A/C not as cold as expected - Escape Trailer Owners Community
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×

Go Back   Escape Trailer Owners Community > Escape Tech > Problem Solving | Owners helping each other
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-30-2015, 04:37 PM   #1
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
A/C not as cold as expected

Hello all,
We have the A/C option installed in our 19' and are currently in northern Utah and heading south through Arizona. We have had it in use for a few days and are surprised that it doesn't cool as well as we thought it would. The thermostat for the furnace reads 85 and we have had the air on for hours. We are concerned about this as we anticipate temps in the 100's as we continue south.

I'm on my phone and unable to search the forum thoroughly so I apologize if this has been discussed on another thread. Anyone who has any ideas on how to keep the trailer cool?

Thanks
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 04:42 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
I turn my thermostat down to 78, it takes awhile running. These units are only good for about 20-25 degree differential, so in 100 degree weather do not expect to get much lower than 75, it will however remove the humidity as evidenced by the liquid going down the trailer side. If you have the EMS option make sure it is operating, if you leave the cg and the voltage drops, it will shut off the electric to protect your a/c, good to have in the summer. Do you have the smaller 9200 Coleman or the larger 11,000 unit?
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 04:59 PM   #3
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Thanks for the quick reply. It is about 97 where we are today so we are getting about a 10 degree differential based on the temperature at our thermostat so that is less than what it sounds like you get.

We have the 11000 Dometic that was installed by ETI when we purchased used and not installed during initial manufacturing. We do not have the digital thermostat. I'm not sure it is tied to the manual thermostat but turned it all the way down to test.

We thought we would be frozen with such a large unit.
__________________
2011 19' Escape
2004 4Runner
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:05 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Central, Pennsylvania
Trailer: Escape#5 2022 E19
Posts: 26,268
Your wall thermostat is for the furnace and should be off. Your a/c thermostat is on the ceiling on the unit itself. You have a fan control and a cooling control. While running if your turn down the thermostat on the unit, you should here the compressor kick in, the lights will dim a little also. this is normal and the compressor will cycle on and off as it try to cool the interior.
__________________
Jim
Sometime life gets in the way of living.......
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:08 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
BCnomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
See if circulating the inside air via your MaxxFan (mine can be used as a ceiling fan) helps.

I found for mine, I had to have the "temp dial" at least at the mid point for the (relatively cooler) pre-summer temps I ran into, maybe 25C or what, 80F?

PS good points Jim.
BCnomad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:44 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,948
Quote:
Originally Posted by bshbros View Post
Thanks for the quick reply. It is about 97 where we are today so we are getting about a 10 degree differential based on the temperature at our thermostat so that is less than what it sounds like you get.

We have the 11000 Dometic that was installed by ETI when we purchased used and not installed during initial manufacturing. We do not have the digital thermostat. I'm not sure it is tied to the manual thermostat but turned it all the way down to test.

We thought we would be frozen with such a large unit.
That somewhat surprises me. We have the 11,000 BTU Dometic in our 5.0TA and in 88 degree Farenheit temps in Huntsville, AL, the A/C is blowing us out of the trailer. The digital thermostat is set for 76 degrees and is definitely providing adequate cooling, both during the day and at night. Being a Florida resident, I was concerned that an 11,000 BTU unit would be inadequate, but I am now convinced a 13,500 BTU would be overkill.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:45 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
kstock11's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Trailer: 2014 Escape 19
Posts: 895
FYI, in our trip through Utah last June, we had temperatures around 104 during the day. The AC had no problem keeping our 19' in the high 70's or less. This is with the 11,000 Dometic. Definitely something does not sound right.
__________________
Kevin
Thanks to the interstate highway system, it is now possible to travel across the country from coast to coast without seeing anything - Charles Kuralt
kstock11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:49 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Dave Walter's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 2013 19' & 2013 15B
Posts: 2,634
We had temperatures in the 110°F range in Zion last year in mid-July and the air conditioner had no difficulties keeping the temperature to where we were too cold in our 19'.
__________________
2013 19' \ 2013 15B, 2020 Toyota 4Runner TRD Offroad

"It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it." - 1907, Maurice Switzer
Dave Walter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:53 PM   #9
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCnomad View Post
See if circulating the inside air via your MaxxFan (mine can be used as a ceiling fan) helps.

I found for mine, I had to have the "temp dial" at least at the mid point for the (relatively cooler) pre-summer temps I ran into, maybe 25C or what, 80F?

