Atwood A/C installation took 1 and 1/2 hours

[grubbyjeans]

Originally Posted by mmayville

.....Will upload pics this weekend. And it is soooooooooo quiet.

Pics or it didn't happen.

[SirDrake]

I just thought I would add some of my own observations when installing the Atwood Air Command A/C in my TrailManor.

I have a 2004 2720SL that had the infamous Coleman A/C that sounds like a hurricane.
It started leaking inside the TM last summer (looks like from condensation).
I attempted to clean the A/C unit on the roof and try and find the cause of the leak to no avail, so after reading through this forum and seeing the rave reviews of the Atwood, we decided to pull the trigger on the Atwood.

I used GrubbyJeans post as a guide (thank you!) and went to work on it the other night.
I spent 4 hours removing the old unit, cleaning the roof mount and putting the new unit in place (with the help of my nephew).
Then I spent another 4 hours last night getting the duct and plenum to fit on the inside!
Here is what I ran into...

The square hole that is pre-cut in the roof of my TM is "roughly" 14"x14".
I spent some time with my dremel and a carbide grinding bit shaving the edges to make the new Atwood duct fit (it is 14"x14").
Once I got that in, I measured and cut the duct extension to 2.25" (I later had to trim off a quarter inch after tightening the bolts down and it started to compress it).
I drilled the four corner holes for the hold down bolts (only had to drill through the thin plastic/fiberglass rooftop standoff piece as mentioned by others so I used a slow cordless drill, went through like butter).
Inserted the bolts and tightened everything down.
I have a torque wrench which I set to 5 ft lbs but I never got to that point as I tightened the bolts; it never triggered the torque wrench.
The Atwood instructions say to tighten the bolts to this spec OR until the bottom gasket is compressed to half it's size.
So I went with GrubbyJeans suggestion of tightening the bolts to the point where there was a quarter inch of space between the lip of the stand off and the A/C pan which achieves basically the same thing.

So I get everything mounted, wired up, and I install the plenum/control unit.
This is where I ran into an oddity...
The trim piece that is screwed to the ceiling that surrounds the A/C opening will not fit with the plenum installed!
It fits all the way around EXCEPT the side of the trim piece that faces the front of the TM has a "bump out" formed in it, I assume to direct air flow from the A/C.
Well this "bump" interferes with the plenum about a half inch!
So I pull the trim piece off to see if I can reposition it.
It looks like the factory cut the large opening that the trim covers a little cockeyed.
They cut more roof towards the rear and not enough in the front.
If they had cut it a half inch more on the front edge we would be good.

So I have two options:
Option 1: Cut a half inch off of the roof opening on the front edge and re-install the trim.
or
Option 2: Flip the trim around 180 degrees so the "bump" is at the rear of the A/C and re-install it.

I am thinking Option 2, thought not sure if switching the "bump" to the rear will adversely affect air flow. Probably not.
In either case, I have very limited room to attach the trim on the rear edge as moving it forward brings it closer to the opening (very narrow edge to sink the screw into).
I have some pics that I will post later.

Like I said, I thought I would share my experience in case others have run into this and have some advice or just to give a heads up for other future A/C DIYers.

~ John

[SirDrake]

Just a followup on my AC replacement...

I ended up flipping that trim ring around 180 degrees.
I had to reposition it on the ceiling and drill new screw holes but it works!
And no real difference in the air flow.

We used it for a couple of trips this summer as it was hot and humid.
And I have to say we are very pleased with it it so far.
It is quiet, cools the rig down pretty quick and maintains temperature (it will actually freeze you out if you set it low enough!).
We even used it in auto mode one weekend as it was hot during the day but got cool at night; the A/C kept it cool during the day and the heat pump kicked in over night and took the chill out!

I can't recommend this unit enough, and it was pretty easy to install (except for the trim ring issue, which worked out in the end without incident).
We definitely DO NOT miss the old Coleman hurricane machine, ha ha.

~ John