[Tim]

Bryan,

We have three 15k Btu roof ACs on our coach, and we have no problem staying cool. The hottest we encountered was about 122 degrees in Las Vegas a few years ago, and the coach stayed nice and cool. We have never had an issue staying cool in our coach whether driving or camping, and I expect nothing less from a Prevost. We did look at a Featherlite in Phoenix that had pitiful AC performance, even with 4 roof ACs. Part of the problem was no AC distribution ducts.

[Davy]

Per,

Remind me again what year that Featherlite was that you looked at that wasn’t sufficiently ducted?

[June]

I hope everyone realizes we all may have different comfort levels.

I worked in a commercial laundry as a kid during the summers in Secaucus, NJ. 90 degree daytime temps were not unusual. At the end of the day when leaving work I needed a jacket because after working in 110 to 115 degree temps all day long due to the dryers and clothes presses I got chilly as a result of the instant 20 to 25 degree temperature drop when I left work.

[Larry & Diane]

Tim,

That was a 2001 Featherlite. It had no ducting at all, just discharged the cool air stright down. We have an interducted sytem on our coach, so is the middle AC is running, we still get some cool air in the bedroom. Too noisy, though.

Jon,

You are quite right. I’m comfortable with a fan running at 78, DW wants temperature at 72 with the fan running! Luckily I have a good blanket!

[Per]

I need to say thank you again to you all! Through this forum, emails, and phone calls you have all been extremely helpful and I feel like I’m coming up to speed a wee bit.

I just completed a morning of yard work and am a soaked mess from our AZ sun, so the thought of air conditioning is still running through my mind. I’ve read Gil’s article, but would like to hear a few more opinions on the Country Coach OTR. I’m not a fan or their dash air in my 97 Allure. I’m curently having the third compressor installed in about as many years. What do you know about CC OTR?

BTW, in case you’re curious, I had my neighbor (who’s family contracted our home and RV garage, but before we bought it) help me understand what would be invovled with extending our garage from an interior depth of 41’7″ to 53’7″. Its a block with stucco and faux stone finish garage. He said plan for $20K – $30K for everything. That tells me to plan for $35K. It a two door/bay garage and we would extend forward into the concrete driveway, most-likely just leave the middle pillar there for support of the current roof, cut concrete for footings but use the current driveway for garage floor. Going back would be preferred but more expensive, because we have a small guest house that currently takes up the rear of the garage across both bays.

[Bernie]

Kurt,

I have never had a CC, but have participated on Prevost forums since 1999. From my position as a reader of the forum posts I have sensed the CC supplemental A/C system is very hard on compressors. From the posts it appears they have a high failure rate.

But also from reading the posts I sense there are other issues, less important, but never the less of concern. The condenser coil is mounted beneath the coach and its location inhibits easy access to the air dryer. Lately we are learning a lot of owners have not serviced their air dryers or systems and the net result has been some hefty repair bills. I would not want a coach in which such important service is made more difficult.

The condensing coil because of its location is prone to getting dirty and that inhibits its capacity.

Let’s talk specifically about A/C systems. We all have two needs. We want to be comfortable while driving, and we want to be comfortable when stopped. While driving there is absolutely nothing wrong with relying on the house units to keep the areas other than the driving area cool. Start the generator, turn them all on and enjoy whole coach comfort. If you are OK with cooling down the house after you stopped, just rely on driver’s air. If the coach is provided with a system to supplement driver’s air it is better than nothing.

But there is NOTHING that provides the capability of Prevost over the road air. At a minimum it is at least 80,000 BTU or as much as 109,000 BTU which means it will bring a heat soaked coach down to a comfortable temperature quickly. At the most roof or Cruise airs are going to be 15,000 BTU so it is obvious unless you keep your coach cool all the time, trying to cool a heat soaked coach is going to be a challenge whether it is a mini-system like the CC system or you use your house airs.

You have to define your definition of comfortable. It is almost insanity to think small systems with limited BTU output are going to be effective on the hot southwest days. The bus glass wicks heat into the coach, The sun makes every thing it shines on a solar panel all of which A/C systems have to overcome. So if you intend to keep the coach at 72 degrees while underway you need some serious A/C capability. If you definition of comfortable is 80 that might be a different story. If you think I am overstating the benefit of OTR, drive into the summer sun and with the sun beating on you through a windshield that is in itself hot from the ambient temps and see how much A/C capacity you really need.

