Airstream with a wood stove and LG heat pump on the A-frame parked next to us

[Wayne]

An Airsteam with a LG heat pump/AC mounted to the A-frame and a chimney for a wood burning stove coming out the roof. No, this is not an old rattle-trap, it's a nice looking Airstream. It's a 30 foot with a single A/C on the roof. We owned a 30 foot and one A/C is not enough. Two A/Cs in the hot southern sun is barely enough. I can understand the need for a larger A/C and it's a bonus to have the heat pump for cold weather. Airstreams are hard to cool and a lot harder to heat. Aluminum conducts heat really well. I'll bet the heat pump gets a workout in this weather!

He does have to carry his propane tanks in the truck. It's a nice touch that he hides them with the aluminum cover that hides them when they are mounted to the trailer.

 

[ctechbob]

Was it New Horizons that had a model or two with a mini-split in them?

I've been hoping that the RV industry would adopt the technology a little faster than they have. So much more efficiency to be had that it is just sad they're not. I know there are a few Coleman roof units that will function as a heat pump, but you never see them in a new unit.

Bravo to them for the retrofit though, I love it.

How small must that wood burner be though. I know trailers are hard to heat, but a good woodburner puts off a TON of heat. I'd think it would be almost too much in that little bit of space.

 

[Wayne]

Was it New Horizons that had a model or two with a mini-split in them?

Any New Horizons Majestic can be ordered with a mini-split. I've been in a few with the mini-split operating. They are so quiet that you can barely hear them. The drawback is the expense and they take up quite a bit of space in the basement.

New Horizons will not put a wood burning stove in a 5th wheel though. However, they did build a 5th wheel where the back 15' was set up with a smoker and food prep area.

I know there are a few Coleman roof units that will function as a heat pump, but you never see them in a new unit.

Our 2019 Airstream had heat pumps and we used them a few times. They put out a lot of heat.

 

[ctechbob]

Would also be a single point of failure in a big rig. So I could see it both ways. If you have 3 units and one fails, you could probably still be ok for comfort. If you're in someplace hot, in the summer and the minisplit fails....you're done.

 

[Wayne]

If you're in someplace hot, in the summer and the minisplit fails....you're done.

I think you meant to say, "You're cooked".

 

[MSCH]

I would imagine the reason the RV industry uses what they have instead of coming out with newer more modern contrivances
is two fold.. 1 is cost of coming out with something new and the other is simplicity.

I've slept in old metal house trailers heated with a wood stove.. I used to sleep with my clothes on figuring if that sucker ever caught fire I'd have 30 seconds to get out.. and the drafts caused bya wood stove. almost windy in there.

 

[Wayne]

1 is cost of coming out with something new and the other is simplicity

I believe these are both accurate. The option for the mini-split over the standard roof A/Cs on the New Horizons is way expensive. I also believe it took them a few coaches to really understand the mini-split installation dos and most importantly what not to do.