Community Forums

slickest1 · 08-03-2011, 09:39 PM

Hi, I had a cover blow off my front a/c and it badly damaged the fins and one of the coils was severed so it lost the refrigerent. I assume these units cannot be repaired. It is a Dometic Penguin 15000 heat pump. How big of a job is it to re & re one of these units as far as resealing etc. I know the hard part will be to get the new one up there and the old one down. Is there any one that has done this job themselves, thanks in advance. Dennis.

Jackm · 08-04-2011, 12:45 AM

To keep the rain out, roof-top ACs use a double-side adhesive dense-foam gasket (as opposed to a liquid sealant). As a result, its pretty easy to remove and replace a unit. They're pretty heavy though and you'll have to make sure that the power is truly off. I rigged a pulley off the ladder and it worked just fine. If you drop one, make sure it's the old one. Other than that, it's not a bad job.

Replacing mine would've gone better if I had noticed that small fist-sized wasp nest attached to the inside of the cover. They taught me a lesson I'll not soon forget.

Jack

ahicks · 08-04-2011, 07:19 AM

The R&R isn't bad at all - once the new A/C is on the roof. Getting it there will be the hardest part of the project.

H. Miller · 08-04-2011, 09:04 AM

R&R would give "shade tree mechanic" a whole new meaning

Just have to find a TALL tree.

Martind4 · 08-04-2011, 02:15 PM

We replaced ours on a fifth wheel but the roof wasn't as high as some of the newer rigs. The AC unit was in the bed of the pickup, we parked the truck as close as we could, stood on the sides and lifted it to the roof. As the previous posters have stated, the rest is easy.

slickest1 · 08-04-2011, 02:40 PM

Thanks for the replies, I expected the getting it up there would be the challenge. Just wasn't sure of the rest of it but it sounds pretty straight forward. The wasps would make the job one to remember, we can all do without a lesson like that. Thanks again.