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andybree · 02-10-2015, 08:28 PM

GuyGene, before you write off the interstate because of worries about the A/C, we want to weigh in on our experience with the insulation and A/C effectiveness on the Interstate. We found ourselves looking at Interstates last August in Fort Worth when the temperatures were between 100 and 105. I am the biggest whiner there is when it's hot, and really cannot tolerate getting overheated. As we were looking, we went from one Interstate to the next with no AC on, and were amazed at how much cooler they were than we could have imagined. They did all have the shades down, and we have found that that makes a huge difference in the temperature of ours. We have used our AC successfully on hot days and nights, and, having put 10,000+ miles on ours now, are confident that we can stay comfortably cool on hot days and nights.

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Sebtown · 02-10-2015, 08:49 PM

We have spent time in our Interstate when outside temperature was 106°+ and we were actually too cold in the back sleeping area! We have done this both with hookups and while boondocking. The luxury of the air conditioning out weights the noise from the air conditioner and generator combined. I find it is imperative to have reflectex in the cabin windows but otherwise we have no complaints.

UKDUDE · 02-10-2015, 08:51 PM

Air flow is very important for cooling. And when driving using the Mercedes dash AC, crack open the extreme rear windows to permit a flow of cooling air to the rear of the coach.

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Boxster1971 · 02-10-2015, 08:59 PM

I also agree that the AC will keep you cool and it is very noisy. I sleep with ear plugs if I have to run the AC at night while sleeping in hot climates.

- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter

InterBlog · 02-11-2015, 06:42 AM

I agree with the folks who advise that each person evaluate the cooling capacity for themselves. I was relating an RV salesman's considerable frustration that customers get turned off because they perceive that the high-end Interstate simply doesn't perform well on cooling. For that money, it should be better, is their conclusion. I don't know how other RVs cool by comparison, but the salesman did not invoke any others into his discourse.

Generic answers don't work on this one because people are profoundly different in their preferences and even in their needs (some folks have medical issues that require warmer or cooler... additionally, body mass index has a considerable impact). Myself, after living in Houston for decades and being financially conservative, I'm not happy if the indoor temperature (house or vehicle) falls below 77 degrees. I lived with the daytime A/C set to 77 for so many years that it became my new normal. MANY people, including my own husband, are unsatisfied with that. They perceive it as uncomfortably warm.

Additionally, I didn't hear anyone on this thread mention the H word: humidity. I don't think that our swamp-like conditions on the upper Texas coast are directly comparable to temperature perceptions in a place like the Sonoran Desert.

Many variables, in other words.

GuyGene · 02-12-2015, 07:55 AM

Georgia. Mississippi. Florida. I've lived about all over, including San Francisco where Ye don't even need screens on windows to keep flies out. East of The River ye'll need string ac. Anyway, I say again, I've had three trailers all with one roof ac and all of them got cold quick. No window covers, etc. needed. Obviously Airstreams have an ac issue or there'd be no need to be talking...

weirdstuff · 02-18-2015, 11:30 AM

GuyGene, you've obviously made up your mind that there's an issue, so, don't buy one. Nothing else really to discuss. Go shop for something else. Just sayin'

GuyGene · 02-21-2015, 02:14 PM

Nope weird, I haven't made up mind yet. I still have to see one in heat with ac running to know if it'll be good enough in our summer heat and humidity. Other than my two VW CampMobiles, I've never been inside another kind of class b. I've been all over California, and I don't know of anywhere there humidity would be much of a problem. Love California. Old Town San Diego! Excellent coffee shop there. Oh me, getting side tracked on places I want to take our class b, which we don't even have yet!

LB_3 · 02-22-2015, 11:07 PM

It's probably been said but trying to cool down an Interstate that has been baking on a dealer's lot until 3 PM is a lot harder than trying to keep one cool throughout the day. You're not just cooling the air at that point, your cooling down 30 gallons of water, hundreds of pounds of cabinetry, etc...

73shark · 02-23-2015, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LB_3

It's probably been said but trying to cool down an Interstate that has been baking on a dealer's lot until 3 PM is a lot harder than trying to keep one cool throughout the day. You're not just cooling the air at that point, your cooling down 30 gallons of water, hundreds of pounds of cabinetry, etc...

But you have to cool all of that mass down sometime. While the A/C unit is undersized but as large as it can be given a 2.5KW generator, it doesn't seem to move enuf air.

Kwils25 · 02-24-2015, 05:44 AM

Here's my two cents worth.

Last July we spent some time at Perdido Key in Florida and then three days in New Orleans. We were camped in RV parks on shore power both places.

While we were in Florida, we kept the thermostat set for cooling while we were fooling around on the beach. We kept the window shades down and a windshield cover in place. Our coach kept a comfortable temperature for us.

One day in New Orleans we forgot to set the thermostat when we left for the morning. We got back to the coach in the mid afternoon and wow, was it ever hot! It was over 100 degrees inside. It did take two to three hours for the temperature to get close to being comfortable. We learned our lesson. The key is to get it cool in the morning and keep it that way through the day.

Without shore power it would be difficult and annoying to keep it cool for more than a day or two using the generator.

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73shark · 02-24-2015, 11:35 AM

Not knowing what your "comfortable" temp is makes it hard to compare but when it's 90+ outside, rolling down the road, and 7-8 people, the best mine can do is upper 80s. My comfortable temp is upper 70s. Now the front half is very comfortable but running on recirc and max fan speed.

UKDUDE · 02-24-2015, 01:15 PM

Mr Shark, when running down the road, not sure setting the AC to recirc is the best option for the rear passengers. I think it's best to set it to through-flow and open the very rear coach windows a little to get the cooled air to flow to the rear (and out).

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73shark · 02-24-2015, 02:08 PM

I'll give it try next time. The problem I foresee is when not on recirc, the chassis A/C is sucking in hot, wet air and the temp drop may not be as great as when recirc but maybe not. Worth a try.

UKDUDE · 02-24-2015, 02:50 PM

The other issue with recirc is that the AC condenser can freeze up after prolonged use resulting in degraded cooling. If I remember correctly, mine will only remain on recirc for a limited time (perhaps 30 minutes) to avoid the freezing.

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73shark · 02-24-2015, 03:28 PM

If your condenser is freezing up, you may want to get the refrigerant charge checked as that's a symptom of a low charge.

I forget the physics behind this phenomenon but that's what my A/C told me.

Panama Red · 02-24-2015, 03:35 PM

A lower charge means a lower pressure in the system. Lower pressure in the system means there is a lower evaporation point (temp) for the freon. The system is designed for the freon to evaporate right around the forty degree Mark. When the pressure drops, the evaporator coil temp gets below 32 degrees, which means the condensation on the evaporator coil freezes...

-Red, spewing A/C secrets...

73shark · 02-24-2015, 03:44 PM

Which is why automotive A/C compressors don't come on when the outdoor temp. gets down to about 40*F

Panama Red · 02-24-2015, 04:35 PM

Most A/C systems, automotive included, have a low pressure cutoff switch. Unfortunately, this cutoff temp is usually well below the pressure needed to reach 32 degrees F... The physics I was talking about is that when the pressure in the system gets low enough, the evaporation point of the R134a gets below 32 degrees F, which means that the freon that is now evaporating in the evaporator coil is drawing all the heat out of the air down to whatever the new evaporator temperature is...