Opinions about buying without an AC Unit? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 01-17-2018, 04:18 PM   #1
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Opinions about buying without an AC Unit?

I've been RV'ing for about 10 years, and was a tent camper for many years before that. My RV'ing started with a camper van that had a turtle top upon which was mounted an AC unit with a heat strip. My next RV was a 28' Class A and I currently have a 35' Class A. Anyway, we have pretty much decided to down-size to a fiberglass trailer... hence my presence on this forum.

Back when I had the camper van I rarely ran the AC because it was way too noisy and claustrophobic. Do any of you feel the same way about the roof AC in your 13'-19' camper?

I am still researching and have not made a decision yet, but I'm seriously considering buying a new unit and am looking very closely at the Escape 17' and the Casita 17'B. With the Escape, the AC is a $1,100 option and I hate to spend that when I probably won't use the darn thing. And, I suppose it's possible Casita would give me some sort of credit rather than install the standard roof AC.

I'm thinking that fresh air motivated by the roof vent fan would be fine, and I guess there are also portable cooling fans that *might* be helpful.

I'm also a little concerned about how the lack of an AC unit could affect the resale value.

Thoughts?
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Old 01-17-2018, 04:29 PM   #2
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Both trailers have slider windows. If it rains you will most likely close them. Hot humid day without AC, all you have is the roof vent . Of course for AC you need to plug in. Plan to camp down south in the summer. Most will tell you AC is a must.
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Old 01-17-2018, 04:34 PM   #3
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Well I can tell you Casita will NOT give you a credit for eliminating the AC unit. They will agree to not install it if you wish but no discount is offered. I tried.

Like you, I really didn't want or need the AC but it is nice on occasion and gives us the flexibility to travel to locations where it is necessary. And yes it does help with resale value but the need really depends on your camping destinations.

The Fantastic Fan we use constantly. The AC rarely but in Tennessee you may find it more useful if for nothing more then reducing humidity.

Good luck!
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Old 01-17-2018, 04:37 PM   #4
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Consuelo.
If you don’t get an AC when you order it could easily be added later or by the next owner. The roof would have a 14” square vent in place of the AC I believe. Also, the power and thermostat line if used by Escape would most likely be run to the vent area.
In the case of Bigfoot they use a ceiling Air Distribution Box with controls built in. If Escape does things the same way then no problem adding later.
You could ask Escape if they prep the coach for AC power and control cabling if required. I would say if you delete the AC don’t delete the roughed in 120V power and control prep if required.
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Old 01-17-2018, 05:01 PM   #5
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my thoughts

we live in hot humid mo. been camping when its 100d we boonedock we are cheap oh the better word is frugal. we seek shade in the mo. Ozarks and don't go inside much.

we use a 12v fan that will run you out around 12 or so we are looking for covers and turn the fan off.

we also were tent campers for 41 years camped every state and 4 trips to Europe never needed or desired a/c.

our 13f scamper came equipped with a/c don't know if it works or not.

good luck to you whatever you decide! life is good in a scamper 13f!!


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Old 01-17-2018, 05:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by caheath View Post
I've been RV'ing for about 10 years, and was a tent camper for many years before that. My RV'ing started with a camper van that had a turtle top upon which was mounted an AC unit with a heat strip. My next RV was a 28' Class A and I currently have a 35' Class A. Anyway, we have pretty much decided to down-size to a fiberglass trailer... hence my presence on this forum.

Back when I had the camper van I rarely ran the AC because it was way too noisy and claustrophobic. Do any of you feel the same way about the roof AC in your 13'-19' camper?

I am still researching and have not made a decision yet, but I'm seriously considering buying a new unit and am looking very closely at the Escape 17' and the Casita 17'B. With the Escape, the AC is a $1,100 option and I hate to spend that when I probably won't use the darn thing. And, I suppose it's possible Casita would give me some sort of credit rather than install the standard roof AC.

I'm thinking that fresh air motivated by the roof vent fan would be fine, and I guess there are also portable cooling fans that *might* be helpful.

I'm also a little concerned about how the lack of an AC unit could affect the resale value.

