Dometic = 80dB Rec Pro = 65 dB (low fan), 68dB (high fan) a HUGE difference! Link to Products: ☑ Air Conditioner -use CCX8GQS at checkout for 5% off your order! www.joslynjourney.com/get/rec-pro-air-conditioner/ ☑Midea Dehumidifier: www.joslynjourney.com/get/midea-dehumidifier/
Thank you for the great review. I am from FL and humidity is the test of any AC is humidity removal. A friend of mine who worked in AC business for years told me that AC units have to run to dehumidify and to cool when I was replacing my home unit. ( I wanted to get a bigger rated model than the old one) The problem is that too much cooling power will have the compressor cutting off early leaving a cold damp room. He added that a home, or, a space, it is better with a smaller rated unit to run more often to insure humidity removal before the thermostat shuts off the compressor. The fan alone will not remove humidity. I was under a false impression that bigger meant better cooling but dehumidifying is a major part of cooling a room and that only a properly sized unit for the cooling space will make that happen- in other words he was telling me not to buy more AC but the rated size for the space being cooled.
Hi, and thanks for the comment. I agree and I was surprised that Houghton said a smaller unit wouldnt have helped. Though I do get it that these unitsbare focused on temp and not humidity. Bummer for us folks who like to camp in the UP - colder and humid... but it is super quiet which is why I replaced ours in the first place...
@@TheJoslynJourney oh, I want quieter too! My Dometic is like sitting in the back of a jet airplane during flight. I just am not sure about this humidity part.
@@TheJoslynJourney well that sounds nice. We haven't gotten to the humid time yet but soon. I am wondering what size unit I would need. I have a 25' Airstream. The OEM air is 11K BTU and it is very cool in summer and dry.
This is always the challenge, right? Well, our camper is about half the length of yours. We went with the 13.5K non-ducted version since we wanted the low-profile unit. Our OEM version was also a 11K unit before, so my guess is this is probably the right size for you (but just my opinion). The low profile doesn't have a ducted version, FYI (not sure if you need that). If you do go with this, I do have a discount code for Rec Pro for 5% off (use CCX8GQS at checkout) and let me know - would love to hear what you end up with!
Usually, the "dry" mode on those sorts of HVAC units--and min splits as well-- is simply the fan running at a lower speed. If you leave the fan on low instead of auto, it will pull more humidity out of the air. It pulls the air across the coils slower, allowing it to pull more humidity out.
Hi Jonathan. You're correct - dry mode is just AC on low. Better power consumption for off-grid. For higher humidity, you needed the regular AC mode, but we still struggle with humidity unless we use the ac with our dehumidifier.
We have a Atwood AC Atwood Air Command 15K wit heat pump (also known as the Cormorant) which is the same maker as your Houghton brand unit. We got ours in Aug 2014 and it has served us well in our Class C motorhome. The issue with the AC is the dew point where ever you are using it. We found that running the unit with the fan manually on high when the outside temps are near the dewpoint helps a lot. Our motorhome is well insulated and has no slides- but if we set the temp to 60F in South Florida (1/4 mile from the ocean near Jupiter, FL) we actually can have condensate form on the ceiling surface! Solution: don't try to make it too cool inside- e.g. 79F with fans on high when it is in the high 90s and same at night actually kept the humidity down under 70% RH at all times. Also noticed you put lap sealant on the roof around the frame- lap sealant is not a gasket material. You might consider to use a butyl rubber gasket material such as liquid SureBond SB-140 butyl. The larger units come with foam gaskets and hopefully the maker has updated the manuals to have torque ratings for the bolts as they can easily crush too much when tightening the bolts to hold the unit down. We now have a larger Class A and thinking of these units as Atwood is now owned by Dometic and they stopped selling these as non ducted units. They are just too good and would kill their sales of the noisy units which they make (not just sell). Thanks for making the video, it is helpful.
Hi WRL Guy , Thanks for watching! And yes, you're absolutely correct- the dew point is the key. We were specifically having issues with condensation in the evenings when the air was completely saturated (temp=dew point). It was annoying that the selling points was a dehumidifier, but that is really just low fan. For us, humidity increased when we just used the low fan. Fyi, we did use butyl tape in addition to sealant during the installation, but that surprisingly wasn't in the installation instructions. The torque is important to not over-tighten, as you mentioned and that was provided in the instructions. I still believe our old noisy Dometic did better in high humidity but the value of the noise reduction is worth carrying around a large dehumidifier for us. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have the same NOISY AC unit on my Host Camper and wish I would have known this fact before purchasing the camper else I would have installed a quieter one. You are absolutely right, how come nobody is talking this? I have already made up my mind that by next summer this AC from Dometic has to go. I can't watch a movie, have a zoom company meeting or talk on the phone when the AC is running... it is impossible. Thank you for your video.
Hi Ave Crux Spes Unica - thanks for stopping by! Host started offering this after another 2022 Host owner wanted to get it added, so it may have just not been on the option list yet. On the plus side, if you do upgrade, you can still sell the Dometic and get a small amount of $ back. Totally understand on the zoom call thing - I was just getting straight out mad every time that thing turned on so it was probably best for our marriage to buy it! 🤣 Although the timing wasn't great for you, I do think Host does a good job of listening to owners and continues to offer more options. If you have some handy folks, the install wasn't bad (as you can see). Might save you some time and $.... good luck and happy camping!
@@TheJoslynJourney You are right, I could make a little money selling my current unit and upgrading to RecPro now that I know its doable. Thanks for your videos!
We have the exact same dehumidifier in our fifth wheel, works great. I installed it in the 'basement' space under the front bedroom which is vented to the rest of the rig via return ducts on the stairs, and ran a drain hose through the floor and out the rig. This works great because it's out of the way. We also have 3 Dometic AC units, but sometimes that's not enough by themselves.
That's a bummer! We've been considering the exact AC unit from RecPro and have not pulled the trigger. I'm grateful that you've brought up this issue. Hopefully, they will figure out a solution so you don't have to take the dehumidifier with you--I'm sure that's frustrating. Happy Travels!
Thanks for checking the video out KathyMinTexas. Still working with RecPro - on the plus side, they're trying to help... hopefully have another video in 2 weeks as a follow-up 🤞
Replacing our A/C with this unit in spite of humidity issues. Current A/C does not have any gravity moisture bleed off as a house unit would have. If temp is lowered without removing air, RH will increase. Can't blame Houghton for this. It is a camper design issue. Mold can be a problem. Bought a small quiet dehumidifier which I'll place in the kitchen sink at night. Have no regrets buying this heat pump.
I agree, it's this AC unit is still good even with the humidity concern due to the low noise. And our specific humidity issue was related to colder damp conditions. It actually did ok in Florida during the day. When we were there, our AC was pulling a TON of water off and draining off the roof. It's just challenging during cooler, damp evenings. It got downright swampy in that situation but a portable dehumidifier worked (although it did make the AC work more since you elevate the ambient temp with a dehumidifier). Glad it's working for you!
Thank you for an honest review- very helpful. We live in CA and are not used to high humidity---then, we went to Florida to visit our daughter--- GOOD GRIEF! You are 100% correct about the installed AC unit being very noisy- but sounds like you've solved both the noise and the humidity issues pretty well. Happy trails to you!
Thanks Gary! We do try to give a full picture of anything we try. Better for everyone to understand what they're getting for it. But boy, the reduced sound is such a big deal! Yeah, Florida can be BRUTAL as we found out too! Thanks for stopping by!
