New Member query: how cold is the CS-S A/C in true summer heat?

IainSargent

Greetings all, glad to be here!  
A little history, my history is tent camping, but I’m finally lining up to camp by travel trailer RV.  And I am entranced with the intelligence of design of the 2018 CS-S, especially with the “boondocked” options.    I promised my girlfriend I will make her coffee, OUTSIDE, in Any kind of weather!  
So, here’s my query:  It gets extremely hot in the Texas Hillcountry, ie. Austin, such that within this Memorial Day week, we are expecting 4 days to surpass 100 degrees.  I wonder if the T@B CS-S A/C is sufficient for the brutal summers here? 

While tent camping, I even built a stand with wheels, to duct-tape in a window unit A/C into my tent!  But even so I stopped tent camping past about April, some time ago, cause it didn’t work that well.  So, I am sincerely in search of a cooling A/C method while camping, preemptively, in the CS-S, to lower the temps even to 65-70 degrees while it’s 100 outside, if possible.  

We rented the T@B 320 in March. Admittedly i may not have activated the circumferential fan right, but it definitely did not cool down very much, and it was only in the 80’s that weekend.
I would appreciate any feedback experience wisdom and science about this issue!  Cause it’s a big deal to me; thanks SO much for your help. 

Verna

Welcome.  I do admit to not camping in my T@B in Texas in mid summer, but I have camped in Ohio and Indiana in mid summer with temps in the upper 90’s, and the accompanying high humidity. 

I always keep the roof fan vent open, without the fan turned on. Then one or both side windows are secured in the first locking position that keeps the window open about an inch. And don’t forget to turn the switch on for the auxiliary A/C Fan. 

By keeping the roof vent open, the side window(s) cracked, and the auxiliary fan on, you are helping the natural convection of air to move around the interior, making it feel cooler. 

Tabaz

Dale and another member came up with a clever way to keep the hot exhaust air from mixing with the cool intake air. It requires two of those expandable clear plastic vent covers. I believe someone said that mod makes the A/C run cooler.

DougH

Perusing this forum, a few folks have also replaced their Danby stock ACs.  The manual says around 5000 Btu / 4.8A / 530 Watts but my unit pulls a little less than that. Tonight when it was 95F and all buttoned up, I could only get the inside down to 79F.  A stronger Frigidaire or something might help you out in the Austin area?

Sharon_is_SAM

Consider putting a canopy over the top of the Tab to reflect the sun/heat and take advantage of any shade.  Plan to camp at higher elevations.

jkjenn

My experience in Utah was that it held it's own until it got above 95 degrees. I also found that it cooled quickly after the sun went down. 

JanandDave

@Tabaz, We now own that "other member's" T@B and it has the plastic expandable vents which are attached with magnets when at the campsite. They work great.  Just be sure to remove them before traveling. The T@B gets very cold and we have never turned on that auxiliary A/C fan.

I will add that the former owner upgraded our A/C unit to a newer digitally controlled one with remote control, though I am assuming the BTUs are similar.

DougH

There's foil strips on ours to help push the heat straight out the center, but there's still some mixing of the exhaust heat into the intake air without the redirection covers.

rkj__

That heat map is very illustrative.  Thanks for sharing.

Tabaz

Thanks for posting the photos.  The A/C is made for a typical installation in a window where the vents on the side take in cool air and the rear exhausts the hot.  Because the A/C is in an enclosed cabinet, mixing of the two may occur.

DougH

It no doubt varies between models and year of production, but on ours I took a series of stable interior cabin temperature measurements under very similar weather conditions, with and without the deflectors. .. and they didn't help us... ours already had foil airflow separators.

Sharon_is_SAM

@DougH, which A/C do you have, Frigidaire or Danby?  

rkj__

DougH said:

It no doubt varies between models and year of production, but on ours I took a series of stable interior cabin temperature measurements under very similar weather conditions, with and without the deflectors. .. and they didn't help us... ours already had foil airflow separators.

Interesting.  Thanks for sharing your experience. 

DougH

@SAM, I have the Danby.  That unit ranges from 350-550W (not the most powerful window A/C). Every once in a while when the compressor first kicks on it can pull 16A! before settling back to 3-5A depending on how hard it has to work.  Might be tempting to go up to an 8000 BTU unit someday... but that would eat up a solar battery bank even faster.  But as you suggest, finding some shade or friendlier weather conditions helps a lot. 

Sharon_is_SAM

We have a 2017 Tab with the Danby.  Just wanted to make sure we had the foil deflectors in place.

