| Author |
Message |
Ericb (209.224.158.193)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 1:22 pm: | |
I am still undecided about roof, or basement air. The patient is an 05 Eagle, with a 9" roof raise. Advantages, disadvantages, pros, cons, etc. Give me all of it, the whole ugly truth. If roof, should I duct it? It does look better. Basement, more efficient, Yes, no? Which brand/unit work best? Do I need two or three roof units with good insulation, and dual panes? One or two basement units? Answer them all if you can!! Winner gets a prize! Thanks |
Jim Ashworth (Jimnh) (172.150.16.125)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 5:28 pm: | |
Wih a 9" raise, you may be getting pretty close to overpasses with roof airs. If you have the room to add 6-8" of roof air, do it. Reasons: 1- Can't store anything else on the roof. Basement can be used for storage. 2- CHEAPER. A lot cheaper than Cruise-airs. With the 9" raise, drop the finish ceiling 2" and make the space a duct/plenum for the roof airs. 3-Definitely 3 roof airs for a 40 footer. Even if its well insulated, it will knock the temp down faster when returning after being away for the day. 4- Service on a roof air is so much easier than basement. When it fails, which is not common, it usually involves unscrewing the unit and throwing it to the ground on one side while another is on its way up from the other side. Total time: under 1 hour, cost: 5-600 bucks depending on who you know. I guess it's obvious I'm a big fan of roof airs since the only downside I have experienced (having owned both) is that the roof airs are noisier.
Jim |
Jerry H. (Coachconversion) (65.2.65.246)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 6:53 pm: | |
Eric:
First... what's the prize? Seriously...I am with Jim. We installed (3) rooftop units for pretty much same reasons; save $$$, save baggage bay space, service. If one craps out, you still have two. We also have a heater in ours to knock the chill off. So, although I do like a clean look, I'd go rooftop. Ducted vs. non-ducted, headroom and $$$ would guide me there.
Good luck,
Jerry |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad) (207.30.189.40)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 7:29 pm: | |
I raised the roof of our MC-8 8". I camp at a lot of campgrounds with nice shade trees. I don't want to "loose" a roof air (better overhead clearance). I went with a 27,000 BTU central unit from RonTheBusnut. Cost was $850. We ducted AC up wall inside closet and thru vents in the ceiling. Unit has 2 compressors. You can see some photos of our installation at http://members2.clubphoto.com/jack217421 When connected to 15 amp service I run primary compressor only. Still cools bus adequately with outside temps in 90's. (our bus has 2" sprayfoam) Biggest advantage for me is QUIET. You don't have constant "air noise" inside bus. Like everyrthing else about a conversion, it is a matter of compromises and trade-offs. Roof airs are easier to service, but more succeptable to damage and are potential leaks. Central (basement) units are quieter and better protected from damage, better overhead clearance, but not as accessible and you do loose storage space. I guess it depends on which is more important to YOU. Storage space or more protected, quiet unit. Measure your overall height, add height of roof air and see if this will cause any problems for where you take your bus. Jack |
Gary Carter (32.102.59.131)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, October 30, 2001 - 7:33 pm: | |
Had a outing with a group of Newells. Newell has used basement air or a number of years, but when one of the people insisted in roof tops after 3 basement units they built to customers requist. He will never go back to basement units. He likes being cool when it is hot out.
Personal opinion is they are not for me. Full timing we would have not bay space for them. |
CoryDaneRTSII-NE_IL (198.29.191.148)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, October 31, 2001 - 7:39 pm: | |
Just a comment about roof airs being a potential leak. When I resealed the RV roof, they told me to raise the air con 3/4" on strips of red wood and to seal the wood with the roof coating. That was in 89 and the roof has never leaked, ever since. That includes the air con and vents and all the standards that hold the railing up. Just goes to show there is a right way to do it and avoid problems like leaks.-cd |
David & Lorna Schinske (Davidschinske) (65.90.114.84)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:42 pm: | |
Thinking of going with basement air (ie: ronthebusnut) rather than roof. Just how much room does the basement unit take? We do not plan on raising roof of bus. Figuring on 1" foam in ceiling, sides and floor. Does anybody know about what the R-value of 1" foam would be?
Lorna |
Jerry H. (Coachconversion) (65.2.65.246)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:53 pm: | |
Lorna:
Coleman AC=43.3" L x 21" D x 16.5" H. @ 200Lbs.
The foam board material we purchased says R=5.0.
Thanks, Jerry |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad) (204.193.117.66)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 2:59 pm: | |
Spray foam is R-7 per inch. R value will vary slightly with different types of foam. Jack |
Jack Conrad (Jackconrad) (204.193.117.66)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 3:02 pm: | |
Forgot to add: We purchased our basement air from RonTheBusNut. You can see some photos of the installation at http://members2.clubphoto.com/jack217421 Just click on the MC-8 Orange Blossom Special II album. Jack |
C. Ray Powell (Raypowell) (205.188.197.163)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 7:09 pm: | |
I am installing basement air. Like keeping the roof clean as possible. Using spray foam insulation plus some of this super insulator.
Got the air from Ron The Bus Nut. C Ray |
Steve Fessenden (63.27.89.14)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 01, 2001 - 8:36 pm: | |
If you are only going to use 1 inch of foam you probably are only going to be in places where you don't need air conditioning. It wouldn't work in Florida until November or December and from what I've read on this board, Texas in late spring and summer would be impossible. Maybe another inch at least.
Steve Fessenden |
JimStacy (12.87.110.179)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, November 04, 2001 - 10:52 pm: | |
Hot spray Urethane has an R factor of over 7. Cold spray Urethane is nearer 6. Polystyrene (bead board) is about 4. One inch of beadboard is not much, especially if you have left the windows in.
It takes a larger BTU basement unit to cool as well as a roof unit because of the unnatural flow of air. You are forcing cold air to rise and hot air to sink. A roof air has natural flow.
Jim Stacy |
David Anderson (168.215.176.162)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, November 08, 2001 - 9:57 pm: | |
I'm using 3 Coleman low profile ducted units. The front unit cools the driver and stateroom area and runs off the Trace inverter, hence the bus alternator through a merge switch going down the road. I bought a 12 volt 3 speed horizontal blower from Danhard in Dallas and am mounting it above the driver with registers pointed at the driver which also will double as cool air defrosters for the windshield if needed. It will have a dash switch control. I hooked up the ac the other day and ran the bus. My alternator stayed positive charging in the black with it running. It is a 300 amp alternator. It did lower the rpms a bit at fast idle when I turned on the AC so it does take some horsepower off the engine.
If I need more air, I can run the genset down the road. Dick Wright from Wrico helped me engineer all this. |