New, have questions...

[billc]

We have been researching and dreaming of owning an RV for about 3 years. Never thought we'd be prevost owners but we bought a 1996 XL45 Le Mirage last week. Bill has a lot of experience with detroit engines, so I was comfortable with the decision to complete the transaction, even though the seller knew nothing about the operation of any of the systems. (long story) The interior is beautiful and the price was right for us. We drove her the 500 miles home and Bill said she drove like a dream. We are figuring things out little by little and still thinking we can do this! The first question we have is-- can the roof ACs run off the engine as we go down the road, without running the generator? Any information, advice, help, is welcome!

[ajducote]

The first question we have is-- can the roof ACs run off the engine as we go down the road, without running the generator? Any information, advice, help, is welcome!

First, welcome to the group. We will try to answer your questions and some of the answers may even be helpful.
The short answer is "no" on most coaches. A few coaches are set up to run 1 or maybe 2 roof airs from the inverters, but the general view is that running the generator to run the roof airs is the way to go. Less of a load on the inverters, alternator and engine, and it exercises the generator. Most gennys never run enough or under enough load. I am at 4000 hrs on my generator and it runs great. I never hesitate to run it to work the roof airs.

[rahangman]

Welcome to this GROUP! I too, bought my bus without a lot of information forthcoming from the previous owner. That said, as time goes by and you become more comfortable (as we have) , it enhances your experience. You have spent your first monies well, joining POG. Get the Skiff to get you a couple of POG stickers for the bus/toad so we all know who you are. Also, put some info on your Avatar, the conversion (Marathon,Country Coach, Angola, and ahem, Liberty) so that those owners with similar conversions are able to help even more. You must be from Colorado and there are some great POG people there. We will be there soon, in the "Springs" area for a few weeks. I am sure you will be overwhemed at first, but these Pog People really make it much easier and with a great $$$ savings. Enjoy

[BenC]

What brand of Conversion did you purchase? This makes a huge difference in answering your question. Also, please note the Brand and Model of inverters in your coach. Production year 1996 was the start of the inverter-powered a/c's while driving down the road. Bear in mind, however, that if one or two plus the dash aren't enough, as Andre mentioned, just run the generator. Factory service technicians will tell you that the RV generators are their most problematic because they are not used enough. The same can be said for Prevost Over-the-Road A/C systems. The same generator in the "entertainer" or industrial applications that are run almost constantly yield VERY few problems, in comparison, because of their continual use.

These are how the convertors "generally" equipped their products:
Vantare's and Marathon coaches, if equipped with the Trace/Xantrex SW4024 inverters can run one a/c on each inverter while driving, for a total of 2. Royale coaches are usually set up, if they are equipped with the SW2512 inverters, to run one and generally that's the center a/c. Vogue's around that vintage were also set up to run one a/c, and that was the center or #2 as well. Angolas are a similar story, except for several relays to allow you to chose which one you run. Liberty coaches, because almost all are equipped with Prevost "Bus Air," were never equipped as factory to run rooftop a/c's. As a general rule, never attempt it if your coach has Bus Air, because the alternator can only support one or the other, not both concurrently.

[GDeen]

Ben,
How much current does the OTR A/C pull? I noticed on your website you do the alternator upgrade, and remember the salesman at Parliament pointing that feature out to us on the new Parliament coaches. I am just curious about the loads on the alternator / invertors going down the road (I have Prevost OTR on my Marathon).
Thanks

[HarborBus]

Bill & Jan, Welcome to the group. You'll find allot valuable information on the site and when you get time read the old posts. What part of CO. are you from?

[george frudakis]

Bill and Jan, welcome to the site. I to am new to the prevost world. I have learned so much from the past and present posts from this site. I stand in front of my coach, which is being service at Coach works they are the best, just bewildered with all that i need to know and understand. With the help of the boys at Coach Works i started to understand what to do and what not to do. It will take time to master, if that is possible, but the love of this hobby and the desire to learn, I am going to master this challenge and love doing it. You to will have times saying OMG! i will never get it to much to remember, but it will come back to. Remember the more you use it, the easier it gets. Make it fun not work, go at your own speed. Everyone on this site will help you with any problem that you will have, all you have to do is ask. George

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Welcome to the asylum Bill. As has been pointed out put your coach description in the signature line so answers to your questions can be specific to your conversion and model year.

You will always get answers to your questions here and on certain rare occasions we may mess up and actually provide the correct answer.

I will provide a very general answer to your question, and you have to keep in mind unless my over the road air quits I never run my house airs going down the highway. But back to your question. To run any air conditioner regardless of the source of power, it is going to require power. If it is run through your inverters, then that source of power is your alternator feeding the batteries, which provide the basis for the AC power. Of course the alternator takes its power from the bus engine.

Or you can run the generator, and then set the thermostats and turn on all the AC units and keep the entire coach comfortable. It is unlikely that running the generator will have an impact on fuel consumption such that you will want to suffer in the hot temperatures we have been having, compared to having the entire bus comfortable.

If you never allow your coach to get heat soaked, when you do connect to shore power you will not have to do much energy management to live on 50 amp service and have a cool bedroom.

There is and always has been a reluctance for owners to run their generators. That is the worst thing you can do. Run your generator often and run it hard by loading it up. Entertainer coaches run their generators almost from the moment that pull away from the curb heading for a tour, and do not turn them off until the tour is over. The generators are going to deliver 30,000 hours of life if you exercise them. If you baby them or rarely run your generator you will get to know generator repair people.

[Coloradobus]

Welcome Bill and Jan. Where in Colorado are you? Wray?

[billc]

Thank you all for your replies. Bill read them last night after we came home from the Yuma County Fair. Yes, Jim and Chris, we are in Wray. Wray is on the eastern plains of Colorado, we farm and ranch. I have read and re-read many of the topics on this forum. (and will again I'm sure, as we begin to understand the systems more)

The original conversion was done by Superior. It was recently redone, last year, and I believe this was done in Kentucky, I'll have to check that. All the appliances are new and still have the plastic coverings. Most of the electrical wiring was replaced also, to my understanding. I think Bill will find some time to check in inverters today. There are four roof top ACs, all new.

Are there any absolute DO NOTS or DOs we need to know? I thought fewer hours on a generator was better just because the rental companies we used charged extra for going over their allotment. Good to know! Maybe there is already a topic that addresses some do's and don'ts, I'll look again.

I'll take photos, maybe someone will "know" our new baby, only a week with us now!