Disappointed

[Gregc0921]

I have recently bought a 2019 Jayco Northpoint 385THWS. With a msrp over $100,000. With that being said, I could not be more disappointed in many of the key features on this rig. It has already been back to the dealer 3 times to fix warranty issues. Several little things (bathroom sink leaked, ice maker doesn’t work). I understand if a man builds something, there can be issues. What I am absolutely angry about is when I am told that’s as good as it gets. For example, the best the AC unit is expected to lower the inside temperature is 10 degrees lower then the outside temp. So here in southern Missouri when summer temps hit 97, I should be happy with my expensive rig to only get to 87 inside. Complete crap. My 15 year old Keystone, that I traded for this rig, would freeze you out. Secondly, I don’t think there is a worse stereo system on the planet then Furrion. As soon as I get to the bottom of the steps, I lose Bluetooth connection. The tv is so bad, I can’t even watch it. The sound quality is so poor, it’s impossible to understand movies to enjoy them. There are several other small things about this rig that really make me second guess this brand. But my rant is over. If anyone has any suggestions on some ways to improve a few of these things, I am all ears. I firmly believe you get what you pay for. That’s why I think this rig with the 6 figure msrp should absolutely been built better then it is.

[andrewat]

if you have 2 AC units on that rig, you should be doing WAY better than 10 degrees below outside. I mean way better. Two units running full blast should keep that rig nice and cool.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Another forum member posted this video about the AC in RV's. I looked at mine and found that mine was worse than the one shown in the video. I also found leaks in the ducting where the AC was blowing cold air into the roof instead of the interior of the RV.


Yesterday it was 105 outside. I went into my RV and the temps were 97 without the air running. I turned on the AC and set the thermostat for 75 degrees. In just over an hour the inside temp was 76 degrees on my weather station.


Hopefully this may help you:

Boost Your RV Air Conditioner Performance

[Cincinnati Kid]

On home tv's we've bought recently, they are shipped in energy saving mode, which makes the picture really washed out. Same with the Furrion. Go into settings and put it into normal viewing mode or any option but energy saving. That settles that problem. Our Furrion picture isn't super HD, but it's good. I haven't found a way to run the tv sound back through the Furrion sound system yet, but I'll get around to it, or get a sound bar.

[DonaandDon]

A cousin once told me; "They sure look great going out the factory". So, yea I feel your pain.

Our 381 NP has been back several times, more for warranty re-dos than the number of issues. Lots of learning curves for the new RV's of today. Were into our 2nd year on our new one and all bugs are worked out.

Some will say buy used so the repairs are done but at the end of the day, I want to know my 5r front to back.

Good Luck !!

[Marine71-76]

We got rid of the Furrion and purchased Samsungs for both the LR & BR & purchased a sound bar.

DW is now wishing she had gotten the dual pane windows as that would have helped with the heat (or cold in the winter). Both of our A/Cs were running full speed during the day - there really was no shade where we were parked - and the unit stayed really close to the temp settings (both set around 74).

Really wish the manufacturers (doesn't matter which ones) would take a closer look at the gaping holes they leave, like around the landing legs.

[Jagiven]

I cannot help with the audio side of things. Yes, you are correct hand built means it will needs some corrections. Our TT was in the shop a few times the first year, and once the second year. Mostly for minor items.

I think who ever told you about the AC did not understand how they work. They will cool your unit. The AC can only cool the air only so much while it is in contact with the coils. I do not recall the exact temperature differential, but the output air will be about 20 cooler than the incoming air. So it does take some time to cool the unit. I have been in 107 degree humid air, and within an hour we were around 75 degrees with our bunk ends open.

There has been very little technology changes with RV AC units in probably 30+ years. So your new AC units will work like your old Keystone.

The biggest thing I found on my AC, is to clean the filter at least once a week (run time).

[blujay40]

It sounds to me like you have run into a person that either doesn't have a clue or simply doesn't want to deal with your issues. As for what you were told about the AC's................... (gleened the following from a different site but have been told the same by numerous sources)

"The written specifications on both Dometic and RVP (Coleman) clearly state that a properly functioning RV air conditioning unit should display a 'delta T' (commonly known as the temperature differential between the cooled air measured at the duct or air outlet and the return air measured at the return air grill) should be 18*F-22*F.

This measurement is NOT dependent on the outside ambient air temperature. There are no absolute temperatures to measure. The 18*F to 22*F temperature differential is strictly related to the temperature of the air going into the evaporator and the cooled air coming out of the evaporator.

As you unit runs for any length of time, the inside temperature should be dropping as the air is cooling during this process, depending of course on your insulation factors, the outside ambient temperatures, the amount of solar heating the walls/roof/windows will receive from exposure to the sun and the size and capacity of your A/C unit."

Assuming the AC units are functioning properly, other things that could cause the issue are if the units and/or ducting are not sealed properly both to the roof or inside the unit itself allowing them to draw hotter air from other places like the ceiling cavity or even outside air. To minimize that, many on here have shown mods using duct tape to seal off areas inside the AC units themselves, inside the ceiling vents where the vent meets the ducting and even under the AC shrouds where some have taped on reflective material to insulate the unit from the outside. None of these mods by themselves will make a drastic difference but when added together, do make a marked improvement in not only cooling efficiency but air flow as well.