So glad the video helped! If you're looking at figuring out some of the modes, we created a newer video that may help. There are chapters so you can skip to what you need. th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vY6TvaEF-TyuS8KZ. Happy future cool camping!
I am a 30 year RV service guy. Mostly do custom and high end work to select clients. I installed that unit plus a 9.5k low profile on my classic GMC motorhome (Stripes Movie). I have installed 3 others, including a 15k heat pump unit. All have soft start and use lower amps than normal units. The build on all units are way better than conventional Coleman, or DuoTherm units. Congrats I think you will like. The cold air return is way better concept than older units itself. I'm in myrtle Beach, did you say you was in NC?
After finishing your video, Im guessing, the Houghton it soo big powerwise, your in such a small space, it over cycles too fast and the compressor don't run long enough to remove the moisture. My one complaint is rec pro is just a distributor. Houghton is Australian made for them. I was hesitant on buying because I just got order takers on the phone. Talk to a experienced AC person, they might have tips on improving your performance??
Hi Rusty - thanks for taking the time to watch our video. We were initially thinking the same thing - too big for our rig. But I'm struggling with that since these are going on a LOT of sprinter vans which have a lot less square footage than our rig. But you're right about the cycling. It seems to keep on the 1-2 minutes on, 2-3 minutes off which is way too short to make any meaningful change in humidity. I'd love to get hold of Houghton directly to see if there's a way to program the unit for longer cycles. The Eco Mode does that a little but not quite enough. I agree with you, though, that the build on these units is really good and well thought-out.
We were in central NC but I think you got a better plan - Myrtle Beach sounds great! We're back in Illinois now and planning on heading into Wisconsin later this week.
Lookin' to buy one. Got one spotted, 26' Palm Beach I think (don't quote me I've looked at a bunch). $1500 with a non-running 454. I figure for that price she's worth fixin'.. My favorite Motor home of all time..that and maybe the Beaver Patriot Thunder.
@@svenshanah Hi SvenShanah. You can buy new from RecPro for $1500, and if you use my code (discount code CCX8GQS) you can get an extra 5%. And that's including freight shipping. Just FYI! Oops, $1500 for a 26' trailer, wow!
Good to know about the ac humidity issue. I was considering switching mine out for the quiet Houghton. My rig isn’t large enough to accommodate a dehumidifier (horse trailer).
I'm glad you are satisfied with your Houghton, but we have had two Houghton 3400's installed and neither could come close to cooling a small class B van. Neither unit dehumidified at all. A good RV air conditioner will pull out the humidity. You should not have to run a separate dehumidifier. Our unit was bench tested apart from the vehicle and the compressors would not stay on long enough to create any condensation or cooling of the van. Their only value is low noise. I'd prefer to stay cool. RePro replaced the first one at no cost but as far as Houghton, we're done.
Hi Mark. I wouldn't say I'm satisfied, but I'm tolerating the reduced performance. I'm sorry to hear you were having even worse issues. That surprises me since Houghton was citing the reason I was having problems was because of the excessive air ingress (from our slides, etc.). With a class B van, I would have thought it would have done much better. Did you verify that you were not short cycling? I do agree that it's quite annoying to have to run a separate dehumidifier especially on warm summer nights. I would almost wonder if the 9.5k would have been better. RecPro wasn't keen on me swapping out different versions so I was never able to test it. I almost wonder if that would have been better since the compressor would be on for longer times. But, when it was super hot the 13.5K was running nearly non-stop so.... not sure if that would have been the best solution either. *Sigh*
@@TheJoslynJourney After watching one of your videos, I heard you mention doing a short cycle test by opening all the doors and windows. We tried that and voila! The compressor pumped cold air for more than a half hour. Then we started closing doors gradually one by one. The compressor stayed on until there was only one door left open and it shut off. What is this telling me? Is it sensing not enough humidity inside? It was measuring 40%. Really appreciate your thoughts on this! Thanks.
@@okcpicker Hi Mark. I also attempted to answer a question on my other video. That's interesting that it stayed on until the last door was shut. I'd still check to see if there may be cold air bouncing off a wall and hitting the ac telling it to cool off. As I was told, the unit does not really look at humidity and focuses on the temperature.
A Houghton 3400 will easily cool a properly insulated small van. If not well insulated, the problem is the van. If not cooling, get a GOOD tech to look at it. Cooling is not one of the issues that these units have.
Also, your next video on relative humidity vs dew point starts to get at the reason the humidity doesn't drop at night, but I have some more thoughts to contribute. I see a lot of people have thoughts on this. The reason the humidity goes up at night is probably because the AC is on for a smaller fraction of the time. The AC won't be on as much at night because the ambient temperature is colder at night. The amount of reduction in humidity performed by the AC is going to be related to the fraction of time the AC is on. If the AC is on less because it has less work to do to reduce the temperature then the humidity reduction will be less, too. This is a little bit more complicated because typically ACs will only reduce the humidity to a certain point and not beyond. I never saw my RV AC reduce humidity below about 50%. Whereas a dehumidifier can, with a high enough capacity, go much lower. Therefore, if the AC is on frequently enough for long enough the humidity will simply stay near 50% (or whatever) and not really change. The humidity reduction isn't going to go to 50% regardless of the set temperature. Instead, it's going to drop by whatever it drops by during the time the AC is on. I suppose the design of airflow through the AC could change how much water is removed, but if more water is removed then the AC may remove too much water on a dryer day... so there is this problem of not being able to independently control the humidity reduction and temperature reduction with an AC. Having a separate dehumidifier is absolutely necessary in humid climates and even homes in Florida and other southern states do this when they want 50% indoor relative humidity.
Hi Jason, thanks for providing some additional insight. You are correct with your thoughts on humidity. I guess I was a bit mistaken when we bought this air conditioner since they were promoting the "dehumidify" mode, which is essentially ac on low fan speed - it should have been sold more as eco mode or something like that. We had problems when the compressor turned off (fan is always on), the humidity would jump up. Unfortunately, that's the design of the unit. We went back to central IL for some summer months and had to pull our dehumidifier out a few times but obviously not as bad as when we were in FL and NC. Even with this problem, I'm still glad we got the unit due to the significant noise rating. However, if I could do it again, I think there are other AC units now that may be better, but I don't have first-hand experience with them (like Truma Aventa). Thanks for stopping by!
@@TheJoslynJourney Ah, yeah, I'm looking at the Truma also. I have never seen an AC that can dehumidify. I have seen many that advertise a "dehumidify" mode, but it's always just low AC. A true dehumidification would have to pass the air back through the condenser (to warm it back up) after going through the evaporator. No AC that I know of has that ability, though technically, they all have the necessary components just not the ductwork. :-/
If you hear anything from the NRVTA community, I've always heard to leave it on high fan speed as it'll prevent your coils from freezing and will constantly keep air moving. It'll help greatly with your humidity issue.
Have you tried the "Dry" mode on the unit? It's supposed to work like a dehumidifier. I really appreciate you mentioning this humidity issue, as I haven't seen it come up in any of the other videos on the unit. We are planning to replace a couple of Dometics with the Houghton models for some peace and quiet too. I completely agree on the midea dehumidifier, we bought one for our RV and it works very very well. I added a drain pipe to the back so we don't have to remember to dump the water.
Hi Jayson. We tried both AC and dehumidify (dry) mode with no luck. We are working with RecPro who has said they will be contacting Houghton. I hope to have an update and will post when we do. The dry mode has a lower fan speed so it dumped a little less humidity but we still ended up at 75-80% by early morning. I think it's due to short cycling of the compressor. Hope we find out more soon!
