Jayco - roof top air conditioners

[Hazza00]

Hi again everyone.

Wondering how many of you who own pop-up campers (Jayco, Goldstream, Coromal or similar) have fitted roof top air conditioners?

Wanted to know specifically:

1.

[Hazza00]

oops ... pressed tab and it saved the message !

1.  If they are worthwhile ... humidity + heat in QLD is a killer for me + wife, so even if it took the edge off the heat, it's enough.
2.  If fitted to Jayco's, will the standard roof hatch be replaced ?
3.  If a Honda 20i inverter generator can run it ? (how noisy, if gennie was placed say 10m away)?
4.  If in a caravan park, will you need effectively 2 x power cables to run the A/C + rest of van ?
5.  If the extra weight on the roof (e.g. Dometic B2200) would create any long term issues ?
6.  If anyone's found a need to fit 4 x extra vertical struts next to the standard lifters to help take the weight off the winch/cables?

Keen to hear from those who have them fitted or have been in ones with A/C.  I know a few users here have them.

Thanks,
Hazza

[Joff]

Firstly, I never did this with mine but I have seen jaycos with AC.

From what I know Jayco don't allow (read - they won't do it coz it's their arse if it goes wrong) the AC to be mounted on the wind up section of the roof. They even, well at least they used to, tell you that you have to take everything off your roof racks before hoisting her up.

I have seen small AC units in the cupboard space under the kitchen that blows out into the foot way. They seem to work in mild to conditions but hi heat and esspecially high humidity overwhelms them. It is a powerfull AC unit that can handle the latent heat of FNQ or NT humidity so in my estimate any AC that you would be prepared to put on the windup section of a jayco would stuggle.

If you are talking SEQ then you will get some relief but you won't sustain tradional 'Cumfort Conditions' of 24deg 50% humidity.

The only vans I have seen that can do that are full sized, full insulated (read - no canvas, not even pop top) with powerful roof mounted AC units or domestic systems that have been fabbed into the van.

The EU20 is a quiet geni but at full load (which is what it will be on) at 10m you would get tired of it real quick

[Hazza00]

Thanks Joff.

The 2010 Jayco catalogue / models have the Dometic B2200 listed as factory fittable options, so am presuming they will make whatever mods needed for the extra weight.  I was told it's around 32kg.  We wont be fitting a Fiamma or Aussie Traveller awning, only bag awning, so hopefully weight is OK.

I saw the Honda gennie at the Sunshine Cost Caravan show in the weekend powering up a Dometic 1900 unit and it didn't sound too bad.  But at night, when it's all quiet, it's probably not something you'd want to hear - kills the serenity ! 

We also saw a camper there that had an A/C and boy was it nice inside, granted it had hard sides, but the main door was completely opened, and it was doing just fine coping and took the edge off.

We've ticked the option in our Swan OB on order.

Haz

[Joff]

We also saw a camper there that had an A/C and boy was it nice inside, granted it had hard sides, but the main door was completely opened, and it was doing just fine coping and took the edge off.

An empty camper is easy to cool even with the door open, it's when you put 4 hot bods (and I don't mean Elle and some of her mates) in there and close the door. There are two kinds of heat, sensible and latent. Latent is the sapper of AC power. it's the energy your body puts out as the sweat evaporates off you.

I'm not trying to dis the idea, just trying to say that sales tricks at the show can sometimes not show what will really happen when you are out and about.

Cheers
Joff

[flamingoose]

I have the Dometic B1900 on my Flamingo and it works a treat.
I have not run it off of my Gennie yet but not many parks will let you run A/C at night either.
It is great for cooling the van down when my 2 year old has her midday nap and it cools to a temp that would have me looking for the doona.
They are a little noisy inside on start up but woth every cent if it means you can take the family camping all through summer with little whining!

[Hazza00]

Thanks flamingoose (great nick b.t.w !) ...

We suspected there'd be many pro's and con's with this option, but figured in the end if it gave us the option of cooling + taking the edge off during the worst of it, then why not?  Would rather be in a position to use it, then to say wished we had one! 

Did the flamingo need any special roof supports or poles for the vertical lifters?  Was it factory fitted or after (did you lose the vent hatch)?  At the park, would you need to use a 2nd power cable to the trailer? (also, never knew that parks disallowed A/C at night - suppose it's too noisy) and kinda defeats / limits the use then for 'a good night's sleep' ??

