29M or 31S Thor Windsport

[italiavb]

Hi everyone. Just purchased a 2017 Miramar. So far so good.

[dw1gator]

Originally Posted by movingtara

SuperD,

I must respectfully disagree with you on the full side slides. They are causing a number of problems for various manufactures. If you think Thor has a better design and they don't have problems with the slides, you are sadly mistaken.

The three rail system still has problems. While we were at the factory to have problems fixed, which is another story, we met several owners who have ongoing and unsolved problems with full slides. If Thor is telling you they have the solution, I have some ocean front property in Nevada I will sell to you.

I have the full slide with 3 tracks. Not so much as a little blip with mine when operating as Super D has suggested. Not saying there are not issues, just has not been for me at all.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by Tom N3EQF

I have a Windsport 27K with the 15,000 BTU AC and find it works fine for us here in FL. There are different opinions of course! But I like this unit being a 30A supply which wouldn't be possible with two AC's.

Tom I think the problem may arise because they come stock with the 13,500 btu a/c and you can opt for the 15,000 btu or two a/cs as an option. It may be that the people that have problems with their coach cooling have the stock 13,500 btu a/c and not the optional 15,000 btu a/c.

Kev

[Chance]

As posted in the 2 A/Cs with 30-Amp service thread, the Jayco Alante comes with 2 X 11,000 BTU A/Cs on all but the smallest floorplan (which comes with one 15,000 A/C).

Since Jayco is now part of Thor, perhaps other brands will follow with similar approach to cooling for intermediate size RVs. Until recently practically all RVs jumped from 15,000 to 28,500 BTUs/hr. A cooling capacity option in the middle makes sense to me.

[wredman]

2 ACs are (2 x 13.5), not 13.5 + 15


but, still a big jump from 15 to 27. This was what got me thinking about mini split systems as they may have a better option in the low 20 amp range.

[HighMobious]

My 31s Hurricane, which much like the Windsport, has 30 amp, one a/c and 4000 gen. When you upgrade to 2 a/c's it needs 50 amp service and upgraded gen 5
500. I have heard that theses units are pre-wired to convert 50 amp, and additional a/c.
5500 gen, idk. The dealer should be able to do these upgrades.

[W5hjs@aol.com]

I Have a thor 29m 2017 with the 50 amp service and the 2 ac.. the one big full slide is OK but you have to use it right .. The frontdrop down bed is the same..The bed cannot hit the seats tops on way down..Both slide and bed have to be opened all the way no stopping and then closed all the way no stopping or it will get out os synchronization and this leads to the slide troubles a lot of people are having..I know that sound strange but a service guy told me that and I bid by it and have never had any troubles..We love the floor plan..As others have said look evert hinges over before you commit.I found 2 miner things, no ac fan at dash, lose plug ,and a wall panel lose ,and I fixed both..

[Kev]

The dealer cannot do the two a/c upgrade it has to be done at the factory. The dealer had a 31S ordered with everything I wanted except it had only one a/c.
They were able to contact Thor and change the order to the two a/c option. I was told it depended how far along the build was at Thor. I was told they contacted Thor and since the build wasn't started they could make the change. It is due to arrive in March.

Kev

[HighMobious]

Kev my local dealer in has told me they can do the work. I have not pursued it as I have other priorities right now.

[Kev]

I am just going by what the dealer told me. I can tell you this even if it could be done at the dealer I am sure it would be a lot more money than if it was built at the factory. In addition if it was possible I wouldn't trust the dealer cutting a hole in the roof of a new coach. BTW what dealer told you this? Just curious as I live in Florida also.

Kev

[Kels4g]

We have the 29M with 2 ac units and the enclosed heated tanks. I would say that if you plan to camp anywhere hot (like Florida), you need both units.

Before buying our Windsport, we lived 10 months in a travel trailer (selling our house!) in Florida. The unit only had 1 ac and it cooled fine but the ceilings were much lower, way less windows, and it was 3 feet shorter than our Windsport.

[Kev]

Originally Posted by Kels4g

We have the 29M with 2 ac units and the enclosed heated tanks. I would say that if you plan to camp anywhere hot (like Florida), you need both units.

Before buying our Windsport, we lived 10 months in a travel trailer (selling our house!) in Florida. The unit only had 1 ac and it cooled fine but the ceilings were much lower, way less windows, and it was 3 feet shorter than our Windsport.

