New member from Florida with questions

[jack14r]

I see a lot of entertainer coaches that have 5 roof airs.

[Roadpilot]

We have 4 roof airs. Normally going down the road, we run 2 roof airs off the inverter and close the door to the back. We also have the dash air going. So far this has worked fine. We could start the genset and run all 4 roof airs but so far haven't had to. We bought the bus this winter in Florida which was cold. We haven't tried the roof airs in 100 degree temps, but our Essex, which was also 45' had 3 roof airs and it was quite comfortable in very hot weather. I'm hoping the Prevost with 4 roof airs is as good.

[Alek&Lucia]

Hello Mark,

Right now we have H3-45 Royale with OTR.
I have to admit, that after having 2 Prevost buses with out OTR,
if we have a choice we will always prefer a coach with OTR,

Alek

[tdelorme]

Mark, three years ago I was asking the same questions that you are asking. We live in Texas ans had never owned a coach that would stay cool driving west in the summer. We owned three Foretravels and a Country Coach and all would stay cool while parked. The first coach we fell in love with was a 1997 Marathon without Prevost OTR air. Four roof airs and dash air. The salesperson went into great detail about how running a couple of roof airs off the invertor and the dash air would keep the driver cool no matter how hot it was outside. This was in mid May and it was about 85 degrees that day so I said show me. We headed west from Arlington to Ft. Worth right into the afternoon sun. The test drive lasted an hour or so and the front of the coach was never really comfortable and I was hot when driving. We ended up buying an older liberty with OTR air and three cruiseairs. Any Prevost equipted with properly maintained OTR air and three or four Cruiseairs will keep the driver and passengers cool no matter how it gets outside. I love my Cruiseairs. The Liberty we now have has OTR air and four Cruiseairs and staying cool is never an issue.
Also, I just don't get it when it comes to running roof airs on the invertor. Use the gen set and run whatever you want to run. It's the cheapest power around and if you take care of these units they will last forever. Good luck in your search. We have several first class dealers in your area including Ken Robertson and Liberty Coach. You won't go wrong with either company.

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Mark, Welcome to the asylum. This is a topic that has been discussed and debated, but in the end if we step back from defending the coaches we have or have had the numbers will tell the story.

OTR is about 80,000 BTUs of cooling. It was designed to cool 45 people on a coach while driving through the desert southwest in July. Keep that number in mind.

Cruise Airs and roof airs each have around 13,000 to 15,000 BTUs of cooling. I do not know what driver's air has for capacity. It is probably akin to a system that might be found in a large SUV.

If you want to be able to stay cool and comfortable while driving in the summer heat, when the outside air heat is being absorbed by the coach as it travels down the road there is no substitute for OTR in terms of performance. That is the reason why entertainer coaches will be found with 5 roof airs. That number of units approaches the capability of the OTR. Keep in mind that entertainers and their crews who use the coaches are accustomed to continuous generator usage also so they are not the least bit hesitant to use all the cooling capacity available if needed.

If you have not seen if discussed keep in mind that if you do not have OTR, do not plan on Cruise Airs as installed in our coaches to perform as well as they should as a substitute when traveling. They are best when the coach is not in motion. They require cool air passing through the bay mounted condensing units for maximum efficiency. When you need cooling the most the Cruise Airs are likely to let you down because the heated air radiating from a hot highway is likely to prove inadequate for cooling and the units will shut down unless the units have been modified by forcing additional air through the coils or by having a water misting system for cooling.

Roof airs are the best alternative to OTR when in motion, but again use caution. Either plan on running the generator, or make certain you know and understand how many units will run from your inverters.

As to the number of AC units, if you have three on a 45 foot coach you must stay ahead of the game. Those units will be hard pressed to bring a heat soaked coach down to a comfortable temperature. Four will struggle. If one fails to operate you may find yourself very uncomfortable. You never want to let the coach get warm if you only have three units because they just will struggle to maintain temperature, much less pull it down. The reasons for debates on this topic is probably the differences in how different people tolerate heat. I'm with Jack. 72 degrees is getting close to perfect, and on hot days it is likely to take four units to get to and to maintain that temperature.

Finally, energy is energy is energy. Don't let anyone provide you with a helping of manure with respect to trying to convince you any of the choices and how they are powered is any more or less efficient with respect to the use of diesel fuel. If you want to maintain a specific temperature it will take the same amount of energy to get to and to maintain that temperature. Whether it is powered by the generator, the bus engine or inverters which are getting there power via the bus alternator about the same amount of fuel or power will be consumed.

[dmatz]

I have one of those single slide 3 roof air units. It works and on hot days it is marginal. I have replaced one so far and used a larger unit and when I do the other 2 if I still have this bus I will do the same. Every thing has a down side working on the otr and cruise air are very difficult to work on because os space to get to them. 4 would be better. It's worked ok for us. Definitly need to not let the bus get wicked hot or it will take a long time to cool down. If the ac is to big you will cool it off without removing enough humidity. I am sure you are more confused than ever.

[Donnie_M]

Mark, if you can get a "great deal" on it, get it and add another roof air. One thing is for sure, a roof air is more efficient than a power hungry Cruise Air..lol A Cruise Air draws 14-17 amps to achieve 14-18 degree temp split. Roof airs draw 12-14 amps and can can get 22-24 degree split out of the box!

[Mark]

It sounds like as I expected, OTR air is the best way to go but some of the buses that I have been looking at have roof air and based upon what I'm reading and reading between the lines on some of the responses 3 roof air buses will NOT cool

[Mark]

I think I will have to keep my search to OTR air, cruise air and 4 roof air coaches only. Thank you for the help. Now I must search harder or add more money to my search because it seems that most OTR buses are Liberty buses that bring a higher purchase price and I dont want to compromise giving up a single slide. Therefore my true option may remain a non Liberty bus with the single slide and either cruise air or FOUR roof airs which should keep me in my price range.

[Kenneth Brewer]

Mark, in my view there is one thing more to emphasize: With OTR (Prevost) the coach is cooled without closing the blinds/drapes. In fact, the OTR has to because it won't work with the blinds down because the OTR ducting (on non-slides, certainly) by using ducting/grating at the base of the windows. Closing the blinds blocks the air and blows/bows out the blinds. Addtionally, when the OTR is used (and I would follow Jon's advice about using CruiseAirs while on the road), it will cool the whole coach whether the bedroom and/or galley door is closed or not. Now I guess I will wait for the incoming as well.