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Old 03-03-2016, 04:48 AM   #1
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Basement Air still offered by anyone?

I am looking to go back to a diesel pusher with basement air/heat. Does anyone still make one or did they all drop them like Winnebago did when the new emission standards took effect in 2010? Maybe a nice pre-owned 2008-09 coach would work. Is there any brands besides Winnebago?
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Old 03-03-2016, 07:41 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by don10autos View Post
I am looking to go back to a diesel pusher with basement air/heat. Does anyone still make one or did they all drop them like Winnebago did when the new emission standards took effect in 2010? Maybe a nice pre-owned 2008-09 coach would work. Is there any brands besides Winnebago?
I think heated basements are still fairly common. I previously had an Entegra that had basement heat, and my current Foretravel has it too. Also, I'm pretty sure Newmar does it. Not sure about other brands.

I think most DP's that have hydronic heating systems (like AquaHot or Oasis) will offer basement heat.
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Old 03-03-2016, 08:11 AM   #3
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I think basement heat/air went away when the DEF was added for emissions. We ended up with an 07 to get it.

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Old 03-03-2016, 08:27 AM   #4
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Not many coach builders ever used the basement AC /heat pumps, but there are lots of WBGO coaches out there from 2010 model year and older. Also, I believe Alfa's "See Ya" DP used them.


I have one, and wish I didn't. Rooftop AC units that are fully ducted are just a quiet and much easier to work on / replace. Ours Coleman/RVP unit is under our bed, and it wakes me up every time the T-stat calls for it to come on. IMO, the claim that the space was "needed" for DEF equipment is simply an excuse to dump a feature that outlived its usefulness once they figured out how to quite the rooftop units thru ducting.
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Old 03-03-2016, 12:13 PM   #5
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We owned a 2002 Winne Journey with the basement heat pump/AC for 8 years. After owing a coach with ducted roof units, I would never want to go back to a system designed as the one in the Winnebago. As Ed noted, it would disturb sleep when the compressors came on and they droned when running. Also, mine had a difficult time keeping the coach cool when outside temps got about 90F. If we had kept the coach, I was planning to install one roof AC unit in the middle roof vent opening.
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Old 03-03-2016, 03:57 PM   #6
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We owned a 2002 Winne Journey with the basement heat pump/AC for 8 years. After owing a coach with ducted roof units, I would never want to go back to a system designed as the one in the Winnebago. As Ed noted, it would disturb sleep when the compressors came on and they droned when running. Also, mine had a difficult time keeping the coach cool when outside temps got about 90F. If we had kept the coach, I was planning to install one roof AC unit in the middle roof vent opening.
Several of us have done just that, and it really helps keep the coach cooler in the hottest conditions when the basement unit just could not overcome the heat load. In addition, after dark we run the rooftop unit exclusively and get a good night's sleep without the unit under the bed waking us up.
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Old 03-03-2016, 04:32 PM   #7
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I must be the outlier. Ours works very well and keeps our coach comfortable. We've been across the south during May thru August and never had an issue being comfortable.

We have gotten to the point we don't even hear the unit start up. After all the years I spent in the Field Artillery, the ac is not even noticeable. I really like the fact I don't have water running off the roof and many friends seem to think it is much quieter in and out of the coach when running.

In all fairness, we have a 36 footer and that may be the limit for effectiveness.
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Old 03-03-2016, 07:52 PM   #8
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My coach has the basement heat and AC, I do not see a problem keeping the us cool in the summer but the noise of the heat unit running rocks me out of the bed. That is a problem for me for sure. If i am connected to shore power i run a small electric heater in the BR.
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Old 03-04-2016, 07:59 PM   #9
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No coach builder I know of still uses them. Cheaper to install roof units, and adds basement storage area.
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I must be the outlier. Ours works very well and keeps our coach comfortable. We've been across the south during May thru August and never had an issue being comfortable.

We have gotten to the point we don't even hear the unit start up. After all the years I spent in the Field Artillery, the ac is not even noticeable. I really like the fact I don't have water running off the roof and many friends seem to think it is much quieter in and out of the coach when running.

In all fairness, we have a 36 footer and that may be the limit for effectiveness.
We feel the same way. We trained ourselves to sleep while running a white-noise machine because so many RV parks are adjacent to RR tracks, interstates, etc. It also masks an idling DP next to us in an RV park, while the boob is stowing lawn chairs etc getting ready to leave in 30 minutes. We never notice the basement A/C-heat pump running either.
FWIW, our basement unit has always maintained a comfortable temperature in 90+ weather too. We do set the fan on constant run, which helps immensely at those temperatures.
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Old 03-06-2016, 03:19 PM   #10
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You may want to expand to 2010 units as half of them were made in 2009. We have a 2010 Ellipse 40 and we have the basement Air. This the second coach with basement air and we think it is much quieter. Than roof top air running all day and at night we turn the Fan on low and let it run all night so the compressor kicking on does not bother us and we do not hear the noise from outside.


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Old 03-06-2016, 03:24 PM   #11
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that outlived its usefulness once they figured out how to quite the rooftop units thru ducting.
Our 2000 and 2002 Dutch Star had ducted roof heat pumps so the ducting has been around got many years.
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Old 03-06-2016, 03:49 PM   #12
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Love our basement air. We use space heaters, if needed, at night. Like Ed posted, I know Winne and Alfa used them.

FYI: Leisure Coachworks (formerly Alfateers) in Fontana, CA have parts and they service the AC units also. I was told they even have new complete units.
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Old 03-06-2016, 05:00 PM   #13
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New OEM basement air/heat conditioners by Coleman-Mach are available today. It is called a 2-ton unit, however it has 2, 13,500 btu compressors.
If you only need a new compressor, it too is available; as are new blower wheels, start capacitors, bearings, etc.

If anyone wishes to educate themselves about basement unit removal and repairs, this irv2 thread explains almost everything.
These units are very similar to residential units, which makes locating a repair/service center easy.
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Old 03-06-2016, 07:28 PM   #14
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Our 2000 and 2002 Dutch Star had ducted roof heat pumps so the ducting has been around got many years.
Yes, I know. Our 2003 Newmar gasser had fully ducted roof top AC/Heat pumps. My comment you quoted was in reference to WBGO.....
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