For example, after simply checking inside the AC units for gaps and taping off our ceiling ducts in our 40' Eagle TT with 2 - 15,000 btu units, it's not hard at all for us to cool our RV down to a very comfortable 75 degrees, even on a 90+ degree day along with high dew points/humidity pushing heat indices above 100 (while we were in Florida). Once cooled down, the AC units actually cycle on and off the rest of the day so I am sure I could get it to go even lower if I wanted.

In regards to the Furrion stuff, I agree they are highly priced junk and I would hope that at some point, Jayco will stop installing that crap. There still seems to be a notion that it's imperative to install electronics such as TV's etc. that are supposed to be able to withstand large temperature swings as well as the shaking and bouncing encountered in an RV. But as many have already proven (like me) and some RV manufacturers are finding out, it's not really necessary nowadays. I purposely didn't order a BR TV so I could install one I wanted AND for less money and replaced our LR TV with a Samsung TV and soundbar in our first year. Luckily, my Furrion TV had severe issues and we were allowed to replace it under warranty. Fast forward 2 1/2 years and over 10,000 miles of travel and both the Samsung LR TV and Visio BR TV are still working fine.

I was once told that owning an RV is nothing more than a very expensive "hobby" and at least for me, truer words have never been spoken.

[Route 66 Traveler]

The temp differential question got me curious, so I just went out to my RV and using a digital infrared thermometer I measured the following.

Outside air is 91 degrees. After running the AC for 1/2 hour the inside temp is 79 degrees and still dropping. Temps at the ceiling air outlets ranged from 22-32 degrees F. Opening the mass air outlet at the AC the measured air blowing out was measured at 20-22 degrees.

My AC is a 15k Coleman and running it is pulling 13 amps, as shown on my EMS. Since I made the repairs shown in the video my trailer is cooling like never before.

[icr21801]

Originally Posted by Gregc0921

I have recently bought a 2019 Jayco Northpoint 385THWS. With a msrp over $100,000. With that being said, I could not be more disappointed in many of the key features on this rig. It has already been back to the dealer 3 times to fix warranty issues. Several little things (bathroom sink leaked, ice maker doesn’t work). I understand if a man builds something, there can be issues. What I am absolutely angry about is when I am told that’s as good as it gets. For example, the best the AC unit is expected to lower the inside temperature is 10 degrees lower then the outside temp. So here in southern Missouri when summer temps hit 97, I should be happy with my expensive rig to only get to 87 inside. Complete crap. My 15 year old Keystone, that I traded for this rig, would freeze you out. Secondly, I don’t think there is a worse stereo system on the planet then Furrion. As soon as I get to the bottom of the steps, I lose Bluetooth connection. The tv is so bad, I can’t even watch it. The sound quality is so poor, it’s impossible to understand movies to enjoy them. There are several other small things about this rig that really make me second guess this brand. But my rant is over. If anyone has any suggestions on some ways to improve a few of these things, I am all ears. I firmly believe you get what you pay for. That’s why I think this rig with the 6 figure msrp should absolutely been built better then it is.

I’m on my 8th RV but first Jayco and I can honestly say it’s the worst I’ve owned as far as build quality. I’ve come to the conclusion that whether you pay $20K or $100K they’re all poorly constructed.

Best tip I can give you is learn to make repairs yourself. It’s the only way you can be sure of solid workmanship. I know there are reputable dealers out there with competent service departments but they’re few and far between and the reality is that so many of the units the dealerships sell come back in requiring work that you could end up surrendering your RV for an entire season waiting to get it worked on.

Furrion electronics are truly dreadful. I pulled all mine.. you’re right about the Bluetooth. They put outside speakers on these things but you can’t sit outside and stream Bluetooth because the range is about 4ft max lol.

Only real quality I’ve come across with regard to “mobile living” is years ago when I was in the satellite business. I used to install Travelsat systems in the coaches that music stars travelled in. Prevost coaches generally and they would come from the factory as nothing more than a shell then everything inside was custom built by hand by cabinet makers. Some of them were truly beautiful...almost works of art. Price tag to match of course.

[Siamese]

Sounds like your expectations were too high.

Using this forum before your purchase would reveal that while some people buy a Jayco (or similar RV) and have little or no problems, there are some real horror stories out there with regard to Jayco quality and dealer support. How many units have a lot of problems vs. how many are virtually trouble-free...nobody really knows.

One of the many tip-offs as you toured the units on the dealer's lot should have been the Furrion electronic equipment. Not Bose, Sony, or Samsung, but Furrion?

Another tip-off, if you researched it, is how RV manufacturers don't warranty many of the major components in their units. Have an axle problem, sorry, you'll have to deal with the axle maker, etc.. My Ford truck is made of of components from a large pool of suppliers, like the people who make the mirrors with all the fancy electronics in them. Ford doesn't refer me to the mirror maker if I have a problem (Johnson Controls), they just cover it. The RV makers have gotten away with this nonsense for years.

