Elkhart Indiana

[Townesw]

We’re traveling through Elkhart in a couple of days. Other than the RV Museum what do we need to see?

Also, I’m a firm believer in carrying parts. Are there any real good RV parts retailers there?

I’m especially interested in acquiring a Viair compressor kit. Is there a brick and mortar there that stocks Viair compressors?

[Tom and Doreen]

The museum is awesome. You can boondock there for free, the area is nice. If you want an electric hook-up they charge $40 which includes water but when we were there the hydrants were labeled “non potable”. There is also a dump site there. 
 

The Truma service center is close by if you need anything from them. 

[Steph and Dud B]

Amish restaurant and buffet, Das Dutchmen Essenhaus to chow down: https://maps.app.goo.gl/MYq2854UTu2LjPLm8 , The Bag Factory for shopping: https://maps.app.goo.gl/aaMDybSNji4EHPav6 , Venturi for authentic Neopolitan pizza: https://maps.app.goo.gl/t5WiaMadvzyFcQnn7 , Yoder's Meat and Cheese: https://maps.app.goo.gl/du6vPspozdgsdSat8 

[jd1923]

11 hours ago, Townesw said:

We’re traveling through Elkhart in a couple of days. Other than the RV Museum what do we need to see?

Also, I’m a firm believer in carrying parts. Are there any real good RV parts retailers there?

I’m especially interested in acquiring a Viair compressor kit. Is there a brick and mortar there that stocks Viair compressors?

If you still have the OEM Dometic Penguin II air conditioner, you can go to SDG Elkhart and have your A/C nicely upgraded with a very, very quiet Tosot brand unit! 🤣

11 hours ago, Townesw said:

I’m especially interested in acquiring a Viair compressor kit.

I have a high-end Viair system with all accessories! Just installed an exhaust brake on our TV which included an onboard air compressor, so our Viair is no longer needed. PM if interested!

[Townesw]

Looks like we picked the wrong CG to stay at in Elkhart

[Townesw]

Talked to Kevin Searer at SDG Elkhart. Stopped by without an appointment. Walked in and said I would like some info on installing a Tosot in an Oliver. He showed me the one on the demonstration stand in the workshop and turned it on. He said that you can stay in the parking lot the night before your conversion. They have 30a hookup. They pull your trailer in at 8am and 3 hours later they are done. Same hole as Dometic. Control panel is on the front right corner of the air box. They replace the Dometic thermostat with a simple thermostat for the existing furnace. Only thing I didn’t like was the condensate running off the roof. I didn’t ask pricing because I wasn’t ready to buy. 

[mountainoliver]

When we were there having SDG install our Tosot air conditioner we drove over to Shipshewana. Interesting German type town with shopping and a dinner show facility. I think that there is only one (correct me if I’m wrong) aftermarket air conditioner that will utilize the internal drain system. I think it’s the Dometic Freshjet unit. I saw one installation and was not overly impressed with the unit itself. The installation was good but the unit didn’t impress me. If you decide to use SDG for the installation please contact me first for a couple of suggestions on the installation. SDG did a great job of installing the new unit.

[Ronbrink]

On 10/9/2025 at 4:10 PM, Townesw said:

Control panel is on the front right corner of the air box. They replace the Dometic thermostat with a simple thermostat for the existing furnace. Only thing I didn’t like was the condensate running off the roof.

Correct, the air distribution panel controls are on the front right when looking forward from the rear of cabin. I was able to retain the Dometic thermostat for continued use in operating my Dometic furnace, as discussed in my home install of the similar Deiha Atmos 4.4 that SDG was selling before switching to the Tosot due to supply cost issues. The only issue I’ve experienced in regards to roof runoff, whether from the a/c unit or rainfall, is stained streaks from leaf tannins and thus, try to avoid campsites with tree cover to the extent possible. Although the condensate is slightly more acidic than rainwater, there is no real harm caused to a properly maintained fiberglass gelcoat (think waxed or ceramic coated). I carry a spray bottle of water/Dawn/vinegar solution to quickly remove said streaks as they develop in camp, as well as any tannin brown stains found on the roof when washing the Oliver after each trip prior to storage. For these targeted areas, a Mr.Clean Magic Eraser is a very effective, nonabrasive tool for spot treatments. 

Edited October 12 by Ronbrink

[Townesw]

53 minutes ago, Ronbrink said:

…of the similar Drieha Atmos 4.4 that SDG was selling before switching to the Tosot due to supply cost issues. 

