[Larry & Diane]

Who is the converter and what year? Geo.

[Brett]

Brett, this is a general observation, not specific to the coach you are looking at.

The absolute worst scenario we can experience is heading south on a hot sunny day. We become solar panels and if there ever was a time we need cooling in the front two seats it is then. A functioning AC system, either driver’s air or OTR is the only way we can get close to comfortable.

On the same hot day at driving speeds our house AC systems in the absence of OTR are going to work harder because not only does the sun heat up the surfaces inside the coach that it hits, the wind across the windows at driving speeds is allowing heat transfer into the coach. The reason all this is important is with any coach, and especially any coach with only 3 AC units, you are going to have to make sure you stay ahead of the heat by getting the coach cool and keeping it cool even if it means running the generator.

The lowest capacity OTR system Prevost installed is around 80,000 BTU and later model coaches have up to 109,000 BTU. The capacities of the AC were based on keeping 50 people in the AZ desert in summer comfortable. You may not need all that AC system capability, but you may need all of the 40,000 BTU those three AC units can put out. If one fails the remaining two may not be adequate. Especially if the coach is 45 feet and has slides.

But comfort levels are subjective. What I consider comfortable may be too cold and the opposite may be true also. If you are OK with warmer temps a three AC unit coach may be ideal. But just realize if you like it colder, or don’t want to run all ACs until you get to your destination you might not have the capacity to bring a heat soaked coach down to acceptable levels.

[Dick]

Bus is an 01 Marathon 45 XLII non slide, (3) 13,500 cruise airs. I just don’t know anything about cruise airs. In our current 45 Eagle we have three 15000 roof airs and have been just fine. We do have to run the gen and two ac’s while summer driving.

[Tim]

Brett,

I have an ’01 Marathon, H-3, with four cruiseairs. I only remember one time that I had all four on at once and that’s because I forgot to leave one running and left the bus and came back in the afternoon to a very hot bus.

Usually, running two is more than adequate for us, and more often than not, once cooled, even if warm outside, one A/C does the job. If you’re in TX and it’s in the 90’s, then I would think you’re going to have to run at least two, if not all three, especially with that stainless steel soaking up the sun.

But like Jon said, how cold do you want it inside? For our purposes, which Jon could never live with, we have our A/C set at 76 … sometimes 74 in the bedroom if it’s very humid outside. (My wife always wears a sweater in the coach. She would like it set at 85!

Routine Maintenance has been easy for me. Replacement is more expensive than your current roof airs.

[Allan]

I will speculate that three roof airs are more efficient at disappating heat than three Cruise-Airs when driving down the road. From what I’ve seen of where our Cruise-Airs are behind the front bumper (2) and in the bowels of the coach (2), maybe the front two are good at disappating heat in the airflow, but those two in back I just doesn’t see them getting much air flow going down the road and having to deal with the heat coming off the pavement.

Since you do have a motorhome which requires you to run the generator and run the roof airs, you’re probably sensitive to how easily you can control the generator and the Cruise-Airs on the coach your’e looking at.

[joel]

My experience in desert southwest heat with cruise-air’s indicates to me the answer to your question is “no, not adequate”. Some will argue with me, but I consider myself the “horse’s mouth” on this subject after owning 2 cruise air XL1 coaches. Since it’s an XL2, the extra insulation will probably help, but you couldn’t cool my non-slide 45′ XLV with it’s 4 cruise airs in Texas in summer. If you have the opportunity, try it before you buy it on a hot day.

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1999 XLV X-6872,  liberty #440

[Doug]

With more specific information I would hope you are less of a cold freak like I am because in the hot southwest Cruiseairs are less efficient as a result of the heat radiating from the highway surface. Consequently that coach may not be able to retain cool temperatures while driving. But further, it is my opinion, not distorted by facts that only three units on a 45 footer is marginal. Three units work on a 40 footer. A 45 footer definitely can use the 4th unit.

As long as you never allow the coach to get hot the 3 units might work. But you have to have them all on, not because all will be running continuously, but so as each part of the coach starts to warm up you are limiting how hot it gets. A day of driving in the hot temps makes the bedroom a real challenge to cool down if it has been allowed to heat soak. the engine will be giving up heat for a long time keeping the rear closet and parts of the bedroom nice and toasty.

I would walk away, but keep in mind I consider the inside temps just right when the windows have condensation on the outside.

[Tim]

LOL, well we currently keep living area about 75 and bedroom low 70’s. We don’t live in an icebox. THe other thing is we full time, so I try hard to avoid those damned hot places….lol And we try never to let the coach heat up.

Do appreciate all information though. Still tying to decide if I want the AC system to be the deciding factor.

[Brett]

I set interior cooling temps at 80. My previous 40′ XL with 3 would be OK until about 90-95 ambient in sun. Current 45′ XLV with 4 is good to about 95-100 in sun. They might do a little better in humid areas. If you never exceed these temps, you might be OK.

[Davy]

The coach we just purchased has 4 Cruisairs, which I had on one of my Bluebirds. Plus,have OTR air, and after the wifes’ surgery recovery,will be heading to Prevost in Ft Worth to get stuff fixed

[Reagan]

Brett

in the Marathon world an XLII equipped with what they call “Canadian heat pkg” gives you 4 cruise airs and the added benefit of heat strips helping the heat pumps to warm in cold weather. An unassisted heat pumpkin a cruise air will cut out heating around 45 degrees. If they’re assisted with the heat strip, we found ours operated down into the teens and lower..

[Tim]

“Still tying to decide if I want the AC system to be the deciding factor.”

You are going to spend a lot of money to buy and maintain a coach. It is really going to piss you off if one of the essential systems proves inadequate.

[Jerry]

I would not buy a coach with only 3 cruise airs. I would however, buy one with 3 roof airs. The roof airs perform much better, and cost less by far.

But I’m like Jon, I want it to be 70 or colder all the time. That’s why I also require OTR air as well.

[Archived]

I too would want 4 Ac’s … we are in Texas and do lots of weekends in Galveston and I know for a fact if the bus should get hot or even warm for any reason 3 would NOT cool it off any time soon…I make a huge effort to keep the bus very cool enroute so when we get there and switch over to shore power the bus is already cool… we like our temps to be 67 in bedroom at night and overall bus temp never over 70 daytime… whenever we leave the bus I close all the shades which also helps a lot…. try to never let the bus get hot. I run the OTR until the Cruisairs are running and I am almost cold.

.

We had a 45′ 4 slide Holiday Rambler Navigator with 3 roof airs and nearly died from the heat inTexas in July and August.. so unbelievably hot. The units were just not adequate… had them checked on numerous occasions thinking they didn’t work properly.

In Texas I would have to have 4 Ac units for sure…. 3 would be a deal breaker for us. Just my two cents worth !

Cheers, Diane

[Archived]

Have 3 Cruisairs under foot in my coach and it’s a pita out in the Texas sun.. Wouldn’t and couldn’t do without that bus air going down rode. It will frost you.