2007 35L Adventurer Basement Air

[gilmorj]

Ok, this is not fun camping! It is 91 in San Antonio and the best my basement air can do is 83 inside the coach. Had experienced tech look over this morning and all he could find was the drain valve was clogged. The air vent at noon was showing an output of 59. Who else has problems with basement air? My previous coach has two roof airs and no problems. Any ideas.

Jim

[John Hilley]

Mine was doing the same thing. Took it to Forest City and they changed the thermostat and cleaned the condenser. Now it works fine.

[Thudman]

Have you checked for a duct leak? Look at the a/c duct near the rear cap that comes off the a/c unit and travels vertically. You need a flashlight and lay on your back to see the duct. There may be a breach there, as shown in this pic:



The breach is common. It is repairable by using metal, air conditioning duct tape (not regular duct tape). Next pic shows the repaired duct.



Good luck.

Thudman

[traveler of california]

How many amps are you pulling when both compressors are operating? I had a similar problem recently and one of my compressors went out.

Nick

[MntDriver]

We have a sticky on the other Winnie forum about adding a roof air to supplement the inadequate basement air conditioning. Here is the stickiy link where myself and John Canfield have added an additional roof air (in place of the fantastic vent). You need to be a member on RVForum.net to see the pictures in the links.

Adding a roof air as an adjuct to basement air

[gilmorj]

Nick,
I am now hooked up at my storage and 110 power. I started the gen and then turned on air and it went from 3 amps to 17 amps. How do you know if both compressors are kicking on? Jim

[DancinCampers]

Jim, turn off breaker for ac circuit #2. Turn t-stat to cool and set at least 5 deg below room temp. Watch amps, should go up as fan motors turn on, then up again as compressor comes on. Then turn breaker back on, amps should go up as second compressor comes on.

[Davel]

Another issue to check is the filter. It should be the cheapest, angel hair style, filter you can buy. Any more restrictive filter lowers the air flow too much.

Good luck,
Dave

[Peddler]

Following on what Thudman posted, turn the AC fan to on, not auto. Without the compressors running, stick your head under the rear cap and see if there is any air movement. If there is, it is leaking from the duckwork. That was my problem and, after retapeing, there is almost too much flow (and cooling) thru the system. You need to be creative to get the tape on good but can be done. It took me almost an hour, including resting my neck, but it's held for a year now. Dealers want to remove the cap to the tune of $1000 plus.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by gilmorj

Ok, this is not fun camping! It is 91 in San Antonio and the best my basement air can do is 83 inside the coach. Had experienced tech look over this morning and all he could find was the drain valve was clogged. The air vent at noon was showing an output of 59. Who else has problems with basement air? My previous coach has two roof airs and no problems. Any ideas.

Jim

I could ave written the exact same post-just change San Antonio to Austin. My A/c was "repaired" under warranty, and I've been assurred it IS functioning "as designed". I am NOT a happy camper either,-if the sun is shining the A/C runs on both compressors CONSTANTLY and inside temp won't go below 85* F. Cycles on and off and maintains much colder at night.

I was told there is too much cubic space inside my floor plan (3 slides-7' high ceilings) and the A/C "just can't keep up with the heat load. I question the existence of ANY insulation as the noise from the roof when raining is deafening. Hate to think I have to ADD a roof mounted unit to be comfortable!

[Doug Sage]

A general rule of thumb is that one compressor uses about 17 amps (in the 10s) and two compressors use amps in the 20s (about 24). It sounds like your second compressor is not running. Having said that, the insulation isn't that thick, the slide gaskets don't seal that well (especially in the corners), you have a lot of volume with the slides and the sun creates a lot of heat gain. You will do a lot better when parked in the shade or with the rear of the motorhome pointing south or southwest. Keep the blinds closed and the awnings out.. Put up window sunshades if you have them.

[edgray]

Originally Posted by Doug Sage

A general rule of thumb is that one compressor uses about 17 amps (in the 10s) and two compressors use amps in the 20s (about 24). It sounds like your second compressor is not running. Having said that, the insulation isn't that thick, the slide gaskets don't seal that well (especially in the corners), you have a lot of volume with the slides and the sun creates a lot of heat gain. You will do a lot better when parked in the shade or with the rear of the motorhome pointing south or southwest. Keep the blinds closed and the awnings out.. Put up window sunshades if you have them.

Thanks, Doug: I have verified personally, and using "professionals", that both compressors ARE running.

Air flow is very "robust", so I don't believe I have a leak in the rear vertical. Duct differential temps are "within specs" and "they" tell me that very little improvement in performance can be expected.

Cloudy days & shady sites seem to be my only solution, other than to add a roof unit.
Ed

[1ciderdog]

By memory the temperature coming out the cooling vents the should be about 20 degrees cooler than the return air at the grate going back into the AC unit. In high temps my basement air will not cool the RV but if I start the air before it is hot inside it will be live able. I also leave the fan in the on mode in high to help circulate the cool air. I also put the awnings out and cover the windows to help keep the sun out. And I have a free standing portable AC unit I use when it is really hot.

