Ronbrink

Understood, I’m one to fully protect important outlets, especially with my fridge. Potential power disruptions from a wet/compromised 12v circuit is hard on a compressor and the unit in general IMO.

I simply isolate one of the onboard propane tanks and connect an extension hose directly to it for use of my outdoor fire pit; primarily the street side tank accessible via the screw port whereby the entire cover doesn’t require removal.

I don’t recall Anderson offering a water tight 12v outlet for smaller connections. You could run the fridge wire inside the cover from the bottom where any connection within would be better protected when underway in inclement weather.

I came across the following post by a member of the iRV2.com community, by CC220 and dated April 2024, which may be of interest to some. Yes it is very lengthy but interesting, so if so inclined give it a read. As an owner, I concur with this author’s overall assessment of the Drieha Atmos 4.4 and look forward to furthering my personal experiences this coming summer. I just returned from SDG in Elkhart, IN ...after having the Dreiha Atmos 4.4 rooftop AC installed in place of the Dometic Penguin II our Coach House Platinum 220TB had been equipped with. Floridians and others living in the southeast, know full well the sweltering heat and oppressive humidity these climate zones generate in the summer, and their demand for consideration when scheduling outdoor activities and travel plans. Reducing the palpable humidity and creating a light breeze, immensely improves the air quality and comfort coefficient ...even when the temperature is lowered by just 2 or 3 degrees. The prospective ability to mitigate the steamy southeastern summertime 'misery index'...is what originally captivated my interest when reading about the Atmos 4.4 on the LTV FB owner-enthusiast forum. The unit is amazingly quiet, and I could envision an owner mistakenly leaving the unit powered on ...believing it had been turned off. Apparently, there is an 'LED light function' but appears available only when the unit is installed in a ductless configuration. (No part of the actual unit is exposed in our rig's ducted system mounting ...just a flush mounted filter cover. Admittedly, there are some 'unknowns' pertaining to the Dreiha corporation and their products, but obviously not of the type that dissuaded me from purchasing. Dreiha isn't (yet) a household name in this country, and in like fashion; Truma, required several years to attain brand recognition within the RV industry and amongst RV shoppers. Possibly adding to consumer name recognition challenges, is my understanding that the Atmos 4.4 is marketed and sold under another name ...as a virtual twin. We don't yet have access to sufficient user feedback in this country to evaluate long term reliability, but SDG owner; Kevin Searer's commendable reputation and the very favorable impression I received from him, leaves me confident that product warranty support won't be a problem. I'm glad to see Kevin and his great crew receiving well deserved recognition from the LTV community, and seeing more partnerships developing through which Dreiha brand HVAC products can be distributed, installed and serviced. To my knowledge SDG has expanded their dealership distribution network into Florida (CTM Customs) and if I recall correctly, a Solar-RV systems company in Texas. I thought it worthwhile to share some test results which compares operational efficiency of the Dometic Penguin II against the Atmos 4.4 AC. When using the Atmos AC function in either 'Dehumidifier' or 'Auto' mode ...its compressor and fan will alternatively cycle on and off during preset work intervals, greatly reducing an otherwise, constant high amperage power draw. The alternating compressor/fan cycle, seems in principal ...somewhat similar to variable speed compressors used in mini-split HVAC systems. That work/rest interval also explains the mind-boggling 'time remaining' estimates (shown in screenshots) produced by my Victron Multi-plus II inverter-charger, when the Atmos 4.4 is operating it's fan cycle in 'Dehumidifier Mode' on battery power. (I only tested using the Dehumidifier Mode, as that is most relevant to my climate zone, while also rendering the longest operational off-grid run times) 28 July 2024, 12:00pm Elkhart, IN (SDG HVAC parking lot) Ambient temp: 80 degrees, partly cloudy. Battery bank State of Charge: 100% Dometic Penguin II, Set point: 75 degrees 151 amps: High setting, 130 amps: Low setting Time remaining on battery @ present rate: 3 hrs 52 minutes 1 August 2024 8:48 am Columbus, GA Ambient temp: 77 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 84 degrees" Weather Channel) Battery bank State of Charge: 100% Atmos 4.4, Set point: 75 degrees ** Dehumidifier mode Between 77 - 111 amps (compressor