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Topic: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC (Read 904 times) previous topic - next topic

BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

can anyone point me to the best place to buy a new or reconditioned 13.5 or 15,000 BTU Penguin air conditioner by Dometic with heat strip, needed for a  1994 U280 Special Edition
Richard Beach  [ipatch]
1994 U280 Special Edition Wide Body
300 Cummins 6 speed Allison w/retarder
1999 Isuzu VehiCross 4x4
''The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page''
''The best design is the simplist design that works'' Albert Einstein

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #1 –
I bought a new bedroom unit from a local dealer in Oklahoma City. I researched pricing on the net and I think PPL had the best price. I took that price to the dealer and he met it.

To save a few bucks If your old heat strip is working, just get a straight air conditioner. The old heat strip is easily transferred to the new unit. The bad new is that you have to purchase a new digital thermostat and controller and wiring adapter, an addition $400, for any of the new units. You also will need to have 12V wiring at the thermostat location to make it work. I had the dealer set the unit on the roof and then my son and I wired it using most of the old oem wiring. I spent about $1400 with me doing most of the labor. The unit itself was only $675 for a 13.5. If the labor charge from the dealer for full installation is under $200, I would have them do it the next time.

If you are replacing your front unit remember it is a 15,000 btu where the rear one is 13,500. The new air Penguins are much noisier than the original ones. I may consider a different brand when I have to replace the front air. If anyone has used an alternative brand, I would be interested in the outcome.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #2 –
FWIW.  I shopped Penguin shrouds last year, and took a look at Penguin AC unit prices while I was at it.  Best pricing for new complete units at that time was at PPL.  Worth a look today.
Bob Mulder
02 U270 3610 / 06 CRV
Spokane, WA

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #3 –
Richard,

I do not have ducted air conditioning which allowed me to dump my Dumbmatic A/C for a Coleman 15k BTU with the controls on the ceiling unit.  I abandoned the Dometic controls.

Works really great and not to loud.
Rudy Legett
2003 U320 4010 ISM 450 hp
2001 U320 4220 ISM 450 hp
1995 U320 M11 400 hp
1990 Granvilla 300 hp 3208T
Aqua Hot Service Houston and Southeast Texas

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #4 –
Weird!

Just got off the phone with the shop that is going to remove my new Dometic Penguin unit that I have had trouble with.  Unit is way too loud and does not cool.  Been going around with Dometic customer service for a while and it took a lot of Yorkshire stubbornness to make them do anything.  They have finally authorized the shop to work on it under warranty.

I would look at other brands as there is a lot of unhappiness with Dometic on the internet forums.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #5 –
Instead of getting a reconditioned roof air, how about fixing yours? Not much to a roof air conditioner.

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #6 –
If the coils are in good shape and not leaking it should be repairable.  This assumes a compatible compressor is available.  I've seen a lot of comments about folks being unhappy with the new models. 
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #7 –
This brings up the thought about the units like mine that have the Heat Pump units on the roof, I have a 2001 coach, and the Heat Pumps still work very well as A/C and during the cold weather, I tried on Heat, they did very well there also. Funny part, they still make condensation while making heat too.
Question, What is the life expectancy of these units ?
Tnx
Dave M

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #8 –
Two major killers of RV air conditioners are low voltage and coil corrosion from salt air.  If you don't have these conditions there's no reason why your AC units shouldn't last many years though like anything else it's somewhat of a  crapshoot as to lifespan.

If your AC unit isn't working, check it out before replacing.  Condensing units, generally speaking, may go through two or more start capacitors by the time they bite the dust.  That's one thing to be sure and check.  I haven't looked at the start cap on mine, but if they're like most the area where the terminals connect should be a flat surface on the end.  If it's a domed shape (you really gotta look, the dome shape looks like it was made that way but it wasn't), or the cap is bulged in any other area, the cap is bad.  You can also get a hard start kit to help get a few more seasons out of a unit with a slow to start compressor, I understand some units come with these already installed when new. 
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #9 –
I have to agree with these last few comments. If mine hadn't leaked gooey yellow stiff all over the roof, I wouldn't have changed it I would have had it repaired. If its a starting capacitor, that's a piece of cake to fix. If its a compressor its a bit expensive. One other consideration is that the older AC units seem to work better and quieter. However, if when being repaired they have to go to the new refrigerant, the rebuilt units may not cool as well since the fan speed will be slower than the new units.

Does anyone have any experience with York AC units? What is Foretravel putting on their new ones? Are they still using roof AC units?
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Kent Speers –
However, if when being repaired they have to go to the new refrigerant, the rebuilt units may not cool as well since the fan speed will be slower than the new units.

Kent, do you know what refrigerant is in the older units?  I know some substitute refrigerants are being used with great success, propane being one that gives high efficiency with a lower charge.  Or so they say...
"Not so  long ago we were a nation of risk takers, riding five million pounds of  thrust straight into space."  Joe Gresh
Chuck Pearson
1996 U295
2018 Can Am X3 TurboRS

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #11 –
Chuck
The refrigerant in the older roof air is R22.
If the unit dose not have a leak and the compressor is not open or grounded it should be fixable. If there is a leak then you are better off changing the unit out as repair is not imposable but a Good repair tech might be hard to come by.
These units are sealed and freon dose not wear out as some seem to think.
If the unit is running and just not cooling it could just need to be cleaned! The coils both evaporator and condensing will get dirty and just not allow the unit to operate as designed.
 These units are like the rest of your coach they will and do need periodic service.
  What usually happens is they get clogged and the cooling process stops, due to lack of heat and cooling transfer caused by low air flow.
Same thing happens with all A/C systems. I have made very good wages over the years just cleaning units.
You can get both condensing unit and evaporator coil cleaners and the job is not hard at all. Once you clean or have them cleaned you will be amazed at the change.

Hope this helps, feel free to PM if I can help you further. I will be glad to talk you through the process if I can.

Barry & Donna
 
2003 U320 PBBS 4020
Build #6165
Dodge RAM Crew Cab 3500 4x4
2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
Skip # 102803 Motorcade # 17271
FMCA # 408218

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #12 –
All good points Barry. However, I think the 93 and earlier Foretravels came with R-12. When they were converted to use R-34 the access caps were changed. That is how one would know if their system had been converted. If the R-34 valves don't fit, it probably still has R-12 in it.

I considered propane as a refrigarant but having propane running through the lines into the compressor back by the engine just scared the dickens out of me. I sleep on top of that engine.
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #13 –
Kent, I am just lost as I thought Chuck was asking about the freon in the overhead units. Had the Dometic unit on my mind, as I did not catch the change in subject, Sorry.  Am aware of the change in the R12 systems. All great info on this forum Thanks
2003 U320 PBBS 4020
Build #6165
Dodge RAM Crew Cab 3500 4x4
2001 Jeep Cherokee Limited
Skip # 102803 Motorcade # 17271
FMCA # 408218

Re: BEST PLACE TO BUY NEW OR REBUILT DOMETIC PENGUIN, AC

Reply #14 –
Actually Barry, I win the Bozo award here. My decrepit mind jumped from roof air to dash air without me even knowing it. My apology. Been hanging out with Homer Simpson too long. I can't even use the Bourbon excuse this time. 
The selected media item is not currently available.Kent Speers
Locust Grove, OK
1993 U300 SSE 40' (Restored at FOT 2009) Build 4323
720 watts Solar
6V92TA DDEC Silver Engine
2014 Subaru Outback