Just Got a 2015 Outback

JiroTX
JiroTX Member Posts: 124
in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration
I just got a 2015 Outback a couple of weeks ago. My first test camping was at Daingerfield State Park (Daingerfield, Texas). It was a heavily wooded campsite, and I did not have any issues with heat. This weekend, I went to Tyler State Park (Tyler, TX), and the site we stayed had direct sunlight to the front of the T@B in the late afternoon. With the A/C on, the inside temperature was close to 90 degrees (I got a thermostat for my a/c to automatically on/off when it reaches the temperature), and inside the fridge was about 50 degrees. Is this normal? I believe outside temp was somewhere between 95-98.

Is there anybody who has replaced the A/C unit to 8000BTU or anything bigger than the factory installed 5000BTU? I don't think 8000BTU unit would fit in the space, but maybe I will need to consider the modification. What do you guys do under the direct sunlight?

Jiro
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Comments

  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Congrats on your new Outback! I would contact your dealer. If they can't help you, then call Pleasant Valley. I had a 2014 T@b and was in Moab last summer in 100 degree weather and my a/c and fridge stayed cold.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    One issue - there's a big long thread on it - is the fridge compressor puts out a lot of heat and needs more ventilation - that heat doesn't help with the air conditioning. The factory has an exhaust/fan kit (just recently available) that they will ship you and you can either install it yourself or have a dealer do it. That issue definitely affects your AC temp but it may also be causing your internal fridge temp.
    Call your dealer or the factory, explain the issue and Ed Kaufmann (warranty guy) can get you or your dealer the kit.

    Keep us posted on how it goes.
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    Thanks Jenn. I will try to contact the dealer. Was your T@B under direct sunlight? Both A/C and fridge works fine when it is under the shade. The fridge is constantly creating a pretty high heat (sink and inside the cabinet under the sink are pretty hot).
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    Yeah, I had no shade, whatsoever. It was hot, lol.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    PX, I just read the thread about the fridge heat issue. I will ask my dealer and see what they can do. It's 4h30m away from here, so I will have to plan a trip or schedule it with a closer dealership.

    Thanks
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    JiroTX - Or, if you're handy (or a friend is), you could just get the kit from the factory and install it yourself. That's what I'm gonna do.
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  • Rad
    Rad Member Posts: 516
    Did you have the fan when you ran the AC.  Ya know, the rocker switch next to the AC.

    Did you have a 30amp connection?
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  • Rad
    Rad Member Posts: 516
    BTW. Welcome.  I love the looks of the Outbacks
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    Red, yes and yes, I did have the AC fan running and on a 30 amp connection. I will contact the dealer and see what they can do. With the direct sunlight, the whole kitchen was extremely hot. Even inside the top cabinet (the one above the kitchen) was hot, too.

    Thanks!
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    My dealer's service is closed today....
    I just looked at the vent under the fridge. To me, it looks like it is closed. Is everyone's vent closed like this?




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  • bgualtieri
    bgualtieri Member Posts: 272
    That's a good question!!  I will have to go look (2015 Max-s)
    2015 T@b S Max | 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | was PHX East Valley, now Dallas!
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    What do you mean by closed - seems I can see the mesh down through the slots.
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    The slots above the mesh are wide open, but the ones under the mesh are blocking the vent I think. I just thought those should look like the ones above.
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ahhhh - may have to crawl underneith and see what it looks like. Mine's probably clogged with dust from all the rural roads I've been on.
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  • manny
    manny Member Posts: 108
    hI, Jirotex,  under the tab is a cover  for that vent hole...  same cover  on the driver side for the gray tank vent .. I didn`t have a s model..  It`s open not blocked.. Manny.. 2015 L-max
    2017  T@B CS-S Max ...  2020 Honda Ridgeline RTL-E
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  • pprater123
    pprater123 Member Posts: 6
    Our tab had a big gap where refrigerator  was not installed  properly.  All the hot air was coming inside.  I took it back and they  raised it. There is a vent on outside of trailer.
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I found that the gap above allows for a little flexing of the camper without the fridge hitting the cabinet wood. About the heat - have you seen the thread about the fridge heat solution? The factory has come up with a fan kit that either you or your dealer can install to help exhaust the heat out that side vent. It's free. Just ask your dealer (or call the factory) ask for the Norcold exhaust fan kit.
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  • JustJohn
    JustJohn Member Posts: 171
    Does anyone know if the factory is installing the kit on new T@Bs to deal with the heat issue?
    2016 Outback.....North East N.C...... Former 2012 Silver Shadow
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    They will be Just John. I don't know when they started, but rest assured they started soon after the figured out what they needed. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    Ok, I have tested without the fridge running. I left the T@B under direct sunlight with A/C running all afternoon (12-5pm). Here is the results. Temperature inside the T@B was about 85F. I think the fridge still needs to have an extra fan since it heats up the area and have the vent open under the mesh screen, but inside my T@B was pretty hot without it (still cooler than outside). Outside temp was around 98F. I left all window shades closed (kept inside dark).

