21BHE Extend A/C to lower bunk?

[cmparma]

Greetings,
New RV owner here. I've scanned all the posts in this HVAC forum but haven't seen anything related. We have a 21BHE and our 9-year old son complains he's hot in lower bunk while the girls complain they're freezing in the upper. It seems like it would be straightforward enough to extend the duct work down the interior wall and put an additional vent in the wall in the bottom bunk. While I'm at it, maybe pop on in the other side for the bathroom. I've never done any mods like this before. Is it possible and where might I get started?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

-Mike

[Country Campers]

I am not sure what kind of duct that you could get down in an interior wall, the walls are fairly thin. We had this same issue in our previous TT bunk house and I could not find a way to fix it so I got one of the vents that are closeable which forced the air out of the other vents. Sorry this is not much help.

Brian

[TucsonJim]

Greetings,
New RV owner here. I've scanned all the posts in this HVAC forum but haven't seen anything related. We have a 21BHE and our 9-year old son complains he's hot in lower bunk while the girls complain they're freezing in the upper. It seems like it would be straightforward enough to extend the duct work down the interior wall and put an additional vent in the wall in the bottom bunk. While I'm at it, maybe pop on in the other side for the bathroom. I've never done any mods like this before. Is it possible and where might I get started?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

-Mike

Hi Mike,

I did some looking at the floorplans and drawings for your 21BHE. I can certainly see the problem with the vent over the top bunk being too cold, and the bottom bunk being shut off from air flow. The only wall you could possibly work with would be between the bunks and the bath. But this wall is so thin, I can't see how you could run a hidden duct at all. You might be able to rig up a chase on that wall that routes some cool air down from the plenum to the lower bunk.

As for the upper bunk being too cool, you could probably just replace the ceiling vent with one that can be closed off. Here's an example from Amazon.

https://amazon.com/Thetford-94271-Co...s%2C159&sr=8-3

One other option is to use a fan to move the air around.

Jim

[howson]

Greetings,
New RV owner here. I've scanned all the posts in this HVAC forum but haven't seen anything related. We have a 21BHE and our 9-year old son complains he's hot in lower bunk while the girls complain they're freezing in the upper. It seems like it would be straightforward enough to extend the duct work down the interior wall and put an additional vent in the wall in the bottom bunk. While I'm at it, maybe pop on in the other side for the bathroom. I've never done any mods like this before. Is it possible and where might I get started?

Thanks in advance for any guidance!

-Mike

This may be a goofy idea, but what I'd try is to make a manifold the runs outside the wall. The manifold would plug in to the ceiling vent, then there'd be adjustable vents on the side so each bunk can adjust how much air they want. Yes, somehow that manifold must go through the top bunk but that should be much less of a challenge than trying to go through the wall.

I have no idea what materials to use or how to secure them--just tossing out an idea.

Howard

[Jlawles2]

If the wall is hollow, could you simply use it without a liner? block off below where you want the vent, then make up or have a vent tube made to go from the ceiling race track to the top of the wall.

Don't ask me how to get it in there as I do not have that model. Just throwing out ideas to see if something sticks.

[acoleman43]

I kinda like where Howard is going. use same concept as a finished basement with dropped AC trunk lines that are covered and painted.

[cmparma]

Hi folks,
I sort of forgot I'd posted this. So, to circle back around and close the loop. We determined going down inside the wall (prefered) would not work due to cross members in the framing and the narrow width. For simplicity, we ended up just using a USB-powered clip fan attached to the bench top at night. This worked well.

In the end we just upgraded to a 25BHE and the kids are all much happier with the space and better airflow! If we'd been more serious or long-term campers I'd probably have tried something like Howard suggested.

Thanks for the ideas and input!
-Mike