Adding a 2nd AC unit

[Dabbs57]

Originally Posted by RobertDS

We are doing a modified Snowbird. We got our first 5er in August and got the opportunity to house sit in Fort Mohave so DW decided that since I want to head back north in mid March and she wanted to have our VW Beetle to run around in this time we would leave the RV sitting on it’s summer pad.

We just got back from Brenda where the DW’s cousin has a park model that they winter in.

Are you coming in for the tent show? Being 73 & 75, not sure we want to do that much walking. Still it is the biggest... LOL

Yes I'll go one time to the tent show if I'm in town, Went to it last year for the first time. I usually don't care much for those but I found a vendor that was giving away 3 free nights at a really nice full hook-up park in Yuma, So some friends and I took advantage of that. It was a really nice break to have full hook-ups since we were all on a boondocking trip, I'd consider doing that again. The place had a really nice clubhouse with a pool, laundry and a golf course nearby. Then head up somewhere between Bouse and Parker for the Baja and Super bowl.....

I didn't take my 5th wheel down there and won't this year either, Instead I have a 12' truck camper pulling a 25' enclosed mancave trailer. That way I can take my golf cart and Rzr for desert running, And that trailer doubles as my living room. I finished off the inside complete with a 40" flat screen tv set up, Last year we had a Super bowl party in it Boondocking somewhere in the desert lol...It was great

[RobertDS]

Originally Posted by Dabbs57

Yes I'll go one time to the tent show if I'm in town, Went to it last year for the first time. I usually don't care much for those but I found a vendor that was giving away 3 free nights at a really nice full hook-up park in Yuma, So some friends and I took advantage of that. It was a really nice break to have full hook-ups since we were all on a boondocking trip, I'd consider doing that again. The place had a really nice clubhouse with a pool, laundry and a golf course nearby. Then head up somewhere between Bouse and Parker for the Baja and Super bowl.....

I didn't take my 5th wheel down there and won't this year either, Instead I have a 12' truck camper pulling a 25' enclosed mancave trailer. That way I can take my golf cart and Rzr for desert running, And that trailer doubles as my living room. I finished off the inside complete with a 40" flat screen tv set up, Last year we had a Super bowl party in it Boondocking somewhere in the desert lol...It was great

Sounds good. If the DW and I come down, I will let you know and perhaps it will work out that we can have coffee together.

[Coolharts]

Your thermostat should be just fine with a Dometic unit. You will buy the A/C unit then the controller/bolt kit. You will also need the ducted cover but with the ducted will not be able to use the heat option. It will all come together for you, the hardest parts are getting the unit on the roof and IMO hooking up the 12V wires. The 110 wires are easy, just don't pull the wire out of the junction block, run a jumper romex from the box to the A/C unit.

[Dabbs57]

Originally Posted by RobertDS

Sounds good. If the DW and I come down, I will let you know and perhaps it will work out that we can have coffee together.

[Dabbs57]

Originally Posted by Coolharts

Your thermostat should be just fine with a Dometic unit. You will buy the A/C unit then the controller/bolt kit. You will also need the ducted cover but with the ducted will not be able to use the heat option. It will all come together for you, the hardest parts are getting the unit on the roof and IMO hooking up the 12V wires. The 110 wires are easy, just don't pull the wire out of the junction block, run a jumper romex from the box to the A/C unit.

Great news on my thermostat. Bad news about not being able to get the heat strip with a ducted type cover, Oh well I can live without that. I don't think they put out much heat anyway. And really, it's the A/C that I'm after here lol....

This is the interior cover I want. Model#3105935.047, It's the same one I have in the LR... Not sure what that extra sheet metal piece is yet that it comes with but I'm a pretty handy guy and like you say it'll all come together for me, I'm sure it'll eventually make sense lol....

Indeed the hardest part will be to get it up on the roof, The wiring I'm not worried about and Thanks for the romex tip. Wish I could get the dealer to just mount it (at a reasonable cost) and I'll do the rest, I do have a buddy with access to a forklift so I may get his help depending on how much $$$ it'll save me...

I'm still not sure on what the controller is and where it goes?? Is it something I'll have to buy separately? What does it do and why do I need it? Thanks

[Coolharts]

Originally Posted by Dabbs57

Great news on my thermostat. Bad news about not being able to get the heat strip with a ducted type cover, Oh well I can live without that. I don't think they put out much heat anyway. And really, it's the A/C that I'm after here lol....

