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Old 02-23-2011, 11:45 AM   #1
kingdaddy
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High Country A/C

After talking to the dealer where I bought my H.C. I found out that they are not wired for a ducted/thermostat controlled A/C.
EDIT: Oops, I should have specified I was talking about a SECOND A/C unit!
The H.C. IS "wired" for a second A/C (the actual unit) but it only has a single zone thermostat and there is no wiring from the A/C location over to where the thermostat goes. None of them are equipped that way according to the sales manager (part of the "Helium Technology"?)
So, looks like my only option is to go ahead and get the second A/C and just have it dump cold air into the bedroom. Still going to do it I guess, just not as effective as having it ducted and controlled by the thermostat.
Two options are the standard unit and the "low profile" unit (both 13.5 BTU) which he said is what they usually install in the front location. Makes sense, but it is quite a bit more expensive too.
Also, decided to get the fireplace installed by them since so many recommend it.
 
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Old 02-23-2011, 12:40 PM   #2
Clemson1881
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Does your unit have ducts at the vent? All the newer Montanas do, but I don't know about the HC version. If it does have the ducts ran to the vent you can still install a ducted ceiling assembly. The thermostat would just be seperate from the living room thermostat which is not a big deal. There are many benefits from the second A/C being ducted versus the free blow version in addition to it being way more efficient. I would spring for the low profile unit as well. Unnecessary added height is not a good thing unless you are positive you will never travel anywhere near a low overpass.
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Old 02-23-2011, 01:29 PM   #3
Ozz
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Mike, the bedroom non-ducted A/C is not so bad, we have it, I still get cool air when we are chillin in the super slide couch at night.
Good choice on the fireplace, we love ours.
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Old 02-23-2011, 02:21 PM   #4
SlickWillie
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I would agree with OZZ...we have the low profile non ducted Penguin. Two units dumping into a common duct doesn't split a system very well from my point of view. I prefer the one like we have.
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Old 02-23-2011, 02:38 PM   #5
arcateq
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Good to know about the 2nd A/C. Another thing for the list. I STILL want to change out my cheep thermastate to something i can program.
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Old 02-23-2011, 03:14 PM   #6
helmick
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We would agree with Ozz and SlickWillie. Ours is non-ducted and prefer it that way.
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Old 02-23-2011, 03:47 PM   #7
Clemson1881
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To each his own of course, but when I first bought my current camper I added the second A/C at the dealer. They did the usual and installed a non-ducted A/C. Camping at Myrtle Beach in July didn't go as well as I had hoped. We could turn the bedroom into a meat locker, but in the hottest parts of the day the living area would get warm. Dumping the entire output of an A/C in one place isn't the best way to distribute the air most efficiently. If that were the case all A/Cs would still be the dump style like they were 25 or 30 years ago in RVs. Ducted systems are simply more efficient (the air is distributed evenly throughout the coach), and that's why the industry went that route back in the 90s. So I went back to the dealer and asked them to change the ceiling assembly and go ducted with the second A/C. Words can't do the improvement justice. Not only can I keep the entire coach 70 degrees in any weather there are other factors many would find a huge benefit. Ducted is much quieter (although still provides enough gray noise to drown out outside noise in the bedroom), ducted eliminates the wind tunnel when you walk near the unit, and you can run either unit when only running one is necessary to provide ultra quiet cooling in the entire RV (great when watching TV). I will say the freeblowing units will serve folks with the center aisle walkways better than my side aisle unit. That was the huge problem for me. All the air was trapped in the bedroom because it blew into the bedroom wall when I had it in the dump configuration. In your model you have a center aisle, so the ducted system probably isn't as much as a necessity as us side aisle owners. But take it from someone who has had it both ways. Go ducted if possible. My previous SOB was a center aisle unit and I had a second A/C (dump style) on it too. The second A/C was great, but it was always colder in the front because all the air was dumping in one place.
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Old 02-23-2011, 04:54 PM   #8
kingdaddy
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Thanks for all the great feedback! I can see good points on both sides of the debate, but for me it may be a moot point.
According to the sales manager at my dealer, if the second A/C can't be added to the thermostat (it only comes with a "single zone") then it shouldn't be added to the ducting system. To add the wiring and change the thermostat etc. would be cost prohibitive according to the technicians at the dealership. Something about fishing the wires through the ceiling, walls etc...lots of labor costs. I agree, probably not worth the cost.
To add the low profile A/C alone is about $1,400 or so. The standard one (NOT low profile) is about $900. Those are the installed costs.
Does that sound about right? It is the unit that Montana uses if you order it from the factory...same with the fireplace I am having installed.
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Old 02-23-2011, 06:03 PM   #9
exav8tr
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Mike, I have an unducted, no thermostat AC in the bedroom and it is fine, no there is no thermostat for it just lo, med, and hi cool, also lo, med and hi fan. Believe me in the heat of Casa Grande I just put it on HIGH COOL and it does the trick. We like a cold bedroom anyway, (goes with wifes disposition, I didn' say that did I?). We also use it to blow cool air down the steps and into the iving room, less noise that way. You will adjust.....
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Old 02-24-2011, 12:47 AM   #10
Clemson1881
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Most Camping Worlds can beat those prices on whatever unit you decide on by a few hundred dollars. Especially if you catch them having a sale. The dealer is not telling you the truth about the thermostat either. My bedroom unit is ducted, but on its own thermostat (did it that way to save install cost). My low profile unit installed was $900 total cost. Dealers and shops are so used to installing the non ducted systems (it is a little simpler for them) they really push folks hard in that direction. That is from my experience and many others I have talked to out camping. You will get huge improvement if you go non ducted over your one A/C and as others have said it will be fine because you have a center aisle unit. I just hate it when dealers tell folks things because they want to make the decision for you because they don't want to get out of their comfort zone.
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