Adding second air in back bedroom?

[Jusplainwacky]

Here is the latest....Tomorrow I will be picking up a new Coleman AC 15.5-btu but only takes 10-amps! It's so new that it's not even in the stores. Apparently, they have a more efficient compressor and motors.
They also have a fairly new ceiling assembly (for a non-duct) AC unit (that this is) which is can be controlled by the LCD display on the ceiling assembly or you can use your Iphone to set the temperature...pretty cool.
I just created another post...asking if anyone has some creative ideas in getting the AC on the roof. I replaced one a cab-over camper and used a ladder to slide it up by pulling on a rope and someone on the ladder pushing it.

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

Here is the latest....Tomorrow I will be picking up a new Coleman AC 15.5-btu but only takes 10-amps! It's so new that it's not even in the stores. Apparently, they have a more efficient compressor and motors.
They also have a fairly new ceiling assembly (for a non-duct) AC unit (that this is) which is can be controlled by the LCD display on the ceiling assembly or you can use your Iphone to set the temperature...pretty cool.
I just created another post...asking if anyone has some creative ideas in getting the AC on the roof. I replaced one a cab-over camper and used a ladder to slide it up by pulling on a rope and someone on the ladder pushing it.

Do you have model number and or specs on this new air conditioner?

It is about time manufacturers came out with true high-efficiency RV air conditioners. Even considering low 10-Amp current (1,200 Watts max) it represents EER of +/- 13 which is nothing to write home about compared to residential air conditioners.

I’m curious to see how they improved efficiency if it required more than new compressor and fan/blower motors. Also wonder if new design will be available in smaller sizes.

[lwmcguir]

Sounds like a tweaked Mach 10

[Jusplainwacky]

I forgot to mention that it also comes with the "slow start" feature to limit the inrush current and is the "low profile".
The model number is....45203-0993
And the ceiling assembly is 9430-725

It's a Mach 10.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

I forgot to mention that it also comes with the "slow start" feature to limit the inrush current and is the "low profile".
The model number is....45203-0993
And the ceiling assembly is 9430-725

It's a Mach 10.

It's also a 13.5 K BTU A/C

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

It's also a 13.5 K BTU A/C

Oppss....I mean to say 13.5

Since this is going to be a second AC for the back bedroom area, I didn't go with the 15.5. I'll edit the post...guess I can't.

Why is it that the "Edit" icon is missing on some of the prior posts and then it appears on others?

[Jusplainwacky]

Hey Guys....I have been putting off installing my second air conditioner, and tonight I thought I'd revisit it. I have the air conditioner and the control panel (pretty cool that it also has an app for your Iphone).

So...I took off the surround on the ceiling fan and I discovered that the 12v wires for the fan go along the ceiling and down into the cabinets above the head of the bed and then run above the decorative panel (which is below the cabinets)...and I haven't a clue where they go from there.

I'm trying to figure out how I can go from the ceiling above the bed to the electrical panel under the bed. I think I'd need to find someone that has a 29M that installed a second air to see how they ran the wires.

I contacted Thor...they are useless. You'd think that someone there could tell me how the 12-volt wires run...but nope.

So, if anyone has any suggestions...let me know.

[16ACE27]

Behind a false panel in the outdoor kitchen?

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Behind a false panel in the outdoor kitchen?

I didn't see much in this area. I even removed the tilt-out drawer (where you can keep sponges), so I could look under the sink. The thing is, this area is towards the back of the coach and the electrical stuff that is under the bed is further forward.

When removing that drawer, I discovered that they really butchered the wood support for the hinge...it was split and of course the screw was missing. I'll have to get some hose clamps and fix that. The shitty work they do just boggles my mind. They do this, and make no attempt to fix things...they just leave it.

Anyway...I was thinking that perhaps I can drill a hole in the wall under the bed where the electrical panel is, and run a wire straight up the wall and endup where where in the cabinet area..but drilling a hole in the cabinet and fishing out a wire could be challenging. My concern is that I'm going to run into supports behind the wall. I don't want to be drilling a bunch of holes in the wall.

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

Hey Guys....I have been putting off installing my second air conditioner, and tonight I thought I'd revisit it. I have the air conditioner and the control panel (pretty cool that it also has an app for your Iphone).

So...I took off the surround on the ceiling fan and I discovered that the 12v wires for the fan go along the ceiling and down into the cabinets above the head of the bed and then run above the decorative panel (which is below the cabinets)...and I haven't a clue where they go from there.

I'm trying to figure out how I can go from the ceiling above the bed to the electrical panel under the bed. I think I'd need to find someone that has a 29M that installed a second air to see how they ran the wires.

I contacted Thor...they are useless. You'd think that someone there could tell me how the 12-volt wires run...but nope.

So, if anyone has any suggestions...let me know.

