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gunner · 10-22-2010, 03:49 PM

I need information on Penguin Air Conditioners; positives and negatives, 13,500 or 15,000 BTU, Heat strip or Heat pump. I am being told by RV Dealers that the Heat Strip not available in 13,500 BTU but when you search the internet it states they are available, don't know what to believe. Also need the drip pan.

Mike Leary · 10-22-2010, 04:11 PM

We have two 13.5 BTU installed in 05 with the heat kits. the pans come from AS, I seem to remember. I was told the 13.5 is the only one that would fit the coach, but you know how RV parts distributors are. I like the low profile, and they have been trouble free, we use them a lot when wintering down south.
If the larger one will fit, I'd do it. Find a RV place with a forklift to install them, if you can.

Jammer · 10-22-2010, 04:28 PM

I have a pair of the 13,500 in my 2010 trailer and have had mixed results. There has been an ongoing problem with compressor noise from the rear unit that the dealer has tried twice to fix. I guess a lot of people wouldn't notice or care and I don't think the Penguin is necessarily particularly bad in this fashion.

I do not have the heat strips and while I've thought of installing them I've ultimately decided that wall heaters are the much better approach to electric heat.

Mike Leary · 10-22-2010, 04:45 PM

The heat strips do help, we run liquid radiators at night because they're quiet and fire the strips and furnace in the morning. It's getting to be that time here in Flag.

gunner · 10-23-2010, 05:23 AM

Thanks for the reply's. I am wondering why I am being told heat strips are no longer available and if the heat pump version is worth the extra money.

Jammer · 10-23-2010, 07:34 AM

Gunner

The heat pump version may make sense depending on your situation and how you camp.

I find that I prefer to use electric heat when sufficient electricity is available. This reduces the hassle involved in handling and refilling the propane bottles. Also, convenience aside, furnaces do act up for various reasons and it's helpful to have another source of heat just in case.

Heat pumps are one possible source of electric heat, and are efficient, and don't require installation of anything additional since you need air conditioning anyway and can use the same circuits, controls, and so on.

However they are loud.

I do use mine occasionally but have installed an electric wall heater which I now use instead most of the time for the forward portion of the trailer. I have a portable electric heater I'm using in the bedroom.

Lumatic · 10-23-2010, 08:04 AM

If I had it to do over again I would get the bigger AC. 13.5 is OK but marginal for my Tradewind when it is really hot. Another thing I don't like is the fan is not tied in to the thermostat so the fan will continue to run after the target temperature is reached.

fmr.capt.evi · 10-23-2010, 08:18 AM

Unless Dometic has made some recent changes, the electric heating coil is not controlled by the unit's thermostat......it's either "on" or "off"......and I found that to be more trouble than it's worth. Since then, I've become completely spoiled by their "Comfort Control" system (heat pump). I'd also recommend the 15K unit, if you have a choice.

**jcanavera** · 10-23-2010, 08:30 AM

I'd have to concur. Depending on where you live, that 15K unit makes a big difference in your comfort level. I had some issues with the 13.5 unit capacity on my 27' Safari. After having a heat strip on the 13.5 and the heat pump on the 15K unit, the hands down winner is the heat pump. As noted the heat strip is on or off. It cannot be controlled by the thermostat. We only start using the furnace when the temps get down below 45 or so. I may only use a tank of propane a year at best.

Jack

Lumatic · 10-23-2010, 08:44 AM

As I understand it, the heat strip will "take the chill off" but won't heat a trailer. I just use a small ceramic heater I can put where I want.

richinny · 10-23-2010, 08:55 AM

i have a heat strip in the 34 (13.5 unit). it works well down to about 40-45 but the rear bedroom stays a bit cooler. i set the furnace to come on at around 60 if the heat strip can't keep up.

Mike Leary · 10-23-2010, 09:23 AM

Since we spend spring and summer in the PNW, land of pine, cedar and fir needles, I use a low volume air compressor to blow the drain lines once a season.

ZoomZoom · 10-23-2010, 09:47 AM

Dometic only has the 11K and 13.K available with the ADB (air distribution box) the 15K has to be used with a ducted ceiling assembly. Heat strips are available with the ADB system. Dometic also makes a drain kit that has two containers that attach to the upper unit at the left and right drain holes and direct the drain water to a tee inside the opening so it can be attached to the single drain tube that Airstream installed.
Greg

pattonsr · 10-23-2010, 09:53 AM

Greg,

If you will bring up the Dometic catalog, you will find a Penguin with 15k, CCC and ADB. Where did you get your opinion from?

