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+--- Thread: Dear New PrevostGurus Members (/showthread.php?tid=883)
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Dear New PrevostGurus Members - davidbrady - 05-11-2017 17:53
Hi,
I've seen a few fresh registrations recently. I'd like to welcome you to Prevost Gurus! Don't be bashful. Feel free to introduce yourself and join in on any discussion. We're eager to lend a hand to anyone interested in Prevost conversions. Some of you may already have a bus, some may be in the process of purchasing a bus, others may simply be curious about the Prevost busing lifestyle. Whatever your interest, we're glad to have you and eager to help. Ask away!
EDIT: Subject line spelling.
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - mpage - 05-13-2017 18:06
Hi All,
I registered a little over a year ago and have been slowly learning about the Prevost coaches. I currently own a 1997 BMC 37' coach. Right now I'm splitting my time between Arizona and Florida due to work, but soon I'll be permanently relocating back to Phoenix. The BMC has two roof a/c units which during the heat of the Phoenix summer need to run full-time on high (noisy) to have a chance at keeping the coach comfortable. Is Prevost OTR air a must for the southwest climate? What about 3 versus 4 cruise air units? I also saw a coach listed recently with 2 cruise airs and an r-vac unit. Is R-vac the same as OTR air? I can open a separate thread on a/c if that's more appropriate?
Thanks,
Mark
Phoenix, AZ / Orlando, FL
Looking for my first Prevost
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - cmillsap - 05-13-2017 19:37
(05-13-2017 18:06)mpage Wrote: Hi All,[/color]]
I registered a little over a year ago and have been slowly learning about the Prevost coaches. I currently own a 1997 BMC 37' coach. Right now I'm splitting my time between Arizona and Florida due to work, but soon I'll be permanently relocating back to Phoenix. The BMC has two roof a/c units which during the heat of the Phoenix summer need to run full-time on high (noisy) to have a chance at keeping the coach comfortable.
.Four roof 13000/15000 BTU air units are needed to keep a 45 foot Prevost cool in temps running to 100*F. When it's over 100 degrees they have to run a lot to keep the bus cool enough to be comfortable.
[]Is Prevost OTR air a must for the southwest climate]
][]The problem with OTR air is it only works when the engine is running as the compressor is belt driven off the engine. Really designed to cool the bus while traveling.
What about 3 versus 4 cruise air units?
I would want 4 cruise air units in a 45' bus and even then they are not real efficient in 100* plus weather.
I also saw a coach listed recently with 2 cruise airs and an r-vac unit. Is R-vac the same as OTR air?
I'm not familiar with an R-vac so I have no opinion on them.
I can open a separate thread on a/c if that's more appropriate? [/color
]Cruisair units are quieter than the roof units but are more expensive to maintain and are less efficient. Four roof A/Cs are my preference. Some of the newer models are less noisy than the older models. Further, they are relatively cheap to replace compared to Cruisairs. I think a 15000 BTU unit is less than $1000 to replace. I've seen many star coaches with 5 and as many as 6 ac units on the roof. With my 4 roof units set-up, I usually only need to run 2 or 3 until we're setting in really hot weather. I can run 2 units off the inverters while traveling. With 2 units running (salon & bedroom) along with the dash air, it stays very comfortable throughout the coach. The radiant heat from the engine will heat up the bedroom and make it uncomfortable to sleep in after a long days run. So, running the ac in the bedroom while traveling keeps everything cool and comfortable and ready to give you a good night's rest.
Thanks,
Mark
Phoenix, AZ / Orlando, FL
Looking for my first Prevost
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - mpage - 05-13-2017 20:24
Thanks Chuck! Great input!
Mark
Phoenix, AZ / Orlando, FL
Looking for my first Prevost
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - travelite - 05-13-2017 22:19
Hi Mpage,
Welcome to the forum, even if it is a little belated!
