Have you tried KoolRV brand A/C mods?

CarpeDiem · 07-15-2023, 03:26 PM

In the Winnie Owners Newletter I saw an article about a product called KoolRV. It appears to attach at the ductwork. Claims to improve the efficiency of the A/C. The article was written by a gentleman named Patrick Buchanan, who I’m unfamiliar with. The only information I can find on this product is in his article and on KoolRV’s website. It looks like it could be a great upgrade, but it worries me that I haven’t seen anything else about it. Has anyone here tried it, and if so what did you think? The only time I ever stepped up to be a “first adopter” was when the original iPhone came out.

CarpeDiem · 07-15-2023, 06:00 PM

Should have included the link.

https://koolrv.com/

IOS 3 · 07-15-2023, 06:10 PM

I have no experience with this, but in reading the FAQ on their site I would be afraid to give up the cold air dump. I use that frequently and wonder whether the change is a net gain. Thanks for posting. I'll be interested in real world data as well.

Fred 2106DS · 07-15-2023, 08:51 PM

I plan on trying it when the Dometic Brisk II connector is available. I've already installed a Wacko silencer Kit so I no longer have a cold air dump and if the connector will provide additional cooling, I'm all for it.

**creativepart** · 07-15-2023, 09:28 PM

Seems to be a new and developing product. Not something many are aware of and using yet.

Bones2003 · 06-11-2024, 06:54 PM

I know this is an old thread but I contacted the manufacturer of KoolRV and gave them all of the dimensions for the A/C units in my 2021 Vista. Their response was

Quote:

"Winnebago doesn't make these easy to install. Unfortunately, I can't think of a creative way to even make it work with your very shallow plenum. We need at least 4.2" of plenum depth to fit our product. Your mounting bolts are probably also going to cause an obstacle.

As much as I hate to say it, I don't think we have a solution."

I would still be interested to hear if anyone has tried this and what results did you get? Perhaps they will come out with a solution in the future.

CrispyBones · 06-12-2024, 06:25 AM

I installed this device on my LR A/C unit. Works like a champ. Zero loss of air and it's much quieter now.

As for quality I'd give it an 8 out of 10. The way it was shipped had the end pieces that fit inside the ductwork turned 90 degrees. Initially I thought they'd sent me the wrong unit. After a short back and forth with the company I was told to turn the end pieces accordingly. The end pieces that fit inside the ductwork are fastened to flexible duct with only zip ties (see online pics from the manufacturer). Well....as I tried turning the end pieces one of the zip ties broke. So, I had to get some of my own zip ties to put it back together again. The installation instructions are subpar at best too. They're very generic and didn't apply to a specific A/C unit. They essentially give instructions per A/C manufacturer (ie Dometic, Coleman, etc).

Still happy after the install though. Well worth the purchase IMO. I still have issues with the amount of air coming through one row of ceiling ducts and thought maybe this device would solve it but no dice. I even ran a snake cam through to see if there was some sort of blockage and didn't see a thing. Everything clear. Different story for a different day.

Bones2003 · 06-12-2024, 10:40 AM

CrispyBones, I'm glad it worked out for you on your travel trailer. I've read other positive reviews so was interested. It's disappointing, but apparently the roofs on certain Winnebago class A motorhomes are too thin for the device. Maybe some clever DIY person has figured out a way to make it work and will post here.

bigb · 06-12-2024, 12:32 PM

I looked at it a while back but didn't see what it actually fixes. I have a low profile Mach 8 and no dump valve, 1/2 my ceiling grill is the return and the other 1/2 is closed off with a plate. Under the plate there is the chute which dumps into the sealed plenum and from there the air enters the two openings in the Styrofoam on the sides of the plenum where the ducts are.

So what is the improvement? Just directing the air from the chute to the 2 ducts instead of pressurizing the plenum? Or is this more for people with a dump valve?

Parts of their web site are broken so I couldn't find all the info.

bigb · 06-12-2024, 12:51 PM

Looking again at the web site it looks like that's what it does, directs the air into the ducts without losing velocity in the plenum. I also looked at mine and it appears to be the same as yours. I don't see any way to make this product work. At best you could fashion some curved pieces of thin aluminum in the corners and tape them into place with foil tape to try and reduce turbulence. Or spray in some foam and sculpt it with a serrated knife.

I did something similar with thin aluminum in my outside fridge compartment to help direct the convected air out the top vent more effectively.

I'm even wondering if an inverted vee mounted to the sealoff plate pointing into the chute would help to direct the air into the side openings.

SeeTheUSA · 06-12-2024, 01:50 PM

I just installed a KoolRV device on my Coleman Mach 10 last week. It took a bit of fitting to get the rectangular end pieces fit into my existing duct inlets, but not difficult (little bit of hacksaw trimming). The instructions are adequate. Then I sealed everything with some aluminum duct tape. We never used the “cold air dump” feature anyway, so no loss there.