We bought our TT with our eyes open and our fingers crossed. I just fix stuff that goes wrong myself. I had a problem with the water pump and took it to the dealer. They replaced the pump, but the problem was with the pickup hose that runs to the fresh water tank. As other stuff falls apart (all beds), I just fix it myself and make it better than new.

You'll likely get your AC sorted out with help you've already gotten, and the other items you cited don't sound like the end of the world. The trick will be to adjust your expectations and use/develop your fix-it skill set.

Welcome to the club

[klinner28]

Originally Posted by blujay40

I was once told that owning an RV is nothing more than a very expensive "hobby" and at least for me, truer words have never been spoken.

Unfortunately, it seems that more and more people are buying these as their homes.

The manual states to these are NOT meant to be lived in full time... maybe the manufacturers are aware that the components are frail and prone to wear and tear?

[Midnightmoon]

Absolutely no offense intended, but knowing the quality control of ALL the major RV companies, be very thankful that you are only dealing with disappointment in low end electronics and not some critical failure that will keep you from using your unit. Lots of people are having issues with major component failures, sidewall cracking, slide failures, roof or floor problems, etc. We all expect better, but this is what modern RV's are unfortunately.

[Oma/opa]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

The temp differential question got me curious, so I just went out to my RV and using a digital infrared thermometer I measured the following.

Outside air is 91 degrees. After running the AC for 1/2 hour the inside temp is 79 degrees and still dropping. Temps at the ceiling air outlets ranged from 22-32 degrees F. Opening the mass air outlet at the AC the measured air blowing out was measured at 20-22 degrees.

My AC is a 15k Coleman and running it is pulling 13 amps, as shown on my EMS. Since I made the repairs shown in the video my trailer is cooling like never before.

are you sure you are not mixing celsius with fahrenheit. I have never seen an AC unit put out below freezing temps

[Route 66 Traveler]

All of the temp readings were in Fahrenheit. On the AC unit with the max flow open I held the thermometer about 6 inches from the AC unit and had it pointed directly into the AC vent. If you don't believe me I will do it again tomorrow and take a photo.

At the farthest ceiling vent the temp was in the 30's range, pretty good considering the ducting is right below the roof which is exposed to direct sunlight.

[Route 66 Traveler]

I just took these photos.

The first one is the temp of the ceiling next to the AC. The other two show the temp of the AC outlet on the AC unit.

[bankr63]

Just for interest, is there a viable alternative to either Furrion or Jensen (also pretty bad) for RV audio video head units?

I thought about modifying an automotive head unit, but it is missing some key features like zones that the RV units have. They also don't tend to have HDMI outputs even if they have DVD (meant to play on the tiny 8-10" screen). I suppose a home audio/video system could be adapted as well, but that would generally take a lot more space than available.

[Oma/opa]

Originally Posted by Route 66 Traveler

I just took these photos.

The first one is the temp of the ceiling next to the AC. The other two show the temp of the AC outlet on the AC unit.

I don't want to argue but it appears that you are using an IR thermometer which cannot measure air temp since air cannot emit thermal energy.

[Vasquez Kid]

Originally Posted by Gregc0921

I have recently bought a 2019 Jayco Northpoint 385THWS. With a msrp over $100,000. With that being said, I could not be more disappointed in many of the key features on this rig. It has already been back to the dealer 3 times to fix warranty issues. Several little things (bathroom sink leaked, ice maker doesn’t work). I understand if a man builds something, there can be issues. What I am absolutely angry about is when I am told that’s as good as it gets. For example, the best the AC unit is expected to lower the inside temperature is 10 degrees lower then the outside temp. So here in southern Missouri when summer temps hit 97, I should be happy with my expensive rig to only get to 87 inside. Complete crap. My 15 year old Keystone, that I traded for this rig, would freeze you out. Secondly, I don’t think there is a worse stereo system on the planet then Furrion. As soon as I get to the bottom of the steps, I lose Bluetooth connection. The tv is so bad, I can’t even watch it. The sound quality is so poor, it’s impossible to understand movies to enjoy them. There are several other small things about this rig that really make me second guess this brand. But my rant is over. If anyone has any suggestions on some ways to improve a few of these things, I am all ears. I firmly believe you get what you pay for. That’s why I think this rig with the 6 figure msrp should absolutely been built better then it is.

I feel your pain. I've lived it too.

I wish I could sell the ceo of Thor a big ticket item relative to his or her income that could possibly ruin their vacation.

Sometimes I just can't take the high road.

[Route 66 Traveler]

Originally Posted by Oma/opa

I don't want to argue but it appears that you are using an IR thermometer which cannot measure air temp since air cannot emit thermal energy.

It was measuring the temperature of the plastic parts in line with the air flow coming out of the AC unit. It was the air flow cooling the plastic that made the plastic cold.

Regardless of the readings, my trailer is now cooling like never before, and my need to install a second AC unit is now not an option, all thanks to the video I linked in post #3.