Basement Air Temp Keepin' Up

[LouRobin]

Well, we finally discovered an ongoing mystery with the AC on our 2003 Ultimate Freedom. It has always had trouble keeping up with the summer heat of the day.
On a recent trip to the Fl Keys we would start the morning at about 74 degrees or so and by 4 in the afternoon it would be up near 89 degrees or more.
This has been an ongoing problem, and all attemps to find the problem at various RV Dealers and an RV Coach Care center all resulted in the same answer. It is working properly, cool it down more in the early morning to help it keep up with the heat of the day.
I was about to install a roof unit over the kitchen fan to assist in the cooling.

It got so bad in the Keys we decided to try one AC repair guy or pack up and head home. The mobile RV guy referred us to a regular AC guy that we were told had experience with the basement units.

Now remember we are in the FL Keys where the only rush for anything is to not miss sunset, which is also a good reason to drink !!!

The repair guy shows up in an old beat up rusted van with "crap" stacked in the back about half way up the van...all over the van!!

He and his young assistant got out and he immediately went to work. He worked his way electrically through the outside of the unit testing as he went. "hummmm, everything seems to be working here" I've heard that before.

He then slides under the unit and tries to reach up the duct work coming out of the back of the unit. He then has his skinny and tall hjelper get under there and reach up the duct work higher. We open the engine door and he hands the helper a paper towel to hold beside the duct work, and it is waving like a flag in a wind storm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The unit has a piece of curved duct work coming out of the AC unit, and then it slips over the duct work that goes up the back of the motorhome and into the ceiling. Where it had been "crimped" had worked it's way loose, and about 50% or more of my COLD air was cooling the engine compartment not the Motorhome.

He took a piece of bent aluminum and a very long plastic wire tie and sealed the crimped area to the duct work.

We were closing everything up and chatting about 10 minutes max and the wife comes out to inform us " I don't know what you did but it is working, you can feel the difference and the thermostat is dropping" This is at 3 in the afternoon.

He proceeds to check all of the ac openings in motorhome, the thermostat, and crawls into the return air box (tiny) to look down into the unit. Just to make sure all is ok !!!!

He says that this is the #2 reason he finds for poor AC performance in the basement units. First is the 2nd stage compressor not working.

AMAZING, and the total bill was $85.00 and a bottle of cold water !!!!!!!!!!! You can't buy ANYTHING hardly in the FL Keys for $85.00 !!!!

I am happy and COOL in FL. If your unit is having trouble keeping up with the heat of the day you might check the connection of the duct work..easy access on the diesels.

[LouRobin]

Well, we finally discovered an ongoing mystery with the AC on our 2003 Ultimate Freedom. It has always had trouble keeping up with the summer heat of the day.
On a recent trip to the Fl Keys we would start the morning at about 74 degrees or so and by 4 in the afternoon it would be up near 89 degrees or more.
This has been an ongoing problem, and all attemps to find the problem at various RV Dealers and an RV Coach Care center all resulted in the same answer. It is working properly, cool it down more in the early morning to help it keep up with the heat of the day.
I was about to install a roof unit over the kitchen fan to assist in the cooling.

It got so bad in the Keys we decided to try one AC repair guy or pack up and head home. The mobile RV guy referred us to a regular AC guy that we were told had experience with the basement units.

Now remember we are in the FL Keys where the only rush for anything is to not miss sunset, which is also a good reason to drink !!!

The repair guy shows up in an old beat up rusted van with "crap" stacked in the back about half way up the van...all over the van!!

He and his young assistant got out and he immediately went to work. He worked his way electrically through the outside of the unit testing as he went. "hummmm, everything seems to be working here" I've heard that before.

He then slides under the unit and tries to reach up the duct work coming out of the back of the unit. He then has his skinny and tall hjelper get under there and reach up the duct work higher. We open the engine door and he hands the helper a paper towel to hold beside the duct work, and it is waving like a flag in a wind storm !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The unit has a piece of curved duct work coming out of the AC unit, and then it slips over the duct work that goes up the back of the motorhome and into the ceiling. Where it had been "crimped" had worked it's way loose, and about 50% or more of my COLD air was cooling the engine compartment not the Motorhome.

He took a piece of bent aluminum and a very long plastic wire tie and sealed the crimped area to the duct work.

We were closing everything up and chatting about 10 minutes max and the wife comes out to inform us " I don't know what you did but it is working, you can feel the difference and the thermostat is dropping" This is at 3 in the afternoon.

He proceeds to check all of the ac openings in motorhome, the thermostat, and crawls into the return air box (tiny) to look down into the unit. Just to make sure all is ok !!!!

He says that this is the #2 reason he finds for poor AC performance in the basement units. First is the 2nd stage compressor not working.

AMAZING, and the total bill was $85.00 and a bottle of cold water !!!!!!!!!!! You can't buy ANYTHING hardly in the FL Keys for $85.00 !!!!

I am happy and COOL in FL. If your unit is having trouble keeping up with the heat of the day you might check the connection of the duct work..easy access on the diesels.

[John_Canfield]

Good for you! It's nice to be cool when it is hot and vice versa.

Your ductwork becoming separated in the rear cap is not unusual. There is also a spin-molded "Y" that has been known to split causing air leakage.

Key West sort of epitomizes the concept of "island time." I was born and raised in Miami - Key West was always thought of as 'being in another time zone.'

[AFChap]

Dis-jointed duct work behind the rear cap is the most common reason I have heard for Winnebago basement air not cooling well... lot's of discussion about it on a couple of other lists last year.

[alex]

The AC amperage on my 2000 Adventurer started cycling between 6 and 22 this weekend. I can hear and feel the air to the left of the mirror on the rear wall. Does anyone know how to access the vertical plenum? From the inside (disassembling cabinetry) or from the outside (remove large vertical endcap) or both?

alex