While I have no scientific measurement to share, I can say the air flow from the individual duct outlets in the ceiling is improved and I think the AC unit is quieter overall in the motorhome. From a visual standpoint, the return airflow path is significantly less restricted than before.

We will see later this summer if there’s a perceptible cooling improvement.

bigb · 06-12-2024, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bones2003

CrispyBones, I'm glad it worked out for you on your travel trailer. I've read other positive reviews so was interested. It's disappointing, but apparently the roofs on certain Winnebago class A motorhomes are too thin for the device. Maybe some clever DIY person has figured out a way to make it work and will post here.

Bones,

I don't think there is a way to use their kit on our rigs as we only have 3.5" of room, and like the manufacturer said our mounting bolts are in the way as well.

You brought this up in a timely manner though, it's AC season and I've been working on mine all week and your post got me thinking, so I did a little plenum modification. First I cut 2 pieces of aluminum from old license plates that fit from the edge of the chute to the edge of each duct and I taped them in place. I cut a slot for the mounting bolts then sealed it up. I taped everywhere I could to make a smooth transition. Those 2 top pieces took care of the square corners that go nowhere which I'm sure a lot of air velocity was lost when the air slammed into the dead end corners, now it can only go straight into the ducts.

Next I made up a bottom piece that consists of a Vee centered on the chute and angles down to the bottom of the ducts where I made 2 more bends to flatten the metal about 1" before where it mates up to the ducts. This piece fits tightly and the factory cover with insulation fits over it.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I installed it but what that does is when the air comes rushing out of the chute, instead of slamming into the bottom plate it hits the top of my Vee which is dead center to the chute so it directs the air to the sides and into the ducts. (you have to measure this very carefully because the chute is not centered on the plenum) I sealed everything up with Nashua 324A foil tape, if you do this don't buy the thin Nashua tape which is garbage. The 324A sticks like nobody's business and even holds up in rain, I've used it for years.

For the bottom vee I used some sheet metal I had laying around. I made my cuts with a band saw but shears or an angle grinder could work too. I made my 3 bends on the vee with the 18" Harbor Freight sheet metal brake, but if you don't have one you can just clamp the sheet between two pieces of angle iron to get straight bends.

I won't be able to test for a few days because I have the roof top unit open for an Easy Start install. I don't know if it will work as well as the KoolRV product but one thing I like is the smooth channeling of the airflow over flat metal instead of corrugated flex at an angle. I basically did the same thing as the product, I gave the air a direct path into the ducts, and only into the ducts with nowhere for it to get trapped and have to change direction and slow down. I have high hopes, heck it might even work better than KoolRV.

bigb · 06-12-2024, 07:27 PM

Here's a pic of the vee before I taped it, you can just see the flat section on the right side. The vee itself pushes up toward the chute about 1.5" and the bottom edges are flush to the bottom of the duct openings.

bigb · 06-14-2024, 06:08 PM

I got the unit running today and I have to say my air flow mod worked very well. Here's how I know. We run the coach air off the generator when traveling in hot areas to take some load off the engine. There is a vent behind my wife's seat that I angle toward me, but I cannot feel the air unless I reach my arm out toward it. The air didn't have enough velocity to reach me and it would fall downwards onto my wife and she would get too cold when I was too hot. I made up a 4" aluminum duct last year to help point the air at me but and it helped. But today when I started the system and sat in the driver's seat I could really feel the difference! I didn't even use the duct extension and I could feel the air hitting me, it was great! I have two dash fans that I may not even have to use now.

I can highly recommend this mod if you can't fit the KoolRV adapter.

Bones2003 · 06-14-2024, 06:34 PM

Brian, good job! Glad it worked well for you. Did you notice any change in the sound level?

bigb · 06-14-2024, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bones2003

Brian, good job! Glad it worked well for you. Did you notice any change in the sound level?

Can't say I did, but it has never been loud enough to bother me. I'm amazed at the increase in airflow though, I didn't expect that much. Between the Micro Air Easy Start and the airflow improvement I'm on cloud 9. Next will be painting the cab roof white instead of dark brown.

bigb · 06-14-2024, 07:20 PM

I just found this video, he did the same thing using foam. His Vee is steeper and taller compared to mine, but since mine is working well I'll assume my longer, gradual angle is good. (Plus his plenum is much deeper) He says the foam makes it quieter as well. The problem I'd have with the foam is with some of us only having 3.5" to work with. His plenum was much deeper so he had lots of room for foam. For those of us with only 3.5" there's no way to use 1" foam on the bottom as the bottom edge of our ducts is only about 1/4" from the bottom of the frame, the foam would block them off. Foam might work for us on the top though, but you'd still need a sheet metal vee or "teepee" as he calls it for the bottom. A person could experiment with cardboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TusVLTNm7_s&t=18s