-5* higher than the living room A/C. Once the coach cools down, we keep the living room set at 72*, we turn it to low. The bedroom stays on high. We also keep a 12" fan sitting in the hall way blowing into the living room. If the living room A/C can't keep up, the bedroom A/C will kick in. Since the bedroom is such a small area, the fan in the hall will blow the cool air into the living room, helping to keep it cool. We have never had the bedroom unit cycle once the sun goes down. Both units will cycle in this configuration, even when we have been parked in full sun, with asphalt everywhere, in 110* heat. The trick is, never open the windows or the door for fresh air in high temps, even if it is cool outside in the morning. The A/C's will play **** trying to keep up with the humidity as well as the heat.

 

[Birchwood]

We run both A/C s on hot days and nights.We have adjusted to the noise level in the bedroom.
We can't have any outside air as my wife has allergies, so totally reliant on the A/C s.

 

[Jimmy]

We do the the exact same thing as "Hoefler" and we are in Florida most of the time, works great...

 

[simsfmly]

We have never had the bedroom unit cycle once the sun goes down. Both units will cycle in this configuration.

You mentioned "cycle" a couple of times. What are you meaning by that?

 

[mattpopp]

I am a 69* type of guy so both AC's are running unless it is 70* or cooler outside.

 

[readytohitheroad]

I am curious as to why the bedroom A/C unit is so loud? If this is not a problem with the living room unit why is it a problem with the bedroom unit?

 

[mattpopp]

I am curious as to why the bedroom A/C unit is so loud? If this is not a problem with the living room unit why is it a problem with the bedroom unit?

From what I have gathered it is for a couple reasons. The bedroom unit is not setup to be ducted like the LR unit. Which puts less insulation between the vent and blower motor. With that being said the blower motor is very open in a sense so there is nothing to deaden the sound.

 

[hoefler]

You mentioned "cycle" a couple of times. What are you meaning by that?

The thermostat becomes satisfied, temp reached, and shut the unit off. When the temp rises, it turns on.