Community Forums

IamGadget · 07-30-2010, 07:09 AM

Hello;
I have a 2004 Newmar Dutch Star. I had 2 new Dometic Penguin 15's installed. They appear too noisy and a bit of a vibration. I brought them to another dealer...they worked on it ( they are only months old and under warranty) They were not sure as to what to do. They said Dometic will change them but they told me Dometic said it will not change anything. That when they had to switch to the newer gas ( not the same older freon) and i think they also had to change compressor. they said it go a bit more noisy and that is the way it is.
I am really not happy about it since the noise in the bedroom can be annoying and interfere with sleep. Sometimes when it kicks in it sounds like someone started a generator outside my window.
I think if that is the way it is going to be then they really have a design flaw.
Does anyone know if anything relating to this? A fix? bad units? is everyone living with it like this? ( please keep in mind i am talking about the newer Dometic Penguins I think they are called 515's they are 15k.
Many thanks

"007" · 07-30-2010, 07:28 AM

If vibration is built in AC only thing I can think of is using the thickest seal pad there is to cut vibration to roof surface.
Than again ask for my old AC's back.

IamGadget · 07-30-2010, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "007"

If vibration is built in AC only thing I can think of is using the thickest seal pad there is to cut vibration to roof surface.
Than again ask for my old AC's back.

thanks for the reply.
they did look at how it is sealed and I think they used what Dometic supplies and just reset everything.
I did think about that and of course do not want to do something that can reduce the integrity of sealing out water.....Want to be careful with seals any leaking would be slow and damaging. thanks again

GaryKD · 07-30-2010, 05:21 PM

Hi IamGadget,

The people who looked at your unit need to be replaced. Repair centers usually get paid only if they replace something. If they must return parts to the manufacturer and the parts test good, the repair center is not paid. If the units are noisy (compared to the previous units) consider taking it to another repair center. Ask them if the units are too noisy. If needed, take it to another authorized repair center and get their opinion. Once you have a couple of opinions, you can decide what to do.

The units were either installed incorrectly or are defective. I've had both happen to me. It is not possible to determine which is the problem unless a professional (without bias) looks at the units.

IamGadget · 07-30-2010, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi IamGadget,

The people who looked at your unit need to be replaced. Repair centers usually get paid only if they replace something. If they must return parts to the manufacturer and the parts test good, the repair center is not paid. If the units are noisy (compared to the previous units) consider taking it to another repair center. Ask them if the units are too noisy. If needed, take it to another authorized repair center and get their opinion. Once you have a couple of opinions, you can decide what to do.

The units were either installed incorrectly or are defective. I've had both happen to me. It is not possible to determine which is the problem unless a professional (without bias) looks at the units.

Thank you for the reply Gary
When the owner of the authorized Dometic repair facilty came back he gave me another appointment. Both he and his technician did spend a couple of hours on checking out the units. Then they called Dometic. Dometic told them that they would be willing to change out the units if i wanted to but that it will not make any difference due to the changes in the newer type compressor and the newer gas they use that this is the way they are and left it up to me if i wanted to change them. Since they are only 4 months old now I did not want them to mess around on the roof if it was not going to make a difference. I told them i was going to check the forums etc. to see if i can find out anything and i will get back to them.
Yes they told me they did not make a penny on my two visits to them and that they do not even get much for the change out since it is a flat fee they get from Dometic. The ball is in my court at this moment.
I am trying to get feedback....perhaps many people are having this problem and found a fix...or perhaps i really have 2 units that are bad or were installed incorrectly....( i do not think the install is the problem, since the place that was checking them did check that...and that is not the place where i originally got them.)
Thanks again, allen

DutchStar38 · 07-30-2010, 09:16 PM

I had one unit replaced a few months ago. It was the unit over the bed. Sounds like a train on the roof. Had it looked at and nothing discovered. I opened it up and all I could see is that the insides now are all plastic, not galvanized aluminum. One discovery I did make is that the new cover did not have vent holes for the topside blower. When I swapped the cover off the forward unit, which has vent holes it seemed to ease the noise slightly. I surmised that the topside blower is attempting to expel more air than the cover can accomodate. I think that if the top side blower spped could be slowed slightly that would help appreciably. Other than that no one has a solution and Dometic says that's the way it is. I am getting used to it little by little though. Can do much else.
If you do find a solution then let me know.