I installed a 13.5 Coleman in my 29m. Used the 12v fan wires to pull the romex into the cabinet. Then I installed a breaker and put it in the storage cabinet above the bed. The Romex was then run into the coat cabinet then into the wall, bath /bed wall, then down to the floor. That was the hardest part of the job. The floor storage cabinets back wall comes out given a little bit of access. We used a small chain and magnet to fish the chain down and out a hole in the bottom of the walll. Then hooked romex to chain to fish it down wall

I ran the wire out of the hole under the bed with all the other wires. Ran the wire in flex conduit to where the stock plug is located. I installed the same 30 amp plug as stock


I know of one install where he ran the romex out of the overhead compartment and down the outside of the wall along side the beds headboard continuing down to the floor and under the bed

Not sure what he used to cover the romex but it was much easier than going into the wall like I did

Jerry

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by halfprice

I installed a 13.5 Coleman in my 29m. Used the 12v fan wires to pull the romex into the cabinet. Then I installed a breaker and put it in the storage cabinet above the bed. The Romex was then run into the coat cabinet then into the wall, bath /bed wall, then down to the floor. That was the hardest part of the job. The floor storage cabinets back wall comes out given a little bit of access. We used a small chain and magnet to fish the chain down and out a hole in the bottom of the walll. Then hooked romex to chain to fish it down wall

I ran the wire out of the hole under the bed with all the other wires. Ran the wire in flex conduit to where the stock plug is located. I installed the same 30 amp plug as stock


I know of one install where he ran the romex out of the overhead compartment and down the outside of the wall along side the beds headboard continuing down to the floor and under the bed

Not sure what he used to cover the romex but it was much easier than going into the wall like I did

Jerry

Hi Jerry...Thank you for responding to my thread; I didn't think I was going to find anyone with a 29M that has done this.
I have a question for you....why did you run the wire into the closet and then inside the well between the shower and closet....why didn't you run it inside the wall behind the headboard?

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

Hi Jerry...Thank you for responding to my thread; I didn't think I was going to find anyone with a 29M that has done this.

I have a question for you....why did you run the wire into the closet and then inside the well between the shower and closet....why didn't you run it inside the wall behind the headboard?

It's been several years since install. But if I remember correctly something, maybe wall insulation, was blocking access. The block was above the fridge area up high

Jerry

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by halfprice

It's been several years since install. But if I remember correctly something, maybe wall insulation, was blocking access. The block was above the fridge area up high

Jerry

That makes sense. I'm assuming they use some insulation padding and not some spray (expanding foam) insulation.

You say that the bottom panel/floor of the cabinet can come out...how hard is it to lift it up? Is it glued in?

I was thinking if I could open up the bottom of the cabinet, that will tell me if they ran any wires down that wall behind the bed.

I'm thinking of perhaps drilling a hole into the wall behind the cabinet and looking inside with my endoscope.

[Beau388]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

Hey Guys....I have been putting off installing my second air conditioner, and tonight I thought I'd revisit it. I have the air conditioner and the control panel (pretty cool that it also has an app for your Iphone).

So...I took off the surround on the ceiling fan and I discovered that the 12v wires for the fan go along the ceiling and down into the cabinets above the head of the bed and then run above the decorative panel (which is below the cabinets)...and I haven't a clue where they go from there.

I'm trying to figure out how I can go from the ceiling above the bed to the electrical panel under the bed. I think I'd need to find someone that has a 29M that installed a second air to see how they ran the wires.

I contacted Thor...they are useless. You'd think that someone there could tell me how the 12-volt wires run...but nope.

So, if anyone has any suggestions...let me know.

On my coach the fan wires ran from the fan down to the back of the water heater and joined 12 volt the wires from water heater and the dresser light switch. That whole bunch wires went under the floor over to the fuse power center under the bed.
I used the 12 volt fan wires to pull a fish wire down to the water heater wire. From there, I pulled 12 awg Romex and the thermostat cable up to the ceiling opening. I sheathed the Romex under the coach over to the through floor passage under the bed and zip tied it to the water heater Romex already there. I connected the A/C Romex to a new 20 amp CAFCB in the power center.
I ran the thermostat cable up through the hollow wall between the dresser and shower stall and tied it to a new Airxcel heat/cool thermostat installed on the wall. I used the 12 volt wires from the factory installed USB charger to power the thermostat. I used and electric knife to cut the new ducts into the ceiling foam to join the ducts already there.

I drove the coach over to PPL Motor Homes in New Braunfels who installed the Coleman mach 8 plus heat pump. No way a 80+ year old guy is going to lift a 105 lb heat pump onto the roof. It has worked flawlessly for 6 years in the Texas heat and the Colorado cool.

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

That makes sense. I'm assuming they use some insulation padding and not some spray (expanding foam) insulation.

You say that the bottom panel/floor of the cabinet can come out...how hard is it to lift it up? Is it glued in?

I was thinking if I could open up the bottom of the cabinet, that will tell me if they ran any wires down that wall behind the bed.

I'm thinking of perhaps drilling a hole into the wall behind the cabinet and looking inside with my endoscope.

The upper cabinet bottom is stapled down. I never removed it

I removed the back wall of the night stand. After running the romex down the wall I ran it out a hole behind the night stand then under the bed

Jerry

[Jusplainwacky]

This is what I'm thinking of doing...