@@TheJoslynJourney Your unit is most likely sized too large for your camper. At night it is removing the sensible heat quickly (temp shown on your thermostat) but not running long enough (and short cycling) to remove the latent heat (humidity) to your comfort level. I would try running it in dehumidify mode at night and dropping the setting on your thermostat until it gets to your desired humidity level. Probably easier to throw another blanket on than run a large dehumidifier. 😀
@@chrism1674 Appreciate the comment. I confirmed with Houghton engineering that the unit was not too large, and it was needed for high heat days. The dry mode is simply air conditioning with low fan. It does not have any extra dehumidifying properties which was surprising to me. We still have issues when the AC compressor turns off, the humidity increases dramatically since the fan is still on low. It seems to dump the moisture on the fins back into the rig. Since I can't shut off the fan without shutting off the AC entirety I'm stuck with that increase in moisture. Hence the dehumidifier which does increase temps (not an ideal solution).
@@TheJoslynJourney Low speed fan acts as a dehumidify mode since the slower moving air stays in contact with the evaporator coil longer and removes more moisture per unit of airflow. You are correct that the fan staying on once the compressor kicks off is adding to your problem. When that happens the condensation on the coil will be blown into the airspace as vapour and raise the humidity. Even though they tell you that it's sized correctly, I still think your unit is sized too large. Try running it at night as I suggested and see if humidity is controlled at a lower temperature setting.
@@chrism1674 The night time was the main problem. During the day, the unit stayed on long enough to be able to decrease the humidity. We tried all methods including dry mode with no luck.
sounds like this AC is a NO GO.. it take care of normal humidity like in florida in summer. thanks for the heads up.. and oh just by the way a dehu is a small AC unit.. :)
I wish I could have compared it to my old AC. Just to be clear, it seemed to do well during the day, but didn't keep up when the temps were cooler outside but still humid. I haven't had many opportunities to test recently since we've been in very low humidity areas.
Don't listen to all the people saying your unit isn't sized right. When cooling an RV, any RV rooftop AC unit can be undersized during a hot humid summer day and vastly oversized at night. I switched from a Coleman Mach 10 NDQ to the Houghton 3400, and have experienced similar humidity issues at night. I knew it was going to be an issue right after I installed it. It's the short cycling compressor with the fan running all the time. I'd wish Houghton could release a board/chip upgrade that offered a cooling mode with the fan turning off. The digital panel for the Coleman Mach had an Auto Cool mode that cycled the fan with the compressor. I'm probably going to install a fan control bypass. When enabled, power to the fan motor would be controlled by a W1209 thermostat. The thermocouple on the W1209 would be coupled near the expansion valve, and would only kick on the fan when the temperature is below say 50-55 degrees. I'm typically running my AC at night on battery, so it's extremely energy wasteful for the fan to blow the humidity back into my van for the AC to have to work to pull it back out. On a mild but humid night an AC is going to use a lot more energy to remove humidity than to cool. I believe the unit is built much nicer than the coleman mach 10, and the noise level is far more acceptable. Good luck and please report back if you have any progress with Houghton. If they're smart they will fix this!!
Hi on theroad, thanks for checking our video out. I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing the same issue. I wish there was an option to turn that fan off as well. We even went through the effort of manually turning on and off the unit when we were on batteries overnight which was a horrible solution (grumpy me the next morning!). Perhaps I'll contact RecPro again to see if there could be an optional software update.
Here is the response regarding turning off the fan: "...it was an engineering decision to keep the fan running. After we received previous suggestions regarding the same, it was determined that the fan running does help the unit run quietly and efficiently. At one point we did test the fan being turned off but it caused performance issues and in quality control that we would like to prevent."
Very interesting video,thank you. Just curious, website mentioned dehumidifing feature of unit as one of it's major benefits? Just ordered the 15k with heat pump. Thank you again for the dehumidifier heads up. Safe travels. Rich + Liz
Hi Rich, thanks for checking out the video! You're right - they do mention dehumidification as part of the features. But, as I learned, the "dry mode" is simply air conditioning on low fan speed. It's more intended to keep the rig cool with lower power consumption. I do have another video that goes through some of the questions I got answered - th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html. If you live in humid climates, you may want to rethink this. I haven't done much research on the new Truma AC unit, but it also looked promising. At this point, I'm stuck with the AC unit since I can't justify the cost of replacing it.
Have you ever had this leak water back in to your rv? So when it rains supposedly my pant gets full and then when I take off or break it comes back in the air conditioning vent inside my RV
Hmmmm... no we haven't. Have you been able to check the sealing at the roof? Unlike the directions, we used both butyl tape then dicor for sealing. Do you have a Host camper? I heard some of the first few campers were not installed with the seal kit.
I'm having the same problems with the identical unit in my 23' Airstream. Have you seen the "hack" by FloridaAmbient to control the always-on fan so that it cycles on/off with the compressor call? I'm going to try to get that done and see if it improves things.
Howdy Gary. I just went out and saw that video. That's an interesting option. I wished Houghton would simply give us the software difference instead of having to buy a 110V relay, though. I'll keep this in mind when we're back in the head & humidity. Luckily, we're out in the high desert now and humidity isn't an issue right now.
Laura, Gary, I know this video has been up for awhile now, and that’s why I’m asking you this question. Have you had to clean the units condensation drain system yet? I had a shower in my Host this past weekend, and believe mine is clogged.
Howdy! I'm writing what Gary says here. From past experience, cleaning the inside filter will likely help. Weve had it raining inside as well and it went away after Gary cleaned it. We've only cleaned the exterior ones - we haven't taken anything apart inside. Let us know what you find!
Hello there! Thanks for this very helpful review. Four months down the line, I’m wondering if you and Houghton have ever had a concluding conversation?
Hi riabreed011- thanks for checking out our video. We did make an update based upon feedback from Houghton through RecPro. Here's the video link: th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
Hi Dante. Thanks for asking. I'm not sure how easy installing a mini split in a truck camper would be. I've seen some try it though. Unfortunately we didnt have the money to try different alternatives. We lived with our loud AC for almost 4 years before upgrading to this! If I had to do it over, I would have looked at the new Truma AC as an alternate.
@@TheJoslynJourney a mini split is a heat pump as is this unit in the video but on the roof. Same type. However there are more options and capabilities on the non roof units.
Our rig is 34 ft. We live in Texas. We sometimes travel to South florida. When it's rainy season in the outside humidity is 90%. It's very difficult to get the humidity inside your RV low. The dehumidifier makes a huge difference. Even if you were on the AC non-stop.
Agreed, Florida in the summer is about as rough of a test as you can get. But this video with the water was in Illinois. I'm still sticking with my theory of the AC dumping back humidity once the compressor goes off.
Hi Jason - For some reason, I didn't post that. Our old ac was around 80 dB and I thought the Houghton was more like in the low 60s. We can have an easy conversation where previously we were yelling across our tiny truck camper!
We didn't have a perfect before and after situation (I should've thought about that before). But this one almost immediately started feeling not great - but ONLY in the evening once the temps went down. We believe it's because the fan still runs whether the compressor is on or off. Houghton engineering disagrees, though. FYI, we did an 18-month review which gives the latest info I have: th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oxtiTkv3fZYd5poF
Hello! Yes, we made a video shortly after talking to the engineering team at Houghton. We specifically address the Sleep and ECO mode in this part of the video: th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
We also have a 1-year update video where we go through a lot more features and our take on the unit. Hope this helps! th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.html
If you're looking for specific topics, make sure to check the description on each of the videos - that allows you to skip around a bit easier. Hope this helps!
