Effective cooling of CoolCat unit in T@B 400?

cyclekarma

Hello all,
Has anyone out there had any experience with cooling their T@B 400 trailer in the hot southern summer?  We live in Texas where daytime temps in the summer exceed 90 degrees for most of the day; my husband and I wonder if the CoolCat A/C unit will be able to cool the trailer very well.  I may have missed something but there only appears to be 3 vents in the trailer and 2 of them are near the floor in the dining area.  Any feedback out there?  Thanks!

JonNLeslie

Today was in the high 80’s and the T@B could only cool down to 75 degrees with the AC on all day. Not great but tolerable.

cyclekarma

Thanks JonNLeslie!  We don't plan to be staying indoors but it would be great if we knew we had a place to cool off when it's sweltering outside!

LSkrabut

I have turned my 400 AC on in the high 90's and it cool down to a comfortable level, but did not check inside temps. This was with the fan on auto. Being in Utah around 5k' but bright sunlight too. Shame this was only in my driveway while cleaning and prepping the T@B....

Mouseketab

I have a CoolCat in my 2007 T@B and I can get it cold enough to hang meat in there. I know they have vented it differently in the 400, but I really think you will be fine.

driftless

We turned on the air in our 400 about 3pm yesterday with temps pushing 90 and high humidity. By early evening, the 400 was cooled to a comfortable 75 degree temperature.   

miva717

hello I experienced the same issue was able to cool my 400 to 77 degrees on 90 degrees humid day 

Ratkity

I think most "window unit" type A/C's that are 110V are good for cooling down 20F from outside temps. That was my rule-of-thumb in the house. I wasn't sure about the Cool Cats though. Even though they are heat pumps, I guess they may operate on the same principle as window units.

cyclekarma

Thanks for all the great feedback!  

1222tmiller

I watch a couple on YouTube and they say if they cover the windows and they don't have any problems, but with the windows uncovered, the greenhouse effect is too much for the AC to keep up with.

Sharon_is_SAM

@1222tmiller, with what do they cover their windows?

cyclekarma

All the windows have privacy shades with a shiny metal side that faces the exterior/outward; perhaps this would do the trick!  @1222tmiller  which couple are you referring to?  Renee

Sharon_is_SAM

I think that our Tab AC units do a reasonable job of cooling/dehumidifying depending on the existing conditions.  Due to limited insulation, it really helps to keep them shaded (canopy, solar shade cloth, trees, etc), keep the windows closed with some type of reflective, insulated shades,  and when not in use cracking the windows and vent fan to encourage air flow.  It is not going to feel as dry as a house, still comfortable.  Also, start the cooling process early.  If you let the entire trailer absorb heat, it takes a lot longer to cool down.  

Mouseketab

SAM said:

 Also, start the cooling process early.  If you let the entire trailer absorb heat, it takes a lot longer to cool down.  

My CoolCat is one of the first things turned on after I plug in at the campground. I leave the fan running on low "on" and then let the compressor do it's thing turning on and off. For one thing, leaving the fan on, you don't have the jolt of the noise difference.

pingnc

We just returned from a week and had the AC on for the last three days.  Cooled down to low 70's with outside in the high 80's low 90's.  It seemed to cycle on and off very frequently.  What have others found on how often the AC comes on?  We had the fan on Auto.

redshadow

I’m in central Texas right now in my Tab 400. According to all the info on this unit, when you’re in high humidity set it on high and what temp you want. As stated in other posts, the cooling part will cycle on and off but motor continues to run, as well as turn it on as early in the day as possible. Since the evening is not cooling down and heat wave is in full forth, my AC runs all night this way. During the hottest part of the day, it stays around 78-81 depending if I close the shades that’s facing the sun. But the morning and after lunch, it keeps it around 73-75. Also since the controls are right at the door, it will read hotter. I had place a separate temp gauge towards the back to get a better reading.  I also have small fans to circulate the air inside. There are times that it gets very cold since I have it on very early in the morning, so I am always adjusting the temp in the morning or go outside to warm up and have a cup of coffee. I hope this helps.

riooso

Just today I wanted to see how my 2018  T@B 400 system would do. The 400 was in direct sunlight and, today where I live in California, it reached 102 F with at "feel reel" of 107. I started the unit at around 1:30 this afternoon when the temp was about 95 degrees. Opened the top vent and ran it on low for about 15 minutes then left it open for 15 more minutes to allow the heat to escape out the top. All the drapes were drawn. As the day went on the temperature kept dropping although the outside temperature was climbing. In a couple of hours the temperature measured at the sink dropped to 80 degrees with the outside temp at 100 but sitting at the table the temp at the vent temperatures were at 60 which made it very comfortable. By the time it reached 102 at around 4 o'clock the inside temp was around 73 but all the surfaces below the sink were measuring 65 degrees with the vents putting our 49 degree air. Hope that helps. I feel very good about the way it preformed and since I spend a lot of time in the desert I am very happy with these results. Love my T@B!

1222tmiller

cyclekarma said:

All the windows have privacy shades with a shiny metal side that faces the exterior/outward; perhaps this would do the trick!  @1222tmiller  which couple are you referring to?  Renee

Sorry, I can't remember, but they do outdoor sun shade that they can take off the prop-up bar and they lay over the window on the outside when out for the day.  When they are in the camper, they put the prop-up bar in place so they can look out the window, but get some shade too.  Not even sure it was a Tab. I watch 3 or 4 youtube channels on camping. 

Drewcarrie

Anyone try ac at higher elevation? Oh and here’s the big question, generator powered!!! Off grid style of camping.
im finding that I will have to get two 2000 suitcases to power this thing. That’s another $1700 
Works great in driveway for cleaning after a trip

Tundra57

A 2200 Genny will run the AC if you fit a soft capacitor start. There are a few tabbers who did this including me. I use a Honda inverter 2800i.

Also my 2019 tab was in full sun all day in PA. Outside temp max 90. Inside was so cold it felt like I could hang meat. I had to adjust a floor vent to blow up toward the thermostat as it's by the door and it's really hot there. So coolcat was running all the time.

jameskuzman

I realize that the climate in Ohio, even in the summertime, isn't the same as it is in the south (I lived in Central Florida for 12 years!), but we do get spells of temperatures in the upper 80's and low 90's with very high humidity. 

Last summer, our 2019 400 was sitting in our concrete driveway in full sun with the shades open and windows closed. The outdoor temperature was 88 degrees and the humidity was very high. The temperature inside the camper was 95 degrees as indicated by the digital thermometer that came in the welcome pack installed at eye level between the wardrobe and bathroom doors. I turned the A/C on Auto, set the target temperature for 68 degrees, and 45 minutes later, the digital thermometer read 68 degrees - a 27 degree Fahrenheit change from where I started inside the camper, and 20 degrees cooler than it was outside. It was also comfortably de-humidified. 

Because of its location near the door and because it can be influenced by cold air from the floor vent near the door, the Dometic thermostat and its thermometer really can't be relied upon to be accurate enough to deliver results that correspond to how we "feel." 72 degrees might feel warm to some people; others might find 72 too cold; but almost everyone knows what 72 feels like to *them*. 

This is why I installed the separate thermometer where I did - because it's at a height and in a location more representative of where an occupant of the camper might actually be. 

My advice is to set the thermostat to whatever value you think will be comfortable and adjust from there, but don't get hung up on the number. If 70 feels warm, turn it down. If 75 feels cool, turn it up.