A/C & Heat

[GDeen]

After looking at lots of late model XL shell coaches, one difference between most of the Liberty and Marathon conversions is the amount of A/C and heat. Many of the Marathons have 3 Cruiseairs and 40k Webasto, while the Libertys have 4 cruiseairs, 80k Webasto and OTR air.

I understand the difference b/w the OTR and non OTR systems. My question is are 3 cruiseairs enough to cool a 45' bus in hot weather while camped? Is the Liberty system overkill and Marathon sufficient or is the 3 Cruiseair setup marginal?

[phorner]

In my opinion, you'll want the 4 cruise airs.

Sooner or later, one of the AC's will stop cooling, and the 3 remaining will be sufficient to do the job until repairs can be made.

Two ain't gonna cut it during the heat of summer unless you're in a very cool part of the country.

There's a LOT of redundancy built into the Liberty bus conversions, and this is but one example.

[phorner]

And Gordon, there have been a few times when I've had all 4 cruise airs running to cool the bus.

And I have the electric bills to prove it

[MangoMike]

Gordon,

I have both and the 40k Webasto does a great job in keeping the Marathon warm, the Liberty is overkill.

Three cruise airs will do the job, but Paul is right, it's nice to have a backup. My 2000 Marathon does have 4 cruise airs.

Mike

[merle&louise]

Paul,

How many amps do the 4 cruise airs draw? I have 4 - 14,000 BTU AC compressors and my amp draw is about 44 amps or 11 amps per compressor.

You are correct with the 4 units being better than 3. In my 2 previous coaches I had 3 ACs in each; one with roof ACs and the other with cruise airs. Two out of the three units crapped out at the same time on both coaches. Talk about bad luck!

The OTR air is a big deal in my opinion. I wish I had it.

Buy the Liberty Gordon.

[jack14r]

Depending on outside temperature I have seen as much as a 14 amp load for a cruise air unit,normally 12-13 amp load.I sure like 4 units,all 3 coaches that I have owned have not had the proper charge on the cruise air units,the performance of the cruise air is very sensitive to the correct freon charge.Johnny at AAP Power is the guru on how to charge the cruise airs for best cooling.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Jack did you have to make an adjustment on the charge on the bus you are in now? Interesting.

I like the cruse air for nothing on the roof and for the quieter operation. I will put up with their additional costs over roof air. Their temperamental nature with a slight incorrect charge I can do without. Not full timing the loss of basement space is a non issue.

If you could get AAP and that tech to make it to Ok. rally that would be a great thing.

Our bus is an orphan with OTR a/c and we used it a few times before getting it fixed.

I do not think we would be happy with one without.

The cockpit is a greenhouse traveling into the sun and if the OTR has trouble keeping things cold enough adding that front house a/c unit whatever you have keeps things nice even on the hottest of days. W/O the OTR it gets warm up front.

[adamdegraff]

The 40K webasto is no problem at all. I have been comfortable in 20 below temps. And no, the webasto didn't have to run constantly to keep up.

I have 3 cruise airs. I have one compressor out, so I'm donw to two. I'm sitting in a Walmart parking lot right now. We are near Padre Island (southern tip of Texas.) The outdoor thermometer reads 85 degrees. It is 100% sunny. A bit harsh actually. The rig is cool inside with the two cruisairs. (rear and mid running.) Do I wish I had my third working? Yup! But I wouldn't need a fourth today. Add another 20 degrees to the outdoor temperature, and maybe I'd need a fourth, but I doubt it. But as previously stated in other posts, a 4th would be good for backup. But certainly not a deal breaker when looking for a coach.

Good luck.

~Adam

[GDeen]

So in the situation where you only had 3 cruiseairs, but did have OTR air, with a parked heat soaked coach, the OTR air could be run on the big engine for a while to get the coach cooled and then the 3 cruiseairs could stay on top of it - sound reasonable?

Based out of Austin, there is no way in the summer to avoid at least one really hot day no matter which way we are going. Just don't want to sweat my way through that. Plus, my bulldog likes it nice and cool.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Yes the heat soaked coach is a great example and it happens a couple times a year minimum.

There is other house a/c systems besides the crusair. There are some with large central units in the basement and there are roof air.

I think if you have a large family or were living in it full time the roof airs have to be considered for the additional storage in the basement using them.

The cruseair have been around for ever and accept for electronics the units they have changed little.

I have been in 2 H's with the large central units in the basement for the house, carrier maybe, Alek Sawdust what are yours? They were both very impressive. Working noticeably effortlessly and very chilly.

In fact Sawdust has an H with factory OTR A/C and the house side sports that big basement central air and cruse airs both!

Even if you get OTR a/c it would still also be nice to have the front unit in the house to be able to run off an inverter.