We have a 2025 Avenue which has two factory installed Coleman units. When it is 90 plus outside the RV stays around 80 inside. I am told the rear bedroom is prepped for an additional unit. Looking for some suggestions on upgrades or additions to cool the RV down. Hopefully some of you have come across this same problem. Thanks.
AC unit upgrade options
- Thread starter FrankieK
- Start date
we have a 2024 Avenue 32rls and we went with the third air conditioning option. just for that reason you're saying. when we purchased our trailer it was 109° outside and it was struggling to Cool down with two AC units. we went with the third Coleman Mach AC unit and so glad we did. it works like a champ. we did this just in case we ever end up out at the Colorado River or anywhere where it's super hot. we wanted to be sure that we had the cooling capability. super glad we did this
As far as I am concerned, you can never have too much A/C capacity.
I recommend looking at the Chill Cubes. Our 26 came with 2 Chill Cubes in the back and a lower capacity Furrion in the front bedroom. On a hot Texas day, I've had them all going to get down to a cool temp, but then only need 1 in the rear and the bedroom to maintain it. I'm in the process of replacing the bedroom with a Chill Cube for more capacity and quieter.
It is approaching 100 degrees and all three of my units are cranking.
This is muggy humid 100 degree East Coast heat.... Not dry desert heat.
I'm happy to say my three units seem to be keeping up with the heat.
I will add I don't think two units would be adequate under these conditions
This is muggy humid 100 degree East Coast heat.... Not dry desert heat.
I'm happy to say my three units seem to be keeping up with the heat.
I will add I don't think two units would be adequate under these conditions
Thermometer hit 100 degrees yesterday here in West Virginia on the Ohio River. We have a 38 ft 5th wheel with 2 ac’s & only 30 amp service at our campground. We upgraded to a Furrion Chill Cube before this season for several reasons. The Chill Cube has a variable speed compressor so it changes speeds rather than turning off & on like most ac’s. It draws lower amps & enables us to run both ac’s all day except for a few short periods when we needed the microwave & the hot water heater. Secondly it is operated via an app & a remote control so I was able to purchase a Cielo smart thermostat which allows us to operate the Chill Cube from home via WiFi. With the geofencing feature it will automatically turn on the ac when we are on the way to the campground. With 2 units running most of the time we were able to stay in the mid 70’s yesterday.
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Bozo, I will have to agree with one caveat. I did my PDI on our new 2025 32RLS. When talking with the dealer, I asked what the cost would be to have a third installed. The 14"x 14" opening over the kitchen are I was told is prewired for the third AC unit. It only needed the 13.5 BTU as the main AC unit is 18.5 BTU Furrion so did not think I needed 2 in the living area. He quoted me $2400. I choked on my soda. What? The 13.5 BTU Furrion unit only cost on line $600. So you are going to charge me $1800 to install? NO thanks. I just wait to see if I really need one and if I do, I will buy and do research to see if I could do or have a mobile tech install. I did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday and that was a rip off!!
So far, after spending a week on the beach in Galveston for the 4th, It has not been needed.
I would suggest you might look into doing the same and save some bucks!
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Absolutely correct. The Furrion AC units will run fine on 30A but you have to be careful as to what you also activate when they are on.
Hairdryer, microwave will for sure pop a breaker!!
Happy Glamping!
Yep, I would have choked on that price as well. These units are incredibly easy to install so $1800 is obsessive.
on our 2024 32 RLS when the dealer quoted us $2,100 we just about fell over but we were in such a hurry that we just sucked it up and had them go ahead and do the install just for the reason of it being under warranty I probably could have done it myself but I just didn't want to hassle with it and was running out of time. at least I know now to replace these units. it'll be pretty simple and a hell of a lot cheaper.
Last edited by a moderator:
I think you guys are being a little conservative on the cost to install the unit.
I'm going to put the cost of the unit at $1000 before marked up. I'll also put Labor at $1000. Making 2000 the starting point.
I'm not trying to defend the $2,400 figure but without knowing all the particulars, I don't think it's way far off.
I'm going to put the cost of the unit at $1000 before marked up. I'll also put Labor at $1000. Making 2000 the starting point.
I'm not trying to defend the $2,400 figure but without knowing all the particulars, I don't think it's way far off.
On our 2024 29RL I just replaced the Colemans with Chill Cubes. Worth every penny, went from a trailer that couldn't get cool to one that stays at 70-72 all day in the Texas sun.
