Noisy, vibrating basement air

QuirkyObserver · 12-16-2006, 06:51 AM

We just returned from an 11400-mile, 6-month, journey in our '06 Itasca Sunrise 35A with basement air. One MAJOR complaint we have is with the noise from the unit. I have asked two dealers to look at it and they say it is normal. I consider it unacceptable.

It seems to be worse when the second-stage AC kicks in. It pulses with a frequency of about 15-30 seconds. Being right under the bed it is annoying. We were in 106-degree weather this summer and it was bad. Later this fall we have been running the heat pump and it does not have the pulsing but still is noisy. Lately I have felt vibrations through the coach and even while sitting in the passenger seat.

Is this something I just have to accept as part of having basement air, or is it something I should push a dealer to fix?

QuirkyObserver · 12-16-2006, 06:51 AM

We just returned from an 11400-mile, 6-month, journey in our '06 Itasca Sunrise 35A with basement air. One MAJOR complaint we have is with the noise from the unit. I have asked two dealers to look at it and they say it is normal. I consider it unacceptable.

It seems to be worse when the second-stage AC kicks in. It pulses with a frequency of about 15-30 seconds. Being right under the bed it is annoying. We were in 106-degree weather this summer and it was bad. Later this fall we have been running the heat pump and it does not have the pulsing but still is noisy. Lately I have felt vibrations through the coach and even while sitting in the passenger seat.

Is this something I just have to accept as part of having basement air, or is it something I should push a dealer to fix?

zertrider · 12-16-2006, 07:44 AM

Make you first call to RVP and see what they have to say about it.

FrontRangeRVer · 12-16-2006, 09:41 AM

We have the same unit as you do...ours is a bit noisy, but not overly so...

I do have a question for you....does your unit cool your motorhome satisfactory in those high temps?

Mark

"007" · 12-16-2006, 10:16 AM

Not knowing what the unit looks like but are there any prints of unit on web site or in your black book as to mounts under the compressor and fan unit for vibration isolation. Have you tried to shim unit in different locations to see if you can cut down vibration from unit and do they have a flexable sleeve of some type between unit and floor or ceiling ducts.

JudyandJim · 12-16-2006, 10:21 AM

If you do a search, you will find an old topic on this subject that has some detailed explanations about what you are experiencing.

We have the same thing and it used to really bug me. I have been told on this forum and by the dealer that when I hear the surging, the unit is "functioning as designed." You get used to it. We don't spend much time in warm weather during summer months, so the noise has never been a factor for us. However, when we come home in September the temps are still very high and it cools really well. Just don't let it get warm inside the coach. You must stay "ahead" of the temps. It is a great system.

QuirkyObserver · 12-16-2006, 11:44 AM

Zertrider: What or who is RVP?

FrontRangeRVer: Yes, it does cool very well.

007: I will try to check that out.

JudyandJim: It is not just the surging that bothers me. It is the general "high" noise level and the vibration.

Thanks to all! (And please, no comments about a vibrating bed or a vibrating chair!!!)

Tom N · 12-16-2006, 03:18 PM

Look up, from under the coach, behind the rear cap. The duct work runs up here to the ceiling. This duct work is more than likely vibrating harmonically.

Twice I had this harmonic vibration but both times I closed the ceiling outlet vent with the unit running and the vibration stopped. I have not had it since.

-Tom

Thudman · 12-16-2006, 03:58 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">What or who is RVP? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

RV Products, Wichita, KS 877-430-8084; they make the AC unit (good guys). Call them.

I've owned two Winny rigs w/basement air & have NOT had the problem you describe. The 2nd stage air/heat pump makes the same sound level (acceptable, IMHO). My advice is to return to dealer while under warranty.

And WELCOME to the forum!!!

Thudman

wagonmaster2 · 12-16-2006, 04:58 PM

My main problem with the basement air is : when the outside temp is in the upper 60s to lower 70s but the sun causes the inside temp to reach 75 to 80 and I try to run the air conditioner to get the inside temp down to 70 -72, the air conditioner will only run 4-5 minutes at a time even though the wall thermometer temp reading remains unchanged. Long winded - but it runs 4-5 minutes, shuts off for several minutes, turns back on 4-5 minutes then back off again and this will go on all afternoon without lowering the inside temp even one degree. If the outside temps are in the 80s the air conditioner runs great. Two dealers have looked at it without doing anything and Forest City said they had it fixed, but it still does the same. This only causes a problem if the outside is very windy, dusty, or smoky (around the coal fired trains in Colorado).
Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G

AFChap · 12-16-2006, 05:30 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">the air conditioner will only run 4-5 minutes at a time even though the wall thermometer temp reading remains unchanged. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Wagonmaster2

You unit is not working as it should. Ours will run continually until we are cooled down inside. Rather than going to a dealer, I would go to the RVP website and find an RVP trained service location. I did that a few months ago and ended up at an independent RV repair place and got a problem fixed that a dealer had told me 9 monts ago was "just normal startup noise."

Chief · 12-16-2006, 08:34 PM

Wagonmaster 2 You might check to make sure that none of the ceiling vents are directed towards the thermostat. Had the same problem in my old 96 Vectra and discovered that cold air was being directed to the thermostat causing the AC units to "short cycle". Worth a quick check, hope this helps.

