Ducted Air

[crispyboy]

Sounds like the only people who will be aware of the hump is the owner when they wash the roof and the truckers on the highway.
I'm sure you will impress a lot of the trucker's when you go past them they will say "there goes one of new humped airstreams with the ducted air. I'll have to get one of those someday!"

The duct system should have been installed 25 years ago - what took them so long!.........

[switz]

Fit and finish are the major issues we are addressing all the time. Building units too fast results in extremely poor attention to detail. There is just not enough time to do it right so the user gets to make uncountable trips to fix things that should never have left the factory.

Typical brain fart issue in our Classic. We have four fluorescent light fixtures on the ceiling in the hallway that use 12" bulbs. There are two also attached under the front roof locker and over the sink. The latter two are flat surfaces. The roof is arched with a radius and the fixtures were screwed down tight putting a slight bend in the fixture. The lenses were forced in and thus cracked in the center where there is less distance between the sides than at the edges due to the slight curvature.

I now have four replacement lenses that I will have to carefully sand to fit as the dealership lacks competent folks that I would trust to do the job as they would be in a hurry as well.

[PharmGeek]

Its more than a bit annoying that we just bought the 2014 to find in 2015 such a major change that seems very nice....argh...

Well, I will not be upgrading for financial reasons and Ill just have to suffer this 1 million decibel AC unit over head here and there....

I have no doubt that if I was looking in 2014/2015 as opposed to 2013/2014, I would have leaped to the ducted model, even though it is a new improvement...

I think people are correct of course to be skeptical of any and all new changes and concerns be them known or unkown (insert Donald Rumsfeld joke here). If I were buying today I would vote with my pocketbook likely for the 2015 ducted model...but if it is that ducted models will after 1 year of use, fall apart at the seems, look like crap, be equally noisy, corrode faster, leak everywhere, fall through the ducting as you walk on it, and take up residence of every bird, squirrel, mouse, etc...then I would not have to feel annoyed about buying my first AS just the year before a major improvement!

[m.hony]

Originally Posted by dcopps

I just don't see the "hump" you are talking about. They did a good job making the modification without changing the outside look.

Dan

Attachment 222170Attachment 222171

The hump isn 't that big, buy I see it in the 2nd and 3rd photo.
I got to the mother ship Monday afternoon and walked around looking at trailers. Nothing is secure. Nothing is locked.
We took a plant tour Tuesday and walked around looking at trailers. We went to Dayton to the Air Force museum Wednesday. Thursday I walked around and looked at trailers.
Friday morning we started back home. I am eating lunch at a Cracker Barrel in Bowling Green, KY.
We are thinking about staying at Picwick Lake in North Mississippi tonight.

[dkottum]

Pharmgeek, everything added comes with its own issues. You won't have dusty duct cleaning in your future. And how did a bat get in there?

[PharmGeek]

Lol - I was just goofing around - but who knows how it got there - those AS techs leave all sorts of things in them as they make these


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[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by crispyboy

The duct system should have been installed 25 years ago - what took them so long!.........

I completely agree!

I also think that this is the best design improvement in Airstreams since the floor plan was changed for the 31' model in 1984 when they changed from a rear bath to a side bath. Second place would be the wide body in 1996.

I think the factory should offer insulated "blinds and curtains" that reduce the heat gain through the windows and sky lights so that only one AC unit is necessary to cool the Airstream. Particularly in this age of "global warming" installing a second AC unit is not the best way to solve this problem. The result is more up front cost for the second AC unit, more cost for 50 amp service (and the heavier service cord), more weight up high, more maintenance and more energy cost to cool.

Dan

[mefly2]

Originally Posted by PharmGeek

Lol - I was just goofing around - but who knows how it got there - those AS techs leave all sorts of things in them as they make these


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It is enough to drive you batty!

I wonder how much they would charge to change the ducting back to non-ducted ...LOL ... naw; never mind!

TD- we left the white outside travel wrap from the factory on our upper vista view windows and it made a huge difference in the inside temperature. Eventually, they blew off; so, I plan to duct tape them over for next season.

[m.hony]

Have any of y'all taken a plant tour? That answers it.
-crowded, junky, cluttered
-several people in a trailer working at once
-10 trailers a day
-40 floor plan combinations
-inefficient flow on the production line
-some really young workers
We need to bring some of them boys to Mississippi to show 'em how to clean up the place.
I wonder how much money is leaking out of Airstream due to inefficiency.

[Msmoto]

Maybe we need a thread on "Improving the Insulating Factors on Your Airstream". I used Gila All-Season Heat Control Window Film on my Vista view windows, and this cuts the heat 70% with no discernible darkening. It is a silver film intended for windows on a house and should not be used on a motor vehicle, nor on a window which could reflect the sun into another drivers vision. But, for the upper windows it cannot be readily seen from either inside or out.

Secondly, I am switching out the dark pull down shades for a white cellular pull down which should provide a slight improvement in insulating properties, especially once I have a valence installed similar to the new Classic. This will also allow some light to enter even when the cellular blind is closed.

Thus, it may be by decreasing the heat transfer in an Airstream, one could save money by having only one A/C unit in the new ducted design.

[fmr.capt.evi]

It's the unknown unknowns that concern me the most...
(enjoyed the Rumsfeld reference).

[sunnygirl]

Recently we were camped next to a beautiful new 2015 with ducted air and the neighbors were running their air conditioning. The outside noise from the unit was noticeably louder than the non-ducted units. We noticed the difference when we were both inside (we weren't running the A/C) and outside our trailer. I guess the noise has to go somewhere.

