thermostat - Event Date: 18 Dec 2017

Originally posted by larrys39426 Last week it was not cool enough in our 2016 R179 and the AC cut off even when set on 55*. The outside temp was less than 80* so I figure we'll die in our sleep this summer. After reading in this thread about the Auto setting on the thermostat, I changed it from Lo to Auto. Questions: (1) Might this have fixed my problem?; and (2) Is there a way to have the fan only when the temp is OK but we need to drown out yapping dogs and loud music from neighbors? BTW, no problem, but I cannot tell the difference in noise or air flow on the Lo or Hi settings.

Instead of the AC fan, we have a separate O2Cool fan that we run. We also have a 2016 RP179. I have the fan set on the floor on the side of the opening next to the wardrobe drawers. That helps pull the heat out and circulate it and does double-duty in being a constant sound that masks somewhat the cycling of the furnace. The thermostat is set to Auto so the fan does not come on.
When I run the AC, I run it with the fan set to Low. Like the fan I run in winter, the constant sound of the AC's fan masks the compressor cycling some. On ours, if I have it on auto, the fan will switch between low and high speeds with a pause of a few seconds each time it does this. The constant low speed is much better.

In my case, I can tell the difference in sound between low and high speeds. In part this is because I removed the inside shroud (be careful if you do this. There are more screws than you think and some of them are hard to see) and used some spray glue to line the inside of the shroud with thin, closed-cell foam, like that which would be used to line the drawers of a tool chest. That helped a little also. Redesigning the shroud to direct the air rather than it dumping into the shroud which isn't quite large enough to act as a plenum means that there is a lot of air turbulence inside the shroud. The foam helps mask that a bit, but if it were shaped to direct the air, it might make for a quieter AC unit.

Another way to mask the sound is to use your smart phone (if you have one) and use an app like Relax and Sleep or Sleep Sounds which are ones that provide a variety of cover sounds which you can use to mask the objectionable noises. Many campgrounds do have a time when quiet hours begin. That is usually no later then 10:00 p.m. If someone is being noisy past then, a complaint to the camp host is in order. The camp host can address this better than another camper as the host has authority to ask the offender to leave.

When used with the furnace for heat, having the thermostat set to "Auto" means that the AC fan will not turn on when the furnace cycles on and off. When used with the AC, the "Auto" setting (in my experience) will change the fan speeds between low and high and back again and turn the fan off when the compressor turns off. Having the thermostat set on low or high means that the fan will run constantly at that speed even when the compressor is not running. It makes for a more steady sound that is easier to get used to.

Thank you. Many of my ideas are not original to me. I have learned and adapted ideas, putting my own twist on them. Some get reworked as I see how my original design could be improved. The table I just made was patterned after one my Dad had made, but I made some changes in construction to make it more stable. I'm working on version 2 of a slide-out cover. It is mostly done but I can't finish because it is raining today so it is not a good day for working on it outside to put the finishing touches on it. Likewise with the battery locking system. Version 2 is much improved over version 1.

Thanks!