I have a question for y'all, We have a Jayco Expanda with the push out wall, 18ft model. I think that the Sterlings have the same push out wall. Anyhow, we have a Coleman 3kw (13000btu) roof top air con, however it just does not seem to be cooling so well. As we got our van in August last year we had no need to use it. So fast forward to NYE and it just did not seem to cool down much at all, we then went to a wonderful camp spot right by the river near Nagambie and this is where we really noticed the problem. It was 38 outside and we had all the curtains closed and same for the ceiling vents and covers. Inside the van it was a whopping 34 degrees, slowly as the day cooled down we still had a shocker of an average of 4 degrees difference. Once the van got to 20 degrees the unit cut back, so my guess is that the thermostat was set at that. Regardless of the thermostat cut out it should, by our calculations be cooling the van by an average of 10-15 deg LOWER than the outside temp, unless its over 45 degrees.
We have had the fine people from Coast to Coast look at the air con, twice and both times they have said that there is nothing wrong with the unit, it is the van size, they also tweaked the thermostat a degree or two and it "seems" to have helped, however the van is not in the same conditons as what it was when we were in Nagambie.
Now getting to my question, Has anyone had this issue before, van not cooling down??
Many thanks once again for your time. Dee and Bill
Wombat 280 said
11:07 PM Feb 27, 2010
I take it when you were at the campsite by the river you were free camping using a genny powering up with.
Some of the air cons that I've seen when on a genny will only run the dehumidifiers and not the refrigerated cool side of the unit .
At any time you need to ensure that the unit is not out in direct sun, preferably under some form of shade will improve the performance out of sight
Mate had similar problem with a roof mounted aircon on a bus and found that the cooling fan wasn't turning when on genny and also found out when exposed to the climate the fans will cease up requiring greasing on a regular basis, which is in the fine print of the operators manual and as usual the grease nipples are always located in a bugger of a place to get at .
At 38 degrees outdoor air temp you may have been asking a lot of the aircon you can normally add few degrees to the recorded air temp for ground heat effect so the true temp may be well over 40 degrees and thats a big ask for any domestic aircon .
Lets know if you find a problem other that those I've mentioned always handy for the memory file
DeeandBill said
09:47 AM Feb 28, 2010
Thank you Wombat, yes your right we were using a Gennie, a 2.4KVa Yamaha, so decent enough we would have thought?
We have done a test at home on the front lawn, under a nice leafy tree and plugged into the ole 240, it was a 35 degree day and it dropped 10 degrees lower in, then we opened an end the difference was 8 degrees lower then bumped up to 10 in about an hour. Granted we were also not inside, however I am guessing that would not have made too much difference, there is only two of us.
I will tell the Mista when he comes in, we are at the final stages of a major motorhome rebuild. Its at the exciting part now things are going in, instead of out!! Reminds me I really should collate the photos and show you all. We are pretty chuffed, its for (dare I say it) for the olds.
Thank you once again Wombat, its been very helpful.
I have a question for y'all,
We have a Jayco Expanda with the push out wall, 18ft model. I think that the Sterlings have the same push out wall.
Anyhow, we have a Coleman 3kw (13000btu) roof top air con, however it just does not seem to be cooling so well.
As we got our van in August last year we had no need to use it. So fast forward to NYE and it just did not seem to cool down much at all, we then went to a wonderful camp spot right by the river near Nagambie and this is where we really noticed the problem.
It was 38 outside and we had all the curtains closed and same for the ceiling vents and covers. Inside the van it was a whopping 34 degrees, slowly as the day cooled down we still had a shocker of an average of 4 degrees difference.
Once the van got to 20 degrees the unit cut back, so my guess is that the thermostat was set at that. Regardless of the thermostat cut out it should, by our calculations be cooling the van by an average of 10-15 deg LOWER than the outside temp, unless its over 45 degrees.
We have had the fine people from Coast to Coast look at the air con, twice and both times they have said that there is nothing wrong with the unit, it is the van size, they also tweaked the thermostat a degree or two and it "seems" to have helped, however the van is not in the same conditons as what it was when we were in Nagambie.
Many thanks once again for your time.
Dee and Bill
We have done a test at home on the front lawn, under a nice leafy tree and plugged into the ole 240, it was a 35 degree day and it dropped 10 degrees lower in, then we opened an end the difference was 8 degrees lower then bumped up to 10 in about an hour. Granted we were also not inside, however I am guessing that would not have made too much difference, there is only two of us.
I will tell the Mista when he comes in, we are at the final stages of a major motorhome rebuild. Its at the exciting part now things are going in, instead of out!!
Reminds me I really should collate the photos and show you all. We are pretty chuffed, its for (dare I say it) for the olds.
Thank you once again Wombat, its been very helpful.