40' Phaeton - 30 amp & 1 A/C

[vettenuts]

We are trying to book a location and are bound by dates. Unfortunately, the sites available only have 30 amp service. The maximum temps at this location, according to the weather service, is upper 70's to 81 degrees. Curious if anyone has stayed in those temps with one A/C running and how things worked out. We need to keep it cool enough during the day for our dog and aren't sure one A/C will work.

[wolfe10]

The temperature range shouldn't stress a single ducted system.


But part of the answer depends on sun/solar heating. In the shade is completely different than if you are in the desert SW in full sun.

[twinboat]

That depends on the dogs comfort zone.

It will probably get a bit to warm to you during the day, if in sun, but will cool down at night.

You could curtin off an area where one AC is and leave the dog there.

[joshjack]

I can only tell you that our 30’ airstream would have been fine on one AC at those temps, even in direct sun. Above 80 and you’d start to need 2.

[BRodgers]

We had a 2012 Phaeton and have stayed comfortably in those temperatures by limiting solar gain by keeping shades down and window awnings out. In our coach on 30amp we typically had only one AC on at a time to avoid tripping a breaker. It did not have a power management system.

You have a different situation since your coach is equipped with a power management system (See page 66 of your manual). It discusses shedding various circuits when demand exceeds available power. It basically will not supply power to noncritical circuits when demand exceeds available power. If you don't have a lot of other demand for power, you can probably run both ACs with 30amps as long as they both don't try to start at the same time (it requires about twice the power to start an AC as to run it). In the case where both ACs try to start at the same time the power management system will shed the circuit to one of the ACs until the first completes its start cycle.

You should be fine on 30amp service although you may find that certain circuits occasionally don't work. Your Spyder system should show you which circuits are being shed. For instance, if both ACs are running your microwave circuit might be shed.

If you leave your dog in the coach on a regular basis you might invest in a system that will let you know if the temperature exceeds a certain level or if power is lost to the coach. Most of the available systems work with a cell signal.

If you don't have your manual, you can find it at the following link.
https://tiffinmotorhomes.com/resources/owners-manual

[vettenuts]

Thanks for the replies. This is in Kartchner Caverns State Park in Benson, AZ so there is no shade and the sites are asphalt. Looks like we would only be gone for a few hours as there is unfortunately only one tour available when we will be there as the other available area of the caverns closes prior to our arrival in late April. I can put the water heater on propane and shut off the ice maker to limit draw but the evenings are supposed to be cool so I am thinking that the AC will keep up for a time and if we can complete our tour and return by late morning the dog will be fine as we will likely head out to other sites in the car with the dog. I am thinking this is a better option than staying an hour away in Tucson and leaving the dog for several hours even though we would have 50 amps in Tucson.

[astrnmrtom]

You should be fine in my opinion. We've stayed in 30 amp campgrounds during hot weather and we just modify a few things and it works fine. One thing is we close off the end we aren't using such as the bedroom during the day and run the front AC. Then, later we switch to the back AC. Basically we reduce the volume of the area we need to keep cool. If you can chose a site where your windshield faces North you'll reduce the heat load. If you can't, pick up a truck sized reflective window shade. We have exterior window shade which help, but when it's really hot and our windshield is facing south, we place the reflective shade in the window and lower the inside shade too. We don't have dogs but do have an old cat so keeping reasonable temps while we are gone is important. You could also add a fan to circulate the air.

We loved Kartchner Caverns State park. We only stayed a short time and we sorry we didn't stay longer. I'd like to return some time when the Moon isn't around so I could take advantage of the lack of lighting.

[DRM901]

Can you run your generator for a short time? If so, set the AGS to start based on temp. We did that at one federal park while we were touring the site to keep our dog comfortable. Works great.

[YC1]

Close off the rear of the RV and use the front one only.

Make sure refer is on propane as well as the water heater. We turn our WH off when leaving the rv just for safety.

A cover on the outside of the windshield works wonders. Ours allows us to see out but during the day no one can see inside. If the fur babies like to sit on the dash they can see what is going on.

[Tahoetom]

Side note… had a friend with an all black DP would have to run both A/C units all day with any sun at all.
So remember your physics.

Also instead of closing off the back as suggested do the reverse, my unit is much smaller in the back far less volume to cool and less windows.

[wolfe10]

Another trick to minimize need for A/C is to close the slides. That materially reduces the square feet that you need to cool.

[PLColman]

Check into the SoftStartRV gizmos which is a relatively easy self-install in your roof units. It reduces the AC compressor starting surge to be well within the 30A capacity. The instructions are excellent. I ordered two but was only able to install one, since my Coleman Mach roof units are slightly different models; the SoftStart went in easily on the unit where the capacitors were inside a small metal enclosure and all the connections were accessible; on the other unit the capacitors were in a more exposed location (still inside the fairing) and the connections were under a waxy seal which I would have had to destroy. In your situation I leave the Zone 1 unit (with SoftStart) running and the Zone 2 unit either Off or Fan mode and it's worked flawlessy, including in the PacNW heat wave last summer (2021). It keeps the coach nice & cool for our Shih Tzu. There was a Tech Talk about the SoftStartRV units in the FMCA mag in late 2020 or early 2021.

[jeskibuff]

Originally Posted by PLColman

Check into the SoftStartRV gizmos which is a relatively easy self-install in your roof units. It reduces the AC compressor starting surge to be well within the 30A capacity. The instructions are excellent. I ordered two but was only able to install one, since my Coleman Mach roof units are slightly different models; the SoftStart went in easily on the unit where the capacitors were inside a small metal enclosure and all the connections were accessible; on the other unit the capacitors were in a more exposed location (still inside the fairing) and the connections were under a waxy seal which I would have had to destroy. In your situation I leave the Zone 1 unit (with SoftStart) running and the Zone 2 unit either Off or Fan mode and it's worked flawlessy, including in the PacNW heat wave last summer (2021). It keeps the coach nice & cool for our Shih Tzu. There was a Tech Talk about the SoftStartRV units in the FMCA mag in late 2020 or early 2021.

I installed 2 of these myself in anticipation of being in a hot climate with only a 30A connection. You're looking at a $600 outlay and may not need it for your Benson trip but it's nice knowing yours and your dogs' comfort won't be limited by the substandard power at such sites.

[Larrikin]

If you are in a dry climate, not coastal, and you have shade you should be OK. If not, your generator will handle 2 a/c's so use it.