Chinook RV

I recently acquired a 2001 Premier with what seems like the original a/c unit, a 63015.321 Penguin with a 5 button duo therm control, and it needs to be replaced. I have been trying to get some consensus on what to replace it with but there is such variation of opinion. Dometic, Coleman, Atwood are the three most common recommendations, but none seem to focus on Chinook RV's in particular, nor do they account for replacement/installation considerations about wiring differences from old to new, control differences, or possible opening modifications. Then there's the noise variance between models, the airflow variances between models, and the reviews seem mostly useless, "great unit, love the price, couldn't be happier, a bit loud, but ok, easy to install,etc". And the scare tactics among installers warning how complicated the install is, the wiring being different, the control unit specifics, which seem to translate into "it's going to be expensive" and they won't install a third party unit, typically Coleman, or something from PPL. Mostly they want to supply it.
So, where do I turn to find out the "truth". Does anyone on this forum have any sound experienced advice on what unit is best to replace my current one, that they've done or had done? I'm 74 and not able to do this, but I want to approach an installer without seeming like I'm clueless, and am knowledgeable about what I want and why. My current thinking is, because I'm moving to Phoenix this summer and will be in my RV for a few solid months while I house hunt, is a 15k btu with a heat pump. Ease of conversion and a quiet even airflow would be preferred. Should I stay with Dometic (more expensive, and which model), switch to Coleman (air flow and conversion considerations)? I searched the forum here and can't find anything that really helps (unless I missed it). Please help.

Ill offer an opinion. Although I haven't needed to replace my unit yet, I have dug into mine a couple times trying to figure out a control issue I was having. The roof opening appears to be the standard size, so the unit could be removed and say a roof vent could be put in its place, so I would think most a/c heat pump units would conform to the opening that you currently have. If your going to have an rv shop install whatever unit anyway, and based on where your going to be, and the amount of use your projecting, I would consider the end user perspective for value. Is it going to have enough btu's to accommodate you? I would also consider the interior noise level vs airflow. If you like things quieter on the inside this would be important. Dometic is a major brand contender in the rv market, but I also have the original Coleman a/c unit on my 5th wheel form 1986 and it still works great with periodic lubricating and maintenance. As long as the unit is compatible with whatever controller your going to use for ac, furnace,heat pump functions, and will be able to do the job, get whatever you want. I would maybe seek the opinion of the installer, he may have some good advice based on previous installs and other customer rigs as far as what units have common problems etc. couldn't hurt anyway.

The previous owner of mine replaced the original with a Carrier unit, but the controls are manual so they removed the button thermostat.
I have a standard on/off Suburban thermostat for the furnace now, when the previous one controlled it and the AC.

I replaced mine myself. The factory unit was the Dometic Penguin with heat pump and i replaced it with the Dometic Penguin 2 with heat pump. Its a straight forward simple job. The hardest part is getting the old unit off the roof and the new unit up on top of the roof. You have to purchase the control board which enables you to retain your old 5 button thermostat. Swapping the board is quite simple just read the instructions that come with it so that you get the wires plugged onto the proper terminals. It has been excessively hot and humid this year in my area and i cant say that i am 100% pleased with the Penguin 2's performance and ability to maintain a comfortable temperature inside the Chinook. Im thinking i may have to purchase some reflectix window covers for the front cab windows because the majority of the heat comes from the sun beating down on the front cab windows. P.S... i just contacted the local RV shop and asked if they could use their forklift to lift my new A/C onto the roof and lift the old unit down. They were happy to do so considering i purchased the A/C from them. I disconnected everything the night before at home, the only thing left to do was remove the 4 long bolts that secure it to the roof. I drove the RV to the shop, removed the 4 bolts (simple to do) had them get the forklift and lift the new A/C up to the roof, slid it onto my roof, slid the old unit onto the forklift, went inside the RV reinstalled the 4 bolts to secure it, drove home, finished install in my driveway.

My a/c recently went, rv dealer is quoting $1,850 to replace unit with new Domatic penguin 2 with heat pump a/c . Price includes new $143.00 wall controller they say I must have because old wall controller will not work with new Penguin 2. Anyone know if this is correct?

Does price sound fair?

