Any air conditining pros here?

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 10:56 AM

Other than the btu rating, is there another formula for calculating the cooling capacity of a roof air conditioner? I needed to replace one of my roof air conditioners and they replaced a 15000btu with a 13500btu. They told me that the new unit has more cooling capacity because of new technology. The old unit is a 5 year old unit and they said that the new unit, even though lower in btus, has more 'cooling capacity'. Is this possible and as I said earlier, is there a way to calculate the cooling capacity of each unit?
Thanks

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 12:04 PM

Ok, I know a little for every 550 sq ft is = to 12,000 BTU,s which is = to 1 ton of cooling, for every 1 ton of cooling there is 400 CFM's...so for a one ton unit you should have no more then 5 supplies as a rule of thumb...and for RV's there not much you can do to stop the heat gain other then some other Ideas the I had posted in other threads.

The new refrigerants R-410 A is a very good and works much much better in Heat pumpand A/C units then R-22 and the chance out for R-22 is R-407 C.

Yes, the new units are better, and are smaller in some cases.

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 12:16 PM

rockwood,
thanks for the info. Also, what suggestions do you have to stem the heat gain in an RV?
tom

lbrjet · 03-03-2013, 12:33 PM

I know nothing, but it seems like a BTU is a BTU regardless of the refrigerant. Seems like a better refrigerant would make the unit consume less power, but that is all. Replacing a 15K with a 13.5K makes no sense to me.

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbrjet

I know nothing, but it seems like a BTU is a BTU regardless of the refrigerant. Seems like a better refrigerant would make the unit consume less power, but that is all. Replacing a 15K with a 13.5K makes no sense to me.

That was my feeling as well but they claimed that for some reason, the new 15000btu units wouldn't work with my thermostat and wiring. I think that they are just trying to convince me of this fact that it wouldn't work and didn't want to admit they made a mistake. Will need to research further.

B47 · 03-03-2013, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lbrjet

I know nothing, but it seems like a BTU is a BTU regardless of the refrigerant. Seems like a better refrigerant would make the unit consume less power, but that is all. Replacing a 15K with a 13.5K makes no sense to me.

Same here - I have always smiled whenever I see the term "BTU" defined. The definition I have always known is " The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit ."

Why couldn't they say One quart or one gallon of water?

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 12:52 PM

I did some testing in Mytle Beach and there are a few things you can do.

1. install insulated curtains at your windows and keep them closed during the day, we used spring rods and place them in the window valances.

2. If you have day/night shades in your RV close only the day shades and leave the darker side up, dark shades attract heat and increase the heat load at the windows, if you leave the shades open completely the windows magnify and increase the heat load as well by closing the day shades it helps break up the sun and the heat.

3. Set the fan control to the A/C system on "ON", this will help eliminate hot spots in the camper, the air is always moving.

4. Pre cool in the am if possible, set stat low while the heat load on the camper is low in the moring.....I don't know if you have noticed this or not but as the sun go's down the a/c system will begain to cool off your camper faster, this is because the primary heat load on the camper is being reduced as the sun disappears.

5. Install insulated foil in all sky lights and vents.

I will go back and see if I can fine the test that I had posted. The temp where around 90 to 95 degrees for the two weeks we where in Mytle beach and this was the 4th of July. My T-stat was set at 72 degrees and the system maintaned set point.

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 12:56 PM

rockwood,
Thanks for the suggestions. I think I remember someone posting about getting an insulated, bubble foil some where, I think it was Lowes. Do you know what it is called?

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmmar

That was my feeling as well but they claimed that for some reason, the new 15000btu units wouldn't work with my thermostat and wiring. I think that they are just trying to convince me of this fact that it wouldn't work and didn't want to admit they made a mistake. Will need to research further.

I don't understand, the T-stat is nothing more then a switch, the only time a standard T-stat will not work is if you have a heat Pump, this requires a "Heat Pump Stat because there is more then one stage of heat.

Is the unit on your roof just A/C only????? or is it a Heat Pump????? or is it an A/C system with Heat Strips????