The RVAC was actually made by the some folks who made the Cruisair, Taylor Made Corporation. It's no longer available. It's a good unit but old in the tooth and folks who have them have been nursing their control boards, which is the component that typically fails. Some folks have had success rebuilding their control boards. Coleman makes a unit which is close to the same footprint. Parliament will install it for you. There's quite a bit of ductwork modifications needed, so it's not exactly a cheap upgrade. Vantare used the RVAC, but around 2004 they went with four 16,000 BTU cruesairs. My coach has four cruisairs. I love them. We spent 3 weeks in the southwest (four corners) last summer and I had no issue keeping the coach cool whether parked or driving. They're quiet and the SMXII thermostat controller is very configurable. I don't even use my chassis air. There's a cruisair directly over the driver seat which keeps me plenty cool. My wife is usually turning the tstats up throughout the coach to warm things up. My coach does have a dark tint on the windows which helps. It also has the Hunter Douglas Duette blinds which are honecomb and offer added insulation. My chassis year, 2003, is also the first year Prevost offered dual pane windows throughout the coach on the H3-45 VIP. The roof of my coach is bright white as are all Prevosts I believe. All of this helps the air conditioners keep the cool in and the heat out. As Chuck said, four ACs is a must, whether Cruisairs or roof airs.
Getting back to the RVAC. RVAC is different from Over-the-Road Air (OTR). OTR Air is offered by Prevost and is the air conditioning used to cool 56 passengers - a little overkill for a conversion designed for two. The RVAC is kind of neat. It's mini-split like the Cruisair, but it has two compressors which can be wired to the two separate legs of your 120VAC distribution. It'll run with only one compressor. This is handy if you only have a single leg 30A hookup. If you have 50A two leg, then both compressors kick in. It was designed to be very flexible in its requirement for power. The Coleman replacement is a single compressor unit. Vantare used a single RVAC with two Cruisairs. HTH!
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - Hisham Amaral - 05-13-2017 23:55
Hi Mark
We owned 2 Wanderlodge coach's and 2 Prevost's, the difference is only in the drive comfort "NO WNADERING WANDERLOFGE". The Prevost drives like a luxury car down the road.
Of the Prevosts we Owned 1 was an XL 2 Marathon with 4 roof airs, the a/c's will keep the bus cool however they are noisy. Our current coach is an H345 Liberty with Over The Road air which is great when driving in the west and southwest. On the other had we have 4-15K Cruisairs with heat pumps works great under 100 F but above 115, I have to spray water under them to keep the compressor pressure under 380 PSI or no A/C . We usually run 2 Cruisairs and that usually will keep the coach cool with both solon and bedroom slides open.
Cost to repair the Curisairs A/C's are high if complete system need replacement. As for the roof air the cost is about $1500.00 vs $4000.00 for the Cruisairs.
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - davidbrady - 05-14-2017 12:17
This brush trim I have at the base of my Vantare does a good job of reducing hot air recirculation. It runs the length of the coach on both sides:
(Mpage, these are two of my CruisAirs. The other two are at the front of the coach behind the bumper where the spare tire would normally go).
[attachment=367][attachment=368][attachment=369]
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - mpage - 05-15-2017 05:49
Thanks for the information everyone! I now have a better idea of what will work best for my situation.
RE: Dear New PrevostGugurs Members - CC_Guy - 05-15-2017 21:16
The RVAC systems were not much different than a self contained system used in mobile homes. There biggest difference was that each unit has 2 120V compressors instead of a single 240V compressor.
The RVAC takes up bay space, but is the quietest of all typical air continuing systems. They are no longer produced, what a shame. A good AC person can replace every part in the system.
Today, the most popular units will be rooftop units. If properly ducted, they can be relatively quiet.
Country Coach and Marathon had their own version of OTR air prior to about 2000. The problem with Prevost OTR air is their weight, use of bay space, and over sized compressor. Keep in mind this system was designed for a coach with 56 passengers an full length glass on the coach.
RE: Dear New PrevostGurus Members - Garynmike - 06-28-2017 06:03
(05-14-2017 12:17)davidbrady Wrote: This brush trim I have at the base of my Vantare does a good job of reducing hot air recirculation. It runs the length of the coach on both sides:
(Mpage, these are two of my CruisAirs. The other two are at the front of the coach behind the bumper where the spare tire would normally go).
How well do you feel it reduces the hot air?
Does that brush trim reduce dust and dirt as well?