68camaro wrote: August 16th, 2019, 6:23 pm My a/c recently went, rv dealer is quoting $1,850 to replace unit with new Domatic penguin 2 with heat pump a/c . Price includes new $143.00 wall controller they say I must have because old wall controller will not work with new Penguin 2. Anyone know if this is correct?

Does price sound fair?

PPL has a sale going on but it might end today. Prices are:

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 15HXX1C0-0
Dometic Penguin II Low Profile Heat Pumps
Item #651815CXX1C0
Regular price: $1,279.26
Sale Price $1,019.99

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 314082.011
Dometic CCC II Thermostat - Polar White
Item #3314082.011
Regular Price: $155.88
Sale Price: $78.99

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 314850.000
Duo-Therm Non-Ducted Air Distribution Box - Polar White - Requires CCC II
Item #3314850.000
Regular Price: $179.22
Sale Price: $77.99

So parts add up to about $1200 not including shipping or installation. So $1850 with installation doesn't seem out of line. New controller looks nicer. You can use the old one, but then you need a new control board that costs over $100, so probably better to upgrade. Note controller on sale is only about $80.

Update, sale now extended to 8/23, so may not be a limited time offer
Update 2: Model shown was not high capacity, which is about $200 more, and probably the better replacement:
https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 1816HXX1C0

caconcourse wrote: August 16th, 2019, 6:35 pm

PPL has a sale going on but it might end today. Prices are:

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 15HXX1C0-0
Dometic Penguin II Low Profile Heat Pumps
Item #651815CXX1C0
Regular price: $1,279.26
Sale Price $1,019.99

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 314082.011
Dometic CCC II Thermostat - Polar White
Item #3314082.011
Regular Price: $155.88
Sale Price: $78.99

https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 314850.000
Duo-Therm Non-Ducted Air Distribution Box - Polar White - Requires CCC II
Item #3314850.000
Regular Price: $179.22
Sale Price: $77.99

So parts add up to about $1200 not including shipping or installation. So $1850 with installation doesn't seem out of line. New controller looks nicer. You can use the old one, but then you need a new control board that costs over $100, so probably better to upgrade. Note controller on sale is only about $80.

Update, sale now extended to 8/23, so may not be a limited time offer
Update 2: Model shown was not high capacity, which is about $200 more, and probably the better replacement:
https://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv- ... 1816HXX1C0

Thank you, it looks like my dealer pretty reasonable, I will make sure new unit quoted is the high capacity and low profile.

I ordered the 651815 a/c as it is rated at 13,500 btu. The high capacity unit is actually rated at around 11,000 btu per Dometics spec sheet. I don't see how a lower 11,000 BTU unit can cool as well as 13,500. The cooling cap of the standard unit is 3953W, the High Capacity is 4392W but I'll take more BTU's.

I don't understand why the more expensive higher capacity unit would have lower BTU and Dometic support was useless and they don't have technical support for retail customers (non-dealer), plus phone rep was very rude and clueless.

Install is in two weeks so we'll see how it goes.

Is the High Capacity one the 651816CXX1C0? I see it as 150000 BTU. Do you have a link from Dometric that give a different number? I am curious. One possible explanation is that the word "High Capacity" is just something the sales department come up with....

68camaro wrote: August 20th, 2019, 7:35 pm I ordered the 651815 a/c as it is rated at 13,500 btu. The high capacity unit is actually rated at around 11,000 btu per Dometics spec sheet. I don't see how a lower 11,000 BTU unit can cool as well as 13,500. The cooling cap of the standard unit is 3953W, the High Capacity is 4392W but I'll take more BTU's.

I don't understand why the more expensive higher capacity unit would have lower BTU and Dometic support was useless and they don't have technical support for retail customers (non-dealer), plus phone rep was very rude and clueless.

Install is in two weeks so we'll see how it goes.

The high capacity model is 651816CXX1C0, and as Chin noted is rated at 15000 btu/hr. The 11000 btu/hr unit is a different model number, but shows up on their web site mistakenly as one of the "high capacity" choices. Watts is a different way to express the cooling power, and 4392W is equivalent to 15000 BTU/hr (actually 14986 BTU/hr). Here is a calculator:
https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/pow ... o_BTU.html