Atwood Air conditioner

[Dloneal]

We purchased our 2016 Forest River FR3 in February. We went on our first week long trip this month. The temperature outside was n the 90's but the coolest temp that our Atwood 1500 Btu would reach was in the mid 80's indoors. We covered almost all the windows with insulation and the above vents and still it didn't help but just a degree or two. Shouldn't the air conditioner be sized for the amount of space it cools?

[SeaDog]

15K is equal to 1 ton of AC which should be good for 500 sq ft. Make sure you are starting your unit prior to the interior reaching 80* The earlier you start it the better you will be good luck.

[Chuck.C]

What size FR3? How many A/C units?
I wouldn't expect a single unit to adequately cool a longer one in that heat.

[Finch]

We have a 30DS. We have found that if we close off the bedroom, the air conditioner does a much better job. We then open everything back up around 7:00 pm when it is cooler outside. When it gets really hot, we bring in the living area slider and that seems to do the trick. Not the best answer, but it is what we have come up with on our 2 month long summer trip. We will be looking into a second air conditioner when we get back home. The 32 foot model has two.

[Dloneal]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

15K is equal to 1 ton of AC which should be good for 500 sq ft. Make sure you are starting your unit prior to the interior reaching 80* The earlier you start it the better you will be good luck.

We do not turn the unit off once we get to the camp ground. We even run the generator and air while we are setting up. Looks like we are going to have to add another air conditioner. . Thank you for your reply!

[Dloneal]

Originally Posted by Finch

We have a 30DS. We have found that if we close off the bedroom, the air conditioner does a much better job. We then open everything back up around 7:00 pm when it is cooler outside. When it gets really hot, we bring in the living area slider and that seems to do the trick. Not the best answer, but it is what we have come up with on our 2 month long summer trip. We will be looking into a second air conditioner when we get back home. The 32 foot model has two.

That's odd, our FR3 is a 30DS but the paperwork says it's a 32'. I know one dealer said the 30 use to mean 30' but not anymore. If the 32' has two units then I wonder why the 30DS doesn't. I'll look into this! Thank you!

[Dloneal]

Originally Posted by Dloneal

We do not turn the unit off once we get to the camp ground. We even run the generator and air while we are setting up. Looks like we are going to have to add another air conditioner. . Thank you for your reply!

I just read and the 32DS is a 33'. That explains it now!

[Edmo]

I was out in 90 degree weather maybe two weeks ago and the AC on my 2016 fr3 worked well when it was put down to 70. Can't explain but I figured I give my two cents.

[Combatcoal]

just had a 2016 30ds (18,000 btu atwood) out in mid 90 heat with high humidity. ran air 24 hrs a day ( got ahead and stayed ahead of the game). installed reflectix in front window against glass, then set shade down. installed reflectix on back window, then shade down. installed 3 camco vent insulators. set thermostat to 69 with fan ON all the time mostly on LOW,and once at medium. everything stayed cool. If you need to, open quick air dump vents right at ac and DO NOT go thru ducts as that restricts air flow. You should be able to keep the bedroom door open.

One final thing, the RV was east to west lengthwise, things may have been different if the RV was north to south.

the main thing here is you mentioned 15,000 btu, not 18,000 btu.

[Combatcoal]

btw, your lengths reference the ladder depth too i believe.

[drivmsafe]

Originally Posted by Dloneal

That's odd, our FR3 is a 30DS but the paperwork says it's a 32'. I know one dealer said the 30 use to mean 30' but not anymore. If the 32' has two units then I wonder why the 30DS doesn't. I'll look into this! Thank you!

Our 2014 30DS is 31' 4" including the ladder. When they went to a king bed in later years, they extended it to 31' 10". I've found that the model# in most mh's and tt's doesn't always tell you the actual length.


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums

[Dloneal]

Originally Posted by Combatcoal

just had a 2016 30ds (18,000 btu atwood) out in mid 90 heat with high humidity. ran air 24 hrs a day ( got ahead and stayed ahead of the game). installed reflectix in front window against glass, then set shade down. installed reflectix on back window, then shade down. installed 3 camco vent insulators. set thermostat to 69 with fan ON all the time mostly on LOW,and once at medium. everything stayed cool. If you need to, open quick air dump vents right at ac and DO NOT go thru ducts as that restricts air flow. You should be able to keep the bedroom door open.

One final thing, the RV was east to west lengthwise, things may have been different if the RV was north to south.

the main thing here is you mentioned 15,000 btu, not 18,000 btu.

So do you mean you have an 18,000 Btu not 15,000? And if so did your FR3 come with an 18,000 Btu?

[Dloneal]

Originally Posted by Edmo

I was out in 90 degree weather maybe two weeks ago and the AC on my 2016 fr3 worked well when it was put down to 70. Can't explain but I figured I give my two cents.

Do you have a 15,000 Btu?

[Combatcoal]

It came with 18,000 Btu. Since the beginning FR3 has had to ramp up the capacity on rhe 30ds AC, as year after year there have been complaints.