2016 Keystone Sprinter 5th wheel - inadequate AC

[Don N.]

I discovered soon after buying our Sprinter (269FWRLS) in March 2016 that the single 15,000 BTU AC in the living area is woefully inadequate to cool to 75 degrees in the RV when outside air temps are near or above 90 degrees F. The RV service tech said to me, after checking the AC unit and thermostat are working properly, that the AC unit "can not keep up" with air temps near and greater than 90, even though a 15,000 AC is capable of cooling approx. 850 sq. feet. Also, the single small AC vent in the bedroom is useless for cooling. I had to purchase a second AC unit for the bedroom. The bedroom was pre-wired for a second AC unit, which makes me believe Keystone knows the single AC unit is inadequate. For those considering buying this or a similar 5th wheel, make darn sure it has a second AC unit.

[sjdobbins]

Yes, unless you are in a one room travel trailer or 5th wheel, 1 AC unit will struggle any time in the 90's or above. The second AC will help your unit stay more evenly cooled. It comes down to saving costs and matching the competition.

Yes you would think having it already pre-wired would have been a dead giveaway needing a 2nd unit. Maybe in a cool climate they could get away with just 1. Best thing I ever did was get a 5th wheel with dual AC's.

[Outback 325BH]

I have a 38' TT (bunk house) with 2 air conditioners. I wish it was framed for a third!

It is the minimal insulation that is the problem. Just a fact of RV life.


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[Desert185]

I had the second AC installed before I took delivery. It seems the best indoor/outdoor temperature delta you can achieve with two AC's is 15-17 degrees from what I have experienced. The other advantage to having two is the ability to run only the bedroom AC during cooler times, eliminating the noise of the AC in the living room/kitchen area.

[therink]

Hi
My 37 foot fiver cools well with my single 15k AC. I highly recommend that you read this thread and do other searches before you assume your AC is not up to the task:
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25849

Also keep in mind that if you are basing your findings on your fiver parked in full in 90 plus temps, these rvs are not insulated like houses and are not insulated well.

[Pull Toy]

IMHO any 5'er should have dual a/c units, even before you add sliders(extra cubic feet to cool), unless it is on a shaded lot in the upper peninsula, or points north! Quite often you can "seal the deal" prior to putting the down payment down, to squeeze the goodies at a reduced price. Most hi end units already have two, and as noted already, the ones that don't, are all wired and ready for a second unit, in every instance I've seen. One unit I owned was wired for 12v or 120v, so you could put a 12v vent fan, or a 110v a/c. Pay me now or pay me later! Ignore the BTU's , they're irrelevant in a camper in the blazing sun, On a good day with two a/c's, we feel lucky if we can drop the inside temp 15 to 20 degrees. It's the humidity that we lower, not so much the temp, in most of the country.

Don't forget, we park in the blazing sun, few shade trees, most of the time. We come and go constantly, opening and closing the door each time, and leave our shades wide open to spy on the neighbors. Most campers are totally under-insulated, both windows, and roof. If no one is looking, spray your roof a few times for a minute or five during the "heat of day".... BIG DIFFERENCE!

One thing we've done, even with 2 a/c units working is to:
1. Keep our blinds closed on the sunny side during the daylight hours.
2. Plexi on the lower half of our screen door, we use the latch slider as a pass thru to avoid the waterfall effect of our valuable cooled air.
3. Pedestal fan, and ceiling fan to keep air moving to the area where it's needed.

If you don't usually keep your door open for ventilation, you might consider full plexi of the screen door, creating a storm door of sorts. Again, if you're just handing out a beer. or soda, use the latch slider as a pass thru.

Another thought to consider. Shrink wrap plastic kits on all of your windows that you never use for ventilation. Kits are much better than they used to be, and act as storm windows.

[XLite28SGS]

Don N.,
Read the thread that "therink" listed.

I did all the item the thread recommended and got good results. Increased air flow - kept our 5er cooler on our last trip.

Allan:)

[Don N.]

Hi
My 37 foot fiver cools well with my single 15k AC. I highly recommend that you read this thread and do other searches before you assume your AC is not up to the task:
http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=25849

Also keep in mind that if you are basing your findings on your fiver parked in full in 90 plus temps, these rvs are not insulated like houses and are not insulated well.
A big thank you to "therink"....I removed the AC outlet cover in the bedroom and found an 18" dead-end extension of the air duct past the outlet. I will be blocking this that I'm sure will increase the AC flow from the outlet. I wonder if Keystone reads any of these forum posts to learn about their inadequate QA/QC and design of their RV's. Thanks again "therink".

[chuckster57]

I doubt anybody at Keystone monitors this website. Blocking off A/C duct at last register is this weekends project for me.

