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Cruiseair upgrade
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Rick: I just replaced the salon roof ac/heat pump with a Coleman 13.5 at Marathon, FL.. Replaced the bedroom unit two years ago. Both are quieter than the original. They needed roof plates to attach the new units. I’ll just wait until the other two crap out someday. No need to do it now. We’re in the heat in central FL now and can keep cool using only two of the units.
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This is a portion of a post that Rudy put up about 2 years ago that I thought might be of interest to this discussion:
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Jon, What is the maximum amps you can safely run on 50 amp plug in? I would like to run two roof airs . When I do it pulls 35.6 amps with nothing else on. Am I within safe limits running the two roof airs? Thanks
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Are you pulling 35.xx on one leg or are you adding the 2 legs together?
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40 amp is a good target for maximum amp use on each leg, 80% of the 50 amp breaker. I see 45 amps at times on good shore power on one leg and then I reduce the loads just to be careful.
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for mikee. 35 amps on same leg
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All shore power breakers are going to handle 80% of their rating all day long unless there is an issue with resistance from poor or loose connections. So assuming good power supply to the coach 40 amp loads per leg should not be an issue.
However if you are running multiple ACs it is best if they are on separate legs just because if they should both happen to cycle on at the same time the required starting current can spike in excess of the breaker capacity. Also what all who are managing power need to know is what uncontrolled electrical devices are on and what leg they are on. For example if various loads on a leg are drawing the power stated, is that value including the loads that kick on without warning, such as a water pump, aux compressor or water heater?
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I’ve never really monitored my power to any degree except for turning off an air conditioner when using the dryer. The reason is I really don’t understand how to monitor the power on our coach. And I never got proper training when I bought the coach.
It would be great if the Maintenance Seminar would have a hands on power demonstration. There will plenty of veterans attending and if we could actually go into the coaches in small groups and see how we should handle things when we are both dry camping and plugged in…I personally need it and would love it. Oh, including Inverters for Dummies also.
Thank you for the consideration.
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I am with Jimmy. Inverters for Dummies would be a good.
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Inverter powered ac units are super quiet. I have been running mine for 8 yrs. (mini-spit) can be installed like cruise airs. Inverter type have no power surge on start up and (9000btu) heat and cool use 6 amp @120 volt. 12000 units =8 amp@120 volt. Just fool around researching them. I run 2ea9 and a 12. in mine total load=20 amp @120V. Roof tops are plug and play! Noisey!! splits are quiet under 30 db and e fficient. feels like 108 today. my bus is outside running 1 ea 9000=74 F inside.It is a love hate as far as the noise and power consumption. When yo research the key is Inverter type with high seer factor over 15 the higher the better. When I refer to inverter I’m not talking about your power supply but the type of air conditioner that uses less power. (constant load /no surge.
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We have reached out to the inverter people, but don’t mix apples and oranges.
Power management is dealing with shore power and its limits, and when on inverters the conversation is completely different.
Jimmy and others who are interested we can dedicate a portion of the seminar to discuss power management and to try to help folks understand inverters, two different topics. Generally speaking the same overview on both topics is going to apply to all coaches even though not all conversions are set up the same.
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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My Cruisair Mid Starboard condenser compressor is bad. All four condensers are the same age 12 years. What is the general opinion. Rebuild the one bad one with a new compressor? Replace it entirely with a new or refurbished by unit from AAP? What is the general oponion of how long the condensers last? Well I likely be looking at the remaining 3 going out as well?
Second question. We live in HOT California and just spent 2 nights in Las Vegas with 106 degree temp outside. With that outside temp should the 4 Cruisair systems be able to bring the temp inside the coach down to the mid to low 70’s? With only 3 running I could only get the temp inside down to the mid 80’s which was pretty much unacceptable. Before this trip I had all the units serviced, ie charged and all filters cleaned so my thought is that they should be performing as designed.
Jon, I know you are a big fan of the Split Cruisair systems Liberty installs and so am I but with me not being able to get the temp down while in Las Vegas I am concerned if there is ever hope of as you have previously said “make it a meat locker inside” ? Is it because my units are 12 years old?
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The cruiseairs are a constant battle in high heat, some spray water under the units to reduce the intake air temp. I’ve had cruiseairs in 4 of the 6 buses I’ve owned and have never had an issue keeping cool in up to 100 in the east, but have never experienced the extreme heat like you have. I have on more than one occasion had the cruiseairs quit while driving due to hi road temp.
Let’s face it, they were designed for marine use with water cooling instead of air. I had two in a Chris Craft in they never had a cooling issue due to high ambient temps.
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Jon (great name by the way), It would be my opinion that if you get the failed Cruiseair repaired you will be OK. Having said that I would suggest if you can that you make sure the condensing coils are clean and that the baffles under the coach where the hot air from the coils exhausts are not bent or crushed restricting air flow.
I would also check supply and return air temps to make sure the Cruiseairs are performing as they should. I am not familiar with your layout but with a little poking around you can figure out where cold air comes out and the return air supply goes back in. If the temperature spread between the two air flows is less than 15 degrees F the refrigerant charge should be checked. If the spread is greater then the units are OK.
As to dealing with extreme temps you have a couple of things you can do to help. First, never allow the coach to get heat soaked. If it is excessively warm inside the coach you are not only trying to cool the air, but every surface in the coach is hot and releasing heat. Once you get the temps in the comfortable range, maintaining them is easier. Do not hesitate to run the OTR in conjunction with the Cruiseairs to get the temps down.
Heat is your enemy and anything you can do to make the Cruiseairs work less is in your favor. Do not lower the coach because you want the area under the bus relatively open so you can get a lot of air flow to the condensers. If you have the black Liberty privacy shades get those replaced with a very light or white color because just the heat radiating from them into the front of the coach will overcome the front Cruiseair.
Keep the sun out of the coach by lowering the shades. The side windows are thermopane but the sun will hit and heat inside surfaces adding to the heat load.
Under most circumstances I can keep a coach comfortable with two Cruiseairs and my idea of comfort is when the windows get condensation on the outside. But I adjust which units I run depending on the time of day. When we are in the front of the coach mostly I run the port and starboard. As it cools with the sun going down before bedtime I will switch to the aft and forward airs.
But if I have to run more than two I make sure I manage power on the leg(s) that have the 3rd or 4th airs on them by setting the temp so cold the units will not cycle because when they cycle they draw a lot of amps so I just want to keep at least one on each leg from cycling on or off so I have no risk two will cycle and trip the shore power breaker. If I have any concerns about the quality of shore power I start the generator and at that point you can run everything and anything. As temps go up typical RV park voltage goes down and anytime the voltage from the shore power gets to 110 or less you can count on issues.
1984 96" with 8V92TA
(remodeled Liberty Coach)
Greenwood, MO
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