I know we are going into winter but planning out the spring projects. I have 2 Dometic Penguins. One is inoperable. Most of the posts have replaced theirs with newer Dometic AC or heat pump.

What about Coleman? Seems I can not find any reviews of an of the units. I'd love to hear opinions because I have to replace. Thinking maybe I can find a deal in the off season

quote:

Originally posted by Dana:


What about Coleman? Seems I can not find any reviews of an of the units. I'd love to hear opinions because I have to replace.

Over 30 years of RV'ing,I've had both Coleman and Dometic, and all were fine. However, I prefer Dometic because of three speeds instead of Coleman's two speeds.

In high temp and humidity, both will ice up on low. Neither will ice up on high, but high is noisy. The medium speed of Dometic prevents icing and is quieter.

That is the only difference I have experienced.

Dana,
If you decide to replace your AC's, please keep in mind that most of the parts on those are no longer available and desirable by those who still have them. I, for one, would like to get ahold of the control boards (there are two in the units) out of one of them....

Are you talking about basement units?

Mine are rooftop and I replaced both on our Royale with Coleman units. They are a little noisy but they were cheap....we don't live in ours....we aren't full-timing like a lot of people. I got a 13.5 and a 15.0 both with heatstrips for about $1200 total on sale. I then turned around and sold both of my still operative, 15 year old units for $275 each on Craigslist...these are SOOOOO easy to install....took about 4 hours start to finish with my 3, 4, and 5 year old sons helping...in other words, two guys could probably do it in 2 hours at best...

I was a little leary of my old units and it worked out great...this might be a good time of year to find A/C units on sale....I got mine on EBAY with free shipping....

Despite the fact that I am OK with their air conditioners, most Coleman products are generic Chinese products with a Coleman decal stuck on it and no parts support whatsoever.

This is not aimed at Coleman in particular, as many formerly great companies have gone this way.

Not only their new products. Remember the old classic lanterns that run on liquid fuel? Like the one I got from Dad (a 1963 model) or my "new" one purchased in 1985 along with the stove that still works? Those things were too well made to sell in today's throwaway economy. Seems that propane has taken over. My old lantern will run for a week on $10 worth of naptha, the propane model for 2 days, with numerous empty bottles left.

Try getting parts, prices are through the roof and less available, the mantles have toxic warnings all over the package. (Yeah, I know thorium isn't good for you, but who the heck would eat a mantle?)

Besides cleaning fins and oiling fan motors is any maintenance required on the roof AC units? I just covered mine up for the winter.

My electronic board is out on my living area Penguin so my thought is to keep the usable parts to keep my bedroom unit working as long as I can.

I had not realized the Coleman only has 2 speeds. I do usually run the unit on medium. I will watch for deals over the winter.

Thanks

Our Breakaway has two Duo-Therm Dometics-- the rear system had a control panel failure so we took it to an RV service center in Peoria Az. The fellow was VERY positive about the Duo-Therms, his opinion was that they were one of or the best unit ever made-- much better than the new units. So we will be installing a new control unit together with the new receiver unit in the system on the roof. My understanding is that they will use 5 of the 9 wires of the existing wire harness to allow the new controller to run the A/C unit.
As I like the idea of fixing things rather than just throwing them out (unless there there is no other practical solution)I am looking forward to seeing how this works out.

Bud

We had the same failure of the control on the Penguin. My local RV center ordered the new system and installed it. The only issue I have is the controlntakes about 3-5 minutes to sense the temp and start the unit. The old one started up as soon as it was turned on.

quote:

Originally posted by Tom K:
We had the same failure of the control on the Penguin. My local RV center ordered the new system and installed it. The only issue I have is the controlntakes about 3-5 minutes to sense the temp and start the unit. The old one started up as soon as it was turned on.

From what I had read a while ago most had replaced their Penguins because the control board was no longer available.

Tom seems like you are saying there is an option to replace with a new control unit? How much are we talking to do that? Any more details

Bud sounds like this is what you are doing also. Any details would be much appreciated. I would rather fix than replace if I still have a serviceable unit without spending replacement cost.

When I took it in I was told the old control unit was NLA but a new digital unit was. It consisted of changing the Control on the wall and the board in the unit itself. It was described with a number D3307713010 "Dometic Wall Thermostat Kit, existing A/C must be upgraded to 5-Button Comfort Control System, which includes T-Stat, Control Board, Cables and Relay". On the bill is was $319.95, plus labor of $195.00

Dana
Will let you know how much the procedure costs us.I'm expecting around what Tom's cost were-- only difference I see so far is that we are planing to use the existing wires from the control unit to the roof -- so maybe less cost but potentially more labour-- but maybe offset by not having to "fish" a new cable through the ceiling.
Bud
PS schedule is tentatively late this week.

As far as I know the cables were adapters from the T-Stat to the existing cables. They did not indicate they had to change the long cables. BTW we left the bedroom unit alone as it was still working, so far no problems.

Up-Date: had the retrofit done today at KiSS RV in Peoria. Parts $288.65 plus $26 Tax and an hour and a half labour-- Total $450
The kit has all the cable adapters so that in a sense it is just plug and play, but a little too many cables and re-plugging for electrical neophyte DYI'er like myself.
So cross the fingers and hope that the rest of the system has many more hours left in it.

Bud