Ta,
Haz

[Patr80l]

oops ... pressed tab and it saved the message !

You can click on "Modify" and change a message after posting it.

[Bushman]

We looked into the A/C thin for our Swan.

They normally use the B1900 campers as they only weigh 34kg, the B2200 usually go on full vans or pop-tops like the Expanda etc,
No you wont need an extra power lead, they simply plug to one on the existing internal power points

Yes the roof hatch is replaced by the AC, they cut the hole a little bigger, in models up to mid 09 they use a "H" frame on the roof, after that they don't due to change in roof design.

As a courtesy to others in van parks A/C general rule of thumb is they're turned off after 10pm as they can be a tad noisy.

[Hazza00]

Cheers Bushman ... to be honest, I'm not sure which model A/C is going to be fitted to ours by Jayco but thought I saw on another post an options list saying 2200 (the long wait is killing us)!  Salesman confirmed - it's the B2200 ... only 1kg difference between 1900 and 2200, but 2200 has better vent/air control + remote

Did you decide against installing one, or still deciding?  What's changed with the roof design anyway?

I saw a used Flamingo in the dealers yard with a split system mounted close to the floor on the inside, compressor on the outside on rear bumper.

I thought about getting some poles made up to put alongside the vertical lifters and take any possible strain off them for peace of mind, or not worth the bother?

Pity the std roof hatch gets removed - will lose the chimmny effect now (or are there vents you could open to achieve the same thing with the Dometic) ?  Salesman confirmed as A/C installed by Jayco, they will fit the roof hatch also.  Apparently, height of A/C will not be above roof racks either, and relocated hatch won't foul with roof racks

Haz

Patr80l - thnks for tip on post editing (never knew how to).  Need some pointers with signatures, adding pics to user profile, etc.

[Bushman]

The roof changed from 2 piece (join longways down middle) to solid 1piece

[swanbird]

We have the Dometic B1900 fitted to our Outback Swan, and had it fitted by the dealer before pickup, not factory fitted as our dealer did a better deal than the factory.

It is fitted on an aluminum H frame and goes where the original roof hatch is. At 34kg, we are on the limit for raising the roof, but as it was fitted before we took delivery, the winch is still covered under warranty.  Our dealer reinstalled the roof hatch about 20 cm behind the new a/c so we now have the best of both worlds. We originally had the Swan in QLD and it makes the canvas bed ends so much more comfortable, allowing a daytime nap if need be - we found it essential for our two year old to get to sleep.

We have run it off our Honda 2 and it does it easy - both cooling and heating, but the increase in engine revs will make you want to move the Genny after a while if you have it 10 metres from you. We only do it if we are camped somewhere with no one in close proximity. Being roof mounted, we have never had a problem with noise in a caravan park.

One thing to keep in mind, particularly in QLD, is the amount of condensate that drains from the unit when cooling on a humid day. Depending on the angle of your van, the canvas can be very wet come pack up time.

Hope this helps

[Hazza00]

Cheers swanbird ... great info., ta !

Will ask dealer to install the hatch close to the A/C if possible (don't want to lose natural convection if not using the A/C).

With the condensate, does the Dometic have a 'drain outlet' per say, where you can attach a drain flex.pipe ?

Not proposing having the A/C on all the time just to stay indoors in the CT (defeats the purpose of being outdoors!) but if its unbearable due to heat in CT, then I think the A/C will surely be a blessing, even if only to 'take some of the edge' off.  Don't have a Honda 2 yet (they're around $2K?) so guess its powered sites for the time being !
 

[GSK33]

Hi all. I've ordered a OB Swan with aircon. We hired a Hawk with the same aircon in March and found it great. B2200 is the one getting fitted to our Swan, it has the remote. It's not a full reverse cycle but a heating element of sorts? Weight is 34kg plus 6kg for the bracket. A swan can wind up 72kg on the roof. I'm getting the following bolted onto the roof.....Jayco bed fly's 8kg + aircon 40kg + kitchen awning 6kg + coolabah awning 11kg + roof rack?kg

[Hazza00]

A swan can wind up 72kg on the roof.

