Wired for 3rd A/C

[KLeslie82]

Sorry if this have been beat to death ive tried searching to no avail. I have a 17 Cedar Creek 34RL2 that came standard with 2 AC units. I live and work in the south east quite a bit and the 2 units dont seem to be holding up as well as Id like. I would like to look into adding a 3rd ac, Is there an easy/semi easy way to tell if my unit has come prewired for this without dropping the fantastic vent and digging around? I have a blank spot on the breaker panel for another breaker so my hopes are I am pre wired. Seems to be a rather large difference in pricing between the installs.

[spock123]

Is both your two units 15,000? I have a 32RL Cedar Creek 2015 that the bedroom has a 13,500

[KLeslie82]

Both units are 15,000.

[KLeslie82]

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[dcheatwood]

Psa. I stayed in a Cedar Creek with a friend at lake fork Texas last Junefor a week. It was HOT outside while fishing the tournament but the three ac's were absolutely great!

[lazyjj]

Mine was prewired for a 2nd unit. On the ceiling in the front bedroom near the roof vent was a plastic junction box. My son in law and I put the 2nd unit in just a little over a month ago. Took a little to.e but an easy install.

[Walholler]

Our Crusader Lite was not wired for a 2nd AC unit, but with a little planning and a few dollars, I installed another 15K AC unit in our bedroom in place of the skylight. My cost for everything was around $750.00

[Tall frog]

Originally Posted by KLeslie82

Sorry if this have been beat to death ive tried searching to no avail. I have a 17 Cedar Creek 34RL2 that came standard with 2 AC units. I live and work in the south east quite a bit and the 2 units dont seem to be holding up as well as Id like. I would like to look into adding a 3rd ac, Is there an easy/semi easy way to tell if my unit has come prewired for this without dropping the fantastic vent and digging around? I have a blank spot on the breaker panel for another breaker so my hopes are I am pre wired. Seems to be a rather large difference in pricing between the installs.

I don't know if the unit is prewired for the 3ed ac but if you ordered a unit with 3 c they come with a power management system to control the elect demand . it would need to be installed as well, the wires may be in the ceiling but you cant just add a 3ed ac. you could look behind the bracker panel and see if extra wires are there for the 3ed ac. good luck.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by Tall frog

I don't know if the unit is prewired for the 3ed ac but if you ordered a unit with 3 c they come with a power management system to control the elect demand . it would need to be installed as well, the wires may be in the ceiling but you cant just add a 3ed ac. you could look behind the bracker panel and see if extra wires are there for the 3ed ac. good luck.

I doubt if it came perwired, just to make sure you understand, you can not run all 3 at the same time, as stated above all units with 3 a.c. has to have a power management system, that will choose which 2 can be ran at the same time. I'm sure you can Jerry rig something if want to take the chance on your electrical, i wouldn't recommend playing around with your panel.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

I doubt if it came perwired, just to make sure you understand, you can not run all 3 at the same time, as stated above all units with 3 a.c. has to have a power management system, that will choose which 2 can be ran at the same time. I'm sure you can Jerry rig something if want to take the chance on your electrical, i wouldn't recommend playing around with your panel.

With a 50 amp RV you can run all 3 A/C units and anything else you want. I have never tripped a breaker with 3 A/C units running.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

I doubt if it came perwired, just to make sure you understand, you can not run all 3 at the same time, as stated above all units with 3 a.c. has to have a power management system, that will choose which 2 can be ran at the same time. I'm sure you can Jerry rig something if want to take the chance on your electrical, i wouldn't recommend playing around with your panel.

You can run a wire thru the floor with a plug on it outside. Run a separate extension to the pedestal and plug into the ped 20 amp outlet. Problem solved. no management needed.

[mwdilday]

If you are still looking for the wire you could try this. Get one of those non-contact voltage detectors (link below), turn off all the breakers except for the one for the 3rd A/C and use that detector to find where the wires go. I am not 100% sure that the detectors will read thru walls but I think it will. Also if it is pre-wired there should be an unused wire terminating inside the breaker box somewhere. May have to open it up. Usually it will be curled/rolled up on the end so you can get a little slack to pull it to the breaker.