Susan

[switz]

We all need to remember that the components in the Airstream are sourced from the lowest bidder, not necessarily the best - looking at the cheap plastic drawer keepers comes to mind.

The walls are built with 1.5" thick aluminum ribs with the same metal attached on either side. There is a layer of tape on each edge of the rib that is supposed to "insulate" the skin from the rib. In that thin space, with a tacky glue sprayed on the outside wall, they put some insulation that looks like brown fiberglas bats we see in homes. A few dollars more could have seen space age thermal insulation like at the space station or at least airliners.

Perhaps thermopane windows and decent skylights (like the Maxim units we installed) would also help control heat loss or gain.

As posted above, truly concerned QC chap(s) at the end of the line with the authority to say tear it out and do it correctly, would make a huge difference in what we receive after writing the check. Issues I pointed out in person and followed up with in an email with photos to the QC supervisor where not addressed at the factory.

I was there from 2 to 15 January and saw our unit during the tour hour nearly every day when it was on the line.

Due to the 6 January 2014 blizzard at the factory area, just in time inventory failed. Our unit that was started on 19 December 2013 and continued on 2 January and was essentially completed on 15 January. It awaited the sofa arm rests, a television bracket and some curtains for close to 10 days in the penalty box in sub freezing temperatures behind their seven bay garage. During that time, the QC issues should have been addressed.

As the old saw goes, what is, is, and what I think about it does not change the reality.

Thus the tremendous need for the Airstream forum and the knowledge shared herein for us to cope with the issues that are presented over time to us as owners of any model of Airstream.

[dkottum]

Also remember that it's a travel, camping and lifestyle trailer, not a museum piece. When truly enjoyed as such it will gather the dings, jostling of components and wear they will most surely be exposed to. Perfection will be fleeting, new models will have new systems.

But when enjoyed as such ducted air, a misfitted panel or loose hinge will matter little, you're enjoying the heck out of the adventures it facilitates.

There is a level of maintenance we all will do, our own is thorough but not obsessive. After three years and 20 months travel in it, you might think it looks new but don't use a magnifying glass. When it's dirty we clean, when it's broke we fix and head out for another great day.

Yes it is what it is, and it is dazzling to look at and a dream to tow. It's a joy to come home to after a day hiking, biking or sitting around the campfire with good friends for a nice dinner, a cozy place to read or watch a movie, and get a good night's sleep.

We love our Airstream travel life and always look forward to the next cross-country trip (in 20 days). That's what matters.

[Nelson428]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Also remember that it's a travel, camping and lifestyle trailer, not a museum piece. When truly enjoyed as such it will gather the dings, jostling of components and wear they will most surely be exposed to. Perfection will be fleeting, new models will have new systems.

But when enjoyed as such ducted air, a misfitted panel or loose hinge will matter little, you're enjoying the heck out of the adventures it facilitates.

There is a level of maintenance we all will do, our own is thorough but not obsessive. After three years and 20 months travel in it, you might think it looks new but don't use a magnifying glass. When it's dirty we clean, when it's broke we fix and head out for another great day.

Yes it is what it is, and it is dazzling to look at and a dream to tow. It's a joy to come home to after a day hiking, biking or sitting around the campfire with good friends for a nice dinner, a cozy place to read or watch a movie, and get a good night's sleep.

We love our Airstream travel life and always look forward to the next cross-country trip (in 20 days). That's what matters.

Nicely stated !!

[Hibby]

What we really need is someone from Thor or perhaps Airstream QC to be involved in these forums. An open discussion with them would help improve design and functionality for future models, and would also help us get real answers instead of speculation.


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[m.hony]

They should have someone on staff whose job is to hang out on Airforums and take notes...

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Also remember that it's a travel, camping and lifestyle trailer, not a museum piece. When truly enjoyed as such it will gather the dings, jostling of components and wear they will most surely be exposed to. Perfection will be fleeting, new models will have new systems.

But when enjoyed as such ducted air, a misfitted panel or loose hinge will matter little, you're enjoying the heck out of the adventures it facilitates.

There is a level of maintenance we all will do, our own is thorough but not obsessive. After three years and 20 months travel in it, you might think it looks new but don't use a magnifying glass. When it's dirty we clean, when it's broke we fix and head out for another great day.

Yes it is what it is, and it is dazzling to look at and a dream to tow. It's a joy to come home to after a day hiking, biking or sitting around the campfire with good friends for a nice dinner, a cozy place to read or watch a movie, and get a good night's sleep.

We love our Airstream travel life and always look forward to the next cross-country trip (in 20 days). That's what matters.

What a great description of what Airsteam travel is all about.

Dan

[m.hony]

Dan,
What type of hitch are you using with your Tundra?

[Msmoto]

I am in agreement about the Airstream in general. This is such a unique experience, the traveling in an Airstream, and I have been excited like a little girl about my recent trips, which amazes me. I find it as comfortable, albeit, not as roomy, as my previous motorhome.

The ducted a/c makes a huge difference in bringing real comfort to the unit, yet the large amount of window space really connects with the great outdoors.

There is a very subjective pleasure to being in an Airstream, rather like some cars.....Porsche....?


Ms Tommie Lauer
Greensboro, NC
2015 Serenity 30 RB / 2008 Dodge Cummins 4 X 4
WBCCI #4165 AIR #31871