Should I get 2 air conditioners?

[WILDinTHEwoods]

I'm ordering a Fleetwood Wildwood PT 402-2B.  The camper is 39 feet long (not including hitch and bumper) and 8.5 feet wide with 7 foot ceilings.  It comes standard with a 15,000 BTU ducted air conditioner.  For another $500 the manufacturer will install a second air conditioner (13,500 BTU) in the master bedroom.  I'm thinking for $500 I would be stupid not to get it.... if I need it.  Our campsite is in the new addition so there is zero shade.  The awning is on the sun side so that will help some, and there is a ceiling fan in the livingroom and a ceiling fan in the master bedroom.  Also, I did order it with the upgraded insulation.  Standard is R7 all around.  The upgrade is R14 on the floor and ceiling.  The order was placed 1/9/07 so I could still get the 2nd A/C if I want it.  The question is... do I need it?

 

[utmtman]

I have a newer RV that came with both.  This past summer we were parked in a place with outside temps of 90+ and no shade, even with the one in the front the master bedroom still got a little warm and we kicked on the second air.  So they can come in handy.  And for the price it may well be worth it.

 

[Shayne]

It's too big a unit not to have 2 units, especially when the warm weather comes about. One unit just doesn't cool it.

 

[Ned]

A second A/C us a good addition, and $500 is very reasonable price.  However, unless the trailer is wired for 50A electric service, you may not be able to run both A/C units at the same time unless the 2nd unit is wire for it's own electric feed.

 

[Ernie Ekberg]

I have a 40 foot coach also, it came with 3 airs. Those were the basement Cruise Airs. i added 2 roof airs, and wouldn't be without. sweating in bed is not my idea of camping~ Ernie driving a Wanderlodge

 

[WILDinTHEwoods]

A second A/C us a good addition, and $500 is very reasonable price.  However, unless the trailer is wired for 50A electric service, you may not be able to run both A/C units at the same time unless the 2nd unit is wire for it's own electric feed.

The Wildwood Park Trailers come with 50 amp electrical service and 65 amp 12 volt converter.  The dealer rep called me back.  He gave me all of he pros and cons of going either way.  The dealer recommended just the one A/C unit.  Everyone here seems to 2 are better than one.  I do have several high draw appliances already.  Microwave, house refrigerator, clothes washer and dryer, 32 inch television, and of course the main A/C unit.  I pay $0.12 per KWH to the campground and they probably pay $0.08 so they will be happy to see that dial moving. 

Conclusion:  For $495.00 I have to get the 2nd A/C unit.  Thank you for your input!

 

[Ned]

With 50A service, you won't have a problem running everything at one time.  You will have to do some power management when on 30A service, however.

The campgrounds are generally not allowed to make a profit on the electricity, so they're probably paying very close to that $0.12/KWH that they're charging you.

As you concluded, for the price, it's definitely worthwhile.

 

[WILDinTHEwoods]

My wife thinks I have already gone over board on this camper with the fiberglass instead of the aluminum siding and the washer and dryer combo in place of the 2nd toilet so we will keep the second A/C unit being added between us.

 

[Karl]

IMHO the second unit is a 'must have', if for no other reason than if you decide to sell it, people will wonder why it only has one. Retrofitting a second unit is very expensive compared to the $500 it will cost you now. Go with it. Besides, 50A or 30A, you don't use all those appliances at the same time, do you?

 

[Rollie]

We were camping with two of our grandsons with 100 degree temperatures and one of the units died.  I was really glad we had two!  Plus, I also learned that one could not keep up during the day ... which was fine for us as we were out and about most of the day ... the one unit could keep up at night. Get two.

 

[WILDinTHEwoods]

My brother-in-law bought the same camper model last year.  He doesn't have the upgraded insulation and just the one A/C unit.  And he's on a campsite with zero shade also.  The first weekend of using the camper the A/C didn't work.  But after that weekend it did.  My salesman at the RV dealership said he probably froze the lines on the Airconditioner by running it on the coldest setting.  Has anyone else had this happen? 

 

[Karl]

A/c units, at least good ones, have had anti-freeze devices for years. They keep the output air temperature from going below about 36F, which should prevent ice from forming on the evaporator. It's like a small capillary tube that is supposed to touch the evaporator at its' coldest point, but sometimes they're not installed correctly or can get knocked loose. Otherwise you shouldn't have any problem with freeze-up.