[Sierra360PDEK]

If you have access to where the duct work connects to your A/C's I would check that first. Make sure you don't have any gaps or holes where air can escape, I had to retape ours as there were large gaps. We have a 15k and a 13.5k and are up in central Alabama and will freeze you out with both running. Your second A/C is bigger than ours with a better built rig so something is wrong .

[cavie]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

If you are still looking for the wire you could try this. Get one of those non-contact voltage detectors (link below), turn off all the breakers except for the one for the 3rd A/C and use that detector to find where the wires go. I am not 100% sure that the detectors will read thru walls but I think it will. Also if it is pre-wired there should be an unused wire terminating inside the breaker box somewhere. May have to open it up. Usually it will be curled/rolled up on the end so you can get a little slack to pull it to the breaker.

Not sensitive enough. Must be almost touching. They do make wire tracers that do read thru walls but they are expensive.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by cavie

You can run a wire thru the floor with a plug on it outside. Run a separate extension to the pedestal and plug into the ped 20 amp outlet. Problem solved. no management needed.

This is true, but you can't run everything off your panel, that is one way to do it, i agree.

[Witch Doctor]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

With a 50 amp RV you can run all 3 A/C units and anything else you want. I have never tripped a breaker with 3 A/C units running.

3 A.C. would pull 45 amps at full load or 90 or 95 degrees outside, no way you can run everything, impossible at full load, IMO not very good to do, that is why they put in the management system, to me and me only that is not safe advice. Do a load calculation.

[Witch Doctor]

I should also say you have to have 2 ac off of one leg, i guarantee depending what else is on that leg, your going to trip a breaker. such as high draw things like a W/H , micowave and such let alone extra plug ins like a hair drier, coffee maker and so on. im not a electical contractor, but maybe one will chime in.

[KLeslie82]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

With a 50 amp RV you can run all 3 A/C units and anything else you want. I have never tripped a breaker with 3 A/C units running.

You beat me to it.

[KLeslie82]

Originally Posted by Witch Doctor

3 A.C. would pull 45 amps at full load or 90 or 95 degrees outside, no way you can run everything, impossible at full load, IMO not very good to do, that is why they put in the management system, to me and me only that is not safe advice. Do a load calculation.

Each unit pulls appx 12 to 16 amps on start up and appx 3 while running. That is correct on start up and that is what the power management system is for. While running you are looking at 10 amps under full load. A 50 amp service is 2 50 amp leads for 100 amp total service. Power management is not a must but is a nice addition.

I paid too much for this unit to rig it up. I do not have much access to the duct work. It is roof top mounted unit with residential style (according to forest river) returns. I will say with both units running on high I do not have much air blowing out the vents in the living verses the vents in the bathroom and bedroom so I think I may have leaks as well. I pulled the sky light out of the bathroom to install a heat shield and I could feel a slight breeze of cold air coming out of the ceiling. It was very slight and with my hand over the crack so I know I am losing some air.

[Witch Doctor]

Please reread your specs, your combined evap and condenser fan pulls the 3 amps with out the compressor. It will also pull LRA. On start up which is like 24 to 27 without a hard start, I'm not arguing but I just want you to make a correct decision on amps. Did HVAC for 25 years please reread the plate. Good luck to you.

Originally Posted by KLeslie82

Each unit pulls appx 12 to 16 amps on start up and appx 3 while running. That is correct on start up and that is what the power management system is for. While running you are looking at 10 amps under full load. A 50 amp service is 2 50 amp leads for 100 amp total service. Power management is not a must but is a nice addition.

I paid too much for this unit to rig it up. I do not have much access to the duct work. It is roof top mounted unit with residential style (according to forest river) returns. I will say with both units running on high I do not have much air blowing out the vents in the living verses the vents in the bathroom and bedroom so I think I may have leaks as well. I pulled the sky light out of the bathroom to install a heat shield and I could feel a slight breeze of cold air coming out of the ceiling. It was very slight and with my hand over the crack so I know I am losing some air.