IamGadget · 07-31-2010, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DutchStar38

I had one unit replaced a few months ago. It was the unit over the bed. Sounds like a train on the roof. Had it looked at and nothing discovered. I opened it up and all I could see is that the insides now are all plastic, not galvanized aluminum. One discovery I did make is that the new cover did not have vent holes for the topside blower. When I swapped the cover off the forward unit, which has vent holes it seemed to ease the noise slightly. I surmised that the topside blower is attempting to expel more air than the cover can accomodate. I think that if the top side blower spped could be slowed slightly that would help appreciably. Other than that no one has a solution and Dometic says that's the way it is. I am getting used to it little by little though. Can do much else.
If you do find a solution then let me know.

thanks for the reply...shame that it is that way...I feel it is a design flaw. noise and vibration is a major thing they should consider when making a product like this. If many people come forward with info like this...perhaps Dometic will do something.
I really am not happy about that noise. Like you said.."Train" I said a loud generator outside my window....kinda the same thing.
Please let me know if you find out anything also....many thanks
I am also in florida ( not at the moment...eastern long island) I will be going to the tampa rv super show.....maybe dometic will be there??

IamGadget · 07-31-2010, 07:23 AM

adding to my previous reply
Perhaps you should go back to the people that installed it and complain....and let them see if they can come up with a solution....or better...since it is under warranty maybe go to a different authorized dometic dealer and let them look at it. I have a feeling that you might have had it installed by the same people i did...just a feeling.

Bailey47 · 07-31-2010, 08:08 AM

I just had my front AC (13,500) Penguin, changed at the Newmar service center. It was changed under warranty. They cautioned me that it would be louder than the original due to the use of plastic, but thats the way it is. They were right, it is louder, but I guess that is the way it is and I have gotten used to it.
I agree, Dometic needs to do something to tone down the noise.

IamGadget · 07-31-2010, 08:25 AM

i think Dometic needs to hear us louder. This is a design flaw and i cannot sleep at times. The sound resonates....way too much.
I hope someone here....has found a fix...
thank you

DutchStar38 · 07-31-2010, 09:13 AM

Actually, I was mistaken in terminology when I said it sounded like a train. I actually ment it sounded like a HELOCOPTER landing. Like I said, when I took the outside cover off the noise level subsided quite a bit but I can't leave it that way. It is amazing that a company that knows their units are really much noiser than need be would not try to resolve it. I guess they feel they own the RV cooling industry and we just have to suck it up and live with it. I sure hope my forward unit keeps going for many more years. It is nice a quiet, barely know its running. Maybe we should send this thread to the CEO of Dometic.

IamGadget · 07-31-2010, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DutchStar38

Actually, I was mistaken in terminology when I said it sounded like a train. I actually ment it sounded like a HELOCOPTER landing. Like I said, when I took the outside cover off the noise level subsided quite a bit but I can't leave it that way. It is amazing that a company that knows their units are really much noiser than need be would not try to resolve it. I guess they feel they own the RV cooling industry and we just have to suck it up and live with it. I sure hope my forward unit keeps going for many more years. It is nice a quiet, barely know its running. Maybe we should send this thread to the CEO of Dometic.

dometic does need to hear complaints....they do need to fear returns of products....and loss of business....and the word spreads.

Norm4015 · 07-31-2010, 11:29 AM

I had my rear air conditioner / heat pump replaced at Newmar last August and it is much noiser than the old one one or the fornt one. I am just living with the noise this summer and I plan to work on it this Fall. Newmar did replace the gasket under it.

DutchStar38 · 07-31-2010, 01:16 PM

I checked out the mounting and everything when I had mine replaced. The noise is just built in but I think if the outside blower speed was slowed it would make a difference. It wouldn't totally eliminate the noise but at least some of the buffeting. They just blew it and don't really care. Plastic parts are cheaper for them than metal parts.