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A/C for Pets

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Wild

RVF Regular
Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
5
I’m researching RV living and I apologize for my clueless question, just haven’t quite been able to find an answer so far... I’m worried about my dogs in the heat in an older class c RV. If I’m away shopping, doing laundry, etc., and they’re in the RV in a hot climate, what’s the best way to power the A/C to keep the cool and ensure it keeps working? Is there a way for a secondary power source to kick in automatically should the primary power source fail? What would be the best ways to handle this? Again, I’m sorry for the novice question, I’m just wading into the prospect and my dogs’ safety is a huge concern. I read about a situation where the power was tripped at an RV park, A/C stopped working and dogs perished in the heat... Thanks for reading!
 
Great Question. How you approach this is very dependent on your rig and your normal camp environment. Our first rig was a single a/c unit fiver with no generator. We 100% relied on a setup which would call us if either the shore power failed, or the temperature inside the rig exceeded our set point. It also allowed us to call-in and get a status report anytime we wanted. Our strategy was to not venture away too far...so, if needed, we could rush back to the RV and rescue the pups before they got too hot.

Our motorhome added to the security in a number of ways. We still use the alerting setup. I like being able to checkup on things. Our new rig has a generator with AGS, or Automatic Generator Start. It networks to our Dometic A/C brain box...which when armed...will start the generator if the air conditioner detects no shore power, but has a thermostat command to run. It will cycle as needed to run the air conditioners. It is useful when dry camping as well as covering for shore power failures. If you live in milder climates...having a window cracked and a fantastic fan with thermostat control could he a second line of defense....or primary, if the weather is generally very mild thru the day. Having two A/C units also helps in the event of a single A/C unit failure. We actually can adjust settings in our coach to allow us to run two 15kbtu units on a 30A shore power connection using a combination of solar and Microair "Easy Start" devices (which I added to my A/C units.)

You can get really involved...but to start, having a monitoring system gives you the flexibility to safely venture out. The other stuff, just extends the range you can venture safely.

Thank you for being a responsible pet owner and looking out for thier safety and well being! I mean that most sincerely...
 
Thank you so much for the incredibly thorough and quick response! I’m hopeful most questions on this forum are answered like this, because I have a lot to learn and having knowledgeable folks like yourself give input is invaluable. I have tons to learn and research, thanks for encapsulating a starting point for me. Cheers!
 
You are most welcome. I hope that everyone does their level best to answer your questions in a open an friendly manner. Of all of the forums I’ve perused over the years..the RV community is very welcoming and enthusiastic to help others. Certainly, there will be a few differences of opinions from time to time...but it isn’t the main focus. Reaching out to make RVing as safe and satisfying as possible seems to be the common goal.

By the way...there are many monitoring systems available now for pets. I kinda homebrewed ours back in 2012. It works for us...but I know there are many new choices out there. Not even certain that the components are still available or as reasonably priced as they used to be. Here’s a link to a description...

 
Welcome to RVF, @Wild; we're glad to have you join us.

What @Chuggs told you is an excellent summation. We also travel with furry family members (they're no longer just "pets") and share your concern for keeping them safe. If I understand correctly, you are currently researching the purchase of an RV. Do you currently have one, or will this be your first? The reason I ask is that travel trailers, most 5th wheels and most Class C motorhomes don't usually have a generator, so if you are looking at one of those, then you will want to go the notification route Charlie suggested.

OTOH, if you are considering an RV that will have a generator, be sure is has the AGS function. Some don't.

Again, glad you're here and please feel free to ask questions any time.

TJ
 
Thanks so much! This is a fantastic link; I’ve had such anxiety trying to figure out how to deal with it. Sadly, living in the south with extreme summer temps, tragic deaths of children and pets in vehicles happen. Thanks for taking my question seriously and providing useful info without judgment.
 
Welcome to RVF, @Wild; we're glad to have you join us.

What @Chuggs told you is an excellent summation. We also travel with furry family members (they're no longer just "pets") and share your concern for keeping them safe. If I understand correctly, you are currently researching the purchase of an RV. Do you currently have one, or will this be your first? The reason I ask is that travel trailers, most 5th wheels and most Class C motorhomes don't usually have a generator, so if you are looking at one of those, then you will want to go the notification route Charlie suggested.

OTOH, if you are considering an RV that will have a generator, be sure is has the AGS function. Some don't.

Again, glad you're here and please feel free to ask questions any time.

TJ

I’m not an owner yet and researching class c, under 25 ft motor homes (for myself, daughter, wiener dog and 2 pit bulls). I know, it’s going to be tight, ha ha, but life has dictated some hard realities and my priority is keeping my family together under one roof-even if it’s on wheels. Home is where the heart is, right? I’m glad you pointed out the generator fact. For a few reasons, I’m not into a trailer (I want to be able to drive away quickly if needed, not have to depart my vehicle if I’m not comfortable for whatever reason, if that makes sense). Thanks so much to you guys, I’m excited and relieved to find a helpful place to learn!
 
Here is an example of a ready-built temperature monitoring system:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QRMFEAQ/?tag=rvf01-20

There are numerous others in varying price ranges and using various cell phone carriers.

As you research Class C coaches, be on the lookout for one with a generator. I think there may be some out there. And, of course, the notification system will allow you to keep an eye on things even if you don't have generator capability.

TJ
 
Here is an example of a ready-built temperature monitoring system:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QRMFEAQ/?tag=rvf01-20

There are numerous others in varying price ranges and using various cell phone carriers.

As you research Class C coaches, be on the lookout for one with a generator. I think there may be some out there. And, of course, the notification system will allow you to keep an eye on things even if you don't have generator capability.

TJ

Excellent, thanks a ton!!!!!!!!!!
 

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