    I will call my dealer tomorrow.

    wall next to the A/C unit

    dinette


    outside (the front part of T@B)


    counter top


    on the table



    kitchen window


    cabinet over the kitchen


    A/C blowing pretty cool air


    fridge was off


    table


    right next to a/c with thermostat


    right above the passenger side window



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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876

    JiroTX, you're having entirely too much fun with that temperature gauge !  Good documentation.

    Sometimes I don't really want to know what the exact temp is......like the night it got down to 47* inside my Silver Shadow.....I don't want to know how accurate it was.

    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • jdargis
    jdargis Member Posts: 305
    I hate to say, if you look into most articles related to RV air conditioning, the best mean temperature drop on a unit will be 15 to 20 degrees to the outside temperature.  So at 100 degrees, the best you will get will be 80 degrees, until the exterior temperature drops.  Unfortunately, you are near these temperature differences.  There might not be anything wrong.
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    After seeing all those, I'm feeling pretty good about my air - 91 outside and 68 on the back bench. Not so comfy by the front counter but I don't take my nap up there :-)
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    PX, 68 sounds really nice. I was unable to nap in it because of the heat. Like jdargis says, my A/C probably is working properly. It is blowing pretty cool air. I guess I just have to make a cover with bubble wrap insulation or something and carry that with me. For the heat from fridge, I will call the dealer and see if they can send the fan to me. I will also try to remove the cover (with the mesh screen) and see if I can open up the vent slots.
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  • JiroTX
    JiroTX Member Posts: 124
    I called the dealer and was told they were booked up for another 4 weeks and wouldn't be able to take a look at it until August. I just emailed the factory. Hopefully, they can send a fan to me.

    If what jdargis is saying is correct, what does everyone do when it is hot outside (or it is 85-90F inside)?
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Sulk
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  • jdargis
    jdargis Member Posts: 305
    Shade makes a big difference, not a lot you can do if exposed camping.  Are you opening your top vent an inch or two, don't run the fantastic fan, doesn't seem to help and also seems to pull the refrigerator heat into the unit, if running the fan.  This works best for me, it seems to press the hot air out of the unit.  Not a lot of things worked until sunset, when we camped at Zion.  Was over 100 when we set up camp and I was trying everything to cool the trailer down.

    Car repair places, sometimes check the air conditioner at the vents with a set of temperatures given by the manufacturer, possibly you could contact another dealer
    with your temperature readings at the airconditioner vent and they can confirm that it is within the specs.  

    Or maybe someone on the forum can confirm the same vent temperature.  Worth a shot.
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  • bgualtieri
    bgualtieri Member Posts: 272
    More or less what jdargis said. Here in AZ with temps >100° it is hard to cool the unit down, especially if it started out hot - like when we picked it up from the storage place and towed it straight to camp. It is cooler in the back, away from the galley (we have a T@b S) and we did crack the fantastic fan to vent the warm air. Up to the low 90s we did great. After cooling overnight it stayed cool (with AC) all the next day.  Still better than tent coming though! Last year we wouldn't have considered tent camping until at least October!
    2015 T@b S Max | 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | was PHX East Valley, now Dallas!
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Head for cooler temps (mountains) or a nice cool bar.
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  • sabel
    sabel Member Posts: 283
    The high in Wyoming Bighorns this weekend is 51. Heat will also be an issue.
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