Option

I am new to the forum and this is my first post.  We are considering ordering a 2552 and want to come up with a semi final option list before getting a price quote.  Hopefully we can go to the factory to see the options first hand before placing an order.

Some items I would like to get feedback from actual users.  Our current RV has vinyl floors which we find easy to maintain but we really like the appearance of the laminated wood flooring.  Could one expect similar or better durability and ease of cleaning as vinyl?  What about moisture or potential leak issue?

We talked with a person that recently ordered a Phoenix and he elected to go with gel topped mattresses.  Are the basic mattresses comfortable as is or should one plan on gel or other toppers?  I know this comes down to individual likes but wanted to get some relative feel from actual users.


We are also considering the 15,000 btu AC which can be operated as a heat pump.  Is the higher capacity needed for a 2552?  Should one expect any difference in noise compared to the 13,500 btu base unit?  Is the heat pump mode better than running the base unit heat strips?

Thanks in advance for any information you could share.

Fred

Hi Fred....and welcome!

We have had our 2552 with laminate floors and a 15000 BTU A/C for a few years now.

We have cherry interior and the darker, matching laminate flooring.  We bring our two Pomeranians with us on most trips and have camped in cold, hot, wet, snowy, sandy, muddy conditions.  The floors still look brand new, have performed extremely well and are easy to clean.  Even in the bathroom area which tends to get a bit more water splashed or dripped around. Due to their dark color, however, they do show dust/dirt more readily, but we think this is a good thing (ensures we clean regularly)

We found that the originally mattresses were marginally ok for us and opted to just purchase our own foam toppers. 

Personally, I think the 15000 BTU unit is necessary for us.  We do camp in some of the hotter areas (Nevada, Southern CA, Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, etc) and enjoy getting out of the heat once in a while in our rig.  Even with the additional BTUs over the stock unit it can only cool down the rig to about 20 degrees below the outdoor temp.  So, if it's around 100 degrees outside the best we can do inside is a bit below 80 (with shades drawn, windshield covered, heat source like tv on, 2 adults, two dogs, etc.) Obviously a 13500BTU unit wouldn't be able to that well.  We have found that there are many folks who don't run their A/C unit at all in that type of heat...personal preferences.  The units will draw different amounts of power, so if using a 15000 BTU unit you will be more limited as to what else you can run at the same time.  We upgraded to a 50 amp electrical system in our rig due to this.  We can easily run the a/c and other things like the microwave at the same time.  From what I can tell, the Coleman Mach8 unit that we have may actually run less noisy than the stock 13500 units, especially on low fan speed.

The heat pump vs regular A/C issue is a bit more complicated I think.  Overall, we thought there may be more issues with a heat pump.  In more temperate climates you'll get better heating in a heat pump system vs the electrical heat strips and won't use up propane by running the furnace.  On the other hand, there would be more noise running the heat in a heat pump unit vs the heat strips as the compressor will be running.  The propane furnace is also much noisier than running the A/C heat strips. Running the heat strips doesn't blast out the heat as one might expect. It does heat up the rig, but actually might feel a bit like coolish air if you put your hand up to the grill. Lastly, generally somewhere between 30 and 40 degrees the heat pump won't operate in heat mode due to its inability to draw heat from the surrounding outside air.

We are generally happy with our choice, but because of personal preference and the experiences we've had we might have liked the two HVAC unit option a bit better.  That would allow use of either or both units which would have increased overall heating/cooling capacity and allowed better noise control.  Of course, the 50 amp electrical system would also be needed here.

Hope this helps a bit.

   - Mike

Hi Fred,

We have the hickory interior with the matching laminate flooring and are extremely happy with that choice.  It all still looks like new, is easy to clean, and does not show dust, dog hair, etc. easily.  We just occasionally sweep it with a Swifter (and it can be damp mopped if needed).

--Bruce and Sharon

Same as above. We do use two area carpets. Guess who gets to shake them out.  Anyway, we have a small handheld vacuum and that duster thingy and that is all we need. As for heat pumps. We had two in our previous DP. They were not very effective for heat. On a recent trip to Florida, we got to use the a/c twice and heat almost every morning. 

About the finish of the interior cabinets.

Back in 2007 when ordering our PC, my wife won out.  I wanted the light cabinetry which I believe was maple back then.  But we got my wife's choice, the dark cherry.  With the original florescent lighting, it was very nice, but did lack something.  Since I converted all the interior lighting to warm LED a few years ago, my wife and I agree that the ambiance is much better.  I still would prefer lighter cabinets for a brighter interior in the daytime, but admit the cherry is not bad, just not my idea of "ideal".  My wife still loves her cherry interior.

I believe PC now installs warm LED lighting standard in all their rigs which I assume works great with the dark cherry, as does ours.