NeilV · 12-17-2006, 02:49 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by QuirkyObserver:
Zertrider: What or who is RVP?

FrontRangeRVer: Yes, it does cool very well.

007: I will try to check that out.

JudyandJim: It is not just the surging that bothers me. It is the general "high" noise level and the vibration.

Thanks to all! (And please, no comments about a vibrating bed or a vibrating chair!!!) </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

David,

I am on my second basement air coach and have spent considerable time in many on the lots of the various dealers in the Tampa Bay area. Stepping into your basement air coach should be like taking a quiet break compared to those with rooftop air units.

We went with a couple who were shopping for a Diesel Coach and after they looked at all the $250,000 to $350,000 Diesel Coaches in their price range (and they do have many at LazyDays in Florida) we stopped to sit in an Adventurer 38T. The first comment was WOW look at the kitchen. Next one was on how hot it was so we turned on the basement air and got the third comment of how quiet, this is polite. Next came "That was fast!" when it started cooling down from the 106 degrees that is was inside when we started it up. They spent more time kicking back in the basement air coach than in any of the other coaches of the day mainly because of the quiet.

If it was a diesel they would have bought it on the spot.

If you can take a field trip to a dealer who stocks Winni/Itaska then go and spend some time in a few basement air coaches and see how yours compares. Also sit in some of the ones with roof air. Next call or email the manufacturer of the Basement Air unit and Winnibago to get their reccomendations. Then when you go back to your dealer and they tell you about normal etc you will be better equipped to take exception.

In other words push the dealer to fix it and don't be timid about pushing to have them consult Winni along with RVP on how to proceed.

http://www.rvcomfort.com/rvp/contact.php

Roadking · 12-17-2006, 07:08 AM

NeilV had a great idea about visiting dealers and comparing your AC sounds to similar units. My unit is in rear bedroom under the washer/dryer and the sound of the moving air from the blowers is significantly louder than the sounds of the AC compressors. I can hear the compressors running and they are no way "loud" and there is a very, very, minor vibration. I'm a very light sleeper and in the summer if I run the AC it will wake me when it kicks in so I turn it off and open the windows as soon as I can.

rvten · 12-17-2006, 07:15 AM

RVP is the company that makes the units.
http://www.rvcomfort.com/

Kazoo Tom · 12-17-2006, 07:30 AM

rvten, Thanks for the link to RV products. I'm sure that will be helpful for more than a few of us.

Charles99 · 12-17-2006, 12:23 PM

So I have spent some time inside one of these units. I helped a friend repair one on a Horizon. He had a vibration in his unit also. To work on anything with this unit you have to pull it out. They make the wiring long enough to pull it out and place it on some saw horses to work on it. I love my basement unit also, but what I saw inside this unit was surprising. It is a 2004.
The unit pushes up against a return duct that is sealed with foam tape. The supply is of the same type but smaller. The seal on the return was so poor that the return was almost completely stopped up from road grime. The unit was also full or dirt, due to being behind the tires and close to the ground.
Now to the vibration. There is two fans, a condenser and evaporator fan. They both have pillow block bearings that support the fan opposite the motor. One of the bearings had gone bad. The bearing is the type that requires oil. It has an oil cap on top of the bearing. This is a very cheep bearing, about 5.00 at Grainger. We replaced the bearing with a high quality sealed bearing from Grainger.
The unit is working fine now and we improved on the seal at the return. I plan to pull my unit this winter to inspect and clean it. I like how quite the unit is in the coach, but I think my next rv will have roof top units on it, just for ease of maintenance and the cheaper cost to replace the units. It took us a good half day to pull, repair and reinstall so if you aren't able to do this kind of work, you can expect to pay a pretty penny for the work.

Petro · 12-17-2006, 12:33 PM

We have basement air for the first time. Ours also is under the bed. My wife says it is much quieter than the roof units of the past. I believe when working properly they are reasonably quiet.

Don

FrontRangeRVer · 12-18-2006, 01:43 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wagonmaster2:
My main problem with the basement air is : when the outside temp is in the upper 60s to lower 70s but the sun causes the inside temp to reach 75 to 80 and I try to run the air conditioner to get the inside temp down to 70 -72, the air conditioner will only run 4-5 minutes at a time even though the wall thermometer temp reading remains unchanged. Long winded - but it runs 4-5 minutes, shuts off for several minutes, turns back on 4-5 minutes then back off again and this will go on all afternoon without lowering the inside temp even one degree. If the outside temps are in the 80s the air conditioner runs great. Two dealers have looked at it without doing anything and Forest City said they had it fixed, but it still does the same. This only causes a problem if the outside is very windy, dusty, or smoky (around the coal fired trains in Colorado).
Wagonmaster2
2004 Meridian 36G </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

HERE is one of my old posts with the EXACT SAME PROBLEM, and the fix by my dealer.

I can run both compressors now when the OUTSIDE temp gets below 70 degrees all night now...before, I couldn't....

Read my post and move your thermistor to the INSIDE of the coil instead of the outside...this will fix your problem!!!!!!!