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Roof Air Replacement
One thing I may tackle this year is replacing my 3 roof airs. They
are all working fine, but at 15 years old, it’s probably only a
matter of time before I have problems.My dilemma is whether to replace with the same configuration, AC’s
with heat pumps. The heat pump function is of no real value to me.
The bus has 3 electric kick heaters along with the Aquahot, so a 3rdheat source seems like overkill. Besides, when it gets real cold the
heat pumps are useless once the ambient temps get into the 30’s.OK boys, how about some opinions…
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18 Replies
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Keeping it simple here is my take.
At sometime Tom, you will sell the bus, as you use the bus may not be the way your buyer may use it. With all the areas in the country I would’nt take that overhead heat option out.
From all of us Tom, at PC…… great spending your money
P.S.w e do need some extra heat in KC tonight with 2 inchs of snow and low 20’s temp tonight.
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When I removed my Cruise Airs and installed roof airs I opted for heat strips rather than heat pumps. They heat no matter what the outside temp. They work great for us.
DKO
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I don’t know how roof air thermostats are set up, but we have the same choices on our coach with toe space heaters, Webasto and heat pumps on the Cruise Airs. It appears as overkill, but is actually practical.
On recent trips, such as our last one to Hilton Head it got into the low 40’s or high 30’s overnight, yet when the sun warmed things up the coach needed some AC. So we set the Cruise Air controls for heat and air. As the coach cooled during the night we got heat, and if it got warm during the day the AC kicked on. Otherwise we would be picking and choosing heat or AC sources, instead we just let the thermostat do all the work.
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That’s the beauty of cruisairs with the smx controls. With mine, you have to do the thermostat shuffle between heat and air.
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Tom: Just another opinion here, but I have experience. I would recommend when replacing the heat pump/Roof Air combo unit to consider going with the heat strip vs the heat pump. I had my old ones replaced in 2010 and it seems the noise level produced by the newer heat pumps is about 30 percent higher than the ones I replaced.
At least the heat strips are silent and the only noise will be the fans.
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Sounds like that’s the way to go, heat strips instead of the heat pump.
Thanks…
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Roger is correct, my roof airs in the heat pump cycle are louder. I might consider the heat strip model if current draw is not a problem.
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Which brand and model does everyone recommend? I need to replace my three roof airs soon.
Brian
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My H3-40 is at the service center today getting the front unit checked out. I am sure it will have to be replaced, but I wanted to let them check just to be sure. The compressor runs but the air is not cold!!! Because of the height of my bus, I have the Duotherm Penguins and will have to replace it with that as well. Just the AC unit with no heat strip or heat pump is going to cost around $1300 to buy, install and upgrade the wall thermostat. I can’t see replacing them until they fail for that kind of money!! My center unit has has been replaced at some point, but the bedroom and front are 21 years old!!! I will run the bedroom until it quits cooling and may get a few more years out of it.
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Tom,
The Dometic Penguin series is the way to go. They are
slightly lower than the other options available. Since you probably have them
on your coach, it is an easy bolt in replacement, the cost per unit is in the $900
range because you will not need the extra cost indoor diffuser. Don’t waste your
money on the heat pump option, they are useless below approximately 40 degrees
F., and have a higher probability of failure due to the refrigerant reversing
valve.
The heat strips are recomended and a dealer installed option and can be installed at any time.My final comment is that a sealed refrigerant system that
does not have leeks after 15 years of use will probably operate without
problems for several more years. The only thing you need to do is get up on the
roof, oil the fan motor bearings, flush the condenser with condenser cleaner available
at any local HVAC supplier and spend the money you saved on beer. -
Now that’s great advise from John, ecpecially the beer part.
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John Klopp can you (or anyojne else!) Give anymore indepth tips to servicing roof mount a/c? Especially curious about lubing the fan motor bearings and keeping things clean?
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John passed away a year or so ago.
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Aww….sorry to hear that…thanks Jon.
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Tom, someone said you wanted new roof air units to cool better going down the road, since you don’t have bus air! Is this true ?
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