09 Sierra 351BHT AC issue

[dusky203]

Well we have camped a few times in her and love it! However this unit only has one AC unit and we camp in South Florida! It takes the unit a good 8 hours to get down to temp. I complained to the dealer and here is there proposal to me:
I bring my Trailer back to them they add the second AC and re-wire the camper for 50 amp since it arrived as a 30 amp. They are also willing to meet me half way since it is a 4 hour drive for me. They will have it a week or two then meet me half way to give it back.

What are your thoughts on this? I have seen there work before and they do very nice work. The factory is paying for the entire deal so there is no out of pocket for me. One other issue i have is my house outlet is already rigged for 30 amp. I wonder if I will be able to only run one ac at home and just keep it at 30amp...

Pros/Cons?

Tim

[gate33]

sounds like a great deal to me, i would jump at it.

[Bama Rambler]

Yes it will work great. The way they hook them up is that everything that's on the rig now stays on one phase of the 50 amp circuit and the second A/C goes on the second phase. Running one A/C on the 30 amp circuit you have at home will be a non-issue. It'll work just like it does now. You'll just have to get a 50 amp to 30 amp dogbone.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by dusky203

Well we have camped a few times in her and love it! However this unit only has one AC unit and we camp in South Florida! It takes the unit a good 8 hours to get down to temp. I complained to the dealer and here is there proposal to me:
I bring my Trailer back to them they add the second AC and re-wire the camper for 50 amp since it arrived as a 30 amp. They are also willing to meet me half way since it is a 4 hour drive for me. They will have it a week or two then meet me half way to give it back.

What are your thoughts on this? I have seen there work before and they do very nice work. The factory is paying for the entire deal so there is no out of pocket for me. One other issue i have is my house outlet is already rigged for 30 amp. I wonder if I will be able to only run one ac at home and just keep it at 30amp...

Pros/Cons?

Tim

If your camper came with the standard 13,500 BTU a/c system, then I am not surprised it took 8 hours to cool down, and that was probably in the evening when the sun was going down. With your camper being 39' 10" long and having 3 slide outs and then camping in South Florida, I am sure it gets very warm in that area. If your camper came with the up grade a/c system,15,000 BTU then I could see why the Manufacture would install a second unit, Instead of an upgrade from a 13,500 to 15000 BTU. By all means take advantage of the second Installation since it's on them. I do suggest a few things that has worked for us, #1 When the a/c is on put the fan mode in the ON position, this will help keep the air moving and eliminate hot spots in the camper. #2 My wife made curtains for the windows so that during the day they could be closed to help with the heat load, yes we do have Day/Night shads but they are not enough, I install the curtains with spring rods. #3 We also closed off all of the sky lites with the silver Insulated bubble material. All 3 of these things made a big difference, but I must say that I had a 13'500 BTU unit in my camper and I changed it out to a 15'000 BTU Carrier unit. My 13,500 BTU that came with the camper never cooled well and I have a 34' with 1 slide out. When the Dealer installs your second unit hopefully they reinforce the roof where it is going to sit. Good Luck and keep COOL!

[dd5087]

We have a 40' Sandpiper equipped with two AC units, a 15k and a 13.5 up front. During the hot summer months in South Texas, it takes both of them to keep the unit somewhat cool. Late in the afternoon, even these will run all the time.

[dusky203]

UPDATE:

Ok I called FR today and since my camper came from the factory as a 30 amp model it is not pre-wired or braced for the 2nd AC. I called my dealer who said they will be doing the bracing and wiring. I am really on the fence on this one. The dealer says it is just a brace for the ac unit where I was under the impression it was a big time brace since they are going to cut a hole in my roof. Also I know nothing about construction of trailers to know if this will compromise the integrity of my roof. What do I do? Should I make them take this one back and get me the correct one from the factory or move forward with the repair?


Help!


Tim

[SwensonBarrettBunch]

The hole is already there. They will use the hole that the vent is in now. As for the brace, it is simply adding some wood on each side of the opening. Nothing to big. My trailer 302BHD and braced for the second a/c. I also suggest with the proximity of the cabinets above the bed get an a/c that blows down also like the Carrier unit.

[rockwood06]

Originally Posted by dusky203

UPDATE:

Ok I called FR today and since my camper came from the factory as a 30 amp model it is not pre-wired or braced for the 2nd AC. I called my dealer who said they will be doing the bracing and wiring. I am really on the fence on this one. The dealer says it is just a brace for the ac unit where I was under the impression it was a big time brace since they are going to cut a hole in my roof. Also I know nothing about construction of trailers to know if this will compromise the integrity of my roof. What do I do? Should I make them take this one back and get me the correct one from the factory or move forward with the repair?


Help!


Tim

The dealer knows that the second a/c unit has to be braced and as stated, it's is not hard to do. Since the manufacture is going to pay for the hole job I would go though with the mod. At least you will have two units and it should take care of the heat load. But like I suggested before, add curtains, place the fan on the ON position and cover sky lites, you will be surprised how much heat will be blocked. The a/c will not work as hard. The a/c system weighs about 60 lbs tops and that depending on what type of compressor that is used in the system, so bracing is not a big deal but it has to be done.

[dusky203]

Update:
Well we are not happy campers (pun intended) After the dealer having it for a month we go to pick it up and they installed the second AC unit up front! To me it makes morescense to have it in the back. Saleman says FR told him it goes up front. However where it is installed you can not open the cabinent doors in the master bedroom. So they still have it and they are now going to move it to the back and re-wire. To add to it the new a/c did not even work, they left my camper a disaster...not very happy. I wonder who I could call to see where the correct placement of the AC should be?

Iceman

[Bama Rambler]

I think your dealer is right, the second A/C goes in the front. Of course, the cabinet doors should not be interfered with so it sounds like they didn't install it in the correct location. If they've agreed to move it to the back, what are they going to do about the hole they cut in the ceiling?

[dusky203]

Originally Posted by Bama Rambler

I think your dealer is right, the second A/C goes in the front. Of course, the cabinet doors should not be interfered with so it sounds like they didn't install it in the correct location. If they've agreed to move it to the back, what are they going to do about the hole they cut in the ceiling?

UPDATE I spoke with FR today and the AC was to be installed in rear of camper not the front! There is no hole since they use the opening where the roof vent is located. So I guess I will let em move it to the back and make dang sure the front is like brand new or else I will have to ask for a new camper.....Its a bummer since they have had the camper longer then I have.....

Iceman

[Bama Rambler]

Glad to hear that. Finally something that makes sense. Glad they didn't have to cut a hole. I'm sure when they put the vent back in you will never know the difference.