cycle) Between 4 - 7+ amps (fan cycle) Time remaining on battery @ present rate: (compressor/fan) Between 6 hrs 27 minutes - 3 DAYS 10 hrs!! Testing initiated with a 4-5 minute compressor cycle, followed by a fan only cycle. ** When compressor kicked off, and circulation fan was activated, amps decreased from 8.55 to 5.21. Just over half an hour into the test, the projected 'battery discharge time remaining' topped out at over 3 DAYS ... while the battery bank State of Charge REMAINED at 97 percent. I documented an unbelievable 35 minutes of AC cooling, with only 28.3 amps used. That current rate of efficiency would extrapolate to over 90 minutes of AC operation ...for less than 90 amps expended. INSANE! At 1:42 pm. Temperature was 94 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 108" Weather channel) At 4:40 pm. Temperature was 97 degrees (With humidity: "Feels like 111" Weather channel) Mid-test number crunching & predictions: If the theoretical efficiency deviates little from operational expectations ...my 600ah battery bank would provide 9 hours of CONTINUOUS dehumidifier mode AC run time. The increased ambient temperature clearly altered the rate of energy expenditure, with compressor operation rising to a peak of 111 amps (40a less than the Dometic on 'High' setting) and fan cycle amps at 7+ ... with the alternating cycles appearing to occur in shorter intervals. ** Batteries finally died at 7:15 pm TOTAL run time was approximately 10 hours 15 minutes ** Cost vs performance analysis: The conclusion of testing revealed that the Atmos impressively exceeded the projected run time by more than one hour ...with the battery bank finally signing off after approximately 10 hours 15 minutes. A commonly cited 'AC on battery' energy formula, suggests that a 100ah lithium battery will yield approximately 45 minutes of AC operation. Thus, my 6 x 100ah battery bank would only be expected to provide 4.5 hours of continuous AC runtime. Consequently, the 10 hours 15 minutes of Atmos 4.4 AC run time ...appears roughly equivalent to having added SEVEN more 100ah lithium batteries. At a cost of $970 each ($6790 for 7 x 100ah Battle Born units) ... OR Installation of the Atmos 4.4 AC, for approximately 1/3 of the cost. I'm no electrical engineer, and therefore unqualified to say with certainty how much impact the three 200w rooftop solar panels may have had on the Atmos' operational longevity, however ...since the 'fan only' cycles of several minutes duration usually required less than 80 watts, I'm led to believe that the solar panels did contribute to the run time. Bearing in mind that the 3 hour 52 minutes of Dometic Penguin II run time was attained while connected to the same 600w rooftop solar array augmenting the 600ah powerbank ...clearly, no advantage was ceded to the Atmos. The Dometic's 'always on compressor' state, imposed significantly HIGHER power demand penalities of between 20-40 ADDITIONAL amps (versus the Atmos') while switching itself from 'low' and 'high' compressor settings. ** It's vital to consider that the Dometic AC did in fact, have the benefit of operating with the SAME SoftRVstart module (that greatly reduces the inrushing power spike imposed upon the battery bank) as did the Atmos, when demonstrating its superior energy efficient design, by operating in excess of 6 hours longer. The heat pump function on the Atmos not only operates to lower temperatures, and is quieter ...it also reaches set temperature much faster. The bonus feature from my perspective, is the Atmos' remote control interface, providing the ability to function independently from the problematic Firefly system that Coach House has discontinued use of. True, the wall mounted remotes and bluetooth phone app are viable workarounds for the Firefly's tempermental touch-insensitive main screen interface ...but I prefer the stability of decentralized, direct control of Coach systems. Truma's Aventa and Houghton rooftop AC units offer better performance than the Dometic, but I determined the Dreiha Atmos 4.4 to be the better value. SDG does also sell and install 12v HVAC units and mini-split systems, however ...their increased complexity/mounting space required and lack of a dehumidifier mode, were reasons for me to disregard consideration. Last Saturday, I was surprised to find HVAC technicians at SDG working on the weekend ...they were installing 12v mini-split HVAC systems in 3 Ram ProMaster vans that would soon be serving as ambulances. Beyond installation of a lithium battery bank/3K inverter-charger/optimized DC DC charging system, I now believe that fitment of a substantially more efficient HVAC system (mini-split or next-generation rooftop unit, like the Atmos) ...to be the next most significant systems upgrade one can make for conservation of their rig's vital battery bank power.