Thoughts?
I would probably not focus on resale value concerns, but use concerns. If you intend to camp where and when it's very hot, the AC is a must. Otherwise, it isn't. Here in South Texas, and maybe to a lesser extent in your neck of the woods, the AC is a very handy option. Otherwise our camping season is considerably shorter. As others have mentioned, if you decide to go without AC, you can get the trailer "AC ready", which makes it easy to add later if you need it.
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Old 01-17-2018, 05:29 PM   #7
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New Escapes can be had with awning style windows. They've all been built A/C ready for many years.
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Old 01-17-2018, 06:00 PM   #8
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All it takes is one hot, humid night of feeling sticky and being unable to sleep on sweat soaked sheets and one realizes that although you may not NEED it, you definitely WANT it, because you will not want to endure another such night.
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Old 01-17-2018, 06:15 PM   #9
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If I were to be considering a Casita, it would be the 16 foot that still uses the cabinet mount air conditioner.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:07 PM   #10
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We have the Dometic Penguin II and when it is running it sounds like a freight train inside.
As I am a Dometic dealer I really like Dometic products but even after ensuring the unit had the compressor quieting kit, it still sounded like a cross between a train and a jet engine.
I spoke to my Dometic rep and he asked about the installation. When I told him it was a Bigfoot with Fibreglass construction he said “enough”.
He said that with the thinner roof construction, the insulation and the use of an ADB Air Distribution Box it had everything contributing to the noise.
I don’t think it was the Penguin II at all as I have heard them in other coaches and they were very quiet.
But like the previous post, when you NEED AC, you will be happy to have it!
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:19 PM   #11
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I spoke to owners of a Scamp that hadn't had a/c installed. They were planning on having one put in but found the roof was built without the bracing necessary to hold the weight of a unit. They travelled with a portable A/C that took up most of their open floor space.
My Snoozy has a side mounted a/c on the back side. I HAD to have it. I had to give up the training team for my scouting district after I developed heat induced asthma. No fair to them if I couldn't teach because I was sitting in the walkin cooler at the summer camp (that was the condition they put on not calling 911) And yeah, I lived without a/c in Florida for years! The climate has changed and my health has changed. After I remarried the a/c wasn't turned on till Memorial day in the house and turned off Labor day. We had a 20 degree difference between night and day. Now, we have a 4 to 7 degree difference. I am very restless in the heat, wiping down with rubbing alcohol, drinking juice, trying to position the fan so it blows on me and not the spouse..If we're out in the woods the skeeters and no seeums know how to find me. The skeeters kill more people in a year than any other organism. My FIL got malaria from a skeeter bite about 1910. More and more tropical diseases moving north to our continent.
People make enduring the heat into a moral issue, like you are weak if you need a/c, but people overlook the fact that heat kills. If you watched the news after Irma, you should know those elderly in that nursing home down Miami way died of heat stroke.


I would to find a place where I wouldn't need a/c in the summer, but when we went to Newfoundland this past June I noticed almost every touristy place advertised that they had a/c! It wasn't running yet, there was still snow in some places, but they had it for when it was needed.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:20 PM   #12
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Opinions about buying without an AC Unit?

Casita's inflexibility is unfortunate but not unexpected. If you go that way and have some storage space, remove and store the AC unit and install a standard or powered vent. If you change your mind later, you have it.

If you go with Escape and it's AC-ready, you can add it later when and if you want.

Personally, I think there's a good chance you will want it eventually.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:27 PM   #13
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Are you kidding? You live in TN!
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:33 PM   #14
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Tennessee is not Minnesota. You are going to want AC IMHO. Almost any summer camping in TN or south of TN, AC is going to be a big improvement.

As far as what is included and what is not included, Casitas are made in Texas. so its really nor surprising that A/C is included, but no furnace. Meanwhile, Escape is made in BC, so a furnace is standard, and A/C is option. Then you have Scamp, furnace and A/C are both optional.......

I wouldn't own a camper without both a furnace and AC. Our big trip last May, we saw 25F in Wyoming, camped with no hookup in a state park and used the furnace. Later that trip we were in southern Utah, where we saw 105F. You bet we were using the AC then!
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:47 PM   #15
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And given the choice between awning windows and sliders, I'd pick sliders. At least when they are open they don't block the window.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:58 PM   #16
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Lots of discussion about awning versus slider on the Escape Owners Forum when Escape made awning windows available.
They don't let rain in when open and apparently allow lots of airflow.
I don't see that they block the view.
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Old 01-17-2018, 07:59 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thrifty bill View Post
...Then you have Scamp, furnace and A/C are both optional.......
...and still costs less, even after you add both!

Scamp's a la carte pricing makes it easy to have exactly what you want. But it's a smaller trailer with a smaller bed, so I'm guessing that's why it's not on the short list.
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Old 01-17-2018, 08:01 PM   #18
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And given the choice between awning windows and sliders, I'd pick sliders. At least when they are open they don't block the window.
I too wish I had sliders. Had them in my first Scamp, now have awning style in my second Scamp. Way less glass, less view, much more aluminum in the awning style. I put RV gutters above my sliders and rain was seldom a problem, and there are aftermarket devices the work well to keep sliders open in rain. Plus sliders open wider than awnings.

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Old 01-17-2018, 09:44 PM   #19
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I have a 2015 Scamp 16. At that time all Scamps were made with reinforced roof and wiring for AC even if you did not order it. Supposed to be easy to install later. Mostly we Scamp in weather not too hot and don’t need AC. I have a window mount unit that I can put in rear slider window if necessary but rarely use it. I can’t leave it in window for travel though so when we need it it is a bit of a pain to set up. If we needed it a lot I would just put in the roof AC.
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Old 01-18-2018, 12:32 AM   #20
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here on the left edge of North America, air conditioning isn't something we use much of. Seems like the few times in the past couple years we've been camping when its been really hot, we've been boondocking anyways, so never used it. We don't have a/c at home, I drove old cars for years and years with either no or broken air conditioning, just open the windows if its a warm day.
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