Added a thread with more details here:
alliancervowners.com
Added a thread with more details here:
Swap of Coleman AC to Chill Cubes
The current Avenue 29RL's now come with Furrion Chill Cubes but our 2024 model had the Coleman Machs. They actually weren't terrible AC's, relatively quiet for the old style, but they simply couldn't keep the trailer cool. I had done the RV Airflow upgrade, replaced all of the vent covers, taped...
alliancervowners.com
George
Prominent Member
Like when Blue Compass sold us our 320RL and wanted $80 each to install the vent fan covers that attach with hairpin clips. 5 minutes each.
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Lantley, I will have to disagree whole heartily. I was not guessing on the cost. I looked up the 13.5k btu. Furrion on Amazon. I was $600 something. So are you saying that you think that $1800 to install is OK? Well, I think I would try to install it myself before I paid that much. It can't take over 2 hours being that it is already pre-wired and $900/hr is just plain stupid. I am not that stupid so I will not be paying that.
Been out camping the last couple weeks. One week on the beach in Galveston where it was in the 90's and humid and this week on Lake Texhoma in North Texas. Been 98 for the last couple of days and both AC units have been cycling on and off as they have been keeping up with the temp. For me, think that $2400 can buy a many bottles of Jack!!
Hapy Glampig!
I'm not suggesting you can't install it yourself for much less. But what it cost an individual vs. what it cost a retail establishment are 2 different things. You can change your own oil for $75.00 bucks or so a shop will charge $150.00 or so. That doesn't mean the shop is over charging.
When calculating your 2 hour time make sure you include all your time. The time you spent getting model number off unit the time spent ordering on Amazon. Did you do any research on the unit or did you just buy the cheapest thing you saw? Did the unit go straight from Amazon truck to your roof or did you spend time unloading and storing first. Did you get unit on the roof by yourself or did you need help.
A shop is most likely buying equipment from a wholesaler and not the cheapest unit they can find on Amazon.
The shop is also marking up the unit. They are not selling it to you for what they paid!
It will likely take a shop 3-4 hours, but start your clock from the point the shop moves the unit from the yard to the service bay and from the bay back to the yard. Once the unit is parked and ready for pick up you can stop the clock, Make sure you figure to pay not only the tech that actually did the job, but pay the person that received the A/C unit, the service writer, the cashier and the fork lift jockey that moved the unit. Lastly the shop didn't just put your old unit out at the curb, they paid to dispose of it. Hopefully the freon in the old unit didn't require a hazardous waste fee.
I won't get into overhead like utilities, insurance taxes etc. I think you begin to get the picture.
A individual is not doing the install for profit the shop is and charges accordingly!
When calculating your 2 hour time make sure you include all your time. The time you spent getting model number off unit the time spent ordering on Amazon. Did you do any research on the unit or did you just buy the cheapest thing you saw? Did the unit go straight from Amazon truck to your roof or did you spend time unloading and storing first. Did you get unit on the roof by yourself or did you need help.
A shop is most likely buying equipment from a wholesaler and not the cheapest unit they can find on Amazon.
The shop is also marking up the unit. They are not selling it to you for what they paid!
It will likely take a shop 3-4 hours, but start your clock from the point the shop moves the unit from the yard to the service bay and from the bay back to the yard. Once the unit is parked and ready for pick up you can stop the clock, Make sure you figure to pay not only the tech that actually did the job, but pay the person that received the A/C unit, the service writer, the cashier and the fork lift jockey that moved the unit. Lastly the shop didn't just put your old unit out at the curb, they paid to dispose of it. Hopefully the freon in the old unit didn't require a hazardous waste fee.
I won't get into overhead like utilities, insurance taxes etc. I think you begin to get the picture.
A individual is not doing the install for profit the shop is and charges accordingly!
Flyer32RLS
Well-known member
Geez, I'm sorry I mentioned it. Lantley, I guess I didn't make it clear enough. I mentioned I looked up the cost of a FURRION 13.5 BTU and it was $600 or so. No, if you really think that I am going to sit down and figure much less worry about all my time from ordering it to installing it, you've been in the sun too long. B eing able to save upward of $1800, I've never heard someone defend a dealers time more passionate that what you just did.. If you don't know, all work jobs are prefigured in amount of time to do accomplish the task, minimum of 30 minutes. That is what is charged no matter the time. I understand that there is overhead but come on. Even with a markup on an AC, you can't really believe that even with a modest profit that $1800 is not an excessive, gouging price. What I want to think is that they don't really want to do the job but if you'll pay the stupid price, then they will do it.
Guess I'll have to more cognizant of what conversation I enter. Let me see......half an hour just wasted. I an never get that time back.
Guess I'll have to more cognizant of what conversation I enter. Let me see......half an hour just wasted. I an never get that time back.