Just an observation. I went to the Cow Barn last Friday to check on the Oliver and run the Atmos on the LFPs in order to drop the SOC below 75%. I do this routinely when in storage for lengthy periods to cycle the batteries and exercise the charging system, which has dual chargers kicking in at that specified level of charge. As the Atmos was running to cool the interior, I referenced the User’s Manual and learned how to operate the Sleep Mode. The unit was whisper quiet and I could only tell when the compressor was running by watching the VictronConnect app as it kicked in. During the interim however, I was also watching the humidity levels as the Atmos cycled in this mode. I observed a 5% fluctuation in the humidity between compressor cycles, which remained steady for the duration of this Sleep Mode test. As it may relate, the interior temperature inside the Oliver was 87° upon arrival (stored inside a totally enclosed storage facility), outside temp was 85°. Because the dehumidifier had shut off due to a full reservoir, a reading of 58% was observed, outside relative humidity was high (>70). During initial operation in Cool Mode, the interior temp dropped to 76° and humidity to 50% in 20 minutes. For the remainder of operational time in Sleep Mode the compressor cycled with a 3° fluctuation in temp and humidity range of 49-54%.

Did you ever post a pic of the TIG welds? Seems a spot weld could be done without crimping, what think you?

Just curious why a new burner was even needed since it too had ends in need of crimping. Was there a reason the original burner could not be crimped and made use of?

One of the last ‘must have’ transitions from the former TV to the Savana is the DC-DC charging cable setup and rear-mounted Anderson connection. The full length 4 AWG dedicated cables running from battery to rear bumper off the Silverado required no alteration with this retrofit. Admittedly said cables, rear bumper connection, a solenoid and ANL 60/fuse box were installed a few months ago, but activation was delayed pending install of the Mechman 320A alternator. The solenoid serves to energize the cable connection via a fuse tap trigger wire from the under hood fuse box and thus, requiring keyed power ignition for use as a precautionary measure. Current fuse taps include the solenoid trigger wire, as well as one for the alternator and Air Lift power. Solenoid and ANL fuse locations. Rear bumper-mounted Anderson connection with Environmental Boot. Now that the Savana is readied for towing and other operational needs, there are a couple of other ‘wants’ in sight; van rooftop solar for the portable power station that runs my Dometic CFX3 75DZ, and custom swing away racks for my two Wavian Jerry Cans and spare 30# propane tank. Stayed tuned!

I read this post in SDG’s FB on general humidity control measures and thought these tips may be of interest:

You done good! Here is an excerpt from Mechman’s Alternator Installation instructions, wherein 4 AWG is shown to be sufficient for your 180A alternator.

Mechman specifies the 1/0 Gauge copper wire for ‘return ground’ and ‘alternator charge’ cables to battery with their 250-400 amp rated alternators, and a battery fuse size of 400A. They also recommend increasing the B- to body wire size, which could explain the extra wire from my previous install. Thanks again for your input!

The 1/0 Gauge ground cable (shown) from alternator mount to B- and a like size alternator+ to B+ are two of the ‘Big 3’ players recommended by Mechman with their high output alternators. The Savana already had a robust ground cable from B- to engine block to include a fine stranded braided cable split to frame for additional grounding. Would there be any benefit or need for another ground from alternator mount to body?

A couple days ago I successfully installed the Mechman 320A high output alternator and cable upgrades, previously on the former TV, to further enhance the Savana’s charging system. I should mention that a battery swap was done two months prior with the ACDelco top post battery a better choice for performance and reliability. Even though Mechman does not offer an alternator for the Savana, the mounting bracket and wiring appeared exactly the same as the Silverado’s; so my hopes were high that the stock 150A alternator could be replaced despite the seven year gap in year models and GMC 6.0L vs GM 5.3L engine size, respectively. Another consideration, the high output alternator requires a smaller pulley and thus, a bit shorter serpentine belt. Again, the new belt from the Silverado install was a perfect fit for the Savana. ACDelco battery, as installed. Removal of the stock 150A alternator in progress. Mounting bracket cleaned and readied for Mechman 320A. Side-by-side alternator comparison. Mechman alternator a perfect fit. Note additional grounding cable at the mounting bolt.

Looks like you decided on LiTime LFPs, if so good decision! This was my final configuration, also to include a Victron SmartShunt and ANL 250-Amp fuse.

