Adding Roof Air Conditioner!

Mark - you got a good deal for $870.  You got a great deal if they did a good job for you.

Our basement air is pulling 21 amps or so on both compressors and I think our roof air pulls about 12 running amps, so that sounds consistent with your results.

Your 5500 watt genny should produce about 45 amps, so you have some headroom running all of the ACs on gen set.

We were recently in Amarillo (had to return home unexpectedly) and it was really hot there.  We had all of the ACs running for quite a bit of time but we stayed C-O-O-L  ;D !

I ran 12/2 wire from the "Fantastic Vent" opening through the existing basement air duct work, to the One Place Center, down that column, to underneath the kitchen sink (cabinet floor removed), to the breaker box, where I installed a new 20 amp dedicated breaker.

Sorry about the long delay on getting these pics on here (a layer of snow on the ground, and Halloween decorations up) , and the quality is bad due to taking them with my iPhone.  :

I was thinking about installing a roof air for two reasons.  First I like to run the Honda generator because it uses less gas, and second when sleeping I only want to cool the bed room.  With the Honda I have a remote control, so I can cool the room down and then click it off with out having to get out of bed.  Just call me lazy.

But what was stopping me is the fact that the roof on the new motor home is thicker, approx 6 inches thick, as it has ducts running through it.  I was not sure if a roof mount AC is designed to work under those conditions / would mount through that much ceiling width? 

I thought I would bring this thread up front as Summer is coming, and I have been recieving questions about roof air installs to supplement our basement air.  I have told people that only "members" here at RVForum.net can view the pictures posted, as "Guests" can't, and you must be signed in to view them.  I have also directed folks to John's web page where he has pictures of his roof air install for installation ideas and help.

John, in addition to the TV replacement sticky, we should have a roof air install sticky too....just my opinion....I get alot of questions about this in our travels. 

FrontrangeRVer said:

..we should have a roof air install sticky too....just my opinion....I get alot of questions about this in our travels.

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Sounds like a good idea.  I don't want to have too many sticky posts here, so I'll do a little housekeeping and unstick one or two.  I think what might work is a sticky post with links to your thread, my write up (forgot if I added that to the library here on the forum) either here or on my RV pages, and any others we can think of.

FrontrangeRVer said:

I thought I would bring this thread up front as Summer is coming, and I have been recieving questions about roof air installs to supplement our basement air.  I have told people that only "members" here at RVForum.net can view the pictures posted, as "Guests" can't, and you must be signed in to view them.  I have also directed folks to John's web page where he has pictures of his roof air install for installation ideas and help.

John, in addition to the TV replacement sticky, we should have a roof air install sticky too....just my opinion....I get alot of questions about this in our travels. 

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Thanks Mark, for pointing me in this direction... This is definitely a modification for my list!

That was a pretty good job, glad it works good.....Our last RV had only one 15000 BTU AC.....never again...once the outside temp hit above 95 it would never cool down. Now we get cold

2005 Itasca Meridian with basement air.  Considering that I am running both compressors, it's all about the front windshield.  If it is shaded or at least facing north or east, we are usually ok from a cooling standpoint with the basement air.  Windshield facing west or south.....nothing will block the heat that is produced by the windshield, and the coach can get HOT.  This year I pulled a 12/2 wire from near the front of the coach (through the roof AC duct), back into the back closet (drilled a whole and some coat hanger work), the into the washer/dryer closet (another hole), then under the step then under the bed into the breaker box.  I put the wire on its own dedicated 20amp breaker .  I chose not to give up my fan, so I installed a new Dometic Penquin II......cut a new whole just ahead of the antennae....it JUST fit with the roof unit being only a few inches from the anttena, then the distribution box inside just behind one of the ceiling lights by about a 1/2 inch (whew). 
So, heres what I have........with a 50 amp service or the genset running, I can run both for a quick cool down, or if it is 90 degrees facing west, all is good.  I can also run just the rooftop at night which is just enough at night while sleeping, and it is quieter than the basement air since the basement air is under the bedroom and the rooftop is now 30 feet away.  I also now have a backup ac if something goes down with my basement ac.  I see no cons in this installation.  We plan on using the roof AC only at night, and when we need it in really hot weather.  I love the basement ac, it is cool and very quiet up front, the roof ac is when we need a boost, or a backup.   
   

npwimer said:

...I love the basement ac, it is cool and very quiet up front, the roof ac is when we need a boost, or a backup.   

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^^Exactly!^^

Can you post some pictures of your install?

12/2 home wire solid or stranded  wire?

12/2 with ground is fine (solid conductor) for an RV.

Should be solid.

I followed John Canfield's plan for adding roof air, but I wanted to keep the Fantastic fan.  So, I cut a new hole thru the roof further forward, about the middle of the living area.  It took some fore planning  and engineering drawings from Winne to locate and avoid the metal roof trusses, but the install went off without a hitch, and we are very pleased with the results... and we still have a fan!

Mark...Is the roof strong enough to add a 90 lb air conditioner bouncing around or does it need more bracing...Thanks

Call Winnebago Owner Relations and ask them if you can put 90 pounds on your particular roof.  My roof can stand 250 pounds.