 |
|
01-12-2025, 06:25 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Indio, CA in Winter Season
Posts: 848
|
Dometic Dripping Sound
One of my Dometic heat pumps is making a dripping noise when fan runs regardless if heater is on. Just started and have yet to go on roof to look at it.
First thoughts on things I should look for?
__________________
Tony Righellis
2022 London Aire 4551 (Spartan)
Full Timer Since March 2022
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
01-12-2025, 07:00 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 335
|
Sounds like water intrusion and nothing associated w/the heat pump or fan operation. Although if it only happens w/the fan running, it may be blowing water around inside the unit.
Is there snow on the roof or have you driven through rain or snow recently? If it is water intrusion, it may not necessarily be in the vicinity of the HP. It may be elsewhere and it's working itself to where you’re hearing the drip. Check all roof components’ seals and reseal if you find gaps or cracks. Recommend Dicor self-leveling sealant.
If you can’t find anything w/obvious signs of water intrusion, remove the HP’s cowling and check for water inside the unit. Warning: remove all power from the coach (shore, chassis battery disconnect, & the other batt. disconnect by your entry door), but note that the capacitors in your Dometic are still charged.
Good luck
__________________
'22 Newmar Dutch Star (Freightliner)
'20 Jeep Wrangler JL
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 07:06 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Indio, CA in Winter Season
Posts: 848
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by OMMM4747
Sounds like water intrusion and nothing associated w/the heat pump or fan operation. Although if it only happens w/the fan running, it may be blowing water around inside the unit.
Is there snow on the roof or have you driven through rain or snow recently? If it is water intrusion, it may not necessarily be in the vicinity of the HP. It may be elsewhere and it's working itself to where you’re hearing the drip. Check all roof components’ seals and reseal if you find gaps or cracks. Recommend Dicor self-leveling sealant.
If you can’t find anything w/obvious signs of water intrusion, remove the HP’s cowling and check for water inside the unit. Warning: remove all power from the coach (shore, chassis battery disconnect, & the other batt. disconnect by your entry door), but note that the capacitors in your Dometic are still charged.
Good luck
|
Thanks for the quick reply. We are in Indio, CA and the last rain was about two weeks ago. It was light rain. The coach has been stationary since August 29.
Interesting that your reply is focused on water. That is a big help to me in that I was concerned that it might be coolant fluid.
Thanks very much.
__________________
Tony Righellis
2022 London Aire 4551 (Spartan)
Full Timer Since March 2022
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 07:18 AM
|
#4
|
Member
Commercial Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 485
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by righellis
One of my Dometic heat pumps is making a dripping noise when fan runs regardless if heater is on. Just started and have yet to go on roof to look at it.
First thoughts on things I should look for?
|
Tony, I'm assuming you have no signs of water intrusion from the AC unit. Try changing fan speeds to see if the sound changes. It's possible the fan assembly is making the "dripping noise" internally. If the sound changes with fan speed, I'd pull the shroud and try to pinpoint if motor or impeller wheels are making the noise.
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 07:39 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Indio, CA in Winter Season
Posts: 848
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Bell
Tony, I'm assuming you have no signs of water intrusion from the AC unit. Try changing fan speeds to see if the sound changes. It's possible the fan assembly is making the "dripping noise" internally. If the sound changes with fan speed, I'd pull the shroud and try to pinpoint if motor or impeller wheels are making the noise.
|
Always use Low fan speed. Just turned on to High fan speed and no noise. Went back to Low fan speed and no noise. Maybe it went away, which would imply a water intrusion (condensation). I will wait until the heat comes on and see what happens.
Kevin, what NIRVC is doing to reach out to the displaced folks from the LA fires is great. Luckily here the winds have headed westward thus we don't have any smoke. Until this week Indio has had zero wind all season.
__________________
Tony Righellis
2022 London Aire 4551 (Spartan)
Full Timer Since March 2022
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 09:01 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 335
|
If it was water intrusion, it didn't go away, it just ran out of water and you may have the beginnings of mold and/or corrosion in the empty space up there, not to mention you still need to find and plug the hole.