Pulling the 110vac wires from the 12v fan into the cabinet like you did, then running the wire down inside the wall behind the headboard.

I asked Thor support "what is inside that wall"...and I got this diagram (cut-out view kind of like an x-ray).

If I'm reading this right, it looks like there is a horizonal support in the wall...my guess it's for the upper cabinets. If this is the case, I won't be able to run a wire down this wall.

Attachment 43374

[Jusplainwacky]

I got the 110vac wire in but not connected up. This is what I ended up doing...which is based on what Jerry said he did.

First of all, I couldn't run the Romex down the wall that is behind the headboard. there is a horizonal metal brace on that wall that the upper cabinet are screwed into. You have to run it like Jerry stated.

I wouldn't recommend doing this without out an endoscope and a flexible fiberglass fish tape, and wire lube. I can't image doing this with out these tools.

I removed the reading light above the bed and using the handle of a hammer, I inserted into the light hole and lifted up the panel (it was stapled in like Jerry said).

Then I partially removed the outside coat closest at the bottom.

And then I removed the back panel below the nightstand (the storage area).

At this point, I could see the wires running along the bottom of the cabinet and could see them running into the coat closet.

I then used a fish tape and ran it from the outside of the coat closet along the bottom of the coat closet following the existing wires and into the wall between the coat closet and the shower. Without an endoscope and a flexible fish tape, I think doing this would be next to impossible.

Once I got the fish tape from the outside of the coat closet down the wall between the shower and the closet, I just kept feeding it in....and it came out at the bottom.

Using my endoscope inside the storage under the nightstand, I could see the fish tape and then I used a grabber to grab it...pulling it outside of the cabinet a couple of feet.

I then connected the Romex to the fish tape and using wire lube, I pulled the Romex up the wall, along the bottom of the closet above the nightstand and out the side. Pulling enough wire so I have enough to reach the air conditioner.

I then connected up the fish tape to the 12v ceiling fan and pulled the 12v wires from the ceiling fan into the cabinet above the bed. Then I hooked up the Romex to the fish tape and pulled it into the ceiling fan area.

This wasn't easily...especially when the wire gets stuck in the wall.

Now to connect up the power....since this is a low amp AC with a slow start, I plan to find an AC breaker that I can share with the AC unit...something that doesn't take a lot of current.

[MLP]

It should have its own breaker. You should find a small sub panel box and add the breaker there. Do not make a double connection on a breaker or do a hidden junction. Be safe and do it properly the first time.

[halfprice]

Originally Posted by Jusplainwacky

I got the 110vac wire in but not connected up. This is what I ended up doing...which is based on what Jerry said he did.

First of all, I couldn't run the Romex down the wall that is behind the headboard. there is a horizonal metal brace on that wall that the upper cabinet are screwed into. You have to run it like Jerry stated.

I wouldn't recommend doing this without out an endoscope and a flexible fiberglass fish tape, and wire lube. I can't image doing this with out these tools.

I removed the reading light above the bed and using the handle of a hammer, I inserted into the light hole and lifted up the panel (it was stapled in like Jerry said).

Then I partially removed the outside coat closest at the bottom.

And then I removed the back panel below the nightstand (the storage area).

At this point, I could see the wires running along the bottom of the cabinet and could see them running into the coat closet.

I then used a fish tape and ran it from the outside of the coat closet along the bottom of the coat closet following the existing wires and into the wall between the coat closet and the shower. Without an endoscope and a flexible fish tape, I think doing this would be next to impossible.

Once I got the fish tape from the outside of the coat closet down the wall between the shower and the closet, I just kept feeding it in....and it came out at the bottom.

Using my endoscope inside the storage under the nightstand, I could see the fish tape and then I used a grabber to grab it...pulling it outside of the cabinet a couple of feet.

I then connected the Romex to the fish tape and using wire lube, I pulled the Romex up the wall, along the bottom of the closet above the nightstand and out the side. Pulling enough wire so I have enough to reach the air conditioner.

I then connected up the fish tape to the 12v ceiling fan and pulled the 12v wires from the ceiling fan into the cabinet above the bed. Then I hooked up the Romex to the fish tape and pulled it into the ceiling fan area.

This wasn't easily...especially when the wire gets stuck in the wall.

Now to connect up the power....since this is a low amp AC with a slow start, I plan to find an AC breaker that I can share with the AC unit...something that doesn't take a lot of current.

Good job running the romex.

I didn't see the need to run both ac units from the existing panel. For my situation, always plugging in to the cg power, just running the romex to an addition plug then to cg power worked great for me.

However you wired it up make sure it's safe!!!!

Jerry

[Jusplainwacky]

Originally Posted by halfprice

Good job running the romex.

I didn't see the need to run both ac units from the existing panel. For my situation, always plugging in to the cg power, just running the romex to an addition plug then to cg power worked great for me.

However you wired it up make sure it's safe!!!!

Jerry

Hey Jerry...I cannot thank you enough for helping! I plan to add some photos to help the next person.

MLP is right...I plan to put in separate panel. I found this one, but I was hoping I could find something smaller.