Barry

Phoenix · 10-23-2010, 10:11 AM

We "camp" in our nephew's driveway when we visit relatives in Denver during the holidays. Our experience is that the electric heat strip in our 11,000 BTU air conditioner will keep the inside around 60 overnight when outside temps drop into the 20's. During the day, when it warms to above freezing, the inside rises to 65-70+, and we switch the heat strip off.

We usually leave the furnace set at around 55-60 during the day, in case we don't come "home" until late in the evening. Then, when we do return to our Airstream, we turn on the heat strip and use the furnace to warm the trailer, initially. Then, we turn the furnace off as soon as temps start to approach a comfortable setting and leave the heat strip on overnight.

During a few really cold days, we left the heat strip on 24/7. The air conditioner blower is a little noisy, but after awhile you don't notice it.

By the way, home heat pumps don't work very well when it gets really cold. Also, they tend to heat and cool slower than with regular air conditioners and furnaces; although that may correspond to the BTU rating. Here in Arizona, if you have a heat pump in your home and live where it gets down to freezing, optional auxilliary heat strips can be installed. Winters are pretty mild in Phoenix, so home heat pumps don't have the extra heat strips. However, I would guess that heat pumps in Flagstaff and the White Mountains would have heat strips, or that most homes probably don't have heat pumps. Perhaps, someone who lives in colder climes will enlighten us.

In any case, if you consistently use your Airstream in subfreezing weather, you may want to consider getting the regular air conditioner and using the heat strip in conjunction with the propane furnace. From experience living in a home with an electric heat pump, that "gentle heat" they advertise seems to take forever to raise the temperature on the thermal mass in our house after the thermostat has been set low during a long holiday vacation. Heat pumps just don't give you that blast of heat you get from a gas furnace.

gunner · 10-23-2010, 11:57 AM

On my current Coleman's the Heat Strips work in conjunction with the Thermostat. When the proper heat is optained the strip shuts down but the fan keeps running. I would prefer having this type of system.

gunner · 10-23-2010, 01:49 PM

After seeing Mike Leary's motorhome and his having a matched set of Penguin's, I don't like the looks of having one Coleman up front and the Penguin in the rear. My thoughts are to replace both; the front one being a 15,000 BTU with the Heat Pump and the rear one being a 15,000 BTU AC only with no heat. Do you agree that having one Heat Pump would be better than having two Heat Strips and would the Heat Pump be sufficient to push the heat to the rear bedroom area?

**jcanavera** · 10-23-2010, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gunner

After seeing Mike Leary's motorhome and his having a matched set of Penguin's, I don't like the looks of having one Coleman up front and the Penguin in the rear. My thoughts are to replace both; the front one being a 15,000 BTU with the Heat Pump and the rear one being a 15,000 BTU AC only with no heat. Do you agree that having one Heat Pump would be better than having two Heat Strips and would the Heat Pump be sufficient to push the heat to the rear bedroom area?

That'a 30,000 BTU's of cooling. I really don't believe you need that much....unless you are going to run them staggered. Daytime you run the front unit with the back in the bedroom at night. Unless you are doing some 100 degree camping, that 15K unit might be enough for you. Another possibility would be to go with the 15K unit front and 11K in the rear.

TBRich · 10-23-2010, 02:37 PM

We have a 13,500 unit with a heat pump... The hear pump works well, but it is noisy...like the AC. Since our space is small, when we have electricity, we take the chill off with the furnace, then use a small ceramic heater with its own thermostat for sustained heat. That works nicely. When we don't have electricity and need heat, we use a small propane catlytic heater...

gunner · 10-23-2010, 04:29 PM

I have two 13,500 BTU now and they cool the motorhome as long as you start them in the morning and keep the drapes closed to keep out the sun because we do go camping in 90 to 100 degree weather. I would rather have too much cooling than not enough. I have considered not having any heat strips but we do go camping in October and do use the heat strips. The alternative for the minimum times we use heat is to use a ceramic heater. I do have two furnaces but we tried them when I purchased the units, they work fine but I have not used them since.