air conditioner maintenance

[fishdoc]

Is there any maintenance to perform on house ac's, ie removing cowling to inspect and prevent, clean etc.?
Thanks,
frank

[CLIFFTALL]

The coils need to be cleaned occasionally.

[Johnontheroad]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

The coils need to be cleaned occasionally.

My coach is 6 years old, and the AC has been used regularly (but not that much, I usually travel to cooler climates in the summer). Last week, I removed the shroud on one of my three units and used a brush to try to clean the coils. I got very little dirt/dust out so I only did the one.

Wondering if maybe this should be done anyway? And if maybe it needs compressed air to really get it clean?

John

[jacwjames]

I used compressed air to blow out the condensing unit on the roof. While you have the shroud off take a good look a the squirrel cage fan and make sure there are not mud dobber nests in it and that it rotates freely.

I also take the air filter out and use a vacuum cleaner with a long extension to reach up and clean the return vent and evaporator/heat exchanger.

I had been having trouble with my front AC, it would kick the breaker initially when the compress was kicking on but then it started to do it with the fan kicking on. It also was louder then the rear AC unit. I finally crawled up on the roof and found that the motor was very difficult to rotate so I ordered a new one. When I removed the motor & fan/shroud assembly I also found that the motor mounts had squatted and let the fan hit the shroud causing the louder noise. The motor was essentially frozen and only after a lot of force it would start to turn.


After replacing it runs great, hopefully I can get several more years out of it.

[wa8yxm]

Remove both outer and inner covers. CLEAN EVERYTHING.

There might be an RV where there is an librication port on the blower/fan motor but... Well.. the key word in that sentence is "an" Means there might be one,,, I do not think there are two. So the odds you have the one are..well (Actually the one is mine, but the motor with the lube port was a replacement, and has since been replaced with an original so it is in storage).

[jenandjon]

I never really did much to it until one hot humid day I turned it on because I was going to do some work in there. came back a half hour later and it was raining inside. The drain holes had plugged with dirt. After that I hose it out once in a while.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by jenandjon

I never really did much to it until one hot humid day I turned it on because I was going to do some work in there. came back a half hour later and it was raining inside. The drain holes had plugged with dirt. After that I hose it out once in a while.

I got the tee shirt on that one too. As you , I did periodic maintenance thereafter.

[Sky Pilot]

You also need to remove to check for insect nests. I live in FL and we have year round wasps, mud dabbers, spiders etc that all build nests and the cowling is perfect for that. Recently I brought MH home to load the next day, turned on the roof AC's and next morning found bed soaked in water. Wasps had built a nest directly in the drain track inside the cowling and the water was running directly into the coach.

[CampDaven]

My manual says to tighten the inside mounting bolts 2 turns each year. This keeps the gasket from leaking.

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by CampDaven

My manual says to tighten the inside mounting bolts 2 turns each year. This keeps the gasket from leaking.

Not too much as you'll flatten the gasket and then you'll know what indoor rain feels like .

[CampDaven]

Originally Posted by Clifftall

Not too much as you'll flatten the gasket and then you'll know what indoor rain feels like .

Agreed. When the bolts turn too easy, I follow the manual. Always good to check!

[fishdoc]

Thanks guys. I have been changing filters inside but will remove cowlings and clean above also.
I have been told to have a spare capacitor and blower motor on hand.