Just Too Hot For Air To Keep Up

[Dam Worker]

Not trying to start a war here but I will say I ordered my unit with dual pane windows and I still think it has to help with heating and cooling. I know it is not the same as those on stick built homes but it still has to help. My old Vanguard with double sliding storm windows and a single AC handled heat and cold better than most RV's and they were not even a sealed unit. I am interested in somebody with dual pane windows that is in a hot or cold climate sharing their thoughts on if the dual pane windows help or not.
I do think that the slide out covers would have to help along with parking under a tree/shade etc. would have to also help.

Tom Marty

[JABURKHOLDER]

I almost feel ashamed to post this but here goes. So far, regardless of outside temp, I have always been able to reach "set temp". I have had the rig interior temp in the mid 60's at times. Now I will admit that the outside temp has not gotten above low 90's so far for where I've been. I'll start running both a/c units and after a while the bedroom unit shuts off and doesn't need to cycle back on for hours. Lucky I guess.

[DQDick]

No, these rigs are built and insulated pretty well. The problems come in when the heat and or heat index is over 100, wind is blowing pretty well, sun is shining directly on the rig and particularly if you have a full body paint job.

[richfaa]

We have added a awning over the main slide. Blocking graphic on the big rear window Insulation in all the roof vents recently removed the ceiling A/C vents all windows tinted and that helped a lot.

The temps on the outside gel coat on this pretty cark colored big sky can get into the 114/124 degrees range in 100 degree heat inside walls can get into the 80's and 90's. Both our A /C's are working to spec's good airflow temps in the mid to high 50's at the A/C. At 100 degrees outside temp we never have hit the set point of 77 degrees with both A/C's running. These are big dark colored tin cans sitting in the direct sunlight. I can stand under the open A/C vents in the back of the 3402 and feel the cool air blowing on my body but it just can't keep up with the interior radiated heat.

[Eagleback]

I'm in the Florida sauna and i have one roof air in the back and a 8000 BTU window air in the bedroom and i stay at a nice 72. You should take the units temp air coming out and see where you are. mine are in the high 40's low 50's.

[tomNtrisha]

The temp outside will tell you what you need to do .
Temp goes up Go North.
Temp goes down Go South.
Works for me LOL

Tom Happy Camping

[jameswbarton]

I finally got the 375fl high country back in the dealers to fix the AC and a few other issues. 4 weeks later General RV tells me the AC is working fine. When I asked then what they fixed they said nothing. The unit will only cool the coach 9 degrees from outside air temperature. So I have an unlivable coach if I want to go south in summer. I have spent all day with other Keystone Warranty Dealers and Keystone to no avail yet. The only helpful folks I find are dometic who requested I take pictures and document the install so their engineering can take a look. It is now scheduled to go back into another dealer in a week that will perform Keystones 12 point AC checkout (whatever that means) I would never buy a high country if all of them have this issue.

[DQDick]

Should be able to cool to 20 degrees below outside temps.

[mhs4771]

We've been in 100 plus temps in Nevada and keep the inside temp at 72 with both 15K ACs running.

[lawrenceb42106]

We are in temps 90-100. Run both air conditioners.Maintains temps at 74-76 with 1 15000 BTU and 1 13000 BTU. They both cycle off and on.

[richfaa]

quote:Originally posted by mhs4771

We've been in 100 plus temps in Nevada and keep the inside temp at 72 with both 15K ACs running.

But that is not in a Montana.

[richfaa]

With this pretty full body paint dark colors Big sky we can not, in no way, get 20 degree difference between the outside and inside
temps when the outside temp is 100 degrees plus. It is now night here in Shawnee, Ok the outside temp is 90 degrees the inside temp is 76 degrees a 14 degree difference both A /C's still running. We are cool.

[Dam Worker]

I am curious about the sun shades being down verse just the MDS white shade being down. If I am not looking outside it really doesn't matter to me if the see through sun block shade is down. If it is down is it helping or collecting more heat and hindering the cooling process? I know one thing for sure and that is keeping up with the heat is much easier than trying to reduce heat when towing and the AC's are not on, especially when only on a thirty amp service. Next time I will pull over and start the generator with both AC's on max cool an hour before my destination arrival time. I really need to buy the remote start for my generator and then I would not even have to stop. I also need to shoot my windows with the IR thermostat and see if the double pane windows have a bit lower temperature that single pane windows. For whatever reason the windows are labeled as insulated windows.

In reality if I buy another unit it will probably be a DRV as they are wide bodies and have three inch walls which I would think would insulate quite a bit better than my present unit. I will still probably get slide out covers installed as I think they would help somewhat with cooling and keeping the debris of the roof of the slide outs.

Tom Marty

[richfaa]

This big sky retains the heat of the day. At 9PM last night we were still reading 85 degrees on many of the inside walls.It rained hard last night and still on and off this AM. The outside temp is 75 degrees and cloudy. The rear A/C is running and we are freezing inside. It is not a A/C problem it is a RV problem. Good idea to shoot the dual panes with the IR thermometer then shoot the wall right under the window.

[pammer]

How would you tell if air conditioning is "frozen up"

[jcurtis934]

For ac freeze up, should be throwing code (e5) at you plus ac not running. Aluminum is a super conductor of heat or cold and very fast at doing it. Aluminum window frames...sides. just one of the things you live with in our trailers. John

[DQDick]

Diminished air flow is the best sign of freezing up.

[Wheelhouse]

So much said for the Montana Artic Package in 100+ temperature areas, lol. Nothing like Chicago on 4th of July weekend in Montana, ugh.

[Virginia Young]

quote:Originally posted by Jimmer

Thanks for all of the information. I thought I was just going to have learn to live with the problem. We have a 2014 3582 RL with a vented AC in the living area and a non vented AC in the bed room. The bed room cools much better than the living area. It seems like there is not much air coming out the vents in the living area. The bed room ac has a lot of air coming out the main unit. We put a small fan in the hallway and it helps push air from the bed room to the living area. I will try some of the other things said and see how that helps.

We use a box fan in the bedroom doorway to move the cooler air into the living area. It makes a huge difference. Staying comfortable in central FL, right now.

[Virginia Young]

quote:Originally posted by bethandkevin

I don't have an answer for certain on the slide toppers-it would seem it might help a little, but the ducting for the A/C runs in the "attic" area, so it would seem to me a better insulated duct material might help as well. I've wondered if the newer BigSky owners have experienced any negatives on this issue because of the dark sides. I sympathize with you on the cooling. We don't often find ourselves in that kind of heat, but two years ago we were in Chicago during July. Four days in a row it was over 100 actual temp and 109 the day we arrived. Only had 30 amp service, so only able to run one A/C. Oh, and no shade trees either!

You can definitely feel the warmth inside, if you hold your hand close to the wall when the sun is shining on the side. I do not think it's any worse than it was in our white Montana. The Big Sky does have more insulation and the dual pane windows. We keep the awnings out to help keep the sun off the door side of the camper. We also have the a/c fans set on High and run both units all day. When it is in the mid to upper 90's, we set a box fan in the bedroom doorway to help move the cooler air from the bedroom into the living area. We have been quite comfortable in Central FL, these past three weeks. Today, I believe the temp got to 97 and we were plenty cool. We are on a concrete lot with no shade.