2 roof airs on 31 hi lo

I have just bought a 31 foot hi lo I was wondering if anyone had tried to put a roof air condition in the rear bedroom. I have five units I have pulled off of salvage units so I thought I may try to put one on it. I know the 30 amp service won't handle it if I use something like a microwave but I figured i could run it on 20 amp plug that most campgrounds have along with the 30 amp. Let me know if you have any thoughts or have tried it. This is my 4th hilo so I know quite a bit about how they are made I see no reason it will not work.
Thanks
Matt

Hi Matt and welcome to the forum! I'll bet your experience will be helpful to other HiLo and other RV brand owners in the future! I'll follow your posts.
I'd like to comment on running your A/C on 20 amps.... My 13.5 Penquin (lo profile Duo Therm by Dometic) went through 2 starting capacitors in 2 years and I was told it was caused by running on a 20 amp service (even by itself). They must have been correct because after installing a 30 amp service all was well. Good luck to ya!

The large 5th wheel trailers do have 2 AC units, to run 2 with out problems, you should have 50amp service. You probably can get by with the 30 amp service but eventually someone will forget and turn on something extra and the circuit breakers will pop. Breakers have some overload and time delay before they pop. You may think they are instant but they are not. Before they pop the voltage will probably drop, too many times of this is hard on the AC units.

matt ellis said:

I have just bought a 31 foot hi lo I was wondering if anyone had tried to put a roof air condition in the rear bedroom. I have five units I have pulled off of salvage units so I thought I may try to put one on it. I know the 30 amp service won't handle it if I use something like a microwave but I figured i could run it on 20 amp plug that most campgrounds have along with the 30 amp. Let me know if you have any thoughts or have tried it. This is my 4th hilo so I know quite a bit about how they are made I see no reason it will not work.
Thanks
Matt

Click to expand...

I think you will get LARGER capasitors for BOTH A/c units installed, the ones that help our littler generators run these, if you do that, I think you "just might" get by. I dont know for positive, but my 2 honda gens produce 2000 when hooked together, and will run my ac, even those is barely enough to start it, but I had the BIG capasitors on it, and that camper still works fine (my buddy bought it from me).

EDIT--- Talked for a few minutes after reading and posting, to a buddy who has 5th with 2 AC setup, he said 30 amps just doesnt work very well, the AC's will cycle for no reason, and often, and makes the capasitors die early. --- Just in case that helps.


I need to add one to my rig, I think roof AC, would help me a lot with my camper having the Heat pump in it instead...

Matt, go in to your USER CP and update your :location

If you are not too far away, I really would like to buy a used AC unit, from your or someone, if I could!

Thanks PM me if you would sell one?

I have a new ducted ac for sale, 15000btu no inside louvers,uses wall mount thermostat, it is a duo therm quick cool, $400.00

sting32'
If you have to 2 Honda 2000 generators, each is 13.3 amps or 1.6 KVA (per the manual, I have one). or 1.2k watts for a total of 26.6 amps continuous or 2.4k watts,

I had a motorhome a while back that would run 2 ac on the 30 amps but if you turned much else it would trip the breaker. I upgraded to a 50 amp and never had any more trouble I don't think I want to make this one a 50 amp but I could make a small breaker box which would come off a 50 amp service and put 2 30 amp breakers to run the camper and the ac on their own breaker. I might still try it on the 20 amp, I have done it for years in place where I didn't have a 30 amp service to hook up to. I will keep it on low most of the time I imagine since it will only be cooling the bedroom. I am in the far south east of GA if anyone needs anything let me know I come across a lot of things for campers at times. I have 35 foot MCI bus I am working on remodeling right now so I have picked up some nice cabinets fridge/freezer unit, heater,stove, lights, power converter and a lot of other stuff. Some came off a 2010 camper that had been wrecked and looked like it had never been used. I also weld and have a lot of metal working so that helps whenever I want to make something for the bus or camper. Thanks for the imput I will try to let everyone know how it does when I get it up and running.

Installing 2nd AC unit

Feel free to call our HiLo dealer with your AC question. Mantelli Trailer sales Jay simon in parts or Steve Brandell service manager. Both are extremely experienced in HiLo. (716) 625_8877. Hope this helps you. They will also ship parts anywhere.

PopRichie77 said:

sting32'
If you have to 2 Honda 2000 generators, each is 13.3 amps or 1.6 KVA (per the manual, I have one). or 1.2k watts for a total of 26.6 amps continuous or 2.4k watts,

Click to expand...

Yes,
These were bought back in 2000, so I dont know what all has changed spec wise, other than I think I have been made slightly aware, that they now make 2 models that you buy, that hook together without the adapter I had to buy and install on one of the 2 exact same models?

the AC in the motorhome I had, was one of the smaller units that they must have produced in the early 70's (camper is a 72) but it still works, go figure and hope I didnt jinx it, lol.

I grew up camping in campers without AC, and of course I was a kid, could sleep anywhere when tired. I just suffer with my Dad when he and I boondock with the camper on cycle outings. when I goto lakes, I rent spaces with electricity at least, so my honey can have AC. What I hate most is, Shade does a lot, but most Electrical pads in Kansas have ZERO shade...