IainSargent

Thanks forum for giving me more insight about these little window units and how to fine-tune them for more cool.
 We have been accruing information on different RV forms and appliances to be fully knowledgable before taking the plunge.
Thing is here in the Hillcountry only the A/C makes summers livable and unless it has possibility of getting ice-hold we won’t be camping.  
So, i am supposing that somehow I must get a regular-sized RV A/C installed on the roof of this structure, even though i hear the T@B roof is not strong enough to hold it up?  
Not sure I’m understanding why i can’t install a: 13500 BTU 90 pound A/C in the roof of a CS-S T@B. Then I can select Hi when connected to ShorePower, and Low when/if boon docking.  

Tabaz

Here is a link with a photo of a roof mounted A/C.  Note the sag.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/248/aftermarket-airconditioner-for-2014-t-b

rkj__

Tabaz said:

Here is a link with a photo of a roof mounted A/C.  Note the sag.

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/248/aftermarket-airconditioner-for-2014-t-b

That poor T@b!

DougH

Frigidaire also has a newer series of 6000 BTU small models that are more efficient (12.2-12.3 EER / Energy Star) that still only use 4.8A.  20% more cooling for $200. We're budgeting a trip to Home Depot in a few weeks.

Verna

@DougH, look for one that has an “Eco Mode”.  This allows the entire A/C unit to turn off when it is done cooling, rather than running continuously 24/7.

IainSargent

https://www.amazon.com/Frigidaire-FFRE0633S1-Window-Mounted-Mini-Compact-Full-Function/dp/B01B4XUPYC/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_dz_U_P9weBb1X25QNK_tt

I think i’m seeing the light!  Hope this link above works; the Amazon reviews and descriptions look pretty great and applicable. Like: Remote sensing to the remote control; easily and quickly cools down 150sqft; 48lb etc.  This is also answering other questions, that if still not COLD Enough, could Perhaps go to 8000 BTU’s though this should be sufficient, and they do always get heavier and larger.  
So, I just need to find out what is the maximum size of A/C can fit into the wall of the CS-S and still work like they designed it to work, ie. to include that exterior fan to improve airflow and cooling!   And find the perfect A/C for the slot and capacities. 

manny

I checked that unit to ….It`s to wide  for the opening, might to  to modify opening    good luck let us know if it fits..   no way a 8000 btu will fit also

DougH

According to Amazon's answered questions, that 633S1 is:
  18.5” (wide) x15.5” (deep) x13.4” (high)
... whereas the Danby trim opening is:
   16" (wide) x 11" (high) with depth to front of 15.5"
...so yes the trim that separates the inner and outer cycles would have to be opened up quite a bit.  Maybe one of the gurus on the forum who have replaced their A/C already can say whether the main box is big enough for the 18.5x13.4.  I haven't taken off the interior trim or measured the external vent to check.  Cannot block the side intake vents on the exterior half so supporting box and exterior vent better be at least 20" wide.  We loved the picture of the unique sagging roof approach.

IainSargent

<see below>   Ok, right, so I hear that: 'Most 5,000-BTU air conditioners use 5 amps, and when plugged into a 110-volt outlet, the unit uses 550 watts.’  So that would make your unit up to a 5000 BTU unit.  
Sounds like the 6000 BTU machines will cool down up to 250sqft, very efficiently, and the Friedrich sure looks sweet, if pricey.  Although that and the 8000BTU model only cool down from 115degrees F... so shade might be essential.  Like a tarp put up over one’s teardrop in severe conditions. 

DougH said:

@SAM, I have the Danby.  That unit ranges from 350-550W (not the most powerful window A/C). Every once in a while when the compressor first kicks on it can pull 16A! before settling back to 3-5A depending on how hard it has to work.  Might be tempting to go up to an 8000 BTU unit someday... but that would eat up a solar battery bank even faster.  But as you suggest, finding some shade or friendlier weather conditions helps a lot. 

Tabnero

we are down the road from you in the Hill country and have been in some very hot weather with the T@b cs-s. The directional air deflectors help, being in the sade or creating shade if you need to will help. We cooled down in 107 degree heat a few years ago in Carlsbad NM. so you will be fine with the factory ac

IainSargent

Sounds good!  I have a cousin who lives 5 minutes away from the entrance to Carlsbad caverns.  But it’s alot drier there..  Once it was 100 and it felt like Austin’s 90!   However I appreciate your hopeful experience.  Sounds like it’s doable. 

rcarlson1957

DougH said:

Frigidaire also has a newer series of 6000 BTU small models that are more efficient (12.2-12.3 EER / Energy Star) that still only use 4.8A.  20% more cooling for $200. We're budgeting a trip to Home Depot in a few weeks.