I had the same issue with one of my breakers, specifically a circuit breakers with manual reset. Replaced the faulty stock Chinese made breaker for this one, problem solved. The last pic was posted by another owner and shows the breaker I replaced, labeled 12V BREAKER in his illustration.

I have read where you recently stated this TS is not suited for use with the Xantrex 3000. I would think it could as long as you don’t exceed 20A. I read a review on Amazon wherein one was used when on 30/50 amp shore power for three auxiliary outlets without issue, and subsequently when on inverter; however, the size of inverter was not disclosed. The following pic was provided me upon request by another owner prior to my install; the installation is very straightforward. Since the plug cable on the TS20A is very short, I made an extension from the formerly unused outlet on the Xantrax-mounted GFCI receptacle to a remote duplex receptacle for purpose of creating additional outlets for said TS. Here are pics of the inverter’s GFCI with a plugged cable leading to the microwave, and the added duplex receptacle box installed.

Here’s an interesting fact: In further researching the origin of the Atmos 4.4, I learned that Dreiha also offers 2.5 and 3.5 models, 7.5K and 11K, respectively. However, these units are primarily manufactured for European markets and are 220-240v with R410A refrigerant, but still have the same ‘SANZ’ connections as the Atmos 4.4; German designed and foreign made at one of the aforementioned SANZ Clima facilities. I’m even more convinced there is no China connection with these Dreiha products!

With my auxiliary outlet installs, I choose duplex receptacles with USB charging ports, as well. For example:

That is correct, but @Teaney Hull 292 can install a dedicated transfer switch to run the a/c on inverter with an LFP upgrade.

Unfortunately, Mechman does not offer an alternator for your Nissan. If you are having issue with your stock alternator, a direct replacement may be all needed. However, in my situation where a 40A DC-DC charger was installed and my stock alternator was aged, the high output replacement was a great solution for my inherent battery charging system problems. If you plan or already installed a DC-DC charger, then definitely consider an upgrade. If you cannot find an aftermarket high output alternator for your specific vehicle, then check if Nissan offers an alternator with a higher amp rating. In my application, the 320A alternator required a ‘Big 3’ cable upgrade, which would even benefit a stock alternator.

Or they reverse engineered!

I’m certain this refers to the same gear drive motors for the front and rear ADB ‘up & down swing’ angles of the Atmos, no pics.

Once the Oliver is brought to a desired temp, in Cool Mode the fan can be set to its lowest setting to address your concern. For high humidity conditions, Dry Mode is very effective, and the fan only operates at low speed and cannot be adjusted. I don’t know why the air flow CFM range is seemingly unavailable.

I did a brief search of Dreiha Atmos 4.4 specific information, but found no formal references regarding actual CFM or EER ratings. I did however, find this statement on the Sprinter forum, not conclusive but remember reading this when I was considering the Atmos. I will say this unit will blow my hair when standing at the wet bath doorway, not so with the former DPll! I also recalled wherein @rideadeuce included this unit sticker in his writeup on the SDG install. Interesting enough, it shows ‘SANZ DREIHA GMBH - GERMANY’; when researched the location is Bremen, Germany. Another fact I remember reading, the Atmos was German engineered. Furthermore, Page 7of7 of the Dreiha Atmos 4.4 brochure also shows other ‘SANZ’ affiliates; SANZ Kenway and SANZ Clima, headquartered in Fairmount, Minnesota and Madrid, Spain, respectively. SANZ Kenway “custom designs and manufactures mobile air conditioning and heating components and systems…”; SANZ Clima has factories in Spain, USA (Fairmont, MN), Germany, Brazil and Poland. Could this be the origin of the Atmos 4.4 and not China (think GREE branded knockoff products), perhaps even Made in the USA? I know, another ‘can of worms’! Where was the ATMOS designed an where manufactured? @Geronimo John once asked. Maybe getting closer to a definitive answer, but then….

Not to further confuse the issue, but just viewed another like unit offered on Amazon, FOGATTI. What caught my attention was the much higher CFM air flow and EER ratings on this unit compared to the Tosto. I seem to remember reading that the Atmos had comparable high CFM, but need to research for confirmation on that. NEway, would be good to know if there are in fact subtle differences in these very similar units and thus, some actually better than others; also the reason for the price disparity. Just say’n!