G'day GSK33 ... have done the same with ours.  btw, where did you get that info on max. weight of 72kg ? ... interesting

Haz

[swanbird]

Hazza00,

The condensate drain is something I am currently looking to modify. The owners manual clearly shows two exit points side by side, but when ours is in operation it seems water comes from everywhere above the compressor unit and is not funnelled into the water drains. It then justs drips on to the roof of the camper, and usually down the kitchen side windows. 

If I find a solution, I will be sure to share it here.

Regards,
Tony

[GSK33]

G'day GSK33 ... have done the same with ours.  btw, where did you get that info on max. weight of 72kg ? ... interesting

Haz

That's what my Jayco dealer told me. Hope he's right 

[Bushman]

That's what my Jayco dealer told me. Hope he's right 

I'm pretty sure max roof weight is 100kg

[JustCruzin]

We run a dometic 1900b on the roof of our pop top caravan. This keeps the van at 24 in the full sun in darwin without any problem. The 1900 is also the lightest ac out as well. but im not sure what the roof on a wind up can suport. When we fitted ours we used what they call a H frame wichthe ac id mounted through for more suport.
 

[Hazza00]

I'm pretty sure max roof weight is 100kg

... I thought that was the rating of the roof racks with roof wound down, but you still needed to unload racks before winding up   Anyways, it's a factory listed + fitted option, so Jayco can worry about it as it's warranted !

The 1900 is also the lightest ac out as well.

... read the Dometic brochure, difference between 1900 and 2200 was 1kg !

Really looking forward to some cool comfort when we're camping in sticky humid QLD outdoors (or some heat during coming winter !)

Cheers all,
Haz

[swanbird]

Unfortunately the Dometic units are not renowned for their heating ability.

They work well on the cooling cycle in the Jayco campers, but here in Victoria we have to supplement the roof top heater with an extra fan heater and doonas and it is not even the middle of winter yet.

Living in QLD you may be happy with the heating, although it can still get chilly out west abit.

Wish I had got the B2200 for the extra features, but my dealer told me it was too big for the roof of the Camper - I now find out it weighs only 1kg more   You will be very happy campers

[DANBRI]

Those roof units are quite noisy (in my opinion) and are often less effective then your regular house unit with separate head setup.

For my parents caravan, I made up a rear bar suitable to hold a house unit, then mounted the head inside. It's a 1hp job and is exceptional. It's been towed all over the country and works brilliantly, almost no noise whatsoever, even outside. I had the bar dipped in gal, looks factory. I made a white PVC cover for it in transit.

They're about to upgrade to a dual axle en suite van and we'll do the same again. The salesman are puzzled that they don't want the roof air conditioner...

A lot of caravaners have offered money for the same setup.

Just a thought. (cheaper too)

[Hazza00]

Danbri,

I suppose space + weight is a real consideration for us - saw a used Flamingo in the yard with a similar set up as you described (a household split system, mounted on the rear foot wall close to the floor, compressor on rear bumper ... Conia brand ).  Hard to imagine directional control for the vents that way, also getting to the bed end on the other side.

Mate of mine's got a roof top unit in his Jayco pop-top - he says it's very quiet.  Hmmm, NOW I'm confused !  ... anyways, committed now, no turning back.  Final paperwork was signed yesterday for options list - we're now locked and loaded !!!

... will report back to everyone once it arrives how the A/C performs (end of next month).

Haz

[Hazza00]

... will report back to everyone once it arrives how the A/C performs (end of next month).

Haz

Well, I tried it out in the weekend - was quite a hot day in Brisvegas last Sunday - I was doing stuff inside the camper (relocating my 2 x batteries to win back some space and sorting out my 12V pump priming problems) - managed to crack a sweat or two, it was hot inside the camper ... then I just plugged in the 240V cable, and switched on the A/C ...

Ahhh, heaven !!   Cool air - bl*oody awesome.  Don't let anyone tell you A/C's in canvas sided campers are a waste of time, cos' they'd be lying ...

Must try to find some cure for the condensation which drips from the roof down towards the bed end - next project !

Haz

[swanbird]

Glad to hear you are happy with the aircon. I wouldnt be without it .

If you find a solution to the water running down the canvas, please share, as it drives me nuts and makes packing up difficult as I dont like packing away damp canvas.

Tony