my rear ac went out, yikes!!!!

[jeaux]

hey folks my rear carrier ac lost all freon and as you know they are disposable, on a trip in Tennessee at the moment, thought it would be cooler here but also heat wave, called dealership 15 miles down the road they said they could replace ac today or Monday with an Advent 15,000 btw, 2 year warranty, got price from folks back home 1450.00 for 13,500 coleman, i know the advent is newer product and made in china (half or more of coleman is probably made in china too). my biggest question is the advent is NOT low profile and is white, the carriers on my coach are low profile and black, well i have a satellite up front that is 13", and two fantastic fans that are 9-1/2", and the advent show on specs to be 13", so is the low profile important.

also the satellite and the fantastic vents are all white so would it be a problem to go with white ac also? (never understood why ac's where black which attracts the sun)

also would not be a problem about white ac in back and black one in front because the front has tripped the breaker twice in 5 months, the last time was two days ago, so the front is on its last leg also, Yikes!!!!!!

[TXiceman]

DO NOT buy an Advent...= JUNK.

Put on a Coleman. Alco check with PPL Motorhomes in Houston. They usually have good A/C prices.

$1450 is way high for an A/C installed.

Ken

[Eagle123]

Hold on. The most commin failure cause is a $20 start capacity. Go up and remove the a/c shroud, remove the electrical panel. take close up pictures of all three capacitors, then go to an rv part store and try to replace. un plug your shore power before you climp up. You can also just use the model number of the ac unit to buy your start or run capacity.
Bill

[jeaux]

thanks for the reply Bill, well i had a tech come out and look at the rear its def a freon leak, but you may be totally right for the front one

[Daytripper63]

These are small systems, I am in the HVAC business, it is nothing to braze in an access fitting and pressurize to perform a leak check and then recharge with freon, I have done this at campgrounds with limited tools to help out fellow rv'ers. If your coach is a 2009 you should not be in need of replacing the unit yet.

[TXiceman]

The problem with recharging these units properly is that by the time you pay a tech to do the repair work and the refrigerant, you will be out $400 and no warranty on a repaired unit. Unless you can get the work done properly for a reasonable price, I would go with a new unit.

Ken

[jeaux]

Daytipper63, thats what i was thinking, and i was told by one tech (a moblie rv service) that there are some techs that will add the fitting and add freon, but that they usually cant find or cant get to the leak, and that a lot of people were complaining about spending the 300.00 of so to get it done and then a week or month later they are right back to square one. Now this same tech, when i went up on the roof to meet him points to a spot right there on top in plain view and said there is you leak and then quickly said well there is one of your leaks. And then quoted me 1450.00 to replace with a coleman low profile WITHOUT the heat pump. And charged me a 140.00 service call fee. So i dont know. So do you think its worth my while to try to get the thing filled with freon and leak(s) repaired. I bought this coach new Jan 2010 so its not that old.

[ArmyEOD]

Jeaux, get a second opinon, If the unit just quit working all of a sudden, I would suspect something other than freon. Maybe the capasitors, that sure sound like what wrong with the front unit you talked about. With the power unpluged, remove the cover on the electrical box outside and look at them, if they are swollen or burnt looking it the capasitor(s) very common to burn them out when it is really hot and the power at the campground is under a heavy load. If you do not have a surge/power protector in your rig, the units will try to start with low voltage and that will burn the capasitors out. Hope this helps you out.

George

[Daytripper63]

Originally Posted by jeaux

Daytipper63, thats what i was thinking, and i was told by one tech (a moblie rv service) that there are some techs that will add the fitting and add freon, but that they usually cant find or cant get to the leak, and that a lot of people were complaining about spending the 300.00 of so to get it done and then a week or month later they are right back to square one. Now this same tech, when i went up on the roof to meet him points to a spot right there on top in plain view and said there is you leak and then quickly said well there is one of your leaks. And then quoted me 1450.00 to replace with a coleman low profile WITHOUT the heat pump. And charged me a 140.00 service call fee. So i dont know. So do you think its worth my while to try to get the thing filled with freon and leak(s) repaired. I bought this coach new Jan 2010 so its not that old.

Your A/C should be an R410 freon unit which is reasonably priced compared to the older R22 systems, one thing about the R410 systems is when they leak they usually leave a oil residue where the leak is more than the older R22 units. I found a number of units that just get stress cracks at or next to factory welds in the copper tube, if you remove the cover you can probably find the oil residue and point out the area of the leak. I can not see replacing a 2 year old unit, plus what is to say the new unit doesn't get a stress crack as well, or replace yours and keep and fix the old unit for a spare.

[Barlow46]

Where are you in Tennessee? Reason I ask: Camping World Flyer shows models on sale with $6.00 shipping and/or $83.00 install. A few locations in Tennessee. Three days only. http://www.campingworld.com/ads/2012summerflyer/

[TXiceman]

A 2009 unit could be a R-22 or an R-410 since the mandate date for no new R-22 equipment was 2010.

Either refrigerant will leave an oily residue at a leak point since they both use the same basic positive displacement compressor that uses a lubricant.

Ken

[Rook]

I just been through this! Replaced front 15000 BTU AC, new control boards front and rear, new 5-button Duo-Therm thermostat, through cleaning of rear AC and 3 hours labor, plus TAX.......$1384 out the door. Used all Dometic Duo-Therm products. Location Decatur, AL. RooK
Lots of useful info here:

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f258/roof...em-126084.html

[Rook]

Additional info.......the actual trouble with my front AC causing "short cycling" was a "cold intermittent solder joint" on the Compressor start relay on the Control Board! I do not regret replacing with a NEW AC because the Compressor on the old unit was beginning to make a funny noise (14 years old) Rook

[topdownman]

I just went through this myself while vacationing in NOLA. My front air just wasn't cooling properly (2007 Sportscoach). I called a local mobile RV repair place and they verified it did have a leak. Replace the unit with a larger 15,000 BTU Dometic unit for $1210 including the labor and service call.