phawes
North Carolina
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Joined: 07/02/2008
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I have a 30 ft. Crossroads Cruiser fifth wheel. My 15K BTU A/C is simply inadequate. I have had it tested by a Dometic service center and they assure me that the unit is operating properly. However, in spite of my “upgraded insulation” factory option, the master bedroom gets miserably hot during summer nights.
I am contemplating installing an unducted unit in the master bedroom. I would have this done by a qualified service facility – if I can find one  . Should I look for a Crossroads service center or look for a Dometic service center to do this work?
Apparently I could either upgrade to 50 amp service or add another 20 amp shore power cable. Which do you advise?
I have read that the problem with unducted A/C systems is that they pull the cooled air directly into the intake which then causes the unit to freeze up. That seem like it would negate the value of the second A/C unit. Have you found this to be true?
Paul Hawes
North Carolina
2007 Crossroads Cruiser CF30SK
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wayne_tw
South Dakota/Georgia
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Any shop can install the second A/C. I would look for a shop who you think will take the time to do the job correctly the first time at a price you think is reasonable.
50amp service will be more versatile, allowing the use of more electrical appliances at the same time, but a retrofit upgrade will be more expensive than just an additional 20amp service for the second A/C. You may find some parks that do not have a second 20 amp outlet at the electric connection making your second A/C unusable.
If it was true that unducted A/C's freeze up, then all of those units installed over the years and currently installed in R/V's throughout the world would not be working correctly.
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Road Runners
Tampa Bay, Florida
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I see a lot of one room air conditioners on the shelves at most home supply stores, walmart, Sams etc. They sell for around $80 would one of these fit your bill. I think they would sit inside the room. It seems to me that such a unit would certainly cool the air in your fiver's bedroom.
We have the same a/c unit in our 30 ft fiver. When we go to bed we open the bedroom duct vent and close all the rest. We also have a small, silent fan we turn on in the bedroom. For us, this is more than adequate to cool the bedroom. In fact, it gets too cold sometimes.
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Dark Green HD Dmax
Central Tx
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2nd AC install This is what i did. This will anwser you questions.
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j2catfish
Newport, NC, U.S.of.A.
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If you are in Eastern North Carolina, I would recommend that you check out Howard's RV Center in Wilmington. They have worked on my coach twice and both times they did outstanding work. I'm sure they could sell you one, and install a second air conditioner with out any problem.
Howards RV Center
6811 Market Street
Wilmington, NC 28405
(910) 791-5371
*** not connected to Howard's at all, just my recommendation.***
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phawes
North Carolina
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I was overwhelmed by the prompt responses to my questions on this forum. Thank you!
Wayne_tw:
I am inclined toward the 20 amp service for the second A/C. In recent years, I do not recall staying at a park that did not have a second 20 amp on the pedestal.
I am not really familiar with roof-top mounted ductless A/Cs. My three RVs have been ducted. In what kind of RV and where are the ductless ones generally used?
Road Runners:
Because of your suggestion, I have now done some research on portable air conditioners. Consumer Reports does not think much of them. Apparently they are inefficient and a condensation tray must be emptied frequently. The ones I have researched run in the $500 range.
We use a fan in the bedroom. The ducts throughout the remainder of the trailer can only be reached by step ladder. So, we do not adjust them at night.
Dark Green HD Dmax:
I read your posting at Outbackers with great interest.
I too found that the A/C installation had left several leaks from the exhaust to the intake. I sealed them with foil tape, but I should probably go back and do a better job.
You have convinced me that the retrofit is feasible. I think that I have the technical skill to do what you did, but not the energy. I would still want to have it done by a service center.
Will you need an on-board circuit breaker for the Coleman Polar Cub 8,300 BTU unit?
J2catfish:
I am in Southern Pines, 135 mi. from Wilmington. That is doable, but not very convenient. However, they might be worth the inconvenience. Do you think that they would do a good job even though they are not a Crossroads dealer? Do you know anything about Hawley’s Camping Center in Hope Mills, near Fayetteville?
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FoolsRushIn
Nashville, TN
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Our dealer has told us several times that adding a 2nd unit in our bedroom would be no big deal, but you do end up with an additional 20 amp power cable. We almost did it but as we are trading in our 5'er this fall and will deal with it then. A special note to any curious mfg'ers; in the southern states a 33 ft unit really needs 2 a/c units. If we hadn't ordered the upgraded 15,000 BTU unit we would have had no choice but to put in a 2nd one. Good luck with the install, I think its the right thing to do to fix your problem.
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MrCrabby
West Virginia
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We had a second unit installed last spring. A local dealer was running a special, $589.00 for a 13500 btu, installed. The camper had to be wired for a second unit. It didn't take much more than an hour. They just removed the vent in the bedroom, and it fit right in. The wiring was already in place and there was a breaker already installed.
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wayne_tw
South Dakota/Georgia
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phawes wrote:I am not really familiar with roof-top mounted ductless A/Cs. My three RVs have been ducted. In what kind of RV and where are the ductless ones generally used?
Ductless roof top A/C's are used in many smaller RV's and lower end ones, too. You will see them installed in toll booths, guard shacks, and other small non-movable structures. They are beginning to show up on over-the-road trucks, so the truckers do not have to idle engines all night, rather just run an on-board generator, just like a motor home!
Do not be fixated on a dealer who markets your brand of RV to do the install. This is a simple, common installation and I would find a shop who does quality work as opposed to one who just handles your brand.
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phawes
North Carolina
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Joined: 07/02/2008
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I have decided to install a second, ductless A/C unit in the master bedroom of my Cruiser fifth wheel.
I believe that the power cable can be run through the interior of the ceiling to inside the forward closet, down the wall inside the closet, through the closet floor, and into the basement. Then the cable can be routed through a sleeve along the framing to the shore cord compartment. There, a circuit breaker is needed. From the breaker box it would be simple to provide a 20 amp shore cord in the compartment so it could be plugged into a 20 amp outlet on a pedestal.
I am now searching for someone to do the installation.
I contacted a nearby authorized Dometic Service Center asking if they were equipped to do this work. They replied that they are uncomfortable with it since they were unfamiliar with the structure of the coach. They suggested that I contact an authorized Cruiser Service Center.
I contacted the manufacturer, Crossroads. They said that the roof would support the auxiliary A/C unit, but they said that they have never done this and are not technically able to provide advice. I contacted the two closest authorized Cruiser Service Centers – 85 and 100 miles away. One said that they had no experience with this kind of installation. The other has not replied.
The manager at Howard RV Center in Wilmington said that, although they are not a Crossroads dealer, they do a good deal of fabrication and specialty work on a variety of brands. He promised that his service manager would contact me.
I never expected to find that so many RV service centers were unable or unwilling to undertake the work. Perhaps that is why so many RV owners have done it themselves.
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