Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #25 – October 13, 2014, 08:54:18 am For the benefit of readers who don't know, when you run a heat pump you're actually running your air conditioning unit and putting a lot of hours on it. The newer units don't last as long as the older units do. If you run your unit year round, on heat pump mode in winter and air conditioning mode in summer, you'll need to replace your thousand dollar units after only a few short years. If you use an inexpensive electric heater in the winter instead of your heat pump you'll probably double the life of your units. I was camped next to a guy in a new coach with an expensive heat pump mounted in the basement and he ran it all the time until I pointed out how much a compressor replacement was gonna cost him... He bought an electric heater and shut off his heat pump. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #26 – October 13, 2014, 09:01:39 am Quote from: Jimmyjnr – October 13, 2014, 08:39:10 amOne last question , dometic and penquin , are they same company but different factory's , different units ?? Dometic is the brand. Penguin is their low-profile line. I think Brisk Air is the not-low-profile line. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #27 – October 13, 2014, 09:27:22 am I wouldn't pro-actively replace an A/C unit. Mine are 16 years old and running fine. You have multiple units, so one failure won't stop your travel plans. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #28 – October 13, 2014, 11:24:31 am Personally I was always happy with the heat strips in a roof air. Heat pumps do not work at low outside temps.Plus as was stated the compressors running Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #29 – October 13, 2014, 11:32:37 am Quote from: amos.harrison – October 13, 2014, 09:27:22 amMine are 16 years old and running fine.We can beat that! Our 21-year-old Penguins are still working perfectly, original thermostats and all (knock on wood). I just tested the "heat" function the other day, and the heat strips still work! Although, like Scott says, I think it is silly to run the roof units for heat - especially when our dual propane heaters work so well. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #30 – October 13, 2014, 11:39:40 am Quote from: RRadio – October 13, 2014, 08:54:18 amFor the benefit of readers who don't know, when you run a heat pump you're actually running your air conditioning unit and putting a lot of hours on it. Agree. If you are camping and not being metered and paying for amount of electricity, then run heat strips.However, if you live in temperate climates (like 35-60deg in winter, NC/SC/VA/LA), a heat pump uses less electricity than strip heaters (assuming in good mechanical shape). Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #31 – October 13, 2014, 11:45:56 am My 1991 Coleman rooftop AC units still work. The front one got its blower motor partially fried in a lightning storm in Dallas a couple of years ago, but it still runs on medium speed for some unknown reason. When I was at Mountain Road RV in Sabattus Maine last week they had a junked Coleman like mine with a good fan motor in it so I bought the motor for $35 complete with capacitors, fan blades, and relay... and in theory my front AC will run as designed again as soon as I change the fan motor... but it's almost winter now and I'm ambition challenged... (yawn) Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #32 – October 15, 2014, 01:39:50 pm Dave or ?How does one locate a knowledgeable technician to do a proper and thorough service? Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #33 – October 15, 2014, 07:48:26 pm Just fitted new cover with sponge sealing strip , shocked at the difference , paid $100 delivered . Thanks to everyone for the advice Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #34 – October 15, 2014, 09:00:24 pm Speaking of air conditioner covers, has anybody tried one of these aftermarket replacements which are supposedly better made than the original?Penguin Dometic Duo Therm RV Air Conditioner ShroudDon Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #35 – October 15, 2014, 09:07:09 pm Quote from: acousticart – October 15, 2014, 09:00:24 pmSpeaking of air conditioner covers, has anybody tried one of these aftermarket replacements which are supposedly better made than the original?Penguin Dometic Duo Therm RV Air Conditioner ShroudDonI bought 2 of them a couple of years ago. Very happy with them, wouldn't consider going back to the originals. They are a thinner but more flexible material than the old ones which were thicker and more brittle. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #36 – October 15, 2014, 11:27:57 pm I replaced one of my Coleman units with a Dometic unit. I like the new unit but its louder inside than the Coleman was.. For whatever that's worth.. Quote Selected
Re: Duo therm roof unit Reply #37 – October 16, 2014, 12:20:42 am I recall that deengineer, tony, got both Acs replaced at PPL for half the price that MOT would charge for them. Maybe he will fell like getting on line about this. I somehow think it was not the Penguin but the Brisk line? He said PPL did a great job, $1100 for both installed, out in one day.I am NOT saying go that route, but I recall he bought the units for about $330 or so each. And been very happy with them. Looked a bit taller to me than the originals, Tony said not.He did say PPL had boxes and boxes of these things, but have bought a very large inventory, gotten them cheaper. MOT and FOT both told him they fully understood him going to PPL, they could not compete with that price. Still, I wonder if comparing apples and apples. Quote Selected
Topic: Duo therm roof unit