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Old 07-19-2020, 04:08 PM   #1
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2 or 3 a/c's for 40-42 ft 5th wheel

Getting ready to order either a Cardinal or Cedar Creek 5th wheel and wondering if anyone is using just 2 a/c's comfortably on a 40 ft plus 5th wheel in 95 degrees plus temps? I've had salesmen at two dealers tell me I don't need 3 a/c's with either of these units.(I know the only way to tell if a salesman is b.s.ing is if his lips are moving)looking for input from actual owners.I can order either unit with 3 but if I don't need the 3rd one I'd just as soon spend the $1100-$1650 on something nice for myself, oops I mean wifeWe spend a lot of time at the lakes in summertime Arkansas aka hell hot.Our 34 foot TT with 2 airs kept us at 70 inside when it was 97 outside but the 5th wheel will have a lot more volume to cool.I don't want to be uncomfortable.
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Old 07-19-2020, 08:24 PM   #2
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Get the 3rd. You can always turn it off but you can’t get more if you don’t have it. I live in Fl and am in process of having a 3rd put in. Ceilings are very high in these units and poorly insulated.
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Old 07-19-2020, 08:37 PM   #3
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I have a 38 FT with 3 AC's. Have used all 3 in Canada in the open field camping. We use the mid one on 30 amp and the coach is cool. Get 3 Acs and power management system too!
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Old 07-19-2020, 08:51 PM   #4
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the salesmen are generally going to side with two since they don't want the pricing of that third one to get in the way of the sale, and chances are, they would have to 'order' that fifth-wheel for you special from the factory, not just 'install' a third unit on an existing RV.

for maximum 'comfort', and only you and your family can determine what that means, a third or even fourth separate air conditioner is never going to be a negative, only a positive. If you find you hardly ever need it, you might wonder why you spent the money, but 'oh the times you do, you'll be patting yourself on the back!
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Old 07-19-2020, 09:05 PM   #5
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In Houston in an rv park with lots of asphalt and little trees, two units were ok in our 37’ Hathaway. At 105 degrees the rv was at 80 or a little less. After six was fine.

I vote three as you live in Arkansas. But only when the temps are over 95.
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Old 07-19-2020, 10:04 PM   #6
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Can you get one with 4, yes like the others say go with 3 I wish I had a 3rd for my 42’ Wildcat. Technically speaking if A/C is one early it doesn’t get to 95 until late in afternoon and it cools of fast probably be ok. Here in Texas I would run 4 if I could.
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Old 07-19-2020, 10:21 PM   #7
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2 or 3 a/c's for 40-42 ft 5th wheel

Go with 3.....We have 3, 2-13,000 and a 15,000 heat pump, on a 2018 Cardinal 3350LX, 3 slides about 36’ long. In western NC now, temps in mid 90’s direct sun site and all 3 run almost all day until the sun drops low. Thermostats set at 75 but maintains around 77.
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Old 07-20-2020, 06:45 AM   #8
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Thanks everyone for the feedback. Pretty much confirms what I suspected, 3 will be much better at keeping us comfortable.Now we have to wait until late September for the Cedar Creek or mid October for the Cardinal. If we can decide which brand in the next week
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Old 07-20-2020, 08:25 AM   #9
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get the 3!

if you don't need all three you an only turn on just 2, or even 1.

if you have three and one happens to break you will still have 2 to run.

on our cardinal the a/c's are connected to a duct system in the ceiling. if you tried to add a 3rd unit in the future it looks like a big job to open the ceiling up and connect the new unit to the duct system. if you go with only two find out just what is involved in adding a third at a later time.
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Old 07-20-2020, 12:33 PM   #10
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3rd AC