I assume you're talking about our Govee sensors, which are fantastic. We have them in our fridge, freezer, bedroom, living room, basement and outside. Have been using them for 3 years. Here's our affiliate link: www.joslynjourney.com/get/govee-temp-2/
Hi Ave. No, we couldn't use the existing thermostat. There was a controller in the Dometic AC that ran the Suburban furnace. We ended up buying a simple digital thermostat. We made a short video about it: th-cam.com/video/pPq2ojjCJdo/w-d-xo.html. Hope this helps!
OK, I’m confused. We have an Oliver Legacy Elite II - which is a great trailer with an absolutely terrible Dometic A/C unit that roars. Probably the same one you removed. I’ve heard great things about the Houghton unit- super quiet. My confusion is - doesn’t the Houghton remove moisture as well as the noisy Dometic unit? Are we trading noise for humidity with this upgrade? Are they not comparable technology units? We just don’t have room for a stand alone dehumidifier. True, with the humidity here in NOLA, at times, it’s still humid in the trailer with the A/C running full tilt. Also - your installation video didn’t address condensate draining. We’re there hoses or tube to route the condensate out of the trailer? I just don’t wanna spend the $$$, do the work, and then realize I jumped from the jet engine into the sauna…. I think you mentioned in a comment that you hadn’t been in Florida with the only A/C, so you can’t really compare. Anybody else out there with a better before/after story?
I have heard from others that have this unit that there is some humidity problems similar to ours when the temps are cooler. During a warm day, there is no issue. My concern was more for cooler nights where you cannot get a decent amount of humidity out (think Michigan spring). Condensation comes off the unit on the roof (no hoses). Even with this, we would still keep the unit (as we said at the end of the video). If you're more accustomed to higher humidity (we were not), this may not bother you. We thought that somehow there would be better humidity removal due to their dehumidify mode but thats more like eco mode (it's ac with low fan). I hope this helps clarify where we stand.
@@TheJoslynJourney I imagine the issue is that when the weather is cool, but humid, the compressor won’t kick on and all the A/C is really doing is blowing air around. Aside from a stand alone dehumidifier, I don’t think there’s really a solution. To have the A/C dehumidifying when ambient temperature is below about mid 60’s - you’d have to crank the thermostat way down and be frozen to death. Thanks for the video and the help!
Hi Jeffrey. I don't have a true "apples to apples" comparison since we hadn't been in Florida with the old unit. However I believe the old unit removed humidity more. We were only using a tabletop humidifier on really wet days up north. We've had to bring out the big dehumidifier a few times since we've been back up North since August. I think it has to do with the humidity dumping back into the cabin after the compressor cycles off. But just my $0.02.
Hi LD Hamilton. Thanks for commenting. As I understand, the 15k Houghton (A3800) has the similar "dry mode" function that our 13.5k (A3400) has. The dry mode is only air conditioner on low speed - it does not have a dedicated dehumidifier feature.
We bought the RecPro (Houghton) 13.5k unit with the heat pump. This is the low profile, non ducted version. www.recpro.com/rv-air-conditioner-low-profile-13-5k-quiet-ac-with-heat-pump-remote-non-ducted/
It sounds like your unit is oversized. It cools the camper down so quickly that it doesn't have enough time to remove the humidity. A 13500 btu A/C unit should cool around 385 square foot space in the U.S. hot zone.
Hi Scott, and thanks for commenting. I had originally thought the same and had asked RecPro (who contacted Houghton) the same question. The main concern with oversized ACs (from my understanding) is short cycling. They asked me to perform the short cycling test which worked as intended. The 385 sq ft is assuming more of a home-style sealing, which rvs are not. There isn't a good rating to estimate sq ft for RVs with slide outs, etc. that I'm aware of. When we were in Florida innJune it was running 100% of the time during the day. Wouldn't want much smaller IMHO. But this is my $0.02.
Wow, that's a lot of water! Are you sure you're not camping in the middle of a lake? But hey, think about all the money you're saving on lotion and moisturizer...lol
Hi Jerry - you're right! And if we're boondocking, we could just filter it and use it to wash dishes or flush the toilet! There's ALWAYS a silver lining! 😁 In all seriousness, I'm wondering if we could run the dehumidifier periodically instead of the AC unit to pull out moisture - many times its the humidity that's bad, not always the heat. It's 250W vs the 600-1000W for the AC unit. That was what I was *hoping* to do with the AC unit but then I digress....🙄
Wow..that's some serious water. You're about 1/10th as furious as I would be. That is SO many times past unacceptable, I can't believe they sell that thing with a straight face, seriously, shame on 'em.. no excuse for putting that on the market in that condition.
Well, on the plus side I'm working with Houghton and RecPro now. Hoping to get to the bottom of this - it could also be something we did, so we're trying to be methodical. 🤞Hoping we'll figure it out soon!
Yeah, I have no idea why I forgot that. Here's our ratings: Dometic = 80dB and Rec Pro = 65 dB (low fan), 68dB (high fan). A HUGE difference which I'm quite grateful for right now heading into a 105 degree day. Thanks for asking!
I believe this statement is incorrect. As far as I know, all RV air conditioners will recirculate existing air. The interior air goes through the evaporator and back into the RV. The condenser pulls in air from the outside and returns it outside.
Hi CH. I was thinking the same too.y follow-up video show the response from Houghton through RecPro. We performed a short-cycle test to confirm sizing, etc. The answer was for our RV, it was not oversized. Funny, they use this same size in conversion vans too...th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
I am a Mech. Eng. and own a H 3400. The issue is that the fan runs after the compressor shuts off when temp is reached. Second is the thermistor bulb is in the RA air stream instead of the conditioned space. Yes, oversizing can impact installations, but the issue for most of us is stated above.
If you watched the video, the main reason we got rid of our Domestic was due to the excessive noise. This one is MUCH quieter. We chose to keep this Houghton and deal with the humidity when we need to (we've been out west o no humidity concerns there).
Dometic = 80dB
Rec Pro = 65 dB (low fan), 68dB (high fan)
a HUGE difference!
Link to Products:
☑ Air Conditioner -use CCX8GQS at checkout for 5% off your order! www.joslynjourney.com/get/rec-pro-air-conditioner/
☑Midea Dehumidifier: www.joslynjourney.com/get/midea-dehumidifier/
Thank you for the great review. I am from FL and humidity is the test of any AC is humidity removal. A friend of mine who worked in AC business for years told me that AC units have to run to dehumidify and to cool when I was replacing my home unit. ( I wanted to get a bigger rated model than the old one) The problem is that too much cooling power will have the compressor cutting off early leaving a cold damp room. He added that a home, or, a space, it is better with a smaller rated unit to run more often to insure humidity removal before the thermostat shuts off the compressor. The fan alone will not remove humidity. I was under a false impression that bigger meant better cooling but dehumidifying is a major part of cooling a room and that only a properly sized unit for the cooling space will make that happen- in other words he was telling me not to buy more AC but the rated size for the space being cooled.
Hi, and thanks for the comment. I agree and I was surprised that Houghton said a smaller unit wouldnt have helped. Though I do get it that these unitsbare focused on temp and not humidity. Bummer for us folks who like to camp in the UP - colder and humid... but it is super quiet which is why I replaced ours in the first place...
@@TheJoslynJourney oh, I want quieter too! My Dometic is like sitting in the back of a jet airplane during flight. I just am not sure about this humidity part.
