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Old 11-02-2014, 06:25 PM   #1
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Question on AC efficiency

We were camping the other weekend and it was quite hot. We had full hook-ups and around 11am it was about 75 degrees inside. We closed all windows and vents and turned the AC on. We only ran the main unit, not the bedroom AC. When we headed out for the day around 12:30, it was 89 degrees inside the RV, and 103 degrees outside. Obviously the AC never cycled. Cool air was coming out of the vents, but not cold. It was a dry heat, but I still would have expected to see some water dripping off the RV. Either way, it was much hotter than I would of expected inside. Plus, we have dual pane windows. Does this seem normal, or do you think something is wrong with the AC? We are coming up on our 1 year warranty, and I was thinking about having my dealer look at it. Any thought? Jerry.
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Old 11-02-2014, 11:57 PM   #2
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Not sure, but I do know our AC pours water out. I am always amazed that how much water I always see running off my roof.
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Old 11-03-2014, 05:51 AM   #3
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I would have turned off the unit and let it reset itself. Have had a compressor not start on the first cycle. I don't know why. Maybe from being moved or low voltage at that time. Or glinch in the ac system.

U checked the air temp. Try to let it reset and might have ur answer. I am not an ac repair person by any means.


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Old 11-03-2014, 06:30 AM   #4
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I don't think there is anything wrong with the A/C it was 103 degrees outside and 89 inside that's a 15 degree drop about right. As far as the condensation if your in a dry air it will not hardly condensate at all. I did A/C for 20 years. But if your concerned get it checked out for sure. If it was 89 in the trailer the best you will feel coming out of the vents would be 74 to about 72 degree air. As your inside temp drops so will your air coming out of the vents. Leaving both on would have really helped more. Also starting them up earlier before the unit builds heat. Did it work that night when the outside dropped down? these units are really not insulated well and the A/C are really under sized for the loads. Biggest complaint in the RV industry.
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Old 11-03-2014, 06:37 AM   #5
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the size of your camper and all that black paint doesn't help either.
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Old 11-03-2014, 03:34 PM   #6
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Thanks for the replies. So the fact that I turned the AC on when it was 75 degrees inside, it is normal for the AC to keep running, but have the inside temp increase to 89 degrees? I would have thought that the AC would have done a better job. I understand if I had turned the AC on when it was 90 degrees inside and 103 outside, that it would take quite some time if ever to cool down. Jerry.
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Old 11-03-2014, 04:42 PM   #7
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Why didn't you turn them both on?
That's the real question.

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Old 11-03-2014, 05:20 PM   #8
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We used to have a 30' 5ver with one slide, and a single 13.5K AC unit.
In the summer on a site with limited shade, and highs in the upper 90's outside all that unit could do was keep the rig in the lower 80's inside.

Your Cardinal is 35' long with three slides, dark colors and a high ceiling. At sunset on a hot evening, one AC unit will have a chance.
With daytime temps over 100 you're going to need them both running to keep the unit in the 70's, and probably need to start them early.

Going to a 35' three slide TT, we ordered it with a 15K in the rear and a 13.5K in the BR. Haven't used it in summer yet, but I'm sure it will take both on a hot day to be comfortable inside.
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Old 11-04-2014, 11:51 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo View Post
Why didn't you turn them both on?
That's the real question.

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We brought our cat with us. We turned the main air on and he ran to the bedroom. We decided not to turn the bedroom AC on as he was already freaked out. I was under the impression that the bedroom air was more for cooling the bedroom down. Isn't that why the main AC is a little bigger? A lot of RV's only have 1 AC. I just thought that it should have done a better job is all. Not have the temp climb 14 degrees in a couple of hours. Jerry.
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Old 11-04-2014, 12:04 PM   #10
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Try cracking a vent to allow for air movement.

Also the R-value of the walls and ceiling are very low and not the best at keeping cool in and hot out.
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Old 11-04-2014, 12:12 PM   #11
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Although the main unit is bigger "15k" also using the bedroom unit "13.5k" will make a BIG difference in the cooling down of your coach.
Does your main unit have the quick cool dump feature?

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Old 11-04-2014, 12:41 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo View Post
Although the main unit is bigger "15k" also using the bedroom unit "13.5k" will make a BIG difference in the cooling down of your coach.
Does your main unit have the quick cool dump feature?

Turbs
I'm not 100% sure what that is. Is it the lever where the filter is that forces the air out of just that 1 spot? If so, then yes we have it. Jerry.
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Old 11-04-2014, 12:43 PM   #13
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Originally Posted by Jerry01 View Post
I'm not 100% sure what that is. Is it the lever where the filter is that forces the air out of just that 1 spot? If so, then yes we have it. Jerry.
Yes that is it.

During the hottest part of the day I'd use that.
"Albeit a lot louder"

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Old 11-04-2014, 12:50 PM   #14
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Thanks. I will try that next time. Luckily, we don't camp too often in hot weather. Most of the time it's by the ocean. I just wanted to make sure that there wasn't an issue with the AC itself. Our warranty is up this month. Jerry.
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Old 11-04-2014, 03:33 PM   #15
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With that type of hot weather you should have run both ACs and started earlier in the day. The roof and floor of many RVs have a good enough R factor but the walls may be only R7 or R9. July of 2012, Livingston, TX at the Escapees RV park, temps in the high 90s and humidity almost 95%, both 15,000 BTU AC and bedroom AC 13,500 BTU running all of the time and I got not much better then you did. Also the electricity was metered at 12.5 cents per KWH and it averaged $5.67 per day for my 32 foot V-Cross fiver.
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