Noisy A/C

Ranald · 07-26-2019, 09:25 PM

My wife and I just had a very successful three weeks traveling through NY, PA, WV, VA, NC, and back in reverse order as our first "shake down cruise" in our 2106DC. The only thing that gave us any concern was the noise of the original A/C unit. It is really too loud to keep on all night without significant disruption to our sleep. Most nights we were OK with just a fan blowing over us, but it would have been nice to have had a quiet A/C. Does anyone have any good ideas about a replacement or modification?

Morich · 07-28-2019, 10:14 AM

Several basic things make this a real problem, both to live with and to fix. One is that we are much closer to the unit when in an RV as it is just a few feet away through thin panels compared to home where it is often located far away and outside through thick walls.
While there are some which are quiet, most are due to being located in compartments with sound being thought about and worked into the design. Most are not!
That leaves me thinking there is not any really practical suggestions for changing the noise on this unit. My solution was changing from a Class C to class A with better design in all points. Just a lot more money but sleeping is an important point for us.

Ranald · 07-28-2019, 06:47 PM

Hi Morich, yep, I agree its mostly a design and location thing. I have seen a YouTube post about lining the inside of the A/C unit to eliminate sharp angles and to fill the dead air spaces with Styrofoam. Sounds like a good start, even if it only reduces the noise a little. I will also investigate changing the whole unit out for some other model that may be quieter. I'll post the results of my findings here for others to see.
Safe travels,
R

**macnut** · 07-29-2019, 09:15 AM

Maybe they are catching on that we want quieter ACs. Here’s a link to the FitRV’s youtube evaluation of the Coleman Mach 10 ndq.

https://youtu.be/caBQ87EBPrY

Morich · 07-31-2019, 09:10 AM

The idea of lining the AC with foam sounds like a real bad idea to me!! Not all info n the internet is good info.
The problem I see with this is not that the designer was dumb to leave a bunch of space but that the space is there to let the internal parts get air, like the motor and coils that do the heat exchange? Cut off the air to the coils and it stops working. One way to improve home AC operation is to keep the bushes trimmed by to let air get to the unit.

**ThomB** · 07-31-2019, 09:19 AM

I think it's voodoo but people on irv2.com are raving about this: https://wackoproducts.com/
I think it works with ducted a/c units.

Ranald · 07-31-2019, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the replies Monrich and ThomB. Yep, good point about the cooling of the A/C guts.....I had not yet delved into the lining project, and probably would have come to the same conclusion once I looked "under its hood". I like the look of the Wacko Products unit. I will do some more investigating first though as $189 plus another $24 for the filter seems a bit high. If id drops the noise level significantly though, it would probably be worth the price. Thanks again folks, R

**ThomB** · 07-31-2019, 08:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranald

Thanks for the replies Monrich and ThomB. Yep, good point about the cooling of the A/C guts.....I had not yet delved into the lining project, and probably would have come to the same conclusion once I looked "under its hood". I like the look of the Wacko Products unit. I will do some more investigating first though as $189 plus another $24 for the filter seems a bit high. If id drops the noise level significantly though, it would probably be worth the price. Thanks again folks, R

I opened up mine and did “soften” the edges of the cold air side of the unit (from the inside of the rv). I just used aluminum tape to round them and make nicer transitions into the ducting, then sealed everything good so the air is directed through the duct and there is no loss through cracks.

I’m with you on spending $200 on a vent cover that claims to reduce noise. It seems like a hard sell to me but people are buying it. I just can’t pull that trigger myself.

Morich · 08-01-2019, 09:12 AM

When I see a product that obviously is trying to snow me, I begin to doubt most of what the ad says. Anybody got an idea of how to filter better and INCREASE airflow at the same time. Since the things we want to filter are riding on the air, if we stop the dust, I don't think we increase the airflow. SNOWJOB!

**ThomB** · 08-01-2019, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

When I see a product that obviously is trying to snow me, I begin to doubt most of what the ad says. Anybody got an idea of how to filter better and INCREASE airflow at the same time. Since the things we want to filter are riding on the air, if we stop the dust, I don't think we increase the airflow. SNOWJOB!

I agree, but the threads praising it are people that normally post on IRV2.com. I don't think that $200 is really a price I want to pay with no guarantee. I'd want some guarantee that I could get a refund if it really doesn't produce what is supposed to happen.