You mention 'heat pump' but not whether you were using the HP or furnace. Notwithstanding, even if on HP, if it gets cold enough, your Dometic automatically reverts to furnace mode and uses the hydronic heating system if it's too cold for HP operation so don't rule that out. Easy way to tell is to check the reservoir level in the engine compartment. If it's low, you need to refill to avoid damaging (cooking) your hydronic heater and look for the leak inside the Dometic unit. Taking a white paper towel w/you will help determine if any moisture you find is clear or if there's any color to it.
Good luck
__________________
'22 Newmar Dutch Star (Freightliner)
'20 Jeep Wrangler JL
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 02:44 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Pigeon Forge, TN
Posts: 774
|
If you're hearing a "splooshing" noise when using your heat pump, it means the outside coil is icing up and likely pushing liquid refrigerant back into the compressor. This usually means someone knocked the freeze sensor out of the coil, or it failed.
__________________
2021 Newmar Super Star 4051, Glacier Interior + Exterior
2021 Bravo Silver Star 24'
2019 Kia Stinger GT2 AWD, White Pearl
|
|
|
01-12-2025, 04:40 PM
|
#8
|
"Formerly Diplomat Don"
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Moorpark, Ca.
Posts: 25,325
|
You might be over diagnosing this. If you turn the pump off immediately after hearing the dripping and it stops, it's not a drip. It could be something expanding or with all the wind, a leaf or other object that got through the shroud.
__________________
Don & Mary
2019 Newmar Dutch Star 4018 (Freightliner)
2024 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 4x4 6.2L
|
|
|
01-13-2025, 07:14 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,065
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don
You might be over diagnosing this. If you turn the pump off immediately after hearing the dripping and it stops, it's not a drip. It could be something expanding or with all the wind, a leaf or other object that got through the shroud.
|
I agree with Don. Ours often had a “dripping” sound when the heat pump or AC cuts off….i have determined it is due to expansion and contraction of the ductwork or unit…. As I have never found any water and it stops after a short period of time.
__________________
2017 Newmar Ventana 4310
1,440W solar / 800 AH Lithium
2007 CR-V
|
|
|
01-13-2025, 12:17 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,748
|
For peace of mind you can buy a moisture reader and use it around the unit. I bought one years ago for checking the amount of moisture in stored firewood to check how "seasoned" it was. I've had friends borrow it when shopping for used RVs.
|
|
|
01-14-2025, 08:10 AM
|
#11
|
Member
Commercial Member
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 485
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by righellis
Always use Low fan speed. Just turned on to High fan speed and no noise. Went back to Low fan speed and no noise. Maybe it went away, which would imply a water intrusion (condensation). I will wait until the heat comes on and see what happens.
Kevin, what NIRVC is doing to reach out to the displaced folks from the LA fires is great. Luckily here the winds have headed westward thus we don't have any smoke. Until this week Indio has had zero wind all season.
|
Tony, any update on the dripping noise?
Yes, Brett Davis is very sympathetic to anyone displaced by natural disasters and opens up our campground facilities for temporary occupancy. He did the same for the Florida and Carolinas hurricane victims.
|
|
|
01-15-2025, 03:44 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Indio, CA in Winter Season
Posts: 848
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Bell
Tony, any update on the dripping noise?
Yes, Brett Davis is very sympathetic to anyone displaced by natural disasters and opens up our campground facilities for temporary occupancy. He did the same for the Florida and Carolinas hurricane victims.
|
Hey Kevin, no more dripping noise. Maybe it was a condensation???
__________________
Tony Righellis
2022 London Aire 4551 (Spartan)
Full Timer Since March 2022
|
|
|
01-15-2025, 05:06 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Indio, CA in Winter Season
Posts: 848
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by righellis
Hey Kevin, no more dripping noise. Maybe it was a condensation???
|
Oh of course the moment I reply all is good, it started again. Happens when fan running. I think it something mechanical but it does operate just fine. Having Signature Coachworks come out to see it in the next week or so.
__________________
Tony Righellis
2022 London Aire 4551 (Spartan)
Full Timer Since March 2022
|
|
|
01-28-2025, 04:47 PM
|
#14
|
Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 15
|
I had what I thought was a dripping sound and eventually discovered it was the bathroom door moving ever so slightly while it was open and against the wall. When I touched the door the sound went away.
|
|
|
 |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|