16' Series Heating with a Rooftop Air Conditioner - Mini Poll

WogsRus

New Member
May 14, 2020
24
7
3
Hobart TAS, Australia
In light of my other topic post, https://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dometic-freshjet-3200-disapointing.12339/#post-202935 , i have a general question for those who may use their roof top air conditioner for heating purposes as well.

1) Do you use your Roof Top Air conditioner for heating purposes as well?
2) If so, how does it perform? Does it manage to get the room to temp?
3) DO you have any issues with air stratification? ie Hot air up top and cold air at bottom of the van?
4) What rooftop air conditioner do you have?

Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Ibis 2. We dont use it anymore because at around 3deg its stops heating, so we've had a diesel heater for many years. On the odd occasion the Ibis still gets a run. As a blower of hot air its terrific, blows out hot air and gets the van to temp without and issues. As a heater its kinda just borderline ok. It cuts in and out over too wide a temperature range, so in the case of a 20deg setting the heater will have to drop to 18deg to kick in and then reach 22deg before it cuts out. Maybe not exact or drastic, but youll get the idea. After it cuts out it then blows cooler air until it cuts back it. Not comfortable at all.
 

BJM

Well-Known Member
Sep 29, 2018
485
549
93
Yamba
Had a few dealings over the years with Dometic.re cracking van windows,(well known fault )near new stove with chrome pealing off handles etc.Always tried to blame me for the problems .or never had a problem excuses.Finally got the better of them by threatening to set up a website exposing the quality or lack of in some of their products.They then offered to replace the faulty products at very reduced prices.To put it bluntly the advertising for the 3200 clearly states for cooling and heating .Wish you luck.Log all your dealings,phone calls etc re problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WogsRus

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
My Ibis III works reasonably well on heating, tested in Canberra in July, if I recall correctly it did warm the van up but strictly on manual setting not auto, never got to very hot though, power dropped off so fired up the diesel which did a better job... Ibis is an AirCommand unit which is owned by Dometic now. Mine sonly 18 mths old.......... My old Dometic 3000 or 3500 was a noisy heap of crap...................... Overall I haven't found a van AC thats really great at heating.
 

davemc

Well-Known Member
Oct 29, 2013
4,360
4,737
113
55
Viewbank, Victoria
www.expandasdownunder.com
tried with first van it blow heat then start blowing cold with the Truma Aventa.
Went and brought a ceramic heater..
Tried with the Coleman in the 22 when we got it the same you get some heat followed by some cold.
Yes can be hot under and freezing elsewhere

We do not go anywhere in winter with no power so have not put a diesel in.
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
Bugga, if i knew this Drover i wouldn't have bother with the AC and just stuck with the diesel heater.....Which looks like im going to have to do anyhow.

Ours does get a run on heat in Canberra as we have 240 handy, okay until it gets near zero then we want some more cook but Big Mal is a 23ft full size so has a lot of room to heat up but I do like the diesel, I can sit at the table with my feet getting toasted and it doesn't ice up and go into de-ice stage.... just nice to have both, have a few mates who have bought the $300 chinky units and they haven't had any drama with them....