@rodneylw10 I hear ya. Unfortunately, we've been in the southwest since January so its a bit challenging to check for high humidity levels. 😄
@@TheJoslynJourney well that sounds nice. We haven't gotten to the humid time yet but soon. I am wondering what size unit I would need. I have a 25' Airstream. The OEM air is 11K BTU and it is very cool in summer and dry.
This is always the challenge, right? Well, our camper is about half the length of yours. We went with the 13.5K non-ducted version since we wanted the low-profile unit. Our OEM version was also a 11K unit before, so my guess is this is probably the right size for you (but just my opinion). The low profile doesn't have a ducted version, FYI (not sure if you need that). If you do go with this, I do have a discount code for Rec Pro for 5% off (use CCX8GQS at checkout) and let me know - would love to hear what you end up with!
Usually, the "dry" mode on those sorts of HVAC units--and min splits as well-- is simply the fan running at a lower speed. If you leave the fan on low instead of auto, it will pull more humidity out of the air. It pulls the air across the coils slower, allowing it to pull more humidity out.
Hi Jonathan. You're correct - dry mode is just AC on low. Better power consumption for off-grid. For higher humidity, you needed the regular AC mode, but we still struggle with humidity unless we use the ac with our dehumidifier.
We have a Atwood AC Atwood Air Command 15K wit heat pump (also known as the Cormorant) which is the same maker as your Houghton brand unit. We got ours in Aug 2014 and it has served us well in our Class C motorhome. The issue with the AC is the dew point where ever you are using it. We found that running the unit with the fan manually on high when the outside temps are near the dewpoint helps a lot. Our motorhome is well insulated and has no slides- but if we set the temp to 60F in South Florida (1/4 mile from the ocean near Jupiter, FL) we actually can have condensate form on the ceiling surface! Solution: don't try to make it too cool inside- e.g. 79F with fans on high when it is in the high 90s and same at night actually kept the humidity down under 70% RH at all times. Also noticed you put lap sealant on the roof around the frame- lap sealant is not a gasket material. You might consider to use a butyl rubber gasket material such as liquid SureBond SB-140 butyl. The larger units come with foam gaskets and hopefully the maker has updated the manuals to have torque ratings for the bolts as they can easily crush too much when tightening the bolts to hold the unit down. We now have a larger Class A and thinking of these units as Atwood is now owned by Dometic and they stopped selling these as non ducted units. They are just too good and would kill their sales of the noisy units which they make (not just sell). Thanks for making the video, it is helpful.
Hi WRL Guy , Thanks for watching! And yes, you're absolutely correct- the dew point is the key. We were specifically having issues with condensation in the evenings when the air was completely saturated (temp=dew point). It was annoying that the selling points was a dehumidifier, but that is really just low fan. For us, humidity increased when we just used the low fan. Fyi, we did use butyl tape in addition to sealant during the installation, but that surprisingly wasn't in the installation instructions. The torque is important to not over-tighten, as you mentioned and that was provided in the instructions. I still believe our old noisy Dometic did better in high humidity but the value of the noise reduction is worth carrying around a large dehumidifier for us. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I have the same NOISY AC unit on my Host Camper and wish I would have known this fact before purchasing the camper else I would have installed a quieter one. You are absolutely right, how come nobody is talking this? I have already made up my mind that by next summer this AC from Dometic has to go. I can't watch a movie, have a zoom company meeting or talk on the phone when the AC is running... it is impossible. Thank you for your video.
Hi Ave Crux Spes Unica - thanks for stopping by! Host started offering this after another 2022 Host owner wanted to get it added, so it may have just not been on the option list yet. On the plus side, if you do upgrade, you can still sell the Dometic and get a small amount of $ back. Totally understand on the zoom call thing - I was just getting straight out mad every time that thing turned on so it was probably best for our marriage to buy it! 🤣 Although the timing wasn't great for you, I do think Host does a good job of listening to owners and continues to offer more options. If you have some handy folks, the install wasn't bad (as you can see). Might save you some time and $.... good luck and happy camping!
@@TheJoslynJourney You are right, I could make a little money selling my current unit and upgrading to RecPro now that I know its doable. Thanks for your videos!
We have the exact same dehumidifier in our fifth wheel, works great. I installed it in the 'basement' space under the front bedroom which is vented to the rest of the rig via return ducts on the stairs, and ran a drain hose through the floor and out the rig. This works great because it's out of the way. We also have 3 Dometic AC units, but sometimes that's not enough by themselves.
That's a great way to use it, especially if you have room to keep it functional in the basement. Thanks for sharing!
That's a bummer! We've been considering the exact AC unit from RecPro and have not pulled the trigger. I'm grateful that you've brought up this issue. Hopefully, they will figure out a solution so you don't have to take the dehumidifier with you--I'm sure that's frustrating. Happy Travels!
Thanks for checking the video out KathyMinTexas. Still working with RecPro - on the plus side, they're trying to help... hopefully have another video in 2 weeks as a follow-up 🤞
Replacing our A/C with this unit in spite of humidity issues. Current A/C does not have any gravity moisture bleed off as a house unit would have. If temp is lowered without removing air, RH will increase. Can't blame Houghton for this. It is a camper design issue. Mold can be a problem. Bought a small quiet dehumidifier which I'll place in the kitchen sink at night. Have no regrets buying this heat pump.
I agree, it's this AC unit is still good even with the humidity concern due to the low noise. And our specific humidity issue was related to colder damp conditions. It actually did ok in Florida during the day. When we were there, our AC was pulling a TON of water off and draining off the roof. It's just challenging during cooler, damp evenings. It got downright swampy in that situation but a portable dehumidifier worked (although it did make the AC work more since you elevate the ambient temp with a dehumidifier). Glad it's working for you!
Thank you for an honest review- very helpful. We live in CA and are not used to high humidity---then, we went to Florida to visit our daughter--- GOOD GRIEF! You are 100% correct about the installed AC unit being very noisy- but sounds like you've solved both the noise and the humidity issues pretty well. Happy trails to you!
Thanks Gary! We do try to give a full picture of anything we try. Better for everyone to understand what they're getting for it. But boy, the reduced sound is such a big deal! Yeah, Florida can be BRUTAL as we found out too! Thanks for stopping by!
Your video was very helpful in deciding what unit to buy. I got the recpro 3400. Installed and quite like you said. Thanks
So glad the video helped! If you're looking at figuring out some of the modes, we created a newer video that may help. There are chapters so you can skip to what you need. th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=vY6TvaEF-TyuS8KZ. Happy future cool camping!
I am a 30 year RV service guy. Mostly do custom and high end work to select clients. I installed that unit plus a 9.5k low profile on my classic GMC motorhome (Stripes Movie). I have installed 3 others, including a 15k heat pump unit. All have soft start and use lower amps than normal units. The build on all units are way better than conventional Coleman, or DuoTherm units. Congrats I think you will like. The cold air return is way better concept than older units itself. I'm in myrtle Beach, did you say you was in NC?
After finishing your video, Im guessing, the Houghton it soo big powerwise, your in such a small space, it over cycles too fast and the compressor don't run long enough to remove the moisture. My one complaint is rec pro is just a distributor. Houghton is Australian made for them. I was hesitant on buying because I just got order takers on the phone. Talk to a experienced AC person, they might have tips on improving your performance??
