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Old 06-05-2020, 02:20 PM   #1
KevinGwin
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Additional Bedroom AC

My hideout 308BHDS is prewired for another AC. Do I have to buy a specific unit or is the mounting pretty standard. I was looking at a dometic unit that says fits standard 14” x 14” opening. If I buy that, with the mechanical air box, will it all bolt right together? And is the electrical part plug and play? Thanks
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Old 06-05-2020, 03:06 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by KevinGwin View Post
My hideout 308BHDS is prewired for another AC. Do I have to buy a specific unit or is the mounting pretty standard. I was looking at a dometic unit that says fits standard 14” x 14” opening. If I buy that, with the mechanical air box, will it all bolt right together? And is the electrical part plug and play? Thanks
Kevin, All RV air conditioners I know of fit 14x14 hole. If you buy a NON DUCTED with the machine inside part all that will need be done is to remove your skylight and drop the new A/C in. You will connect the provided A/C wires with the wires from A/C and plug the upper and lower components together. There will be some long "studs" that go through the lower to the upper to hold things. Make sure your new Dometic A/C has the gasket around the bottom, the studs and the matching lower unit. Find a friend to drag the thing onto your camper's roof.
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Old 06-05-2020, 03:32 PM   #3
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Thanks George, that’s what I thought! Is it a plug and play, or connecting wires, if so will it most likely be the same color coded wires?
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Old 06-05-2020, 04:33 PM   #4
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Thanks George, that’s what I thought! Is it a plug and play, or connecting wires, if so will it most likely be the same color coded wires?
Don't really think there will be any surprises; black is hot, white is neutral ground and clear copper or green will be ground. Check your converter and look for the breaker marked for the 2nd A/C and you will note the wire tied to the breaker (the hot wire) will be black and will be paired to a white wire screwed into the common neutral ground bar.
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Old 06-05-2020, 04:40 PM   #5
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I was told yesterday that you can buy a ducted unit with plenum controls. Advantage is the ability to run the bedroom AC to cool off the family room while watching TV or the ability to cool the bedroom without the noise.
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Old 06-05-2020, 05:25 PM   #6
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DOES that unit have a prewired, ducted opening? Depending on the year it may or may not have. Buying a ducted unit without actually knowing what's "up there" might be inconvenient. OP, do you know that you have ducts for that unit in the ceiling or is it meant for a ductless unit?
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Old 06-06-2020, 04:59 AM   #7
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Sourdough, I imagine it’s not ducted... I’m fine w that! I was just gonna drop a non ducted unit and mechanical air box on the bottom
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Old 06-06-2020, 05:15 AM   #8
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Simply remove the trim ring inside and you should be able to determine if it’s ducted. If it turns out it is, I would consider the ducted unit.
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Old 06-06-2020, 05:52 AM   #9
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I second the check to see if the vent is ducted... The A/C units cost the same, ducting will add significant versatility to the system (for free). Just one example of the versatility, it's nice to watch TV in the evening with the bedroom A/C cooling the main cabin rather than having the "roar of the A/C overhead..
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Old 06-06-2020, 06:14 AM   #10
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I removed the trim piece, it is not ducted. Looks like I can get this all done myself for roughly $600, and like most of you know.... when it’s over 80 degrees here in Ohio, my AC unit works overtime and never truly keeps up.
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Old 06-06-2020, 09:05 AM   #11
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We installed a non ducted bedroom unit in our last trailer and liked it just fine. We really liked the dump feature when it was getting warm (we like to sleep cold) and we both also like noise at night (at home at the s&b we run 3 large fans around the bed for "noise" since I am a very light sleeper. If it got warm in the day you can either use the dump feature or vents, put a fan in the BR door and let it blow into the main cabin of the trailer. Worked well for us but was a bit noisy - but we didn't care. We don't watch TV in the bedroom and in the living area just replaced the OE crap speakers with better ones and "turned it up a bit" so we could hear over the drone.
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Old 06-07-2020, 01:48 PM   #12
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Now, since it is no ducted, we are somewhat warm in the bedroom, but it’s gets really warm in the Back bunkhouse. Do you think just having two units, we can block off the vent in our bed room and bedroom bathroom, the two units and closing of two vents will make a significant difference in the back?
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Old 06-10-2020, 07:57 AM   #13
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Hey KevinGwin, I have the same trailer with the same problems. I installed a unit in the front bedroom last year and can say it was fairly easy. I did opt however for a non-ducted with no local control. I added a t-stat at the foot of the bed. I can't find my pictures at the moment but the most difficult part was the T-stat. As far as air flow to the bunk room, I pulled down the vent above the top bunk and blocked off the duct going to the end of the trailer with a pool noodle cut in half and sealed it with foil tape. I did the same thing to the duct in the vent above the TV leading to the front bedroom.
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Old 06-10-2020, 08:55 AM   #14
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5Js, what do you mean you pulled down the duct from above the top bunk? Also, the vents you blocked, I assume you’re talking about the one going the the master bedroom and the half bath?
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Old 06-10-2020, 03:09 PM   #15
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Sorry, I didn't pull down the duct. I pulled down the vent. I pulled off the vent above the top bunk and the vent above the television in the living area. I placed a piece of pool noodle and foil tape seal between the open vent and the end of the trailer (rear end for the bunk room vent and fore end for the living area vent). This prevented any air from escaping to the rear wall of the trailer and entering the front bath or bed rooms. At the same time I pulled down all the other vents and placed some foil tape around the ceiling edge to prevent any air escaping the register (vent) into the ceiling space
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Old 06-10-2020, 03:55 PM   #16
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Was it all worth it?
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Old 06-12-2020, 06:16 AM   #17
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It made a huge difference in the master and it also made some difference in the bunk. Often my windows are fogged over in the mornings and DW is happy so it doesn't get any better than that. We'll be headed out in a couple of weeks for a summer vacation trip through the Carolinas. I'll track the temps both inside and outside as well as the humidity for you.
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Old 06-14-2020, 08:15 PM   #18
Phil Saran
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Our last RV was a MH with 2 A/C units.
The one in the bedroom was extremely noisy compared to the one in the living room.

When we bought our current 5th wheel trailer we only got one A/C ion the living area but vented to the bedroom, much better.
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Old 06-14-2020, 08:28 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57 View Post
I was told yesterday that you can buy a ducted unit with plenum controls. Advantage is the ability to run the bedroom AC to cool off the family room while watching TV or the ability to cool the bedroom without the noise.
Chuckster,
What unit is that?
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Old 07-23-2020, 12:37 PM   #20
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Hi 5J’s
Could you give a bit more detail about pulling the vent? I would like to do the same but cannot see and screws and don’t want to just try prying them off.

Also, has anyone seen aftermarket vents that allow for adjustable flow as well as direction?
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