Basement vs roof air con

[70ChevelleSS]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

ALL air concitioner systems can have problems. especially if not properly cleaned and in some cases lubricated.

But think about this. Hot air rises
So the air at the CEILING is the hottest in the RV.. Thats where you want your chiller. The furnace goes in the basement.

The unit is in the basement and ducted up to vents in the ceiling. So the cool air is blowing down. Of course when using it as a heat pump you're blowing hot air down. Sounds pretty much like roof mounted A/C doesn't it? My home furnace and central A/C is in the basement. Whether heating or cooling it blows through floor vents. With combination A/C, heat pumps one is always going to be a compromise. Given that, with enough air circulation it doesn't matter all that much. Our vents are in the ceiling but when using the unit as a heat pump it does a good job of warming the coach. These units do have blowers. We're not relying on the cold air to fall and the heat to rise all by itself. These units also have a house type furnace filter and return air is at floor level. So whether heating or cooling the unit is pulling air from the ceiling area to the floor.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

ALL air concitioner systems can have problems. especially if not properly cleaned and in some cases lubricated.

But think about this. Hot air rises
So the air at the CEILING is the hottest in the RV.. Thats where you want your chiller. The furnace goes in the basement.

Think about this,, my home has one set of registers in the ceiling that blow both hot and cold air. Some homes have registers in the floor that blow both hot and cold. There may be a slight loss of efficiency in one mode or another, otherwise these systems work just fine.

That portion of the equation isn't anything to worry about. It's the dependability, the ease of service, and cost to repair that needs to be thought about.

[JaminSamin]

The basement unit in my Horizon is going on 16 years old, it has always worked well. Last summer I decided to pull it out of its cradle to do some general cleaning and maintenance. While I had it out I called a local HVAC service tech come by and give it the once over. When finished he said it was an impressive, clever design and very robust. Before I put it back in the cradle I lined the inside of the unit with sound deadening material, which really cut down on the noise in the bedroom. While in Tucson last year the AC kept us very comfortable with 90-100 degree outside temps. Last night it got down to 37 degrees and the heat pumps were still providing ample heat. The basement units are IMO a good solid system, but like anything mechanical they may need service from time to time.

[819]

Hi Jamin, does that unit just pull straight out as it looks like in the picture? I think mine (2002 Winnebago journey ) is the same. I thought it dropped out the bottom.
Thx Gary

[JaminSamin]

Before I did anything I marked with a sharpe the outline of the cradle on the bottom of the AC unit, this helped to get it back in the same position. Once you have disconnected the supply duct from the unit, lower the front of the cradle using the bolts at the front corners until the top is clear. I layed on the ground under the unit and pushed up and toward the opening, it’s not very heavy and it moves pretty easy, also make sure the electrical doesn’t snag. When it was out of the opening a few inches it’s easy to “walk out” the rest of the way from in front.

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by JohnBoyToo

Personal preference...
Sis and them have a Winny with the basement air and love it...
the one issue they had they called a HOUSE AC guy, not an rv AC guy,
and he was able to help since it's basically a residential unit...

I think this is a key point. Most RV service facilities don't know much about how to fix a basement air. Roof air units are often not fixed if any issue with the sealed systems portion, just replaced.

[pbpaul]

For my 2 cents worth, we camped next to a Motor Home with a basement unit about a year ago and it was pretty noisy for us! Their unit must have been in the side facing us. It was summer and I do not specifically remember it blowing hot air on us. I guess that would depend on which way the wind blows. May have just been that particular unit but given the choice, I’d probably avoid camping next to one.

[70ChevelleSS]

Originally Posted by pbpaul

For my 2 cents worth, we camped next to a Motor Home with a basement unit about a year ago and it was pretty noisy for us!...

I don't think that's typical of these units. Ours is on the curb side, rear compartment. Sitting outside with unit running it's not really noticeable. If fact some roof top units around us are louder.

[Honwing]

Have a 2004 Itasca Horizon 40AD. Has the basement air that works perfectly. I keep the filters changed and find noise levels are less on the inside than the roof units on our previous coach. Love how quiet it is in the lounge while watching tv. One reason I bought this coach was because it had residential heat and air.

[Shawn6596]

so much dislike for basement unit's but I keep seeing mini splits being installed into campers, and bus conversions. IMHO less holes in the roof the better.

[Unicorn Driver]

My wife and I are so happy with the basement air. Its really so much quieter than the roof air we had before.