Hi Rusty - thanks for taking the time to watch our video. We were initially thinking the same thing - too big for our rig. But I'm struggling with that since these are going on a LOT of sprinter vans which have a lot less square footage than our rig. But you're right about the cycling. It seems to keep on the 1-2 minutes on, 2-3 minutes off which is way too short to make any meaningful change in humidity. I'd love to get hold of Houghton directly to see if there's a way to program the unit for longer cycles. The Eco Mode does that a little but not quite enough. I agree with you, though, that the build on these units is really good and well thought-out.
We were in central NC but I think you got a better plan - Myrtle Beach sounds great! We're back in Illinois now and planning on heading into Wisconsin later this week.
Lookin' to buy one. Got one spotted, 26' Palm Beach I think (don't quote me I've looked at a bunch).
$1500 with a non-running 454. I figure for that price she's worth fixin'..
My favorite Motor home of all time..that and maybe the Beaver Patriot Thunder.
@@svenshanah Hi SvenShanah. You can buy new from RecPro for $1500, and if you use my code (discount code CCX8GQS) you can get an extra 5%. And that's including freight shipping. Just FYI! Oops, $1500 for a 26' trailer, wow!
Good to know about the ac humidity issue. I was considering switching mine out for the quiet Houghton. My rig isn’t large enough to accommodate a dehumidifier (horse trailer).
Hi Lisa. Sorry to share, but that has been our experience. It's definitely more of a problem in higher humidity areas. Thanks for watching!
I'm glad you are satisfied with your Houghton, but we have had two Houghton 3400's installed and neither could come close to cooling a small class B van. Neither unit dehumidified at all. A good RV air conditioner will pull out the humidity. You should not have to run a separate dehumidifier. Our unit was bench tested apart from the vehicle and the compressors would not stay on long enough to create any condensation or cooling of the van. Their only value is low noise. I'd prefer to stay cool. RePro replaced the first one at no cost but as far as Houghton, we're done.
Hi Mark. I wouldn't say I'm satisfied, but I'm tolerating the reduced performance. I'm sorry to hear you were having even worse issues. That surprises me since Houghton was citing the reason I was having problems was because of the excessive air ingress (from our slides, etc.). With a class B van, I would have thought it would have done much better. Did you verify that you were not short cycling? I do agree that it's quite annoying to have to run a separate dehumidifier especially on warm summer nights. I would almost wonder if the 9.5k would have been better. RecPro wasn't keen on me swapping out different versions so I was never able to test it. I almost wonder if that would have been better since the compressor would be on for longer times. But, when it was super hot the 13.5K was running nearly non-stop so.... not sure if that would have been the best solution either. *Sigh*
@@TheJoslynJourney After watching one of your videos, I heard you mention doing a short cycle test by opening all the doors and windows. We tried that and voila! The compressor pumped cold air for more than a half hour. Then we started closing doors gradually one by one. The compressor stayed on until there was only one door left open and it shut off. What is this telling me? Is it sensing not enough humidity inside? It was measuring 40%. Really appreciate your thoughts on this! Thanks.
@@okcpicker Hi Mark. I also attempted to answer a question on my other video. That's interesting that it stayed on until the last door was shut. I'd still check to see if there may be cold air bouncing off a wall and hitting the ac telling it to cool off. As I was told, the unit does not really look at humidity and focuses on the temperature.
A Houghton 3400 will easily cool a properly insulated small van. If not well insulated, the problem is the van. If not cooling, get a GOOD tech to look at it. Cooling is not one of the issues that these units have.
Also, your next video on relative humidity vs dew point starts to get at the reason the humidity doesn't drop at night, but I have some more thoughts to contribute. I see a lot of people have thoughts on this. The reason the humidity goes up at night is probably because the AC is on for a smaller fraction of the time. The AC won't be on as much at night because the ambient temperature is colder at night. The amount of reduction in humidity performed by the AC is going to be related to the fraction of time the AC is on. If the AC is on less because it has less work to do to reduce the temperature then the humidity reduction will be less, too. This is a little bit more complicated because typically ACs will only reduce the humidity to a certain point and not beyond. I never saw my RV AC reduce humidity below about 50%. Whereas a dehumidifier can, with a high enough capacity, go much lower. Therefore, if the AC is on frequently enough for long enough the humidity will simply stay near 50% (or whatever) and not really change. The humidity reduction isn't going to go to 50% regardless of the set temperature. Instead, it's going to drop by whatever it drops by during the time the AC is on. I suppose the design of airflow through the AC could change how much water is removed, but if more water is removed then the AC may remove too much water on a dryer day... so there is this problem of not being able to independently control the humidity reduction and temperature reduction with an AC. Having a separate dehumidifier is absolutely necessary in humid climates and even homes in Florida and other southern states do this when they want 50% indoor relative humidity.
Hi Jason, thanks for providing some additional insight. You are correct with your thoughts on humidity. I guess I was a bit mistaken when we bought this air conditioner since they were promoting the "dehumidify" mode, which is essentially ac on low fan speed - it should have been sold more as eco mode or something like that. We had problems when the compressor turned off (fan is always on), the humidity would jump up. Unfortunately, that's the design of the unit. We went back to central IL for some summer months and had to pull our dehumidifier out a few times but obviously not as bad as when we were in FL and NC. Even with this problem, I'm still glad we got the unit due to the significant noise rating. However, if I could do it again, I think there are other AC units now that may be better, but I don't have first-hand experience with them (like Truma Aventa). Thanks for stopping by!
@@TheJoslynJourney Ah, yeah, I'm looking at the Truma also. I have never seen an AC that can dehumidify. I have seen many that advertise a "dehumidify" mode, but it's always just low AC. A true dehumidification would have to pass the air back through the condenser (to warm it back up) after going through the evaporator. No AC that I know of has that ability, though technically, they all have the necessary components just not the ductwork. :-/
If you hear anything from the NRVTA community, I've always heard to leave it on high fan speed as it'll prevent your coils from freezing and will constantly keep air moving. It'll help greatly with your humidity issue.
Thanks for the tip! I'm definitely looking forward to trying it out!
Have you tried the "Dry" mode on the unit?
It's supposed to work like a dehumidifier.
I really appreciate you mentioning this humidity issue, as I haven't seen it come up in any of the other videos on the unit. We are planning to replace a couple of Dometics with the Houghton models for some peace and quiet too.
I completely agree on the midea dehumidifier, we bought one for our RV and it works very very well. I added a drain pipe to the back so we don't have to remember to dump the water.
Hi Jayson. We tried both AC and dehumidify (dry) mode with no luck. We are working with RecPro who has said they will be contacting Houghton. I hope to have an update and will post when we do. The dry mode has a lower fan speed so it dumped a little less humidity but we still ended up at 75-80% by early morning. I think it's due to short cycling of the compressor. Hope we find out more soon!
@@TheJoslynJourney Your unit is most likely sized too large for your camper. At night it is removing the sensible heat quickly (temp shown on your thermostat) but not running long enough (and short cycling) to remove the latent heat (humidity) to your comfort level. I would try running it in dehumidify mode at night and dropping the setting on your thermostat until it gets to your desired humidity level. Probably easier to throw another blanket on than run a large dehumidifier. 😀
@@chrism1674 Appreciate the comment. I confirmed with Houghton engineering that the unit was not too large, and it was needed for high heat days. The dry mode is simply air conditioning with low fan. It does not have any extra dehumidifying properties which was surprising to me. We still have issues when the AC compressor turns off, the humidity increases dramatically since the fan is still on low. It seems to dump the moisture on the fins back into the rig. Since I can't shut off the fan without shutting off the AC entirety I'm stuck with that increase in moisture. Hence the dehumidifier which does increase temps (not an ideal solution).
