Low Profile AC Fan Noise

[MemphisRebel]

We have a 2021 FC 30FB with two Dometic low profile AC units. I have searched through the forums and found multiple threads where AC noise was addressed but haven't found one directly on point with a solution.


Our A/C units work great. When outside the trailer on the camp/passenger side they are quiet. However on the street/driver side the fan noise is very loud. I understand that the low profile units are louder than the older taller units, and I understand they are made to be louder on the street/driver side, however these are loud to the point that multiple times a neighbor in the RV park has come by to talk to us about the volume of them. Multiple times I have walked around parks and listened to this side of other Airstreams with the same low profile units and they aren't as loud as ours. There is no excessive rumble or vibration, it is just the rushing air/fan noise. It may be twice as loud as what I hear on the same units on other Airstreams. It is both of the units.



I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or had some common things that I can check for? I am going to get up there this weekend and take the shroud off to have a look. I would make an appointment to take it into the dealer but the repair backlog is so long and we are getting into camping season I hate to have it tied up in their parking lot for a long wait. Thanks to all for the help.

[TouringDan]

Originally Posted by MemphisRebel

We have a 2021 FC 30FB with two Dometic low profile AC units. I have searched through the forums and found multiple threads where AC noise was addressed but haven't found one directly on point with a solution.


Our A/C units work great. When outside the trailer on the camp/passenger side they are quiet. However on the street/driver side the fan noise is very loud. I understand that the low profile units are louder than the older taller units, and I understand they are made to be louder on the street/driver side, however these are loud to the point that multiple times a neighbor in the RV park has come by to talk to us about the volume of them. Multiple times I have walked around parks and listened to this side of other Airstreams with the same low profile units and they aren't as loud as ours. There is no excessive rumble or vibration, it is just the rushing air/fan noise. It may be twice as loud as what I hear on the same units on other Airstreams. It is both of the units.



I was wondering if anyone else had a similar experience or had some common things that I can check for? I am going to get up there this weekend and take the shroud off to have a look. I would make an appointment to take it into the dealer but the repair backlog is so long and we are getting into camping season I hate to have it tied up in their parking lot for a long wait. Thanks to all for the help.

RV air conditioners are loud. I don’t like them. I don’t have a solution for you but I do have a suggestion. Get an app for your phone and measure the noise level of your unit compared to other units on other Airstreams. If yours is significantly louder this may help you get it resolved under warranty.

Good luck.

Dan

[Wazbro]

Originally Posted by TouringDan

RV air conditioners are loud. I don’t like them. I don’t have a solution for you but I do have a suggestion. Get an app for your phone and measure the noise level of your unit compared to other units on other Airstreams. If yours is significantly louder this may help you get it resolved under warranty.

Good luck.

Dan

Agreed, if you don't have proof it is not "normal" after you leave it at the dealer for week/months the dealer will say it's normal/nothing to fix.

[LilPeanut]

Check for the grey gasket between the roof and the AC. It is about an inch thick but gets compressed to a half inch at installation. No gasket transmits more vibration and noise. Too tight or loose and do the same.

Compare yours to others so you know what good looks like before you do any adjustments. You tighten the 4 bolts to squish it more or loosen it up. Sadly, sometimes they are not installed at all. It happens. If it isn’t there, that will certainly make it louder.

[jondrew55]

When we bought our 2015 Discovery Excursion Class A it came with the low profile AC units. They make them lower profile by using smaller coils and make up for less surface area with higher air volume fans. This AC was horrifically loud on both sides. We could not sit outside with the AC running and hear ourselves talk. And in Fl, that's a problem.

I don't find the ACs on my 2021 GT objectionably loud. Not sure if we have the same units.

[MemphisRebel]

Thanks to all for the ideas. I am going to take some db measurements compared to other units and take the shrouds off to have a look. It is odd, there is no rattling, it is just a really loud fan noise/air rushing sound, and it is only on the road side of the coach. We have no problem with the volume inside the trailer while they are running or on the camp side of the trailer while they are running.



After we switched our Grand Design out for the Airstream, the first time one of our neighbors at a campground came over to talk to me about it I thought he was just being difficult until I went over there and listened, and yeah it is really loud. I believe they are built to be louder on that side, but it sounds like we are doing wind tunnel testing. I will have a look and maybe take some pictures.