This is the interior cover I want. Model#3105935.047, It's the same one I have in the LR... Not sure what that extra sheet metal piece is yet that it comes with but I'm a pretty handy guy and like you say it'll all come together for me, I'm sure it'll eventually make sense lol....

Indeed the hardest part will be to get it up on the roof, The wiring I'm not worried about and Thanks for the romex tip. Wish I could get the dealer to just mount it (at a reasonable cost) and I'll do the rest, I do have a buddy with access to a forklift so I may get his help depending on how much $$$ it'll save me...

I'm still not sure on what the controller is and where it goes?? Is it something I'll have to buy separately? What does it do and why do I need it? Thanks

Sorry for the delay. The controller attaches inside the unit and all plugs attach to it, I don't know why it is not built into the unit but it is part of a kit that contains the bolts, make sure you get the bolts, they do not come with the unit. The bolts go thought the metal bracket you bought into the A/C unit. I made the mistake by buying the unit and cover you did and not the controller/bolt kit. Also buy some duct tape and a small pack of pink insulation, you will want to fill in gaps. Also, you have to spend some time on the roof cleaning roof sealer off when you take the vent off. Get a helper when you move the unit around on the roof.

[Dabbs57]

Great advice Thank you, I looked up controllers and see I need to spend another $80ish or so. And it's kinda hard to find a kit without the thermostat included, But I did see they have thermostats just like mine with the added Blueteeth feature now. COOL!! Everything's better with Blueteeth lol, I could put that one in the LR and run it remotely from my phone. Might come in pretty handy to be able to adjust the furnace at night laying in bed. Hmmmm.

[Dabbs57]

Originally Posted by Coolharts

Sorry for the delay. The controller attaches inside the unit and all plugs attach to it, I don't know why it is not built into the unit but it is part of a kit that contains the bolts, make sure you get the bolts, they do not come with the unit. The bolts go thought the metal bracket you bought into the A/C unit. I made the mistake by buying the unit and cover you did and not the controller/bolt kit. Also buy some duct tape and a small pack of pink insulation, you will want to fill in gaps. Also, you have to spend some time on the roof cleaning roof sealer off when you take the vent off. Get a helper when you move the unit around on the roof.

Update;

I checked on the warranty progress on mine the other day at CW, No progress yet (sigh) but that's another story.....

While I was there I took off the BR vent interior frame for a looksee, Much to my surprise there IS some fiberglass insulation in the ceiling. I figured they just used styrofoam or nothing at all, I was in a hurry and forgot to take pics dang it. But......

It IS finished with A/C ductwork, One on each side. Yippee!! They both were capped off with foil tape but it was coming off LOL, Perhaps that helps explain why the air flow is so bad out of all the ducts throughout the entire rig. A lot of it is going out into the ceiling ffs, And now I see why you mentioned filling the gaps with more insulation and tape. I'm going to remove the main A/C cover and check/fill all gaps there too.........

I also dug around for wiring, The 120v is complete into the junction box that's approx 8"-10" away so no problem there. BTW, I also checked the breaker box and yes there IS a breaker labeled '2nd A/C'.....

I found another set of three wires, 2 were together (like lamp cord) in a loop. Meaning there was no end, Those two were white and black (or maybe white and brown as it was dark in there) and the third wire was brown. But all were plenty long, I was able to pull the loop and the third wire down through the hole at least 18". I'm assuming the two together (loop) is the 12v hot & neg, Not sure what the third brown one is for. Thermostat maybe?? I then removed the thermostat from the wall and it has three tiny tiny wires to it, If I remember right there was two red and one yellow. But couldn't find those up in the ceiling.....

The more I think about it now I wish I would have taken a closer look at that third brown wire, Perhaps it's not a single wire but rather two little reds and a little yellow in it???

[Coolharts]

The lamp cord wire is your DC, you cut and splice into it. Sounds like you are all set, you will definitely like having a 2nd A?C in a 33 footer.

[Dabbs57]

Originally Posted by Coolharts

The lamp cord wire is your DC, you cut and splice into it. Sounds like you are all set, you will definitely like having a 2nd A?C in a 33 footer.

Ok great, So I 'tap' into it and let it continue on to whatever else it feeds? I wonder what else it does feed? Thanks