@@TheJoslynJourney Low speed fan acts as a dehumidify mode since the slower moving air stays in contact with the evaporator coil longer and removes more moisture per unit of airflow. You are correct that the fan staying on once the compressor kicks off is adding to your problem. When that happens the condensation on the coil will be blown into the airspace as vapour and raise the humidity. Even though they tell you that it's sized correctly, I still think your unit is sized too large. Try running it at night as I suggested and see if humidity is controlled at a lower temperature setting.
@@chrism1674 The night time was the main problem. During the day, the unit stayed on long enough to be able to decrease the humidity. We tried all methods including dry mode with no luck.
sounds like this AC is a NO GO.. it take care of normal humidity like in florida in summer. thanks for the heads up.. and oh just by the way a dehu is a small AC unit.. :)
I wish I could have compared it to my old AC. Just to be clear, it seemed to do well during the day, but didn't keep up when the temps were cooler outside but still humid. I haven't had many opportunities to test recently since we've been in very low humidity areas.
Don't listen to all the people saying your unit isn't sized right. When cooling an RV, any RV rooftop AC unit can be undersized during a hot humid summer day and vastly oversized at night. I switched from a Coleman Mach 10 NDQ to the Houghton 3400, and have experienced similar humidity issues at night. I knew it was going to be an issue right after I installed it. It's the short cycling compressor with the fan running all the time. I'd wish Houghton could release a board/chip upgrade that offered a cooling mode with the fan turning off. The digital panel for the Coleman Mach had an Auto Cool mode that cycled the fan with the compressor. I'm probably going to install a fan control bypass. When enabled, power to the fan motor would be controlled by a W1209 thermostat. The thermocouple on the W1209 would be coupled near the expansion valve, and would only kick on the fan when the temperature is below say 50-55 degrees. I'm typically running my AC at night on battery, so it's extremely energy wasteful for the fan to blow the humidity back into my van for the AC to have to work to pull it back out. On a mild but humid night an AC is going to use a lot more energy to remove humidity than to cool. I believe the unit is built much nicer than the coleman mach 10, and the noise level is far more acceptable. Good luck and please report back if you have any progress with Houghton. If they're smart they will fix this!!
Hi on theroad, thanks for checking our video out. I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing the same issue. I wish there was an option to turn that fan off as well. We even went through the effort of manually turning on and off the unit when we were on batteries overnight which was a horrible solution (grumpy me the next morning!). Perhaps I'll contact RecPro again to see if there could be an optional software update.
Here is the response regarding turning off the fan: "...it was an engineering decision to keep the fan running. After we received previous suggestions regarding the same, it was determined that the fan running does help the unit run quietly and efficiently. At one point we did test the fan being turned off but it caused performance issues and in quality control that we would like to prevent."
Sometimes a night mode keeps the fan running all the time for white noise rather than have the fan cycle on and off with the compressor.
We guessed on some of the modes and were wrong. Houghton clarified and we correct ourselves in this video: th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
Very interesting video,thank you.
Just curious, website mentioned dehumidifing feature of unit as one of it's major benefits? Just ordered the 15k with heat pump. Thank you again for the dehumidifier heads up. Safe travels.
Rich + Liz
Hi Rich, thanks for checking out the video! You're right - they do mention dehumidification as part of the features. But, as I learned, the "dry mode" is simply air conditioning on low fan speed. It's more intended to keep the rig cool with lower power consumption. I do have another video that goes through some of the questions I got answered - th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html. If you live in humid climates, you may want to rethink this. I haven't done much research on the new Truma AC unit, but it also looked promising. At this point, I'm stuck with the AC unit since I can't justify the cost of replacing it.
Have you ever had this leak water back in to your rv? So when it rains supposedly my pant gets full and then when I take off or break it comes back in the air conditioning vent inside my RV
Hmmmm... no we haven't. Have you been able to check the sealing at the roof? Unlike the directions, we used both butyl tape then dicor for sealing. Do you have a Host camper? I heard some of the first few campers were not installed with the seal kit.
I'm having the same problems with the identical unit in my 23' Airstream. Have you seen the "hack" by FloridaAmbient to control the always-on fan so that it cycles on/off with the compressor call? I'm going to try to get that done and see if it improves things.
Howdy Gary. I just went out and saw that video. That's an interesting option. I wished Houghton would simply give us the software difference instead of having to buy a 110V relay, though. I'll keep this in mind when we're back in the head & humidity. Luckily, we're out in the high desert now and humidity isn't an issue right now.
Laura, Gary,
I know this video has been up for awhile now, and that’s why I’m asking you this question. Have you had to clean the units condensation drain system yet? I had a shower in my Host this past weekend, and believe mine is clogged.
Howdy! I'm writing what Gary says here. From past experience, cleaning the inside filter will likely help. Weve had it raining inside as well and it went away after Gary cleaned it. We've only cleaned the exterior ones - we haven't taken anything apart inside. Let us know what you find!
will do! I have sent Houghton an email. Thanks as always for your reply! you guys are great!
Hello there! Thanks for this very helpful review. Four months down the line, I’m wondering if you and Houghton have ever had a concluding conversation?
Hi riabreed011- thanks for checking out our video. We did make an update based upon feedback from Houghton through RecPro. Here's the video link: th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
@@TheJoslynJourney thank you, and particularly for the quickness! Loved your geeking out on the part 2, and now I will subscribe :)
@@riabreed011 Glad you enjoyed! We have lots ofbgeek-out videos, ha! And thank you for subscribing!
have you tried a mini split? I remember reading those get water out the air and drain it and its quiet
Hi Dante. Thanks for asking. I'm not sure how easy installing a mini split in a truck camper would be. I've seen some try it though. Unfortunately we didnt have the money to try different alternatives. We lived with our loud AC for almost 4 years before upgrading to this! If I had to do it over, I would have looked at the new Truma AC as an alternate.
@@TheJoslynJourney a mini split is a heat pump as is this unit in the video but on the roof. Same type. However there are more options and capabilities on the non roof units.
Our rig is 34 ft. We live in Texas. We sometimes travel to South florida. When it's rainy season in the outside humidity is 90%. It's very difficult to get the humidity inside your RV low. The dehumidifier makes a huge difference. Even if you were on the AC non-stop.
Agreed, Florida in the summer is about as rough of a test as you can get. But this video with the water was in Illinois. I'm still sticking with my theory of the AC dumping back humidity once the compressor goes off.
Did you do a decibel test with the new AC? I would love to see the results! Thank you :-)
Hi Jason - For some reason, I didn't post that. Our old ac was around 80 dB and I thought the Houghton was more like in the low 60s. We can have an easy conversation where previously we were yelling across our tiny truck camper!
Did your old noisy Dometic AC have problems removing humidity?
We didn't have a perfect before and after situation (I should've thought about that before). But this one almost immediately started feeling not great - but ONLY in the evening once the temps went down. We believe it's because the fan still runs whether the compressor is on or off. Houghton engineering disagrees, though. FYI, we did an 18-month review which gives the latest info I have: th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.htmlsi=oxtiTkv3fZYd5poF
Any update on the Sleep vs Echo mode and what they do. I need to figure out how to control the humidity morel. Thanks
Hello! Yes, we made a video shortly after talking to the engineering team at Houghton. We specifically address the Sleep and ECO mode in this part of the video: th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
We also have a 1-year update video where we go through a lot more features and our take on the unit. Hope this helps! th-cam.com/video/KXpAUVAs_fk/w-d-xo.html
If you're looking for specific topics, make sure to check the description on each of the videos - that allows you to skip around a bit easier. Hope this helps!
