1985 Excella 31' Coleman AC

[Tartimisi]

What is the standard opening in the roof for AC unit? The Air Conditioner I am looking to buy fits standard 14"x14" opening. Thanks for your help.

[87MH]

Originally Posted by Tartimisi

What is the standard opening in the roof for AC unit? The Air Conditioner I am looking to buy fits standard 14"x14" opening. Thanks for your help.

Treva:

You will probably find that the new AC will "ALMOST" fit. Airstream used a unique fitment process that fit the drain pans they were using at the time.

You will most likely find that the corners of your 31'er AC are rounded. I would suspect that you will need to square off the corners, plus a fraction of an inch on the hole size. I found it best to make a cardboard pattern and insure the proper fit prior to getting the unit on the top of the trailer.

Are you going to get an experienced Airstream technician to do the install? The AS install is a bit different than most RV's. Be sure to have the proper drip pan for the AC on site and make sure the pattern is made with the drip pan in place. I have completed 3 AC installs/replacements. One on the '87 345 motor home, and two on the trailer '78 31' Sovereign .

I highly recommend you get a heat pump instead of a straight AC. I do not see any reason just to purchase an AC only unit - we use the heat pump mode just as much as we do the cooling mode.

If you approach the area around East Texas, stop by and see us at the Texas Airstream Harbor, Inc. . Most fun you can have for 15 bucks a night. Good luck, please report back here after the installation is completed, with pictures if possible.

[Tartimisi]

Thanks Dennis,
I appreciate your help. I am taking the Love-Shack to our friend Steve who owns his own business, Shafer RV. He has worked on Airstreams before and we trust him. He installed our new water heater when we first got the trailer 3 years ago. Do you have any recommendations on where to purchase the AC unit. We have had good luck buying items from Adventure RV in the past. Very good prices as well. The Coleman Mach HP2 15,000 BTU High performance Heat Pump Complete is $789.89. I really haven't been able to find one any cheaper
Thanks, and I think I can rmember your name.

Dennis, aka, Mailman

[87MH]

Originally Posted by Tartimisi

Thanks Dennis,
.... Do you have any recommendations on where to purchase the AC unit. We have had good luck buying items from Adventure RV in the past. Very good prices as well. The Coleman Mach HP2 15,000 BTU High performance Heat Pump Complete is $789.89.

PPL RV is right here in Houston, so I use them as it is always a pickup for me, no shipping costs.

Don't forget the drip pan, drip pans are unique to each air conditioner. One of the old guys at TAHI installed an AC without the drip pan, and there is water running all over his trailer. There is a condensate drain line on the street side of the AC, and the water collected in the pan must be routed to the drain.

Out of Doors Mart and Inland RV are two of the firms I know of that carry the pans. You might also check Bob's RV in Houston (another local to me source of parts and first-rate expertise).

Local to you is an excellent AS repair shop south of Birmingham.

Camper Repair Center
8154 Highway 22
Montevallo, Al 35115
"Sonny Hare" 205-665-2531 Shop
205-665-9501 Fax

Don't know how much business Sonny does anymore, it's been 5 or 6 years since I last contacted him.