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmmar

rockwood,
Thanks for the suggestions. I think I remember someone posting about getting an insulated, bubble foil some where, I think it was Lowes. Do you know what it is called?

I think it is called "Flextrix"

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 01:08 PM

The new unit is a heat pump and it replaced a unit which was a heat pump. I don't understand why it wouldn't be compatible either. As I said in another thread, I think that the people at Boat n Rv are just blowing smoke you-know-where because they made a mistake and ordered the wrong unit and don't want to own up to it.

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by B47

Same here - I have always smiled whenever I see the term "BTU" defined. The definition I have always known is " The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit ."

Why couldn't they say One quart or one gallon of water?

One pound of water is = to approx 1 pint of water.

67redbowtie · 03-03-2013, 01:26 PM

A 15k is still a 15k. The only difference is the newer units are more energy efficient. Use less power.

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmmar

The new unit is a heat pump and it replaced a unit which was a heat pump. I don't understand why it wouldn't be compatible either. As I said in another thread, I think that the people at Boat n Rv are just blowing smoke you-know-where because they made a mistake and ordered the wrong unit and don't want to own up to it.

You are right it is a change out, there should not be an issue...What may be screwing them up is that the new unit may have control wires that have a different color code

And here is the other problem with ordering the wrong unit, if it is in there shop they are stuck with it because the warrenty is now active, they can not place it in there stock for the next customer.

Just wondering what did they say was wrong with the one you had in the firstb place?

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:35 PM

The difference between the 13.5K and the 15K is that the coils size (sureface area), the higher the number the bigger the coil size the more the heat transfur.

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 01:46 PM

My old unit has been dripping water into the coach since I purchased it new, 5 years ago. My selling dealer is over 8 hours away so I brought it to several local rv repair facilities near to me. They kept saying that the drain tubes were clogged and needed to be blown out, which was done numerous times. They, one guy said that there was algae that was clogging the drain tubes and needed to put a sanitizer into it to kill the algae and then blown out. This time they diagnosed the problem as a cracked pan which is plastic and was causing the leak. They also said that everything is one piece and that you could not replace just the pan. The entire air conditioner needed replacing.

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 01:48 PM

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ents-4385.html

rockwood06 · 03-03-2013, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmmar

My old unit has been dripping water into the coach since I purchased it new, 5 years ago. My selling dealer is over 8 hours away so I brought it to several local rv repair facilities near to me. They kept saying that the drain tubes were clogged and needed to be blown out, which was done numerous times. They, one guy said that there was algae that was clogging the drain tubes and needed to put a sanitizer into it to kill the algae and then blown out. This time they diagnosed the problem as a cracked pan which is plastic and was causing the leak. They also said that everything is one piece and that you could not replace just the pan. The entire air conditioner needed replacing.

I will say the story sound correct, the unit and all of the componets are built on the pan as part of the base. I had a problem with mine as the a/c was operating the ceiling was wet and started to drip, this was not from a crack pan but lack of insulation around the supply and return duct once it was re-insulated the problem was gone.

What ever you do make sure the mold and alge is completly gone before they install the new unit and I am sure that most people know that once the mold and alge are dead it must be removed and if it is on any insulation that should be replace.

tmmar · 03-03-2013, 02:00 PM

rockwood,
Thanks for the good info.

B47 · 03-03-2013, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockwood06

I will say the story sound correct, the unit and all of the componets are built on the pan as part of the base. I had a problem with mine as the a/c was operating the ceiling was wet and started to drip, this was not from a crack pan but lack of insulation around the supply and return duct once it was re-insulated the problem was gone.

What ever you do make sure the mold and alge is completly gone before they install the new unit and I am sure that most people know that once the mold and alge are dead it must be removed and if it is on any insulation that should be replace.

The lack of insulation around the duct was the cause of our A/C leaking water. When we removed the filter for the first time, we noticed water laying in the area.

Long story short - our dealer found the factory didn't properly insulate the area.

The dealer redid the insulation and we have had no leaking problems since.

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