When Does 100 Not Equal 100?

[nomad297]

I am curious.

On this and other RV forums, when reading about topics such as "How Many A/Cs", "Which A/C" and other topics where outside ambient temperatures are related, people always seem to indicate that "Texas heat" and other places around there is hotter than, say, Virginia heat. Why is 100 degrees in Texas so much harder to cool with an air conditioner than 100 degrees in Virginia? Surely it's no different.

Why do people always seem to recommend two air conditioners in a standard sized RV for those "100 degree Texas days" and not recommend the same for the 100 degree days and weeks elsewhere?

Isn't 100 degrees there the same as 100 degrees here...and everywhere? What am I missing?

Bruce

[fonzie]

This may answer.....humidity

How does Humidity Affect Air Conditioning and Heating

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by fonzie

This may answer.....humidity

How does Humidity Affect Air Conditioning and Heating

Thanks, but humidity can be no worse than most states on the east coast -- Virginia and Florida included.

Bruce

[mud yapster]

It's the humidity that goes with the heat. Humidity is the latent load on an a/c. The higher the humidity the harder the a/c has to work to remove the humidity from the air before the air temp can go down. 100 in TEXAS at 70% humidity is no different from 100 in Virginia at 70%. If you have a 30 foot RV or bigger and don't have 2 a/c units you won't be happy in any hot climate camping when the temp is 90 and above. Why skimp on the A/C just to complain later that your hot. As much as a large new RV cost don't buy it if it doesn't have 2 a/c units and 50 amp service unless you live up north and never go South where it's hot. No such thing as to much A/C in TEXAS!!!

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by nomad297

Thanks, but humidity can be no worse than most states on the east coast -- Virginia and Florida included.

Bruce

[nomad297]

Originally Posted by mud yapster

It's the humidity that goes with the heat. Humidity is the latent load on an a/c. The higher the humidity the harder the a/c has to work to remove the humidity from the air before the air temp can go down. 100 in TEXAS at 70% humidity is no different from 100 in Virginia at 70%. If you have a 30 foot RV or bigger and don't have 2 a/c units you won't be happy in any hot climate camping when the temp is 90 and above. Why skimp on the A/C just to complain later that your hot. As much as a large new RV cost don't buy it if it doesn't have 2 a/c units and 50 amp service unless you live up north and never go South where it's hot. No such thing as to much A/C in TEXAS!!!

I have never had two A/Cs in my RVs and have never experienced a time where I wished I did. My last two trailers were both right around 35'. One had a 13,500 BTU A/C and the current one has a 15,000 BTU A/C. I've experienced many upper-ninety degree and hundred-plus days with very high humidity in both and never even thought that the single A/C isn't enough.

I've read lots of threads where people aren't happy with the effectiveness of their A/C in all corners of this country, so I've always felt that I must be fortunate that mine have done fine.

So, what is it about the heat in Texas that makes it so much worse than heat of an equal temperature someplace else?

Bruce

[bubbles]

The use of a swamp cooler in the desert SW can freeze you out. The use of a swamp cooler in central Texas will require you to wear a snorkel while you roast.

[davel1971]

one big factor nobody has mentioned is sun. Not that's it's hotter in any one state, but pick campsites without it if you can. I do my best to pick shaded sites in the peak of the summer. With a brown cap on my 5th wheel, the afternoon sun on the front really warms the bedroom.

[nomad297]

Just to be clear that I'm not criticizing those who do have two air conditioners, I wish I had two, but I have never looked at a trailer I liked that had two, and I am too impatient to order a custom trailer. The reason I would like two units, though, is not for the cooling efficiency, rather, for the peace of mind of having a spare in case one of them quit working.

Bruce

[Major]

We've camped in both states and found that in Texas, the campsites tend to be very open to the sun, without tree canopies. In Virginia, you have trees, trees, and more trees!

That tree canopy even if it is not fully over the RV makes a big difference.

[milvet33]

When was the last time VA had 45 straight days of 100+ temps with night temps in the high 80"s? The number of days does matter.

[Dabmeb]

We have traveled all over Canada and the US in a semi and never had water actually running down the windows on the inside until we started going to Laredo. We have had to use a hair drier to melt the ice buildup on the air intake side of the AC. Only had that happen once on the east coast and it was during a rain storm.

[conceptumator]

It's not just humidity that will impact you. In fact, with AC running, I personally don't feel humidity impacts you at all. Having grown up in Texas and living in Florida for the last 17 years, I can tell you that there are other things that make it much harder to cool in Texas or Florida than Virginia, for example. In Florida, the UV is beyond belief. If you can get in the shade, most days in Florida are actually quite pleasant. Nights, too, as the evening breeze picks up and the sun is gone. In Texas, you not only gave to deal with sun and no shade, you have an almost constant wind that's like an open oven door. Also, it can still be in the 90's well after 10 PM each night. Before factory AC was standard in cars, we had to be sure we always left a window cracked in summer or it could actually blow a windshield right out of the car. Yes, it can be hot in VA, but I will tell it's not like Texas.

[Middleburg Redneck]

A simple math answer - there are greater and lesser degrees of 100.

[Bluepill]

In my experience, areas like Texas, NM, and AZ have light-colored ground which reflects extra sunlight onto the side of the RV In effect you can get a double dose of BTUs. As mentioned above, the higher temps at night do not allow the heat that has built up during the day to dissipate, so the whole RV gets heat soaked.

[Handydc]

Well, mide as well have two ranges, two hot water heaters, two tow vehicles, two water pumps, two toilets, ........... Geeze.

[gashog]

Originally Posted by nomad297

Just to be clear that I'm not criticizing those who do have two air conditioners, I wish I had two, but I have never looked at a trailer I liked that had two, and I am too impatient to order a custom trailer. The reason I would like two units, though, is not for the cooling efficiency, rather, for the peace of mind of having a spare in case one of them quit working.

Bruce

Interesting, I thought (2) AC's were part of the Diamond Package. What service does yours have 30 or 50 amp? I bought my off the dealers lot (2) AC's and 50 amp..just figured that how they all were.

[captainperry]

In the northern part of the country, while it does get hot during the day it at least cools down in the evening. In florida if it's 91 degrees during the day, it might cool down to 84 at night. Not much of a difference. Also with the humidity being terrible 24/7, that doesn't help either. Most of the trailers sold down here have 15kbtu rather than the 13.5 kbtu's, and believe me it helps

[jeff64]

Originally Posted by fonzie

This may answer.....humidity

How does Humidity Affect Air Conditioning and Heating

x2 and correctly so. Add in the absorbed radiant energy in all these new darker brown ( instead of white) RVs. I bought mine with the 13.5K instead of the 15K and wish I'd have considered that more carefully.
I have been evaluating a electronic( peltier) dehumidifier understanding the latent heat of vaporization concept. We're getting a little late in the season for high heat and humidity in this area. But, we are running the heat and what I notice is that this past weekend I can pull about 16 oz/ day out of the air and I don't see the condensation on the windows in the am.

[oxcamper]

Originally Posted by nomad297

Isn't 100 degrees there the same as 100 degrees here...and everywhere? What am I missing?

Bruce

BECAUSE... Everything is bigger in Texas