[jondrew55]

Just out of curiosity, is your AC the same as mine? (See pic). I would never call them "quiet", but they are not more objectionably loud than any other ones. Certainly not like the ones in my Excursion.

Sorry for the rotated picture.

[debrik3]

I have a 2017 22 foot Sport and the A/C was so loud inside you had to shout to communicate. Even though the A/C was only 4 years old, I opted to replace it with a low profile Houghton A/C with heat pump. What a pleasure to be cool and quiet. And the heat pump does a great job on those chilly mornings.

[MemphisRebel]

Originally Posted by jondrew55

Just out of curiosity, is your AC the same as mine? (See pic). I would never call them "quiet", but they are not more objectionably loud than any other ones. Certainly not like the ones in my Excursion.

Sorry for the rotated picture.

Yep we have two of those, the Dometic Penguin low profile. As I mentioned the volume is fine inside the trailer or on the camping side, but on the street side of the trailer it is easily noticeably louder than other Dometic Penguin units that I have walked around and heard. There is no vibrating or rattling, it is just a really loud fan/rushing air sound that I imagine a wind tunnel would sound like.



Normally I wouldn't care since I am rarely over on that side of the trailer while camping, but I want to be a good neighbor and not ruin the camping experience of people who get a spot on that side of me.

[jondrew55]

Interesting. I don't find mine overly loud at all. I can't imagine what would be different about yours. I have an app for my iPhone called SPLnFFT I use for a sound meter. It would be interesting to compare the two trailers.

Originally Posted by MemphisRebel

Yep we have two of those, the Dometic Penguin low profile. As I mentioned the volume is fine inside the trailer or on the camping side, but on the street side of the trailer it is easily noticeably louder than other Dometic Penguin units that I have walked around and heard. There is no vibrating or rattling, it is just a really loud fan/rushing air sound that I imagine a wind tunnel would sound like.



Normally I wouldn't care since I am rarely over on that side of the trailer while camping, but I want to be a good neighbor and not ruin the camping experience of people who get a spot on that side of me.

[Outdoors4me]

There was a new unit (30? 33?) next to us at Traveler’s Rest last month. Its AC on the street side (which faced us) was deafening. We took the trailer to another park for a few days. When we came back, our neighbors on the other side told us it had been very loud for them, too. What’s going on here? I say, if you take it to the dealer, show them this thread for proof!

[MemphisRebel]

Thanks to all for the responses in this thread. I did download an app and take some dB readings of the AC units. For reference in distance, these were taken from the street/driver side of the trailer with the phone sitting on the window awning, so at a distance of about 5 feet or so. The Rear AC unit with compressor on was 69.3 dB and the front was 70.9 dB.



What I find really interesting is that it is both units. If it was just 1 of the 2 units it would make more sense that there is something wrong with that particular unit. They are much louder than other Penguin II's that I see walking around the park. I guess I will have to take it in to have them looked at.

[Dmccloy]

I am currently camped beside one and can’t believe how loud it is at almost 30 ft away. I found this thread looking for the reason as I thought something might be wrong with it. My unit is almost 20 years old and isn’t half this loud as this one. I will take this into consideration when looking to upgrade as it’s an embarrassing look for airstream owners.

[MemphisRebel]

Originally Posted by Dmccloy

I am currently camped beside one and can’t believe how loud it is at almost 30 ft away. I found this thread looking for the reason as I thought something might be wrong with it. My unit is almost 20 years old and isn’t half this loud as this one. I will take this into consideration when looking to upgrade as it’s an embarrassing look for airstream owners.

If by some coincidence that was me I apologize. I have had the dealer look into the issue and they called Dometic with some db ratings and I was told that it was within spec. I am not sure how that is true as I have walked multiple parks listening to Penguin II noise levels and mine seems to be louder than the rest. Coils have been cleaned, no debris blocking airflow, fans working great and everything else checked but they are still loud. It is embarrassing for sure. If we are in a tight campground I typically only run 1 even when I would normally run both as I want to be a considerate neighbor.

[Dmccloy]

Ha! That would be quite the coincidence but I doubt it was the case. We regularly camp with full hookups and rigs of all types and that was the noisiest I have encountered. I sympathize and appreciate you being concerned about it having been the recipient. Its interesting you have since observed others one aren't as loud. Sounds like Dometic and the dealer is just blowing it off when some units are experiencing this condition.