[Archived]

Kurt,

Unless the person replacing your AC compressor completely evacuated the system, you will have problems. Our first AC compressor lasted 15 years. It was replaced by Buddy Gregg in Lewisville in 2006, and had to replaced again in 2013. This time at Country Coach, and have had no problem since–they ran a vacuum for a full day. We have CC “OTR” AC in the bedroom, but hardly ever use it. I haven’t looked at a CC Prevost yet how they do the AC condenser–we have it right behind the rear wheel, which works great. Our roof ACs keep us quite comfortable at 72 anytime we are on the road or while parked, and the only time I use the dash AC is when I have the sun on me.

I would think Prevosts have a greater need for good AC systems mainly due to much larger glass areas compared to a regular motorhome, expecially on the XL models. But when we looked at an 03 Marathon in Ft Worth recently, the roof ACs kept it comfortable in 100 degree temperatures while we looked at it at Marathon.

[Chris]

Some have had good results with their CC OTR, but I didn’t. I had a 2000 Prevost CC XLV that I had to replace the compresssor twice, it ate belts no matter what I did to assure the alignment was correct and with the condensor located underneath in front of the drive tires, it got damaged from road debris. Also, the only way to keep the evaporators in the galley and bedroom from freezing over was to make sure the fans ran at high speed only. There is no blend of coolant to maintain a temperature, it’s either on or off.

[Bill]

We’ve only had one coach since April of 2014 and as you can see below its a Liberty with OTR aka bus air.

One thing I’ve discovered that I want to pass along is that if you drive your coach more than say two hours at highway speed on a day that is 60 or more degrees, the rear end of the coach will heat sink from the engine, transmission, and drive axle. The higher the ambient air temperature the greater the heat sink effect (or is at affect?). Be prepared that if you drive all day and its hot, then you stop for the night after dark and its cooled off outside, you’ll find that bedroom warms up after a while, even if you had the OTR running (and probably roof airs if you have them).

You’ll discover this phenomena on your first few trips!

[Archived]

I’ve had excellent luck with my CC OTR. That being said, I have to admit that I do have a leak at the compressor that we’re going to address this fall. We’ve been iin 90 to 100 degree temps and the bus has stayed cool from to back. The Redhead at times even put a blanket on to warm up.

My trick ( I’m sure I’m not alone) is about 10 minutes before we stop for the day is to kick the gen on and run the roof air in the bedroom. Seems to avert the heat sink that Dick has alluded to above.

[Archived]

Dan,

If you have the time, would you please email me on your overall thoughts concerning your CC conversion? Curious how long you’ve had it and what you think? How well have Greg and the CC guys been able to support you when/if you called them for any technical assistance. Thank you.

Kurt

[Archived]

My two cents worth.

Although my exprience with a Prevost conversion is limited, I do have experience with other brands of motorcoaches and travel trailers and I love the AC system in my CC. I don’t consider the roof airs to be a problem at all with noise and I recently discovered when operating with 30 amp shore power that with the roof airs distributing the AC through a common ducting system that the coach was cooled very well by only one of the roof units in moderate outside air temperature conditions. I ran the center unit during the day and the rear unit at night and the whole coach stayed very comfortable. I also like the fact that if problems with a unit do occur, the roof airs are relatively easy to work on or change out being basically “bolt on” units. Also, they don’t take up any cargo space.

[Archived]

John,

Thank you for your input! How has the CC Over the Road AC system been for you?

[Archived]

Kurt, my experience is pretty limited, we’ve owned it since last November. Since then we’ve put about 11k miles on it this year, spread out over 6 trips and 10 weeks of use. As for contact with CC I haven’t been in touch with them, I’ve used Jeff and ETLC as my go to guy. We attended the POT course at Jeffs in July.

I’m an Iowa farmer and pretty handy mechanically, what I like about this bus is as Prevost go, this one is comparitively simple. I don’t have slides, my dumps are manual, as are the awnings. For a first time owner the learning curve is not quite as steep as some of the more complicated buses.

[Archived]

Over The Road Air has worked very well. I wouldn’t want it any other way. My coach is a straight side with no slides which is my preference. I’ve had slides and want no more. I also have manual shades and that is also my preference.