AC Drip - Suggestion Needed

[Eusefull]

I am noticing a slight condensation drip in my front AC unit after it's been on awhile.

I removed the plastic ceiling vent where the foam air filter is and the galvanized steel portion of the AC unit has seams with rivits on each side. On the side that does NOT have the drip, there seems to be a sealer puddy, but the side that DOES drip is missing the same sealer.

Can someone with AC experience recommend if I should squirt some kind of sealer into the seam? If so, what would you recommend?

I just want to make sure doing so does not end up clogging up the unit somehow.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[Eusefull]

I am noticing a slight condensation drip in my front AC unit after it's been on awhile.

I removed the plastic ceiling vent where the foam air filter is and the galvanized steel portion of the AC unit has seams with rivits on each side. On the side that does NOT have the drip, there seems to be a sealer puddy, but the side that DOES drip is missing the same sealer.

Can someone with AC experience recommend if I should squirt some kind of sealer into the seam? If so, what would you recommend?

I just want to make sure doing so does not end up clogging up the unit somehow.

Thanks in advance for the feedback.

[takepride]

I have had the same problem with my front unit. Inoticed the braided grounding cable would collect water and then drip if it was in contact with the metal box and adjacent wires. I twisted it a bit to get it away from any obstructions and the problem went away.

Now it may very well be that the suction of the vent is merely drying it out, but at least it stopped.

[rgb1111]

We have a dripping problem in the bedroom. In hot humid conditions by morning thr bottom of the bed is soaked with condensation. I to would like any ideas.
Bob Brown

[lundy]

My front unit dripped from the condensation in the drain hose. It had a dip in the line. I leveled it and blew air in the drain near the gen unit to clear any obstruction. It hasn't dripped since.

[Eusefull]

Hi Lundy...can you specify where the drain hose is accessed? From inside, or on top outside?

[lundy]

Mine is an 06 FDDS. If you remove the entire inside cover (4 screws), you can see the clear plastic drain hose near the top. It works its way to the drivers side and drains to the ground near the steering gear. Extend the gen and look from underneath. While you have the cover off, be sure that 4 bolts that hold the roof unit against the sealing gasket are sufficiently tight. Mine were loose from the factory installation which caused a water leak when driving in rain.

[EngineerMike]

There are likely two problems being described here and each coach has only one (could have both, but that's just lucky).
First is poor draining of condensate from the coils, which leaks to the inside. If you can't find that problem inside, remove the 3 or 4 main bolts holding the roof Ac to the roof (these can be backed out from the inside after removing the whole plastic grill frame from ceiling- 4 sheet metal type screws), gently lift the unit off the roof enough to see the drain cup and line, and seal up whatever is improperly sealed (some have found poor drain line connection, cracked drip collector cup, collector cup deformed by AC unit pressing where it shouldn't, etc. Reverse the process to reset the unit. You can make a whole new drip cup from a 3 or 4 inch pvc pipe end cap and plastic barb fitting if you are handy.
An alternate cause of this type 1 drip, call it type 1b?, could be interor humidity so high that the condensation overwhelms the condensate cup/drain line and overflows looking for an outlet; if you are in such an ultra-high humidty area, I recommend using the coach's diesel motor to relocate coach & contents to a more comfortable climate. Or you could improve the condensate drip collection/drain system to allow more flow.

Second is interior condensation in the plenum below the AC's squirrel cage fan where interior humidity is very high. Adding sealant to a seam won't help there as condensate would divert to another point to drip. If your interior air is not palpably humid, and you have a drip, it is probably a type 1. If it is overly humid, treat like a type 1b and relocate outa the swamp

[Eusefull]

Thanks EngineerMike for the good tips on the AC.

Will have a look around the unit on the roof and follow your instructions.

Great help and much appreciated.

[rmmpe]

Suggestion:
Most AC units will need tightening a few months after they are installed because the sealing ring will flatten a bit due to the weight of the AC unit. This is normal and, if done, could very well eliminate leaking later.

[dgerstel]

Use caution when tightening the 4 mounting bolts. If over tightened the sheet metal base of the AC can be bent or the roof slightly crushed. This will cause air leaks and other problems. The torque spec's are in installation manual.

Dale

[takepride]

My drip came back this last weekend. I was able to follow it up to above the galvanized steel box. However, I couldn't find it's origin.

We were parked in the High Desert above Palm Springs (Mountain Center), though it was a bit humid. However, swampy is probably not very accurate. When the temps hovered around 100 there was no drip, but when we moved up to 7000 feet (to escaoe the heat) and the temps were 75-80, the drip returned.

Both my roof units drain across the roof and the drain tubes are dry. I'll try cleaning those out, as suggested, and see if that too will help with the interior drip (though I'm not sure how they're related).

If it's not one thing, it's another! And it keeps me busy (and broke!).

[rmmpe]

Unfortunately, ANY vehicle with holes in it's roof will, at one time or another, exhibit similar faults. Both of my last 2 MHs had the same problem.
While in Las Vegas one year, the rains came and were so hard I was taking steady water through both roof AC units. It got bad enough that I had to drive the right wheels up onto ramps to let the water drain off the left. It helped but didn't stop it. The 15 degree list also made it very difficult to walk. Sleeping was impossible.

A big advance in MH technology will come when AC units can be installed without the need to make those very big holes in the roof of them, which will also help with reducing Bridge clearance, lowering center of gravity, etc.

Giving up a little basement storage would be a small price to pay it can be done relatively easy.

[takepride]

I still feel the "basement air" on my Vectra was a huge advantage. It's more efficient and a lot quieter! Never leaked, too! No run off from roof. Lower clearance.

It really didn't take up much room in the belly, either.

It also didn't need a complicated "double brain" to operate. I have had endless problems with my Duo-Therm control system. It either doesn't see the units or doesn't sense the temperature or fails to tell the compressors to start.

Of course it's very hard to figure out the problem since I can't think straight with all the noise!