[Thudman]

Ed, PLEASE check the rear duct work for a breach. My airflow was also good, but I still had a leak in the rear duct. I also had a temp of 85* inside the box with the leak. When I fixed it, temp came down to the 70s. Whew

Thudman

[MntDriver]

Originally Posted by 1ciderdog

By memory the temperature coming out the cooling vents the should be about 20 degrees cooler than the return air at the grate going back into the AC unit. In high temps my basement air will not cool the RV but if I start the air before it is hot inside it will be live able. I also leave the fan in the on mode in high to help circulate the cool air. I also put the awnings out and cover the windows to help keep the sun out. And I have a free standing portable AC unit I use when it is really hot.

Yeah, my RV interior was exactly like yours on hot days until I finally bit the bullet and installed a 13.5K High Effeciency (only 10 amps) roof air over my fantastic vent hole. Now I don't have to make sure I'm parked in the shade, put awnings out, carry around a free standing portable AC, etc. We consider 70 degrees "comfortable" when it's 90-95 degrees outside. We don't consider 80 degrees to be acceptable (with only the basement air).

Actually, this Brisk Air 13.5 roof air cools the whole RV down MUCH FASTER than the basement air ever did. I believe the basement air's length of ducts, the construction of the ducts (cut styrofoam) and the barely insulated "Y" in the rear of the motorhome decreases the cooling air capacity of the basement air tremendously. The Roof Air airbox shoots the cooled air directly into the motorhome, making the cooling much more efficient and the cooled air hits the windshield area with MUCH COLDER air than the basement air ever did.

I can run all three compressors on my Onan 5500 if needed although we use the roof air almost exclusively now while driving, and it can cool the whole motorhome now (and the front massive windsheild area) as the basement air couldn't.

All in all, it's the best mod I have ever done, and for less than $700 and about 4 hours of work. The hardest part was running the 12.2 wiring, but that wasn't even that hard. I ran the wiring, installed another breaker in the box, and let Camping World set the new unit on the roof.....Piece of cake!

Come on Ed....you can do it!

[edgray]

Originally Posted by Thudman

Ed, PLEASE check the rear duct work for a breach. My airflow was also good, but I still had a leak in the rear duct. I also had a temp of 85* inside the box with the leak. When I fixed it, temp came down to the 70s. Whew

Thudman

Thanks, Will. I'll double check that, especially after our mutual friends in Concord were the last ones back there.

Hope to meet up with you again, somewhere along the way!
Ed

[edgray]

Originally Posted by MntDriver

Yeah, my RV interior was exactly like yours on hot days until I finally bit the bullet and installed a 13.5K High Effeciency (only 10 amps) roof air over my fantastic vent hole.........

All in all, it's the best mod I have ever done, and for less than $700 and about 4 hours of work. The hardest part was running the 12.2 wiring, but that wasn't even that hard. I ran the wiring, installed another breaker in the box, and let Camping World set the new unit on the roof.....Piece of cake!

Come on Ed....you can do it!

Thanks, MntDriver: I may have no choice but to do just that. I am concerned about difficulty in fishing the power supply "up there". Any hints???
Ed

[MntDriver]

Originally Posted by edgray

Thanks, MntDriver: I may have no choice but to do just that. I am concerned about difficulty in fishing the power supply "up there". Any hints???
Ed

Running the electrical wiring was MUCH easier than removing the front CRT TV and installing a 32" flat screen that I did last month! (my pictures of that mod also elsewhere).

I was originally going to use my unused washer/dryer circuit breaker, but bought a seperate/dedicated 20 amp breaker and ran the 12/5-2 with ground wire from the breaker box breaker, up through the One Place panel area, cut a hole in the ceiling ductwork (at the ceiling inside the One Place area) continued running the wire through the right side ductwork and pushed through the styrofoam into the side of the Fantastic Vent hole. Left about a couple of feet sticking out of the side of the ceiling at the Fantastic Vent hole. I then sealed up the hole I cut in the right side duct work in the One Place center, drove to CW, had them remove the FV lid and set the new Brisk Air on top of the hole, and hooked it up and wala....ice cold air! My new roof air doesn't blow out air from the existing Winnie ducts It was much easier to do than I thought. (my step by step pictures on this are elsewhere too)

I know of several others that have run the 12/2 with ground through the existing duct work to the opening.....Its very easy. Remove the duct vents and pull the wire through the duct.

I hate to be hot, and not only does this solve that problem, it gives us a secondary air if the basement air gives up the ghost someday. I, like you, went through many MANY chats and inspections with my basement air, and it was/is operating like designed....not able to cool a 36' three slide motorhome on hot days.

[1ciderdog]

I took the Winnebago factory tour today and one of the items mentioned was Winnebago no longer uses the basement air in the RV's because a lot of customers felt it was not adequate for summers in hot places such as Florida, Texas & Arizona.
Bob

[edgray]

Originally Posted by 1ciderdog

I took the Winnebago factory tour today and one of the items mentioned was Winnebago no longer uses the basement air in the RV's because a lot of customers felt it was not adequate for summers in hot places such as Florida, Texas & Arizona.
Bob

That may well be true, but the BA also went away to make room for the DEF tank required on all the RDP products. The resultant lack of demand, and the "new" freon mandate caused RVP to stop making the units all together. I understand they do now make a "different" replacement unit, but it REQUIRES a 50 AMP power supply and cannot be used on 30 amp coaches. The 2010 models were the last Winnebago built with BA. The 2011 37F had two roof a/c units and a Ford chassis, both standard-no option.
Ed