I have just started studying replacement air conditioners and have seen references to Dreiha Atmos 4.4 vs. Tosot. Is one a rebranded version of the other, or are these 2 different units, or is one a clone of the other?

Edited October 11 by Townesw

[mountainoliver]

I’m probably wrong but I think the Atmos and Tosot units are both made by Gree and are essentially identical. Country of origin may be different though. 

[mountainoliver]

For the thermostat: my original Dometic thermostat requires 12 volts to work and operates through a relay arrangement located at the air conditioner. I didn’t use any of that and had SDG folks dispose of the relay box and just bundle the unused wires at the air conditioner. The only wires now used at the air conditioner are the 120 volt hot, neutral and ground. My original thermostat was mounted to the right of the pantry above the rear dinette seat so your installation may be different, Oliver has mounted the thermostat in several different locations over the years. I ran new wires for the thermostat behind the pantry and into the left rear corner area and connected to the two wires (blue and blue/white striped wires) that go directly to the Suburban furnace. The original telephone type thermostat wire was abandoned and bundled in the wiring space to the right of the pantry. The simple thermostat is fully manual/mechanical and mounts in the same location as the old one. Now the air conditioner and the furnace are totally separate and operate independently from each other. I did have to fabricate a mounting plate for the new thermostat to cover the holes from the old thermostat. 

[Ronbrink]

17 hours ago, mountainoliver said:

Now the air conditioner and the furnace are totally separate and operate independently from each other. I did have to fabricate a mounting plate for the new thermostat to cover the holes from the old thermostat. 

My original Dometic thermostat only serves the furnace now. I was able to utilize the former stock control electronics and DC wiring, which were housed in the Atmos 4.4 and thus, no need to route additional wires. 

Edited October 12 by Ronbrink

[Ronbrink]

19 hours ago, Townesw said:

I have just started studying replacement air conditioners and have seen references to Dreiha Atmos 4.4 vs. Tosot. Is one a rebranded version of the other, or are these 2 different units, or is one a clone of the other?

I suspect the latter!

[jd1923]

7 hours ago, Ronbrink said:

I suspect the latter!

Agreed! Atmos was first, advertised as "German Engineered." The German company made the mistake of so many global manufacturing companies. They decided to maximize profits (short-term) by manufacturing in China, where the CCP has no qualms re patent infringement!

(This happened to EVERYTHING Motorola manufactured in China during the 90s, and a significant factor to the demise of Motorola, one of the great 20th-century American companies in communications electronics.)

GREE is a Chinese appliance co: https://global.gree.com/ They built the original Atmos and go figure once they had they had the manufacturing technology in-house they "re-branded" the appliance in their Tosot name.

They built both products, so likely they are equal in design and manufacturing, or did they cut corners which can be true with knockoffs? @mountainoliver Ken and I both observed Ron's Atmos at the 2024 Texas Rally. The Atmos A/C in Ron's hull was SUPER quiet and efficient, dropping 10 points in both temp and humidity in just 40 minutes, midday Texas weather on the lakes at 85F and humid, while you could hardly notice it's running!

Ken, recently had SDG install the Tosot (would like to get Kevin's (of SDG) gossip on Atmos vs. Tosot!). Ken created a post on his Tosot and I believe he now knows his Tosot is equivalent to Ron's Atmos.

If we were ones to visit FHU campsites often, I would purchased the GREE product today hands-down. Since we more often dry-camp and rarely summer camp, I'm still waiting, running the awful Dometic P2 when forced to by unexpected heat in our travels!

More often our A/C is running during August while parked outside at home, thermostat set to 85F so that the AZ sun doesn't cook the hull interior! I can hear the friggin' thing running 100 ft away! But the only good feature of the P2 is it turns off completely in AUTO mode. Ours will run in the heat of the afternoon and turn itself OFF from sun down 'til about noon the next day on a hot summer day. It's truly too bad all these new RV A/C products are designed to run the fan continuously!

More often off-grid? It appears an Inverter A/C will run on near half the power, Ah consumption. Inverter A/C products for the 14x14" RV rooftop installation are new technology and limited in product offerings. Dometic has one, but not in the US market. Houghton likely the same. Current offerings are the Turbro Greenland and Pioneer (again the same thing rebranded) and we have a few threads on these products.

[Ronbrink]

15 hours ago, jd1923 said:

It's truly too bad all these new RV A/C products are designed to run the fan continuously!

So true, enter Cielo Breez Max!