If you purchase your unit prewired for the 3rd and you feel like doing a couple hours or so work, you can save about half the cost on what dealer is quoting you for that 3rd unit. Check out some of the online parts stores. I did mine myself a couple of years ago and no issues to date. I just spent a few days out in the open sun here in SC and I have two units on a 32 foot 5vr. They both ran during the daytime in the mid 90 degree heat.
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Old 07-20-2020, 01:22 PM   #11
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Just came in today (July 20) from a trip. My Montana 42' has two units. 15K and 13K. Yesterday was HOT!! I think the heat index was 105, but the actual was 96. We were on a shaded lot but afternoon sun shined on the back part later in the day.
When we sat in the back, it was not as cool as we would like it, so we moved to the front and it was fine. We did, however, turn on the ceiling fan.
A few things to note...First, whatever you get, make it a heat pump. You will like that in cold weather.
Secondly, our refrigerator (Dometic, evap) had a hard time in really hot weather. At night with temps in the mid 70s the refrigerator part got down to 33-34 (good temp) and the freezer was cold enough to make ice. But in the heat of the day, the fridge part could only keep things 44 degrees.
Finally, because it was so humid, in the morning our unit was covered in condensation because of the temp difference between outside and inside.
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Old 07-20-2020, 02:11 PM   #12
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I have 3 all 15K only one with a heat pump, should have 2. The 3rd hardly ever is on in my Montana. It arrived wired for the 3rd. Had the 3rd installed for $865.
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Old 07-20-2020, 02:42 PM   #13
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Was that cost including the unit itself?
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Old 07-20-2020, 07:38 PM   #14
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I have to ask (inquiring minds want to know). How does 50amp service handle 3 a/c units on and still provide power for a fridge, hot water, microwave, TV, etc concurrently?
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Old 07-20-2020, 07:50 PM   #15
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we have a 50 amp trailer with 2 a/c's and a residential refrigerator. i leave the hot water heater on electric. the converter is always on and the microwave is used whenever we want to. i also have a progressive industries EMS system. with everything on the amperage on the power legs normally runs around 22 amps or so on each leg. so there seems to be plenty of amperage left to support another a/c. each leg can use up to 50 amps.
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Old 07-20-2020, 09:06 PM   #16
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We have 2 15000 on our 2019 CC36CK2 and have never felt the need for 3. We do use the exhaust fan that you would loose foe the 3ed ac. It is temperature controlled so we leave it on set high just incase the power or ac goes out 12v will keep the air moving.
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Old 07-21-2020, 03:56 AM   #17
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Absolutely 1000% get a third unit..we have a 2020 37mbh and it only came with 2 15k units and we will be adding a third in place of the kitchen exhaust fan. We are currently in Rodanthe NC with 0 shade...outside temps in day around 90 and lows around 85 with “feel like” temps around 105 and both ac’s have run literally constantly for the last two days with inside temps getting up to 80 and down to upper 60’s overnight. I am going with non-ducted in kitchen just to be able to dump cold air in living room when/if needed.
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Old 07-21-2020, 06:14 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Teamster4life View Post
Getting ready to order either a Cardinal or Cedar Creek 5th wheel and wondering if anyone is using just 2 a/c's comfortably on a 40 ft plus 5th wheel in 95 degrees plus temps? I've had salesmen at two dealers tell me I don't need 3 a/c's with either of these units.(I know the only way to tell if a salesman is b.s.ing is if his lips are moving)looking for input from actual owners.I can order either unit with 3 but if I don't need the 3rd one I'd just as soon spend the $1100-$1650 on something nice for myself, oops I mean wifeWe spend a lot of time at the lakes in summertime Arkansas aka hell hot.Our 34 foot TT with 2 airs kept us at 70 inside when it was 97 outside but the 5th wheel will have a lot more volume to cool.I don't want to be uncomfortable.
We snowbird in South Florida for 6 months and we have 2 that work just fine Our 5th Wheel is 40 ft! Sometimes we turn on off, too cold and we usually keep them on 75 to 78.
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Old 08-03-2020, 06:00 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by TruckDriver1973 View Post
Absolutely 1000% get a third unit..we have a 2020 37mbh and it only came with 2 15k units and we will be adding a third in place of the kitchen exhaust fan. We are currently in Rodanthe NC with 0 shade...outside temps in day around 90 and lows around 85 with “feel like” temps around 105 and both ac’s have run literally constantly for the last two days with inside temps getting up to 80 and down to upper 60’s overnight. I am going with non-ducted in kitchen just to be able to dump cold air in living room when/if needed.
Keep us posted on how this goes, I'm actually thinking about doing the same thing. How will you wire it?
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Old 08-03-2020, 06:52 PM   #20
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Keep us posted on how this goes, I'm actually thinking about doing the same thing. How will you wire it?
Well, things have changed just a bit. I did a bit more digging and found out that Forest River mistakingly installed a 13.5k unit on the front of my unit instead of the correct 15k, so we’re going to see how this does first. If it doesn’t make much difference, then back to my third unit plan. Wiring will be done by dealer...that is above my pay grade...haha. I’m hoping it’ll already be wired for third unit, but not counting on it.
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