Is there a downside to black AC shrouds?

[BTCMUSN]

So is there really a “downside” operationally to the OEM black shrouds for a Dometic Penguin 2 AC/Heat pump combo? I know there will be different opinions on the aesthetics of the color scheme but my thought is Dometic makes them in black so from an operational perspective the black color makes no difference to white operationally. Both covers are vented out the back so any possible heat build up on our Texas hot summer days should be mitigated right?

Black shrouds are readily available and cheaper than the “Polar White” color also…or at least for my search..fun fact!

[waninae39]

black absorbs heat, white reflects heats

look at house in hot areas, they tend to have very light coloured buildings

[DKB_SATX]

Black plastic soaking in the Texas sun is probably going to have a shorter service life than white as long as the plastic composition is the same.

[BTCMUSN]

Originally Posted by waninae39

black absorbs heat, white reflects heats

look at house in hot areas, they tend to have very light coloured buildings

Interesting..as I live in Texas where we I think we would agree summers are very hot every house in my subdivision has a black asphalt roof.

[Keys Dave]

Next time you're in a big parking lot and see two vehicles that you think have been there for awhile, one white and one black put your hand on each for 30 seconds. After you get back from the ER report which one was cooler.
As for the asphalt roofing on a house, the asphalt is just plain black. White coating is an aggregate grit or gravel. It's heavy and expensive so sometimes it is not used. I have worked on both and I can tell you the white one is much cooler.

[ITSNO60]

While it's true that black absorbs heat more than white, on the other hand everything I have ever bought that was marked as "Sunlight Resistant" has been black. A perfect example is power cords for swamp coolers that lay on the roof in the sun, the black ones last a decade or more but try using an orange one and it will look like alligator skin after a few years. Sunlight Resistant wire for overhead runs is always black, and even plastic clamps and zip ties for use in sunlight are black.

As far as absorbing heat, when we work in attics where the shingles are dark brown instead of white it is a lot hotter in the attic, and not even bearable in the mid day sun in Summer.

[Bill M.]

Black certainly absorbs more heat when in direct sun than white. So the AC might work a little better with white. Whether that is enough to make any difference I do not know. I am sticking with white. People drive black cars. I do not. The white shrouds do deteriorate.

[richard5933]

The black is easier to find, for sure.

Paint suitable for plastic is also easy to find, so it is quite possible to scuff sand the black cover and then paint it white.

[coasttocoast]

I used to live in Atlanta and had a black car and a white car. I walked out one summer day with a temperature gauge and measured a 7 degree difference. I currently have a black Sprinter and would not trade it for a white one.

[Mollysdad]

Yes, black absorbs more heat, but is it measurable? It doesn't have glass to let the heat in, and it's vented, so my take is it's
Minimal.

[skucera]

I don't want to come off as an aesthete, but both white and black make for a stark visual contrast up on top of any RV. I almost wish they came in non-specular blue-gray to try to blend into the sky as I look up at the trailer. Yeah, the AC manufacturers probably want their AC units to be seen up there, but I don't want to see them.

However, I have a hunch that in the summertime the white one will soak in less sunlight and heat up less. Will this be enough to shorten the lifespan of an AC plant? Maybe.

Scott

[MMCMRET]

I don't think a black cover will effect the operation of the AC.

[Rollertoaster]

Not sure if you are getting new AC units or just replacing the shrouds. I replaced my white Dometic unit last year with a Houghton heat pump and the Dometic shroud was extremely brittle. Our trailer is kept inside, probably a little more than a year in the sun total.
If you’re in the market, the Houghton unit is much quieter and cools better too.
They come in black, and the plastic is several times thicker than the Dometic.

[BTCMUSN]

Originally Posted by Rollertoaster

Not sure if you are getting new AC units or just replacing the shrouds. I replaced my white Dometic unit last year with a Houghton heat pump and the Dometic shroud was extremely brittle. Our trailer is kept inside, probably a little more than a year in the sun total.
If you’re in the market, the Houghton unit is much quieter and cools better too.
They come in black, and the plastic is several times thicker than the Dometic.

Not in the AC market yet but the recommendation is duly noted. I just had soft starts put on my Dometic Penquin 2 and noticed cracking around 3 of 4 shroud shouldered hold down fasteners. I decided to replace the shrouds before trip next week but white shrouds were about $300-$350 each and black shrouds were $200 each on Amazon. Because there are a significant amount of vent holes in the back and everything under the shroud is black also with the fact that Dometic actually makes a black one, I decided for about $300 total less to go with the black shrouds. I also figured since I have a black top on my propane enclosure a black top on AC couldn’t be all bad!

[BTCMUSN]

Originally Posted by MMCMRET

I don't think a black cover will effect the operation of the AC.

90 degrees here in Texas today with my AIRSTREAM in full sun and started the AC’s and cooled to 74 degrees in about 30 minutes with the black covers on.

[kb0zke]

FWIW, when we bought this trailer I commented about the black a/c shrouds and was told that the black ones stand up to the sun better than the white ones. I have since learned not to believe anything that dealer says.

[ITSNO60]

Originally Posted by kb0zke

FWIW, when we bought this trailer I commented about the black a/c shrouds and was told that the black ones stand up to the sun better than the white ones. I have since learned not to believe anything that dealer says.

I think they were right, see post #6 and see below. Apparently the dye in black plastics prevents the UV from fully penetrating the plastic.