Side Air Conditioner Replacement

[Joesjunk]

Has anyone replaced the side air conditioner with one that is more efficient?
The one in my 2000 2720 does seem to do much. I'll be in Kentucky for about 3 weeks and am not looking forward to the heat and humidity.

Any suggestions?

When we bought ours used, someone had replaced it with just a standard household air conditioner. I'm not sure I'd recommend that. We've noticed the drawer above the unit gets really hot! I think it doesn't vent well.

It also doesn't cool very well. The people who sold it to us said that the air conditioner they took out was a standard household unit, though...

Looking forward to an answer on this one myself.

Kelly

[Bill]

Joe -

By "more efficient", do you mean "more powerful"? Efficiency is a different thing.

Kayakgirls -

I believe that the unit is, in fact, a standard household unit. However, I also believe that some specially-designed air deflection panels are needed, to force the heat out of the side vent of the TM. A household air conditoner doesn't have these panels, of course, because the hot end of the unit (the back) is hanging out a window and vents perfectly well like that. The fact that the drawer above it gets really hot is a sign that the heat is trapped inside the TM. And then, of course, the air conditioner is fighting itself, which would make it seem ineffective as you note.

There have been at least two long threads about replacing the side air conditioner, and the requirements to make it vent properly. If I get a chance to look for them, I'll post a link, but I bet you can find it faster by using the Search tool. Search on the term "conditioner" or the term "Fedders" (I think that is one of the manufacturers that was involved).

Bill

[wbmiller3]

Here's one of the long threads, with info on the shroud, and a replacement unit suggestion.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=6335

[ShrimpBurrito]

I've read a few threads on this forum, like this one:

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=7189

...where folks say the difference between window and wall AC units is that wall units exhaust directly out the back, and window units vent at least out the sides (and maybe the back too). So if you get a replacement, it would seem prudent to get a wall unit.

Dave

[Joesjunk]

Has anyone installed a fan between the air conditioner and the side vent?
The fan could be paralled to the fan on the AC. A computer muffin fan would be ideal. This is just a brain fart. It might help eliminate the heat build up between the outside vent and the AC. I might try this before my trip to Kentucky.

Where to in KY?

[Bill]

Joe -

A good idea - but remember that the vent serves two purpopses. It takes in relatively cool air from outside and blows it over the condenser coils. And then it blow the resulting hot air back out through the vent. There is two-way circulation going on here, and you have to preserve both sides of it.

Bill

[Joesjunk]

I found the problem. During a winter camping trip, I installed a cardboard behind the outside vent and the A/C. When I removed it The A/C worked better. Then I removed the A/C and I cleaned it with a vacuum and brush then flushed it out with a hose. I also drilled some holes to let the condensation drain into the pan and out the drain hose. I installed a small clamp to prevent the hose from slipping off the pan. Works great.

To jpcoll01, I was staying at General Butler State Park in Carrollton, KY. It is about 1/2 way between Louisville and Cincinnati. Great place to camp, but you need reservations, if you are staying through the weekend.

[Bill]

There was a very interesting thread a while ago in which Mike Laupp introduced us to the concept of a "slinger ring". Just part of the total question - don't be too enthusiastic about sending every drop of the condensate water overboard.

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=6335

Joe, I think a fan (or a pair of fans) would be a great idea, if you can separate the inbound and outbound airstreams, and put a fan in each.

Bill