Where did you get that temperature gauge?
I assume you're talking about our Govee sensors, which are fantastic. We have them in our fridge, freezer, bedroom, living room, basement and outside. Have been using them for 3 years. Here's our affiliate link: www.joslynjourney.com/get/govee-temp-2/
Did you end up leaving your Dometic Thermostat to control your Forced Air Furnace? I think the Forced Air Furnace comes as Standard.
Hi Ave. No, we couldn't use the existing thermostat. There was a controller in the Dometic AC that ran the Suburban furnace. We ended up buying a simple digital thermostat. We made a short video about it: th-cam.com/video/pPq2ojjCJdo/w-d-xo.html. Hope this helps!
How is the AC noise level outside?
The noise level is significantly better from both inside and outside. We felt a lot more comfortable running the ac near tenters in a campground.
OK, I’m confused.
We have an Oliver Legacy Elite II - which is a great trailer with an absolutely terrible Dometic A/C unit that roars. Probably the same one you removed.
I’ve heard great things about the Houghton unit- super quiet.
My confusion is - doesn’t the Houghton remove moisture as well as the noisy Dometic unit? Are we trading noise for humidity with this upgrade? Are they not comparable technology units?
We just don’t have room for a stand alone dehumidifier.
True, with the humidity here in NOLA, at times, it’s still humid in the trailer with the A/C running full tilt.
Also - your installation video didn’t address condensate draining. We’re there hoses or tube to route the condensate out of the trailer?
I just don’t wanna spend the $$$, do the work, and then realize I jumped from the jet engine into the sauna….
I think you mentioned in a comment that you hadn’t been in Florida with the only A/C, so you can’t really compare. Anybody else out there with a better before/after story?
I have heard from others that have this unit that there is some humidity problems similar to ours when the temps are cooler. During a warm day, there is no issue. My concern was more for cooler nights where you cannot get a decent amount of humidity out (think Michigan spring). Condensation comes off the unit on the roof (no hoses). Even with this, we would still keep the unit (as we said at the end of the video). If you're more accustomed to higher humidity (we were not), this may not bother you. We thought that somehow there would be better humidity removal due to their dehumidify mode but thats more like eco mode (it's ac with low fan). I hope this helps clarify where we stand.
@@TheJoslynJourney I imagine the issue is that when the weather is cool, but humid, the compressor won’t kick on and all the A/C is really doing is blowing air around. Aside from a stand alone dehumidifier, I don’t think there’s really a solution. To have the A/C dehumidifying when ambient temperature is below about mid 60’s - you’d have to crank the thermostat way down and be frozen to death.
Thanks for the video and the help!
Did you have the same humidity issue with the original AC system?
Hi Jeffrey. I don't have a true "apples to apples" comparison since we hadn't been in Florida with the old unit. However I believe the old unit removed humidity more. We were only using a tabletop humidifier on really wet days up north. We've had to bring out the big dehumidifier a few times since we've been back up North since August. I think it has to do with the humidity dumping back into the cabin after the compressor cycles off. But just my $0.02.
@@TheJoslynJourney thanks for the very prompt reply!
@@jwlee4925 You're welcome, glad I could help a bit. Have a great evening!
The 15 K 7000 has a dehumidifier
Hi LD Hamilton. Thanks for commenting. As I understand, the 15k Houghton (A3800) has the similar "dry mode" function that our 13.5k (A3400) has. The dry mode is only air conditioner on low speed - it does not have a dedicated dehumidifier feature.
What model of AC did you buy?
We bought the RecPro (Houghton) 13.5k unit with the heat pump. This is the low profile, non ducted version. www.recpro.com/rv-air-conditioner-low-profile-13-5k-quiet-ac-with-heat-pump-remote-non-ducted/
It sounds like your unit is oversized. It cools the camper down so quickly that it doesn't have enough time to remove the humidity. A 13500 btu A/C unit should cool around 385 square foot space in the U.S. hot zone.
Hi Scott, and thanks for commenting. I had originally thought the same and had asked RecPro (who contacted Houghton) the same question. The main concern with oversized ACs (from my understanding) is short cycling. They asked me to perform the short cycling test which worked as intended. The 385 sq ft is assuming more of a home-style sealing, which rvs are not. There isn't a good rating to estimate sq ft for RVs with slide outs, etc. that I'm aware of. When we were in Florida innJune it was running 100% of the time during the day. Wouldn't want much smaller IMHO. But this is my $0.02.
We added an entire playlist of tips and tricks: Rec Pro / Houghton AC Info & Tips: th-cam.com/play/PLbiYDAc304gbtZuIIqfJKZtCarYwRg2sI.html
Wow, that's a lot of water! Are you sure you're not camping in the middle of a lake? But hey, think about all the money you're saving on lotion and moisturizer...lol
Hi Jerry - you're right! And if we're boondocking, we could just filter it and use it to wash dishes or flush the toilet! There's ALWAYS a silver lining! 😁 In all seriousness, I'm wondering if we could run the dehumidifier periodically instead of the AC unit to pull out moisture - many times its the humidity that's bad, not always the heat. It's 250W vs the 600-1000W for the AC unit. That was what I was *hoping* to do with the AC unit but then I digress....🙄
Wow..that's some serious water. You're about 1/10th as furious as I would be. That is SO many times past unacceptable, I can't believe they sell that thing with a straight face, seriously, shame on 'em.. no excuse for putting that on the market in that condition.
Well, on the plus side I'm working with Houghton and RecPro now. Hoping to get to the bottom of this - it could also be something we did, so we're trying to be methodical. 🤞Hoping we'll figure it out soon!
You showed the decibels of old domeric but did not show the decibels of recpro
Yeah, I have no idea why I forgot that. Here's our ratings:
Dometic = 80dB and Rec Pro = 65 dB (low fan), 68dB (high fan). A HUGE difference which I'm quite grateful for right now heading into a 105 degree day. Thanks for asking!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Thanks!
Your new AC is pulling air from outside not inside. so it can't dehumidify the inside.
I believe this statement is incorrect. As far as I know, all RV air conditioners will recirculate existing air. The interior air goes through the evaporator and back into the RV. The condenser pulls in air from the outside and returns it outside.
Not all. For instance your cars ac has internal and external @@TheJoslynJourney
Agreed, but we're talking about RV air conditioners... I should have stated RV AC units. I'll make sure to update my statement.
I have been in the HVAC business for 38 years. The reason for the high humidity is because you oversized the btu of the ac. More isn’t better.
Hi CH. I was thinking the same too.y follow-up video show the response from Houghton through RecPro. We performed a short-cycle test to confirm sizing, etc. The answer was for our RV, it was not oversized. Funny, they use this same size in conversion vans too...th-cam.com/video/zf66lO6z7ZU/w-d-xo.html
I am a Mech. Eng. and own a H 3400. The issue is that the fan runs after the compressor shuts off when temp is reached. Second is the thermistor bulb is in the RA air stream instead of the conditioned space. Yes, oversizing can impact installations, but the issue for most of us is stated above.
I wander why don't you buy a good brand RV ac like Dometic they been in business for a long time.
If you watched the video, the main reason we got rid of our Domestic was due to the excessive noise. This one is MUCH quieter. We chose to keep this Houghton and deal with the humidity when we need to (we've been out west o no humidity concerns there).