CGKMGK · 08-02-2019, 04:14 AM

I installed the Wacko A/C Silencer in my 17 View 24G and it SIGNIFICANTLY reduced the noise level when running. The stock air diffuser on the Coleman 15K A/C unit with heat pump is the source of most of the noise. It does not properly seal off the intake air from the output air of the unit. The way the air conditioner is designed does not create smooth air flow and really causes air turbulence when running and that's the source of most of the noise. The silencer provides for proper sealing of the intake and output chambers plus it has a much thicker air filter and silencing blanket that really works in quieting down the unit when it is running. The really nice benefit of this device is that it actually increases the airflow through the ducted outlets in the roof for faster cooling and more efficient running.
We can now have a conversation when sitting in the dinette or watching TV without the sound of a jet engine running overhead.
Does it eliminate the noise from the A/C?
Nope, but it sure does dampen it down quite a bit and we can now sleep with unit on and it runs more efficiently so it doesn't run as much to keep the interior cool.
Just my .02$ and I recommend it for those looking for a quieter running A/C

Podivin · 08-02-2019, 09:01 AM

I agree on the Wacko Silencer - it really does work. It doesn't make the AC QUIET, but it definitely makes it quietER.
I often work from my RV, before the silencer I had to run only the rear air conditioner if I was going to be on a phone call because it was too hard to hear the other person with the front AC running (and I noticed that I had a tendency to raise my voice as though I thought they couldn't hear me either). Earlier this week I was on a long call and I didn't realize until after the call that the front AC was running and I didn't have any problem hearing them.
It hangs down about 2 inches lower than stock, so if you have a headroom issue there you may not like it. It changes the air flow and has some insulation in it, I guess it's the combination of those two things that make it work. Or heck, it could just be magic for all I know - in either case it's an improvement.

RADRick1 · 08-03-2019, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThomB

I think it's voodoo but people on irv2.com are raving about this: https://wackoproducts.com/
I think it works with ducted a/c units.

I just tested this product for an upcoming article for Trailer Life Magazine. All I can say right now is it works.

Ranald · 08-04-2019, 06:40 AM

Lots of good discussion, thanks to all who have responded. I just added a sound level meter app to to my cell phone and will use that to test the actual noise level from the existing A/C. As for adding the Wacko unit, my wife pointed out that the worst of the summer heat is past for us here in the Nth East now and we will be using the A/C far less. I'll stall off any changes until next spring, other than some taping and air flow smoothing stuff. When I get around to doing that I will take before and after sound readings and share the results here.
Safe travels all.
R

Mike Owens · 08-04-2019, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morich

When I see a product that obviously is trying to snow me, I begin to doubt most of what the ad says. Anybody got an idea of how to filter better and INCREASE airflow at the same time. Since the things we want to filter are riding on the air, if we stop the dust, I don't think we increase the airflow. SNOWJOB!

You need a greater surface area to filter better. So the air isn’t being drawn through a straw. This lowers the sound. My day job for 40 plus years. Pressure kills the unit and performance. Return air systems are notoriously undersized just lite filters on rv units.

waterman480 · 08-04-2019, 04:42 PM

Yes, the Wacko cover works great, and it is overpriced. However, it only works in RVs that have a/c duct work - many just suck in and blow straight down. if you do have duct work, then you will loose the dump function. We found the quiet to be worth the loss.

Lmonger · 08-04-2019, 05:17 PM

I added an EasyStart364(microair.net $250) to my ‘18 Winne View 24J for a couple of reasons; reduce startup LRA to use 2KW Gen.; an unexpected improvement in noise level from 75db to 68db.

MotoMac · 08-05-2019, 09:37 AM

Another thing you should check is how the A/C unit is mounted to the chassis. If it is hard-mounted to the chassis, it will transfer a LOT of mechanical noise all over the interior. However, if it has rubber (or some of the newer poly materials) mounts, they will dampen an amazing amount of noise.

danhannah · 08-05-2019, 12:31 PM

On my 27N, the db before (on high fan) was 61.8. With the Wacko, it is now 57.8 decibels. I wouldn't say it was "huge" but it definitely much better.

A 10 db difference is twice as loud - so my 4 db loss with Wacko is something like 1/4 less loud.

I can now hear the compressor running, because the loud air noise is no longer covering it.

Its a Coleman Mach 10 - and was fairly quiet to start with. On low fan speed the Wacko was less of an improvement, 2.8 db, but still better.

It looks bulky to me on the ceiling, I liked the factory flat grill better.

The Wacko was a lot of money - but I would buy it again.

**creativepart** · 08-05-2019, 03:43 PM

Certain models of RVs fully duct their AC units for much quieter noise levels.

When we bought our Class A in 2017 that was a requirement for all our searches. At that time Winnebago, Tiffin and Newmar all made gas Class A motorhomes with fully ducted ACs.

Unlike a partially ducted AC or even a non-ducted AC we don’t have an AC unit showing it’s air return in our ceiling. The AC unit sits completely above the ceiling and a system of both cold air feeds and return air ducts is all that is visible in the ceiling.

This makes the AC units much quieter inside the RV. Much of the noise from your AC comes from the return air functions and fan and compressor motor noise of the physical AC unit protruding from your ceiling. This is what the add on products like the Wacko attempt to mitigate.

Today Winnebago makes no RVs with fully ducted AC systems, except the Horizon diesel pusher. IF they are still making Horizons, that is.