Most durable AC brand??

[Turboman]

What is the best built toughest RV AC? It will go on a trailer for show animals. Most of them last 2-3 yrs.

 

[RVTRKN]

I'm actually an official Domectic Corp dealer, although I've never sold any to anybody. I'm an HVAC contractor that replaced my AC on my Wilderness 5ver I used to own, and became a dealer to get the unit at cost. The old AC was a Domectic brand and replaced it with the same unit that had lasted 19 years. Why you are only getting two or three years out of one, have me wondering if it is not the environment your running it in. Can you elaborate as to how your using it, the one I replaced was due to the Drain Pan that was formed out of styrofoam cracked and was leaking into the coach. Animals can be extremely hard on AC equipment due to the hair that is in the air, and get get caked into the Evap coil. You should have a very strict maintenance routine on the AC, for the standard air filter that is used is very subpar, if you compare it to the the average filter used in most conventional air conditioners.

 

[Turboman]

This is on a trailer for show sheep with wood shavings on the floor. We use coarse shavings to keep the sawdust to a minimum and I keep a good filter on the AC. I think the trailer rides a little rougher than most RVs. Everyone I talk with just seems to have trouble keeping one for very long. They all seem to be made the same, just arranged a little different.

 

[Bill Stockard]

Is the AC unit level on the trailer when it's running? Some RV AC units aren't recommended to be run very far off level. IIRC, a low profile Dometic Penguin because the way the compressor is mounted inside the unit.



Bill

 

[MAtkinson]

Check to see where the unit is made. Dometic Quick Cool units are currently made in China and are not built like the older U. S. made units, therefore they will not withstand the over the road vibration that is experienced on a goose neck stock trailer.

 

[Turboman]

It's real level. But it's always running while driving so it moves around a bit. Don't know where the Coleman ones are made, probably china. Are any made in USA?

 

[Bill Stockard]

It's real level. But it's always running while driving so it moves around a bit. Don't know where the Coleman ones are made, probably china. Are any made in USA?

Yep, Wichita, KS. I've owned a couple of 13,500 BTU Coleman RV air conditioners. I replaced the compressor starting capacitor on one of them and the thermostat on the other. Otherwise, they were problem free and would out perform a Dometic Brisk-Air unit in the Texas summer heat.



Bill

 

[BLNRAY]

my 2001 kountry star has an dometic unit,i have lived fulltime since 06,still works good enough tocool me in fla.

 

[RVTRKN]

This is on a trailer for show sheep with wood shavings on the floor. We use coarse shavings to keep the sawdust to a minimum and I keep a good filter on the AC. I think the trailer rides a little rougher than most RVs. Everyone I talk with just seems to have trouble keeping one for very long. They all seem to be made the same, just arranged a little different.

What is the reason for failure, what was wrong to have to replace the whole unit?

 

[Turboman]

The last on, I believe the compressor was locked up. It's almost impossible to find anyone to work on them. They all say it's not serviceable and its cheaper to replace it. So I'm trying to learn about them and fix myself.

 

[RVTRKN]

The compressor would be cause to replace whole unit, but there must be an explanation for the premature failures. If it were mine I would install a hard start kit on the compressor. There can be many reasons for the failure but a compressor can run the lifetime of the unit, in fact I work on large and small units that run every day of the year and still have the original compressor running for 30+years and counting.
.

 

[Turboman]

Where do you get a " hard start kit"? What does it do? IDK why they don't last, rough ride, dusty conditions, running on genny all the time while going down the road. IDK. I just know its not fun to have 1000s$$$ of show lambs in there and it quit when it's 100*f outside!

 

[Bill Stockard]

Where do you get a " hard start kit"? What does it do? IDK why they don't last, rough ride, dusty conditions, running on genny all the time while going down the road. IDK. I just know its not fun to have 1000s$$$ of show lambs in there and it quit when it's 100*f outside!

Have you checked the generator output when it's running with the A/C on? It should be producing 120-volts and a steady 60 cycles under load. If not the electric motors in the A/C unit are adversely affected.



Bill

 

[RVTRKN]

Where do you get a " hard start kit"? What does it do? IDK why they don't last, rough ride, dusty conditions, running on genny all the time while going down the road. IDK. I just know its not fun to have 1000s$$$ of show lambs in there and it quit when it's 100*f outside!

It is a start capacitor with a potential relay, to turn off the start cap once compressor is up to speed. (in a split second) Of coarse that is in understandable terms. All you need is the fractional HP of the compressor, and if it dosen't have one already. You can PM me and I'll try to hook you up, but I will need make model and serial number. It will help to keep the starting amps at minimum. What size generator are you running?

 

[Turboman]

I sold the trailer I had and in the process of getting a new one. I was asking here to get the best AC I can. I will look in to the start cap. The gen I have is rated at 3850 continuous. Should be enough. Thanks for the help.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I sold the trailer I had and in the process of getting a new one. I was asking here to get the best AC I can. I will look in to the start cap. The gen I have is rated at 3850 continuous. Should be enough. Thanks for the help.

Yep, a continuously rated 3850 watt generator should easily run a 13,500 BTU RV type air conditioner. What brand and model generator are you running?



Bill

 

[RustyJC]

Based on experience with our last 3 5th wheels, the Coleman A/C units are probably simpler (think stone axe), less sensitive to power upsets and not as efficient as the Dometics. Our current rig has the Dometics, and they won't start once voltage drops below 108. 5VAC (which is probably a good thing to protect the compressor and fan motors). The Colemans just seemed to shrug everything off - I never had one fail. Of course, I haven't had a Dometic fail, either... .



YMMV, of course... .



Rusty

 

[Turboman]

It's a black max from SAMs. $299. Hell of a deal for the output.

 

[Bill Stockard]

It's a black max from SAMs. $299. Hell of a deal for the output.

For that price, I'd be a little suspicious of how closely the output voltage and frequency is regulated. There's a trade off for inexpensive prices. As I posted above, you need to carefully check the output of the generator with the A/C unit running. It could be the cause of your A/C problems.



Bill

 

[RVTRKN]

Why you are only getting two or three years out of one, have me wondering if it is not the environment your running it in.

Cheap generator might explain it.