PS good points Jim.
Will give running the MaxxFan a try. We will try anything at this point. We have had the "temp dial" at the coolest setting and it doesn't seem to have much of an impact.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 05:56 PM   #10
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by ice-breaker View Post
We had temperatures in the 110°F range in Zion last year in mid-July and the air conditioner had no difficulties keeping the temperature to where we were too cold in our 19'.
Based on that info, and the fact that is where we are headed, there is a problem with the unit. Unless you consider 85 too cold
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:01 PM   #11
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Your wall thermostat is for the furnace and should be off. Your a/c thermostat is on the ceiling on the unit itself. You have a fan control and a cooling control. While running if your turn down the thermostat on the unit, you should here the compressor kick in, the lights will dim a little also. this is normal and the compressor will cycle on and off as it try to cool the interior.
Wall thermostat is off.

Dial is set to coldest setting though we have turned it up and down to try and get it to cool down.

The air just never gets as cool as I think it should given the size of the unit and such a small space.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:07 PM   #12
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
That somewhat surprised me. We have the 11,000 BTU Dometic in our 5.0TA and in 88 degree Farenheit temps in Huntsville, AL, the A/C is blowing us out of the trailer. The digital thermostat is set for 76 degrees and is definitely providing adequate cooling, both during the day and at night. Being a Florida resident, I was concerned that an 11,000 BTU unit would be inadequate, but I am now convinced a 13,500 BTU would be overkill.
That's what we thought we would be getting with 11000 btu's. I know we're from Washington but I'm originally from Georgia and my wife is from New York so we know what warm weather is.

Based on all the input, there must be an issue with the unit.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:22 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Allendale, New Jersey
Trailer: 19' towed by a 4Runner
Posts: 251
Cleaned the filter?
GRINGOandTICA is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:27 PM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by GRINGOandTICA View Post
Cleaned the filter?
Inside filter is spotless. I looked through the manual but don't know if there is an external filter that may need cleaning. The unit is just over a month old.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:27 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
BCnomad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: O town, British Columbia
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21 "Lightning"
Posts: 1,467
Opened the vents into the cabin? (ask me how I know)


Windows shut, vents shut, range hood closed?
BCnomad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:33 PM   #16
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by BCnomad View Post
Opened the vents into the cabin? (ask me how I know)


Windows shut, vents shut, range hood closed?
You got me. How do you know?

We have had everything closed while its running.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 06:47 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
C&G in FL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA (Little Elsie) Extensively Personalized
Posts: 2,948
Quote:
Originally Posted by bshbros View Post
You got me. How do you know?

We have had everything closed while its running.
I think the vents being referenced by Bruce are the four directional vents on the lower shroud of the A/C unit. They pop open. I have three of them open but the fourth, which directs air toward the refrigerator is closed because it is rather close to the cabinetry.
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
C&G in FL is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 07:00 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Missoula, Montana
Trailer: Escape 19, 2018: Last Best Escape
Posts: 395
On our A/C, there's a fan side of the switch [gray] and an A/C side of the switch [blue]. I made the mistake of using the fan side at first. Then I fgured out that it wasn't cooling so I moved the switch to the other side. Is that like yours? Or only on later models?
__________________
2018 Escape 19: Last Best Escape
2015 Escape 19 (previous): Escape Goats
2011 Escape 17 (previous): SittEscape

Honda Pilot 2019
ksitte is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 07:12 PM   #19
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by ksitte View Post
On our A/C, there's a fan side of the switch [gray] and an A/C side of the switch [blue]. I made the mistake of using the fan side at first. Then I fgured out that it wasn't cooling so I moved the switch to the other side. Is that like yours? Or only on later models?
That is the same as our unit. We have it on the blue side. The air is cool but definitely doesn't freeze us out of the trailer.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-30-2015, 07:15 PM   #20
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Seattle, Washington
Trailer: 2011 19' Escape
Posts: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by C&G in FL View Post
I think the vents being referenced by Bruce are the four directional vents on the lower shroud of the A/C unit. They pop open. I have three of them open but the fourth, which directs air toward the refrigerator is closed because it is rather close to the cabinetry.
We have tired all configurations to no avail. It does blow cold air but when it has been on for hours and the thermometer on the furnace thermostat reads 85 I just have to believe it should get cooler.
bshbros is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off




» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Escape Trailer Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2023 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.