Community Forums

bevo7 · 03-01-2018, 04:31 PM

Has anyone added a second AC to their coach?

cruzbill · 03-01-2018, 04:40 PM

I have two ACs, is yours a 30a coach? Is it prewired for a second AC? Find out by looking for a spare breaker space in your AC breaker panel. Pull the mid-ship (or bedroom or wherever you intend to put your second AC) vent garnish (the plastic trim inside the coach) off and look around to see if you see prewire. I would be surprised if your coach was not prewired for a second AC.

ga traveler · 03-01-2018, 05:00 PM

As cruisebill said, most coaches are prewired for a second A/C. If you have 30 amp service, you will have a problem running both airs if anything else is drawing power. There is a company that makes a box that will run the front air for 8 minutes and then shut down the front compressor and run the back air for 5 minutes. It seems like there name was pulse air or something like that. If you don't have a extra breaker opening in the main box, You can add a double breaker that fits in one slot. To answer your question, yes, I have installed several A/C's in coaches with only one A/C. It is not a big job. Before we got a lift, we set the A/C on the tail gate of a truck, lifted the A/C to a 2X10 on the top of the bed rail, stood on the 2X10 and lifted the A/C to the top of the motorhome. Once the A/C is unboxed, DO NOT slide it across the roof or anything else. The foam seal is preinstalled and can be damaged.

Old Scout · 03-01-2018, 05:01 PM

.....Besides cutting a large hole in the roof being really scary, adding a 2nd AC isn't a big deal. If your rig is wired for it--probably not if its got one AC unit now so probably 30 amp???? Besides snaking wire thru roof and side wall or using some exposed conduit, the real issue is the rig's power cord and the breaker box capacity. Some folks use a separate plug for the extra A/C unit....but then things get a bit complicated at the campground pedestal. Key is do it by code and avoid a "hillbilly" solution--no offense to any hillbillies in the audience....

cruzbill · 03-01-2018, 05:04 PM

You wouldn't wanna cut a big hole in the roof of an RV; A second or third air is heavy and should only be mounted into a pre-framed structural opening, these are always associated with an existing roof vent. No vent? No air. Unless you want to re-truss the roof.

bevo7 · 03-01-2018, 05:19 PM

Our coach is 35 ft. 30 amp. I know that this is an issue but wondering if it could be done. I’ll call Newmar, I assume they can tell me if it’s possible . Thanks for the input!!

Easyrider · 03-01-2018, 05:19 PM

[QUOTE=cruzbill;4064817]You wouldn't wanna cut a big hole in the roof of an RV; A second or third air is heavy and should only be mounted into a pre-framed structural opening, these are always associated with an existing roof vent. No vent? No air. Unless you want to re-truss the roof.[/QUOTE

I believe that is correct, ACs are made to fit the same opening as a ceiling vent. So if you have a ceiling vent, it's probably already wired, you would just need to remove the vent and install the AC and finish the wiring, without the vent I would guess it's not impossible to still add an AC, but it becomes much more complicated- and expensive!