[concours]

I highly recommend that you remove the inside cover panel and check that the warm and cold side of the AC unit is correctly sealed as well as the ducting connections. there is a foam dam that must be correctly installed, if you download the installation instructions for your unit it will clearly show how the foam dam is to be installed. I went thru this with our unit and the AC performance went from very poor to good also close the vent on the inside AC panel that will help direct the air thru the duct work and minimize the freezing of the condenser. Hope this helps it did for us.

[CaptnJohn]

We are 3 season campers keeping the boat fishing the Atlantic near home during summer. One 15K unit did the job even in FL with 92 degree winter temps. We left home at the beach for Chattanooga TN yesterday. Surprise it hit 100 today and 84 in the 5er. CW has 15K Brisk Air II on sale ~~ calling them in the AM and making an appointment for the day after I get home. Wondering if I want the heat strip as well...

[PerryB]

If you have the louvered covers like the ones in the linked picture, take them off and leave them off. They significantly restrict air flow. I took mine off and air flow and cooling increased noticeably.

[Tbos]

Put some closed cell foam in mine to block it off after the last vents this weekend. It helped.


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[chuckster57]

Put some closed cell foam in mine to block it off after the last vents this weekend. It helped.


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I did that last week. It did make a noticeable difference this weekend when we ran the A/C.

[axg1040]

After struggling the last two years with one AC we finally added a second. Could not be happier with the results. The single 15k btu unit struggled despite the mods and window foil. Now with two units we can set and keep any temp we want and not feel like we are in a dark cave with foiled windows. Best upgrade purchase to date. As I sit here typing this we are at the beach in 90 + temps....no shade..and it is 68 in the rig.

[brittsnbirds]

I have the same 269 Sprinter that you have. We opted to have the extra A/C unit installed in the bedroom when we purchased it. It is really nice to have the ability to QUICKLY cool off the bedroom when we arrive. The other A/C does a pretty good job for us keeping the unit cool.

Only complaint that I have about the 2nd A/C unit is it doesn't have an auto shut down of the fan. It just keeps running, when the temp goes up the compressor kicks on and cools the bedroom. The A/C unit is pretty loud, there is no sleeping with that sucker on!

The other thing you have to keep in mind is that you have to have 50 Amps to run the 2 A/C's. I suppose 30 would work if you run the bedroom until it was cool, shut it off then run the other one the rest of the time.

[RRRW]

If you have the louvered covers like the ones in the linked picture, take them off and leave them off. They significantly restrict air flow. I took mine off and air flow and cooling increased noticeably.
334FWFLS /Blocked off bath and bedroom vents removed front room v. Covers. Good idea! Removal was 20% increase kitchen and front room.
Second AC unit use 8" Walmart fan to force air through 4" schedule 30 pvc from b.room wall through bath ceiling height and vent through kitchen wall. To much air for just a small room. Helps put it where you want it.

[mtofell]

1st world problems for sure :)

Fact is these RVs have minimal insulation and fighting hot temperatures is just that.... a fight. Your best chances are to keep the trailer from getting hot in the first place - So, shade and/or start running the A/C before it gets too hot. Bringing the temperature down once it's elevated is a tough mountain to climb.

[Outback 325BH]

1st world problems for sure :)



Fact is these RVs have minimal insulation and fighting hot temperatures is just that.... a fight. Your best chances are to keep the trailer from getting hot in the first place - So, shade and/or start running the A/C before it gets too hot. Bringing the temperature down once it's elevated is a tough mountain to climb.



Or add more ac...


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[CaptnJohn]

Or add more ac...


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Even 2 on a 42'er can struggle starting up at 95 and keeping up at 100 or more. Wish I could run 3.

[NealBlue]

I have the same 269 Sprinter that you have. We opted to have the extra A/C unit installed in the bedroom when we purchased it. It is really nice to have the ability to QUICKLY cool off the bedroom when we arrive. The other A/C does a pretty good job for us keeping the unit cool.

Only complaint that I have about the 2nd A/C unit is it doesn't have an auto shut down of the fan. It just keeps running, when the temp goes up the compressor kicks on and cools the bedroom. The A/C unit is pretty loud, there is no sleeping with that sucker on!

The other thing you have to keep in mind is that you have to have 50 Amps to run the 2 A/C's. I suppose 30 would work if you run the bedroom until it was cool, shut it off then run the other one the rest of the time.

We're just the opposite, we cant sleep without the noise. If the power goes off in the middle of the night I wake up right then.

[NealBlue]

My 2016 Laredo is advertised as having "racetrack" air ducting. If I'm looking at it correctly it starts at the unit, blows toward the front bedroom, makes a u-turn in the bedroom and goes back to the unit? Is it supposed to be dead-headed after that last vent before returning to the unit?

[sourdough]

We're just the opposite, we cant sleep without the noise. If the power goes off in the middle of the night I wake up right then.


LOL we are exactly the same way. We keep fans running in our bedroom no matter where we are - 3 in our TX home year round.