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Old 01-21-2017, 10:15 AM   #1
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Air Condition rain water leak or normal?

We have a new to us 2011 32v Fleetwood Southwind motorhome. During a very very heavy rain storm I notice 15 drips coming through the roof AC unit screen/vent - and ultimately water traveled up/in the roof interior to a ceiling light and 5 drips came out. Is this normal that an AC may take in some water during a VERY Heavy storm ( never any leaks otherwise ) or could it be a roof AC seal or ??

I paid $150 for a roof seal leak test a month or two prior - no issues.
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Old 01-21-2017, 10:30 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TweetThisRV View Post
We have a new to us 2011 32v Fleetwood Southwind motorhome. During a very very heavy rain storm I notice 15 drips coming through the roof AC unit screen/vent - and ultimately water traveled up/in the roof interior to a ceiling light and 5 drips came out. Is this normal that an AC may take in some water during a VERY Heavy storm ( never any leaks otherwise ) or could it be a roof AC seal or ??

I paid $150 for a roof seal leak test a month or two prior - no issues.
on cheaper non ducted roof ac units the ac is mounted with 4 with bolts through the ceiling and sealed with a gasket.Assuming the gasket is still ok these 4 bolts need to be tightened up as they tend to slack over time
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Old 01-21-2017, 04:19 PM   #3
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Thanks - are those for bolts on the roof side or the 4 screws I see from inside the RV?
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Old 01-21-2017, 04:39 PM   #4
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Roof A/C Units (ducted and non-ducted) are secured to roof via 4 hold down bolts

Remove the ceiling grille cover to access the bolts ---one in each corner.

They need to be tightened evenly....use an 'X' pattern.

BUT they should only be SNUG.
If you have a 1/4" drive INCH torque wrench then you can tighten them to 40 INCH Pounds (NOT FOOT Pounds----INCH Pounds)

So........SNUG
That means finger tight then just a 1/4 turn with a wrench

Roof gasket is 1" thick when new and gets compressed to 1/2" when bots are properly SNUG.
Over tightening with squish roof gasket causing distortion and leaks

Hopefully with only the slight dripping during heavy rains just snugging up on the hold down bolts will seal it.

Also if gasket gets compressed too much the Evap Coil drip pan drain holes can get blocked due to A/C pan being to close to roof line
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Old 01-21-2017, 04:46 PM   #5
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Thanks - are those for bolts on the roof side or the 4 screws I see from inside the RV?
You tighten the air conditioner hold down bolts from inside the RV. The 4 bolts you see on your ceiling, assuming you have a ducted unit, are the screws that hold up your grill. If you remove them you will see the four bolts that secure your AC unit to the roof. They are not supposed to be all that tight, but snug. Atwood in this link says they should only be 4.4 # pounds.
http://www.atwoodmobile.com/manuals/...2016_Rev_9.pdf

Oops - didn't see Old Biscuit's reply when I typed mine.
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Old 01-22-2017, 07:58 AM   #6
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No, it is not normal for water to drip in, no matter how hard it rains. However, I would not be too sure that the leak is around the a/c itself - it could be coming in anywhere and running along the ceiling. Just because you saw it first at the a/c opening does not mean it started there.

By all means check those 4 a/c mounting bots, but don't get fixated there. Or the associated gasket. Could be a roof vent, antenna mount, plumbing vent, or any other seam or opening through the roof.
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Old 01-22-2017, 03:53 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer View Post
No, it is not normal for water to drip in, no matter how hard it rains. However, I would not be too sure that the leak is around the a/c itself - it could be coming in anywhere and running along the ceiling. Just because you saw it first at the a/c opening does not mean it started there.

By all means check those 4 a/c mounting bots, but don't get fixated there. Or the associated gasket. Could be a roof vent, antenna mount, plumbing vent, or any other seam or opening through the roof.

What Gary said!
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Old 01-22-2017, 04:01 PM   #8
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Thanks - are those for bolts on the roof side or the 4 screws I see from inside the RV?
the four you see from inside. tighten those up and as long as the gasket never got damaged while installed it will most likely fix the leak
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Old 01-23-2017, 05:06 AM   #9
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Originally Posted by Old-Biscuit View Post
Roof A/C Units (ducted and non-ducted) are secured to roof via 4 hold down bolts

Remove the ceiling grille cover to access the bolts ---one in each corner.

They need to be tightened evenly....use an 'X' pattern.

BUT they should only be SNUG.
If you have a 1/4" drive INCH torque wrench then you can tighten them to 40 INCH Pounds (NOT FOOT Pounds----INCH Pounds)

So........SNUG
That means finger tight then just a 1/4 turn with a wrench

Roof gasket is 1" thick when new and gets compressed to 1/2" when bots are properly SNUG.
Over tightening with squish roof gasket causing distortion and leaks

Hopefully with only the slight dripping during heavy rains just snugging up on the hold down bolts will seal it.

Also if gasket gets compressed too much the Evap Coil drip pan drain holes can get blocked due to A/C pan being to close to roof line
Going by this I think the problem could possibly be that whoever sealed your roof could have overtightened those bolts. Keep that in mind also.
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