I am glad I made the decision to opt for the second a/c living in Florida. And we also make frequent trips to Key West.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Kev

I am just going by what the dealer told me. I can tell you this even if it could be done at the dealer I am sure it would be a lot more money than if it was built at the factory. In addition if it was possible I wouldn't trust the dealer cutting a hole in the roof of a new coach. BTW what dealer told you this? Just curious as I live in Florida also.

Kev

Dealer doesn't have to cut a hole in roof of coach. Many owners add a second A/C and it's normally installed in the vent opening in bedroom. The openings are normally the same size.

You are correct about cost having to be much much higher if upgrade is done after the motorhome is built. A second A/C wouldn't add much "incremental" cost compared to being installed at factory -- may even be cheaper if owner can do labor and MH is prewired.

Replacing an almost-new electrical panel or generator for a different (larger) one does add a lot of incremental cost compared to what the factory would incur. Even if you can sell the equipment you remove, there is so much wasted labor.

[Beau388]

If it gets really hot in the sun, we pull the big slide in in the 31S. This really helps with one 15,000 btu A/C. The coach is quite usable with the big slide in. We have survived in Fort Worth in the full sun at 96 degrees with the interior at 77 degrees at 3pm.

Another option with the 30 amp coach is to replace the front A/C with a Coleman Mach 3PS. It only draws 11.2 amps. Add another Mach 3PS in the rear. The coach is already wired for a second fan in the roof vent and you can use those wires to pull the heavier 12 gauge wires down to the water heater. Use a junction box to join he water heater and A/C wires. Change the 15 amp circuit breaker to a slow-blow 15 amp circuit breaker. The 15 amp circuit breaker should be able to handle the 11 amp load. You just have to remember not to turn the rear A/C on and the electric portion of the water on at the same time. Total cost for parts would be about $1700 and less if you get a good price for your old A/C. This would also allow you to use both A/Cs off the generator. The separate 20 amp pedestal plug is a more elegant solution to the second A/C.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Beau388

If it gets really hot in the sun, we pull the big slide in in the 31S. This really helps with one 15,000 btu A/C. The coach is quite usable with the big slide in. We have survived in Fort Worth in the full sun at 96 degrees with the interior at 77 degrees at 3pm.

Another option with the 30 amp coach is to replace the front A/C with a Coleman Mach 3PS. It only draws 11.2 amps. Add another Mach 3PS in the rear. The coach is already wired for a second fan in the roof vent and you can use those wires to pull the heavier 12 gauge wires down to the water heater. Use a junction box to join he water heater and A/C wires. Change the 15 amp circuit breaker to a slow-blow 15 amp circuit breaker. The 15 amp circuit breaker should be able to handle the 11 amp load. You just have to remember not to turn the rear A/C on and the electric portion of the water on at the same time. Total cost for parts would be about $1700 and less if you get a good price for your old A/C. This would also allow you to use both A/Cs off the generator. The separate 20 amp pedestal plug is a more elegant solution to the second A/C.

As mentioned previously, that's pretty much what Jayco has done on at least one model, except they use two 11,000-BTU/hr Power Saver air conditioners. And they run it on a 30-Amp service or 4,000-Watt generator. It does require managing loads wisely.

Upgrading from one 15,000 BTU/hr A/C to two 11,000 BTU/hr may not seem like enough, but a 47% increase is quite a bit in air conditioning. I'd personally go that route instead of two 13,500s because it frees up a little more power for other needs. Plus start-up current is a little lower. Additionally, over sizing A/Cs isn't necessarily a good thing because they'll cycle on and off too frequently.

[Beau388]

Dometic 640310 Penguin II 11,000 btu draw 13.1 amps at full load. Coleman Mach 3PS 13,500 btu draw 11.2 amps at full load. I lived with a Coleman Mach 3PS for 8 years and can attest to its low current draw.

[Chance]

The Coleman Mach 1 PS (Power Saver) 11,000 BTU/hr is rated under 10 Amps under standard conditions. That's the A/C that makes more sense to me from a power efficiency standpoint.

[Kev]

If you have the unit with 2 a/c's from the factory it comes with the bigger generator and 50 amps. There is no issue of not having enough power.