Air conditioner

Submitted: Saturday, Jan 05, 2013 at 03:55
ThreadID: 128475 Views:8576 Replies:5 FollowUps:7
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Hi All
Looking at changing the air con from Dometic to Ibis to reduce the noise.
Has anyone made this conversion and if so what problem have you encountered
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Reply By: Rob & Glen - Saturday, Jan 05, 2013 at 05:43

Saturday, Jan 05, 2013 at 05:43
We replaced our 08 Dometic under waranty and in 11 with a Cormorant.
I found the Dometic noisey,ineficent,unreliable and expensive.
The cormorant is Quiet (in comparison) twice as eficent,cheeper,runs of Honda 2 and most importent it has NOT let us down.
If our experance with aircomarned is anything to go by you wont go wrong.
Also made in good oll SA
Had no problems fitting.

Rob
Just wearing the road out that we built.

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AnswerID: 585224

Follow Up By: Strpr - Monday, Jan 07, 2013 at 20:07

Monday, Jan 07, 2013 at 20:07
Recently my 11 year old Electrlux failed and I was going to replace it with a Cormorant. Had an RV aircon service man look at it with the view of easing it over the side and replacing it with an Aircommand. He said your nuts keep the Electrolux it has the best sealed Japanese compressor, all the new ones have Chinese. He replaced the thermostat and all OK now. On Saturday here (Adelaide) was 45C and tok 1/2 hour to get temp to 30C 1/2hour later was 24C. Honda 2 has never failed to run it even over 40C. I sometimes take the top cover off and blow out any dust etc and give it a good spray of penatrol. Also it is super quiet when I compare to other units I see in occasional Caravan Parks.
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: Deleted User - Saturday, Jan 05, 2013 at 10:25

Saturday, Jan 05, 2013 at 10:25
Many years ago when I was researching which off-roader to get I recal a statement from BTinc claiming an AC with a reverse cycle function proved to be less reliable because of the complex valving required.

Having reverse cycle to improve energy effiency is a caravan is probably a little over the top.

I assume they don't make a non-reverse cycle model??????????????

Will be interesting to see how this model copes with the rigors of off-roading. Looks impressive on the brochure.

What does BTinc fit as standard these days?
AnswerID: 585225

Reply By: Uncle Dodgy - Monday, Jan 07, 2013 at 00:05

Monday, Jan 07, 2013 at 00:05
Hi Ern & also Spannl
The 2000 model BT's came out with Electrolux AC's which utilised the circulating fan and a heating coil to provide a heating function. It did not reverse the cycle in any way.
The heating function within BT's has largely been overtaken by the Webasto and similar heaters designed specificaly for that purpose, making I believe the Reverse Circulation requirement obsolete.
Just a straight Air Con is I believe adequate to the task for cooling when a heater is installed for the heating duty. Diesel heaters are cheeper to run as well.

Cheers
John
John & Sharyn
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AnswerID: 585226

Follow Up By: Motherhen & Rooster - Wednesday, Jan 09, 2013 at 05:50

Wednesday, Jan 09, 2013 at 05:50
We have the earlier Dometic CAL 136.302, cooling only with heater as John describes. We have never used the heater; a small fan heater on the floor is far more efficient and effective that a roof mounted heater. It makes sense to have cooling only at roof level.

Our air con has proved very effective and the few times we have run it from the Honda genny it has worked well, but did trip the genny a couple of times in the January heat. A restart and all was good again. After two or three hours in very hot weather we had to turn it off as it was getting too cool in the caravan. I think this one was made "in the good old days".

With years of rough roads, we did have a broken gas line from metal fatigue. Repair agent told us that we could expect more of the same, but he did repair it and re-gas. Perhaps not quite as effective as before, but more than adequate.

We do not use the air con much, as we prefer to sit outside in the shade and enjoy the environment, so only occasional use if in a caravan park on a very hot day.

Motherhen
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Reply By: gottabjoaken - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 01:51

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 01:51
Look carefully at the possibilities of installing a normal household split inverter system.

Research the various internal head unit sizes and see if you can sacrifice some overhead cupboards to put a unit in.

A household system will be cheaper and easier to run, and will probably be lighter too.

Ken
AnswerID: 585227

Follow Up By: braggy - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 18:00

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 18:00
Hi Ken

I do domestic A/C as part of my business,and do not think they would handle the rigors of being bounced around well

Ken
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Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 21:00

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 21:00
Perhaps, Ken,

but there again I read often that it has become frequent and successful practice to install household units (I said "household" to avoid confusion with that unmentionable RV components supplier...) and I haven't read of any problems with them. But continually read of breakdown and failure problems with RV units.

Of course, at about one third of the cost of a typical RV unit, you would not be out of pocket if a household system only had half the life, or twice the maintenance of one of the supposedly dedicated RV systems.

Ken
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FollowupID: 854865

Reply By: Turist - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 08:53

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 08:53
Another possibility, something new

Bob
"Do It While You Can"
Nobody is getting any younger.

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AnswerID: 585228

Follow Up By:- Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 16:19

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 16:19
Yes Bob looks impressive and with a soft start function a 1.5kW generator would handle in perfectly.
I have saved the pdf in my bt folder for future use should the12 year old Electrolux throw in the towel.
Should be quieter but with small space ACs most of the noise is air being blown around.
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Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 20:54

Tuesday, Jan 08, 2013 at 20:54
I agree, that looks impressive.
And the Chinglish is almost comprehensible!

Have you ascertained if it is available here, and at what cost?

If there are any satisfied customers to refer to, I would happily consider as a replacement for my Ibis...

Ken
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Follow Up By: gottabjoaken - Wednesday, Jan 09, 2013 at 06:07

Wednesday, Jan 09, 2013 at 06:07
ok, here's a twist.
The contact given in Australia is ....
Aircommand !!

Hi Ken,

For Australia, You can contact with Aircommand company. www.aircommand.com.au


Kant Huang

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