Community Forums

Razzman · 07-17-2014, 01:27 PM

So i've had issues intermittenly with the thermostat, always have had to fiddle with it to get the air on. The other day we come back from a trip and i forgot to shut it down before plugging into the power pedestal and when it switched over it popped the breaker. So now i've got this hum when i turn the a/c on but nothing happens. Anyone else have this issue before? I'm thinking replace the thermostat first and see what happens.

racersedge · 07-17-2014, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Razzman

So i've had issues intermittenly with the thermostat, always have had to fiddle with it to get the air on. The other day we come back from a trip and i forgot to shut it down before plugging into the power pedestal and when it switched over it popped the breaker. So now i've got this hum when i turn the a/c on but nothing happens. Anyone else have this issue before? I'm thinking replace the thermostat first and see what happens.

Getting a hum sounds like stuck fan or compressor does not sound like a stat problem

Tony Lee · 07-17-2014, 01:39 PM

perhaps a faulty start capacitor - although even if the fan didn't start, I would expect the compressor to at least run for a while

TQ60 · 07-17-2014, 05:19 PM

Go topside and have a look see.

jesilvas · 07-18-2014, 05:47 AM

Usually a hum is either fan locked up or compressor running and fan not at all.
You need an electrical meter and know how to check capacitors and circuits.

NeilV · 07-18-2014, 09:48 PM

If its blowing the breaker its most likely a bad start capacitor on the compressor. Stuck fan motor would likely just heat up and shut down on its own thermal overload but could also trip the breaker. The more you try to force it to run by fiddling with the thermostat the greater your chances of burning out the compressor or fan motor.

TQ60 · 07-18-2014, 10:32 PM

Locked compressor will trip the breaker or the temprature overload in compressor whike the fan runs

A stuck fan due to bad bearing or bad cap wont make much noise while the compressor is running.

You need to go topside and see just what is going on.

Could be just oil the fan bearings for now then replace later or cap or ???

Razzman · 07-23-2014, 08:43 PM

Well it turns out nobody guessed the problem. While I read elsewhere and here the start cap or frozen fan is the general culprit, it turned out to be the fan capacitor. I took the start, run & fan caps to a local appliance parts wholesaler and he tested them, all were good but the fan cap.

Oddly the start cap still had a charge even though I had discharged it three times. That said I replaced it too. The original capacitor was 165 VAC, upped it to 250 VAC per Coleman's approval. It fires up immediately now without hesitation. I am going to get some foaming coil cleaner for Home Depot and do both a/c units real soon.

jesilvas · 07-24-2014, 05:54 AM

Pretty sure someone said fan capacitor.

Anyway, good to hear. Also, I hate that foaming stuff; doesn't work well. I would get a coil brush and a garden hose to wash it that way. Be sure to wash BOTH coils.

sammyk43 · 07-27-2014, 10:46 AM

Be very careful cleaning the fins--there is a special fin tool --not a brush--to keep the fins straight. It may be available at Home Depot or Lowes. You may also find it online.
Also, do not use high pressure using the hose. If you flatten or bend the fins the cooling factor is greatly diminished and will cause the compressor to overheat.

If you keep having trouble with the thermostat you should replace it.

One last thing --let the unit to dry before turning it on after cleaning.

mikell · 07-27-2014, 11:57 AM

there needs to be a sticky about AC . That cap is rather easy to change and could save people a lot of money. A neighbor once changed his AC unit while at the park and gave me the old one to get rid of. Another guy and I change the cap and sold it to a third person for a rather nice profit.