Cannot recommend Atwood rooftop A/C

[belfert]

I cannot recommend the Atwood rooftop A/C units.  These are a fairly new product, but they are supposed to work well if you can get an undamaged one.

The problem is not the units themselves, but rather the poorly designed packaging.  The first unit was destroyed by Fedex as the box was beat to heck and all taped up.  The second one has a small crack in the shroud, but the foam shipping blocks were destroyed.  I need to ship the broken unit back, but I have nothing to ship it back in because the foam shipping blocks are all destroyed.  The shipping should have better foam and double layers of cardboard.

I can't hardly blame Fedex since the packing is so poor to start with.  An 85 pound item needs to have well engineered packaging.

[TomC]

Something like that should be in a wood crate. When I got the custom shower pan it was both in a box with a wood crate around it. Good luck, TomC

[belfert]

Yes, a wood crate would be best, but all of the rooftops I have purchased have come in cardboard.  The Advent unit came in double thick cardboard and the Carrier unit I don't remember.

If I had to do it over again I would probably just spend the extra to get the Coleman Mach 8 made in America although everyone complains they are noisy outside.  The traditional Coleman units are more power hungry.

[technomadia]

If I had to do it over again I would probably just spend the extra to get the Coleman Mach 8 made in America although everyone complains they are noisy outside.  The traditional Coleman units are more power hungry.

We are about to install a Mach 8 for our front AC.

One thing I discovered while researching roof airs - the 15k btu Mach 8 actually uses LESS power than the 13.5k btu Mach 8.  They gained the extra cooling by adding more coils, and in the end the more powerful unit ends up more power efficient too. This should be a good match for running off of our inverter, though the full-height Mach 3 PS is even more efficient.

I've been researching the noise issue - the biggest concern seems to be that the exterior noise is different than the constant squirrel cage hum of a traditional roof AC.  The outside fan only runs when the compressor is on, so it cycles, and is thus more noticeable.  But a guy on the Airstream forums tested with a db meter, and on the meter the Mach 8 was actually quieter outside.  But...  Different, and more noticeable because of the cycling.

I'll let you all know how ours sounds once we get it.

Cheers,

   - Chris

[belfert]

Noise is all about perception and not necessarily what the DB meter says.  Many don't like the inverters generators running in economy mode since the noise varies so much.  It bothers them more than a louder generator running at a higher steady volume.

One guy with a Coleman Mach 8 said his neighbors at the campground commented about the noise.  I don't know if it was because of more noise, or because it sounded different.

[wg4t50]

When I gave up h MC7 ad the new coach uses the heat pump 15 btu ducted  units, while not total noiseless, the are wonderful for this old goat db issue ad never an issue YET.
Dave M

[niles500]

Many people complain about "noise" but what they really are complaining about is the "change" in the amplitude and pitch of the noise, "white" noise has a constant hum that doesn't affect you like the constant cycling of generators and a/c units - FWIW

[sledhead]

I have the low profile unit and hardly ever use it because of all the racket it makes on the inside we use the split unit heat pump , almost no noise in side or out . Only use the roof a/c if it is really hot out                                  dave

[mcidave]

I like my three Carrier 15K units...and they were packaged well with no damage at all.

[belfert]

I like my three Carrier 15K units...and they were packaged well with no damage at all.

I like the Carrier units I have as well, but Carrier is out of the RV business.  I would likely have gone with Carrier if still available although Carrier rooftops have had some issues as the units age.